ncl june cruises

NCL Cruises 2024

• Beverage Packages / Cruising / Food and Drink / Hawaii

NCL’s Hawaii Beverage Package: A Complete Guide

by Prof. Cruise · Published June 24, 2021 · Updated June 25, 2021

Since posting my “ 35 Tips For Your Cruise To Hawaii On NCL’s Pride Of America ” and my review and ship tour of the Pride of America , I’ve received a lot of follow-up questions, like “how did you get your hair to look that great in a tropical climate?”  Okay, I’ve never been asked that, but would it kill you to flatter me for once?  (The answer, BTW, is that I had it tied back in a makeshift bun, cemented into place by sweat, from embarkation to debarkation). 

In reality, most of the questions I’ve been asked have been about the Hawaii Beverage Package, which differs from the standard Premium Beverage Package (formerly called the “Ultimate Beverage Package”) available on most other NCL ships.  So I’ve prepared this guide to help you understand the Hawaii Beverage Package. I’ll answer all the specific questions I’ve received, discuss whether it’s a good deal for you, and offer tips on how to fully take advantage of it. I’ll even throw in some bar menus and drink pics.

How Much Does The Hawaii Beverage Package Cost?

The retail price of the Hawaii Beverage Package is $99 per person per day plus a 20% gratuity and beverage service charge that will be paid at the time of purchase.  So the Hawaii Beverage Package on the 7-day Pride of America sailing will cost you:

 $693 (base cost) + $138.60 (gratuity/service charge) = $831.60 total per person .

But if you’ve actually ever paid retail for an NCL beverage package, I have a $300 Prof. Cruise branded hat I’d like to sell you. 

Instead, most people who want the Hawaii Beverage Package opt to receive it as a “Free at Sea” promotion. 

What Do I Need To Know About Receiving The Hawaii Beverage Package As Part Of The “Free At Sea” Promotion?

Well the first thing you need to know is that it’s not “free.”  While the $99 per person per day base charge will be waved, you’ll still be paying the 20% gratuity and beverage service charge on the full retail price of the package.  That means you’ll pay $19.80 per person per day or $138.60 per person for the 7-day Pride of America sailing.

Second, if you opt for the “Free At Sea” promotion, you may pay more for your stateroom.  If you’re looking to save money on your cruise, you can do so by booking a “sail away” rate which means you will not receive most of the “Free At Sea” promotions and you won’t be able to select your stateroom (one in the category you chose or higher will be assigned to you), but your cruise fare will be less.  Here’s a mock booking for an inside cabin on the Pride of America just so you can get a sense of the price difference:

In the above case, you’d save $154 by booking a “sail away” inside cabin without the “free” promotions.

Is The Hawaii Beverage Package Worth The Cost?

The best way to determine this is to estimate the number of drinks you’ll consume per day, add them up, and see if the cost à la carte comes out to be more than the cost of the package (either outright or with the Free at Sea promotion). You can use the menus I’ll be posting below to give you an idea of the cost for the kinds of drinks you like. Here are a few additional things to consider when determining value:

• You’ll be spending most of your time off the ship in port. Unlike most cruises that include at least a few sea days, the Pride of America travels from island to island at night and spends the days (and even a few overnights) in port. This greatly limits the time you’ll have to drink on the ship.
• You’re likely to drink more if you get the drink package. I’ve found that I drink about 90% more when I have a drink package. Ask yourself, “do I really want to drink that much?” You might be just as happy with a few drinks a day and you’ll end up saving money by not getting the drink package.

Does The Hawaii Beverage Package Include Alcohol?

Before we get into everything the Hawaii Beverage Package includes, I want to clear something up that I get asked about a lot.  Yes, the Hawaii Beverage Package DOES include alcohol.  But it didn’t always include alcohol and that’s why there’s so much confusion around this. 

If you’d sailed on the Pride of America and purchased a beverage package prior to 2019, your vacation would have been as dry as California’s underbrush in August and you’d be just as likely to ignite: “What do you mean my package doesn’t include alcohol?!?”  Why, you ask?  Because (and this next part is speculation, but I think it’s probably true) the lawyers at NCL believed it would violate Hawaii’s Intoxicating Liquor Law.   So what changed?  I don’t know for sure, but I do know that the law in Hawaii didn’t change.  So I suspect NCL’s lawyers were able to figure out a way to remain in compliance and still offer a package that includes alcohol. 

