Cruise Radio: Weekly Cruise News & Travel Tips

A 2026 review of Voyager of the Seas. 

Staff writer Richard Simms joins us with cruise news, including Villa Vie Odyssey suspending operations in Cambodia, a cruise ship collision in Germany, Carnival expanding its adults-only casino sailings, cruise passenger arrests in Miami, and Royal Caribbean addressing a false rumor about its gratuity policy.

Then, Tim reviews a seven-night Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas Alaska cruise from Seattle. We cover the ship's cabins, dining, entertainment, and onboard experience, along with visits to Juneau, Skagway, Endicott Arm, and Victoria. Plus, whale watching, glacier viewing, and tips for f...

A review of Carnival Jubilee in 2026. 

Dan Skilken, president of TripInsurance.com, joins us to answer listener questions about travel insurance and common cruise disruptions. We discuss canceled sailings due to mechanical problems, cruise delays, missed flights and connections, and what happens when low water levels alter a European river cruise itinerary.

Dan also explains hurricane coverage, the importance of purchasing insurance before a storm becomes a known event, Cancel For Any Reason and Interruption For Any Reason coverage, and why travelers should consider medical coverage before boarding a cruise ship.

Then, Joe r...

A review of Norwegian Aqua.

Staff writer Richard Simms joins us with cruise news, including a Royal Caribbean passenger rescued after nearly 20 hours at sea, Norwegian Cruise Line adding early sailings for Norwegian Aura, new details about the Royal Caribbean Group and Sandals Resorts partnership, and another lawsuit involving hot pool deck injuries on a Carnival cruise ship.

We also cover Carnival Venezia's updated funnel, a sophisticated payment scam targeting Norwegian Cruise Line passengers, and Carnival's new FunPacks and upcoming dynamic pricing for drink packages and Wi-Fi.

Jason reviews a seven-night Norwegian Aqua...

A Valiant Lady 2026 review.  

Staff writer Richard Simms reviews an eight-night Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady cruise from Brooklyn, New York, to Canada and New England. We cover his Central Sea Terrace cabin, recent ship updates, dining, entertainment, nightlife, the casino, and what it's like to sail with Virgin Voyages on a cooler-weather itinerary.

Richard shares his experiences at the ship's included specialty restaurants, including the new Indian restaurant, Ariya, Pink Agave, Extra Virgin, and The Wake. We also discuss Scarlet Night, onboard shows, the adults-only atmosphere, and how Virgin Voyages compares with traditional cruise lines.

A review of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas in the Star Class. 

Richard Simms joins us with cruise news, including a Virgin Voyages ship striking a catamaran in Greece, Carnival Corporation moving ships between Holland America, P&O Cruises, and Cunard, Carnival Adventure heading to Seattle, new rules for younger Carnival guests, Royal Caribbean adding earlier sailings for Hero of the Seas, and MSC Cruises breaking ground on Sandy Cay.

Then, Kristen reviews a seven-night Icon of the Seas cruise from Miami with her family in a Star Class loft suite. We cover the t...

Ben reviews a seven-night Celebrity Beyond cruise from Miami to the Caribbean. We cover his Sunset Veranda stateroom, dining, entertainment, sea days, crowds, and what it's like sailing Celebrity's Edge-class ship with a seven-month-old.

Ben shares his thoughts on the four main dining rooms, Oceanview Cafe, onboard entertainment, and whether a Sunset Veranda is worth the extra cost compared to an Infinite Veranda or Porthole Veranda.

The cruise visits Perfect Day at CocoCay, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Nassau, with stops at Seven Mile Beach, snorkeling in Cozumel, and Royal Beach Club Paradise Island. Plus, Ben...

A review of Carnival Venezia in 2026.

Staff writer Richard Simms joins us with cruise news, including Carnival Corporation's record earnings and strong 2027 bookings, changes to Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises' cancellation policies, Princess Cruises raising prices on its Plus and Premier packages, and the latest on a federal operation involving cruise ship crew members.

Kristy reviews an eight-night Carnival Venezia cruise from Manhattan to Celebration Key, Half Moon Cay, and Grand Turk. We cover her Terrazza interior cabin, dining, entertainment, crowds, casino, and what makes Venezia different from other Carnival ships.

Christy also...

