Sunday, March 31, 2024

On Board Royal Caribbeans Icon of the Seas for its First Cruise The New York Times

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Ceylan Yeginsu, a reporter for the Travel section, tries out a ride in the sprawling water park on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas cruise ship.Credit... "She is the ultimate multigenerational family vacation, forever changing the status quo in family travel and fulfilling vacation dreams for all ages on board." Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, which runs nearly 1,200 feet from bow to stern, is leaving South Florida for its first seven-day island-hopping voyage through the tropics. The ship was officially christened Tuesday with help from soccer legend Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates. Entertainment abounds on this ship, from the splashy Aqua80 show in the AquaTheater to Music Hall, a live music venue with plenty of floor space for dancing. Or try one of the four onboard water slides including the ten-story-high Ultimate Abyss.

Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas

All that space means it can accommodate 5,600 guests and 2,350 crew members. If all goes as planned, the record-breaking vessel will begin sailing in the Caribbean in January 2024. MSC Meraviglia is the first ship in MSC's Meraviglia-class and received the "8 Golden Pearls" award, which recognizes sustainable and environmental stewardship. This meritable ship has 18 decks, 15 of which are accessible to guests, and 2,244 total staterooms. MSC Grandiosa is a part of the Meraviglia Plus-class, which currently has five sailing ships. Onboard, there are 18 decks (15 of which are passenger-accessible) and 2,405 staterooms onboard.

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Holland America Line

3 of the world's biggest cruise ships to battle for supremacy out of Miami - The Points Guy

3 of the world's biggest cruise ships to battle for supremacy out of Miami.

Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 17:06:10 GMT [source]

A weeklong Caribbean cruise costs about $3,500 for two people in an average stateroom. For those seeking more luxury, the Ultimate Family Townhouse – a three-story suite complete with touchscreen tables and a slide – can go for up to $100,000 per trip. The Royal Loft, aimed at high-rolling adults, offers two bedrooms, a private hot tub, and a spacious balcony starting at $40,000. "We have purposely designed the ship to give more space for people," he said. "We believe, even at 7,500 guests, it won't feel to you like your entire hometown has joined the ship," said Schneider. The ship will be equipped with a special grooming robot that will clean the hull whenever it’s in port to help reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency by 3 to 4 percent, reports TTG Media’s Charlotte Cullinan.

Following Incident, Carnival Says Gambling ‘Strictly Forbidden’ Outside of Casino

Just making this year’s list of the world’s 20 largest cruise ships, MSC Seascape is tied for #16. The second Seaside EVO class ship launched by MSC Cruises in just over a year, Seascape features a glam New York City vibe. MIAMI (AP) — The world’s largest cruise ship — the size of almost four city blocks — is set to begin its maiden voyage Saturday as it leaves from the Port of Miami.

of the world's biggest cruise ships soon will battle for supremacy out of Miami

Number nine is P&O UK’s Iona, the largest cruise ship built specifically for the British market. One of the newer ships on the list, Iona was delivered in 2020 but made her first voyage in August 2021. The namesake of the Meraviglia class of cruise ships, she was the first to offer an expanded dining experience with fourteen restaurants, including a whopping four complimentary main dining rooms. Celebrity chef Carlo Cracco was enlisted to improve the quality of the ship’s cuisine. When MSC’s Meraviglia entered service in 2017, she was the sixth-largest cruise ship in the world—but has since fallen to #15, tied with her newer sister ship Bellissima.

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AIDA Cruises AIDAnova is the first launched in the Excellence-class, which also has sister ship AIDAcosma. It was the first ship to be awarded the "Blauer Engel," which is a German environmental label given to green-friendly products and services. Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas made its maiden voyage in December 2010.

MSC Seashore

They can measure up to 250,000 gross tons (roughly triple the size of a ship built 30 years ago!) and when at full capacity with crew, have nearly 10,000 people onboard. At 250,800 gross registered tons and carrying up to 7,600 passengers (plus 2,350 crew members), it's a true behemoth. MSC Seascape debuted in December 2022 easily making our list of the biggest cruise ships in the world. This impressive ship has 20 decks with 2,270 staterooms in 12 different categories. The ship has its own unique experience called Robotron, the first robotic arm thrill ride on the sea. Seascape currently sails from Miami, and in 2025 will offer MSC cruises from Galveston for the first time.

