When the Norwegian Breakaway sailed through a winter storm, some passengers say things got rough. We speak to one of the people who just disembarked, as well as cruise expert Stewart Chiron, to find out if this was an unusual sailing or to be expected this time of year. 

What are your thoughts? Let us know: doug@cruiseradio.net 

We talk with Terry Thornton, VP of Itinerary Planning with Carnival Cruise Line. He brings us behind the curtain and explains to us about cruise ship deployments, the new destination Carnival is building in Freeport, Bahamas, and where he would like to see a new cruise port open up. 

Also, I answer some follow up questions asked after our Carnival Vista interview last week. 

Thoughts or comments? Email me! doug@cruiseradio.net 

‘Twas the night before the cruise, when all through the house
Everyone was packing; have you seen Mom’s blue blouse?

The kids’ luggage was set by the back door with care,
In hopes that they’d remembered to pack formal wear.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of waterslides danced in their heads.

In the morning we got up and got coffee and fraps,
And we got to the terminal without needing a map.

When we got on the ship we avoided the clatter,
We sprang to the buffet to load up a platter.

Away to Guy’s Burgers we flew like a flash,
Next to the pools of kids making a splash.

The sun on the breast of the blue ocean waves
Made me think of a drink, which I started to crave.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a goofy British man who was holding a beer.

At the site of him, someone beside me yelled,
And I knew in a moment it must be John Heald.

More rapid than eagles the cruisers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and began to exclaim:

“Now Sunshine! now, Glory! now, Pride and Sensation!
On, Magic! On, Conquest! on Spirit and Elation!

To the Caribbean and to three ports of call;
Now cruise away, cruise away, cruise away all!”

Some cruisers stood by and waved their goodbyes,
As the ship’s horn blew and the sunset in the skies.

So up to the lido deck the cruisers they flew,
With cameras in hand to capture the view.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the deck
The pouring of juice and some orange triple sec.

As I signed my receipt and left an extra tip,
Up came John Heald to the top of the ship.

He was dressed in his swimsuit, ready for the slides,
And he looked quite happy, with a pep in his stride.

A bag full of sunscreen he had flung on his back,
With a Guy’s burger inside, in case he needed a snack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
But his chest won the contest for being too hairy!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
For he’d just heard the sketch for the comedy show.

As the senior cruise director of the whole Carnival fleet,
He would shake the hand of every cruiser he’d meet.

He had a broad face and he loved the food at the deli,
And in the mornings he room serviced toast with some jelly.

He was funny and kind, a right jolly old man,
And I laughed when I saw him get a bit too tan.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know his skin would go red.

He spoke not a word, but went back to his work,
As he wrote up the Fun Times for our day in Grand Turk.

He planned out the bingos, the trivias, the shows,
And made sure to list when the ship’s bars would close.

He then sprang to the mic, to his team gave a shout,
And away they all flew, the crew so devout.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere we sailed out of sight,
“Happy cruising to all, and to all a good-night!”

Scott just returned from a four-night Bahamas cruise on Carnival Conquest. You'll want to hear this review from a seasoned cruise, but first time sailing Carnival Cruise Line. 

Sherry has cruise news:

• NCL changes final payment due date
• Carnival changing up cruise ships in the Gulf of Mexico 
• Disney Magic will get an extensive renovation 
• Port Canaveral reached a milestone 

Listener Question: Going to the Western Caribbean next summer on Royal Caribbean and trying to decide between a passport card and a passport book - are there any advantages of one over the other?  Carl - Detroit 

Question or comment? doug@cruiseradio.net 

This week we are down in the Eastern Caribbean on Holland America Line's ms Eurodam to do a post-hurricane assessment. Two of our ports of call include St. Thomas and Grand Turk. This is the cruise ship's first time back to the two islands since being back in the Caribbean. 

• We talk with a local in St. Thomas
• Jack, the owner of Jack's Shack in Grand Turk 
• Cruise Director Nick on Holland America's Eurodam
• Bruce Parkinson from OpenJaw.com 

Comments or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Resources mentioned

• Returning to Grand Turk After the Hurricanes 
• Eurodam Returns to St. Thomas
• My Brother's Workshop in St. Thomas

Ed has over 1,100 sea days with Carnival Cruise Line and lets me ask him a list of questions submitted by you the listener. 

Sherry has cruise news: 

• Royal Caribbean's announcement last week included a lot of technology - what will we see?
• Harmony of the Seas is heading to Central Florida
• Royal Caribbean lays keel for next ship, Spectrum of the Seas
• Princess Cruises completed a historical milestone in the Panama Canal 
• Tampa undergoes terminal enhancements
• Passenger kicked off a cruise ship for trying to start a mutiny

We sit down and have a casual chat with John Heald, Senior Cruise Director and Brand Ambassador with Carnival Cruise Line. John talks about everything from weight loss struggles at sea to taking some of your listener questions. This was taped when sailing aboard Carnival Fascination in mid October.  

