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Cruise News This Week

Last updated on April 28th, 2024 at 09:57 pm

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Cruise News This Week April 29, 2024

Did You Know? It is a longstanding tradition for ships, including cruise ships, to be christened and to have a Godmother. A Godmother attends the ship’s ceremonial launch where they bless and officially name the ship. Princess Kate is godmother for Royal Princess, Reba McEntire for Norwegian Epic, and Jennifer Hudson for Disney Dream.  

Royal Caribbean Returning To China

After a four-year hiatus, Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas visited Shanghai in April of 2024. Royal has placed Spectrum to serve the Chinese market with a series of four and five night cruises that will depart from Shanghai. 

A set of six and seven night cruises will sail to additional Japanese destinations such as  Yokohama, Kobe and Osaka.

Spectrum of the Seas was custom-designed to sail in Asia. Able to accommodate 4,200 passengers, the ship has a glass-enclosed observation capsule called the North Star. 

This capsule suspends guests over the ship and the ocean for a thrilling view of both. 

It’s Cold Up There, But Plan For A Warm Welcome

The cruise ship dock in Seward needs some TLC and the Alaska Railroad, which owns the dock, is seeking backing from Royal Caribbean Group

Not only are railroad officials looking to refurbish the dock, they want to construct a 60,000 square-foot terminal; much larger than the current one. 

This plan would be backed by a 30-year commitment from Royal Caribbean Group. RC would act as an anchor tenant even while other cruise lines would also use the dock.

The railroad hopes that this partnership will attract more cruise lines to Seward. Should all go well, the project would be ready to welcome visitors for the 2026 cruise season. 

The Philippines Wants You To Come See Them

The Philippines is eager to attract more cruise ships to its archipelago of more than 7,100 islands. This year (2024) the Philippines expects about 121 cruise calls and would like to see that number increase. 

The director for product and market development at the Philippine Department of Tourism, Paulo Benito Tugbang, says that their country tends to focus on expedition and luxury vessels. However, they are also seeing potential in cruise ships, too.

Located in the center of the Asia-Pacific region of the world, the Philippines has a cultural mix and some truly unspoiled destinations. The goal, according to Tugbang, would be to serve as a homeport for cruise ships, with Manila being an ideal spot for that homeport. 

Week Of April 22, 2024

Did You Know? Most cabin walls and doors are made of metal, which is crucial for fire safety . A bonus advantage is that you can bring magnet hooks and clips to provide extra storage in your cabin. 

After Dry-dock, Carnival Glory Heads to New Homeport At Cape Canaveral

Following a 21-day stint in a Barcelona dry dock, Carnival Glory is heading across the Atlantic to its new homeport in Port Canaveral, Florida. 

During dry dock, Glory gained a new casino layout and refreshed all the public area furnishings. Also newly added is Heros Tribute Bar & Lounge. This is a popular venue that Carnival is expanding across its fleet. The lounge honors both veterans and active-duty service members. 

Carnival didn’t forget the kiddos either. Camp Ocean was redesigned and a large video wall was added to compliment the Space Cruisers program. Warehouse, the ship’s video arcade, also got a make-over. 

This Is a Ruff One….Royal Caribbean Has Gone To The Dogs

Talk about working for table scraps! Royal Caribbean has announced that a second Chief Dog Officer (CDO) will join Royal’s list of employees next  year.  

Currently, Rover, who is the very popular CDO on Icon of the Seas, is the head dog. Rover joined Icon of the Seas as a 6 month old golden retriever puppy, but she takes her onboard duties very seriously.

Next year will see Royal’s kennel expand with the addition of Sailor, CDO of Star of the Seas. Look for Sailor in the fall of 2025 so don’t forget to pack some treats for the new Chief Dog!

Beyond Can Opener Cooking: Take a Class in the Culinary Arts Kitchen

Seven Seas Grandeur is the third ship in Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer class, and one of its most popular and distinguishing features is its Culinary Arts Kitchen.

With 18-stations on Grandeur, the Chef guided classes are both fun and give you the opportunity to learn from the best.

Coming from Philadelphia, the Chef’s Italian roots are evident in the pasta choices made during the classes. Chef John Stephano keeps the recipes simple, so that guests can replicate them at home. 