Icon of the Seas

For instance, Arvia features a unique Skydome area that is a pool area with retractable roof by day and an entertainment venue by night. It also features its own rum distillery onboard, meaning you can take home rum literally made on the ship. Kids will love the Altitude zone that features a ropes course, mini-golf, and more. Wonder of the Seas is the latest edition of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships (until Utopia of the Seas arrives in 2024), which were the largest class in the world until the new Icon class took the torch. The cruise line is positioning the vessel as “the ultimate family vacation,” as CEO Michael Bayley told reporters earlier this year, per CNN’s Maureen O’Hare. Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas made its first voyage in 2016, which made it the third ship in the Quantum-class.

This cruise ship can carry nearly 10,000 people. Here’s more of what sets Icon of the Seas apart - CNN

This cruise ship can carry nearly 10,000 people. Here’s more of what sets Icon of the Seas apart.

Posted: Mon, 29 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

While Royal Caribbean continues to dominate the top (and the bottom) of the list, new entries may surprise you. For example, Princess Cruises has a new ship on the list (the largest ever for that fleet), barely missing the top twenty. We look at the top 10 biggest cruise ships in the world by gross tonnage. Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship, with a gross tonnage of 236,857. One of the world’s biggest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas®, the travel adventures are larger than life. From epic onboard thrills to revolutionary dining and entertainment, this ship will change how you vacation no matter what kind of experience you’re after.

Last month, the vessel sailed the open ocean for the first time, as staffers spent four days testing the main engines, hull, brakes, steering system and other components. In June, the Icon of the Seas successfully completed its initial round of sea trials and sailed the ... The vessel is different from other large ships in the cruise industry and boasts features like the Zipline and the AquaTheater. Both ships have been designed around a central interior promenade with entertainment, shops and bars.

Much like the megaships offered by Royal Caribbean, MSC World Europa is divided into several districts that contain similar offerings—a must-have on any gargantuan cruise ship. Guests can visit the adults-only Zen district for a bit of calm, or the Family district with ten kids’ facilities offering fun for little cruisers and their grownups. The Geneva-based company has been working diligently to expand the fleet and MSC’s newest cruise ship is a whopper of a vessel. Arvia is home to the fleet’s first swim-up bar, complete with plenty of in-water seating, allowing guests to order and enjoy a cocktail right in the pool. Like her sister, this ship also features a Sky Dome over the pool area—but Arvia‘s is retractable to allow for alfresco swimming, dining, and entertainment when the weather is right.

Featuring 28-room types on board, layouts have been designed with for families in mind and can accommodate three, four, five guests in options like the Family Infinite Balcony and Surfside Family Suite. Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas has the most passenger staterooms, at 2,859. Delivered in February 2022, Wonder of the Seas made her maiden voyage from Fort Lauderdale on March 4, 2022. Or play a lively game of glow-in-the-dark laser tag to battle for control of Planet Z—when the ship’s ice rink is temporarily transformed into an alien world, of course.

Taking the crown as the 10th-largest cruise ship in the world is Arvia from P&O Cruises. Measuring just under 185,000 gross tons, it offer a similar design to ships like Costa Smeralda and Carnival Celebration, but don’t think these ships are all the same. Carnival Mardi Gras first debuted in 1972 and was a trailblazing ship. Its preliminary focus was on festive fun for all guests (hence the name), which was unlike any other cruise ship at the time. The unique onboard ambiance continues today on the most recent Mardis Gras, which was launched in 2021, and has 17 passenger decks, 2,641 staterooms and a rollercoaster. MSC Virtuosa, which is another member of the Meraviglia-Plus class, first set sail in May 2021.

Following a refurbishment of Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas — which was the second ship in the class and built in 2010 — is actually now the smallest of the group based on tonnage. Still, that’s good enough for sixth largest in the world at “just” 225,000 gross tons. More specifically, Icon of the Seas measures 1,198 feet long—nearly a quarter of a mile—and has a gross tonnage of 250,800.

Allure of the Seas has 18 total decks, 16 of which are guest-accessible, and 2,742 staterooms (including 1,796 balcony suites). Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. We make sure cruisers are fully prepared for their cruise vacation with tips on ships and ports.Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world. Dating to November 2022, Carnival Celebration is the world's 14th biggest cruise ship.

