Tag Archives: Southern Caribbean

MSC Meraviglia Returns to Port Canaveral for Winter Season

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The MSC Meraviglia recently returned to North America for its 2022-2023 cruise program. Following a trans-Atlantic crossing, the MSC Cruises vessel arrived in Port Canaveral on October 13. 

The 2017-built ship is now offering a series of cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean departing from the Central Florida homeport.

Ranging from two to seven nights, the ship’s itineraries feature visits to popular destinations in the region, including Cozumel, Costa Maya and Belize City.

Most of the cruises also include a stop in Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the company’s private island in the Bahamas.

Ahead of MSC’s first complete season in the Northeast, the MSC Meraviglia concludes its winter program with a repositioning cruise to New York City.

The 11-night voyage departs Port Canaveral on April 9, 2023, and includes calls in five ports in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

Upon arriving at its new homeport, the 167,600-ton vessel kicks off a year-round operation in the region.  

Sailing from Manhattan Cruise Terminal, the program features itineraries are six- to 11-night voyages visiting the Caribbean and the Bahamas, as well as Bermuda and Canada & New England.

Boasting 19 decks and a capacity for over 4,500 guests in double occupancy, the MSC Meraviglia was built in France by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyards.

The lead of the five-ship Meraviglia Class, the vessel offers several unique features, including the Galleria Meraviglia, a 96-meter-long central promenade equipped with an 80-meter LED dome and an expansive shopping area.

Other features include a complete waterpark and 12 international dining venues, as well as 20 different bars and lounges. 

After entering service in Europe in 2017, the MSC Meraviglia originally debuted in North America two years later. At the time, the vessel arrived in Miami as MSC’s largest U.S.-based ship.

Carnival Horizon Resumes Service After Emergency Drydock

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The Carnival Horizon is resuming cruise service in Miami after the completion of an emergency drydock in Italy. The vessel is welcoming guests back today for its first Caribbean voyage since December.

The eight-night voyage will feature calls in four ports in the Southern Caribbean, including a 14-hour stop in Aruba.

Sailing year-round from Miami, Carnival Horizon’s program also includes six-night cruises to the Western Caribbean, in addition to varied eight-night itineraries to the Southern Caribbean.

The service resumption comes nearly two months after the 4,000-guest vessel was taken out of service to fix a propulsion problem in drydock. The downtime was also used to adorn the Horizon with the brand’s new red, white and blue livery.

To pick up the Horizon’s guests and itineraries from Miami, Carnival brought the Carnival Liberty and Carnival Sunshine back to service.

The 133,500-ton Horizon is part of the three-ship Vista-class. it originally entered service in 2018. According to Carnival, the vessels series was designed to connect guests to the ocean with “sweeping views” and plenty of activities, outdoors and indoors.

Among the ships’ unique features is the SkyRide – a suspended open-air cycling experience. The Vista-class also introduced new speciality food and beverage options, such as the New England-inspired Seafood Shack – a casual indoor/outdoor dining venue.

With most of its fleet now back in service, Carnival plans to have all of its U.S.-based ships sailing again soon.

The Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Sensation and the Carnival Paradise are set to complete the domestic lineup when they resume service in March.

Royal Caribbean to Amplify Freedom of the Seas

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Royal Caribbean - Freedom of the Seas
The reimagined poolscape of the Freedom of the Seas. (photo via Royal Caribbean International)

WHY IT RATES: The newly amplified Freedom of the Seas will feature guest-favorites amenities to change island-hopping in the Southern Caribbean. – Mackenzie Cullen, Editorial Associate

A bolder and reimagined Freedom of the Seas will redefine island hopping in the Southern Caribbean, following a $116 million amplification. Royal Caribbean International has announced the high-energy features and guest favorites that will come aboard, including The Perfect Storm duo of waterslides, a redesigned Caribbean poolscape, a new take on a signature venue with Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and completely transformed kids and teens spaces. Starting March 2020, the newly amplified Freedom will set sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico on 7-night Southern Caribbean cruises to idyllic destinations, from Saint Lucia and Antigua to the ABC islands – Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

All-day Thrills on Deck

Vacationers can up the ante with more ways to play joining fan favorites like the FlowRider surf simulator, mini-golf, and the rock-climbing wall.

The Perfect Storm, the heart-pumping duo of racer waterslides, is three stories of adventure that will take excitement off the charts. On Cyclone and Typhoon, guests are in for the ultimate race as they go head to head through twists and turns for bragging rights

A reimagined poolscape comes to life with all-day Caribbean vibes, a larger variety of seating and shade with casitas, daybeds, and hammocks, and the Splashaway Bay aquapark for the youngest travelers. For downtime, guests can escape to the renewed, adults-only Solarium

The Lime & Coconut, Royal Caribbean’s new, poolside signature bar, is at the center of it all. The three-level spot serves up live music, a lineup of cocktails and a rooftop deck for a bird’s eye view of the action

Next-level Culinary Delights

Freedom’s amplification will also introduce more dining venues, spanning Italian, Asian and Mexican cuisine, tantalizing guests’ taste buds more than ever.

Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is a fresh, new twist on a guest favorite. Vacationers can have their pick from authentic Italian dishes with a contemporary flair, including made-to-order pizzas hand-tossed front and center, and baked in the new, in-house pizza oven. With a wide selection of wines and limoncellos on the reimagined menu, it’s “Sunday supper” Royal Caribbean style

Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, the Asian-inspired restaurant with teppanyaki tables and a sushi bar, features a variety of hot and cold appetizers, entrees, desserts and more

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, where everybody wins. Guests can catch their home team on more than 80 TV screens, hit “play” on any one of the arcade games, and refuel with a menu of classic bar bites and ice-cold brews on tap

El Loco Fresh will sit poolside and offer fresh grab-and-go Mexican fare, from tacos and burritos to quesadillas, along with an array of salsas for an extra kick. For the first time, the venue will include a full-service bar with a selection of tequilas on offer

Playtime Reimagined

Adding to the roster of activities onboard, Royal Caribbean will offer glow-in-the-dark laser tag adventure Clash for the Crystal City, and the debut of a floor-to-ceiling redesign of Freedom’s dedicated teen’s spaces and award-winning Adventure Ocean.

Adventure Ocean takes on a whole new look after a makeover that will touch every inch of the spaces specially designed for babies and kids. The imaginative layout encourages young vacationers to venture into a world of interactive experiences, from thought-provoking exploration at Play Place to art, science, and tech activities at Workshop, and friendly challenges at Arena. Kicking back is just as fun with gaming consoles and places to chill at Hangout. Babies and 3- to 5-year-olds will each have personalized areas with AO Babies and AO Junior

Teens will rejoice at their exclusive hangout, entirely transformed to feature the latest in movies, gaming, and music, plus a new, private outdoor deck

Beginning March 8, 2020, the reimagined Freedom will sail 7-night, roundtrip Southern Caribbean cruises from San Juan. The year-round itineraries are set to visit tropical locales in the region, including Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; Castries, Saint Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados; Saint Johns, Antigua; and Kralendijk, Bonaire.

Freedom joins her sister, Independence of the Seas, as part of the Royal Amplified fleet modernization effort. An investment of more than $1 billion across 10 ships in four years, Royal Caribbean’s program touches every facet of the guest experience and introduces a wide range of new adventures spanning one-of-a-kind attractions and experiential dining and nightlife.