Ward Cove Cruise Terminal
In June 2019, NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line announced the company’s plans to construct in Ketchikan a private dock in Ward Cove – located approx 5 mi / 8 km north of the city.
For the new 2-berth dock, NCL contracted the Alaskan companies Ward Cove Group and Godspeed Inc . The permit for the construction works was issued on January 21, 2020. Dock-side dredging works will be conducted by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
The new dock will be at the site of the Ketchikan Pulp Company which was owned by Louisiana-Pacific Corporation and is currently ranked the world’s largest producer of OSB and engineered wood building products.
Ward Cove project’s “Phase 1” is expected to cost ~USD 50 million, with scheduled completion in 2020. The project’s “Phase 2” includes the building of a passenger terminal and tourist center. NCL will have priority docking rights. Other cruise ships may use it only when NCL is not.
Both new berths can handle Post-Panamax vessels . Shuttle bus service for cruise tourists from the new terminal to downtown is provided complimentary.
Port Ketchikan’s downtown dock currently can handle only one such large vessel at a time. Reconfiguring this publicly-owned dock to allow berthing for more mega-ships was estimated at ~USD 150 million .
Holiday Cruises Themed Cruises & Other Special Cruises
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Independence Day
On sailings that include July 4th, there is usually a special celebration with characters dressed in red, white and blue outfits. There has not been a special fireworks show in the past, but sometimes on sailings in the Caribbean or Bahamas they move pirate night to July 4th so they will have fireworks on Independence Day.
The following sailings include Independence Day :
- Disney Dream: 5-night Western Caribbean on July 4
- Disney Fantasy: 7-night Western Caribbean on July 2
- Disney Magic: 9-night Mediterranean on June 27
- Disney Wonder: 7-night Alaskan on July 4
Halloween on the High Seas
During this period there will be special Halloween events onboard, including Halloween-themed parties, storytellings, movies and elaborate décor, including The Pumpkin Tree, which magically transforms throughout the cruise. You will also find characters dressed in Halloween costumes, as well as a costume party for families and, just for adults, a costume contest and a Villainous Takeover on the dance floor in the nighttime entertainment district.
In the past there has not been any special menu for Halloween night itself, over and above what they do on all the Halloween themed cruises during the whole period, but there will be some special Halloween-themed treats.
Halloween on the High Seas takes place on the following sail dates:
Thanksgiving
The following sailings include Thanksgiving Day .
Very Merrytime Cruises
New Years Eve
Get On The Early Booking List
Interested in booking a cruise for a date or itinerary that hasnt been announced yet? You can submit a booking request for a Disney cruise, even before Disney Cruise Line releases the schedule. Save yourself some stress and fill out the Small World Vacations Wait List form in advance and theyll book your preferred cruise the first day you are eligible, at no cost to you! Plus, you can get up to $1000 in FREE onboard credit courtesy of Small World Vacations!
Disney Cruise Line announces their cruise dates and itineraries for only a few months at a time: January through April, then May through September and finally, September through December. Once the new itineraries come out, booking begins just a day or two later, first to Castaway Club members and then to the general public.
The people who book earliest almost always get the lowest possible price. Sometimes there will be last-minute deals via the restricted guarantee fares or Florida Resident fares, but only a small percentage of cruises ever have those fares, and those fares arent always cheaper than opening day fares. In addition, early bookers get first dibs on staterooms, making it the best way to land one of the hardest-to-get staterooms like the Secret Porthole and Secret Verandah rooms. Lots of people know about these advantages, so on the days the new itineraries become available for booking, both the phone lines and website get slammed.
Don’t Miss: Do Cruise Ships Have Single Cabins
Adventures By Disney Pre
Adventure by Disney Pre- and Post-Cruise Escape Packages take place before and after select Disney Cruise Line sailings. These 2- to 3-night Escapes include 2 Adventure by Disney guides hotel accommodations multiple, daily excursions special VIP privileges all transportation during the trip and a photo CD with all the Adventure by Disney guide photos.
