Hurricane Fiona Impacts Cruise Ships

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Hurricane Fiona

Updated 9/20/22

Hurricane Fiona is now a major Category 3 hurricane.  Hurricane Fiona left a wake of destruction including catastrophic flooding, widespread power outages, and mudslides, as it swamped Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic on Sunday and Monday, resulting in multiple deaths and dozens of rescue operations. Turks and Caicos and the eastern Bahamas are the next areas expected to be hit, with the National Hurricane Center projecting an estimated 4-8 inches of rainfall. 

Fiona is moving toward the north-northwest near 9 mph (15 km/h). This general motion is expected to continue through today, followed by a turn toward the north tonight or Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Fiona will continue to move near the eastern Turks and Caicos during the next few hours, away from those islands by tomorrow, and approach Bermuda late on Thursday.

 
Several Cruise Lines have made changes to their itineraries in anticipation of the approaching hurricane.  Several ports are planning closures, which is part of the reason for the changes.
We have listed several changes below.

Airports in the region were also impacted with several of them closing or cancelling flights. This included Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and Puerto Rico.  Some operations have resumed.  Businesses and airports will be closed in Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas on Tuesday and Wednesday.

If you are sailing this week or next, please consult with your travel agent or the cruise line's website for up to the minute information.  The information below was accurate at the time of publication.
 

Hurricane Fiona	1100 AM EDT Tue Sep 20 2022 ...MAJOR HURRICANE FIONA CONTINUES TO BATTER THE TURKS AND CAICOS...
WIND:	MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH...185 KM/H
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY... None SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT: A Hurricane Warning is in effect for... * Turks and Caicos A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for... * Southeastern Bahamas, including the Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, the Inaguas, Mayaguana, and the Ragged Islands

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

• NHC issuing advisories for the Atlantic on Hurricane Fiona
• NHC issuing advisories for the Eastern Pacific on TS Madeline
• Marine warnings are in effect for the Caribbean/SW Atlantic and Eastern Pacific
• Key Messages regarding Hurricane Fiona (en Español: Mensajes Claves)

Click Here to Learn More

Royal Caribbean Itinerary Updates 
(click for latest)   


Harmony of the Seas: 

Other than keeping its originally planned visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Harmony is swapping out its Eastern Caribbean sailing, which departed September 18, for a Western Caribbean itinerary. In place of port calls to St. Thomas and St. Maarten, the ship will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel.

Follow @JamesVanFleet or visit the Royal Caribbean Facebook page for frequent updates.


Disney Cruise Line Weather Alert (click for latest)
Disney Fantasy: 

Disney Fantasy is keeping a scheduled call to Castaway Cay on September 23, but otherwise swapping over from an Eastern Caribbean sailing to a Western Caribbean itinerary. Instead of visiting Tortola and St. Thomas, the ship will call on Cozumel on today, Grand Cayman on September 20, and Falmouth, Jamaica on September 21.
MSC Cruises
MSC Seashore: 

Like Disney and Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises is keeping its scheduled stop in the Bahamas this week, but replacing the rest of MSC Seashore’s Eastern Caribbean itinerary with a Western Caribbean one. Instead of visiting Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and the Dominican Republic, the ship will make stops in Roatan (Honduras), Cozumel and Costa Maya. 

Norwegian Cruise Line Weather Alert (click for latest)

Norwegian Sky: 

Norwegian Sky’s scheduled Eastern Caribbean sailing, which departed Miami on September 18, has been switched to a Western Caribbean itinerary. In place of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, Tortola and Great Stirrup Cay, the ship is stopping at Costa Maya, Roatan, Harvest Caye (Belize), and Cozumel.

Carnival Cruise Line Travel Alerts (click for latest)

Carnival Legend: 

Carnival Legend, which departed Baltimore on September 17 on an eight-day sailing, will visit Nassau in The Bahamas on Wednesday, September 21 instead of Grand Turk. On Thursday September 22, the ship was scheduled to visit Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, but will now visit Bimini in The Bahamas, instead. 

