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Marella Cruises

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Marella Cruises fleet

Marella voyager, marella discovery, marella explorer, marella discovery 2, marella explorer 2, review of marella cruises.

Marella Cruises (renamed in 2018 from "Thomson Cruises", tui.co.uk/cruise) is a "TUI Group"-owned and "TUI UK and Ireland"-operated British cruise line, that offers low-price voyages in Europe, Caribbean, and Asia. The company's older vessels are chartered from Holland America Line and Celestyal Cruises . Marella's new fleet consists of TUI-owned ships formerly owned and operated by Royal Caribbean and TUI Cruises .

In late-April 2020 was officially announced that the liner Marella Celebration will be retired (either sold or scrapped ) after 15 years of service with Thomson-Marella UK. The ship was scheduled to be homeported in Dubrovnik Croatia (June through October 2020, and May through October 2021), in Limassol Cyprus (Nov-Dec 2020, and March-April 2021) and in Dubai UAE (Dec 2020 through March 2021). All these voyages (which are still listed at CruiseMapper) were canceled.

In mid-October 2021, TUI announced that Mein Schiff Herz will be transferred in 2023 to Marella's fleet. Following a drydock refurbishment, the boat will be renamed Marella Voyager , starting operations for Marella on June 3, 2023.

Company history and changes

Initially, Thomson Cruises (UK company) started operations in 1973, but due to rising fuel costs, its passenger shipping operations were terminated in 1976. Thomson restarted cruise shipping in 1995. Marella Cruises is a very popular brand on the British travel market. It was established in 1965 as a division of the UK's largest tour operator and travel agency Thomson Holidays (now TUI UK). Thomson Holidays was a subsidiary of Thomson Corporation (1989-2008 defunct). Marella's parent company (TUI Group) owns hotels, the companies TUI Cruises, Marella Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises , and the travel brands International Expeditions and Zegrahm Expeditions. The company also owns aircraft and the airlines Corsair International (France), TUI Airways (UK), TUI fly Nordic (Sweden), TUI fly Belgium, TUI fly Deutschland, TUI fly Netherlands.

Two Greek ocean liners were chartered by Thomson in 1973, but the company failed to capture the audience, like other cruise lines of the 1970s. Operations were restarted in 1995 after Thomson chartered the liner Sapphire (originally named MS Italia, built 1965, scrapped 2010) from Louis Cruise Lines (now Celestyal Cruises ). Soon the company chartered other ocean liners, among which Island Breeze (RMS Transvaal Castle, 1961-2003), Topaz (RMS Empress of Britain, 1955-2008), The Emerald (SS Santa Rosa, 1958-2012).

Thomson Cruises aimed an effect on the British market just like Carnival did in the USA. Package holidays had already been very popular in the UK, and the company wanted the same for cruising. Despite the aging ships, Thomson Cruises attracted an ever-increasing number of first-time UK cruisers with affordable fares and presence of the company's travel agencies across Britain. In the 1990s, Thomson started operations as a budget cruise line and improved its product becoming more successful in the UK by improving amenities, ships and services, and introducing a wider range of itineraries.

Royal Caribbean sold its stake in Island Cruises to TUI Travel (Thomson's parent company) in 2008. In 2009 Island Star left the fleet and joined the Spanish brand of Royal Caribbean - Pullmantur. Island Escape joined Thomson fleet in 2009 and continued to offer informal cruises to the UK source market. Thomson Dream (Marella Dream) joined the fleet in spring 2010 being long-term chartered from Costa Cruises .

In March 2015, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) announced they had agreed to sell Splendour of the Seas to TUI in the second quarter of 2016. TUI would lease the vessel to Thomson Cruises in order to replace Island Escape. In May 2015, TUI Group announced plans for Mein Schiff 1/now Marella Explorer and Mein Schiff 2/Herz/now Marella Voyager to be transferred to Thomson UK over the next few years. Shiff 1 (renamed Marella Explorer ) entered Marella's fleet in 2017. In October 2015, Thomson's Island Cruises brand was discontinued after its only ship MS Island Escape (now Ocean Gala ) completed its last voyage with Thomson.

For FY2017, company's turnover was GBP 502 million, with EBITA (earnings-before-interest-taxes-depreciation-amortization) GBP 86,5 million and total number of served passengers 308,000 (101,7% occupancy). For FY2018 (fiscal year), TUI Group's earnings (from the 3 cruise brands - TUI, Marella, and Hapag-Lloyd) increased by 10,7% - to EUR 901,9 million. The company's turnover was EUR 324 million (26,8% increase over 2017). Group's average daily rates increased to EUR 178 euro (TUI, up from EUR 173), EUR 141 (Marella, up from EUR 131) and EUR 615 (Hapag-Lloyd, up from EUR 594).

In March 2018, TUI Group announced that to Marella's fleet will be added Marella Explorer 2 (formerly SkySea Golden Era, initially Celebrity Century), with scheduled delivery in December 2018. The liner was previously operated by SkySea Cruise Line - Asian joint venture company (owned by the RCCL-Royal Caribbean and Ctrip International). SkySea was the first contemporary brand developed for the Chinese market. Operational between May 2015 - September 2018, the new cruise line handled nearly 300 voyages and around 0,5 million passengers.

Marella "cruise and stay" holiday package deals include hotel or apartment at the beginning or at the end of the voyage.

Onboard cuisine offers everything you can think about - from healthy options to exotic local specialties and culinary choices on offer. Daytime entertainment with Marella cruises is great for all members of the family. There are also different activities for children onboard and special children's menu for junior diners. You can relax each evening in the wide range of bars and lounges or enjoy first-class entertainment with singers and comedians.

Marella fly-cruise deals from the UK to the Caribbean are served by regional TUI Airways flights from UK airports ( Cardiff , Doncaster Sheffield, East Midlands, Greenock-Glasgow , Newcastle , Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, London -Gatwick). Flights are to the company's Caribbean homeports Bridgetown Barbados and Montego Bay Jamaica . In 2019 were introduced "cruise-only flights" to Malaysia from Manchester Airport. The TUI Airways service (via Boeing 787 aircraft) connects to Langkawi Island - homeport for Marella's Far East Asia voyages. Such direct flights (TUI Airways) are also offered from London-Gatwick and Birmingham.

On select cruises, Marella offers free all-inclusive upgrades on the fleet's older liners. The new vessels ( Marella Discovery and Marella Discovery 2 ) offered these all-inclusive packages as standard fare inclusion. Since summer 2019, TUI's Marella brand operates with all-inclusive cruise deals fleetwide.

Since November 2022, Marella UK (via partnership with OneSpaWorld Holdings/health and wellness company) provides ocean-inspired wellness products and services on all its ships. The range of OneSpaWorld's services includes Ocean Body Treatments (massages and polishes), Ocean Facial, Ocean Salon Services. On Marella ships, OneSpaWorld uses premium beauty brands like Elemis, L'Oreal, Kerastase. The brands owned by OneSpaWorld include Mandara Spa, Bliss Spa, Chavana Spa, Glow Spa.

