The Royal Caribbean's 226,963-ton Harmony of the Seas, on late Saturday departed on its maiden voyage out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, its new long-term home. Escorted out to sea by a flotilla of jetboard and jetpack performers, the 16-deck-high vessel set sail on a short, three-day trip that kicks off a week of welcoming events. The events include an official christening ceremony scheduled for Thursday.
A fire aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that departed from Port Canaveral injured one crew member, but company officials say it was quickly extinguished. Black smoke could be seen billowing from the 1,112-foot Freedom of the Seas as it docked in Jamaica on Wednesday with 4.500 passengers.
A ten-night sailing of Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas cruise ship was cut short by one day after nearly 10% of passengers were struck by norovirus. An unrelated medical emergency expedited the need for the ship to dock early as bad weather made an at-sea transfer impossible.
Cruise Critic has released its 2014 Cruise Critic U.K. Cruisers' Choice Awards, the cruise awards based entirely on reviews submitted by cruisers. Royal Caribbean rode the waves in the awards for the Large Ship class, with Serenade of the Seas, the third ship in the Radiance-class fleet, named Best Overall ship, Best Value-for-Money and Best Dining. Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas took Best for Embarkation.
Passengers staggered off a Royal Caribbean ship reeking of vomit and diarrhea at its home port on Wednesday after their cruise was cut short by an apparent stomach bug that felled nearly 700 vacationers and crew. Cheers erupted from the Explorer of the Seas as the vessel pulled into Bayonne, New Jersey, in New York Harbor.
The Royal Caribbean cruise 'Explorer of the Seas” has ended the 10-day trip in the Caribbean early after hundreds of passengers and crew members were sickened with a gastrointestinal illness. It is believed the incident is a new case of the noravirus which has been attacking large cruise vessels.
Valparaíso, Chile’s main port will be hosting the continental version of the Sea Trade Fair next May 14/15, a major cruise industry event which is celebrated every three years and for the first time in Chile. The previous meetings were held in Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires.
More than 100 people on board a cruise ship operated by a unit of Carnival Corp have fallen ill with a stomach virus, the latest setback facing the world's biggest cruise company, which came under scrutiny last month for the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster in Italy.