Latest news with #Cruises
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Cruise cabin math: When booking two rooms makes more sense than one
'Family Travel' is a five-part series showcasing the best experiences and destinations for young families looking for an escape. If you'd like to contribute to our future reporting and share your experience as a source, you can click here to fill out this quick form. Brian and Julie Kearns take cruises with their three children at least twice a year – but they don't always stay together. Sometimes the couple books adjacent cabins, or a balcony stateroom with another across the hall, depending on what offers the best price. They have all piled into a single five-person cabin, too, but found it to be 'extremely tight,' particularly as their kids – 14, 11 and 10 – have gotten older, according to Julie. 'They have more luggage (than when they were younger) – and they're just bigger,' said Julie, who runs the How We Cruise YouTube channel and travel agency alongside Brian. Cruise lines offer a variety of cabin options for travelers with children, but finding the right one for a given family can be a complex process. 'It's kind of like a puzzle,' said Jared Feldman, owner of travel agency Jafeldma Travel. 'How does it best fit?' Here's what travelers should know. Standard cruise cabins can typically accommodate a maximum of four guests (though some can fit five). Cabins accommodating three, four or five guests have a mattress that can be split into two twin beds, along with a pull-out sofa or a Pullman bed that pulls down from the ceiling or out from the wall, according to Feldman. Brian Kearns added that depending on the cruise line and type of cabin guests are in, they could have one or the other or a combination. Julie noted that as more cruise lines have cut stateroom cleaning back from twice to once a day in recent years, she has noticed that those aren't necessarily tucked back away like they were previously. 'If you're coming back into the room to change for dinner or take a rest or whatever you're doing, you have lost all that space that you might have had years ago,' she said. Cruise lines also offer connecting staterooms and family cabins. Feldman likened the latter category to a junior suite. Julie Kearns said staying in a Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony room on Royal Caribbean International's Icon of the Seas last year, which has a separate bunk room for kids, was a 'game changer.' However, Feldman warned that not all ships have family category cabins, and they tend to sell out quickly on the ones that do. Older ships, which typically have fewer activities such as rock climbing walls and go-karts, are less likely to have family-centric staterooms. Cruise lines also offer a wide range of suites, ranging from suped-up cabins with a bit of extra room to multi-level spaces that resemble houses rather than the typical accommodations at sea. Those include the three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse aboard Icon, and the EPCOT-inspired Tomorrow Tower Suite on Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, Disney Treasure. Like the Kearns have done, families could split into different rooms, as well, depending on the age of their children. Carnival Cruise Line, for example, requires passengers 14 and under to be in the same cabin or a connecting room as a relative or guardian at least 25 years old, according to its website. Teenagers between 15 and 17 can be booked no more than three staterooms away from those adults. Not necessarily. Depending on the cruise line, itinerary, cabin category and other factors, splitting a room isn't always the better deal. 'Sometimes two double-occupancy staterooms can cost less than a quad-occupancy stateroom,' said Feldman. 'There are times it can cost a little bit more, but even when it does cost a little bit more, you have to realize what you're getting out of it.' Two rooms offer twice the living space and double the bathrooms, he noted. If you work with a travel advisor, potential perks like onboard credit would apply to both cabins. Larger family staterooms also tend to be pricier. For example, a 335-square-foot Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony cabin aboard Icon currently starts at $1,531 per person for a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise departing May 2, 2026, according to the line's website. A 246-square-foot Central Park View Balcony currently costs $1,027 per person for the same sailing. But the cost could be worth it depending on how many people are in your party. "When it comes to each family, it depends on what your idea of value is," said Brian Kearns. Cruise ship kids clubs: Here's everything to know Here are some of the family-friendly offerings guests will find on major cruise lines, though exact offerings may vary by ship: Carnival: Connecting rooms are available for all of Carnival's stateroom types. The line's upcoming ship, Carnival Festivale, will have 1,000 interconnecting rooms, the most of any vessel in its fleet. Carnival's Family Harbor Staterooms & Suites on Excel and Vista Class ships also offer guests additional space and perks like access to the Family Harbor Lounge, where they will find snacks, board games, video games and more. Royal Caribbean: The cruise line offers a wide range of interior, ocean view and balcony cabins, in addition to suites. There are more than 20 accommodation types on its newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, alone. In addition to Icon's Ultimate Family Townhouse with an in-suite slide, cinema, karaoke and private patio, and a similar two-story Ultimate Family Suite on several other ships. Disney Cruise Line: Disney has family-friendly amenities in cabins throughout its fleet, such as ample under-bed storage and split