This week on Cruise Radio, Hank reviews a seven-night Holland America Zuiderdam cruise from Boston to Quebec City. We cover his aft-facing veranda cabin, dining, specialty restaurants, entertainment, sea days, and what it's like sailing on the 24-year-old Holland America ship.

Hank shares his experiences in Portland, Halifax, Sydney, and Charlottetown, including the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, a falconry excursion on Prince Edward Island, and local food along the way. We also discuss sailing the St. Lawrence River, disembarking in Quebec City, and spending extra time exploring the historic city.

Plus, Hank shares his...

A review of Disney Destiny in 2026.

Margie reviews a four-night Disney Destiny cruise from Port Everglades with her family. We cover her veranda stateroom, Disney's rotational dining, entertainment, pools and water attractions, adults-only spaces, and the ship's Heroes and Villains theme.

Margie shares what it's like cruising aboard Disney Destiny with children and grandchildren, including the Frozen and Hercules production shows, Marvel experiences, Pirate Night, and Halloween on the High Seas. The cruise also visits both Disney destinations in the Bahamas, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay.

Plus, Stewart Chiron, the...

A review of Norwegian Spirit.

Ben reviews a 16-night Norwegian Spirit cruise from Vancouver to Honolulu, combining Alaska, five sea days, and Hawaii. We cover the renovated ship, his balcony cabin, dining, entertainment, casino, thermal spa, and what it's like spending more than two weeks aboard Norwegian Spirit.

Ben also shares his experiences in Ketchikan, Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Haines, Maui, and Kauai, including seeing bears in Alaska and exploring Hawaii.

Plus, the cruise takes an unexpected turn when a tropical storm threatens Hawaii, forcing Norwegian Spirit to change plans, return to Honolulu...

A review of Carnival Pride.

Chris reviews a seven-night Carnival Pride cruise from Baltimore to Bermuda. He shares what it's like to sail on the nearly 25-year-old ship, including his interior cabin, dining, entertainment, crowds, the casino, and the overall condition of Carnival Pride.

In Bermuda, Chris visits Snorkel Park Beach and Horseshoe Bay and shares tips for exploring the island with a family, including using local minibusses instead of cruise line excursions.

Plus, Richard Simms covers the week's cruise news, including Carnival Freedom getting its whale tail back, a fire at the...

A 2026 review of Celebrity Xcel. 

This week on Cruise Radio, Joe reviews a seven-night Celebrity Xcel Mediterranean cruise from Athens to Barcelona. We cover his Sky Suite in The Retreat, Luminae dining, entertainment, the new Bazaar, crowds, sea days, and Celebrity Xcel's secret speakeasy.

Joe also shares his experiences in Santorini, Mykonos, Kusadasi, and Valletta, including a visit to Ephesus, exploring the ancient ruins of Delos, and what first-time Mediterranean cruisers should know about summer heat and crowds.

Plus, Joe shares whether Celebrity's Retreat was worth the upgrade and his final thoughts on s...

A review of Carnival Luminosa.

Terrell reviews a 10-night Carnival Luminosa cruise from San Francisco to Alaska. We cover his Cloud 9 Spa stateroom, dining, entertainment, sea days, and what it's like sailing Carnival Luminosa to Alaska. Terrell also shares his experiences in Juneau, Skagway, Endicott Arm, and Ketchikan, including whale watching, getting close to the glacier, and a Deadliest Catch excursion.

Plus, cruise news on a bomb threat investigation, a cruise booking dispute that went viral, a power outage aboard Adventure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's Hero of the Seas, Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber heading...

A seven-night MSC Meraviglia cruise from Brooklyn, New York, with a focus on the MSC Yacht Club experience. We cover priority embarkation, his upgraded Yacht Club balcony stateroom, butler service, the private Top Sail Lounge and pool deck, dining, drinks, thermal spa access, and whether the premium experience is worth the price. Jason also compares MSC Yacht Club with Norwegian's Haven and Royal Caribbean's suite experience.

The cruise included stops at Port Canaveral, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, and Nassau, including a visit to the private Yacht Club area at Ocean Cay.

Plus, cruise news...

A seven-night Norwegian Jewel cruise review from Philadelphia to Bermuda and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jacob shares what it was like sailing from Philadelphia's developing cruise terminal, including the unusual hotel check-in and shuttle process, as well as his first impressions of the 21-year-old Norwegian Jewel.