Carnival Freedom: 

Carnival Freedom is currently on a five-day cruise out of Part Canaveral. On Tuesday, September 20, the ship will spend the day at sea instead of calling at Grand Turk. Instead of a day at sea on Wednesday, September 21, it will stop at Freeport, The Bahamas.

Virgin Voyages

Scarlet Lady: 

Scarlet Lady made one change to its scheduled itinerary. Instead of visiting Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic on Sunday, September 18, the ship instead called in at Costa Maya, Mexico.

Hurricane Season Dates 

Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1st and ends November 30th. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15th and also ends November 30th.
Make a Plan (FEMA) 

Read entire series (click here)

More links and information about tropical storms and other weather conditions can be found in the Weather & Hurricane Zone tabs above.


If you live in, or plan to vacation in, an area where hurricanes are prevalent, please prepare in advance by reading our series.

 

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MSC and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Update Protocols

MSC and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection have relaxed their vaccination and testing protocols.

MSC

Statement

As travelers seek to visit their favorite destinations once again, we have updated our health and safety protocols for U.S. residents sailing from U.S. ports to the Caribbean and The Bahamas. Vaccination is recommended but no longer required and pre-cruise testing is recommended but not required for fully vaccinated guests. Unvaccinated guests are required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 viral test (NAAT or antigen) taken within 3 days of embarkation. Requirements for non-U.S. residents remain unchanged.

What You Need to Know

• ​For U.S. residents sailing to the Caribbean and The Bahamas from U.S. ports
  • Vaccination is recommended but no longer required.
  • For fully vaccinated guests, testing is recommended (within 3 days of embarkation before boarding) but not required (with proof of vaccination), per our vaccination requirements.
  • Unvaccinated guests (ages 2 and older) must show proof of a lab-administered negative COVID-19 viral test (NAAT or antigen) taken within 3 days of embarkation before boarding. Children under 2 years of age are not required to submit a negative test.
  • Guests are encouraged but not required to purchase travel insurance.
    • MSC Cruises provides COVID-19 assistance at no extra charge for U.S. and Puerto Rico residents who are fully vaccinated. Children under the required vaccination age based on the dates above, regardless of vaccination status, traveling with fully vaccinated parents/guardians (with proof of vaccination) also benefit from this assistance.

Resources

• Health & Safety Measures

• Vaccine, COVID-19 Testing, and Travel Insurance FAQs 

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Statement

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection welcomes all guests regardless of vaccination status. Vaccinated travelers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least two weeks prior to boarding the yacht. At this time, pre-voyage testing is not required for guests with proof of vaccination, unless local regulations stipulate otherwise.

Unvaccinated travelers may board the yacht with a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test taken within three (3) days prior to embarkation. As customary with cruise travel, guests will be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to boarding. Guests may also be asked to periodically undergo testing throughout the voyage at the discretion of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. Departure tests will be offered as a convenience for guests in order to fulfill any requirements needed for their post-voyage travels.

Resources

• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Health & Safety

 

Connect With Us On

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I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

Hope Floats in the Caribbean

Captain Kate McCue, first female captain of a major cruise line, is the skipper of Celebrity Edge, which is currently joined by several other ships in the "neighborhood" as she put it in her Instagram post. The captains from different ships and cruise lines joined together at 7:30 PM for a ship horn salute. Watch the video on IG. #HopeFloats

"On March 20th we started something special. With ships from different companies congregating in the same "neighborhood" it was a perfect opportunity to celebrate our solidarity."

We were fortunate to sail on Celebrity Edge last December, before the Coronavirus spread across the globe. Captain Kate is a bright example of the future. We wish her, all the captains, and crew calm seas. Stay healthy.   Our hearts are with you and your families as you are apart during these difficult times.

We look forward to re-booking our guests on cruise sailings once this health threat is over.