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, Marella UK suspended its entire fleet's passenger shipping operations (all liners) by canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 14, 2020, through late-June 2021.

Next are listed all Marella ships and their first departure dates/regions/homeports in 2021-2022 - DISCOVERY (Sept 3/Mediterranean-Greece from Corfu/"Aegean Discovery"), DISCOVERY 2 ( April 5, 2022 /Mediterranean from Palma de Mallorca), EXPLORER (June 25/ UK from Southampton ), EXPLORER 2 (July 10/ UK from Newcastle ).

• Marella's Caribbean 2021 program was canceled, which affected the ships DISCOVERY (from Montego Bay Jamaica) and EXPLORER 2 (from Bridgetown Barbados).
• DISCOVERY 2's Mediterranean 2021 program (Adriatic and Greek Islands from Corfu) was canceled, and the ship restarted in April 2022.
• DISCOVERY's 2021 homeporting in Palma de Mallorca was replaced with Corfu Greece.
• Two Marella ships (Celebration, Dream) were sold and left the fleet. Marella Dream was originally planned to restart voyages on May 4, 2021. Marella Dream was originally planned to restart voyages on May 4, 2021.

All affected bookings received full refunds (100% monetary) or 110% in FCC (future cruise credit), including on prepurchased through Marella (TUI UK) packages and services. With rebooking, the fare paid is transferred to FCCs (110%). Holiday package bookings (cruise and land vacations) receive 120% refund (in FCC) or 100% cash refund. All refunds are received within 4 weeks prior to the original departure date.

Itinerary of Marella Cruises

With a large selection of destinations and itineraries, Marella Cruises may show you the whole world. With a variety of UK cruises with departures from Southampton , Newcastle and Harwich , fly-cruise holidays from a large number of airports (available departures from over twenty UK airports), Marella Cruises sail in the Red Sea and the Canary Islands during winter, the Mediterranean in summer. There are about a hundred different destinations to explore aboard Marella ships.

Marella's UK-Caribbean fly-cruise deals are via TUI Airways (sister-company, part of TUI Group). The packages include direct flights from the UK (London-Gatwick and Birmingham) to Melbourne Orlando Airport. Marella optionally offers "cruise and stay" packages with a choice of 18 different hotels in the Caribbean.

Marella cruise itinerary changes

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in mid-April 2021 Marella announced a new ex-UK 2021 summer program with itineraries leaving roundtrip from UK ports and mainly coastal cruising along Britain's coast.

Marella Explorer 1 was homeported in Southampton (starting June 25, 2021).

• The 3-night "Sail the South Coast" (mini-cruise itinerary from Southampton) visits Dover and Portland.
• The "Sail the Irish Sea" itinerary (starting August 2021) from Southampton visits Liverpool, Dublin, Cobh.
• Scottish itineraries out of Southampton visit Invergordon, Leith (Edinburgh), Newcastle.
• "A Taste of the West Coast" itinerary (one-way Southampton to Portland) visits Greenock, Belfast, Holyhead.

Marella Explorer 2 was homeported in Newcastle upon Tyne (starting July 10, 2021).

Marella Celebration (1984-built, former ms Noordam and Thomson Celebration) joined the fleet in 2005. During summer, the ship operated Adriatic Sea roundtrips out of Dubrovnik Croatia. During winter it offered Persian Gulf cruises from Dubai . For summer 2018, the ship was relocated to homeport Dubrovnik for an adults-only cruise program with full-day port stays in Bar, Korcula, Zadar, Venice, Trieste, Split. The ship also introduced 2 new 7-day itineraries, themed "Sail Three Seas" (Valletta Malta, Messina Sicily, Cephalonia Island, Igoumenitsa, Kotor) and "Greek Mystique" (Chania Crete, Piraeus-Athens, Kalamata, Corfu Island, Kotor).

• In late-April 2020, Marella announced that the Celebration ship will be retired after 15 years of service with Thomson-Marella UK.
• Marella Celebration was scheduled to be homeported in Dubrovnik Croatia (June through October 2020, and May through October 2021), in Limassol Cyprus (Nov-Dec 2020, and March-April 2021) and in Dubai UAE (Dec 2020 through March 2021). All these scheduled departures were cancelled. Among those were two repositioning cruises (via Suez Canal ) visiting Singapore . Both relocation voyages ("Wonders of the Far East" and "Flavours of the Far East") were planned as 14-day itineraries featuring a late-night stay in Singapore.
• Marella Celebration had also planned 3 new itineraries from homeports Limassol, Dubai and Dubrovnik. The 6-night "Ancient Adventure" (from Dubrovnik) visits Piraeus-Athens and Rhodes Island. The relocation voyages between Limassol and Dubai ("Continental Crossing" and "Arabia Awaits") visited Aqaba-Petra (Jordan) and Salalah (Oman).

Thomson Majesty (1992-built) joined the fleet in 2012 and operated roundtrips to Madeira and Canary Islands with departures from Tenerife and Gran Canaria. In 2018, the ship was sold to Mano Cruises and now operates as Crown Iris .

Thomson Spirit (1983-built, former ms Nieuw Amsterdam , ms Patriot, ms Spirit), joined the fleet in 2003. The ship offered year-round European itineraries - Western Mediterranean (from Malaga and roundtrip Madeira) and Canary Islands (departures from Tenerife and Gran Canaria). Thomson Spirit's last cruise for Marella was scheduled for October 21, 2018.

Marella Dream (1986, fka MS Homeric, ms Westerdam , Costa Europa, Thomson Dream) joined the fleet in 2010 and left the fleet in 2020. During summer, the ship offered Eastern Mediterranean roundtrips from Corfu Greece. During winter it offered Caribbean roundtrips from Jamaica (Montego Bay), with Transatlantic repositioning crossings between the Caribbean and Europe.

• On October 1, 2020, was announced the r etirement ( end of the charter ) of the 34-year-old Marella Dream - after 10 years of service with Thomson-Marella UK (2010-2020). All Marella Dream cruises scheduled between May 4 and December 30, 2021 (37x itineraries) were cancelled. All Marella Dream Mediterranean 2021 voyages were transferred to Marella Discovery 1, which was rescheduled for homeporting in Palma de Mallorca Spain (instead of Port Canaveral USA ). As a result of the redeployment, Discovery 1's summer 2021 Caribbean voyages were all cancelled.

Marella Discovery 1 (1996, former "Splendour of the Seas" and "Thomson Discovery") joined the fleet in 2016. The ship offers year-round Western Mediterranean roundtrips from Palma de Mallorca .

Marella Discovery 2 (1995-built, fka "Legend of the Seas" / Royal Caribbean and "TUI Discovery 2"), joined the fleet in Spring 2017. The ship operates Mediterranean cruises (leaving from Malaga Spain) and Canary Islands cruises (out of Tenerife to ports in the Canaries, Morocco, and Madeira).