We cover his interior cabin, a frustrating plumbing issue, the main dining room and buffet food, and specialty dining at Cagney's, Le Bistro, Moderno, and La Cucina. Jacob also discusses Norwegian's Freestyle Dining concept, entertainment, crowds, and whether the older ship still delivers good value.

In Bermuda, he visits Horseshoe...

A review of the Margaritaville at Sea Islander. 

This week we get a full review of Margaritaville at Sea Islander following a four-night cruise from Tampa to Cozumel.

Sue joins us after her 42nd cruise to share why Islander exceeded her expectations and how the former Costa ship has been transformed into Margaritaville at Sea's newest Tampa-based cruise ship.

Staff writer Richard Simms has cruise news on: Carnival Valor making a hard turn on the Mississippi River to avoid a cargo vessel, two passengers arrested following an alleged altercation aboard a cruise ship i...

Sharon joins us to review an eight-night Southern Caribbean cruise aboard Celebrity Silhouette from Port Everglades to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.

We discuss embarkation in Fort Lauderdale, her solo inside stateroom, dining around the ship, and what Celebrity Silhouette is like during busy sea days. Sharon shares her experience at the Oceanview Cafe, Murano, and Tuscan Grille, along with some of her favorite bars and lounges around the ship.

Staff writer Richard Simms has cruise news. 

Share your thoughts:
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We discuss the latest cruise news, including passengers arrested after a prank aboard MSC Divina, Princess Cruises tightening its booking policies, Celebrity's gratuity increase, Norwegian canceling Norwegian Sky's farewell sailing, Carnival's new menu item, and Zac Brown Band's massive Margaritaville at Sea giveaway.

Kevin shares his detailed review of a four-night Carnival Freedom sailing from Port Canaveral, covering embarkation, suite accommodations (and perks attached to the stateroom), dining, entertainment, and port visits to Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key, offering practical tips for prospective cruisers.

Share your thoughts:
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A review of Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas in 2026.

Earlier this year, Matt took a seven-night Caribbean cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas from Port Miami. Matt shares his experience navigating flight cancellations due to a Georgia storm and the Miami Marathon's impact on transportation. He praises the ship's cleanliness, exceptional dining in both the main dining room and specialty restaurants, and highlights Perfect Day at CocoCay, Puerto Rico, and Saint Thomas as memorable ports. Despite limited grab-and-go food options and slightly longer disembarkation, Matt considers the cruise excellent value, recommending it for families...

A review of MSC Seashore from Port Canaveral, Florida.

Staff writer Richard Simms cover key cruise news, including arrests at Port Canaveral, a serious shore excursion injury highlighting travel insurance importance, a norovirus outbreak on the National Geographic Seabird, and Carnival's humorous response to a viral dining etiquette video. Holland America and Princess Cruises' charitable penny donation initiative is also featured. 

Then, Anne shares her review of MSC Seashore's Yacht Club experience on a four-night Bahamas cruise from Port Canaveral, covering Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, dining, entertainment, the private Yacht Club, embarkation, and whether t...

Brilliance of the Seas transatlantic cruise review.

Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas takes center stage this week as John shares his 23-night back-to-back cruise from Barcelona to Boston.

The cruise combined an eight-night Western Europe sailing with a 15-night transatlantic cruise featuring Iceland, Greenland, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, and Atlantic Canadian maritimes. He discusses the ship's classic Radiance-class design, oceanview cabin, dining, entertainment, rough seas, and why Brilliance remains a favorite despite being more than 20 years old.

Plus, hear what it's like to visit the Blue Lagoon, chase the Northern Lights, explore Greenland's...

Thinking about sailing Norwegian Jade? This week, Doug sits down with listener Ben to review an eight-day Pacific Coastal cruise from San Diego to Vancouver. They discuss the ship's interior staterooms, specialty dining, entertainment, thermal spa, public spaces, ports of call, and whether Norwegian's Free at Sea Plus package delivered good value.

Ben also shares tips for sailing Norwegian Jade after its recent refurbishment, along with advice for anyone considering a Pacific Coastal repositioning cruise.

Before the review, staff writer Richard Simms covers the week's biggest cruise headlines, including:

We break down the biggest cruise news stories of the week, including Carnival Cruise Line revealing its next-generation Carnival Destiny, a teacher fired from her school district for booking cruises around cheaper sailings, the latest Ruby Princess illness outbreak, Royal Caribbean's cruise port setback near Rome, and why an LGBTQ charter cruise aboard Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady was denied entry to ports in Turkey and Egypt.

