This week’s roundup of cruise news you can use spotlights cruise lines that are recognized for their handicapped-accessible ships. Learn where you can take a cruise that can only be described as “a good thing”, a la Martha Stewart. Find out how Juneau, AK, is dealing with the increased smog that summer cruise ships bring to the city. And finally, if the recent news footage of that tempest-tossed ship off the coast of Norway had you asking yourself “Just how did that happen?”, then USA Today has a story for you.
- Cruising can be a wonderful way for people with mobility issues and other healthcare concerns to travel and see the world. While there’s some inconsistency among companies and ships as far as what kind of services are available, Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Carnival’s Horizon, Celebrity Cruises, and Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas are the best places to start your search for a good fit.
- If you’ve always been a fan of lifestyle maven Martha Stewart, traveling with MSC Cruise Line is one way to live like Martha. She’s crafted special menus and paired them with complementary itineraries for ports of call on MSC journeys on the MSC Seaside and MSC Armonia, and as an extra perk, guests will be gifted with recipe cards to recreate their favorite dishes at home.
- Juneau, AK residents have long complained about the exhaust and the congestion around cruise ships docking there during the busy summer tourist season, reports Alaska Public Media, and they may finally be seeing a solution. According to Cruise Lines International Association Alaska, cruise ships will now take turns pulling into and out of the port so that only one ship at a time is releasing smoke in the area. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation will also keep tabs on air quality around the city. Juneau is notable for its early adoption of hydroelectric power hookups for cruise ships in port but there’s currently only capacity for one ship at a time to use it. Local organization Renewable Juneau has made a petition available for local residents to sign their support to the establishment of a passenger tax to expand the availability of hydropower and turn the port into a no-idle zone.
- You probably remember news footage of the Viking Sky’s trouble in Norwegian waters last week; USA Today has a timeline that gives a fuller picture of what happened and why.
And those are the highlights of what’s made news in the cruise industry this week. Happy sailing!
