NCL Makes Last Minute Change, Adds Pay to Play

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on several significant updates within the cruise industry for October 5. Norwegian Cruise Line has announced a policy change regarding spa category staterooms and suites, including those located in the Haven. Starting January 1, the company will eliminate these specific categories. While guests who booked these rooms before October 2 will keep their current privileges, the line will no longer provide free thermal suite access to all guests. Instead, passengers wishing to use the thermal suite must pay for access, a move intended to increase capacity for all travelers. In Barbados, the tourism sector reported a record number of cruise visitors for the 22-23 season, with over 625,000 passengers across 362 port calls. This figure represents an 86 percent recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels, and the island anticipates another record season. Additionally, the Carnival Venezia made its inaugural call in Aruba, marked by a water cannon salute and a plaque exchange ceremony. The ship is currently on a 15-night Southern Caribbean itinerary from New York City. Finally, the report notes positive movement in cruise line stocks, with Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line all seeing percentage increases on Wednesday.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.