- If you are interested in booking an Adventures by Disney Pre- or Post-Cruise Escape Package, we recommend filling out a quote form with Small World Vacations. They give you full service, including a personal travel agent you can contact by email or direct phone number and we recommend them wholeheartedly! Best of all, it costs you nothing to use them, PLUS you could save up to $1,000! Read more about the Small World Vacations savings offer here.
Adventures By Disney Cruise Packages
2022 Adventures by Disney Cruise Packages have not yet been announced.
The Adventures by Disney Cruise Packages include 2 Adventures by Disney guides available onboard and in port special VIP privileges private onboard receptions unique onshore activities early debarkation at each port all meals, snacks and water while in port a photo CD with all ship photographer pictures, all Adventures by Disney guide photos and an Adventures by Disney slideshow.
- If you are interested in booking an Adventures by Disney Cruise Package, we recommend filling out a quote form with Small World Vacations. They give you full service, including a personal travel agent you can contact by email or direct phone number and we recommend them wholeheartedly! Best of all, it costs you nothing to use them, PLUS they give you FREE onboard credit for any Disney Cruise Line booking of over $1000 total fare, good toward most onboard activities and extras such as spa treatments, shore excursions or even your bar tab.
Also Check: Do Any Cruise Lines Allow Dogs
Carnival Cruise Line Gets Tough
Carnival Cruise Line has quietly updated its onboard FAQ to include the enforcement policy about reserving sun loungers.
This move, which now implements a tagging system to prevent excessively saving seats, follows a recent trend by the cruise line of instituting new policies to curb unacceptable behavior on its ships.
Frequent cruisers are very familiar with seat-saving tactics, which often include using a towel, flip flops, piece of fruit, or another item to reserve a chair by giving it the appearance of being in use, when in reality, the person who put the item on the chair may not return for hours to actually use it.
Guests reserving sun loungers or deck chairs for long periods are often referred to as chair hogs. Reserving chairs can be a source of great frustration on a cruise, especially when deck space may be limited, particularly on sea days.
Now, Carnival Cruise Line is seeking to cut down on chair reservation incidents with a monitoring system, and taking steps to ensure guests are aware of the policy.
A crew member will place a notification in the form of a sticker, or some tape on the lounger of the current time, so they can keep track. If the chair remains unoccupied for 40 minutes, the contents shall be removed, so other guests can use it.
Norwegian Prima Completes First Us Cruise
New York City got a taste of Norwegian Cruise Lines newest cruise ship in the past week, Norwegian Prima. The cruise ship sailed on her maiden US voyage on October 6, visiting Halifax, Nova Scotia, and returned to New York City on October 10, completing the ships first US sailing.
Norwegian Prima departed on one more voyage from New York City. On October 10, she sailed on a five-day cruise visiting Norfolk and Bermuda. She will return to New York next year to offer roundtrip sailings to Bermuda starting March 28, 2023, through May 14, 2023.
Following her cruise to Bermuda, Norwegian Prima will sail south to Galveston, Texas. Along the way, the ship will call on Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic and the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.
After a second cruise from Galveston, Norwegian Prima will sail two cruises from Miami before a series of fifteen cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida.
Five more ships in the Prima class are scheduled for release in the next five years. In 2023, Norwegian Viva will set sail for the first time. Another vessel will be released each year after that between 2024 and 2027.
Recommended Reading: Alaska Cruise Packages Including Airfare 2022
Why Choose Radiance Of The Seas
While Radiance of the Seas is considered a small cruise ship by Royal Caribbean standards, she is still a large vessel that holds nearly 2,500 guests at double capacity. Many guests enjoy the size of a Radiance Class ship for the combination of having enough activities to do while maintaining a more personal feel.
Radiance of the Seas was built to sail in all types of climates, so youll be able to enjoy both indoor and outdoor spaces during the cruise. Whether you choose to relax in the beautiful adults-only Solarium or catch a movie in the indoor cinema, youll find plenty of ways to pass time on a chilly day at sea.