Self Driving Cars Driverless Rides

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Even as Cruise expanded to new cities in the second half of 2023, its robotaxis were routinely malfunctioning in cities like San Francisco and Austin, disrupting the flow of traffic, public transit and first responders. General Motors’ Cruise is redeploying robotaxis in Phoenix after nearly five months of paused operations, the company said in a blog post. The cars will be in “manual mode,” so they won’t be driving themselves. Cruise companies are using artificial intelligence (A.I.) in a wide array of applications, from itinerary planning to predictive sales tactics to supporting their decarbonization efforts.

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Regulators accused the company of withholding information about the crash, only sharing that a Cruise robotaxi ran over a pedestrian who had been flung into its path after first being struck by a human-driven vehicle. In 2017, Cruise was conducting testing on public roads with Cruise AVs in San Francisco, Scottsdale, Arizona, and the metropolitan Detroit area. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on October 16 opened an investigation into Cruise vehicles after receiving reports of two pedestrian injuries, including the October 2 incident. The Cruise cars "may not have exercised appropriate caution around pedestrians in the roadway," the agency said.

Dakota Fanning Says Tom Cruise Has Given Her a Birthday Gift Every Year Since ‘War of the Worlds’

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On Saturday, one day before resigning, Vogt reportedly apologized to staff in an email. "As CEO, I take responsibility for the situation Cruise is in today. There are no excuses, and there is no sugar coating what has happened. We need to double down on safety, transparency, and community engagement," he wrote in the email quoted by Reuters. Cruise's relationship with Walmart includes a trial delivery service in Scottsdale, Arizona, announced in November. "Cruise is executing a global strategy with the right partners," said Grayson Brulte, president at consultancy Brulte & Co. "At the end of the day it will come down to who can cut the best deals which long-term generate revenue and profits."

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On Monday, Cruise said it planned to begin deploying a limited number of its Origin vehicles for ride-hail services in Dubai from 2023, its first overseas commercial service. To that end, CLIA dedicated an entire general session to selling small-ship cruises. Titled “Small Ship, Small Talk, Big Commissions,” the event featured representatives from river cruise companies and luxury small-ship lines. In addition to new ships, many cruise lines are also investing in their private islands.

GM Cruise unit suspends all driverless operations after California ban - Reuters

GM Cruise unit suspends all driverless operations after California ban.

Posted: Thu, 26 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

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Cruise Appoints Automotive and Autonomous Vehicle Safety Leader Steve Kenner as Chief Safety Officer - PR Newswire

Cruise Appoints Automotive and Autonomous Vehicle Safety Leader Steve Kenner as Chief Safety Officer.

Posted: Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

They are an invaluable resource, helping yousave time, money, and avoid the stress of vacation-planning. A travel agent is afulfiller of dreams, offering all the tips you need about our ships, activities, and destinations! Carnival does not verify that the contact information below is accurate or complete.

After robotaxi dragged pedestrian 20 feet, Cruise founder and CEO resigns

"The AV detected a collision, bringing the vehicle to a stop; then attempted to pull over to avoid causing further road safety issues, pulling the individual forward approximately 20 feet." Carmakers by comparison are often less interested in operating a fleet of robotaxis. Late on Friday, GM said it had bought SoftBank out of the robotaxi developer, acquiring its stake for $2.1 billion and, separately, pledging to honor the Japanese venture capital firm’s commitment to inject a further $1.35 billion into the company. Cruise confirmed separately that this ended the debate over whether it would seek an initial public offering. Cruise cars tell their wheels and other controls how to move along the selected path and react to changes in it. The result is a ride that’s safe, efficient, and natural-looking to other drivers.

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New paths ahead

Cruise cars consider multiple paths per second, constantly choosing the best ones for unexpected events and changes in road conditions. Majority owned by General Motors since 2016, Cruise combines a culture of innovative technology and safety with a history of manufacturing and automotive excellence. Cruise has received funding from other leading companies and investors—including Honda, Microsoft, T. Rowe Price, and Walmart. Cruise ridehail services are not available at this time, but you can join the waitlist to be one of the first. We believe driverless technology has the potential to save lives, enhance access and improve communities. Focusing on luxury small-ship cruises can also be a good way to convert customers who usually want to book land-based vacations.