NCL did add this verbiage to their fine print: The purchase of any alcoholic drinks within the Hawaii Beverage Package may, in certain individual circumstances, be restricted in accordance with Hawaii’s Intoxicating Liquor Law and applicable local rules and regulations.      

For practical purposes, that just means don’t get sloppy drunk and go bungee jumping off your balcony, wheeeeee, putting NCL at risk for a wrongful death lawsuit.

What Does The Hawaii Beverage Package Include?

Whether you purchase the Hawaii Beverage Package at retail price or through the “Free at Sea” promotion, here’s what it includes:

• Alcoholic beverages up to $15
• Fountain soda
• Bottled water (both flat and sparkling)
• Non-alcoholic beer
• A limited selection of specialty coffee if ordered in the dining rooms

What Does The Hawaii Beverage Package NOT Include?

• The extra cost for alcoholic beverages above $15.  In other words, you can order a drink priced above $15, but you will have to pay the difference for any amount over $15. 
• Specialty coffee at the John Adam’s Café or anywhere outside of the dining rooms.  I have a trick for this though, which I’ll share later.
• Any drink with an extra charge ordered through room service
• Drinks from the mini-bar in your cabin
• Vending machine drinks
• State and local taxes while at port in Hawaii

I want to spend a minute on that last one, because it’s a larger issue on the Pride of America Hawaiian cruise than it is on other sailings. Why, you ask? Because you’ll spend most of the time you’d be drinking docked at port. That means that for the vast majority of drinks you order, you’ll be charged state and local taxes. Here’s a sample receipt from my last sailing on the Pride of America in February 2020 just to give you a sense of how much you’ll pay:

So I paid $1.37 in taxes on $33 in drink charges. That’s just a bit over 4%. While it’s not a significant amount per transaction, it adds up over time, so be sure to save a bit of room in the budget to cover it.

How Does The Hawaii Beverage Package Differ From The Premium Beverage Package

On all other NCL ships, the beverage package is called the “Premium Beverage Package.” For practical purposes the only difference is that you can order from a limited menu of specialty coffees in the main dining rooms with the Hawaii Beverage Package. Specialty coffee in the main dining rooms is not included in the Premium Beverage Package.

Is There A Limit To The Number Of Alcoholic Drinks I Can Order Per Day With The Hawaii Beverage Package?

No. There is no stated limit on the number of drinks you can order per day as long as NCL is in compliance with Hawaii’s Intoxicating Liquor Law and you’re drinking just enough to enjoy your vacation AND get your money’s worth, but not so much that you die, get arrested, or accidentally bid on a piece of art (sold to Prof. Cruise for $5000 above the previous high bid after she tried every martini on the menu at Pink’s).

How Many Alcoholic Drinks Can I Order At Once With The Hawaii Beverage Package?

Double fist it (in other words, two per transaction)! Unless you’re Prof. Cruise. I can barely carry one drink at a time on a moving ship. Or a stationary ship. Or on dry land stone cold sober.

What Bars Are On The Pride Of America?

There are nine bars on the Pride of America: Aloha Lanai Bar, Gold Rush Saloon, John Adams Coffee Bar, Key West Bar and Grill, Waikiki Bar, Pink’s Champagne Bar, Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge, Napa Wine Bar, and Ocean Drive Bar. See below for a brief description of each bar, a menu if I have one (we were on one of the last sailings before cruising was halted due to Covid and no menus were out as a health precaution – however, I asked and was able to photograph most of them).

Aloha Lanai Bar

The Aloha Lanai Bar is located on deck 11 aft and offers a full bar with wine, beer, and cocktails.

Gold Rush Saloon

The Gold Rush Saloon is located on deck 11 midship and offers a number of beers on tap as well as wine and cocktails. This is the place to go if you want to catch a live sporting event on TV.

John Adams Cafe (coffee bar)

Located on deck 5 midship, the John Adams Cafe is where to get specialty coffee and tea (but note that they will not be covered by a drink package). There’s also a full bar. Here’s the coffee menu:

Key West Bar and Grill

The Key West Bar and Grill is located on deck 12 forward and specializes in all your tropical favorites! Here’s the menu followed by some pics of my recommended cocktails (this was one of my favorite spots).

