Latest news with #CruiseCritic
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Carnival Cruise Line takes on cruise class controversy
Carnival cruisers who have reached the highest levels in the cruise line's VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) loyalty program, Platinum and Diamond VIFPs, have a reputation for sometimes acting entitled. Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald often receives complaints on his popular Facebook page from some of these high-status passengers demanding special treatment on reputation that Platinum and Diamond Carnival cruisers have gained has also led to rumors about ways that these cruisers flaunt their status over others on board. Since Carnival issues passengers onboard Sail & Sign key cards in colors that signify their levels in the VIFP program, the fact that some Platinum and Diamond cruisers wear these cards on lanyards around their necks has sent the wrong message to some cruisers. John Heald recently dedicated a Facebook video to this cruise class controversy in an effort to combat the latest rumor, and to share his perspective on Heald: Good morning, good afternoon, and to my friends in Cleveland, New Zealand and Australia, good evening. I don't know why I say that every time. Welcome to today's three-minute video, and we're going to talk a little bit this morning about a post I received yesterday from somebody who we will call Michael because, well that's his name. And Michael says: 'A big discussion on Cruise Critic. Will the Grand Pooh Bear — and in brackets: you Heald lol, care to comment? — It has been said that most Diamond and Platinum [VIFPs] wear their Sail & Sign card on their lanyards at all times to impress the lowly Golds, Reds and Blues. Of course, they do. What do you say, John?' Well, thank you very much, Michael, Mickey. I think it's brilliant, by the way, that you've put Cruise Critic in with a capital C and a capital C, but when you've written my name, not only did you not call me John, but Heald is in all small case, so no capital for my name. Does not bother me in the slightest and if you tried to get under my skin it's not working. It's not right, seriously, I think some of our most loyal guests do wear their Sail & Sign card on a lanyard to show, simply, how proud they are of their loyalty. Now this is very much a cruise thing. You will never see this on Cleveland Airlines with a Diamond Platinum Elite member walks down the aisle with an airline card around their neck. It's just a cruise thing, but although I do think it is mostly for convenience, I think that a lot of, or some of, our most loyal guests do want to show their loyalty and it's not to look down on people who are not Diamond or Platinum. It is just to say, 'Look what I have done, look what I have achieved. I'm proud. I love Carnival.'And those last three words I would like to think is the reason that most people who have reached those levels wear their cabin key around a lanyard. So that's my answer. I'll be interested to see what others have to say on this, but I would say that 99% of our Diamond and Platinum guests wear their card around their neck simply because they are proud. Nothing more and nothing less. More Carnival cruise news:Now, I don't have any news on the new loyalty program. As soon as I do, of course, we will share it in the usual way. They do say if you want to talk about loyalty, you have to talk about a pet and it always reminds me of this story: There are three pets. They pass away and they go to heaven and they meet God. And God wants to know what they believe in and he looks first at the German Shepherd and says, 'What do you believe in?' and the German Shepherd says, 'I believe in discipline and loyalty to my family,' and God said, 'Well done, you can sit on my right side.' Then he looks at the next pet. It's a Shih Tzu — It's not where the joke's going — It's a Shih Tzu, and God says to the Shih Tzu, 'What do you believe in?' and the Shih Tzu says, 'I believe in love and care and cuddles and loyalty,' and God said, 'You can sit on my left side.' And then God looks at the cat and says to the cat, 'What do you believe in?' and the cat looks at God and says, 'I believe you're sitting in my seat.'