Marella Explorer (1996-built, fka Mein Schiff 1 , initially "Celebrity Galaxy") started operations in 2018, with 7-day Western Mediterranean cruises leaving roundtrip from homeport Palma De Mallorca Spain and visiting popular French Riviera ports in France .

Marella Explorer 2 (1995-built, fka "SkySea Golden Era", initially "Celebrity Century") started operations in April 2019 with 7-day Mediterranean itineraries leaving roundtrip from homeport Naples (Italy) .

Marella Voyager (1997-built, fka "Mein Schiff 1" and "Mein Schiff Herz", initially "Celebrity Mercury") joins Marella's fleet in June 2023. Following a drydock, the boat's Maiden Voyage leaves on June 3, 2023, from Palma de Mallorca (Majorca Island, Balearic Spain) .

• Out of Palma/homeport are visited large port cities in Italy, Spain and France. The 7-day itineraries are themed "Mediterranean Secrets", "Highlights Of The Mediterranean", "Highlights Of The Med", "Magic Of Spain", "Cosmopolitan Classics", "Mediterranean Secrets".
• Marella Voyager's winter 2023-2024 program is in the Caribbean, based on homeporting in Bridgetown Barbados and offers 3x 8-day itineraries - "A Taste of the Tropics from Barbados", "Paradise Islands", and "Tropical Delights". The ship's winter schedule will be open for booking from July 21, 2022.

Itineraries 2024-2025

Marella returns to Dominicana in winter 2024-2025, after a 7-year hiatus (since 2017 under the Thomson Cruises brand).

The adults-only ship Marella Explorer 2 is homeported in La Romana (starting on Christmas Eve/Dec 24, 2024) for a series of Caribbean roundtrips. The itineraries visit destinations in Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, Dominica, Antigua, St Maarten, Tortola BVI, and Samana Dominicana (new port for Marella).

Additionally, a third itinerary visits the Netherlands' ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao).

Marella's winter 2024-2025 Mediterranean schedule features two shorter itineraries. Marella Explorer ship starts from Malaga (on December 9th, 2024) heading towards Tenerife Canaries via Gibraltar UK and Casablanca Morocco , with one day at sea. The Marella Voyager ship departs from Palma de Mallorca (on November 2) visiting Spain's ports Alicante , Almeria , and Malaga.

New winter itineraries include 6-night voyages leaving from Marmaris Turkey , Corfu Greece and Malaga.

Marella's summer 2025 itineraries incorporate 10x cruise-and-stay/cruisetour packages.

Marella Discovery 2 is homeported in Limassol Cyprus (commencing May 7, 2025) for the summer, marking the brand's return to Limassol since the winter of 2017 (under the Thomson brand). The liner will operate two different itineraries - "Aegean Gems" ( Kusadasi , Mykonos , Piraeus-Athens , Souda Crete , Rhodes ) and "Grecian Discovery" (Piraeus, Santorini , Crete, Rhodes).

Simultaneously, Marella Voyager (inaugurated in June 2023) is homeported in Palma during summer 2025, introducing 4 different itineraries: "Magic of Spain", "Treasures of the Mediterranean", "Mediterranean Secrets" and "Mediterranean Medley".

Marella's summer 2025 program also introduces 10x cruise-and-land packages providing access to 200+ hotels in destinations like Palma, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Cyprus. These packages allow selection between pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel stays.

Marella Cruises to Cuba

Marella Explorer 2's 7-night itinerary "Flavours of the Caribbean" visits Cuba with an overnight in Havana . The 7-day roundtrip from Jamaica ( Montego Bay ) also visits Mexico (Cozumel), and Grand Cayman Island (George Town).

Marella offered roundtrips to Cuba out of Jamaica ( Montego Bay ) with Marella Dream . Itineraries started in 2017. The maiden voyage was on January 31 (7-night to Grand Cayman, Havana, Cozumel). In 2020, two Marella ships (Celebration, Dream) were sold and left the fleet.

Marella Cruises related cruise news

Marella Cruises UK homeports ship Explorer 2 in Dominicana (winter 2024-2025 Caribbean season)

Minister of Tourism David Collado recently announced that the UK-based Marella Cruises has designated the Dominican Republic, specifically La Romana...

Marella UK's Asia & Middle East cruises (ship Discovery 2) canceled due to Red Sea crisis

TUI has made the decision to cancel Marella Cruises UK's Asia and Middle East program from November 2024 to the end of April 2025. In a...

Marella (TUI UK) cancels Red Sea repositioning cruises due to safety concerns

Marella Cruises has made the decision to cancel a series of repositioning sailings on Discovery 2 ship due to concerns regarding the Red Sea area...

Marella UK unveils summer 2025 itineraries, incorporating 10 cruise-and-stay packages

Marella Cruises UK unveiled its summer 2025 itineraries, incorporating 10 cruise-and-stay packages into the offerings. Marella Discovery 2 ship is...

Marella Cruises integrates Starlink WiFi connectivity throughout its fleet

The UK-based company Marella Cruises has recently integrated the Starlink WiFi connectivity service throughout its fleet. This implementation is...

Port Canaveral commissioners to spend $67+ million for 2 new cruise terminal parking garages

In preparation for a surge in passenger numbers and the introduction of new cruise ships in 2024, Port Canaveral commissioners allocated US$67...

Trimline rebrands 5th Marella Cruises UK ship

Trimline marks a milestone as they successfully complete their fifth rebranding endeavor for Marella Cruises UK, focusing on the refurbishment of...

9-month-old baby medevaced from Marella Explorer cruise ship

A swift and well-coordinated emergency response resulted in the successful evacuation of a 9-month-old British citizen from Marella Explorer ship...

Marella UK cancels current and next cruise on Marella Discovery ship due to engine fire

Marella Cruises UK has decided to cancel the remainder of its ongoing voyage and the upcoming departure of the Marella Discovery cruise ship due to a...

Marella Cruises returns to Dominicana after 7-year absence

Marella Cruises UK will be making a comeback to the Dominican Republic in the winter of 2024-2025, marking their return after a hiatus since 2017...

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Our TUI Discovery Caribbean Cruise Review for 14 nights

Having been on only one cruise in the past we decided we wanted to do one with multiple islands and as little as possible sea days as we like to get off and explore. We decided on Thomson Discovery as they offered 12 islands and 1 sea day, perfect for us.

We booked on to the seven shores followed by paradise islands cruise and got a free all inclusive drinks package. The cruise was a back to back cruise consisting of 12 eastern Caribbean islands starting from Bridgetown Barbados.

Flying with TUI to the Caribbean

We were told we would be flying on the Thomson Dreamliner only to find out when we boarded it was the Boeing 767 which was disappointing as we were looking forward to flying on the Dreamliner.