View this post on Instagram

On March 20th we started something special. With ships from different companies congregating in the same "neighborhood" it was a perfect opportunity to celebrate our solidarity. As a sign that we're all in this and we'll get through it together, we invite all ships, (currently with over 250,000 crew members onboard around the globe), to join in a horn salute at 7:30 every evening going forward. We sound our horns, to let our crew and the world know that while we are strong, safe, and healthy on board, we are thinking of those at home and hoping the same for them. Until our safe returns to our home ports, we wish them fair winds and following seas. You can follow the nightly salute at #HopeFloats . ⚓🔊💙🙏#wewillbeback #strongertogether @cliaglobal @celebritycruises @celebrityedge @royalcaribbean @azamaravoyages @meinschiffofficial @halcruises @carnival @princesscruises @msccruisesofficial @pocruises @norwegiancruiseline @maersk_official @cunardline @seabourncruise @aida_cruises @coscoshippinglinesnvrsk @cmacgm @ocean_network_express @hapaglloydag @hapaglloydcruises @evergreen_ships_official @hyundai_worldwide . 🚢Thanks to the following ships for helping to start the movement! #celebrityedge @celebrityreflection #navigatoroftheseas #symphonyoftheseas #harmonyoftheseas #oasisoftheseas #anthemoftheseas #marineroftheseas #zuiderdam #veendam #volendam #nieuwstatendam #nieuwamsterdam 🤜Thank you to our awesome Broadcast Team for this video: Bonnie, AJ, Maciej & @cruisedirectorsimon 🎬💙🎥 #lifeintheSeaSuite #seastheday #life #sea #cruise #sail #captain #beyondborders #wonderawaits #celebritycruises

A post shared by Captain Kate McCue (@captainkatemccue) on Mar 25, 2020 at 11:22am PDT

Cruise Lines Salute Veterans

 

Veterans Day 2018

First and foremost, Monday is the annual observance of Veteran's Day, a day set aside to honor the nation's veterans.   The image in this article was taken at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France, on one of our cruises several years ago.    The image of row after row of crosses will never leave me.

Every day we go about our business, and I suspect most of us take our freedom for granted.   It isn't because we aren't caring people, but instead perhaps because we just don't think about it.  So I ask you today to take a moment to reflect on the veterans, living and deceased, for without whose service we wouldn't be the free nation we are today.

We could never thank our military men and women enough for their courageous service and sacrifice to our country and its people. Yet today we lift up our voices to express gratefulness and honor to these military troops both from the past and present.

 THANK YOU FROM 

A GRATEFUL NATION 

Many cruise lines recognize our troops with special rates.  We've listed a couple offers which you might not be aware of.   Be sure to mention your military service when contacting us so that we can see if there are any rates that you qualify for.  We would be honored to help you plan some R & R. Please note that these rates require documentation of eligibility, which we can help you with.

 

Cruise Line	Veterans Day Offer
Carnival Cruise Line	We’re saluting our soldiers — check the calendar to find Carnival’s best Military fares, by date, for any stateroom type, departure port or destination. Then select the date for the day’s top sailings. Limited time offer 2-for-1 deposits, free upgrades, and $50 onboard credit ends Monday, November 12th.
Celebrity Cruises	We thank you for your service. All military members, active and retired, qualify for these special savings. Savings up to $100 are per person, for first and second guest, and are based on type of stateroom. Plus, it’s combinable with any of our current offers.
Cunard	Cunard is pleased to offer a special military personnel onboard credit programme. This programme is available to active military, retired military and disabled military veterans with proper identification in the following service divisions: United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard or Reserves, Canadian National Defence, United Kingdom Military Personnel, Royal Australian Navy, Army, Air Force, and Royal New Zealand Navy, Army or Air Force. Receive up to $250 based on length of cruise.
MSC Cruises	To say "thanks", MSC Cruises is pleased to offer up to 10% savings* to salute you and your family. Those that qualify include active and retired U.S. and Canadian Military personnel, including U.S. Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, National Guard, Army Reserve and Department of Defense personnel.
Norwegian Cruise Line	Norwegian Cruise Line is proud to offer members of the military and their families exclusive discounts on select cruises up to 10% off.
Princess Cruises	To thank the brave men and women of the American and Canadian militaries for their service, Princess Cruises® offers up to $250 free onboard spending money* for veterans as well as active, retired or disabled military personnel.
Royal Caribbean	Ongoing promotion allows Military, Police  & Fire personnel special discounts on select sailings The Sea is Calling Police, Firefighters, Military