Related: Best things to do on an Alaska cruise
The biggest benefit of sailing on Radiance of the Seas to Alaska, though, is having the opportunity to book a one-way cruise itinerary. Alaska is a massive, stunning state that offers so much to see not only by cruise, but also on land.
With a one-way itinerary, you can choose to spend time sightseeing in Alaskas interior before or after the cruise. You can plan your own land tour or opt for one of Royal Caribbeans land-based Cruise Tours to visit destinations like Anchorage or Denali National Park and Reserve.
Disney Cruise Schedule Sail Dates Ports & More
7/28/22
Itineraries for 2022 Disney Cruises are listed below, along with the complete 2022 Disney Cruise Line schedule.
If youre thinking about taking a Disney Cruise in 2022, you may also want to read our comprehensive Disney Cruise discount guide and Disney Cruise planning tips pages.
To check the most current health and safety measures, please visit Disney Cruise Lines Know Before You Go page.
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Sailings for Winter/Spring 2022 were announced on October 15, 2020. They went on sale for Platinum Castaway Club members on October 19, 2020, Gold members on October 20, Silver members and DVC members on October 21, and everyone else on October 22.
Sailings for late Spring 2022 forDisney Dream and Disney Fantasy were announced and available to book on December 21, 2020.
Sailings for Summer 2022 were announced on March 18, 2021. They went on sale for Platinum Castaway Club members on March 22, 2021, Gold members on March 23, Silver members and DVC members on March 24, and everyone else on March 25.
Sailings for Fall/Winter 2022 were announced on June 17, 2021. They went on sale for Platinum Castaway Club members on June 21, 2021, Gold members on June 22, Silver members and DVC members on June 23, and everyone else on June 24.
and Star Wars Day at Sea 2022 cruise dates were announced on February 17, 2021.
Read Also: Disney Cruise Vs Royal Caribbean
See The Wilds Of A Great Frontier
Immerse yourself in a world of Tlingit heritage and experience the outpost atmosphere that prevails in charming, mountain-ringed seaside towns. As you cruise this pristine wilderness of misty fjords, lush forests and gleaming walls of ice, pan for gold like prospectors of old, meet local Tlingit who have fished these waters for centuries, and hear tales both tall and true of a region where a Wild West spirit still feels very much alive.
Immerse yourself in a world of Tlingit heritage and experience the outpost atmosphere that prevails in charming, mountain-ringed seaside towns. As you cruise this pristine wilderness of misty fjords, lush forests and gleaming walls of ice, pan for gold like prospectors of old, meet local Tlingit who have fished these waters for centuries, and hear tales both tall and true of a region where a Wild West spirit still feels very much alive.
Cruise Industry Group To Meet With Ketchikan City Council After Juneau Agreement
Representatives of Alaskas cruise industry are scheduled to discuss the next decade of cruise ship tourism with Ketchikans City Council on Thursday. Leaders of the Alaska chapter of Cruise Lines International Association will present their projections and discuss the short- and long-term needs for Ketchikans downtown cruise ship docks.
Its the latest development in a years-long dispute over how Ketchikan can spend the money cruise lines pay to dock downtown. In 2018, a federal judge in Juneau ruled that proceeds from head taxes the per-passenger fees that Juneau and Ketchikan charge cruise companies to tie up in town can only be spent on services that directly benefit the marine operations of the vessel under the Constitutions Tonnage Clause.
In 2020, the council voted down an effort to turn over day-to-day port operations to a private company. Those in favor of the idea said hiring a port operator, which would charge cruise lines to dock and pay the city a fee, would remove some restrictions on the funds, which could then be spent on other needs.
Last year, city officials proposed a change to the way Ketchikan assesses its head tax. A lawyer for the city said that by charging the fee directly to passengers rather than cruise lines, Ketchikan could spend the proceeds on amenities for passengers.
But the council punted on the idea in February 2021 after CLIA Alaska raised the threat of legal action and local tourism business owners spoke out against the idea.
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Carnival Ecstasy Final Voyage Ends
And finally, we come to a sad ending with Carnival Ecstasy reaching the end of service. After 31 years, the Fantasy-class Carnival cruise ship ends its final voyage with passengers, a five-night cruise that departed Mobile, Alabama, on October 10. The itinerary included a final call to Cozumel and then to Progreso, before heading back home.