If you feel really inspired after taking a class, you can continue with a culinary safari ashore with Chef Stephano to visit some of the spice markets at a port stop. 

Week Of April 15, 2024

Did You Know? That Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas propulsion motor is equivalent to 17,000 vacuum cleaners. 

Royal Caribbean Announces Two Ships for Australia in 2025-26

Anthem of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas will sail a series of 45 seasonal voyages to Australia and ports farther afield in the South Pacific. It will be Anthem’s first voyage to the area.

The ships will be based in Australia from November 2025 until April 2026 and will sail from Sydney and Brisbane, respectively.

Anthem will offer an 11-night New Year’s cruise that departs from Sydney December 28, 2025 and visits Picton, Napier, Tauranga and Auckland. 

Voyager provides a choice of 20 various cruises, including a new destination for Royal Caribbean, Luganville. Luganville is Vanuatu’s second largest city known for its Pacific Island culture and white sand beaches. 

New Cruise Ships Ordered and New Ships Received

In a sign that the cruising industry is thriving, several cruise lines have added or ordered new ships to their lines. 

MSC cruise line reached a major milestone with two new World-class ships, World America and World Asia, added to their fleet. 

MSC World America was recently floated out of dry dock. Entering the final phase of construction, the second ship, MSC World Asia, will be completed in France. 

Norwegian Cruise Lines has ordered eight new ships for each of its three brands. This is the most comprehensive newbuild order in Norwegian’s history. 

The eight new ships represent almost 25,000 additional berths. Norwegian is also constructing a multi-ship pier at Great Stirrup Cay , its private island destination in the Bahamas. 

Norwegian will be accepting the eight new ships over a ten-year period from 2026 to 2036.

Not to be left behind , Windstar Cruises will be welcoming two new ships to its fleet, the Star Seeker and the Star Explorer. 

The Star Seeker is currently under construction and Windstar expects to take delivery in December 2025. The Star Explorer will join the fleet a year later in December 2026. 

Carnival Cruise Line Unveils Lokono Cove for Celebration Key

The latest addition of Carnival’s private destination, Celebration Key on Grand Bahama Island, is Lokono Cove.

The name, Lokono, is a homage to the Lucayans, the island’s original inhabitants.

The Cove will feature a variety of stores and kiosks that feature a range of retail items. You will find souvenirs and fine jewelry and everything in between at the Cove. 

The Celebration Key port is specifically for Carnival Corporation cruise ships.

This will include Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and the Cunard Line. 

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About Jonathon Hyjek

Jonathon is the tech guy behind CruiseportAdvisor.com. When he's not stuck in front of his computer, Jonathon enjoys travel & cruising (even after being on a cruise ship that caught fire - a story for another day!)

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Celebrity , Deals , News , Royal Caribbean

April 28, 2024

• Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Hard Rock to offer combined rewards program

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have partnered with Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming in a combined rewards program. The global partnership will allow travelers to take advantage of accommodations, meals, discounts, and more at Hard Rock and Seminole casinos, hotels, and cafes, and on Royal Caribbean International and ...

Bahamas , Carnival , News

April 27, 2024

• Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration Key Opening in Bahamas in 2025

Carnival Cruise Line is currently building Celebration Key – an exclusive port on the south side of Grand Bahama island. Set to open in summer 2025, Celebration Key will feature five different “portals” spread over 65 acres. Each portal is distinctly different with experiences like a mile-long white sand beach, large ...

Bahamas , News , Royal Caribbean

April 23, 2024

• Construction underway for Royal Caribbean’s first Royal Beach Club in Nassau

Royal Caribbean is adding to its private destinations as the cruise line broke ground on Royal Beach Club, a 17-acre beach day experience on Paradise Island in Nassau, The Bahamas. Royal Beach Club Paradise Island will feature three pools, two beaches, swim-up bars, private cabanas, food and drinks, and highlight the culture of The ...

Caribbean , Four Seasons , Mediterranean , News

April 21, 2024

• Four Seasons Yacht unveils inaugural itineraries and first look at its suites

As other cruise lines compete to outdo each other with bigger and bigger mega-ships, the Four Seasons Yacht takes a different tack. When the Four Seasons Yacht debuts in late 2025, it will be 679 feet long, compared to Sky Princess’ 1083 feet and Icon of the Seas’ 1198 feet, with 14 decks and only … ...

