Mark just returned from a seven-night cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas. This was a cruise that went down to the Bahamas with a brief stop in Florida. Departing out of the New York City metro area, Mark shares his thoughts, his first impressions, and what it was like being a first-time cruiser on Royal Caribbean. 

Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

We catch up with Holland America Line's President about the brand new ms Rotterdam and speak with Seth Wayne, Holland America Line's brand ambassador. 

Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Travel insurance policies have changed over the cruise industry shutdown. In some areas larger than others, especially when it comes to a test yielding a positive test result.  Dan Skilken, President of TripInsurance.com joins us to break down what has changed, and what hasn't over the course of the pandemic. 

Richard has cruise news: 

• A recording-breaking passenger day in Nassau, Bahamas 
• Celebrity Apex is christened in Port Everglades, Florida 
• Royal Caribbean updates Ultimate World Cruise sales 
• Two cruise lines have earnings calls and it looks good moving forward 
• Cruise line enters Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 
• You can cruise with Chef Emeril this Thanksgiving 

Listener Question: We do not have a smartphone, do we have to use the Ocean Medallion token on Princess Cruises? 

A review of Carnival Cruise Line's newest mega-ship Mardi Gras. This was a seven-night Western Caribbean sailing from Port Canaveral. This is a special interview because our guest is legally blind and his wife is blind. We go into detail about Carnival's special needs department and how the line accommodates ADA requests. 

Richard Simms has cruise news: 

• The CDC has extended and modified the Conditional Sailing Order 
• Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship Mardi Gras was officially christened 
• Carnival Radiance is officially in North America
• Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady comes to the aid of distressed boaters off the coast of Florida 
• A former cruise ship is now the largest floating nightclub

Listener Question: I read in one of your articles that on Mardi Gras, you can use the Hub App to order food and have it delivered anywhere on the ship. I always get hungry halfway through a show... can I have a snack delivered to the theater? 

A review of Princess Cruises Majestic Princess. This ship was built for Asia and has been sailing in the region since 2017, until the pandemic. In the summer of 2021, Majestic Princess start sailing Alaska, and then was repositioned to Los Angeles. Next summer, the ship will head back to Alaska offering seven-night voyages to the last frontier. 

Richard Simms has cruise news on: 

• The verdict from the MSC Cruise collision with a riverboat in 2019 in Venice 
• Royal Caribbean launches first world cruise, how much does it cost? 
• Celebrity Cruises goes heavy on Europe in 2023 
• A former Carnival Cruise Line ship heads to the scrapyard
• Cruise lines prepare for the international travel ban to be lifted on November 8. 

Listener Q: Does the Royal Caribbean Ultimate Dining Package work for all the venues onboard, even the a la carte. 

A review of Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Encore. This ship was launched in 2019 and only sailed a couple of months before the cruise industry shutdown. William and his family sailed this seven-night cruise to Southeast Alaska from Seattle. 

Richard has cruise news on: 

• Grand Turk could see cruise ships by the end of 2021 
• More Carnival Corporation cruise ships returned to service over the weekend 
• San Francisco reopened to cruise ships this week 
• Nearly 250,000 guests have sailed Carnival Cruise Line over the past three months 
• Another cruise line adds a second world cruise

Listener Questions: 

If you've got a minute could you tell me if the Covid home test for Royal Caribbean can be done anytime during the day/night.  We are heading to Miami 2 days before sailing and need to be at the airport by 9:00 a.m. Thursday (sailing Saturday).  Would be nice if we could use the test kit around 7 a.m. — Carol

We are sailing Mardi Gras and have a question about Carnival Kitchen. How much does it cost, what is involved, and how do we make reservations for it? Is this like a chef's table experience?

Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

A review of Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas. This was a four night cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas from Miami, Florida.

Richard Simms has cruise news. 

Listener Q: What is the best cruise to take to see if I even like cruising? 

Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

On this episode with talk with Tom McAlpin, CEO and President of Virgin Voyages. Virgin's newest ship Scarlet Lady is finally home in PortMiami where she is about to start sailing revenue cruises on October 6. 

Sheri Griffiths from CruiseTipsTV stops by to give her first impressions of Scarlet Lady. 

Richard Simms has cruise news: 

• The State of the Industry address at SeaTrade Cruise Global
• Royal Caribbean will start allowing pre-cruise testing at pier for a fee 
• Norwegian Breakaway is sailing again out of New York City
• Virgin Voyages gears up for Caribbean sailings from PortMiami 
• A cruise line teams up with a submarine company 

Listener Q: What is the best way to use my onboard credit? 

Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Kirk just returned from a seven-night Alaska cruise on Celebrity Millennium from Seattle, Washington. We get a full review of sailing Alaska in 2021 and if cruising to the last frontier is different.

Richard Simms has cruise news:

• Carnival backtracks on pierside pre-cruise testing
• Royal Caribbean pulls a cruise ship from China, moves to the US
• Proposed Alaska bill would stop mandatory Canadian port calls
• MSC Cruises returns to Divina from Port Canaveral
• A beer company is teaming up with cruise lines to help train staff in a new era of bars

Listener Question: What is the feedback from cruise passengers taking the at-home COVID-19 test? — Anne 

Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Carter and his wife recently returned from a cruise aboard one of MSC’s newer ships, MSC Meraviglia.

In this interview, they talk to us about the boarding process, dining, entertainment, and how MSC has adjusted things since COVID. They also detail their experience on MSC’s private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

Richard Simms has cruise news:

• Virgin Voyages's Scarlet Lady is back in the USA
• Carnival Cruise Line revamps its Have Fun. Be Safe. policies for the casino 
• One-third of Norwegian Cruise Line's ships are sailing again 
• Carnival gives more testing options 
• Royal Caribbean updates sailing protocols on all cruises through October 15. 

Listener Question: What is the best option for taking my pre-cruise COVID test before embarking from Port Canaveral, Florida on a seven-night cruise? — Mark 

Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net