While many are sad to see the smaller size cruise ship go, she did have a final hurrah. During the last day at sea, Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald organized an auction where a considerable amount of money was collected to benefit St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, a longtime beneficiary of charitable events onboard Carnival cruise ships.
During her career, the cruise ship sailed on 2,300 cruises for Carnival, during which more than 5.5 million guests embarked and disembarked the ship. The Fantasy-class cruise ship has always been a hugely popular ship amongst Carnival Cruise Line guests.
Carnival Ecstasy will make its way across the Atlantic Ocean and towards the Mediterranean in the coming days. She will be broken up as scrap metal in the shipbreaking yard in Turkey.
However, before that happens, and once all the guests have disembarked, the crew will start making preparations to strip the ship of anything valuable, such as consumables, towels, and valuable hardware.
Solar Powered Royal Caribbean Terminal
The new $125 million, 161,334-square-foot Galveston Cruise Terminal, which opens on November 9, will significantly expand Royal Caribbeans presence in Galveston.
But whats even more impressive is that once opened, the cruise terminal in Galveston will be the first of its kind to generate 100% of the energy needed to run all systems through a massive array of solar panels measuring 30,000 square feet.
The terminal will be the home of Allure of the Seas, the first time Galveston welcomes Royal Caribbeans signature Oasis Class.
Several other Royal Caribbean cruise ships will also use the new terminal, such as Adventure of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas. In all, the facility will be able to handle 630,000 Royal Caribbean cruise passengers annually.
The solar panels will provide over 100% of the energy needs of the building the surplus will be sent to the local power grid. There will be bicycles for staff, providing alternative transportation to the city, and electric charging points for vehicles.
The building has been built with materials that produce less carbon, based on energy used and transportation. At the same time, these materials have been designed to minimize the heat-island effect.
Also Check: Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner Sale
Cruise News Update: October 15 2022
Another busy cruise news update with an old Carnival ship, Norwegian’s new flagship, and the first zero-energy terminal by Royal Caribbean.
Heres your weekly cruise news update across all the major cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean. Weve got coverage on an older ship reaching the end of service, to the newest cruise ship in the world.
Why Choose Quantum Of The Seas
Quantum of the Seas is a large cruise ship, with a capacity of around 4,900 passengers at double capacity. Because of this, she offers an impressive amount of onboard activities, dining options, and entertainment to fit any cruising style.
Kids and adults alike will enjoy the unique I cant believe they put that on a cruise ship activities found onboard, such as the RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator or bumper cars.
If relaxing is more your style, youll find the indoor Solarium or Two70 entertainment venue to be the perfect spaces to kick back with a view.
Plus, Quantum of the Seas sails from Seattle, and this can be a more convenient port option for Americans compared to Vancouver.
Also Check: What Is The Best Alaskan Cruise Line
Why Choose Ovation Of The Seas
Like Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas is also a Quantum Class cruise ship, meaning she offers the latest and greatest of Royal Caribbeans features and activities.
Related: All about Quantum Class ships
Quantum Class ships were designed to sail in both cold and warm climates, so passengers can enjoy two separate indoor pools and a variety of hot tubs on the ship. Weather in Alaska can, of course, be unpredictable, so having access to several indoor pools is a plus of Ovation of the Seas.
Foodies will love a cruise on Ovation of the Seas, as you can choose from mouthwatering Italian food at Jamies Italian to unique creations at Wonderlanda restaurant themed by the tales of Alice in Wonderlandand everything in between.
Related: Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
Ovation of the Seas offers itineraries to many of Alaskas highlights, whether you want to go whale watching in Juneau or ride the White Pass & Yukon Railway in Skagway. You certainly wont find yourself bored whether in port or onboard the ship!
Just like Quantum of the Seas, booking a roundtrip cruise from Seattle can be a convenient option for Americans, as direct flights to Seattle are more common than those to Vancouver.