Waikiki Bar

Located on deck 13 aft, the Waikiki Bar is a full bar offering wine, beer, and cocktails. Here’s the menu followed by my two favorite drinks:

Pink’s Champagne Bar

Located on deck 6 midship, Pink’s Champagne Bar was inspired by Hawaii’s Royal Palace Hotel on Waikiki Beach and specializes in champagne and martinis. This was my favorite bar – I’m a martini gal because they make me feel sophisticated when I’m not spilling them into my lap and telling random passengers “this isn’t pee” as I return to my cabin to change for the 3rd time. Here’s the menu and a few of the 1,000+ photos I took before I was cut off due to Hawaii’s Intoxicating Liquor Law.

Mardi Gras Cabaret Lounge

Located on deck 6 forward, this lounge features a full bar and nightly entertainment.

Napa Wine Bar

A woman approached me on the Pride of America holding this travel mug and before she could part her lips to speak, I said “deck 6 midship.” “How did you know I was going to ask for directions to the wine bar?” she asked. “Just a hunch,” I replied.

Anyway, here’s the menu for the Napa Wine Bar:

Ocean Drive Bar

This full bar serving beer, wine, and cocktails is located on deck 11 midship and overlooks the South Beach Pool.

Tips For Getting The Most Use Out Of Your Hawaii Beverage Package

Now that we’ve covered which bars are available on the Pride of America, let’s move on to my extra credit pro tips on how to get the most out of the the Hawaii Beverage Package. I want to start with a few tips on how to use the Hawaii Beverage Package in the main dining rooms (MDR) and then I’ll offer some general tips:

MDR Tip: Order A Specialty Coffee In The Main Dining Room

A limited number of specialty coffees are available in the main dining rooms and are covered by your Hawaii Beverage package. These include: espressos, double espressos, lattes, and cappuccinos. Order for breakfast, with lunch and dinner, or with dessert.

MDR Tip: Order A Breakfast Cocktail In The Main Dining Room

My favorites are mimosas, screwdrivers, bloody marys, greyhounds, and coffee with a shot of Baileys.

MDR Tip: Order A Smoothie

We had our 8 year-old son with us on our last Pride of America Sailing and one of our lovely waiters suggested he order a fruit smoothie (which she said would be covered under our HBP). There’s no reason adults can’t order them too, though. Especially after a hot day at port in Hawaii!

MDR Tip: Order Wine, Beer, Or Cocktails With Lunch And Dinner

Here are the drink menus for the MDR’s followed by some pics:

MDR Tip: Order “Off-Menu” Cocktails

You’re not limited to the cocktails on the menu. Feel free to request something “off-menu.” While the MDR doesn’t have all the ingredients necessary to make every drink, they will be able to accommodate most requests (that holds true for the other bars on the ship too).

Tip: Don’t Panic When You See Your Drink Bill

Unlike on other NCL ships where you’ll get a receipt after each transaction that shows a $0 cost for drinks covered under your beverage package, on the Pride of America, your receipt will include the full retail price of your drinks, the gratuity/service charge, and tax. Rest assured though, everything but the tax will be removed before you receive your final bill for onboard purchases. On the receipt above, we only had to pay the $1.37 in tax.

Tip: But DO Double Check Your Final Bill For Onboard Spending

We found a mistake on our final bill – we were charged for several drinks that should have been included in the Hawaii Beverage Package. No biggie, I called guest services and they refunded our credit card. But double check your own bill for errors. It actually pays to do this every few days (you can view it on the TV in your cabin) or even daily as lines and waits for guest services can be longer toward the end of the cruise.

Tip: Go To The Waikiki Bar If You Want To Drink And Smoke

If you want a cigarette with your drink, head to the Waikiki Bar on deck 13 aft. Note that this is the only designated smoking area on the ship.

Tip: Avoid The Waikiki Bar If You Don’t Like Smoke

If you don’t like smoke, I’d avoid the Waikiki bar like you would Prof. Cruise in an elevator after Mexican day at the buffet: “I’ll catch the next one!”

Tip: Grab Boxed Water For Your Port Days

Boxed water is included with the Hawaii Beverage package and can be very handy to keep you hydrated while you’re exploring the islands. Grab a few boxes at the small bar within the buffet as you’re heading out to port in the morning. It’s sealed and can be safely taken off the ship.