Later in the episode, listener Maureen shares her review of a five-night Celebrity Summit cruise sailing from Port Everglades to Key West and Nassau. She discusses Concierge Class, dining, entertainment, Royal B...

Doug Parker interviews Chris, who recently returned from a 10-night Southern Caribbean cruise aboard Princess Cruises' Enchanted Princess, sailing roundtrip from Port Everglades.

Chris shares why Enchanted Princess is his favorite cruise ship, discussing the Princess Premier package, specialty dining, entertainment, and the ship's relaxed atmosphere. He also reviews ports including Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, Martinique, and Antigua, highlighting the Titou Gorge and Hot Springs excursion in Dominica as the standout experience.

Chris recommends this itinerary for cruisers looking to visit less-common Southern Caribbean islands while enjoying Princess Cruises' classic onboard experience.
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Doug Parker interviews Jan, who recently completed a 16-night repositioning cruise aboard Explorer Journeys' Explorer One, sailing from Barcelona to Miami. Jan shares his enthusiasm for the cruise line, highlighting the exceptional food, spacious suites, inclusive amenities, and intimate atmosphere. He describes memorable ports including Cadiz, Madeira, Antigua, Tortola, and San Juan, along with standout onboard experiences like enrichment lectures and a culinary cooking class. Jan recommends Explorer Journeys as outstanding value for travelers seeking a luxury experience without ultra-luxury pricing.

Share your thoughts:
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Celebrity Solstice review and this week's cruise news.

Steven shares his experience aboard Celebrity Solstice on a 16-night transpacific cruise from Sydney to Honolulu. We discuss the ship's renovation, dining, entertainment, sea days, ports of call in New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, and American Samoa, plus crossing the Equator and International Date Line. We also talk about an onboard power outage and Coast Guard medical evacuation that happened near the end of the voyage.

Cruise Radio staff writer Richard Simms covers this week's headlines:

• River cruise fire in France
• Sun Princess overnight fire scar...

Corey joins Doug to share his review of a five-night cruise aboard Carnival Sunrise from Miami, featuring visits to RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key.

Taking advantage of a casino offer, Corey and his girlfriend booked an interior stateroom for her first cruise and explored everything from Carnival's newest private destinations to the ship's specialty dining venues. They discuss Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi, Cucina del Capitano, the Chef's Table experience, Carnival's new Bagels at Sea concept, and the overall food quality onboard.

The conversation also covers entertainment, casino offers, crowd levels on a smaller...

A review of Icon of the Seas. 

Staff writer Richard Simms has cruise news. This week, we cover a record-setting day in Nassau as more than 33,000 cruise passengers arrived in port, ongoing chaos in Santorini as a controversial passenger distribution rule triggers another shutdown, and the tragic death of a pregnant fin whale believed to have been struck by Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas near Seward, Alaska.

We also discuss Royal Caribbean's decision to allow suite guests to bring non-suite friends into Coastal Kitchen for a fee, a massive brawl at PortMiami that resulted i...

Marcus joins Doug to review a 7-night cruise aboard Marella Voyager, sailing roundtrip from Tenerife to the Canary Islands and Madeira.

In this episode, he shares his experience aboard the former Celebrity Mercury, including an upgrade to an Executive Suite, dining at the ship's included and specialty restaurants, entertainment, and what it's like sailing on Marella Cruises for the first time.

He also discusses visits to Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Madeira, and La Palma, along with tips for embarking in Tenerife and navigating this port-intensive itinerary.

Topics Discussed:

A review of Norwegian Luna. 

We cover recent cruise news, including the Anna Kepner murder case aboard Carnival Horizon, a video voyeurism arrest on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, a brawl at Nassau Cruise Pier, a $1.9 billion lawsuit against MSC Cruises, and new dining announcements from Carnival and Holland America.

Tony shares a detailed review of his seven-night family cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's brand-new Prima class ship, the Norwegian Luna, highlighting dining, entertainment, ports of call, including a stop at the newly renovated Great Stirrup Cay, and gives us his overall impressions.

We cover major cruise news, including American cruise passengers arrested in Nassau, a foiled plot to bomb a cruise ship in Greece, a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean, updates on Perfect Day Mexico, and the delivery of Legend of the Seas.