Sherry Kennedy answers some of your cruise questions on:

• Finding a better cruise deal and how to secure it
• Does it pay to stay loyal to one cruise line 
• Passport renewal deadlines

Thoughts or comments? doug@cruiseradio.net 

This is a news brief with Senior Cruise Director John Heald about Carnival Cruise Line chartering of one of their ships to FEMA to help in Hurricane relief because of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. I'm currently sailing aboard Carnival Fascination.

Thoughts or comments? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Don gives us a full recap of his Cuba cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line from Port Miami. 

Comedian Tommy Davidson stops by to talk about the new season of Vacation Creation featuring Carnival Corporation. 

Sherry Kennedy has cruise news:

We get a review of Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic. Plus, Jake Williams from the Canceled series on YouTube talks about his latest project, Carnival Cruise Line's forgotten Pinnacle-class ship. 

Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

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.

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 

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. 

Vickie joins us for a review of Princess Cruises' Royal Princess, a ship that first debuted in 2013 and has already been to dry dock. While in dry dock she underwent some much-needed modifications. We talk about the dining, the layout of the ship, tips for Royal Princess, and why you should always make your flight home after 12p (noon) on debark day. 

Thoughts or comments? doug@cruiseradio.net 

• Carnival is lowering their internet packages if you pre-purchase it - what new rates will we see? 
• Celebrity Cruises rolled out a new venue on their upcoming ship Celebrity Edge
• Princess is adding their wearable technology to more ships in the next couple years
• Royal Caribbean is rolling out a new non-refundable deposit program. A hotel brand is rolling out a cruise line - which hotel brand and what kind of vessels are we gonna see?
• A hotel brand is rolling out a cruise line - which hotel brand and what kind of vessels are we gonna see? 

Do you like to panel/debate format? Let me know: doug@cruiseradio.net. 

We caught up with former Tonight Show host and comedian Jay Leno, before he performed on a Carnival cruise ship in Cozumel, Mexico. Jay Leno gives me his thoughts on the ship, what he thinks of cruising, cars and some stories from the road. 

On this week's bonus episode, we sit down and have a conversation with former cruise line executive, Art Sbarksky. I first met Art on Norwegian Epic back in 2010, and we've seen each other all around the world since. Since retiring from the cruise industry, Art writes and reviews cruise ship. At last count, he has sailed 119 cruises.

On this week's bonus episode, we get some tips and an overview of some Med cruise ports. Vickie shares her pre-cruise thoughts, getting over there, and how to make the most out of your time in Europe. 

Read about Vickie's journeys on her blog: http://www.vickiecruises.com/

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

‘Twas the night before the cruise, when all through the house
Everyone was packing; have you seen Mom’s blue blouse?

The kids’ luggage was set by the back door with care,
In hopes that they’d remembered to pack formal wear.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of waterslides danced in their heads.

In the morning we got up and got coffee and fraps,
And we got to the terminal without needing a map.

When we got on the ship we avoided the clatter,
We sprang to the buffet to load up a platter.

Away to Guy’s Burgers we flew like a flash,
Next to the pools of kids making a splash.

The sun on the breast of the blue ocean waves
Made me think of a drink, which I started to crave.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a goofy British man who was holding a beer.

At the site of him, someone beside me yelled,
And I knew in a moment it must be John Heald.

More rapid than eagles the cruisers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and began to exclaim:

“Now Sunshine! now, Glory! now, Pride and Sensation!
On, Magic! On, Conquest! on Spirit and Elation!

To the Caribbean and to three ports of call;
Now cruise away, cruise away, cruise away all!”

Some cruisers stood by and waved their goodbyes,
As the ship’s horn blew and the sunset in the skies.

So up to the lido deck the cruisers they flew,
With cameras in hand to capture the view.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the deck
The pouring of juice and some orange triple sec.

As I signed my receipt and left an extra tip,
Up came John Heald to the top of the ship.

He was dressed in his swimsuit, ready for the slides,
And he looked quite happy, with a pep in his stride.

A bag full of sunscreen he had flung on his back,
With a Guy’s burger inside, in case he needed a snack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
But his chest won the contest for being too hairy!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
For he’d just heard the sketch for the comedy show.

As the senior cruise director of the whole Carnival fleet,
He would shake the hand of every cruiser he’d meet.

He had a broad face and he loved the food at the deli,
And in the mornings he room serviced toast with some jelly.

He was funny and kind, a right jolly old man,
And I laughed when I saw him get a bit too tan.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know his skin would go red.

He spoke not a word, but went back to his work,
As he wrote up the Fun Times for our day in Grand Turk.

He planned out the bingos, the trivias, the shows,
And made sure to list when the ship’s bars would close.

He then sprang to the mic, to his team gave a shout,
And away they all flew, the crew so devout.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere we sailed out of sight,
“Happy cruising to all, and to all a good-night!”

On this episode, we are sailing on the ms Adonia with Fathom Travel to the Dominican Republic. Fathom is Carnival Corporation's 10th cruise line. Find out what Fathom is, what the ship is like, and what travelers on the ship are experiencing. It's not for everyone, but perfect for someone. 