Hurricane Irma Cruise Ship Impact

Hurricane Irma Courtesy NOAA NHC 

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

HURRICANE IRMA
Impacting Cruises

NHC issuing advisories for the Atlantic on Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose

Key Messages regarding Hurricane Irma 

USCG Inspects Ports After Irma

Royal Caribbean Itinerary Updates 

September 13, 2017 at 6 PM EDT (next update 9/14 at 6 PM EDT)

NEW: Enchantment of the Seas: September 11 Bahamas cruise

We are canceling the Enchantment of the Seas cruise due to the continued closure of the port, and the uncertainty as to when normal operations will resume. We are very sorry for this impact to your vacation.

Irma is now a tropical storm with sustained winds of 70 mph. It is currently located just west of Gainesville on the Gulf Coast, moving north/northwest at 18 mph. The storm should exit the Florida area late Monday, pre-dawn Tuesday.

We are mobilizing ships and supplies to help people in need. In coordination with the US and local governments we are dispatching ships to St. Thomas and St. Maarten and stand ready to assist Key West, and other locations. Adventure of the Seas made a humanitarian stop in St. Maarten on Sunday and Majesty of the Seas will make humanitarian calls in St. Thomas and St. Maarten to provide supplies and also assist in transporting evacuees in St. Maarten to safety. Additionally, we have Empress of the Seas ready to assist Key West once the impact of the storm is known.
Read more ... Royal Caribbean IRMA Humanitarian Deployments

Florida airports are slowly getting up and running. For the most up-to-date information please visit the FAA website at www.fly.faa.gov.

For more frequent updates, please follow our meteorologist on Twitter @JamesVanFleet or visit the Royal Caribbean Facebook page.

SHIP	SAIL DATE	STATUS	DESTINATION
Allure of the Seas	September 3	Modified	Western Caribbean
Adventure of the Seas	September 9	Modified	Southern Caribbean St. Maarten Humanitarian Stop
Grandeur of the Seas	September 7	As Scheduled	New England/Canada
Liberty of the Seas	September 10	As Scheduled	Western Caribbean
Serenade of the Seas	September 10	As Scheduled	New England/Canada
Vision of the Seas	September 7	As Scheduled	New England/Canada
Enchantment of the Seas	September 8	Cancelled	Bahamas
Majesty of the Seas	September 8	Cancelled	Bahamas
Allure of the Seas	September 10 September 13	Rescheduled	Western Caribbean 4nt Bahamas
Anthem of the Seas	September 9	Confirmed	Bermuda
Empress of the Seas	September 9	Cancelled	Cuba
Harmony of the Seas	September 9 September 12	Rescheduled	Eastern Caribbean 4 nt Cozumel
Oasis of the Seas	September 10 September 13	Rescheduled	Eastern Caribbean 4 nt Cozumel
Enchantment of the Seas	September 11 September 12	Cancelled	Bahamas Humanitarian Stop
Majesty of the Seas	September 11	Cancelled	Bahamas (charter) St. Thomas & St. Maarten Humanitarian Stops
Empress of the Seas	September 13	Cancelled	Cuba St. Thomas & St. Maarten Humanitarian Stops
Majesty of the Seas	September 15	Cancelled	Bahamas  Ready to assist Key West Humanitarian Stops

Norwegian Cruise Line Weather Alert 

September 12th 1:00 PM ET (5:00 PM UTC)

Further to our update from Friday afternoon, Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Sky have both safely departed from PortMiami. Norwegian Escape is sailing at full capacity with approximately 4,000 displaced guests from both ships that were unable to secure flights back home. The ship is remaining alongside in Cozumel, Mexico Sunday until 5 pm and then will go to sea. Once the storm has safely passed and PortMiami reopens, the ship will proceed towards Miami. Due to the devastating impact in the Caribbean from Hurricane Irma, all of Norwegian Escape’s upcoming Eastern Caribbean sailings until November will be altered to a Western Caribbean itinerary.