Caribbean , MSC , News

April 14, 2024

• MSC World America debuts in 2025 with seven distinct onboard districts

When MSC World America debuts in April 2025, she will create an eye-catching profile against the Miami, Florida skyline. The new ship’s signature plumb bow will rise vertically from the waterline and her Y-shaped aft will open onto the impressive outdoor World Promenade. Overall, MSC World America will span 22 decks, measure more than ...

Cunard , Europe , News

April 13, 2024

Make plans for the next solar eclipse by booking a cruise

2024’s solar eclipse was marked on my calendar since the last one in 2017 as my hometown of Rochester, NY was smack dab in the path of totality. When the big day came, clouds blocked the view, but the world faded to black none the same. When it ended, our family looked at each other … ...

News , Princess

March 3, 2024 • One Comment

Photos and Videos from Princess Cruises Sky Princess

We were recently invited by Princess Cruises to sail on the Sky Princess the week of Feb. 10, 2024. Here are some photos and videos of our cruise. If you’d like to read our full Sky Princess cruise trip report, it’s on our sister site, Attractions Magazine. You can also read an article from our … ...

February 14, 2024

Princess takes delivery of newest ship, but has to cancel first cruise

Princess Cruises has taken delivery of the Sun Princess, unfortunately because some technical work still needs finished, the maiden cruise has been pushed back 10 days. The Sun Princess is an entirely new ship platform for the brand. Princess is touting the 4,300-guest ship will have more balconies than any previous Princess ship, and ...

February 7, 2024

Norwegian to start sailing from Jacksonville in 2025

If you’ve cruised out of Florida much over the years, you’ve most likely gone out of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Pot Canaveral, and maybe even Tampa. But another Florida cruise port just added another cruise line to their lineup of ships, Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Port Authority, AKA Jaxport, board of directors approved ...

News , Royal Caribbean , Themed Cruises

January 24, 2024

Gorn’s Gong Show just one of many activities for upcoming Star Trek cruise

Who wouldn’t want to be gonged by a Gorn? Well, probably lots of people, but if you’re a Star trek fan, it may be one of those things you didn’t know you wanted because you didn’t know it was a thing. Well it is, and it’s just one of the many activities planned for Star … ...

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Royal Caribbean International is canceling the current cruise of the

Undergoing a major conversion at the Harland & Wolff Shipyard

Hard Rock International, Seminole Gaming and Royal Caribbean Group brands,

The Adora Magic City will be featured on special limited-edition

The Carnival Magic’s 1500-seat Showtime Theater has been recently upgraded

Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas is undergoing a

Holland America Line is introducing a new “Dutch Day” culinary

Norway’s Ministry of Transport announced a study on the coastal

UnCruise Adventures recently kicked off its 2024 program in Alaska.

Villa Vie Residences, which is launching a startup cruise brand

The current cruise of Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the

Oceania Cruises announced new 2025 Mediterranean itineraries, ranging from nine

After completing its winter 2023-24 program in Tampa, the Carnival

The Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners is again inviting

The Isles of Scilly welcomed their first call of 2024

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Malaga (Spain) prepares to host Seatrade Cruise Med after Seatrade Cruise Global

Port Malaga delegation emphasized its upcoming hosting of the international cruise fair in the Mediterranean during Seatrade Cruise Global, gathering...

Hamburg's cruise industry sets record with 1.2+ million passengers in 2023

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RCI-Royal Caribbean revives operations in China, plans second ship by 2025

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Norovirus outbreaks affect ~200 passengers on Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean ships

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Carnival cruise ship rescues nearly 30 people from adrift vessel

A Carnival Cruise Line ship rescued nearly 30 people who were stuck at sea on Sunday.

The crew on Carnival Paradise saved 28 Cuban nationals who were signaling for help on a vessel that was adrift around 2:30 p.m. The cruise ship was headed from Tampa, Florida, to Roatan in Honduras at the time.

“The bridge team onboard spotted the vessel and turned the ship around to rescue them,” Carnival said in a news release . “All were taken aboard, given food and were seen by the medical team.” The cruise line also notified the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West and officials in Roatan.

The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

The ship was set to visit Roatan on Monday. Carnival Paradise is on a five-day Caribbean cruise that departed from Tampa on Saturday, according to CruiseMapper .

