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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Video: Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas clears sea trials
Video: Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas clears sea trials originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. With Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean created a new standard for megaships. It built a new class completely from scratch. The cruise line started with a blank piece of paper and considered every aspect of the the end, Icon did bring back some features from earlier classes, like the redesigned Central Park and the Royal Promenade, but it was a very unique ship. Now, its sister ship, Star of the Seas, is getting close to its first sailing. "Sailing one step closer to its debut, Royal Caribbean's highly anticipated Star of the Seas has taken to the open ocean for the first time. This week, the next combination of the best of every vacation embarked on a series of sea trials, marking a key construction milestone before the new Icon Class ship makes its way to Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, for its August 2025 debut," the cruise line shared on its webpage. A sea trial is a very comprehensive test. "Over 11 days, more than 2,000 experts from the naval architecture, engineering, navigation and design spaces are putting Star to the test across a wide range of technical examinations to ensure it's in ship shape," it added. "From testing how the ship moves through the open water to pushing its engine performance to the limits and more, Star's journey will cover hundreds of miles before the ship enters its final phase of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Caribbean's Star of the Seas clears sea trials (0:45) Royal Caribbean has not shared who the godfather will be for Star of the Seas or when it will have its official naming ceremony. Because the ship is actually arriving early, it will sail three pre-inaugural sailings in August with paying passengers before its actual inaugural sailing. The cruise line shared some hype on its upcoming ship. "Doubling the world's best vacation count this summer, Star will deliver more of the revolutionary Icon Class combination introduced by Icon, with new twists and signature favorites. Across eight neighborhoods that are destinations in themselves, there are ways for families and vacationers of all ages to make memories with a lineup of thrills — like the fastest and tallest waterslides, unrivaled chill at seven pools for every vibe and mood, and more than 40+ ways to dine, drink, and be entertained. Plus, adventurers can island-hop on 7-night vacations visiting Eastern or Western Caribbean destinations, including the vacation brand's top-rated destination at Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas." Every Star of the Seas trip from Port Canaveral will stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Royal Caribbean has made it clear that it will not call Star of the Seas "The World's Largest Cruise Ship," although it's technically the same size as Icon, which has made that claim. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on May 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Video: Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas clears sea trials
With Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean created a new standard for megaships. It build a new class completely from scratch. The cruise line started with a blank piece of paper and considered every aspect of the design. Related: Carnival and Royal Caribbean both have this surprising extra charge In the end, Icon did bring back some features from earlier classes, like the redesigned Central Park, and the Royal Promenade, but it was a very unique ship. Now, that ship's sister ship, Star of the Seas is getting close to its first sailing. "Sailing one step closer to its debut, Royal Caribbean's highly anticipated Star of the Seas has taken to the open ocean for the first time. This week, the next combination of the best of every vacation embarked on a series of sea trials, marking a key construction milestone before the new Icon Class ship makes its way to Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, for its August 2025 debut," the cruise line shared on its webpage. A sea trial is a very comprehensive test. "Over 11 days, more than 2,000 experts from the naval architecture, engineering, navigation and design spaces are putting Star to the test across a wide range of technical examinations to ensure it's in ship shape," it added. "From testing how the ship moves through the open water to pushing its engine performance to the limits and more, Star's journey will cover hundreds of miles before the ship enters its final phase of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas clears sea trials (0:45) Royal Caribbean has not shared who the godfather will be for Star of the Seas or when it will have its official naming ceremony. Because the ship is actually arriving early, it will sail three pre-inaugural sailings in August with paying passengers before its actual inaugural sailing. The cruise line shared some hype on its upcoming ship. Every Star of the Seas trip from Port Canaveral will stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Royal Caribbean has made it clear that it will not call Star of the Seas "The World's Largest Cruise Ship," although it's technically the same size as Icon, which has made that claim. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Another MSC cruise passenger arrested; Silversea cruise ship fined
Violent altercations involving passengers sailing on multiple cruise lines have made headlines in recent weeks, and the trend grew more troubling with the latest incident, which remains under investigation. A 60-year-old man died on board MSC Cruises' MSC Virtuosa on Saturday, May 3 following an altercation that happened shortly after the ship departed from Southampton, England, on a short weekend cruise to Bruges, deadly fight prompted British police to launch an investigation that led to a passenger's arrest on suspicion of murder. Now, a second passenger has been arrested. British police have reassured concerned cruisers and local residents that the onboard incident appeared to be isolated, and thanked MSC Virtuosa crew members for their cooperation and assistance. Doug Parker shared more details on the ongoing cruise ship murder investigation and other cruise news, including a Silversea cruise ship captain who crossed an environmental line, on the May 13th edition of Cruise News Cruise News Today with Doug Parker. Good morning, here's your cruise news for Tuesday, May 13th. A second man has been arrested after a passenger died following an altercation aboard