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The Alternative to Huge Cruises? 3 Masts, 28 Sails and Wind Power.

We checked out the 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit on a Mediterranean cruise. In this era of gargantuan ships, its elegant clipper design, wooden decks and relatively small size stands out.

By Ceylan Yeğinsu

From the bridge of the three-masted windjammer, the Sea Cloud Spirit , the captain called out the words we’d all been waiting for.

“Let’s set the sails!” he cried, after turning off the engines, while maneuvering to maintain an optimum angle for his 18 deckhands to climb into the shrouds and unfurl the ship’s 44,132 square feet of sails by hand.

Like acrobats, the crew scurried up the masts to the upper topgallant sails that rose nearly 200 feet above us. The ship’s captain, Vukota Stojanovic, later insisted that none of it was for show. “Whenever there is an opportunity to sail, we sail,” he said.

For the next hour, the crew hauled the ropes until the 28 sails were billowing in the wind, propelling the 452-foot-long ship — the world’s largest passenger sailing vessel on which the sails are raised by hand — toward its first port of call, Portofino, Italy.

At a time when cruise lines are packing their ever-more-gargantuan ships with water parks and basketball courts, the 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit, with its old-fashioned clipper design and wooden decks, stands out. It is the newest ship from the Hamburg-based Sea Cloud Cruises , and while it is the company’s biggest, Sea Cloud said it wanted to leave space for passengers to connect to the surrounding elements.

“Wherever you are on the ship, it feels like you are sitting on the water,” said Amelia Dominick, 71, a retired real estate agent from Cologne, Germany, who was on her third cruise onboard the Sea Cloud Spirit.

I had arrived for a four-night “taster sailing” from Nice, France, to the Ligurian region of Italy, designed to entice passengers to sign up for a longer cruise. Here’s what I found.

The ship and cabins

The Spirit has many comforts and luxuries, including a fitness center, library, hair salon and a spa with a Finnish sauna that overlooks the sea. The deck layouts are spacious, with nooks carved out for privacy and relaxation.

Sixty-nine spacious cabins have windows that open onto the sea. My room, a junior suite on the third deck, had two large arched windows, mahogany tables, a balcony and a comfortable couch and armchair. The marble bathroom was lavish, with a gold-plated sink and large jetted bathtub.

The elegant interior design is inspired by the original Sea Cloud, built in 1931 for Marjorie Merriweather Post, the American heiress of the General Foods Corporation, with glossy wooden panels and gold trimmings. The Sea Cloud was the largest private sailing yacht in the world before Post handed it over to the U.S. Navy for use as a weather-reporting vessel during World War II. The four-mast, 64-passenger ship has since been restored to its former glory and will sail across the Aegean and Adriatic this summer.

The experience felt authentic — even before the sails were set — with a detailed safety drill. On most cruises, the drill entails a safety video and signing in at an assembly point. But here, passengers put on their life jackets and walked through emergency scenarios that included rationing food supplies and fishing from the lifeboat.

Each day, the sails were set, even during heavy rain and wind speeds over 30 knots. Guests wanting to participate in the rigging are usually invited to do so, but the weather conditions made it too risky for this sailing.

“It was amazing to watch the work go into putting the sails up and down and to experience the wind power pulling the ship so fast without the engines,” said Malte Rahnenfuehrer, a 50-year-old psychologist from Zurich, who was traveling with his partner and two children.

The captain

It is rare for cruise passengers to see the ship’s captain after the initial welcome drinks or gala dinner. But Capt. Vukota Stojanovic was omnipresent throughout the cruise, from setting sails to lifeguarding to mingling with guests.

Originally from Montenegro, Captain Stojanovic piloted container ships for years. When he was asked to consider helming the original Sea Cloud nearly 10 years ago, he hesitated because he had no experience sailing. Even after he learned the ropes — and there are 340 ropes (known as running rigging) on the vessel — he was unsure. “I grew to love the sailings, the boats, the crew the lifestyle, but I still felt I belonged on container ships,” he said. “It would be a big adjustment, especially because I would have to shave every day,” he joked.

