The 2018 Year End Cruise News Recap - December 30, 2018. We discuss the top cruise news stories of 2018 including some big changes at Carnival Cruise Line, the deterioration of Nassau, Bahamas, and the fire at Little French Key. Thank you for including Cruise Radio in your weekly lineup and Happy New Year. 

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Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

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Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

A review of Carnival Valor. Valor is a Conquest-class ship from Carnival Cruise Line and currently (2018) sails from Galveston, TX. In 2019, she will reposition to New Orleans. This review covers a four-night cruise to Cozumel. We get a detailed review of the ship, dining, staterooms, and Nachi Cocom. 

We answer your shore excursion questions. 

Sherry Laskin has cruise news:

• A Royal Caribbean ship rescued two men by pure luck
• Another new cruise ship has arrived in South Florida 
• An injured cruiser has won over $400,000 from one cruise line 
• A new tax will impact cruisers heading to Amsterdam in 2019 
• New cruise ships for 2019 

Listener Question: Which cruise line is better - Princess Cruises or Celebrity Cruises? 

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Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed. 

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

Enjoy our holiday tradition this week, A Cruiser's Night Before Christmas. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. 

‘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!”

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Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed. 

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

We get a review of Viking Ocean Cruises' Viking Sky. This was a 14-night cruise from London to Norway. Coined "Into the Midnight Sun," the cruise hit multiple ports on the journey to the Arctic Circle. We get a full review of Viking sky covering the stateroom (every room has a balcony), dining, entertainment, the spa (included) and the ports of call. 

Sherry has cruise news on: 

• Carnival Cruise Line going into a new North American cruise port 
• Royal Caribbean returning to New Orleans 
• Norwegian Cruise Line announcing new cruise schedules 
• Disney Cruise Line hiking specialty dining prices by 30% 
• Carnival Cruise Line coming to the aid of a sailor broke down 
• Listener question: What to do in St. Thomas if we don't want to snorkel or go to the beach? 

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Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed. 

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

Cruise Radio News Brief - December 16, 2018. Carnival Cruise Line has announced the first roller coaster at sea. Disney Cruise Line is hiking some prices. And a recently study shows that over 28 million people will cruise in 2018. 

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Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed. 

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

A review of Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas from a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise. We get a family's perspective of one of the largest cruise ships in the world and how the experience was. 

Sherry Laskin has cruise news: 

• The name of Carnival Cruise Line's new ship 
• Royal Caribbean ditching the Dreamworks partnership 
• But building a nearly $100M terminal in Galveston, Texas 
• PortMiami breaking a cruise passenger record 
• A cruise ship plows through a mooring area in Key West 

Listener Question: Best time to board the ship on embarkation day?

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Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed. 

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

Cruise Radio News Brief - December 9, 2018. Carnival Cruise Line has named their new ship that is due out in 2020. Port Miami is set for record cruise traffic today. Royal Caribbean is dumping one of their popular partnerships. And Holland America Line's new ship is on her way to Florida.  

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Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed. 

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

Carnival Paradise was launched in 1998 as the world's first non-smoking cruise ship. Sadly, that only last a short time. Fast forward 20 years later, the ship underwent a massive overhaul adding new features and a bow-to-stern interior renovation. We get a five-night Western Caribbean review of Carnival Paradise from Tampa, Florida. 

Simonne from Cruising Excursions answer some Mediterranean shore excursion questions.  

Sherry has cruise news: 

• Celebrity Edge was officially christened 
• Carnival Cruise Line returns to Europe in 2020 
• Carnival increases beverage gratuities by three percent 
• Another Princess ship will have Ocean Medallion by February 2019
• Royal Caribbean investing in biometric technology 
• Terminal 3 in Port Canaveral is officially underway 

Listener Question: What is there to do in Grand Cayman aside from Stingray City?

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Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed. 

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

Cruise Radio News Brief - December 2, 2018. Carnival Cruise Line has three major changes that all take place in December. Virgin Voyages is building a massive cruise terminal in Miami and committing ships to the South Florida cruise port. Holland America took delivery of their new ships. And Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Encore will have a thrilling go kart track.   

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Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net 

Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed. 

Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.