P&O Changes Gratuity Policy

P&O cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival announced today that they will not only require prepayment of gratuities (as other cruise lines do) but they will also make the amount of gratuity a cruise staff member receives dependent on their rating based on a customer survey. If applied well, this could further improve the customer service levels for most travelers. However, it is possible that a cruise staff member who feels that they have already lost a chunk of tips due to an anticipated low score could really become a jerk.

Just What Shall I Pack?

"We overpacked" is a phrase that I have heard from nearly everyone that Ihave spoken with when they returned from their first cruise. It is a phrase that I too commented after the first cruise with my family and every year undoubtedly scores of other first time cruisers will state the same after their cruises. Now ladies, my intent is not be be sexist but the degree of over packing appears to be more noticeable for the women out there. Maybe it is the "need to color coordinate" gene that is absent in so many of us men out there. read more

Cruise Diva: Meet The Guy Behind Carnival Cruise Lines’ Burger Joint

If you enjoy the Food Channel's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives check out the Cruise Diva article on the Carnival 2.0 burger joint inspired by Guy Fieri.  Wow he knows how to load those burgers!

Cruise Diva: Meet The Guy Behind Carnival Cruise Lines’ Burger Joint

17-Year Old Dies After a Diving Excursion

A 17-year old passed away four days after a scuba diving excursion.
There are still a lot of missing details but a 17-year old American tourist encountered problems while participating in a Carnival Cruise Lines sponsored scuba excursion. The excursion was one to learn scuba and only had 16 participants with four instructors including the dive master. The teen had difficulties and reportedly needed CPR then was treated at a hospital in Grand Turk before getting airlifted to a hospital in Florida where he passed 4 days later. Our most sincere sympathy go out to the family of this young man.

Royal Caribbean Does a Good Deed

Unlike the Princess Cruises ship who sailed past a disabled fishing boat, the Oasis of the Seas came upon a broken down fishing boat in the waters near the Caymans and provided assistance to repair the engine so that the boat could return under its own power. The RC ship provided a fresh battery and some fresh water. Good job!