We have an information-packed bonus episode this week as we get wall to wall coverage of Hurricane Irma and those impacted by the storm.

We talk with Sherry Kennedy from CruiseMaven.com about the efforts that Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are doing to send their ships to rescue stranded vacationers.

Simon Duvall from Cruiseline.com gives us an island assessment of the Eastern Caribbean islands of St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, Grand Turk, and others that were in the path of the storm.

We also link up with a guest who is currently onboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, sailing a seven-night western Caribbean cruise. Due to Hurricane Irma, the ship has been forced to extend its sailing and will be returning to Port Canaveral a few days late. We get a glimpse of life onboard and how everyone is holding up.

Matt from Royal Caribbean Blog stops by to answer some questions about the cruise contract and passenger bill of rights during hurricanes, he chats with us about where cruise ships go during the storm, and what Royal Caribbean used Enchantment of the Seas for during the storm.

John Heald aired a Facebook Live video on Saturday evening to people impacted and in the way of Hurricane Irma.

Becky Smith is a travel agent who is rebooking a lot of clients who were scheduled to sail this past week. Becky chats with us about the reasons to use a travel agent (especially during hurricane season), how the cruise lines are compensating guests that are impacted by the storm, what particulars travel insurance would cover in a hurricane, and what you should know about booking a cruise during hurricane season.

On this episode, we talk with Cruiseline.com Community Manager Simon Duvall about Hurricane Irma and which Caribbean islands have been impacted so far.  

We touch on what a travel insurance policy might cover in a natural disaster situation like this.

Also a review from Ford of a western Caribbean cruise aboard Carnival Victory.

Cruise News:

• Carnival Corporation donates to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts
• Port Canaveral is building a new pier
• Carnival Horizon to have Teppanyaki specialty restaurant

 Thoughts or comments? doug@cruiseradio.net

We finally get to talk to an executive at Carnival Cruise Line and ask him some questions we've been dying to know about booking and other things. This is a pull the curtain back type of interview with Adolfo Perez.

We answer a listener question about buying cruise line stock and where to ship watch out of Port Canaveral if you want to stay there pre- or post-cruise. 

We'll also tackle some of your shore excursion questions with CruisingExcursions.com. 

Comments or suggestions? Email me: doug@cruiseradio.net

We talk to cruise ship architect, Joe Farcus. Joe has been designing ships for Carnival Cruise Line and Carnival Corporate brands for over 30 years. We had a chance to talk with him about some of his past work and how he designs the cruise ship. 

Note: If you've been listening to Cruise Radio for over six years, you have have heard this interview back in April 2011. It has been one of the most listened to episodes over the past few years so I wanted to make it a bonus episode. 

Thoughts or comments? doug@cruiseradio.net 

This week we get a review of Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America. Tommy Casabona stops by from the Always Be Book podcast to talk this past week's solar eclipse. 

Sherry Kennedy has cruise news: 

• Carnival extending their sailings to Cuba 
• Carnival is testing a new port day menu
• Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas has dreaded technical issues 
• San Juan is seeing record cruise traffic 

Thoughts or review? Email me doug@cruiseradio.net.

EDITED TO REMOVE TROPICAL STORM STORY ON AUG 24.

• New details on Norwegian Bliss

• Royal Caribbean names upcoming ship - details?

• Carnival ship missed a port because of propulsion issues - what happened?

• The Bahamas wants cruisers to spend more money.

• A class action cruise lawsuit is in the works - but this lawsuit isn't against the cruise lines. Check your phone number here.

• Is it possible to share a wifi package among friends?  - Diane from Fargo
• How does the disembarkation process work with getting back to the airport?  - Heather from Seattle

Questions or have a review? Email me: doug@cruiseradio.net. 

We get a review of a 10-night Eastern Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Gem. Craig gives us the details of the Norwegian Gem, what he thought of the ship and what he did on his Caribbean ports of call. 

Sherry Kennedy has cruise news on: 

• Carnival's Senior Cruise Director celebrates 30 years with the company 
• Captain Kirk to NCL: Save the Dolphins! 
• Carnival LIVE adds another performer for the fall 
• Why one cruise line is hiking cruise prices 
• Celebrity Cruises adds another female captain 

Listener Questions

• Room locations 
• Using Norwegian Cruise Line's bidding system

Thoughts or questions? Email me: doug@cruiseradio.net 

We get a review of Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas. This sailing left Miami, Florida and headed for Nassau, Bahamas and Royal Caribbean's private island Coco Cay, Bahamas. We get a full review of the ship, the dining, entertainment on board, a glimpse into a day on Coco Cay, and some overall thoughts. 

Sherry Kennedy has cruise news on: 

• Sad news on a Princess Cruise in Alaska last week.
• Carnival Cruise Line gave Mobile, Alabama some great news
• New report shows norovirus is down on cruise ships
• Norwegian Cruise Line is testing a surcharge on another restaurant
• Bookings now open for Norwegian Sun
• Listener question on Carnival Cruise Line specialty dining. 

Link Mentioned: Unscripted interview on Always Be Booked Podcast

Thoughts or comments? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Mitchell just returned from Disney Cruise Line's Disney Dream where he did a five-night honeymoon Bahamas cruise. Mitch is a seasoned cruiser and his wife has only been on one voyage prior to this sailing. We hear his thoughts on planning the cruise, dining, Castaway Cay, and the public areas aboard Disney Dream. One special feature on this cruise is that it stopped in Castaway Cay twice.

Cruise Critic just released their Cruiser's Choice Destination Awards for 2017. The award highlights the most popular cruise ports in every region. Ashley stops by to give us some of the highlights.

Sherry Kennedy has cruise news:

• Terminally ill cruise passenger is headed home thanks to some generous donations.  
• Carnival expands keyless embarkation
• Disney Cruise Line adds 7th ship
• MSC changing final payment policy
• Kid jumping in cruise ship pool from railing (for more, listen to our bonus episode released prior to this show)

Article link mentioned:

• Cruise Critic Cruiser's Choice Destination Awards

Show thoughts or suggestions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

One of the things seasoned cruisers complain about on a regular basis is “out of control” kids who seem to have absolutely no adult supervision whatsoever, and a disturbing video posted to YouTube seems to take this behavior to new heights. We talk to travel agent Scott Lara and contributor Richard Simms on their thoughts.

Read the article: https://cruiseradio.net/kid-jumps-cruise-deck-railing-pool/  

We talking to travel agent Scott Lara and contributor Richard Simms on their thoughts. 

Thoughts? Email me: doug@cruiseradio.net.