Richard also answers a listener question about casino bounce-back offers.

The episode features a detailed review of the Majestic Princess by first-time cruiser Chris, who shares details including his inaugural cruise out of Port Everglades, how good the dining on board was, scuba diving in Cozumel, and Mayan ruins in Belize.

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Doug chats with guest Tom about his three-night solo cruise aboard Celebrity Reflection, visiting Key West and Nassau. Tom shares his experience as a first-time Celebrity and solo cruiser, covering the smooth embarkation process, his interior stateroom, buffet and specialty dining highlights, and diverse entertainment options.

He compares Celebrity favorably to other cruise lines, noting its calm, upscale atmosphere. Tom also offers practical tips for solo travelers, recommending short cruises as a starting point and encouraging passengers to engage socially onboard.

We also feature a segment about travel insurance with Dan Skilken, President of TripInsurance...

Doug Parker covers major cruise industry news, including Norwegian Viva's canceled San Juan sailings and a worker strike disrupting Royal Caribbean ports in Costa Maya, a heroic passenger rescue at Costa Maya and a mile long cruise ship. 

Brand Ambassador John Heald discusses Carnival's new Relax Away section at Half Moon Cay, highlighting the new pier, free beach chairs, and natural surroundings.

Kevin reviews Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas, praising its suite experience, dining, and ports while noting it lacks some newer ships' amenities.

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A review of Norwegian Gem on a five night Bahamas cruise from Jacksonville, Florida. 

Staff writer Richard has cruise news.

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About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.

A review of Carnival Vista.

Doug Parker covers cruise industry news with staff writer Richard Simms, including a Carnival Corporation data breach, Costa Cruises' controversial 60 euro fee for removing food from a dining venue, a fake Carnival alcohol notice circulating online, Norwegian's new Great Stirrup Cay water park ticket sales, and a propulsion issue affecting Oasis of the Seas.

A listener's question gets answered about Manhattan disembarkation timing.

Andrew reviews his six-night Caribbean voyage aboard Carnival Vista, and talks all about the dining, ports of call, entertainment, and tips for solo travelers.

Doug Parker and staff writer Richard Sims discuss major cruise news, including Mexico blocking Royal Caribbean's second Perfect Day destination, a Carnival Spirit assault case resulting in lifetime bans, a hantavirus quarantine situation, incidents aboard Norwegian Luna and Enchanted Princess, and Carnival's new bow crest design.

Michael shares his seven-night Alaska cruise experience aboard Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas, covering embarkation, dining, entertainment, port adventures in Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, and Victoria, and practical travel tips for sailing in Alaska.

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This week we cover major cruise industry news, including Carnival's pricing error controversy, an assault incident aboard Carnival Spirit, hantavirus and norovirus outbreaks affecting multiple ships, a tragic mobility scooter accident at Celebration Key, and Disney Adventure's abrupt canceled sailing in Singapore. 

We also talk to Tony who took a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise from Tampa, and his first solo cruise.  He talks about this port days in Cozumel and Harvest Caye, specialty dining, entertainment, and how trip insurance saved him when his flight was canceled due to a winter storm in the Northeast. 

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In this episode of Cruise Radio, host Doug Parker and staff writer Richard Simms cover major cruise industry news, including Carnival's loyalty program overhaul, a passenger assault aboard the Carnival Sunrise, a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, and Norwegian Cruise Line's gratuity increases. They also discuss Alaska's record cruise season and Holland America's ship refurbishment.

Guest Jen then shares her firsthand review of the MSC Grandiosa in the Mediterranean, covering embarkation, dining, entertainment, and ports including Tunisia, Sicily, and Marseille, offering practical tips for travelers considering a European cruise experience.

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In this episode of Cruise Radio, guest Amy shares an in-depth review of her seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard Norwegian Aqua.

She discusses her travel logistics, ship impressions, dining experiences, casino adventures, and time spent in exclusive areas like Vibe Beach Club.

Amy also details port visits to St. Thomas, Tortola, and Great Stirrup Cay, offering practical tips and honest feedback on excursions and amenities.

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A review of Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas from Port Miami, Florida to the Eastern Caribbean. 

Staff writer Richard Simms has cruise news on: 

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Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues.

Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com.

About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.