Paul and I are terrible flyers we are just petrified! My fear of flying started when I was a child and I’ve never really got over it. I don’t let it stop me flying and actually prefer long haul flights which makes no sense at all I know!!

Paul was a great flyer until he met me and I’ve put the fear in him sadly. We don’t want Brody to be like us and I supposed that’s why we were determined to travel as much as we could with him when he was young so it is a normal thing for him. It seems to be working he loves flying, which is great as the The flight took approx 9 hours from Manchester.

When we landed Brody shouted ” yeah we made it let’s go back up again” clapping so enthusiastically, the whole plane burst out laughing. We are so very lucky he loves flying and keeps us both distracted from our fear of flying.

The route over the Atlantic is know for turbulence and to be honest we have never not had a bumpy ride so I did expect it. We had an amazing day time flight over but the flight home was another story!! 8 hours of severe turbulence! My nerves were shot to pieces, It was awful! I was so thankful that Brody slept the whole way home, not a peep!

The staff were amazing and asked someone if they wouldn’t mind moving so we could have an extra seat for him to lie down which is just such a huge help when you have a little one on a flight, I’m sure most parents will agree! Paul wasn’t well at all and the staff couldn’t do enough for him on the flight, they even got authorization from the captain to open a doctor’s kit to get ambasol out for him. We couldn’t the praise the staff enough.

TUI Discovery Ship

We disembarked the plane in Bridgetown Barbados, went straight to a bus and off we went to the ship, all so organised which was amazing after a 9 hour flight. Embarkation was quick and efficient then we went straight to our cabin.

We booked an outside cabin as I really don’t like the idea of not having a window in a room and didn’t like the idea of a balcony with a 3 year old, I know I’m a worrier but I doubt I’d have slept a wink knowing their was a balcony!!! The cabin was spacious and the window was huge much to Brody’s amusement.

We had only every been on one cruise before and that was a 4 day Bahamas cruise on the outstanding Disney Magic. I had it in my head when we booked the Thomson cruise that there was no way it could live up to Disney, just no way at all! Well I was quite presently surprised!!!

We took a walk around the ship and it was absolutely beautiful. The Thomson Discovery had previously been the Royal Carribbean’s Splendor of the seas and has undergone a huge renovation before becoming Thomson discovery.

Food on board

We were on an all inclusive basis and did not make use of the extra cost restaurants ( Kora la, surf and turf steak house and sushi bar) we instead ate mainly at the buffet restaurant “Islands” mostly because its so convenient with kids.

After a long day out sight seeing its so much easier and quicker to eat at the buffet. Brody is not a child to make a fuss but for some reason on this trip he got quite fed up at dinner time so “ Islands’ was a great option for great food quickly!! Perfect for families.

We also ate at 47degrees, which Is the main service eatery. The food here was delicious to say the least. Brody’s favourite place to eat was definitely the “shake shack” a fast food outlet styled colorfully with British style beach huts.

I myself cannot eat wheat so I find eating on holiday can be quite difficult. Unlike the vast majority of people I end up loosing weight on holiday!! However I didn’t find it difficult on this trip as Thomas cater well for allergies and intolerances, which made my life so much easier.

TUI Discovery for kids

I can’t comment on the kids club as I’m not one for leaving my son in kids clubs, I’m a worrier and much prefers him to be with us. We did however go to see the kids clubs that cater for 3-11 year olds and they looked great. The staff were all very attentive with Brody and he loved getting his chocolates on his pillow every night along with a towel animal.

Excursions and best things to do on TUI Discovery

Click the button below to read the full list of tours, prices and things to do in all of the destinations!

Tinkers Tips

If you prefer seeing lots of places and spending most of your days on land Thomson is the ship for you. They tend to visit a lot of places and have fewer sea days then other cruise companies. If you prefer sea days this is not the cruise for you.

Eat earlier with children to avoid the glares from fellow passengers, especially when the restaurants are crowded. This happened a few times with us so we switched to eating earlier when other kids were around. With Thomson there is no set dining, you can eat when you like which we loved.

Be prepared, the ports that Thomson use aren’t all in the main cruise ports. We docked at many freight ship container docks, which thought was a little strange but we had already booked our excursions so it wasn’t a big deal for us.

Make sure you book all excursions BEFORE you cruise. We have another post with all our excursion operators.

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4 best Caribbean family cruise holidays with TUI this December

A TUI Caribbean cruise holiday with the family is a glorious way to escape to sun, sea and sand and ensure everyone, big and small, gets the break they deserve. Even better, there are plenty of great deals to snap up this winter.

Escape to sun, sea and sand with Marella Cruises’ Caribbean offerings this winter.

Caribbean cruises take in a wealth of exotic shorelines, ancient cities and fantastic cuisine without you ever needing to unpack more than once.

Come the winter, such holidays are longed for by many a sun-starved Briton – but help is at hand.

TUI cruise line Marella Cruises has a brilliant selection of voyages this December to help you recharge for the year ahead.

Whether you want to visit lesser-visited spots such as Belize or Guatemala, or you prefer to call at Caribbean classics such as Jamaica and St Lucia, there’s a TUI family cruise for you in winter 2022.

What’s more, every Marella Cruises holiday is all-inclusive so the little ones can hoover up as many pizza slices, lemonades and ice creams as they like and you can hit the cocktails without worrying about the bill.

Flights, transfers and tips are also included to help take the stress out, so you really can just lie in the sun and relax!

We’ve rounded up four of the best Caribbean cruises for the family this December to help you get inspired. Total prices are based on a family of four.

Roatan, Honduras is an exciting Central American port of call on Marella’s Caribbean cruises.

Exotic Explorer

This TUI Caribbean cruise includes a £374 discount and calls at an exciting selection of Central American ports such as Honduras and Guatemala for a Caribbean cruise with a difference.

When: December 6, 2022 Duration: 7 nights Where: Montego Bay, Jamaica | Roatan, Honduras | Santo Tomas De Castilla, Guatemala | Belize City, Belize | Costa Maya, Mexico | Montego Bay, Jamaica Ship: Marella Discovery 2 Flights from: London Gatwick Price: From £1,032pp | Total Price £4,127

Book this cruise here

Flavours of the Caribbean

This sailing has an even bigger discount – £459 – so you know you’re bagging a great deal with this Jamaica, Mexico, Cuba and Cayman Islands cruise.

When: December 13, 2022 Duration: 7 nights Where: Montego Bay, Jamaica | Cozumel, Mexico | Havana, Cuba | Georgetown, Cayman Islands | Montego Bay, Jamaica Ship: Marella Discovery 2 Flights from: Manchester Price: £1,118pp | Total Price £4,472

Cartagena, Colombia is a lesser-visited Caribbean hotspot on Marella’s itineraries.

Pride of Panama

Thought the savings couldn’t get any greater? Wrong! This TUI Caribbean cruise holiday includes an amazing £1,501 total discount and packs in some more unusual Caribbean hotspots such as Costa Rica and Panama.