Tips: Order Irish Coffee With Baileys

Do you love fancy spiked coffee drinks? Me too! Unfortunately there aren’t any included in the Hawaii Beverage Package. But there are a few hacks you can use to get one. I’ve already mentioned ordering a specialty coffee in the MDR with a shot of Baileys. But you can also order an Irish Coffee with Baileys at the John Adams Coffee Bar and it will be covered under your beverage package. I had many of these on the Pride of America and every time I did, several people asked me what it was. So you’ll get a delicious drink AND make some friends!

Tip: Ask For A To-Go Cup For Your Martini

You can avoid an awkward overshare with strangers regarding the wet spot on your shorts if you ask for your martinis in a “to-go” cup. After six days of multiple wardrobe changes, the bartender at Pink’s finally took pity on me and suggested this. I was being stingy on my extra tips on this cruise, otherwise he probably would have mentioned it on day one. Which brings me to my final tip:

Tip: Tip For Better Service

Here’s a tip, tip. A dollar or two in cash goes a long way in securing excellent service at your bar of choice. You’ve already paid gratuities with your package, so this isn’t required, but it’s appreciated by hard working bartenders and will almost guarantee great service.

Final Thoughts On The Pride Of America’s Hawaii Beverage Package

While I enjoyed having the Hawaii Beverage Package on my first sailing aboard the Pride of America, I probably wouldn’t opt for it again if I could save money on my cruise fare without it. This Hawaii itinerary is all about the ports. I’d rather spend my time and money exploring the beautiful, culturally rich Hawaiian islands.

Either way, I hope you have a wonderful time onboard the Pride of America and in Hawaii! Feel free to ask any questions you may still have in the comments and check out my “ 35 Tips For Your Cruise To Hawaii On NCL’s Pride Of America ” and my Review And Ship Tour Of The Pride Of America .

And if you do decide to get the drink package, don’t forget to pack this :

Class Dismissed.

Don’t forget to  subscribe to the blog  (scroll up to the top right if on a computer or keep scrolling down if on a mobile device) and follow Prof. Cruise on social media:

Share this:

Tags: Hawaii beverage package Hawaii Cruise NCL beverage package Pride of America

You may also like...

A Guide To 1-3 Day Cruises And Cruises To Nowhere

February 1, 2020

 by Prof. Cruise · Published February 1, 2020 · Last modified March 2, 2020

Holland America’s 2021 Christmas and New Year’s Menus

December 11, 2021

 by Prof. Cruise · Published December 11, 2021

5 Prime Day Cruise Essentials You’ll Actually Use

October 10, 2023

 by Prof. Cruise · Published October 10, 2023

• Pingbacks 1

[…] post NCL’s Hawaii Beverage Package: A Complete Guide appeared first on Prof. […]

• Next story Best Excursions For Your First Cruise To Alaska
• Previous story What Should I Pack For My Cruise To Alaska?

About Prof. Cruise

Given name Sarah, but also answers to Prof. Cruise. Retired after 10 years as a college professor to focus full-time on her primary research interest: travel. With a concentration in cruising.  Home port: Seattle.  Mom of a shaggy-haired dog and a shaggy-haired human.  Lover of books and dessert.  Fancies herself a bit of a comedian – you’ve been warned.

Email Address

Subscribe To Blog

Search and you shall (hopefully) find!

Save on shore excursions.

Start your own travel blog with hosting from Bluehost!

Popular Posts

• Norwegian Cruise Line will begin offering cruises from Philadelphia in 2026.
• The cruises will leave from the SouthPort Marine Terminal Complex and feature an overnight stop in Bermuda.
• The ship will operate Bermuda itineraries through Aug. 27, 2026, before offering 10- and 11-day cruises to New England and Canada.

Cruise passengers on the East Coast will soon have another U.S. port to choose from.

Norwegian Cruise Line will begin offering cruises from Philadelphia , marking the first cruise line to have a homeport there in close to 15 years. Norwegian Jewel will sail seven to nine-day sailings to Bermuda starting April 16, 2026, the brand said Wednesday.

“We remain committed to delivering more experiences for our guests to create unforgettable memories, so they can vacation better with us,” the line’s president, David J. Herrera, said in a news release . “We are particularly proud to partner with PhilaPort to launch cruising in the area, making it even more accessible to the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region.”