Norwegian Sky is now on a rescue mission (see the following article).  Norwegian Sky on IRMA Rescue Mission

As per the State Department, affected US Citizens on St. Thomas should email name, gender, & last known location to IrmaEmergencyUSC@state.gov.

As the safety and security of our team members is our top priority, Norwegian Cruise Line's Miami headquarters will remain closed through Tuesday, September 12 and are scheduled to re-open on Wednesday, September 13. To ensure that we continue to operate with all the necessary shoreside support, key staff members have been relocated out of Miami and the storm zone.

SHIP	SAIL DATE	STATUS	DESTINATION
Norwegian Escape	September 2	Shortened	Western Caribbean
Norwegian Escape	September 7	Modified	Away from Storm Departing Cozumel For Miami 9/11 (5 PM)
Norwegian Escape	September 9	Cancelled	Eastern Caribbean
Norwegian Sky	September 4	Shortened	Cuba
Norwegian Sky	September 8	Cancelled	Bahamas Away from Storm
Norwegian Sky	September 11	Cancelled	Bahamas Rescue - USVI
Norwegian Sky	September 15	As Scheduled	Western Caribbean
Norwegian Escape	September 16	As Scheduled	Western Caribbean

Disney Cruise Line Weather Alert 

Tropical Weather Update September 14, 2017 – 9:00 a.m. 

Disney Fantasy - September 23 and October 7 Sailings 

The September 23 and October 7 Disney Fantasy Eastern Caribbean sailings are being modified to include ports of call in the Western Caribbean. These two revised sailings will now visit Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Falmouth, Jamaica.

Please know that further changes may be needed as the Caribbean islands continue to recover from the impacts of Hurricane Irma and that we will notify Guests should additional changes be necessary. Western Caribbean sailings will continue as scheduled.

Should you have any questions related to a future reservation, please call us at 1-855-347-2784 or 407-566-7054.

SHIP	SAIL DATE	STATUS	DESTINATION
Disney Fantasy	September 2	Shortened	Western Caribbean
Disney Fantasy	September 9	Cancelled	Eastern Caribbean
Disney Dream	September 4	Modified	Bahamas
Disney Dream	September 8	Cancelled	Bahamas
Disney Dream	September 11	Cancelled	Bahamas
Disney Dream	September 15	As Scheduled	Bahamas
Disney Fantasy	September 16	As Scheduled	Western Caribbean
Disney Fantasy	September 23	Modified	Eastern Caribbean Western Caribbean
Disney Fantasy	October 7	Modified	Eastern Caribbean Western Caribbean

Carnival Cruise Line Travel Alerts
Weather update 9/13/2017 – 8:30 PM (EDT)


As a result of damage caused by Hurricane Irma, we have modified the following (September 16-18) itineraries in order to provide our guests with the best possible shore experience.