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

We get a review of Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas on this four night Western Caribbean sailing to Cozumel. Hear this comprehensive review of the onboard experience. 

‘Twas the night before the cruise, when all through the house 

Everyone was packing; have you seen Mom’s blue blouse? 

The kids’ luggage was set by the back door with care, 

In hopes that they’d remembered to pack formal wear. 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, 

While visions of waterslides danced in their heads. 

In the morning we got up and got coffee and fraps, 

And we got to the terminal without needing a map. 

When we got on the ship we avoided the clatter, 

We sprang to the buffet to load up a platter. 

Away to Guy’s Burgers we flew like a flash, 

Next to the pools of kids making a splash. 

The sun on the breast of the blue ocean waves 

Made me think of a drink, which I started to crave. 

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, 

But a goofy British man who was holding a beer. 

At the site of him, someone beside me yelled, 

And I knew in a moment it must be John Heald. 

More rapid than eagles the cruisers they came, 

And he whistled, and shouted, and began to exclaim: 

"Now Sunshine! now, Glory! now, Pride and Sensation! 

On, Magic! On, Conquest! on Spirit and Elation! 

To the Caribbean and to three ports of call; 

Now cruise away, cruise away, cruise away all!" 

Some cruisers stood by and waved their goodbyes, 

As the ship’s horn blew and the sun set in the skies. 

So up to the lido deck the cruisers they flew, 

With cameras in hand to capture the view. 

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the deck 

The pouring of juice and some orange triple sec. 

As I signed my receipt and left an extra tip, 

Up came John Heald to the top of the ship. 

He was dressed in his swimsuit, ready for the slides, 

And he looked quite happy, with a pep in his stride. 

A bag full of sunscreen he had flung on his back, 

With a Guy’s burger inside, in case he needed a snack. 

His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry! 

But his chest won the contest for being too hairy! 

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, 

For he’d just heard the sketch for the comedy show. 

As the senior cruise director of the whole Carnival fleet, 

He would shake the hand of every cruiser he’d meet. 

He had a broad face and he loved the food at the deli, 

And in the mornings he room serviced toast with some jelly. 

He was funny and kind, a right jolly old man, 

And I laughed when I saw him get a bit too tan. 

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, 

Soon gave me to know his skin would go red. 

He spoke not a word, but went back to his work, 

As he wrote up the Fun Times for our day in Grand Turk. 

He planned out the bingos, the trivias, the shows, 

And made sure to list when the ship’s bars would close. 

He then sprang to the mic, to his team gave a shout, 

And away they all flew, the crew so devout. 

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere we sailed out of sight, 

"Happy cruising to all, and to all a good-night!"

• Princess Cruises 50th anniversary 
• Margaritaville price hike on Norwegian Escape
• Grand Princess mechanical problems in Hawaii 
• Broadway show Grease coming to two Royal Caribbean ships 
• Social impact cruise line, Fathom, having a big sale. Is this to pick up slow bookings? 

On this episode, we get cruise news on: 

• Amber Cove cruise port 
• Carnival ups Bermuda sailings 
• Mobile sees cruise ships again 
• Holland America tweaks internet plans 
• Fathom announces first Cuba date

We get a review from listener, Tommy, about a cruise line out of West Palm Beach, Florida called Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. The interesting thing about this cruise line is that the ship used to belong to Carnival Cruise Line as Carnival Celebration. It was finally sold off after being transferred a couple times within the Carnival Corporation. 

Richard Branson is no stranger to the travel industry with airlines, hotels, space, trains, and now a cruise line. 

We headed to Miami for the announcement and got response from industry professionals and listened to public opinion. 

We caught up with Carnival Cruise Line's Senior Cruise Director John Heald about the latest happenings at Carnival.

John chats with us about:

• Carnival room service charges
• Carnival LIVE concert program
• Moving Carnival Magic to Port Canaveral
• Carnival Pride goes back to Baltimore
• And gets personal about his weight loss journey

Ship Review

Don Bucalo gives us a review of his sailing his seven night Alaska sailing from Seattle aboard Celebrity Solstice. As a first time Alaska cruiser, Don gives his thoughts on: the adventure, the ship, and what he did in Alaska. Don leaves no stone unturned on this Celebrity Solstice review. 

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

Earlier this month President Obama announced a new travel-friendly policy with Cuba. This a big step for the United States getting into Cuba since the embargo was put in place over 50 years ago.

With 11.6 million North Americans cruising in 2013, this could be huge for Cuba's economy.

I recently had a chance to sail on Costa Cruises' Costa Mediterreana to the Caribbean. Our 11-night voyage went to Nassau, Bahamas; the Dominican Republic, Tortola, Antigua, St. Maarten, and Freeport, Bahamas. We check in with the International Host aboard the ship and get some cruise passengers' thoughts. 

On this episode, Jason Leppert from Popular Cruising drops by to chat about the major differences between luxury cruises and a mass market cruises. Having never sailed on a luxury cruise before, this interview was very eye opening.