The cruises will leave from the SouthPort Marine Terminal Complex – where preparations are “currently underway with the local government to develop a facility to welcome cruisers,” according to the release – and feature an overnight stop in Bermuda’s Royal Naval Dockyard.

An African safari cruise? This Norwegian cruise sailing takes you on a bucket list adventure

“The Port of Philadelphia is extremely excited to partner with Norwegian Cruise Line, one of the world’s premier cruise lines,” added Jeff Theobald, PhilaPort’s executive director and CEO. “Philadelphia has so much to offer, as the birthplace of freedom and the home to much of our nation’s history, we look forward to connecting cruisers with our world class city.”

The ship will operate Bermuda itineraries through Aug. 27, 2026, before offering 10- and 11-day cruises to New England and Canada. Embarkation ports for the latter sailings will alternate between Philadelphia and Quebec City in Canada’s Quebec province.

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

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

• CruiseMapper
• Cruise news
• Cruise Industry

NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line unveils 2026 Spring/Summer itineraries

NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line has unveiled its 2026 spring/summer itineraries, featuring voyages to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Alaska, Canada, and New England, along with a new sailing season from the Port of Philadelphia (PhilaPort) after many years.

Starting April 16, 2026, Norwegian Jewel ship will offer 7-to-9-day cruises to Bermuda from the SouthPort Marine Terminal Complex in Philadelphia, where a new facility is being developed to accommodate cruisers. The itineraries will include overnight stays at King's Wharf/Royal Naval Dockyard , allowing passengers ample time to explore the island’s iconic turquoise waters and pink-sand beaches.

This new homeport will be the sole cruise line sailing from Philadelphia through October 17, 2026, providing greater accessibility to cruising for residents of the Mid-Atlantic USA region.

NCL's 2026 spring/summer season will encompass ~250 itineraries across 9 of its 20 ships, visiting 30 destinations in the Caribbean, Bermuda, Bahamas, Canada, New England, and Alaska. The voyages will embark from various U.S. and Canadian ports between April and November 2026.

Key highlights of the 2026 deployment include:

New Bermuda, Canada, and New England Homeports and Itineraries:

• Norwegian Jewel, after the Bermuda season from Philadelphia, will offer 10- and 11-day Canada and New England cruises, alternating between Philadelphia and Quebec City , with calls at Saguenay, Charlottetown, Halifax, Bar Harbor, and Boston .
• Norwegian Breakaway ship from April 19, 2026, will operate 7-day Bermuda voyages from Boston, featuring overnight stays at the Royal Naval Dockyard and visits to Halifax, Nova Scotia . Later in the season, the ship will embark on 7-day Canada and New England itineraries.
• Norwegian Aqua ship from New York City  will offer 5- and 7-day Bermuda cruises with overnight stays at the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Extended Bahamas Season:

• Norwegian Getaway ship has scheduled ~40 short cruises to the Bahamas from Miami in spring/summer 2026. The 3- to 4-night voyages will visit Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay , NCL’s private island, which will feature a new multi-ship pier by late 2025.

Caribbean Cruises:

• Norwegian Prima  ship will continue its Caribbean season from Port Canaveral, Florida , with 7-day sailings to Eastern and Western Caribbean destinations, including Montego Bay, George Town, and Puerto Plata. Guests can combine sailings for extended 14-day voyages.

Alaska Adventures:

• The NCL ships Norwegian Encore , Norwegian Bliss , and Norwegian Joy  will offer various Alaska itineraries from Seattle , Whittier , and Vancouver , featuring onboard activities such as racetracks at sea. Norwegian Jade will provide 7-day sailings between Vancouver and Whittier with no days at sea. Guests can also add an NCL Cruisetour for a deeper exploration of Alaska’s interior.

With the new itineraries, NCL continues to expand its offerings, providing extensive opportunities for guests to explore diverse destinations. The 2026 deployment opens up more options for travelers to plan and book their cruise vacations well in advance.

Broadway cruises to book in 2025

Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Gem will host a Broadway cruise in 2025.  Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line

“There’s nothing more fun than going scuba diving with a Tony winner,” says Philip Birsh. And he should know. The chairman and CEO of Playbill has been running Broadway cruises since 2011, high-end trips that allow passengers to travel to exotic locales while mingling with some of the top names in theater — Patti LuPone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Santino Fontana.