Forbes
16-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
AT&T Adds New ‘Surf N' Turf' Day Pass For Cruise Ship Travelers
There's a new package option for using your phone on land or sea. AT&T is targeting international cruise travelers with its latest product overhaul, and it could not come at a better time. Spring Break is still in full swing, and big summer trips are not far behind. The new 'International Day Pass' launches today and covers international data when on land as well as on a ship. For a flat fee of $20 per day, this renewed travel pass covers 500MB/day of data usage on both land and sea. It also includes unlimited talk and text, convenient for family members that want to stay in touch on the ship as well as when ashore, plus no data overages. 'The evolution of cruise line internet has gone from virtually unusable — and exceptionally expensive — to a luxury that allows cruisers to stay connected while at sea.' AT&T currently has a $12-per-day international pass that works on land in more than 210 countries and territories. It also has a $20-per-day maritime pass. This new offering replaces the need to combine the two (at a cost of $32 per day) into one flat $20 fee. While the land pass caps out at ten days for a total $120 per month (and good for the whole month), the $20 'surf n' turf' option has no limit on the number of days when used at sea. 'The evolution of cruise line internet has gone from virtually unusable — and exceptionally expensive — to a luxury that allows cruisers to stay connected while at sea,' says Colleen McDaniel, editor of Cruise Critic. Talking on the phone or using data to send photos costs less with this flat-fee day pass. 'For many cruise lines, internet remains an add-on that cruisers will pay extra for. While packages are far less expensive than they were in the charge-by-the-minute days, it's still an expense that will cost cruisers anywhere from $13 per day to $40 per day, depending on what the package includes.' The current Cruise Basic and Cruise Plus packages include up to 1GB of data, voice, and texting on over 175 cruise ships. This new offering, which replaces the existing packages, significantly expands coverage, drops data overages and works on both land and sea. Cruise ship Wi-Fi packages can be very expensive. What makes this a worthy consideration for travelers is that it could essentially replace Wi-Fi packages on ships for those that use it mostly on their phone (digital nomads may still need to purchase Wi-Fi to use on their laptops, for example). Now when travelers go ashore, they will not need to search for a local Wi-Fi signal. They can continue using the same maritime cellular data pass that connects them on the ship as one on land, without the need to pay the $15-45 potential daily charge for ship-based connectivity. The day pass works on land and at sea. And many ship Wi-Fi plans would not include traditional voice calling or SMS whereas this plan would. And cruise-based wireless plans get switched on only when six miles away from land, and they also switch them off while in port. In that instance, wireless service reverts to the land-based cellular provider of the local country. The telecommunications brand says it developed the new day pass after surveying 10,000 customers and learning that 100% of them were concerned about being double-charged when traveling internationally by cruise. 'Using cell service at sea can be incredibly expensive, as many guests have discovered the hard way," notes McDaniel. Remote working on cruise ships has become a growing trend, and going without Wi-Fi or data can be a problem for some travelers when overseas. According to AT&T, they are the only telecom provider to offer a 'double-tech stack' for land and sea coverage on the same pass. The day pass will be available on more than 400 cruise ships globally, including familiar cruise lines like Celebrity, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Scenic, Seabourn and Viking among many others. American Airlines Boeing 737-8MAX taking off from Miami This comes on the heels of a recent announcement that AT&T will support complimentary Wi-Fi for members of the AAdvantage loyalty program on American Airlines flights starting in 2026. The Viasat and Intelsat high-speed satellite connectivity will be available on more than 90% of the airline's fleet.
Telegraph
25-03-2025
- Telegraph
15 money-saving hacks to know before booking your next cruise
A cruise can be an extremely expensive holiday option. Sure, there are plenty of tempting money-saving deals available, but they're not always what they seem. Those 'included drinks', for instance, may actually mean non-branded spirits and basic table wine (even soft drinks such as Coca Cola can be classed as 'premium'), and the 'included excursions' are likely to just be basic outings rather than the bucket-list experience you'd been dreaming about. WiFi can also incur an extra charge. But it doesn't have to be that way. Swat up on these expert-recommended hacks before booking your next cruise, and you can drastically cut costs without sacrificing on any element of the experience itself. Inside info ' When choosing your cabin, think about how much time you'll actually spend in it,' says Tony Andrews, managing director of online travel agency 'The main purpose of your cabin is to sleep in, so if a sea view isn't important to you, choose an inside cabin or a cabin with an obstructed view. This will take a considerable amount off the price.' Book a repositioning cruise A cruise ship will typically stay in one area for a season – the Med in summer, say – and then sail to a different area for the next season (the Caribbean in winter, for example). 