Cruise News Today — March 29, 2023 [VIDEO]

Royal Caribbean Details Bars and Lounges on Icon of the Seas

Royal Caribbean has announced many of the bars and lounges that will be featured on its upcoming ship Icon of the Seas.

For the first time, a Royal Caribbean ship will include a dueling pianos bar, which will be in the Royal Promenade. The ship’s AquaDome will feature a coffee shop that also serves espresso cocktails, as well as a whimsical lounge called Overlook. In Central Park will be a new walk-up champagne window as well as a jazz lounge and the fleet’s largest Trellis Bar.

Icon of the Seas is scheduled to debut in Miami in January.

STORY: Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas to Feature Dueling Pianos, Walk-Up Champagne Window

Carnival Alters Shore Excursions in Noumea

Carnival has altered some shore excursions on Carnival Luminosa and Splendor in Noumea due to recent shark attacks in the region.

Recent shark attacks in New Caledonia, which is near Australia, have prompted local authorities to close public beaches. This has impacted any excursions that included beach visits.

Multiple shark attacks have already occurred in Noumea this year, causing local authorities to ban swimming from the beaches on March 27th until further notice.

Carnival Luminosa and Splendor are the only Carnival ships currently sailing in the South Pacific. Luminosa is sailing from Brisbane, and Splendor is homeporting in Sydney.

Norwegian Prima Returns to New York City

After finishing its first winter in the Caribbean, Norwegian Prima arrived back in New York City today to begin a series of cruises to Bermuda. The Bermuda schedule includes five sailings to King’s Wharf, where the ship will spend multiple days docked during each cruise.

In May, Prima will set off for a one-way cruise from Manhattan to Iceland, then on another from Iceland to England. The ship will spend the summer operating mostly one-way voyages between Iceland and England.

Prima is set to homeport in New York again in late 2024.

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