“There are all kinds of cruises,” says Birsh, jazz, bridge, wine, classic movies. Broadway seemed a perfect match, which explains why in recent years other companies have entered the market. Actor and musician Seth Rudetsky, who grew up on Long Island, started hosting Broadway-themed cruises in 2017. And in 2023, Atlanta-based Sixthman added 4-5 night Broadway cruises to its travel roster that also includes rock and country cruises, even a Hallmark cruise.

“It’s a special environment, we try to make people feel like they’re part of a club,” says Birsh, noting that Playbill’s Broadway cruises take place two to three times a year on small, boutique ships (Silversea, Uniworld, Ponant) that hold 200 to 300 passengers. The cruises are expensive, upcoming cruises start around $6,000 a person and go up to more than $10,000 for a suite,  acknowledges Birsh, but the company gets a lot of returning customers. “We have one couple who’s been on every cruise we’ve ever done,” he says.

“Zany stuff happens on stage,” says Birsh, recalling a time when LuPone spontaneously joined actor Howard McGillin on stage for a duet from “Anything Goes.” Or when Fontana and Christopher Fitzgerald did an impromptu performance of the famed comedy routine “Who’s On First?”

Entertainers Gavin Creel and Denée Bentonon performing on a recent Playbill cruise to Tahiti and the Society Islands. Passengers at a makeshift bar in the waters of Tahiti.  Credit: Arturo Olmos

Think of it as theater camp at sea, says Rudetsky, who runs three cruises (Seth’s Big Fat Broadway Cruise) a year. The host of the SiriusXM show “On Broadway,” Rudetsky books 100 to 200 people on a large cruise ship that can hold several thousand people. The group pretty much sticks together, he says. “We hang out, go on excursions, eat together,” he explains. “For a true Broadway fan,” he says, “what could beat riding the elevator with Chita Rivera.”

From the East End and NYC day trips to weekend road trips and beyond, get ideas on how to plan your travels.

By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy .

Passengers on one of Rudetsky’s cruises do more than watch shows put on by Broadway stars like Rivera, Adam Pascal, and Donna McKechnie. If they’re interested, they get to perform with them. Each cruise ends with a concert featuring all the performers, and passengers join them in performing one of their signature songs — Pascal lead the group in “Seasons of Love” from “Rent,” Rivera supervised a “West Side Story” medley, McKechnie taught choreography from “A Chorus Line.”

Performer Gavin Creel enjoying the tropics on the Tahiti cruise.  Credit: Arturo Olmos

“This gave us the opportunity to combine our love of cruising with our love of Broadway,” says Sandy Lory-Snyder, a Hauppauge resident who went on Sixthman’s first Broadway cruise in 2023 with her daughter Arianna. The five-night cruise from New York City to Bermuda featured an impressive list of Broadway talent — among them Kristin Chenoweth, Joshua Henry, Laura Benanti and  Jeremy Jordan. Lory-Snyder was especially taken by Alan Cumming’s performance. “His act was so personal,” she recalls. “I almost felt like he was doing it for me.”

UPCOMING CRUISES

Broadway in venice.

S.S. La Venezia cruise ship's Grand Suite.  Credit: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

Sept. 13-24 on the S.S. La Venezia, Uniworld (126 passengers), round trip from Venice with stops in Chioggia, Porto Viro and Burano. Talent to be announced. Prices start at $6,049 a person, which includes meals and beverages, standard shore excursions, gratuities, two nights pre-cruise in Milan, and all Playbill entertainment.

Seth’s Big Fat Broadway Cruise

In January 2025, the Celebrity Apex cruise ship will depart from Ft. Lauderdale with stops in St. Kitts, British Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic. Credit: Getty Images/Finnbarr Webster

Jan. 11-18, 2025 on the Celebrity Apex (2,910 passengers), from Ft. Lauderdale with stops in St. Kitts, British Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic. Talent includes Liz Callaway, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and Tony Yazbeck. Prices start at $2,141 for an inside cabin or $2,771 for an infinite veranda, including meals and class beverage, gratuities and Wi-Fi, along with group activities like Seth’s radio show, Broadway Bingo, autograph sessions and more. This is one of Celebrity’s newer ships, meaning lots of bells and whistles, including 29 restaurants (some have an additional charge), spa, fitness center and casino.