'When a ship sails from one area to the next, these 'repositioning' cruises are still open to book,' says Andrews. 'They will feature a majority of days onboard the ship rather than calling at different destinations, but they are available at a much reduced cost.' If you enjoy sea days – endless sunshine and onboard spa treatments – they're the perfect choice. Book two cruises with the same line 'If you're planning a long and pricey cruise, it might be worth your while to take a little extra trip now,' advises Edwina Lonsdale, managing director of travel agents Mundy Cruises. 'A quick week away on the cruise line you have chosen for a longer voyage can give you access to both past passenger savings and onboard booking savings.' Book onboard 'We always recommend booking your next cruise before you disembark your current sailing,' says Adam Coulter from reviews site Cruise Critic. 'It's a great way to make significant savings, with often a package or a decent amount of onboard credit thrown in. Go to Future Cruise Sales and ask them what they can offer. There are always good deals to be had.' Don't follow the crowd 'Certain times of year in certain destinations work well if you're looking for a bargain,' says Lonsdale. 'Alaska or the Baltic in May or September, or the Mediterranean during the winter months, for example, can be significantly cheaper than in peak season. Plus there are often advantages: fewer crowds, different wildlife or brilliant displays of early-season flowers.' Moveable feast 'If you can be flexible on which week you cruise, you can definitely save money,' says Erica Silverstein from the travel advice website The Points Guy. 'Many unpredictable factors combine to make one sailing week more expensive than the identical itinerary the week before or after.' Keep track… Cruise YouTuber Gary Bembridge (Tips For Travellers) says: 'Always track the fares of any cruise you have booked, as some lines will match prices if they go down – but only if you contact them. Not all do, but it is worth a try. The best sites to do this are and …and keep in touch 'The best way to be aware of any deals is to sign up for the email newsletters of any cruise line you would consider cruising on, as they will announce sales, offers and deals that way,' says Bembridge. 'Also follow cruise lines on Facebook and Instagram as they often use their pages to launch deals.' Black Friday Leading Travel PR David Sanders, whose clients include Carnival, Holland America and Celestyal says: 'Keep a look out for Black Friday [November 28 in 2025] cruise bargains, which most major cruise lines have on offer. There's always good deals to be had, particularly if you're sailing from the UK and your trip won't involve a flight.' Drink in the details Drinks packages may sound like a good idea if you're planning on daily cocktails, sundowners, pricey wines and speciality coffees. But if you're not a big drinker and you only fancy the occasional celebratory glass of fizz, you're better off putting it on your tab. The price of drinks packages varies wildly, but some cost upwards of £75 per person, per day. Using an online calculator (such as this one from Cruise Mummy) can help navigate your drinking money. But say yes to some drinks packages… 'The onboard soda packages, which can be bought in advance, are particularly good value for children,' says Sanders. 'There's a great range of options and plenty of healthy choices available, including juices and smoothies.' Other worthwhile packages 'Many lines offer special all-inclusive packages,' says Cruise Critic's Coulter. 'For example, Princess has the Princess Premier package, which includes unlimited WiFi, unlimited premier beverage package, unlimited juice bar, fitness classes, unlimited speciality and casual dining meals per guest, and reserved theatre seating for production shows. NCL offers the More At Sea package, which includes unlimited open bar with premium spirits, cocktails, wine, beer, juice and soda, speciality dining, shore excursion credit of $50 at each port, and free airfare for the second guest.' Get first-day savvy Online travel site The Points Guy suggests looking for first-day discounts from onboard spas looking to lure passengers through their doors. Speciality restaurants may also offer extras for first-day bookings, such as a free bottle of wine. Set your own agenda By all means book excursion trips that provide exclusive access to avoid crowds and queues, or get you to hard-to-reach places, but you might be able to organise alternatives at a fraction of the price – for example, a public ferry to a different island or a solo tour with a private company. Get online, do your homework and enjoy that smug feeling as you jump into a taxi while the coaches are loading. Just make sure you get back to the ship on time… Third-party options Bembridge says: 'You can usually find more choice, smaller group sizes, and lower prices using third-party providers such as Venture Ashore, Shore Excursions Grou and Viator. With the first two sites you can input your cruise line, ship and travel dates and it shows all the choices for your exact itinerary.'
