Tourists headed to the expensive hotels of Mykonos and Santorini: rejoice!
29.05.2024 - 15:01 / forbes.com / Royal Caribbean / Michael Bayley
Cruise travel is one of the most exciting ways to see the world. It offers a blend of luxury and convenience, allowing curious travelers to visit multiple destinations without the hassle of constant packing and unpacking.
As the floating hotel transits from one port to another, guests get the chance to experience diverse cultures, stunning landscapes, and a variety of activities. However, despite the allure of new destinations, many passengers choose to stay on board while the ship is docked.
This may be a surprise to those new to cruising, yet this seemingly counterintuitive decision is actually driven by several compelling reasons.
Staying on board can offer peace and quiet, access to ship amenities without crowds, special deals, and a relaxing environment—all while avoiding the potential hassles and costs of shore excursions.
Traditionally, and in many cases still today, cruises are all about the destinations. However, the newest megaships rival the biggest land-based resorts for amenities, and as such have become destinations in themselves.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas sold out its first voyage within 24 hours, with passengers keen to experience all that the world’s biggest cruise ship had to offer.
Royal Caribbean CEO & International President Michael Bayley highlighted this trend in a press release about the news, saying Icon of the Seas is the “future of family vacations.”
Staying on the cruise ship while in port provides a unique opportunity to enjoy the vessel's amenities without the usual crowds.
Pools, spas, and lounges are always less busy on port days. The same is true for the headline attractions on newer, bigger ships, such as flowriders, rope courses, and slides.
Many ships these days offer exclusive areas or private retreats at an additional cost. However, cruise ships are usually quiet enough on port days to get a similar feel from the regular pool decks.
If the goal of your cruise vacation is to relax and unwind, this could be an ideal solution without spending extra cash.
Take advantage of special onboard deals that are often available while the ship is docked. Spas and specialty restaurants often offer discounts and promotions to encourage passengers to stay on board.
This can be a perfect time to pamper yourself with a spa treatment, or indulge in gourmet dining. Just bear in mind that onboard shops are usually closed when ships are in dock, so souvenir hunters may still need to head ashore. The same is true for casinos.
Check the daily planner, usually left in your stateroom while you’re out for dinner, for any relevant offers for the following port day.
Perhaps you've visited a specific port before, and there's nothing new you wish to see. Alternatively, the ship might be
Tourists headed to the expensive hotels of Mykonos and Santorini: rejoice!
Jun 14, 2024 • 4 min read
Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, June 13, 2024. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Luxury cruise line Lindblad Expeditions is expanding its presence in the Galapagos with plans to buy two ships from fellow cruise line Celebrity Cruises. Lindblad will purchase both the 48-guest Celebrity Xpedition and the smaller, 16-guest Celebrity Xploration for the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic fleet, the company announced Wednesday. Following the sale, which is expected to close in January 2025, both ships will undergo multi-million dollar renovations. Each ship was purpose-built for the Galapagos. «We recognize and appreciate the immense privilege our company has to operate and grow our expedition cruise offerings in the Galápagos Islands,» Sven-Olof Lindblad, the founder and CEO of Lindblad Expeditions, said in a statement. «By sourcing well-appointed vessels and onboarding the most experienced crew and staff who meet our exacting standards of responsible exploration, we're able to transport guests from around the world to the iconic archipelago and help them understand the importance of protecting and preserving its wonders and wildlife, as a consequence of their personal experience.»
The world’s largest cruise operators are expected to disclose upfront port and other manadatory fees, as well as taxes, to consumers in the U.S. starting July 1 to comply with California’s junk fee law.
As Lisbon began its St. Anthony's Day celebrations, marking the anniversary of the saint's death, the cruise world celebrated the birth of a new luxury cruise ship, Silversea Cruises' Silver Ray, with a christening ceremony in the heart of the Portuguese city.
If you're embarking on a round-trip Alaska cruise, you will likely be departing from the Port of Seattle. In 2023, seven cruise lines based ships in Seattle, Washington, with 291 departures. Although most ships were headed to Alaska, cruises from Seattle also sailed to destinations like Asia, Hawaii and the Panama Canal.
Before I took my first cruise in April 2022, I had never even seen a cruise ship.
I've been on nine Disney cruises with my husband and two teenage sons. Although we've sailed on other cruise lines like Carnival, Celebrity, MSC, and Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line is always our top pick.
The Alaskan city of Juneau will cap cruise ship visitors in the coming years in an effort to combat overtourism in the popular state capital.
If you aren't careful, your Carnival cruise could quickly become as expensive as an Oceania one.
The Port of Galveston is the fourth-most-popular cruise home port in the U.S., having hosted 1.49 million cruise passengers in 2023.