When: December 20, 2022 Duration: 7 nights Where: Montego Bay, Jamaica | Port Royal, Jamaica | Cartagena, Colombia | Colon, Panama | Puerto Limon, Costa Rica | Montego Bay, Jamaica Ship: Marella Discovery 2 Flights from: Manchester Price: From £1,402pp | Total Price £5,608

A Taste of Paradise

It’s Christmas but not how you know it on this December cruise. You’ll celebrate the prime festive week in the sun ticking off a wealth of classic Caribbean destinations from Barbados to Grenada. Oh, and it includes a mind-boggling total discount of £2,093! Talk about happy holidays.

When: December 22, 2022 Duration: 7 nights Where: Bridgetown, Barbados | St George’s, Grenada | Castries, St Lucia | St John’s, Antigua | Roseau, Dominica | Fort De France, Martinique | Bridgetown, Barbados Ship: Marella Discovery Flights from: Birmingham Price: From £2,063pp | Total Price £8,253

Want to find out more about Marella Cruises Caribbean cruise holidays or explore other exciting voyages? Head to the TUI website for inspiration.

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Caribbean cruise and stay holidays 2022 & 2023 for winter sun

Cruise and stay holidays offer the perfect excuse to pack both land and sea into the one getaway and really make the most of your destination.

In association with:

Marella Cruises offers cruise and stay holidays in the Mediterranean Canary Islands and the Caribbean, with travellers able to add on three, four or seven nights in a hotel after their cruise or a seven-night stay before the sailing.

Not all cruise lines offer the benefit of a cruise and stay holiday so we’ve taken a look at the TUI cruise and stay Caribbean options, where jet-setters can stay in Jamaica or Barbados .

As the cold descends on the UK and the cost of the living ascends, we’re sure we’re not the only ones dreaming of azure seas and sun-soaked beaches!

Booking a TUI cruise and stay getaway is easy; you simply need to select Cruise & Stay as part of your search.

Once you’ve chosen your itinerary, you can then choose one of the brand’s properties which range from luxury TUI BLUE SENSATORI resorts and the adults-only TUI BLUE FOR TWO collection to budget-friendly TUI SUNEO hotels. Oh, and then you’ll need to get planning that vacay wardrobe!

Here are some TUI cruise and stay holidays with Marella Cruises that you can bag for a great price this winter 2022 and 2023.

Paradise Islands

When: December 4, 2022 Duration: 7-night cruise Where: Bridgetown, Barbados | Roseau, Dominica | St John’s, Antigua | Basseterre, St Kitts | Philipsburg, St Maarten | Road Town, British Virgin Islands | Bridgetown, Barbados Ship: Marella Explorer 2 Price: From £1,188 pp

Tropical Delights

When: December 11, 2022 Duration: 7-night cruise Where: Bridgetown, Barbados | Castries, St Lucia | St George’s, Grenada |Kralendijk, Bonaire | Willemstad, Curacao Island | Bridgetown, Barbados Ship: Marella Explorer 2 Price: From £1,128 pp

When: December 18, 2022 Duration: 7-night cruise Where:  Bridgetown, Barbados | Roseau, Dominica | St John’s, Antigua | Basseterre, St Kitts | Philipsburg, St Maarten | Road Town, British Virgin Islands | Bridgetown, Barbados Ship: Marella Explorer 2 (adults only) Price: From £1,898 pp

Flavours of the Caribbean

When: January 10, 2023 Duration: 7-night cruise Where: Montego Bay, Jamaica | Ocho Rios, Jamaica| Havana, Cuba | Cozumel, Mexico | Montego Bay, Jamaica Ship: Marella Discovery 2 Price: From £1,329 pp

Caribbean Dreams

When:  January 12, 2023 Duration: 7-night cruise Where:  Bridgetown, Barbados | Road Town, British Virgin Islands | Philipsburg, St Maarten | Basseterre, St Kitts | Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadeloupe | Bequia, The Grenadines | Bridgetown, Barbados Ship: Marella Discovery Price: From £1,310 pp

A Taste of Paradise

When: February 2, 2023 Duration: 7-night cruise Where: Bridgetown, Barbados | St John’s, Antigua | Fort De France, Martinique | Roseau, Dominica | St George’s, Grenada | Castries, St Lucia | Bridgetown, Barbados Ship: Marella Discovery Price: From £1,394 pp

Are tips included on Marella Cruises?

With this quick guide, find out all you need to know about the Marella Cruises tipping policy.

Save up to 35% off an all-inclusive Caribbean & Central America cruise – one year to go!

Sail from sun-soaked tropical islands to the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans on this 49-night Central American cruise.

7 enchanting Explora Journeys Mediterranean voyages for 2024

Explora Journeys Mediterranean cruises stop not just at famous continental gems from Rome to Istanbul but also at charming, lesser-known towns just waiting to be uncovered.

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TUI and Royal Caribbean are significantly enlarging their TUI Cruises joint venture to accelerate growth of luxury brand Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises will be the second pillar of the successful joint venture, providing an ideal starting point for accelerated growth in TUI’s Cruise division 
• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is valued at 1.2 billion euros. Faster growth and the envisaged synergies will allow for significant additional value potential 
• Transaction proceeds used for strengthening TUI Group’s balance sheet and accelerating the digital transformation 
• TUI CEO Fritz Joussen: “We’re changing the ownership structure behind the brand to facilitate stronger, faster and capital-light growth. At the same time, we use the proceeds to drive TUI’s digital transformation.” 

TUI Group and its longstanding partner Royal Caribbean Cruises are planning to expand their luxury, expedition and premium cruise segment and to attract new target audiences for luxury cruise products. The expansion of the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises brand will be at the core of this strategy. The former TUI Group subsidiary will be integrated into the TUI Cruises joint venture, a successful structure having been established by TUI and Royal Caribbean since 2008. 

A contract signed in Hamburg today values Hapag-Lloyd Cruises at 1.2 billion euros. The closing of the transaction is expected for this summer. Under the joint venture profit-sharing agreement TUI will report 50 percent of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ earnings. With the transaction, TUI and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. have agreed to further expand their partnership by using the proven joint venture structure of TUI Cruises also for the luxury and expedition cruise segment. The transaction is in line with TUI’s previously stated objective to deliver additional profitable growth at a lower level of capital intensity. 

TUI Group’s plans for the expansion of the Cruises segment will be expedited by the transaction. As a result of limited global shipbuilding capacity, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff fleet are not scheduled for the next three new build deliveries until 2023, 2024 and 2026. 

The integration of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises in the joint venture will allow TUI to participate in global cruise industry growth at a low level of capital expenditure. 

