Here are some pictures taken on cruises by our clients and us. You can filter by clicking an location or name below.

Here is a list of the most recent Cruise articles written on our blog:

For more info on any of this information, please visit:  Visit www.CruiseForward.org to learn more.

Zika Virus: Travelers should be aware of public health notices

Cruise lines are committed to the safety of passengers and crew members, and they are in regular contact with public health authorities for the latest information and guidance.

Beginning in January 2016, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new travel notices for countries affected by Zika virus.  Additional travel notices have been added and include recommendations that women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant should consider postponing travel to these areas.

CLIA and cruise line public health professionals are in close contact with public health authorities regarding Zika virus and remain vigilant about the health and well-being of passengers and crew.

As with any trip, whether by land, air or sea, travelers should check with public health authorities to be informed regarding health matters at the destinations they will visit, and exercise appropriate precautions as necessary. 

Should a passenger want to know more about Zika virus, the following sources are available, along with recommended precautions: 

CDC Travel Health Notices – http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices

CDC Information on Zika Virus – http://www.cdc.gov/zika/

WHO Zika Information – http://www.who.int/emergencies/zika-virus/en/

Pan American Health Organization Zika Resources – http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11585&Itemid=41688&lang=en

Caribbean Tourism Organization Zika Information – http://www.onecaribbean.org/resources/zika-virus/

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Norovirus: Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships are rare

In its coverage of a 2016 CDC study regarding norovirus illnesses on cruise ships, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that:

“Perceptions that cruise ships can be luxury breeding grounds for acute gastroenteritis outbreaks don’t hold water. A recent CDC report showed that from 2008 to 2014, only 0.18% of more than 73 million cruise passengers and 0.15% of some 28 million crew members reported symptoms of the illness.”

In 2015, there were just 11 norovirus-related outbreaks with thousands of cruise itineraries embarking more than 11 million passengers in the U.S. In each case, the overwhelming majority of passengers remained healthy throughout their vacation, thanks to the excellent protocols executed by the ships’ crews.

In comparison, the CDC reports that 20 million people on land in the U.S. come down with norovirus every year—1 in 15, compared to the less than one percent of cruise ship passengers affected in an outbreak. 

Cruise lines voluntarily work with the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) to study, learn and continually evolve best practices to make already uncommon occurrences even more uncommon.

Cruise ships that call on U.S. ports are subject to federal guidelines which are enforced via two inspections each year. The public can access the inspection score of every ship. The VSP is unique in the travel and hospitality industry—there is no similar federal program for hotels, airlines or restaurants—and the CLIA members are proud of their diligence and transparency. 

Cruise ship crews are keenly focused on keeping ships clean and safe. The process starts even before a ship leaves port, including screening of passengers for any illnesses they may have contracted on land. Passengers are also reminded to wash hands regularly, just as people should do on land, and hand sanitizers are located throughout a ship. 

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Safety: Cruise ships are designed for safety 

A cruise vacation remains one of the safest forms of travel.

Contrary to the claims of professional industry critics, cruise lines are highly regulated, with robust enforcement.  The average ship undergoes dozens of announced and unannounced safety inspections per year, involving hundreds of man-hours and covering thousands of specific requirements set by the International Maritime Organization. 

CLIA policies often exceed requirements of international law.  The cruise industry has a long history of ongoing review and improvement. Providing for the safety of passengers and crew, at all times, is the industry’s top priority.

A study by GP Wild analyzing cruise ship operational incidents shows that while worldwide cruise ship capacity grew by more than 22.5 percent from 2009 to 2014, over that same five-year period the number of operational incidents declined by 15 percent, putting cruise lines’ safety record ahead of other modes of leisure transportation. 

Cruise ships today are the safest that ever sailed, thanks to the rules, regulations, and technological innovations that govern their design.

Ship Size

The size of a ship plays no role in determining its overall safety.

Whether large or small, all cruise ships must be designed and operated in compliance with strict requirements of international law, and the environmental best practices of CLIA Cruise Line Members’ often exceed the law.

The overall safety record of the cruise industry continues to improve and a passenger embarking on a cruise today is safer than at any time in history.  

A study by G.P. Wild found that while cruise capacity increased by 22.5 percent between 2009 and 2014, operational incidents decreased by 15 percent over the same period. The study also showed that cruise travel is decidedly safer than other forms of vacation, business, and daily transportation.

Technology has played a key role in improving ship safety. The cruise industry also systematically studies incidents, no matter how rare, and continuously looks to identify and incorporate safety improvements.