bathrooms, with a sink and shower in one room and a toilet and sink in another. Keep an eye out special reveals above pull-down bunk beds, like a Fairy Godmother constellation on Disney Wish and an illuminated Genie on Disney Treasure. The line also has accommodations for larger families, including five-person staterooms, connecting rooms and suites. MSC Cruises: Travelers will find staterooms for families of varying sizes on MSC ships. Almost all vessels in its fleet have connecting family cabins that can accommodate as many as 10 passengers. The line's five-person cabins – found on ships like MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Magnifica and MSC Virtuosa – frequently have balconies or panoramic windows and bathtubs. Norwegian Cruise Line: Guests sailing with Norwegian can choose from luxe, multi-room suites in the The Haven ship-within-a-ship area, an expanded range of solo cabins and many others in between. The line's Three-Bedroom Garden Villas, which have sweeping ocean views, a dining room and a private garden with a hot tub, are popular with larger family groups, according to the cruise line. With so many options and variables, Feldman said the choice comes down to individual needs and preferences. 'So, it's important to look at all aspects of it and decide what works best for each family." Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sharing a cruise cabin with kids? Splitting up may actually be better
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Cruise ship murder suspect released on bail
A man arrested as part of a murder investigation on a cruise ship has been released on bail. A 60-year-old man from West Sussex died following an altercation reported about two-and-a-half hours after MSC Virtuosa departed Southampton on Saturday evening. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary arrested a 57-year-old man from Exeter, Devon, on suspicion of murder and he was released on bail on Tuesday afternoon. The force wants to hear from anyone who was aboard the ship that left Southampton at 18:00 BST on Saturday on a two-night voyage to Bruges, Belgium, returning at 06:00 on Monday. The man's death reportedly followed an altercation on MSC Virtuosa on Saturday night, police said [MSC Cruises] In a statement, MSC Cruises said: "Following an incident on board our ship, the relevant authorities were contacted, and we are cooperating fully with their investigations. "We are providing full support to those impacted and thoughts are with the family and friends at this difficult time." Police said the victim's next of kin had been informed and were being supported by specialist officers. The MSC Virtuosa is operated by MSC Cruises and has capacity for 6,334 guests. The ship was used for the filming of the Channel 5 crime drama The Good Ship Murder starring Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley. In October 2024, a woman died after going overboard from the 331-metre cruise ship while off the Channel Islands. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Related internet link
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Horribly Insulted' Canadian Snowbirds Ax U.S. Travel Plans Over Trump's Trade War
A Canadian couple who regularly spends about $30,000 a year on vacations to the U.S. revealed to CNN that their upcoming travel plans are now off the table due to U.S. President Donald Trump's insults and tariffs toward their country. 'We've never had an issue with any individual in the U.S. ... but we are furious and horribly insulted by the lack of respect and demeaning comments coming out of the Oval Office,' said Gary Cruise who was joined by his wife Carol Cruise in an interview that aired Tuesday with CNN's Natasha Chen. 'It is like we've been we've been gut-punched by our best friend the last month.' The couple told Chen that they hadn't seen snow in four years 'except for now' as Trump — with his talk of making Canada the '51st state' and his on-again, off-again tariffs policies — fuels a trade war with America's northern neighbor. The couple isn'taloneindialing back their trips to America, either, as data shared by Statistics Canada on Monday shows the number of Canadian return trips via car from the U.S. dropped by 23% in February compared to the amount from one year prior. There was also a slight drop of 2.4% among return trips by Canadians via air travel last month compared to the amount in February 2024. Canadians made 20.4 billion visits to the U.S. and generated $20.5 billion in spending last year, the nonprofit U.S. Travel Association noted in a press release last month. The group noted that a 10% drop in travel would result in $2.1 billion of lost spending. Canadian airline and travel companies have also noticed sinking interest in U.S.-bound trips as Flight Centre Travel Group Canada recently told the Toronto Star that travel for leisure to the states dropped 40% in February compared to the numbers from the same month in 2024. The Cruises annually spend 'five months at time' during their U.S. trips to escape the winter in Canada, Chen noted in her CNN report. The couple cancelled trips this spring to Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California over Trump's tariffs. 'We love our American friends and we love your country. We have seen almost all of your country,' said Carol Cruise. 'This is really horrible, this is upsetting.' Gary Cruise told CNN that he plans to retrieve his RV in Florida and drive it back to his home up north. The couple still has a trip planned for November as they hope for a resolution between the countries' leaders. 'Stop! Stop! Stop!': Trump Adviser Clashes With Reporter Who Called Out Trade U-Turns HHS Is Shuttering Offices That Fight Billing Fraud And Help Police Nursing Homes Education Department Cuts Half Its Staff As Trump Vows To Wind The Agency Down