The news comes after Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Apex ship rescued seven people in a small vessel adrift between Cuba and Mexico earlier this month. Another Carnival ship, Carnival Jubilee, also rescued two people stuck in a kayak off the coast of Mexico’s Isla Mujeres in January.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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3 Reasons Royal Caribbean Stock Can Double Again in 2024

April 26, 2024 — 11:50 am EDT

Written by Rick Munarriz for The Motley Fool  ->

Last year was pretty splash-tacular for Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE: RCL) investors. The popular cruise line operator saw its shares more than double -- up 162% -- last year. Hot stocks rarely repeat the feat, and to be fair, Royal Caribbean is only up 6% in 2024 through Thursday's close. Just give it some time to find its sea legs again.

Royal Caribbean cranked out another encouraging financial update this week. There are some pretty good reasons to believe that the world's second-largest cruise line can ramp up enough upticks in the next eight months to double again this year. Let's take a closer look at three of them.

1. The tide has been rising three times in the last three months

A lot has happened to Royal Caribbean's public guidance in the last three months. It has been revising its profit outlook higher, doing so even between earnings calls at one point. Let's break it down:

• On Feb. 1, Royal Caribbean delivered a strong fourth-quarter report . It initiated a forecast calling for $9.50 to $9.70 in earnings per share for 2024, a 40% to 43% jump from where it landed last year. Analysts were only holding out for adjusted net income of $9.19 a share.
• Three weeks later -- on Feb. 21 -- it tweaked its forecast. Strong demand during the industry's "wave" season, when cruise lines offer promotional deals after the holidays to help fill available berths for the balance of the year and beyond, left it in better shape . Royal Caribbean said that it now expects adjusted earnings per share to clock in between $9.90 to $10.10, a 46% to 49% improvement over 2023.
• This brings us to Thursday morning's update. Royal Caribbean is now modeling an adjusted profit of $10.70 to $10.90 a share, a 58% to 61% jump in 2024.

Royal Caribbean isn't just coasting. It's cruising.

Image source: Getty Images.

2. The stock is cheaper than you think

At least six analysts would go on to jack up their price targets on the stock after this week's stellar quarterly report. They see the value in the stock's rapidly ascending fundamentals, even though the year-to-date stock chart suggests otherwise.

Analysts figured that Royal Caribbean would earn $9.19 a share three months ago. The midpoint of its latest outlook calls for its adjusted net income to be 18% higher.

Why is the stock trading just 6% higher this year? Given the recent momentum in the business, you would expect the stock to outpace the 18% growth in forward profitability, not just a third of the boost.

The math understandably gets even better in terms of valuation. Royal Caribbean is now trading for less than 13 times this year's adjusted bottom-line guidance. That seems like a great price for a company growing its earnings 58% to 61% this year.

If you want a cherry on top of your midnight pool deck buffet sundae, consider that Royal Caribbean has consistently cranked out double-digit percentage beats on the bottom line over the past year.

Royal Caribbean isn't just cruising. It's cheap.

3. Folks want to go cruising

Royal Caribbean and its peers are looking good in the near term. They are collectively posting record bookings and customer deposits, assuring themselves of several strong quarters barring an economic collapse, another pandemic, or heightened geopolitical tensions.

Revenue rose 29% to $3.7 billion in the first quarter, just ahead of where Wall Street pros were perched. The real story here is how well the cruise line operator that has historically posted industry-leading growth and margins is milking its boom line.

Net yields -- a metric that is basically revenue available on cruise day without some of the more variable expenses, including travel agent commissions and airfare deals -- rose 19.3% in the first three months of this year. This is nearly five times the 4.1% increase in net cruise costs per available passenger cruise day.

Even in a historically sleepy quarter, Royal Caribbean was able to post explosive profitability and cash flow. The ships weren't leaving empty, checking in with a healthy load factor of 107%. With passengers comfortable spending more once onboard for premium experiences and shore excursions, it's hard to bet against cruise line stocks in general, and Royal Caribbean in particular.

Royal Caribbean isn't just cheap. It's rocking.

Should you invest $1,000 in Royal Caribbean Cruises right now?

