Cruises are very different from land-based vacations because you’re not, for the most part, sailing in the United States. You are also at sea, which means that many of the mistakes you can easily fix on a land-based vacation are catastrophic when cruising.
If, for example, you leave your prescription medicine in your hotel room or forget to pack it, there may be no way to replace it onboard. That could mean, if the medicine is absolutely essential, that you have to leave the cruise.
Related: Royal Caribbean makes casino change many will love
Not every situation, of course, is life or death. If you leave your toothpaste at home, the cruise line probably has some for sale, albeit at jacked-up prices.
Cruises are also very different when it comes to internet and phone connections. Americans, especially younger ones, are used to free cellular and WiFi wherever they might be.
That’s certainly not how it works on a cruise, which one family of Carnival Cruise Line passengers learned the hard way.
Cruise News Today’s Doug Parker has the full story and more.
Want the latest cruise news and deals? Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter.
Carnival Cruise Line won’t offer a refund
Transcript:
From Las Vegas, this is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker.
Good morning. Here’s your cruise news for Wednesday, February 5.
A Carnival Cruise Line passenger is taken to social media after receiving a $411 phone bill.
Now, this is after their 17-year-old daughter made calls to her boyfriend while on board Carnival Pride. The passenger claims that they weren’t warned about roaming charges and requested a partial refund, although Carnival declined that.
Brand Ambassador John Heald responded by saying that crew staff regularly advise passengers to switch their phones to airplane mode.
This story has sparked a debate online with many saying the teen should take responsibility for the charges.
A good reminder about the cost of data at sea and using airplane mode, good gosh.
Jimmy Buffett’s cruise line makes a big investment; Celebrity shares new feature
Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is getting a major upgrade this spring.
The cruise line’s first vessel will debut with revamped dining, entertainment, and a new port of call starting in late March.
Now, guests can enjoy new food and beverage options, including a specialty seafood venue and upgraded bars, plus refreshed staterooms and a soon-to-be-announced entertainment lineup. The ship will also add Nassau Bahamas to its itinerary, giving guests access to the Margaritaville Beach Resort.
Also to speed up travel, new facial recognition technology will be introduced.
It is very windy out here.
And Celebrity Cruises is bringing local culture on board with a new concept aboard the upcoming Celebrity Excel.
Debuting later this year, the Bazaar will feature rotating festivals, artesian markets, and regional dining. The three-story space will host hands-on cooking classes, a chef’s table experience, and a new cafe called Spice, serving food from the ship’s different destinations.
Celebrity Excel will launch from Port Everglades in November, sailing Caribbean voyages before heading to Europe in 26.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
Have questions about booking a cruise? Schedule a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me’s Travel Agent Partner Postcard Travel Plannin, or call or text Amy Post at 386-383-2472.
[email protected]. Here in Las Vegas at the Habitat behind the Flamingo Resort.
A big thank you to Ben from cruisetrevor.net for holding this camera for me. I’m Doug Parker with Cruise News Today.
Have yourselves a great Wednesday.
Are you taking a cruise or thinking about taking one? Visit our Come Cruise With Me website to have all your questions answered.