Cruise.com has been connecting travelers with the perfect cruise vacations since 1998. We pride ourselves in the best service possible, an accomplishment acknowledged by the most authoritative companies in the cruise industry. Cruise.com was named Agency of the Year by Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

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While much of the recent focus has been on megaships—like Royal Caribbean’s new Icon of the Seas—industry leaders also reiterated that small ships have their place, too. CLIA member lines also have 35 total ships in the works between 2024 and 2028. Industry-wide, 56 ships are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2028, representing an investment of $38 billion and the addition of more than 121,000 lower berths. All offers are based on select sailings and categories and are subject to availability at time of booking. Prior to that incident, Cruise had been announcing launches in new cities — including Dallas, Houston and Miami — at a startling pace. Critics accused the company of expanding too fast and cutting corners on safety.

Register with Cruise.com to get access to exclusive rates, discounts and special offers. "As for what's next for me, I plan to spend time with my family and explore some new ideas. Thanks for the great ride!" Vogt wrote. Cruise is owned by General Motors, which bought the company in 2016. Vogt expressed optimism about Cruise's future without him, saying the team is "executing on a solid, multi-year roadmap and an exciting product vision." Sensors can see 360 degrees, hundreds of feet ahead, and around that double-parked car. Cruise cars make sense of this data in a split second, tracking every important object in view.

Alphabet’s Waymo — Cruise’s main competitor that’s still active in San Francisco — has operated a paid, driverless robotaxi service in the area since 2020 and last year doubled its service area in downtown Phoenix and launched driverless rides to the airport. In a bid to capitalize on this strong demand, cruise lines have ordered a plethora of new ships—both large and small. The CLIA member fleet is projected to surpass 300 ocean-going vessels for the first time this year, with eight new ships coming online in 2024 alone. The DMV action came three weeks after a Cruise vehicle hit and dragged a pedestrian in San Francisco. A woman entered a crosswalk at nighttime and was hit by two cars, the second of which was the Cruise vehicle. First, a Nissan Sentra "tragically struck and propelled the pedestrian into the path of the AV," Cruise said in a description of the incident.

More than 1,250 travel advisors attended the sold-out conference, eager to learn more about the growing industry which has now fully rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic. Often cruise lines offer special rates that cannot be displayed to the general public. By registering with Cruise.com you will be able to view these special rates and offers. A big part of Cruise’s strategy moving forward, as outlined in Tuesday’s blog post, involves reforming and establishing updated incident response and crisis management protocols to ensure more efficient and transparent responses in the future.

The announcement comes a week after peer TuSimple revealed plans for an initial public offering (IPO), at a time when self-drive technology is yet to be commercialised. Only Tesla believes it can soon offer affordable competitive robotaxis by doing away with expensive sensors like lidar, which visualizes its surrounding environment using extremely precise laser pulses, and relying solely on comparatively cheap cameras instead. While all are working to bring highly automated driving safely to market, the real prize is turning the cutting-edge technology into a viable commercial business by being the first to reach economies of scale. In a statement posted to its website, cofounder and CEO Kyle Vogt said the new “Recurring Liquidity Opportunity,” or RLO for short, would level the playing field with publicly traded companies when it comes to recruiting the best and brightest engineers.

Explorethe latest travel news, advice, updates, upcoming exclusive deals and more. And will the rise of virtual reality ultimately hurt the travel industry? MSC Cruises is in the process of updating its private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, ahead of new ship MSC World America’s launch next year. With eight new ships coming online between 2026 and 2036 across its three brands, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings also plans to make enhancements to Great Stirrup Cay. Learn all about cruising from the comfort of your own home with our live complimentary Virtual Cruise Lectures.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) last month suspended Cruise's permits for autonomous vehicle deployment and driverless testing. Cruise subsequently announced a "pause" of all of its driverless operations in the US, which includes San Francisco, Austin, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, and Miami. Cruise has not announced when or where it will resume driverless operations. The company’s main operations were historically based in San Francisco, but Cruise lost its permits to operate there following the accident. Cruise began expanding its paid service area in the Phoenix area in August 2023.

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