Eventually, he accepted the opportunity and worked tirelessly to learn how to sail and operate the ship. Today, he keeps an “open bridge” policy, allowing passengers to visit the control room, even when he is wrestling with the wind.

“The crew and the passengers are all part of the experience, and I like to meet people and receive their feedback,” Captain Stojanovic said.

Environment

Sea Cloud Cruises aspires to take a “gentle” approach, using wind power to drive its ships wherever possible, even if that means changing course for optimal weather conditions. When sailing is not possible, the Spirit has two diesel-electric engines that run on low-sulfur marine diesel fuel. The company is also working with ports that have shore power capabilities to plug into the local electric power.

Onboard, there is an emphasis on reusable bottles and paper straws, and crew members separate solid waste to be compacted and removed when in port.

Excursions and Activities

We made stops in Portofino, San Remo, Italy, and St.-Tropez, France, anchoring offshore and getting to land by tender — a contrast to the big cruise ships with their loud horns and thick plumes of exhaust spewing from their funnels.

For passengers wanting to take a dip (there is no pool), the crew marked an area in the water with floats and an inflatable slide. The water was frigid, but many passengers took the plunge from the swimming deck. Guests could also take “Zodiac Safaris” around the ship to get views of the vessel from the water.

Excursions ranged from food and wine tours to e-biking and beach trips. In Portofino, passengers were free to explore the sights independently, including the Castello Brown Fortress and the lighthouse on Punta del Capo rock. There was ample time to eat meals on shore as the ship did not depart until 11 p.m. Over the summer, the Sea Cloud Spirit will sail to Spain, Portugal, France and the Azores, among other destinations. On Nov. 11, she will depart for St. Maarten in the Caribbean for the winter.

Wherever the vessel goes, said Mirell Reyes, president of Sea Cloud Cruise for North America, the company tries to “stay away from the crowds and ports where big cruise ships spit out 6,000 passengers.”

Summer prices, which include food and beverages, range from $3,995 for a four-night sailing in a superior cabin to $9,420 for a veranda suite. Seven-night sailings cost between $6,995 and $16,495.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Ceylan Yeginsu is a travel reporter for The Times who frequently writes about the cruise industry and Europe, where she is based. More about Ceylan Yeğinsu

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9 Best Cruise Lines for Solo Travelers [2024]

Updated : May 29, 2024

AAA Travel Editor, SMS

Table of contents.

• Holland America Cruise Line
• Silversea Cruise Line
• Royal Caribbean
• Azamara Cruise Line
• Cunard Cruise Line
• Viking River Cruises
• Seabourn Cruise Line
• Oceania Cruise Line 
• Celebrity Cruises

How To Avoid Single Supplements 

Book your solo cruise with aaa.

With plenty of ways to mingle with other passengers (or enjoy some quality alone time), going on a cruise alone is the perfect getaway for solo and single travelers .

However, you’ll need to do your research before booking since cruising solo can get expensive. Some cruise lines charge single supplements, which means you'll pay extra when traveling alone and staying in a room that's usually meant for two people.

Luckily, as solo cruising has become more popular, certain cruise lines have started to cater to the needs of guests traveling alone and even offer cabins specifically designed for solo cruisers. 

Read on to discover the best cruise lines for solo travelers. 

1. Holland America Cruise Line

Single cabins: Yes

Solo travel perks: Single Partners Program

AAA Member Benefit: 

• $50 onboard spending credit per person

AAA Vacations ® Benefit:

• 50 Denali Dollars per person on Alaska cruises for Verandah staterooms and above

Known for having some of the best customer service in the industry, it should come as no surprise that Holland America Line is dedicated to providing an exceptional experience to solo travelers onboard their fleet of ships. 

The line’s newest ships—Rotterdam, Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam—have 12 single staterooms perfect for solo travelers. Each of these rooms is approximately 127-172 square feet and equipped with full-size and modern amenities. Plus, every single cabin boasts an ocean view, so you can enjoy the scenery during your voyage. 