The merger of TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises under the umbrella of the joint venture will create a leading European cruise company with a current combined fleet of twelve ships. TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises will continue to operate their successful product concepts in the future. TUI Cruises will continue to cater to the premium German-speaking segment and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises will continue to have an exclusive presence in the luxury and expedition ship segment. “The ships’ identities, service, quality and customer experience will remain as individual and unique as they are today. This will create significant advantages for the Group, for our expansion and for our investments,” explained TUI CEO Fritz Joussen. 

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is part of the TUI Group’s cruise businesses and is the leading provider of luxury and expedition cruises in German-speaking markets. Its fleet currently consists of two luxury ships within the five star plus category and three expedition cruise ships. A further expedition cruise ship has been ordered and will be added to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ fleet in 2021 to replace MS Bremen. In light of the transaction it is possible that the luxury and expedition fleet will grow in the coming years. 

“Products and brands such as MS Europa and MS Europa 2 have international potential and appeal. Going forward, this will enable us as shareholders to take a capital-light approach to financing the ships and international growth within a joint venture framework. TUI and Royal Caribbean Cruises have developed the joint venture company on the basis of a strong partnership over the past ten years. The expansion decision is the next big step of growth for us – from a strategic and a commercial perspective,” said Fritz Joussen. Each partner will continue to leverage its core strengths: TUI’s strong brand and selling power combined with Royal Caribbean’s shipbuilding, operational and digital expertise. 

TUI Group will use the transaction proceeds to strengthen the Group’s balance sheet and to drive its transformation into a digital organisation. The first stage of the transformation, which began in 2013, saw the company evolve from a traditional tour operator model into a successful developer, investor and operator of hotels and cruise ships, as well as destination activity provider. Now the next phase – TUI’s transformation to a digital platform organisation – has begun. Digital business models, as well as the Hotels, Resorts and Cruises divisions, will be the TUI Group’s mainstays in the future. However, growth and investments in hotels and cruise business will be less capital intensive. This ‘asset light’ strategy was announced in December 2019. Asset light expansion has already been adopted for hotel investments such as the brand TUI Blue and now also for the cruise brands.

About TUI Group

The TUI Group is one of the world's leading tourism groups and operates worldwide. The Group is headquartered in Germany. TUI shares are listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, in the regulated market of the Lower Saxony Stock Exchange in Hanover and in the FTSE 250, an index of the London Stock Exchange. TUI Group offers its 19 million customers integrated services from a single source and forms the entire tourism value chain under one roof. The Group owns over 400 hotels and resorts with premium brands such as RIU, TUI Blue and Robinson and 16 cruise ships, ranging from the MS Europa and MS Europa 2 in the luxury class and expedition ships in the HANSEATIC class to the Mein Schiff fleet of TUI Cruises and cruise ships operated by Marella Cruises in the UK. The Group also includes Europe's leading tour operator brands and online marketing platforms, for example for hotel-only or flight-only offers, five airlines with more than 130 modern medium- and long-haul aircraft and around 1,200 travel agencies. In addition to expanding its core business with hotels and cruises via successful joint ventures and activities in vacation destinations, TUI is increasingly focusing on the expansion of digital platforms. The Group is transforming itself into a global tourism platform company.

Global responsibility for sustainable economic, environmental and social action is at the heart of our corporate culture. With projects in 25 countries, the TUI Care Foundation initiated by TUI focuses on the positive effects of tourism, on education and training and on strengthening environmental and social standards. In this way, it supports the development of vacation destinations. The globally active TUI Care Foundation initiates projects that create new opportunities for the next generation.

Kuzey Esener

More information.

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Princess Cruise in Oct 2024 $$ Qs - Cruises Forum

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Also, should we get a basic Zero-Alcohol bev pkg or the Soda bev pkg? What about no bev pkg at all? Do we still get safe water and orange juice, for example? We do need quick access to orange juice to deal with low glucose levels.

2 replies to this topic

We usually don't purchase packages for drinks either soft drinks or alcoholic as we don't feel it is cost effective, but many do. It really an individual thing. And if one person in the cabin purchases a package then the other person(s) also must. I would figure out the costXpersonsXsailing days and see if its worth it for you to do that or purchase drinks separately. I would figure on Cocktails at $10 per drink Beer at $7 Wine $10. as an average price.

There is no minibar set-up on Princess, unless you're an Elite Captain's Circle member, or in a full suite

And in those cases, it's complimentary . So, nothing in the mini fridge, it is empty for most passengers.

Water, coffee, tea, lemonade, ice tea, hot chocolate and juice blends (from concentrate) are available 24/7 from the buffet.

All bars have water available no charge.. pool deck bars have ice tea and lemonade available by the jug/free during the day..

You can order different juices from the door hanger breakfast menu free if charge and stash them in your mini fridge for use throughout the day..

Whether to buy a drink package, of any kind, is a personal choice - sodas run $2.50 plus 18% gratuity.. mocktails run $6-10 plus 18%. Specialty coffee (espresso, latte, etc) $2.50-6 plus 18%. You need to do the math.

If you'll have two or three coffees, a mocktail or two, and want WiFi - consider the Plus Cruise Package instead.. at $60 a day, it can make sense.. $16-18usd per day for daily gratuity, WiFi at $24.99 a day, that's already $43-41 per day already...

Gotta do the math for yourselves.

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Royal caribbean set to resume cruises out of baltimore nearly 2 months after key bridge collapse.

Royal Caribbean International plans to resume cruises out of Baltimore, Maryland, later this month, now that the channel in and out of the busy port was reopened on Tuesday to a depth of up to 45 feet.

The news comes nearly two months after the container ship Dali crashed into a support of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, sending the structure smashing into the Patapsco River below, and on top of the vessel.

On Monday, crews used explosives to break apart the largest remaining piece of the bridge resting on top of the Dali, causing the mangled metal to fall into the water. Crews were expected to assess the remaining bridge debris near the grounded ship before re-floating the vessel and moving it out of the channel.

Enough of the structure has been removed to resume shipments in and out of Port Baltimore, and on Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard reopened the Fort McHenry limited access channel to an available depth of 45 feet for commercial vessels daily, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE POSES ‘TEMPORARY RISK’ TO LOCAL, STATE ECONOMIES: MOODY'S

The Port of Baltimore shared the news on Facebook, saying the channel has a horizontal clearance of 350 feet and a vertical clearance of 214 feet because of power lines above, though the depth and width may increase as salvage operations continue in the area.

READ ON THE FOX BUSINESS APP

Still, transit in the channel remains at the discretion of the Coast Guard, based on weather conditions and salvage operations.

The reopening means cruise ships like Royal Caribbean International’s Vision of the Seas are resuming operations.

ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE WILL BE LONG-LASTING, TRADE GROUP WARNS

On May 25, the Vision of the Seas will depart Baltimore for a five-night voyage to Bermuda.

"Royal Caribbean International looks forward to returning to the Port of Baltimore once again," a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told Fox News Digital. "Vision of the Seas will set sail on a five-night itinerary as planned on Saturday, May 25, after completing its previously scheduled drydock in The Bahamas."