Travel expert, Jason Coleman, tackles some listener questions on what cruise is the “right” cruise for a family, tipping with infants, and suggestions for using a smartphone at sea.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sail the Columbia or Snake Rivers in the Pacific Northwest? These rivers are practically untouched and have some of the best scenery that America can offer, not to mentioned a ton of American history. 

This week, we are broadcasting aboard the 88-guest SS Legacy, a coastal replica steamer that sails with UnCruise Adventures. Take a journey with us!

On this broadcast, we talk to:

• Captain off the SS Legacy, Captain Dano
• Heritage Leader/Cruise Director, Ryan
• Cruise Expert at About.com, Linda Garrison
• Savvy Navigator, Jeff Ward
• Editor of Popular Cruising, Jason Leppert

This is a not-to-miss episode as we chat with the folks at MTN Communications and talk about staying connected at sea. MTN just launched the website ConnectAtSea.com and it's a portal filled with great information when it comes to your cruise vacation. Whether you're just texting, Facebooking, calling or surfing the web - everyone has to be connected these days.

Brent Horwitz, Senior VP & General Manager, Cruise for MTN joins us to cover all bases about staying connected at sea. There is no stone left unturned in this interview.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy stops by with Cruise News on: 

• Quantum of the Seas is officially Royal Caribbean's and arrived in Southampton this week - how long until she heads westbound to the United States?
• Holland America continues Dancing with the Stars through 2016
• Disney Cruise Line itineraries have been announced for 2016 - anything new?
• Have their been any cancelations or skipped ports overseas because of political unrest or ebola?
• What's the latest talk from China? How's Hong Kong doing?

Listener Question

My wife and I want to go to Alaska on the Celebrity Solstice, when's the best time to go? Is it better to sail out of Seattle or Vancouver; we live in Ontario.

For years, the cruise industry has asked boarding passengers to fill out a health questionnaire, primarily to help stop the spread of norovirus. In light of the Ebola concerns, cruise lines today began asking more pointed questions about whether they’ve had contact with a person with Ebola or someone who helped care for such a patient, according to the CLIA. Theresa Norton Masek is the editor-in-chief of Vacation Agent Magazine and cruise beat writer for TravelPulse.com, she joins us and talks about the ebola virus scare last week on a cruise.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy stops by with Cruise News on: 

• After we recorded last week, the Carnival Magic wasn't allowed into Cozumel because of the hospital worker on board who handled ebola - what was the status on this cruise?
• 102 year old Miami Bar to be featured on upcoming Norwegian Escape
• Bermuda got hammered by a hurricane last weeknd, what's the status and are cruise ships finding new temporary ports?
• Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas getting closer - anything new during her second round of sea trials?
• Royal Caribbean earnings call this week

Listener Question

I want to ask a question and I cant seem to get a straight answer from different sites on the internet,when sailing from New Orleans to Mo Bay Jamaica....Is it possible to see Cuba? The reason I ask is back in 08 we were on the conquest from Galveston to Mo Bay and overheard some people saying that they seen the lights of Cuba as we passed at night. Was that true?

Carter and his wife are from Central Florida and just returned on a seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailing aboard Disney Fantasy. Carter joins us to give us a bow to stern review of Disney Fantasy, leaving no stone unturned. Carter covers embarkation, first impressions, the stateroom, dining, entertainment, how the outside of the ship handles itself on sea days, and some first time cruise tips for Disney Cruise Line. You won't want to miss this Disney Fantasy Review.

Jim Berra is the Chief Marketing Officer for Carnival Cruise Lines and joins us to talk about Carnival's Great Vacation Guarantee. Basically if you think the sailing stinks, Carnival will fly you home and refund the cost of the cruise. Turns out you have a better chance of dating a supermodel than using the Great Vacation Guarantee.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy® stops by with Cruise News:

• Carnival Corp earnings were released – have they finally recovered from their past financial issues?
• Royal Caribbean's new ship - Quantum of the Seas completed it’s conveyance – how'd it go?
• Norwegian Escape keel laid – what exactly does this mean?
• Princess to participate in 2015 Rose Parade
• Oceania increasing daily gratuities to $16 per person, per day
• Cabo San Lucas – how is recovery after the hurricane?

Kerry Stange joins us this week to give us a comprehensive review of Royal Caribbean largest cruise ship Allure of the Seas. Kerry and his wife recently returned from a seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailing. Kerry goes into detail about embarkation out of Terminal 18 in Port Everglades, first impressions of Allure of the Seas, the stateroom, dining venues, entertainment, and ship experience.

Listener Question:

I am looking for direction on the issue of tipping. We no longer use the Dining Room for our meals. We take our meals in the buffet or specialty restaurants. We are generous with our gratuities at these venues for good service. A large portion of the tipping schedule is for dining room personnel, a service we do not use. What would be your recommendation in dealing with this discrepancy? We are told the gratuities are still circulated amongst all cruise personnel? Do we lessen the amount of tipping collected less the dining room portion?

Cruise Guy has Cruise News on:

• Cunard announces major makeover for Queen Victoria
• What's the status on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas? 
• Carnival Pride is going to operate unique voyages starting October 2015, what are we gonna see? 
• CEO of CLIA recently released some norovirus figures - how accurate was this report and what was she trying to prove?