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Security: Cruise lines take passenger safety and security very seriously

Cruise lines coordinate closely with national and international security and law enforcement authorities around the globe to help ensure passenger security. Port and onshore facilities, infrastructure, and other key areas are strictly scrutinized. 

In the event of any safety concerns, cruise ships have the flexibility to alter their itineraries as needed. Providing for the safety and security of passengers and crew is the industry’s top priority.

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Weather: Cruise lines keep passengers safe in a range of sea conditions

Cruise lines and cruise ships monitor multiple weather condition tracking sources so they can make informed decisions on the ship’s itinerary.

While cruise ships are designed for safety and able to withstand extreme weather conditions at sea, cruise lines seek to avoid bad weather when possible for the comfort of all on board.

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Man Overboard: Incidents are very uncommon

Publicly available data show that incidents of man overboard (MOB) on cruise ships are very uncommon, and nearly always known to be the unfortunate result of intentional or reckless acts.

In 2014, there were 18 overboard incidents out of 22 million cruise passengers, an average of one incident per 1.2 million passengers.

Cruise ships are designed for safety. Uniform minimum railing and balcony heights, structural barriers, along with many other safety measures prevent passengers who are acting responsibly from simply “falling” off a cruise ship.

Despite the rare occurrence of MOB, the industry continues to evaluate the effectiveness of overboard detection systems.

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Environmental Q & A Messaging:

Are bigger cruise ships less safe?

No. The overall safety record of the cruise industry continues to improve. A passenger embarking on a cruise today is safer than at any time in history. 

A study by G.P. Wild found that while cruise capacity increased by 22.5 percent between 2009 and 2014, operational incidents decreased by 15 percent over the same period.  The study also showed that cruise travel is decidedly safer than other forms of vacation, business, and daily transportation.

The size of a ship plays no role in determining its overall safety. Whether large or small, all cruise ships must be designed and operated in compliance with strict requirements of international law, and the practices of CLIA Cruise Line Members often exceed the law.

The cruise industry systematically studies incidents, no matter how rare, and continuously looks to identify and incorporate safety improvements.

Do bigger cruise ships equal more pollution?

Each new generation of cruise ship is more and more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.  Even within the same class of ships, a newer model can be as much as 20 percent more fuel efficient.

Whether large or small, new or old, all cruise ships must be operated in compliance with strict requirements of international, national and local environmental regulations.

All CLIA member ocean-going cruise ships, of any size, must implement CLIA environmental policies, which are a mandatory condition of CLIA membership, and often exceed existing regulatory requirements.  For example, CLIA members must implement a zero discharge policy for untreated sewage.

To ensure shipboard compliance, ocean-going cruise ships have senior-level staff on board whose responsibilities include 24-hour compliance with the many different regulations ships encounter as they travel from one destination to another.

What do cruise ships do to minimize air emissions and improve energy efficiency?

CLIA Member Cruise Lines are committed to protecting the environment not only because it is the right thing to do but also because pristine oceans and destinations are essential to the cruise experience.

The cruise industry has invested $1 billion to develop and deploy innovative environmental technologies, practices, and cleaner fuels to help reduce air emissions, such as:

• Deployment of exhaust gas cleaning systems (ECGS) to significantly reduce the amount of particles that go into the atmosphere
• More efficient engines
• Using shore power where available
• Use of low-sulfur fuel to comply with emissions requirements around the world

CLIA works with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to develop stringent requirements to reduce emissions from the global maritime fleet.  This includes a mandatory 30 percent reduction in carbon emission rates by 2025 for new cruise ships, adding to steps that cruise lines are already taking.

The industry is also pursuing LNG as an alternative fuel to help reduce emissions; $8 billion is being committed to the development and building of LNG-fueled cruise ships.

Other energy-efficiency measures implemented by cruise ships include:

• Use of LED lighting that lasts 25 times longer and uses 80 percent less energy.
• Energy efficient engines to consume less fuel and reduce emissions.
• Special paint coatings for ship hulls that reduce fuel consumption by up to 5 percent.
• Solar panels that capture clean energy for shipboard use – in one example, strategic use of solar panels generates enough power to operate approximately 7,000 LED lights.
• Technologies to allow ships to “plug in” at ports to further reduce air emissions when available, the source of shore-provided power is a cleaner alternative.
• Installation of tinted windows, higher efficiency appliances and HVAC systems, and windows that capture and recycle heat, resulting in the use of less air conditioning.
• Reuse of engine waste heat.
• Optimized itineraries so speed, routes and distances traveled significantly reduce fuel consumption.