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• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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Cruise Tourism in India Reaches All-Time High – India Report

Bulbul Dhawan , Skift

April 24th, 2024 at 11:00 PM EDT

India is seeking to boost its cruise tourism. It aims to attract 4 million cruise tourists by 2041, up from 300,000 in 2023.

Bulbul Dhawan

The Skift India Newsletter is your go-to platform for all news related to travel, tourism, airlines, and hospitality in India.

India recorded a cruise tourism footfall of 470,000 in the 2023-24 financial year – its highest ever. Domestic tourists accounted for nearly 80% of this, as international cruise tourism in India has yet to revive to pre-Covid levels. 

In 2019-20, the international and domestic tourists were roughly equal out of the 420,000 cruise passengers. 

Popularity of cruise tourism in India: While efforts are on to revive international tourism in the segment, there is an increase in popularity of cruises among domestic tourists. Compared to 2019-20, domestic tourists have increased by nearly 85%. Indian tourists are also key for the cruise industry in countries such as Singapore, while Abu Dhabi is also seeking to attract Indian tourists to its cruise offerings. 

India’s efforts to boost cruise tourism: India is seeking to boost its cruise tourism. During the G20 Summit last year, secretary of tourism V Vidhyavathi had said that India is aiming to attract 4 million cruise tourists by 2041, up from around 300,000 in 2023. 

For this, a draft national strategy for tourism has also been formulated with the aim of making India a preferred cruising destination across deep sea cruises, coastal cruises, river cruises, and yacht cruises.

While cruise lines such as Cordelia Cruises and Costa Cruise are currently operating domestic cruises in the Arabian Sea, the government is also looking to develop river cruise tourism with an investment of INR 450 billion ($5.4 billion). 

Europe Introduces New Schengen Visa Rules for Indians

The European Commission has introduced a new visa “cascade” regime for Indians when applying for the Schengen visas. The regime aims to offer longer, multi-entry Schengen visas to Indian tourists. 

Speaking to industry players, Skift reported that while multi-year visas with longer durations were already offered to Indians, there was no standard policy in this regard. This new policy is likely to make the issuing of such visas more standardized across all Schengen states. 

However, this new regime is not likely to speed up the visa processing times, which is currently posing to be a major challenge for Indians as they gear up for their summer travels. 

India’s First Bullet Train to Run in 2026

India is set to get its first bullet train in 2026, said Indian railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The minister said that the construction work for various stations on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train route has been progressing well. 

The maiden bullet train corridor in India will cover a distance of 508 km, of which work has been completed on more than 290 km. Initially slated for completion in August 2022, the project ran into delays over land surveys and acquisition. 

IHCL Had Put Its Gateway Brand in ‘Cold Storage. ‘ Now It’s Back 

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) announced on Wednesday that it would be bringing back its Gateway brand from “cold storage.” It will be a reimagined version: A full-service hotel offering in the upscale segment.

Puneet Chhatwal, managing director and CEO of IHCL, called the brand an ideal fit to capture growth opportunities in emerging markets in metros and Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. He said the rollout will commence with 15 hotels in Bekal and Nashik this quarter followed by destinations like Bengaluru, Thane and Jaipur.

IHCL has also announced the opening of Vivanta Jamshedpur in Jharkhand. The 95-key hotel is the company’s first Vivanta property in the city. Apart from this, IHCL operates a Ginger in Jamshedpur, making these the only two hotels the company has in the state of Jharkhand. 

IHCL currently has a portfolio of 310 hotels, of which 90 are under development. It is looking to open an average of two hotels every month in the 2024-25 financial year. In 2023-24, IHCL witnessed a record number of openings , and its portfolio grew 19% in one year. 

Corona India Launches Sunset View Rating System For Luxury Hotel Rooms… Wait, What?

Corona India has introduced a sunset view rating system for luxury hotel rooms, the world’s first one. Currently piloting at a few hotel properties across India, the system aims to ensure that the sunset views from hotel rooms in luxury properties are in line with what they were advertised to be. The ratings will be granted on a five-point scale on the basis of various parameters such as location, wind speed, AQI, and cloud cover.

Sun tourism is becoming a popular trend among travelers as people are flocking towards different destinations specifically to view the sunrise or sunset views. Kanniyakumari has a sunset point, which is a very popular tourist attraction. Apart from this, Manali and Rishikesh are also key destinations that travelers visit in order to enjoy the view of the sun. 