the MSC Virtuosa. Now police say a 56-year-old man from Richmond was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. This following a 57-year-old man who was previously arrested for suspected murder. Both men have already been released on incident occurred on May 3rd, shortly after departure from Southampton. Authorities say it appears to be isolated and are asking anyone on board at the time to come forward with information. And a luxury cruise ship has been fined for sailing into protected waters near Italy's Capri island on May Silver Ray came within 500 meters of Faraglioni rock formations, violating environmental regulations. Smartphone footage and tracking data confirmed the breach, prompting an $1,100 fine and a warning to the captain from maritime authorities. The incident has reignited calls to designate the area a formal marine protected zone. And Carnival Miracle has returned to service in Europe after a major dry dock. Yeah, the ship launched its summer season from Lisbon on May 11th, featuring updates like a new Heroes Tribute Bar, a dedicated Chef's Table, and refreshed public areas. The ship will sail 16 sailings this summer across Europe, including British Isles and the then, November it heads to Tampa for Caribbean and Bahamas cruises. Carnival Miracle was launched in 2004. And cruise stocks were up on Tuesday. Carnival Corporation: up 10%, 22.13. Royal Caribbean: up 4%, 242.18. Norwegian: up 8%, 19.15. And Viking: up 5%, 45.57. If you have a lead on a story, let us know. Tips@ Have yourself a great Tuesday. I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Cruise passengers arrested for smuggling 749 cases of cigarettes
Usually, the customs process for people with an American passport getting off a cruise ship just takes a few seconds. You look at the facial recognition and it tells you to walk through. Even on the rare occasions where you get flagged for more inspection, it usually just involves physically showing your passport to an agent. In rare situations, a customs agent may look through your bag and there are forms you need to fill out if you're bringing back over $10,000 in cash. Related: Royal Caribbean unveils its biggest and boldest innovation yet Some passengers, however, do get extra scrutiny. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport discovered 749 cartons of illegally imported cigarettes concealed in 10 pieces of luggage from a couple arriving in a cruise ship from Ensenada, Mexico on April 17. On that day, two female passengers traveling together, disembarked an ocean liner arriving to Long Beach Cruise Ship Terminal, and presented themselves for CBP inspection. During the inspection officers discovered 10 pieces of luggage full of cigarettes. Although the travelers presented purchase receipts, they were unable to provide the appropriate permits to import such a quantity of tobacco products. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Cruise ships sell cartons of cigarettes onboard and you can buy them duty free in ports, which can mean prices much lower than in the U.S. You cannot, however, buy cigarettes for the purpose of resale. "Large quantities of cigarettes are considered 'commercial' not personal use; therefore, an importer permit from the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is required. In addition, tobacco product labels must meet FDA standards, such as including nicotine warnings and accurate product descriptions," according to a CBP press release. This is an area that's taken very seriously. "The importation of tobacco products is highly regulated from both tax and consumer safety perspectives," said Cheryl M. Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. "Travelers who intentionally disregard U.S. importation laws and regulations often pay a high price." The examination of the 10 pieces of luggage resulted in the discovery of 326 cartons of Newport 100's, 58 cartons of Newport regulars,112 cartons of Marlboro Red, 43 cartons of Marlboro Silver, and 210 cartons of Marlboro Gold cigarettes. Based on a low-end estimate of $80 dollars a carton in the state of California, the total value of the cigarettes is estimated to be $59,920. All 749 cartons were seized and will be destroyed under CBP supervision. The report did not share what legal action the two women will face. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New England seaside port bans virtually all cruise ships from its harbor
Cruising is one of the fastest-growing segments of travel, with cruise bookings up 17% in North America between 2019 and 2023. Globally cruise capacity is forecast to grow at least 10% from 2024 to 2028, according to Cruise Lines International Association, and most major cruise lines have at least one new ship under construction. But not every community welcomes the crush of tourists cruise ships can U.S. ports have made moves to reduce cruise tourism's impacts. In Sitka, Alaska, for example, voters will decide in a May 30 special election whether to cap daily cruise arrivals at 4,500. In Juneau, daily visitors are already limited to 16,000 per day and just 12,000 on international ports — including Venice, Italy, and Amsterdam, Netherlands, have also implemented limits on daily visits, or disallowing ships over a certain latest port to say "no" to big ships is Belfast, Maine. In November 2022, the town, with 7,000 residents, voted to cap the number of cruise guest arrivals to 1,000 per day. The move was in response to a community survey taken the year before. In response to the survey, residents said they believe cruise tourism negatively affects their quality of life. Now, an amendment approved on March 18, 2025, effectively bans all commercial passenger ships from entering the harbor. The ordinance states no cruise ship that accommodates more than 50 guests is allowed to embark or debark passengers at the city landing or any other city property or marine facility. The rule applies to ships that dock or use tender a smart port town about 100 miles north of the port town Portland, and 60 miles south of Bar Harbor, typically attracts only one cruise brand: American Cruise Cruise Lines operates a fleet of small ships, most accommodating 90-180 passengers. Now, even the line's 100-passenger American Eagle, which has previously called on Belfast, will be prohibited. Belfast's harbormaster reportedly supported the law, citing safety and navigation concerns that emerged when eight cruise ships called at the port in the summer of 2024. Limited dock space and bus parking, presumably for shore excursions, contributed to congestion around the harbor, according to local news in anticipation of the ban, Belfast does not appear on any American Cruise Lines itineraries for summer 2025. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