Holland America Line also does a great job at creating an atmosphere of camaraderie on their ships. The Single Partners Program, offered on most voyages, puts on activities, cocktail parties and mixers for singles and solo travelers to mingle during the cruise. Whether you enjoy exercise classes, wine tastings or trivia, you’re sure to meet other travelers with similar interests through this program. 

2. Silversea Cruise Line

Single cabins: No

Solo travel perks : Low single supplements 

AAA Member Benefit:

• Up to $300 per person in onboard credit on select voyages

Smaller cruise lines are great for solo travelers since you’ll see familiar faces throughout your journey, which can make it easier to strike up conversations and form connections with fellow travelers. 

One of the best small cruise lines for solo travelers is Silversea Cruise Line. While they don’t offer single cabins, they have extremely low single supplements of just 25 percent on certain voyages. For reference, most cruise lines have single supplements that are 50 percent to 100 percent of the fare, so Silversea’s rate is very affordable in comparison. 

At the beginning of your voyage, there will be a champagne Welcome Reception which serves as the perfect opportunity to mingle with other solo travelers. During certain journeys, Gentlemen Hosts will be available aboard to welcome solo guests.

3. Royal Caribbean

Solo travel perks : Solo traveler meet-ups 

• Free 8x10 photo per stateroom on 7+ night balcony or suite bookings

AAA Vacations® Benefit :

• Complimentary sparkling wine and chocolate-covered strawberries 
• $25 onboard spending credit per stateroom for six nights or less voyages
• $50 onboard spending credit per stateroom for 7-10 night voyages
• $100 onboard spending credit per stateroom for 11+ night voyages 

Royal Caribbean offers studio staterooms on certain ships that are perfect for solo travelers and adult cruisers . When you book one of these rooms, you can avoid paying the typical single supplement fee. These rooms range from 101 square feet to 199 square feet, and you can choose from an inside stateroom, a virtual balcony stateroom or an ocean-view stateroom with a balcony. 

Studio staterooms are available on the following ships in their fleet: 

• Anthem of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas 
• Harmony of the Seas 
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas

Once onboard, Royal Caribbean offers a ton of on-board activities, shows and dining experiences that make it ideal for solo travelers. Plus, they often have meet-ups for solo travelers looking to make friends while onboard. 

4. Azamara Cruise Line

Single cabins : No

Solo travel perks : Special rates as low as 25-50% off stateroom fares and gatherings for solo travelers 

AAA Member Benefit :

• $150 per stateroom onboard credit on select Club Ocean View or above sailings.
• Onboard spending credit of $200 per stateroom 

Azamara Cruise Line operates a fleet of mid-sized ships that journey to destinations all over the world. The cruise line is known for its Destination Immersion® experiences that feature intimate ships, access to smaller ports that other cruise ships can’t visit and longer stays at ports. 

Azamara provides special rates for solo travelers as low as 25-50 percent off stateroom fares. Additionally, they offer thoughtfully created activities and gatherings for solo travelers to socialize with each other onboard. 

5. Cunard Cruise Line

Solo travel perks : Group dining, coffee chats and cocktail parties for solo travelers

• Onboard credit for all voyages that are 7 nights and longer 

Cunard is among the best luxury cruise lines , and it’s a great option for solo travelers looking for upscale service, socialization opportunities and elegant staterooms. The cruise line offers single staterooms aboard their Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth ships. During your time aboard, you’ll enjoy 24-hour room service, luxury toiletries and a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine. 

The cruise line is also known for its delicious culinary options and for going out of the way to ensure solo travelers have an enjoyable dining experience. While you can always choose to dine solo, they also provide the option to dine with fellow travelers at a shared table. Solo travelers can also attend coffee chats and cocktail parties to socialize with other guests. 

6. Viking River Cruises

Solo travel perks : Special solo traveler fares 

• $100 per person shipboard credit for cruises 8-11 days
• $200 per person shipboard credit for cruises 12+ days 

If you’re looking to embark on a solo river cruise in Europe , look no further than Viking River Cruises. The cruise line is known for its immersive journeys sailing through the world’s greatest rivers while offering world-class accommodation, incredible customer service and unique cultural events along the way. 