Skift India Report

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Tags: costa cruises , cruise , cruise industry , cruise lines , cruises , domestic leisure travel , hotels , Indian Hotels Company , leisure travel , schengen , tourism , train , train stations , Travel Trends , visa

Photo credit: Compared to 2019-20, domestic tourists have increased by nearly 85%. Pixabay from Pexels

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Victoria Beckham Spice Girl Bash Brings Tom Cruise Into Bitter David Beckham, Mark Wahlberg $10M Feud

Tom Cruise has found himself “dragged” into David Beckham and Mark Wahlberg ‘s epic $10 million dollar feud after attending Victoria Beckham ‘s star-studded 50th birthday bash on Saturday night.

As the Mission Impossible star, 61, rocked up at Beckham’s wife’s star-studded birthday bash in London and reportedly did the splits on the dance floor cheered on by the likes of Eva Longoria and the reunited Spice Girls, he was likely oblivious to a storm brewing online.

Us Weekly confirmed that Beckham’s DB Ventures company filed a lawsuit against F45 Training, which is partially owned by his former pal Wahlberg.

The soccer star, 48, alleges in court documents shared by TMZ that F45 “duped” him into signing an endorsement deal but he never received the $10 million he was offered in contract negotiations.

Related: Revisiting David Beckham and Mark Wahlberg’s Relationship

He said he was promised stocks as compensation, which were never delivered after share prices seemingly plummeted.

And as he battles it out with the Boogie Nights actor, a contentious old video has resurfaced adding fuel to the fire.

Little did Beckham’s pal Cruise know that his appearance at the exclusive bash would only stir up his own old feud with Wahlberg and lead to talk of him siding with Beckham in this fresh one.

A 2013 clip started doing the rounds online showing Wahlberg appearing to slam the Top Gun actor for suggesting that sometimes it feels like acting is akin to serving as a soldier. When asked whether shooting a movie feels like being a soldier in Afghanistan, Cruise replied: “That’s what it feels like, and certainly on this last movie, it was brutal. It was brutal.”

Wahlberg saw red at the suggestion that any actor would compare the craft to being on the front line.

A video obtained by TMZ showed the star speaking at a Q&A in Los Angeles ahead of a screening of his film Lone Survivor , in which he played a Navy SEAL.

“For actors to sit there and talk about, ‘Oh, I went to SEAL training’ — I don’t give a f–k about what you did,” he said. “You don’t do what these guys do. You just don’t. For somebody to sit there and say my job was as difficult as being in the military. How f–king dare you, while you sit in a makeup chair for two hours. I don’t give a s–t if you’re getting your ass busted. You get to go home at the end of the day. You get to go to your hotel room. You get to order f–king chicken or steak, whatever the f–k it is.”

Afterwards, he asked the Q&A host not to ask him any more questions while he calmed down before apologizing for “losing his s–t.”

However, Wahlberg then later claimed that it was a misunderstanding. During an interview with TMZ, he said: “I didn’t know that it was Tom Cruise that said that. Somebody just mentioned that people are [making that comparison]. I love Tom Cruise. I have much respect for Tom Cruise, but I have just as much respect for military guys, so it’s just unfair for anybody to comment on that.”

The pair have not crossed paths since nor have they embarked on any projects together. It hasn’t helped matters that Wahlberg has since said that he got into producing movies because he was tired of waiting around to be offered films that Cruise had rejected.

Related: Stars at Court

Fans sharing the resurfaced clip of his angry 2013 rant suggested that Cruise has shown his loyalty to old pal Beckham by pausing his hectic work schedule to attend the Saturday night bash amid the new drama.

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Wahlberg’s lawyers have denied Beckham’s claims, calling the “fraudulent conduct” accusations baseless in a motion to dismiss according to The Sun .

“The 209-page, 610-paragraph SAC [complaint] tries to make up with length what it lacks in merit,” a response from Wahlberg’s lawyers read.

F45 launched in 2011 with Wahlberg, who owns more than 30 percent of the company, serving as chief brand officer. Beckham, who became pals with Wahlberg when he and Victoria moved to L.A. back in 2012, and former golfer Greg Norman sued F45 Training together in late 2022, but a judge ordered them to separate their lawsuits.

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David Beckham

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