Happy 100^th Birthday to the Panama Canal! To celebrate, Sunny Lockwood joins us to chat about a book that she and her husband wrote called Cruising Panama’s Canal. An interesting read about how a horrifying life accident turned into a trip of a lifetime.

We answer a listener question about Carnival Sunshine, transportation from the Orlando International Airport to the cruise pier at Port Canaveral, and what to do on the ship.

Cruise Guy has Cruise News and talks about Carnival’s new island in Haiti, Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas floated out, Regal Princess’ Godparents from the Love Boat, Norwegian Cruise Line’s more-inclusive package, and a third Royal-class Princess ship on the way. For show notes and book link check out http://cruiseradio.net.

Jason Leppert from PopularCruising.com recently returned from an 18-night expedition cruise on Silverseas Cruises vessel Silver Discover. His voyage started him out in Asia, he made his way up Russia's eastern coast and to remote parts of Alaska. Jason goes into detail about sailing from the Far East, what his expedition ship was like, the atmosphere surrounding the cruise, ports that stick out and his overall thoughts.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy® stops by with Cruise News:

Mickey Live is known across a variety of cruise ships for his unique ways of onboard lectures. Mickey isn't using your typical overhead projector or marker board to teach cruise passengers, he uses modern day technology like GPS and his cutting edge photography skills. 

Stewart Chiron stops by with Cruise News: Costa announces Costa Concordia to be removed in July, 11 lbs of cocaine found on Carnival Liberty in Port Canaveral, small fire on Holland America's Westerdam, cruise parking in Galveston starts sparks lawsuit, American Cruise Lines launches new river boat, and low water levels in Europe are getting river cruisers stuck!

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

On this show, we talk to listener Barry who just returned from a sailing aboard Queen Mary 2, on a seven-night transatlantic sailing between New York and Southhampton. Get a full review of this ocean liner.

Also, Carnival Cruise Line's senior matre d, Ken Byrne, gives us his background, the details of his job, and what he loves about it. 

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

On this show, we talk to Jason Leppert of Popular Cruising about cruise ship dining, how its evolved through the years along with some tips and suggestions for your next cruise ship dining experience. Plus Cruise Guy has cruise news about Princess Cruises' newly launched Regal Princess, Holland America Line overhaul, a new Game of Thrones shore excursion offered by Holland America, and more discussion about norovirus and where else it's found. Susan Shultz, Director of Sales for American Cruise Lines, stops by to talk to us about American Cruise Lines, their new ships, and what's new on the horizon for the small river cruise company. 

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

This week, listener Sarah Phillips checks in with a little gem she found on her recent trip to Freeport, Bahamas - The Grand Lucayan Resort. Sarah talks about her experience at the resort as a cruise passenger and if it's worth paying the money to venture over to.

Cruise Guy has cruise news on Carnival Liberty in Port Canaveral, Norwegian Breakaway getting stuck in NYC, MSC Divina going to Europe in 2015 and Regal Princess. Listen and learn!

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

Jason Leppert from PopularCruising joins us to talk about cruise resources to research your next cruise; whether you're a first time cruiser or seasoned cruiser, you'll learn some new sites here.

We had a listener question on Facebook about cruise tipping eqiquette and whether or not a cruise guest should take tips off because they don't eat in the main dining room.

Also, Cruise Guy gives us this weeks cruise news reguarding Royal Caribbean heading to China, Carnival Freedom heading to Galveston, Norwegian Cruise Line revamping their Ultimate Dining Package and a listener question. 

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

Mike Jirout from the popular ShipMate App joins us to talk about the cruise travel app with almost a million downloads, available on both iOS and Android market.

Jason drops by to share his latest venture on Viking River Cruises; looks like Viking placed a world record, again!

Stewart Chiron, the Cruise Guy, has cruise-travel news you can use. 

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

We are broadcasting from Cruise Shipping Miami this week at the Miami Beach Convention Center, an annual cruise conference with over 10,000 delegates from around the world. We talk with MSC Cruises, Windstar Cruises, family travel, Guy Harvey stops by the booth, and Cruise Guy. 

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

Listener, Tanya Warpula, joins us to give her review of Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas - one of the world's largest cruise ships. Hear all about the ship as she gives a detailed review. Travel expert Chris Elliott just released a new book called "How to Be the World's Smartesat Traveler" and he joins us today to talk all about the book and gives us some helpful travel information. Listen and learn!

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

On this show, we talk to Fran Golden, contributor to USA Today, about cruise etiquette.

Plus, Stewart Chiron, the Cruise Guy, drops by with cruise news.

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

Nancy Schretter from the Family Travel Network talks about her recent sailing aboard Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas. The ship recently underwent a six week dry dock after a fire onboard in late May.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy® stops by with Cruise News:

• Carnival new safety trial
• Grand Cayman has low passenger counts
• Carnival Faster to the Fun on more ships
• Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas back in service
• Latest on Costa Concordia
• Purchasing frequent flyer miles 

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

We talk to travel maverick Mark Murphy about cruise alternatives and airfare savings.