While Viking doesn’t have single cabins, they will occasionally offer special solo traveler fares. Plus, you can check for other discounts available for the cruises you’re interested in to save money on your travels.  

7. Seabourn Cruise Line

Solo travel perks : Special offers for solo travelers on select voyages 

• Singles receive $150 per suite onboarding spending credit on select sailings 

AAA Vacations® Benefit:

• $200 per suite onboard spending credit on select sailings 

Prefer to feel like you're on a private yacht instead of a cruise ship? The small-ship cruise line, Seabourn provides an intimate experience complete with personalized service, optional shore excursions and entertainment options. 

The cruise line offers a discounted single supplement, beginning at just 10% more than current fares for certain voyages and suite categories. The discount is available for cruises to Alaska , Greece, Iceland, Greenland and more. 

8. Oceania Cruise Line 

Single cabins : Yes

Solo travel perks : Social events and group dining tables

• $100 per person onboard spending credit on select sailings 
• Complimentary pre-paid gratuities
• Free group wine tasting with a sommelier

From friendly crew members to social events, The Oceania Cruise Line goes above and beyond to make solo travelers feel at home on their ships. Solo cruises can attend cocktail parties or opt into group dining to meet other guests onboard. The small ships are also easy to navigate and provide a relaxing atmosphere. 

With solo staterooms available aboard the Vista, Regatta, Insignia, Nautica and Sirena ships, you don’t have to worry about solo supplements driving the price up. The accommodations feature private verandas or ocean-view windows as well as many amenities to keep you comfortable during your voyage. 

9. Celebrity Cruises

Solo travel perks : Hosted social events

• Onboard credit based on the stateroom category booked

Celebrity Cruises is another popular cruise line for solo travelers, offering social events to help solo cruisers make new friends. Known for its inclusivity, Celebrity Cruises is also one of the most LGBTQ-friendly cruise lines in the industry. Their itineraries, such as their Bali, Malaysia and Thailand itineraries, are some of the best cruises for solo travelers looking for excitement and adventure. 

Celebrity’s solo cruise cabins are available on the Celebrity Edge®, Celebrity Apex®, Celebrity Beyond℠ and Celebrity Ascent℠ ships. Solo travelers can choose between an ocean-view room with a veranda and an inside stateroom. All of the solo rooms come with the same products and services as the regular staterooms. 

The easiest way to avoid single supplements is to opt for a cruise line that offers solo cabins. However, if your heart is set on a cruise line or ship that doesn’t have this perk, consider looking out for specials that waive or discount single supplements. You can also try using a roommate matching program that some cruise lines offer, which pairs you in a room with another solo traveler. 

Whether you're looking to book a quick getaway or an around-the-world cruise , embarking on a solo cruise is a rewarding experience offering adventure, relaxation and the freedom to cater your journey around your preferences. Not to mention, you can partake in the many things to do on a cruise and make life-long friends along the way.  

Book your solo cruises with AAA Travel and ensure you’ll have peace of mind during your once-in-a-lifetime trip. With your AAA Membership , you'll receive exclusive deals, onboard spending credits and other perks.

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FundraiserRewards.org

Fundraiser Rewards, a division of Touraid Travel, puts a whole new spin on fundraising for a cause! Our motto, 'putting the FUN in Fundraising' rings true when you're talking about vacations! Who doesn't want to get onboard a fun cruise ship or relax at an all-inclusive resort?

Now your supporters can raise funds while doing something they are going to do anyway; take a vacation! Supporters will receive the lowest available fares with all of today today's top cruise brands, two worldwide tour companies and more than 600 resorts.

For more information on how you or your organization can participate in our FundraiserRewards.org program, please contact:

Kristin Davenport (508) 541-8810 [email protected]

Travel plans in disarray as P&O Cruises retires iconic Pacific Explorer

For Jane Newson, taking a cruise every year has been her chance to see the world when other options were too expensive. 

For months, she's been saving for a much-anticipated trip next year from Auckland to Tonga aboard the P&O Pacific Explorer.

She would be joined by her partner and some of her closest friends, including two who are nearing their 80th birthdays.

"It is lovely to be away for a week and not to have to do any of the things you do at home," she said.