More info: 917-522-0985,  sethrudetsky.com

The Broadway Cruise 3

Norwegian Gem will host a Broad cruise round trip from Miami with a stop in Cozumel.  Credit: Rick Diaz/Norwegian Cruise Line

March 31-April 4, 2025 on the Norwegian Gem (2,394 passengers) roundtrip from Miami with a stop in Cozumel. Talent includes Shoshana Bean, Wayne Brady, Alex Brightman and Eva Noblezada. Prices start at $1,165 for an inside stateroom, $2,100 for a balcony, including meals, basic non-alcoholic beverages, several specialty restaurants including sushi and a steak house (additional charge), fitness center, spa and casino.

More info: 877-379-9172,  thebroadwaycruise.com

Broadway in the Greek Isles

June 25-July 2, 2025 on L’Austral, Ponant (264 passengers), round trip from Athens, stops include Patmos, Mykonos, Hydra. Talent to be announced. Prices start at $6,497 a person, including meals and most beverages, gratuities and Playbill entertainment.

More info: 866-455-6789, playbilltravel.com

Most Popular

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Photography
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

An Alaska tourist spot will vote whether to ban cruise ships on Saturdays to give locals a break

FILE - Cruise ships are shown near downtown Juneau on June 7, 2023, along the Gastineau Channel, in Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

FILE - Cruise ships are docked on June 9, 2023, in downtown Juneau, Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

FILE - A group of people take in the views of the Mendenhall Glacier on June 8, 2023, in Juneau, Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. Supporters of the proposal say it would give residents a reprieve from the crush of tourists drawn to attractions like Juneau’s fast-retreating Mendenhall Glacier, but opponents say it would hurt local businesses and invite lawsuits. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

FILE - The face of the Mendenhall Glacier on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. Supporters of the proposal say it would give residents a reprieve from the crush of tourists drawn to attractions like Juneau’s fast-retreating Mendenhall Glacier, but opponents say it would hurt local businesses and invite lawsuits. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

FILE - People gather near the base of Nugget Falls, a popular destination for selfies on June 13, 2023, at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, in Juneau, Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. Supporters of the proposal say it would give residents a reprieve from the crush of tourists drawn to attractions like Juneau’s fast-retreating Mendenhall Glacier, but opponents say it would hurt local businesses and invite lawsuits. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

FILE - A cruise ship departs from downtown Juneau, on June 7, 2023, along the Gastineau Channel, in Alaska. Voters in Alaska’s capital city could decide in October whether to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays starting next year. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

• Copy Link copied

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Each year, a crush of tourists arrives in Alaska’s capital city on cruise ships to see wonders like the fast-diminishing Mendenhall Glacier . Now, long-simmering tensions over Juneau’s tourism boom are coming to a head over a new voter initiative aimed at giving residents a respite from the influx.

A measure that would ban cruise ships with 250 or more passengers from docking in Juneau on Saturdays qualified for the Oct. 1 municipal ballot, setting the stage for a debate about how much tourism is too much in a city that is experiencing first-hand the impacts of climate change. The measure would also ban ships on July 4, a day when locals flock to a downtown parade.

The “ship-free Saturdays” initiative that qualified this week will go to voters unless the local Assembly enacts a similar measure by Aug. 15, which is seen as unlikely.

Juneau, accessible only by water or air, is home to the Mendenhall Glacier, a major draw for the cruise passengers who arrive on multi-story ships towering over parts of the modest downtown skyline. Many residents of this city of about 32,000 have concerns about increased traffic, congested trails and the frequent buzz of sight-seeing helicopters transporting visitors to the Mendenhall and other glaciers.

Deborah Craig, who has lived in Juneau for decades, supports ship-free Saturdays. Craig, who lives across the channel from where the ships dock, often hears their early-morning fog horns and broadcast announcements made to passengers that are audible across the water.

The current “overwhelming” number of visitors diminishes what residents love so much about Juneau, she said.

“It’s about preserving the lifestyle that keeps us in Juneau, which is about clean air, clean water, pristine environment and easy access to trails, easy access to water sports and nature,” she said of the initiative.

“There’s this perception that some people are not welcoming of tourists, and that’s not the case at all,” Craig said. “It’s about volume. It’s about too much — too many in a short period of time overwhelming a small community.”

The current cruise season runs from early April to late October.