In a social media post, the Port of Baltimore expressed excitement over the return of cruise ships in and out of the city.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN CANCELS LABADEE, HAITI PORT STOPS OUT OF ‘ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION’

"This marks the first cruise departing Baltimore since the Key Bridge incident," the post read. "Are you as excited as we are? If you’ve never cruised before from Baltimore, come find out why it’s the best cruise port on the East Coast. Baltimore is back!"

Another cruise company, Carnival Cruise Line, also offers voyages out of Baltimore Harbor. After the Key Bridge collapsed, the company moved the Carnival Legend’s operations to Norfolk, Virginia, to allow rescue and remediation efforts to continue at the scene of the disaster.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

Fox News Digital reached out to Carnival to find out whether the company plans to resume operations out of Baltimore, but did not immediately hear back.

Original article source: Royal Caribbean set to resume cruises out of Baltimore nearly 2 months after Key Bridge collapse

'No washy, no food': Meet Washy Washy, Royal Caribbean's singing public health character

Some of the best entertainment on Royal Caribbean International’s cruise ships happens at the sink.

Crew members throughout Royal Caribbean's fleet play Washy Washy, a character who reminds guests to stop at hand-washing stations when they enter various dining venues. They perform public health-themed covers of popular songs. Videos featuring their takes on hits like Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “No Woman, No Cry” (“No washy, no food”) and the Pussycat Dolls’ “Don’t Cha” (“Don’t cha wish your girlfriend washy washy like me”) have gone viral on social media in recent months.

The role – whose actual title is host or hostess of the venue – has been around for more than 15 years, with cruise ship employees adding their own spins, according to Rebecca Burns, the line’s Senior Manager of Restaurant Operations.

“Over time crew members have gotten very creative incorporating costumes, dances, and songs bringing excitement and happiness to guests,” she said in an email. “We love that there is an opportunity for each of them to make it their own and bring out their personalities.”

Washy Washy also helps the cruise line promote good hand hygiene. “The health and well-being of our guests, and the overall guest experience, are top priorities for Royal Caribbean,” Burns added. “Washing hands before dining is an important step to staying healthy, and this unique approach of integrating entertainment reminding guests to do so has made it more effective.”

USA TODAY spoke with five crew members who play Washy Washy on the line’s newest ship, Icon of the Seas : Neilbert Mar Morilla Saluta, 34; Jay Arenas, 33; Argel Symbol, 36; Jester Javier, 30; and Aaljon Nogaliza, 30. The employees, who are all from the Philippines, answered questions via email about their typical days, their repertoires and more.

Question: What does a typical day as Washy Washy look like? What are your responsibilities in that role?

Answer: We welcome guests to the restaurant we are attending and encourage them to wash their hands before dining by taking popular tunes and creating new words to include “washy washy” or “wash your hands.” A typical day for some of us starts as early as 6 a.m. at the opening of breakfast and, for others, continues through to the end of dinner.

Our goal as Washy Washy is to make this important task something fun for guests of all ages. Hand washing is very important for health.

How do you come up with the funny takes on popular songs (like “Don't Cha,” for example)? What other songs have you put unique spins on?

We choose songs that are popular for all our different guests – little kids, older kids and the adults; all the ages. Then, with each song, we find how to sprinkle in the important reminder to “wash, wash your hands” before coming in to eat with your family. This way, everybody has music that is familiar and catches their attention – we do songs in Spanish, too. The best is the smiles and dancing at the washy washy station.

We have so many favorite songs and all different types because our guests come from all different places, they are all ages and we like to have something for everyone, from kiddie music to popular songs today and from many years ago. Some songs we do washy, washy versions of are “Mamma Mia” and “Dancing Queen” by ABBA; “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins; classic family songs like “Hokey Pokey” and “Y.M.C.A.” by the Village People; and we do “La Bamba” in Spanish, “para lavarse las manos, para lavarse las manos…”.

The five of us who are part of Washy Washy make up lyrics on our own, we do it together, whenever we have ideas. Many times, lyric changes happen and new lyrics happen when we are performing because of reactions we see. We like to do music that matches the season; for December, for example, we sing Washy Washy holiday songs.

What is the response from Icon guests to Washy Washy?

They absolutely love it! And we love it! Washy Washy has been part of Royal Caribbean for a long time. It is different across the ships because the Washy Washy teams are all different – some crew members play an instrument, sometimes it’s about funny accessories – but most important is that we are friendly and happy, and we remind people to wash their hands. Because Icon is the best family vacation with lots of “wows,” we wanted Washy Washy to be a “wow,” like Icon. 

Before Icon, vacationers were surprised when they encountered Washy Washy. Now guests come find us because of all the beautiful videos guests put on social media.

People really like the Washy Washy teams because it’s unexpected – happy, jolly songs that make you dance while washing your hands – most important is for everyone to wash hands. No one thinks they’re going to find us there singing and dancing about washing hands – and people can’t help but smile. We see guests of all ages, but especially kids, singing and dancing along. Sometimes they even request us to repeat songs they’ve already heard us sing or ask for an autograph!  We feel so special!

Do you have any favorite memories from interacting with guests as Washy Washy?

Interacting with kids and seeing their faces light up is priceless. Recently, there was a little girl who came into Windjammer with her parents, crying, and when she saw our Washy Washy performance, her mood totally shifted – she turned that frown upside down!

We also love it when guests recognize us in other venues around the ship, on Perfect Day at CocoCay when we are not wearing costumes, or even on different Royal Caribbean ships. This is extra special because we know we’re helping people make memories with us, and that’s what this is all about! We form bonds with guests and love making them happy. We’re always sad when they leave at the end of their vacation.

Short vs. long cruises: Here's how they compare

What do you hope guests take away from their interactions with Washy Washy?

We want to inspire our guests to have fun and enjoy every part of their vacation, even things like washing their hands. That’s why we created Washy Washy, and we are most happy when people smile and dance with us. We hope to be a lasting part of their Icon memory and that they’ll still be singing our catchy tunes when they go home.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Will a cruise ship wait for me if I'm running late at a port stop? Here's what a captain has to say.

• People considering cruising might wonder what would happen if they were running late to the ship.
• In a Q&A on board Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, Captain Rob Hempstead shared what to do.
• Call the ship agent if you're running late so the captain can decide if they have time to wait.

On March 27, eight travelers on a Norwegian cruise in Africa were stranded on the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe after their private excursion arrived back at the ship more than an hour after boarding closed. The cruisers chased the ship for almost a week before reboarding in Dakar, Senegal.

More recently, on May 13, a couple sailing in the Mediterranean with the same cruise line was left stranded in Motril, Spain, after their excursion (not organized by Norwegian) had an hour bus delay getting back to the ship due to rain,  CNN reported .

On any cruise, travelers have the freedom to experience multiple destinations on one trip with port stops where they can exit the ship and explore a new place.