"[These trips] offer a fantastic opportunity for people to cruise that don't have high incomes."

But on Tuesday, Ms Newson received an email advising her cruise had been cancelled, hours after P&O announced it was retiring the Explorer and folding operations into its parent company Carnival Cruises .

"It's a shame, such a shame, and we are all so disappointed, especially because there was six of us going," she said.

Social media has also been flooded with comments from disillusioned cruise ship passengers who had planned to take trips onboard the Pacific Explorer next year, while others have lamented the loss of the brand after 90 years on the water.

For Caitlin Dennis, the iconic cruise company shaped her life.

She took her first cruise onboard a P&O ship when she was 16 and would later go on to work on several cruise ship companies as a dancer and singer.

"It's a really sad loss to the industry and to the wider public," Ms Dennis said.

"That first cruise inspired me to go and seek out a career on a ship and I know a lot of other entertainers that work on that ship are going to be devastated about it."

A sign of things to come

The Pacific Explorer, which travels through Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific and is known affectionately as "Dora" among the cruise community, will be retired on March 2 next year.

P&O's larger cruise ships, the Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure will be rebranded and transferred to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, along with their workforces.

P&O Cruises Australia issued its surprise notice to customers on Tuesday.

"As a result, all itineraries on Pacific Explorer scheduled to sail after 2nd March 2025 are being cancelled," it said.

"If you are booked on one of these itineraries you will be contacted by guest services in the coming days with refund details.

"We are all immensely proud of P&O Cruises Australia's 90-year heritage of dedicated operations in the region, and Carnival Cruise Line are honoured to carry forward its storied legacy and continue to deliver the same onboard experiences and itineraries."

Carnival CEO Josh Weinstein said in a statement that the decision to retire the Explorer was made due to the South Pacific's "small population" as well as "significantly higher operating and regulatory costs".

The senior lecturer in tourism management at the University of South Australia, Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, said the cruise ship industry appeared to be moving away from the smaller cruise liners of 2,000 passengers.

This year the world's biggest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, was launched by Royal Caribbean International. It can take 7,600 passengers, almost four times the capacity of the Pacific Explorer.

"The major cruise companies are all moving towards 'mega-ships' so this could be the end of cruise companies like P&O that have a national character and serve a particular market," Professor Higgins-Desbiolles said.

"They are decommissioning and part of the reasoning is the environmental consciousness of passengers. They want to be more environmentally responsive to changing technology."

She said the cruise industry was also still recovering from the global pandemic, with high operating costs and port fees impacting on their bottom line.

The Explorer brought in tens of thousands of tourists to several Australian towns, including Airlie Beach and Cairns, on day trips.

Professor Higgins-Desbiolles said there will be fears about the effect on local economies.

"Some of the regional destinations will be wondering how the change in itinerary will impact on them and we won't know that straight away," she said.

"Places like Cairns, Airlie Beach and Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln could all be affected."

Queensland Tourism Minister Michael Healy said he was "surprised" by Tuesday's announcement and there may be "some impact" on coastal communities, where the Pacific Explorer docks.

"I have had correspondence from the company talking about strategic alignment and I look forward to investigating that," Mr Healy said.

A spokeswoman for Carnival Australia told the ABC no-one from the company was available for an interview but did say "thousands" of passengers would receive refunds for cancelled Pacific Explorer trips.

Customers who had cruises booked on the Explorer after March 2 2025 have the option of a refund or credit for Carnival with extra onboard spending money.

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Carnival Corp to fold P&O Cruises Australia brand into Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Corp. will fold P&O Cruises Australia into Carnival Cruise Line next year.

• Other Carnival Corp. brands include Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn.
• The change does not affect Carnival Corp.’s England-based P&O Cruises, which is a separate brand.

The cruise line operator will retire the P&O Cruises Australia brand in March 2025, the company announced Monday.

"Despite increasing Carnival Cruise Line's capacity by almost 25% since 2019 including transferring three ships from Costa Cruises, guest demand remains incredibly strong so we're leveraging our scale in an even more meaningful way by absorbing an entire brand into the world's most popular cruise line," Carnival Corp. CEO Josh Weinstein said in a news release .

