Tag Archives: Holland America

Carnival, Holland America will sail to Cuba as planned

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Carnival Fathom in Havana

Carnival Corp. said it understands the policy changes on Cuba that President Trump will announce in Miami today do not include any changes for cruises.

In a statement, Carnival said it is “pleased” that its ships will continue to sail to Cuba.

Carnival Cruise Line plans sailings from Tampa to Cuba starting later this month and Holland America Line recently announced plans to visit Cuba in the fall.

Trump is expected to end the ability of travelers to “self-certify” that they comply with rules for traveling to Cuba, which became the practice last year under President Obama.

“We will review the extent of the tightening of the travel rules, but our guests have already been traveling under the 12 approved forms of travel to Cuba since we undertook our historic first cruise to Cuba more than a year ago,” a Carnival Corp. statement said.

The first cruise to Cuba from a U.S. port in decades was by Carnival’s Fathom brand, which has since returned its single ship to P&O Cruises.

“Our experience in Cuba this past year has been extremely positive,” Carnival Corp. said. It also said other Carnival Corp. brands have applied to travel to Cuba.

Costa included Cuba on some itineraries from 1995 to 1998, before it was purchased by Carnival Corp. from its Italian owners.

Other cruise lines chimed in after Trump finished giving his speech in Miami.

“Based on the information shared today, we are very pleased to learn the news that cruises to Cuba will continue under the new guidelines laid out by the administration,” a statement from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said.

NCLH operates Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, all of which sail to Cuba.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. also praised the new Cuba policy.

“Royal Caribbean is pleased there is no impact to any of our cruises to Cuba as announced in the new U.S. policy toward Cuba today,” said a statement from RCCL, whose Royal Caribbean International and Azamara Club Cruises brands make stops in Cuba.

Although cruise lines appear to have emerged unscathed from the Cuba policy review, the exact impact will depend on rule revisions forthcoming from the Treasury Department and other U.S. agencies.

“We will continue to review the full and exact scope of the policy changes and any updated regulations during the implementation period which may take several months,” RCCL said.

Both cruise companies emphasized that their shore excursion programs were already in compliance with Treasury regulations governing Cuba tourism.

Both also said that their cruises with Cuba in the itinerary are popular. NCLH said it has 70,000 bookings for future cruises that include Cuba. “We are delighted our guests will continue to have the opportunity to experience the wonderful culture and incredible history of Cuba.” the statement said.

6 Reasons to Consider a Clothing Optional Cruise

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They’ve got special cruises for singles, Weight Watchers members, and foodies. So, why not nudies?

Yes, clothing optional cruises are a thing, and for good reason. With enough people interested in nude cruises, it was inevitable that cruise lines would jump at the chance to get on board.

Bliss Away couple’s cruises offer the world’s only 5.5-star clothing optional cruises for couples “looking for fun, freedom, and exciting vacations.” Of course, other cruise operators have gotten on board, and some travel companies even host nude cruises on Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America ships.

The main thing you should know about these is that you don’t have to go nude, but you should expect plenty of other people to be. If you’re okay with that, then it should be fine.

Meet like-minded people:

The best part about clothing optional cruises is that they attract people who love being naked. If you fall into that category, you should plan on meeting others who feel just like you.

With so much in common already, you’re bound to make friends on a nude cruise. Plus, nude people tend to be carefree, easy-going, and laid-back.

Get comfortable in your own skin:

A lot of people say going nude helps them feel free. With no clothes weighing them down, they’re light as a feather and completely uninhibited.

If you’re someone who has had trouble feeling comfortable in your own skin, being around others who feel so free just being themselves might provide you with comfort. Plus, if you’ve ever wanted to experiment with a clothing-optional setting, what better way to get acquainted with one than to dive right in?

You can get away with packing light:

If you hate lugging around a heavy suitcase or planning your apparel for a long trip, you’re going to love a clothing-optional cruising. Pack about half what you normally would and skip checking a bag. Really, you just need lounge wear and clothes to wear on land and in the airport. As a bonus, you won’t return home to a huge pile of laundry, either.

You got a good shot at some action:

While some nude cruisers may just want to mingle with other naked folks, it’s inevitable that a certain percentage of the crowd is there for more than handshakes and hugs. In other words, you may have a better shot at hooking up than you would on, say, a Carnival cruise mostly packed with families.

There’s no guarantee of this type of thing, but it’s safe to say your chances for intimacy will improve in a crowd of people who aren’t interested in wearing clothing.

You’ll get a great, even tan:

Hate tan lines? Boy, have we got a treat for you. You’ll never worry about the placement of your straps or swim trunks on a clothing optional cruise.

If you’re wanting a clear, even tan that lasts, sunbathing nude is your best bet.

No kids:

If you want to have fun in an adults-only atmosphere, you can’t do much better than a clothing-optional cruise. Kids aren’t allowed for obvious reasons, so you’ll never have to endure a crying toddler or kids splashing in the pool.

The Bottom Line:

Clothing optional cruises may not be for everyone, but it’s easy to see why this option exists. Even if they never flaunt their love of nudism, plenty of eager travellers want nothing more than to enjoy a vacation without worrying over what to wear.

Should you join? The naked truth is, only you can decide.

Port Everglades enables mobile customs declaration

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Passengers disembarking from cruise ships at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale will be able to use an app on their smartphones to fill out re-entry forms for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Airports, including those in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, already have this feature but Port Everglades will be the only U.S. cruise port to offer it, port director Steve Cernak said.

“An added bonus is that [the system] will be in service in time for the arrivals of Royal Caribbean International’s Harmony of the Seas and Holland America Line’s Koningsdam,” Cernak said.

Port Everglades plans to go live with the service on Nov. 4.

The app is currently available for Apple phones and is expected to be available for Android phones later this month.

Developed by Airside Mobile and Airports Council International-North America in partnership with the CBP, the app allows U.S. citizens with a passport debarking a cruise ship to complete their customs declaration using their smartphones or other mobile devices, expediting their clearance process in the terminal.

A physical passport or passport card is still required for re-entry.

The Fort Lauderdale port also recently completed pilot testing of the Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosks in two of its cruise terminals, another CBP initiative to streamline the traveler-screening process.