But cruise ships run on a tight schedule, often only allotting passengers around seven or eight hours for a one-day stop, sometimes even less. This leaves many to wonder what happens if you're running late getting back to the ship : Will the crew wait up, or will you end up stranded, chasing the ship from stop to stop?

Will the captain wait for you?

The answer is maybe. 

On an April 2022 cruise on board Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas , Business Insider attended a Q&A with Captain Rob Hempstead, where he answered this very question. 

Hampstead, who's been a Royal Caribbean captain for two decades, started his career in Alaska's fishing industry. After 14 years of fishing, he became a captain. Before Wonder of the Seas, Hampstead served as captain of seven other Royal Caribbean ships, including Oasis of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas .

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The most stressful part of a cruise for the crew is getting out of the ports on time, he said, "Because the faster we go, the more fuel we have to burn."

Some people come late, and as a result, are left behind, he added. 

However, this doesn't mean he won't wait for you — you just need to know what to do. 

Two cruise ships docked at Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas — Coco Cay. Joey Hadden/Insider

When will a cruise ship wait for passengers.

There are two instances in which the ship will wait. The first is if you're late returning from a cruise-line organized excursion. Since the excursion is supposed to only take place within the allotted port time, the ship will wait for passengers coming from a cruise line excursion that's running late.

However, if you've spent the day independently on your own, or with a private tour company, there are certain steps you must take to avoid being stranded.

If you're behind schedule, call the ship agent to alert the cruise that you're running late, he said. On Royal Caribbean cruises, this number can be found at the bottom of Cruise Compass, a daily flyer all passengers receive in their stateroom each day detailing the day's activities.

The agent may also be referred to as a port agent, according to a copy of Cruise Compass obtained by BI.

Whether the ship can wait for you, however, will depend on how late you'll be, he added.

"If I know you're 10 minutes away, I can make an educated decision about whether or not we can wait," Hampstead said. "We will wait if we can." 

Of course, if that's you, you'll have to run up the dock to the ship with many passengers watching, wondering what is holding up the departure, as they quickly realize it was you. Instead, always plan your day with ample time to return to port, or better yet, book your excursions through the cruise line.

• Main content

Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises to Update Pricing Display to Comply With California Law

Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises will change their advertised pricing policies to comply with a new California price transparency law.

Starting July 1, the two cruise brands will display prices that includes all taxes, fees and port expenses. Silversea , the third brand under the Royal Caribbean Group umbrella, will not make any changes because it already advertises the full price of its cruises.

The change will not affect the portion of the fare that travel advisors receive commission on, nor the price consumers pay for their cruise. Rather, it simply updates the way the fare is displayed—one lump sum, rather than the cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses listed separately. The company is updating its internal systems and tools used by travel advisor to reflect the move to all-inclusive pricing displays.

The new law is an amendment to the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA). Passed by the California legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year, the new rules prohibit businesses from displaying prices that do not include all mandatory fees. It takes aim at “drip pricing,” a phrase used to describe the practice of advertising a price that is less than the actual final price a consumer will pay.

“The law is simple: the price you see is the price you pay,” said Rob Bonta, California’s attorney general, in a statement . 

Though the new law only applies in California, the two brands are making the change nationwide.

“We strive for simplicity and clarity in our pricing,” according to an FAQ document . “Treating California differently than the rest of the United States could have created confusion and introduced unnecessary complexity.” 

Last month, Carnival Corporation & plc announced that its cruise brands would also be updating their pricing display policies to comply with the new law. 

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Futuristic cruise ship has robot bartenders that can make 1,000 drinks a day

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Fancy a dAIquiri? How about a Manhattandroid or a Cyborg Sling?

When you’re at Royal Caribbean’s Bionic Bar, every drink you order has a robot theme, as they have their own crew of cocktail-making automatons that can whip you up what you want in a matter of seconds.

The cruise company features robotic bartenders on nine of its 28 ships, with two Makr Shakr machines in each Bionic Bar shaking and stirring up to 1,000 drinks every day.

The mechanical arms can produce two drinks every 60 seconds, with ‘an almost endless combination’ of cocktails and mocktails ranging from classics and signature serves to design-your-own options.

Passengers can choose from 30 spirits and 21 mixers (including sugar, mint and citrus fruits) and order on a tablet near the counter.

You can even select how strong you’d like your drink, whether you want ice, and how exactly you’d like it prepared.

The robots will then collect the requested ingredients, mix everything together and dispense into a glass, which the customer picks up or is delivered to their table by a human waiter.

While you wait, an interactive wall above the bar displays fun statistics about your order, as well as how many people are in the queue and what the robot mixologists are currently working on.

There’s no time or drink limit here, and cocktails are priced similarly to other bars on board. Better still, if you’ve purchased an unlimited Royal Caribbean drinks package, every futuristic tipple you enjoy is included free of charge.

It’s worth bearing in mind, the Bionic Bars can get busy at peak times, so there may be a slight wait. For a dram with a difference, however, it’s well worth a visit.

Don’t worry about this tech taking crew’s jobs either: even though they’re machines, they’re not perfect, and human staff members are required to refill empty bottles and mop up the occasional spill.

Which Royal Caribbean ships have a Bionic Bar?

• Anthem of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas

Royal Caribbean has been shortlisted for the Sailawaze Excellence Awards in the technology category, both for its Bionic Bar concept and a range of other cool features.

Alongside a crowd-busting elevator system (where passengers can input the floor they want into a touchpad and then be shown to the right lift with room left that gets them to their destination quickest) its ships also feature the world’s largest kinetic art sculpture, The Pearl.

In terms of entertainment, robots double up as diving boards and set creators in the high-octane Aqua Action show, with a double 3D flying system that catapults divers, slackliners and aerial performers around the AquaDome for maximum wow factor.

Up against Royal Caribbean in the category there’s some stiff competition.

Scenic’s nomination is all about the world’s first Discovery Yachts: Built for up to 228 passengers, and exploration equipment that features two helicopters, a submersible, Zodiacs, kayaks and paddleboards.

Princess Cruises is nominated for its Medallion, a small wearable device that streamlines embarkation processes, unlocks cabin doors and offers personalised service. Travellers can participate in interactive games and activities, and easily locate friends and family using the Medallion app, too.

Then there’s MSC Cruises’ Helios Wine Bar, which features state-of-the-art multi-touch tables activated by digital coasters where you can learn about and taste 96 featured wines. It also boasts the longest LED dome at sea on MSC Euribia, with virtual reality experiences (Formula Racer VR race, flight simulator, VR motorbikes) and interactive cinema.

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Norwegian Cruise Line is up for the gong for its interactive video game arcade, 7D Cinema (yes, SEVEN, with special effects, moving chairs and interactive shooting) and Nascar-style car race.

Sailawaze Excellence Awards - the nominations

Food & beverage.

Virgin Voyages

Aqua Expeditions

TUI River Cruises

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