Plus, we talk to the founder of Zweeno.com, a cool do it yourself cruise site that connects cruise passengers with excursion companies and transfer companies. 

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

We interview Byron Miller, Vice President of PR for the South Carolina Port Authority. Find out why the lawsuit being placed against Carnival Cruise Lines is so frivolous.

We tackle cruise line smoking policies in Cruise News. 

Could Charleston eventually try to throw a lawsuit against the cruise lines? This week we interview Michelle Sinkler, Program Director with Coastal Conservation League, an environmental activist group in Charleston, SC. 

Doug talks about his article he wrote on 8 tips for stress-free cruise embarkation and covers cruise news.

Our medical correspondent Ed McDonough joins us to talk about all things Norovirus. 

Paul Motter from Cruise Mates talks about an article he wrote, "How to Sneak Alcohol on a Cruise Ship."  

Stewart Chiron, "The Cruise Guy"discusses the explosion in the port of Gibraltar effecting Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas. The MSC Opera was detained in Southampton last week after it recently completed its dry dock repairs, find out why. Also, Royal Caribbean is heading back to Japan. Get the scoop.

This week, Cruise Terminal Supervisor Gloria Tomkins talks about the Jacksonville cruise terminal. Hear just what it takes to turn a ship in a matter of hours; there is a lot more than you think. Stewart Chiron" The Cruise Guy" joins us with our weekly cruise news.

Still sailing on our 9-nt voyage on the Carnival Magic we're able to sit down with the senior cruise director John Heald. Also, hear passenger reviews about the ship, public spaces, and the new Carnival style.

This week we link up with Natalie Aroyan via satellite aboard Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas. She talks to us about the brand new port in Falmouth, Jamaica.

Stewart Chiron The Cruise Guy® catches up on this week's cruise news: new renovations to the Grand Princess, assisted living case on a Celebrity Cruises, cab transportation issues in Great Victoria Harbour, and if other cruise lines are going back into Egypt.

This week Doug broadcasts down in Fort Lauderdale from the cruise event of the year, Cruise3Sixty.

Hear interviews with the Jamaica tourist board, crew members from the ships, and journalists.

Special thanks to M Silver Assoc. for making our broadcast possible.

Jennifer Nittoso,  Meteorologist at The Weather Channel answers listener questions about tsunamis, rogue waves, the Bermuda Triangle, and hurricanes.

Stewart Chiron The Cruise Guy® catches us up on this weeks Cruise News. Get caught up on Celebrity Cruises opening up in the Asian market, the Carnival Magic's godmother, and Crystal Cruises' new stand-by program.

Doug went down to Port Canaveral this week to board the Queen Victoria as it made its maiden voyage into central Florida.  He sits down with the ship's master, Captain Rynd.

Lobster shell golf balls? We came across this story and had to get to the bottom of it. We talk to the inventors Dr. David J. Neivandt and Dr. Bob Bayer. Cool concept!

Stewart Chiron catches us up on this weeks Cruise News.

Doug just returned from Freeport, so find out all about Freeport, Bahamas and what it's really like down there. Comedian Happy Cole joins us, as well a local conch diver.

Stewart Chiron catches us up on this week's Cruise News.

This week Doug broadcasts down at the Miami Beach Convention Center for Cruise Shipping Miami (an industry trade show).

Doug will interview Captain Dan Blanchard from Innersea Discoveries, the CEO of MeetOnCruise.com, and John Atkin, a professional ship photographer.

Matt is in the studio and will goes live to Jaxport where they just celebrated their 1,000,000 cruise passenger.

On this episode, travel writer Chris Owen joins us to discuss one of his recent articles "10 ways to save money on a cruise without being a cheapskate."

Stewart Chiron the Cruise Guy joins us with Cruise News. Hear about: Princess Cruises relocating their ship, Crown Princess, to Texas; get an Egypt update on the ports of call; Carnival Cruise Lines pulling out of Mazatlan; and get the low down on fuel surcharges.

This week we sit down and talk with Carnival Cruise Line's Ship Architect & Designer, Joe Farcus. Joe tells us what goes into ship design and the upcoming Carnival Magic.

Stewart Chiron, the Cruise Guy, updates our Cruise News. Hear about NCL pulling out of Mazatlan, more ships going to St. Kitts, more delays because of fog, and the drug bust in the port of Montego Bay.

This week we are joined by Jim Work and Bob Miller, both Luxury Cruise Counselors who were recently on the inaugural cruise Oceania Marina. Hear all about the ship from their point of view.

Stewart Chiron the Cruise Guy joins us with this weeks Cruise News.  Hear about the new port in Falmouth, Jamaica, Savannah, Georgia's port movement, hear about the ships delayed because of the gulf-coast fog last week, and more on the pirate attacks.

This week we talk with Rick Sasso, the CEO of MSC Cruises USA.

Managing Editor Nancy Schretter, from the Family Travel Network talks to us about family travel aboard the Disney Dream.