SHIP	SAIL DATE	STATUS	DESTINATION
Carnival Glory	September 2	Modified	Eastern Caribbean
Carnival Magic	September 3	Modified	Eastern Caribbean
Carnival Splendor	September 3	Modified	Eastern Caribbean
Carnival Pride	September 3	Modified	Eastern Caribbean
Carnival Liberty	September 7	Cancelled	Bahamas
Carnival Paradise	September 7	As Scheduled	Cuba & Cozumel
Carnival Sensation	September 7	As Scheduled	Western Caribbean
Carnival Victory	September 8	Cancelled	Bahamas
Carnival Conquest	September 9 September 12	Rescheduled	3 NT Cozumel
Carnival Glory	September 9 September 12	Rescheduled	3 NT Cozumel
Carnival Magic	September 9 September 13	Rescheduled	Western Caribbean 2 NT Bahamas
Carnival Splendor	September 9	Cancelled	Eastern Caribbean
Carnival Vista	September 9 September 12	Rescheduled	Eastern Caribbean 4 NT Western
Carnival Freedom	September 9	Modified	Eastern Caribbean Western Caribbean
Carnival Ecstasy	September 9	Cancelled	Bahamas
Carnival Liberty	September 10	Cancelled	Bahamas
Carnival Fascination	September 10	Monitoring	Southern Caribbean
Carnival Pride	September 10	Modified	Eastern Caribbean Canada
Carnival Dream	September 10	Modified	Eastern Caribbean Western Caribbean
Carnival Sensation	September 11 September 13	Rescheduled	Western Caribbean 2 NT Bahamas
Carnival Victory	September 11 September 12	Rescheduled	Bahamas
Carnival Paradise	September 11	As Scheduled	Western Caribbean
Carnival Glory	September 16	Modified	Miami 7 day Half Moon Cay, San Juan, Grand Turk
Carnival Paradise	September 16	Modified	Tampa 5 day Grand Cayman, Cosumel
Carnival Magic	September 16	Modified	Port Canaveral 8 day Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Kitts, Antigua
Carnival Breeze	September 17	Modified	Galveston 7 day Freeport and Nassau
Carnival Fascination	September 17	Modified	San Juan 7 day Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Kitts
Carnival Victory	September 18	Modified	Miami 4 day Cozumel

MSC Cruises Itinerary Updates

Weather advisories & Itinerary updates (updated September 13, 10:30am)

MSC Divina – update regarding the current cruise as well as future itineraries 

On the current cruise 

MSC Divina has now returned to the Port of Miami. She is already at berth and has received authorization from local authorities to carry out disembarkation procedures from 12 to 5pm EST today.

On future itineraries 

On Saturday, September 16, MSC Divina will operate a West Caribbean cruise out of Miami, calling at Montego Bay (Jamaica), Georgetown (Cayman Islands), Costa Maya (Mexico) and Nassau (Bahamas).

From Saturday, September 23, MSC Divina will resume her scheduled service, alternating East and West Caribbean cruises on a weekly basis. For East Caribbean cruises, Antigua will replace the scheduled call at Philipsburg (St. Maarten), until the island recovers from Hurricane Irma’s passage.

MSC Opera – update on future itineraries 

Following the passage of Hurricane Irma through the Caribbean and in connection with the reopening of both the port and airport in Havana, MSC Opera will now resume operating regular cruise service out of Havana, Cuba from 16 September onwards – with unchanged itineraries.

SHIP	SAIL DATE	STATUS	DESTINATION
MSC Divina	September 2	Shortened	Eastern Caribbean
MSC Divina	September 9	Cancelled	Eastern Caribbean
MSC Divina	September 16	Modified	Eastern Caribbean Western Caribbean
MSC Divina	September 23	Modified	Eastern Caribbean Western Caribbean
MSC Opera	September 16 (onwards)	As Scheduled	Havana, Cuba

Celebrity Cruises Travel Alert 

SHIP	SAIL DATE	STATUS	DESTINATION
Celebrity Equinox	September 4	Modified	Southern Caribbean

Hurricane Preparedness Mini-Series:

Massive Blast in Government Building Oslo Norway

A blast in Oslo, Norway today has torn through a government building housing the Norwegian prime minister's office, blowing out most of the windows according to a Reuters report.   It has been reported that at least two people are dead with several trapped and injured at the scene.

In a second incident near Oslo, a gunman, disguised as a policeman,  killed at least 80 people at an island youth camp northwest of Oslo.  He lured the victims to gather around and then shot them twice to be sure they were dead according to survivors.  The Prime Minister was to speak at the camp, which is organized by the ruling Labor Party, on Saturday.

The Norwegian gunman, who is believed to have been involved in both incidents, was taken into custody at the camp when police arrived in response to calls from the youths. 

UPDATE: Sunday, July 24th: It is confirmed that both events were the work of one Norwegian man who took the lives of at least 93 people.  He leaves behind a 1,500-page manifesto which borrowed passages from the Unibomber and others.  He will get his day in court, but will be denied the public platform he desired.  As reported in our original post, MSC Orchestra was in port at the time and departed safely with all passengers on board as scheduled.

