Can the World’s Largest Cruise Ship Really Be Climate-Friendly?

In the winter of 1969, Santa Barbara’s coastal ecosystem was blitzed by three million gallons of crude oil. Responding to the catastrophic spill, and the ongoing assault of ecosystems throughout the United States, Senator Gaylord Nelson called upon American youth to rally for the environment as strenuously as they’d protested the Vietnam War.

When I was a travel consultant in the early 2000s, the concern I would most often hear from potential first-time cruisers were about crowded ships: “I don’t want to be cooped up with all those people,” they’d groan.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an outbreak on a luxury cruise ship after more than 150 people reported symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, including diarrhea and vomiting.

It’s a season of savings for travelers looking to take a new vacation. JetBlue Vacations recently announced the ‘Be Mine’ vacation package sale, with discounts up to $500 off of trips booked. The deals are available for travel between Jan. 31, 2024 and Dec. 20, 2024 and vary by amount spent on the vacation and have various promotional codes for each discount, which can be redeemed on the JetBlue Vacations site: 

The nine-year tax-free status enjoyed by many cruise lines with private islands in the Bahamas is about to end.The changes are slated to take effect on March 1 and are aimed at leveling the playing field, according to a report in The Tribune.The publication broke the news based on a Bahamas Department of Inland Revenue document it had obtained and later confirmed with local officials.Under the plans outlined in the document, in just a few weeks the tax treatment for goods and services provided to the millions of tourists who visit private islands in the Bahamas maintained by cruise ships will change. Moving forward, transactions on the island will be taxed the standard local rate of 10 percent.

The world’s biggest cruise ship is about to embark on its first sailing. On 27 January, the Icon of the Seas will depart on its inaugural cruise

I was one of the first guests to sail on Royal Caribbean's newest vessel: The $2 billion Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship.

The forecast looks bright for luxury cruising as a new wave of ships prepares to take the seas in 2024. These new vessels accelerate the trend of next-level luxury liners with innovative design, higher staff-to-guest ratios and exceptionally curated itineraries covering dream destinations. Consider Forbes Travel Guide all aboard these eight new cruise ships.

Embarking on a yearlong journey around the world is a dream scenario for many travelers. However, the logistics of making it happen can be challenging, not least because of the sheer number of flights you would need to book. One way to make the journey a reality is by purchasing an around-the-world flight ticket.

This is an as-told-to story based on a conversation with David Purcell, 78, a retired attorney. It has been edited for length and clarity. Purcell was among the dozens of people who signed up for a three-year cruise with Life at Sea — an around-the-world journey that was canceled two weeks before its departure. He and 77 other would-be passengers who have not received refunds are asking the US Attorney in Southern Florida to open a criminal fraud investigation into Miray Cruises, the parent company of Life at Sea.

Can small be beautiful when it comes to cruise ships? Regent Seven Seas launched the Grandeur in December, a luxury cruise ship designed for just 746 people. Yet many are focused on the coming ‘city at sea,’ Royal Caribbean’s 20-deck, 248,663 gross tonnage behemoth Icon of the Sean, which can carry up to 7,600 passengers, along with 2,350 crew.

The Seven Seas just got a bit more crowded: Nine new world cruises have recently set sail, joining Royal Caribbean's ongoing Ultimate World Cruise in a quest to travel around the world in 2024.