Welcome to the Cruise Radio News Brief for the Week of October 4, 2020, where we bring you the latest cruise news, our weekly podcast, and recent YouTube videos.
1. At the State of the Global Cruise Industry event, executive leadership from four mass-market cruise lines came together to discuss current industry challenges. Though these cruise companies may be competitors at sea, they all recognize the importance of working together to ensure a safe return to cruising.
2. Per Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), any ship of a cruise line that’s a member of the CLIA organization will implement mandatory COVID-19 testing for passengers and crew. While U.S. pier-side testing is a potential option, it is most likely that U.S. passengers will have to provide evidence of a COVID-19 negative performed prior to cruising.
3. Celebrity Cruises’ most Instagram-famous captain, Captain Kate McCue, took an internet troll to task for a comment questioning how she could be a captain when she’s “only a woman.” What followed from Captain Kate was a lesson in both grammar and sexism.
4. Royal Caribbean will resume cruises in Asia come December. Along with Dream Cruises’ World Dream, Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas will sail itineraries this December out of Singapore. The ships will implement pre-boarding testing, operate at reduced capacities, and set up measures to discourage close contact.
5. Carnival Cruise Line is holding out hope to sail several of its ships in November. Currently, the No Sail Order from the CDC ends on October 31. Carnival Breeze, Conquest, Elation, Horizon, Liberty, and Sunrise, all departing from either Miami or Port Canaveral, still have sailings on the books through the end of the year.
Featured Article: Carnival’s VIFP Loyalty Program
Every wonder why some people get to board the ship earlier, or why some get perks like free laundry? Carnival Cruise Line’s VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club is a loyalty program that rewards repeat cruisers with members-only perks, discounts, and amenities.
This Week’s Podcast: Silver Spirit Luxury Cruise Ship Review
This week we hear a review of Silversea Cruises’ Silver Spirit. Tom sailed on an 11-night Baltic cruise that left from Stockholm, and he share what it’s like to sail on a luxury line, such as what’s included in your fare and what’s not.
Featured Video: Seabourn Sojourn
Seabourn Cruise Line is another luxury cruise line and a competitor to Silversea Cruises. (Seabourn is owned by Carnival Corp., while Silversea is owned by Royal Caribbean Group.) These luxury brands feature smaller ships that can often visit more exotic locations while offering a more intimate, personal cruise experience. Though their cruises are more expensive than mass-market lines, they offer a completely different (and more luxurious) cruise experience.