Here is a video courtesy of  USA Today of the scene in Oslo, Norway:

Oslo - a Popular Cruise Destination

According to the Oslo Port Authority website, there are two ships in Oslo, Norway today:  Costa Atlantica (which should have already departed) and MSC Orchestra (which should have still been in port at the time of the blast).  Costa Magica is due into port on Saturday with several other ships calling there in the next seven days.

Oslo is one of many ports of call on a typical Baltic cruise vacation.   It is an easy city to tour on your own with a local hop-on-hop-off bus stopping right at the cruise terminal.  City Tours offers a tour route, that for the cost of approximately $20, included several of the popular sights such as Akershus Castle, the Vigeland Sculpture Park and the Viking Ship Museum.

Details are still coming in on the blast that occurred today.  Early reports indicate that the Prime Minister was not injured during the blast.    So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the explosion, so it is too early to say whether this was a terrorist attack or not.


Attacks Impact Cruise Call

Costa Magica was scheduled to call in Oslo on Saturday, but  the cruise line said that the ship will visit Kristiansand instead. Costa plans to resume calls to Oslo as scheduled next week.


Costa, Seabourn, MSC, Princess, and Celebrity all have ships scheduled to call in Oslo, Norway during the next seven days or so.   We will monitor this story to see if there is any additional impact on scheduled port calls.

Our thoughts go out to the people of Norway.  It is such a lovely area which normally is peaceful.   Summer time is the prime time for tourism, so this could be a very negative impact on their economy.

All Eyes on London for Royal Wedding

London & the World Watching

The Royal Wedding

Prince William & 

Catherine Middleton

Friday 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey

The wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton will be available to watch on the Royal Channel Live Stream, accompanied by a live multi-media blog put together by St. James's Palace.   Read more       Visit The Official Royal Wedding Website

Those in United States will have to get up early in the morning to watch the festivities live.  Of course there will also be rebroadcasts and news highlights, so you will have every opportunity to watch history in the making.

If you are on a cruise ship, there are many lines celebrating with special screenings and also parties.  

We featured one of them in a past blog post:  Cunard Celebrates Royal Wedding At Sea

Norwegian Cruise Line introduced Royal Wedding-themed "special dining events" on its vessels that come with an extra charge:

• The Prince and Princess Brunch, at $15 per person, will include eggs poached in champagne and served on English muffins, kippers, scrambled eggs with grilled lamb, toast with marmalade and fruit salad with clotted cream.
• Royal High Tea, at $10 per person, will include an assortment of sandwiches such as the classic cucumber, scones with jam and cream, lemon curd sponge and a selection of cakes.

Royal Caribbean International  offered an exclusive Royal Caribbean wedding package for couples looking to tie the knot at sea.

MSC Cruises will be broadcasting the Royal Wedding in English across the MSC fleet (excluding MSC Sinfonia and Opera, which will not be sailing in European waters).   Bars on board will be serving a great selection of champagnes and prosecco together with a special commemorative Royal Cocktail (sparkling wine, cognac and grand marnier).

Princess Cruise Line will be airing the Royal Wedding on the Movies Under the Stars giant screens. Also, onboard viewing parties will add a celebratory flair to the event with British-style refreshments and special royal-themed cocktails. Passengers can also test their knowledge with royal wedding trivia competitions and participate in a William and Kate look-alike contest.

Several cruise ships will be docked in Southampton, England.  The ships include Ventura, Independence of the Seas, Saga Pearl II, and Vision of the Seas.  CruiseSouthampton.com has posted a special day planner for cruisers that will be in port on the Royal Wedding day.   Southampton City Council has designated the newly refurbished Guildhall Square to be the venue to hold a free mass Street Party for everyone between 10am - 4pm.  Additional details are available on the site.


The world anxiously awaits the joining of this happy couple in the wedding event of the century.  There hasn't been this much excitement since Princess Diana and Prince Charles wed 30 years ago.  We'd love to hear your stories about how you celebrated this Royal Wedding, especially if you were on a cruise ship.