Travel Writer Chris Owen from Galdling.com and Fox Business offers tips for those considering a Dream cruise.

Stewart Chrion The Cruise Guy® catches us up on this weeks Cruise News. Hear the updates on Egypt, the SS United States being sold, Royal Caribbean and NCL new ships orders.

AT&T is also releasing a package perfect for the cruises. To find out all about this Cruise Ship Passport package check out the Cellular at Sea website here.

This week we interview writer Paul Motter from CruiseMates and Fox Business about "Defining Cruise 2.0." He explains how cruising has changed over the years.

Ralph Grizzle talks to us about the Allure of the Seas.

Holland America's master chef Rudi Sodamin tells us about their new Culinary Council.

Stewart Chiron The Cruise Guy® stops by with this weeks Cruise News.

AT&T is also releasing a package perfect for the cruises. To find out all about this Cruise Ship Passport package check out the Cellular at Sea website here.

This week we talk with maritime legal expert Jim Walker about Staying Safe at Sea.

Travel Writer, Chris Owen talks to us about -- What to expect in 2011, when it comes to cruising.

Stewart Chrion The Cruise Guy® catches us up on this weeks Cruise News. Featuring the meeting of the three Cunard Queens, the Disney Dream, and ships pulling out of the West Coast.

Over the past year we have received a lot of emails asking about Cellular at Sea.  Jim McKenna with Wireless Maritime Services answers all the questions. 

Stewart Chrion stops by with some Cruise News.

This week we interview the CEO of Norwegian Cruise Lines, Kevin Sheehan. Mr. Sheehan talks to us about the recent filming of CBS' Undercover Boss.

Our next scheduled Twitter #CruiseChat is going to be Tuesday, Jan. 11 @ 2 pm.

Jose Pantago was aboard Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas on his honeymoon.  Early morning on December 12, 2010 the ship hit some bad weather off the coast of Egypt which caused the ship to rock back and forth. 

Carrie, social media expert and cruise advocate talks about Cruise Chat (#cruisechat).  Track #cruisechat on Twitter every other Tuesday.

Our medical correspondent, Ed McDonough answers all the questions concerning norovirus.

Cruise Guy drops by the catch us up on Cruise News. 

Love Cruise Radio?  Join our Premium Content found at CruiseRadio.net!

Mark Orwoll from Travel+Leisure Magazine talks about travel scams that can happen anywhere.

This week are are aboard the brand new Celebrity Eclipse.  This is the third Solstice-class and is over the top remarkable! There is plenty of great interviews in this episode.

We have interviews with:

• President and CEO, Daniel Hanrahan
• TV Personality, Geoff Edwards (RIP)
• Master Chef, Jacques Van Staden
• Passengers

Earlier this week the Carnival Cruise Line's ship "Carnival Splendor" suffered an engine fire which left the ship helpless at sea until the US Navy and the tugs arrived.  We chat with two passengers from that sailing and Cruise Expert Stewart Chiron the Cruise Guy. 

Guest Line Up:

Stewart Chiron: The Cruise Guy® America’s most quoted cruise expert. Contributor to ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, WGN, Good Morning America, CNBC, Travel Channel and CNN

Amber Haslerud: A passenger from Southern California who was on the ship with her mother.  She recalls her story.

Marquis Horace: LA resident who was on the seven night journey. He chats about his stateroom, the announcements made and how the crew kept the passengers informed of all the happenings aboard the vessel.

Be sure to check out Cruise Radio Premium content on CruiseRadio.net.

This week Doug and Matt are aboard Holland America Lines ms Eurodam. Hear their full review of the ship.

Stewart Chiron talks about The Allure of the Seas.

AOL Travel Editor, Beth Caulfield, offers travel tips for the holidays and highlights some useful apps for your mobile device.

As of October 16, 2010, the Norwegian Sun is home-ported in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Last weekend there was a ceremony and we were aboard to capture all the magic.

Joining us in this episode is the Captain, the Hotel Director and Stan Payne, the CEO of Port Canaveral.

This week Doug is down in Key West broadcasting from Pier B at Mallory Square.

Stewart Chiron the Cruise Guy talks about his rendezvous with some Queens in Southampton, England.

The Carnival Freedom Cruise Director joins Doug chatting about all things Carnival Freedom.

A street performer from Mallory Squares talks with us about performing daily in Key West at the Sunset Celebration.

This week we are talking to Tracey Gallagher about Cruise Month and the World's Largest Cruise Night. You've seen her on the Travel Channel, Travel correspondent for MSNBC, and has appeared as an expert on Oprah, CNN, Extra, Inside Edition, KTLA, Later Today, Livin’ It Up with Ali and Jack, and  Ananda Lewis and now Cruise Radio.

Sherry Laskin and Chris Owen, both Travel Writers and Agents join us on board the ship to cover all the misconceptions of cruising and all about the World's Largest Cruise Night. 

While Doug is partying on The Solstice...guess who's back in the studio......................that's right....Matt......but he's not bitter.

Enjoy.....cuz this is a good one.