Other Carnival Corp. brands include Holland America Line , Princess Cruises and Seabourn.

Carnival Cruise Line will constitute around 35% of the company’s worldwide capacity when the transition is finished, up from 29% in 2019. P&O’s Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure ships will sail for Carnival following a rebrand, while Pacific Explorer will leave the fleet in February.

"P&O Cruises Australia is a storied brand with an amazing team, and we are extremely proud of everything we have accomplished together in Australia and the broader region," Weinstein continued. "However, given the strategic reality of the South Pacific's small population and significantly higher operating and regulatory costs, we're adjusting our approach to give us the efficiencies we need to continue delivering an incredible cruise experience year-round to our guests in the region.”

A spokesperson for the company told USA TODAY the integration "will unfortunately result in some staffing reductions, and we are notifying employees," though they did not share specific numbers. "We also expect to have most members of the P&O Australia shipboard team redeployed to work for Carnival Cruise Line or our six other cruise lines operating in the region," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Following the change, Carnival will have four ships sailing in the market, including Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa. The company said guests will be contacted “in the coming days” about any changes to future cruises because of the consolidation. Current itineraries will sail as scheduled.

Cruise booking tips: There's more to it than picking your travel dates

"We look forward to building on the history and heritage of P&O Cruises Australia by bringing some of our innovations to more cruise guests in the region," Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy added in the release. "While we plan to make some technology upgrades and other small changes to the two P&O Cruises Australia ships, they will continue to be geared to the unique Australian market with a familiar feel and much of the same experiences for P&O Cruises Australia guests.”

The change does not affect Carnival Corp.’s England-based P&O Cruises, which is a separate brand. The company also recently announced that Carnival Cruise Line will add two new Excel-class ships in 2027 and 2028.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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The City of Juneau Just Implemented Restrictions on Cruise Ships — Here’s Why

The new rule will go into effect in 2026.

John Elk/Getty Images

The Alaskan city of Juneau will cap cruise ship visitors in the coming years in an effort to combat overtourism in the popular state capital.

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) reached an agreement with cruise lines to establish limits of 16,000 lower berths per day on Sundays through Fridays and a limit of 12,000 lower berths per day on Saturdays, according to the city . The new agreement will go into effect during the 2026 Alaska cruise season .

Lower berths essentially refer to passenger capacity on a ship.

“The cruise industry is vital to our local economy, and we need to improve our infrastructure and grow our tour capacity to create a great guest experience and reduce impacts on residents,” Juneau Visitor Industry Director Alexandra Pierce said in a statement. “With this agreement, we are committing to a cap to manage our busiest days and to meet annually to ensure that our visitor numbers remain sustainable.”

The agreement was signed by major cruise lines that stop in the city, including Carnival Corporation, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line. 

Renée Limoge Reeve, the vice president of government and community relations at the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), said the agreement “reflects the industry’s ongoing commitment to work with CBJ and the residents of Juneau to deliver win-win partnerships.”

This isn’t the first time the city has implemented rules to limit crowds. Last year, the city passed a similar measure limiting large ships to a maximum of five ships on the same day. That agreement went into effect this year. 

Juneau also isn’t alone in placing restrictions on cruise ships. In 2022, the town of Bar Harbor, Maine, voted to limit disembarking passengers to no more than 1,000 people each day; and last year, the California city of Monterey effectively banned cruise ships by voting to terminate city services for them.

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Discover card cashback reward

By MrsPete , January 4, 2005 in Royal Caribbean International

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Quick question for any of you who may have the Discover credit card:

Discover credits 1% (I think it's1%) of your purchases to an account, which you can use for various rewards. You can DOUBLE your credits by purchasing a Royal Caribbean gift certificate. The maximum amount is $80 -- so you would recieve $160 credit towards your cruise -- new bookings only, cannot be credited towards an already-exisiting booking. The cruise can only be booked through TourAid Travel Cruise, a company I know nothing about.

Has anyone done this? I'm thinking it's a good use of my rewards credits, but I'd love to hear someone else say they've done it.

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Share on other sites.