CBS News
10-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Retiring on a cruise ship? Some Americans are making it a reality
A surge in retirements is sweeping America as baby boomers enter their golden years. More than 4 million people are poised to turn 65 this year, part of the largest wave of retirement -age Americans in history. For some, retirement looks different than traditional options. Instead of settling into condos or retirement communities, they're choosing a life at sea. "I live at sea and I'm retired," says Jo Johnston, who said she has been on "six or eight cruises of 80 days or longer." For Johnston, a cruise ship is her home. "I sold everything that wouldn't fit in my car. And then I sold the car," she said. On board, Johnston gets everything bundled into one package: meals, travel, entertainment and housing, all for approximately $100,000 a year. "It's important to really track what you're spending in some way," Johnston advises. "I can tell you last year how much I spent per day on drinks or on short excursions on average." Johnston recently traveled aboard Holland America's "Grand World Voyage" cruise from Florida to Grand Cayman. Her 124-day itinerary included Bali, Cape Town and Barcelona. Lunchtime was spent with friends she's met sailing over the years. None knew each other before cruising. "They're so welcoming and they look after you," she said about the friends. The loyal following is one reason why Holland America has launched two of these cruises simultaneously for the first time. According to the travel site Cruise Critic, more companies are adding longer-haul trips — voyages lasting three to six months. At least a dozen world cruises are being offered this year alone. A residential cruise launched last fall, where customers can buy a cabin starting at $130,000. Charlie Branch, a New York-based financial advisor, says retiring at sea could potentially cost less than retiring on land, "depending on how you were living when you were on land." Branch said there's a trend of clients becoming more creative about retirement since the pandemic. "It's given them some perspective in terms of what they want their lives to look like from this point on," he said. "Some are going and doing things that they've always wanted to do and never had a chance to. We're definitely seeing an uptick in that." As for Johnston, she has cruises booked for the next two years with no plans to stop. "I've come to appreciate politics around the world, how people everywhere are more alike than they are not, and just how beautiful the world is," she said. While retirement at sea may sound appealing, a significant factor to consider is health care. Ships typically have a doctor on board who handles basic needs and emergencies, but experts recommend consulting with your primary physician to determine if it's a viable option. As with any retirement plan, proper preparation is essential to ensure you have appropriate medication and care.
CBS News
10-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Retiring on a cruise ship? More Americans are making it a reality
A surge in retirements is sweeping America as baby boomers enter their golden years. More than 4 million people are poised to turn 65 this year, part of the largest wave of retirement -age Americans in history. For some, retirement looks different than traditional options. Instead of settling into condos or retirement communities, they're choosing a life at sea. "I live at sea and I'm retired," says Jo Johnston, who said she has been on "six or eight cruises of 80 days or longer." For Johnston, a cruise ship is her home. "I sold everything that wouldn't fit in my car. And then I sold the car," she said. On board, Johnston gets everything bundled into one package: meals, travel, entertainment and housing, all for approximately $100,000 a year. "It's important to really track what you're spending in some way," Johnston advises. "I can tell you last year how much I spent per day on drinks or on short excursions on average." Johnston recently traveled aboard Holland America's "Grand World Voyage" cruise from Florida to Grand Cayman. Her 124-day itinerary included Bali, Cape Town and Barcelona. Lunchtime was spent with friends she's met sailing over the years. None knew each other before cruising. "They're so welcoming and they look after you," she said about the friends. The loyal following is one reason why Holland America has launched two of these cruises simultaneously for the first time. According to the travel site Cruise Critic, more companies are adding longer-haul trips — voyages lasting three to six months. At least a dozen world cruises are being offered this year alone. A residential cruise launched last fall, where customers can buy a cabin starting at $130,000. Charlie Branch, a New York-based financial advisor, says retiring at sea could potentially cost less than retiring on land, "depending on how you were living when you were on land." Branch said there's a trend of clients becoming more creative about retirement since the pandemic. "It's given them some perspective in terms of what they want their lives to look like from this point on," he said. "Some are going and doing things that they've always wanted to do and never had a chance to. We're definitely seeing an uptick in that." As for Johnston, she has cruises booked for the next two years with no plans to stop. "I've come to appreciate politics around the world, how people everywhere are more alike than they are not, and just how beautiful the world is," she said. While retirement at sea may sound appealing, a significant factor to consider is health care. Ships typically have a doctor on board who handles basic needs and emergencies, but experts recommend consulting with your primary physician to determine if it's a viable option. As with any retirement plan, proper preparation is essential to ensure you have appropriate medication and care.