Doug chats with Sherry Laskin (aka @cruisemaven) about her trip to, and all around Europe...and did we mention she doesn't fly.  It's nothing but ships, trains, and automobiles for Sherry.

Matt speaks with Mike Peluso about cruising with an infant. He and his wife Michele were aboard the Costa Atlantica with their baby boy, Aldo.

...and Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy has news and hot deals.

Paul Motter, Editor of Cruise Mates and columist for Fox Business gives us the details of his latest article: Polar Opposites: Icy Expedition Cruises

Stewart Chrion the Cruise Guy joins us for weekly commentary and cruise news.

This week we broadcast aboard Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas.

In this episode we chat with the Cruise Director on Royal Caribbean's "Freedom of the Seas," the second largest ship in the world.

This week we are aboard the Carnival Dream.

MSNBC's travel guru Chris Elliott explains his latest article Revenge of the hotel clerks: 5 things they’ll do to difficult guests. 

Johnny Jet, the world traveler travels over 150,000 miles a year. Find out how he went being afraid to fly to making a living out of it. A dynamic guy.

Stewart Chiron The Cruise Guy® joins us with his weekly commentary and industry news.

Follow us on http://www.twitter.com/CruiseRadio

Managing Editor Nancy Schretter from the Family Travel Network talks to us about family travel while cruising. This is a great show and she covers it all from start to finish.

Stewart Chiron the Cruise Guy also joins us with his weekly Cruise News and commentary.

One of our favorite guests on Cruise Radio, Geoff Edwards, joins us talking about his battle with norovirus on a recent cruise, gives us a first hand take at it, and talks about his latest book.

Faraz Qureshi, President of the social media cruise site MeetOnCruise talks about the Meet On Cruise. If you're a social media person, this is for you. Such a cool concept!  

Stewart Chiron joins us with his weekly commentary.

Follow us on Twitter @CruiseRadio

Andy, CEO of Special Needs at Sea, talks about how cruise lines have to be in compliance with the American Disabilities Act.

Rene Klusek and her husband Rich, recently celebrated their 1 years anniversary aboard the Emerald Princess back on July 5. She chats with us about her trip.

Travel writer and travel agent Chris Owen (aka OrlandoChris on Twitter) joins us this week telling us all about his recent Alaska cruise on the Coral Princess.

Stewart Chiron gives us the Cruise News and weekly commentary.

Randy Peterson shares with us how to get the most frequent flyer miles out of your dollar, reducing your overall cruise price.

Social Media Strategists, VegasBill and 24K (as know on twitter) give their experience of the Norwegian Epic and just how much it compares to Vegas. They are with us live from Sin City.

Stewart Chiron joins us with his weekly Cruise News and Commentary.

Follow us on Twitter/CruiseRadio

This week, we broadcast from the Norwegian Epic with Stewart Chiron (The Cruise Guy). The Epic is the newest ship in their fleet. 

We got a chance to talk to many of the entertainers on the ship and get comprehensive reviews from passengers and staff.

This was a true experience and we hope this episode paints a clear picture of what Norwegian Epic has to offer.

We enjoy the holiday this week and simply take your calls and answer your questions.  Remember, you can also email us at comments@cruiseradio.net

Nancy Rubin, Communication Director for the Jacksonville Port Authority joins us about the latest on the cruise terminal in Jacksonville and its future plans.

Actor/Game show host Geoff Edwards talks about his latest trip on the Star Clipper.

Stewart Chiron joins us with his weekly commentary.

MS-NBC contributor Chris Elliott answers our questions about Summer Travel.

Stewart Chiron (Cruise Guys) gives us his weekly cruise news commentary.

This week we broadcast live from the Hilton - Pensacola Beach, despite the oil just miles off the coast.  

We talked to Ashley Chisholm, spokesperson for the Pensacola Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Owner of Joe Patti's Seafood, Frank Patti joined us talking about the effects of the oil spill and his business. 

Stewart Chiron dropped by with his weekly commentary.

In an effort to promote the Cruise Port here in Jacksonville, FL... and pretty much just find another excuse to get on board a ship, we visited the Carnival Fascination.  We had the pleasure of speaking with the Hotel Director, Chef du Cuisine, and the Assistant Cruise Director.  Enjoy going behind the scenes aboard a ship from one of the most successful cruise lines in the world.

Happy Memorial Day weekend!  This week we revisit our trip aboard Royal Caribbean's "Oasis of the Seas."

We will resume next week as we broadcast aboard Carnival Cruise Line's "Fascination," in from the port in Jacksonville, Florida.

Stewart (Cruise Guy) talks to us about Royal Caribbeans updated low prices guarantee.

Islander Ken Mickler joins us on the phone from Martha's Vineyard, Mass. about things to do when your ship ports there.

We talk to a travel insurance expert, Judy Sutton.

Today, Travel guru Chris Elliot, from elliot dot org answers your questions on Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about flying and volcanoes but were afraid to ask....   If you're a fan of Guiding Light, you may want to take part in THIS Cruise; Kim Zimmer who portrayed Reva on Guilding Light talks to us about the So Long Springfield at sea cruise taking place July 31st out of NYC.