We used the Cashback bonus for our last cruise. The Touraid Travel is just a sebset of a larger agency - I can't remember the name off the top of my head. We had no trouble at all and April (our contact) was very nice and knowledgeable. We booked our next cruises with a personal friend who is an agent, but would have no problem using Touraid again. Now that RCI has the no discount policy, using the cashback bonus might be the best way to get some $$$ off.

We used the cash back bonus last year. Since we didn't have our certificates before final payment, they said our $160 would come as a check that would not be mailed until we sailed. Worked just like they said.

Are doing it again this year, but got our certificates earlier, so it will just be deducted from our amount due for final payment.

Also, this year we had seen some cabins open up and wanted to make sure we got them, so booked directly with RCI and then transferred the booking to Touraid (Cruise and Vacation Desk). Had talked with Rachel before hand, and had no problem doing the transfer and still using our $160 certificate.

My brain is a bit fried from reading this board.....could you be a bit more explicit please? I have booked a cruise on my Discovercard with Vacations to Go. What do I have to do to get this cashback reward? Or is it too late?

Does Touraid have a web site where you can compare their price to other agencies? I use Discover Card, but have never used the Double Bonus award for a cruise. Since they only use this one agency, I've always thought I could cut a better deal and use the $80 cash. Will Touraid quote you a price independently of the certificate? If their price is comparable, it's a no brainer, use the certificate (another $80 discount). I'm also a time share owner and the exchange company advertises exchanging your week for a cruise plus cash. I discovered I would almost be giving my week away compared to what I found when checking around. I could be wrong and look forward to what some of you have to say.

I don't know if I'm supposed to give phone numbers and websites on here, so I'll tell you to go to discover card cashback bonus site. If you click through like you want to purchase, you can get the 800 #. You don't have to purchase the certificates until after you have talked with an agent if you don't want to. We are currently working with Rachel. She quoted us the same price that you will see on RCI, Orbitz, or whatever. If you choose to use your double cashback bonus, then you send in the certificate and they subtract the $160 from your final amount due. Basically it gives you $80 off per cabin since you have to use $80 of your cashback bonus to get it (assuming 7 night). It is per cabin. Since we have two cabins, we purchased two certificates. Hope this helps!

Thanks.....I'll head over there now!

Sandy, I suppose if you use the Discover Card as cash during the month and keep it paid off (avoiding high interest) and make your cruise payment with it the bonus adds up real fast. That's money they are giving you and then you are doubling it. You might say your tips are paid for. We are going on the Grandeur January 22. I'll use some of my bonus money next time we book. Thanks for the information

Last year, I looked into using our cashback bonus towards our cruise, but it ended up being cheaper getting the cruise through our travel agent. However, now that most RCI discounts with TAs have been discontinued, that may not be the case anymore. Anyway, my advice is to compare prices elsewhere to make sure that you're making good use of your cashback bonus!

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Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise ships leave from Baltimore for the first time since the collapse of the Key Bridge

• Cruise ships left the Port of Baltimore for the first time since March 26.
• The port's terminal was blocked after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed and killed six workers.
• Rebuilding the bridge will take four years and could cost up to $1.9 billion.

Two months after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed, cruise ships are now taking off from the Port of Baltimore.

A Royal Caribbean ship called Vision of the Seas left from the port on Saturday for a trip to Bermuda. And a Carnival Cruise ship called Pride destined for Greenland and Canada left Baltimore on Sunday.

The two trips are notable as the first cruise ships to leave Baltimore since the port was blocked by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26. The bridge collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship, killing six workers. The Francis Scott Key Bridge services about 30,000 people a day.

"We've been working through this process for the past two months," Jonathan Daniels, the director for the Port of Baltimore said in a video posted to X on May 25 by the port.

One week ago, the port's terminal was the headquarters for the recovery operations for the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Daniels added. The terminal is also a massive area of tourism for Maryland, bringing in 440,000 cruise passengers a year, Daniels told the Baltimore Sun.

The project to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge will take four years and is estimated to cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion, a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Transportation said in May 2023.

Watch: The container ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge has crashed before

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