March 2022

NCL’s Norwegian Escape Runs Aground Near Dominican Republic

By Jim Walker on March 15, 2022

Late yesterday afternoon, the Norwegian Escape encountered high winds and ran aground as the NCL cruise ship was departing Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Several videos showed the ship in Puerto Plata near the shore.

@WESH @WFTV @FoxNews @cnnbrk @CNN @MSNBC Hearing from friends onboard the NCL Norwegian Escape, out of Port Canaveral, that the ship has run aground on a sandbar while departing Puerto Plata. No injuries reported. #cruise #Caribbean #Florida https://t.co/iYGwpI1HyF

— Marc Gordon (@marcgordon_) March 15, 2022

An NCL cruise passenger, the Disney Dude, was one of the first guests to report on the grounding and…

Back to “Nickel and Diming” Again: Norwegian Cruise Line Jacks Up Gratuities

By Jim Walker on March 14, 2022

Posted in Crew Work Conditions and Rights, Industry & Corporate News

The cost of daily service charges on cruise ships operated by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has increased again, to as much as $20 per person, per day according to several news sites. Cruzely and The Street report that the new charges reflect a “hike of $1.50 daily for The Haven and Suites, no change for…

Carnival Cruise Line’s 50th Birthday – Five Decades of Sexual Assaults, Air and Water Pollution, and Avoiding U.S. Taxes and U.S. Wage and Labor Laws

By Jim Walker on March 12, 2022

Posted in Pollution & Environmental Damage

Yesterday was Carnival Cruise Line’s fiftieth (50th) birthday. The internet was filled with celebratory tweets and Facebook postings from Carnival cruise fans and travel agents extolling the cruise line’s “family fun and entertainment.”

There is no question that one thing this cruise line has successfully accomplished over the last 50 years is to market itself…

United States Coast Guard Medevacs Crew Member From Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas

By Jim Walker on March 11, 2022

Posted in Search and Rescue

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) medevaced a crew member from the Serenade of the Seas yesterday, eighty miles west of Tampa. The USCG deployed a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater.

In January of this year, we reported that Royal Caribbean began using the Serenade of the Seas as a floating…

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises Refuse to Cancel Cruises to Russia

By Jim Walker on March 1, 2022

Posted in Crew Work Conditions and Rights

Although most cruise lines have finally canceled port calls in Russia following the unprovoked and deadly invasion of Ukraine, there are two companies which have steadfastly refused to alter their cruise schedules to that region – Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises.

Last week, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which operates Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Regent Seven…

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