Opponents of the initiative say limiting dockings will hurt local businesses that rely heavily on tourism and could invite lawsuits. A voter-approved limit on cruise passenger numbers in Bar Harbor, Maine, another community with a significant tourism economy, was challenged in federal court.

Laura McDonnell, a business leader who owns Caribou Crossings, a gift shop in Juneau’s downtown tourist core, said she makes 98% of her annual revenue during the summer season.

Tourism is about all the “local businesses that rely on cruise passengers and our place in the community,” said McDonnell, who is involved in Protect Juneau’s Future, which opposes the initiative.

Some schools recently closed due to factors including declining enrollment, while the regional economy faces challenges, she said.

“I think that as a community, we really need to look at what’s at stake for our economy,” she said. “We are not in a position to be shrinking our economy.”

The cruise industry accounted for $375 million in direct spending in Juneau in 2023, most of that attributable to spending by passengers, according to a report prepared for the city by McKinley Research Group LLC.

After a two-year pandemic lull, cruise passenger numbers rose sharply in Juneau, hitting a record of more than 1.6 million in 2023. Under this year’s schedule, Sept. 21 will be the first day since early May with no large ships in town.

The tourism debate is polarizing, and the city has been trying to find a middle ground, said Alexandra Pierce, Juneau’s visitor industry director. But she noted there also needs to be a regional solution.

If the Juneau initiative passes, it will impact other, smaller communities in southeast Alaska because the ships, generally on trips originating in Seattle or Vancouver, Canada, will have to go somewhere if they can’t dock in Juneau on Saturdays, she said.

Some residents in Sitka, south of Juneau, are in the early stages of trying to limit cruise visitation to that small, island community, which is near a volcano.

Juneau and major cruise lines, including Carnival Corp., Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Group, agreed to a limit of five large ships a day, which took effect this year. They more recently signed a pact , set to take effect in 2026, seeking a daily limit of 16,000 cruise passengers Sundays through Fridays and 12,000 on Saturdays.

Pierce said the overall goal is to keep total cruise passenger visitation around 1.6 million, and to even out daily numbers of visitors that can spike to about 18,000 on the busiest days. Peak days in the past have felt “a bit suffocating,” she said. Juneau traditionally has been the most popular cruise port in the state.

A number of projects around Juneau are expected to help make existing cruise numbers feel less impactful. Those include plans for a gondola at the city-owned ski area and increased visitor capacity at the Mendenhall Glacier recreation area, she said.

Renée Limoge Reeve, vice president of government and community relations for the trade group Cruise Lines International Association Alaska, said the agreements signed with the city were the first of their kind in Alaska.

The best strategy is “ongoing, direct dialogue with local communities” and working together in a way that also provides a predictable source of income for local businesses, she said.

Protect Juneau’s Future, led by local business leaders, said the success of the ballot measure would mean a loss of sales tax revenue and millions of dollars in direct spending by cruise passengers. The group was confident voters would reject the measure, its steering committee said in a statement.

Karla Hart, a sponsor of the initiative and frequent critic of the cruise industry, said the threat of litigation has kept communities from taking steps to limit cruise numbers in the past. She was heartened by legal wins this year in the ongoing fight over the measure passed in Bar Harbor, a popular destination near Maine’s Acadia National Park.

She believes the Juneau initiative will pass.

“Every single person who is going to vote has a lived experience and knowledge of how the cruise industry impacts their lives,” she said.

This story corrects a quote from Pierce about peak days.

Ukraine arming troops with weapons destined for scrapheap

Ukraine’s cash-strapped and under-resourced military is using munitions that had been designated for disposal before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Its defence ministry said on Tuesday it had returned a “significant amount of ammunition of various calibres” which had been “transferred to enterprises for disposal as surplus”.

The rounds, largely artillery shell and small arms munitions, are undergoing “thorough” quality checks before being sent to the front, the ministry added.

Kyiv has been pleading with its allies for more weapons and ammunition to help shore up its frontline defences after suffering long delays and shortages that allowed Russian forces to advance in the east.

“We understand that today every shot, missile, and ammunition is vital on the battlefield,” Yuriy Dzhyhyr, the deputy defence minister, said in a statement. “Instead of disposing of the ammunition, we are disposing of the enemy,” he added.

It comes as the Kremlin denied its major ground offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region had failed as it seals off more than a dozen Russian border villages in order to protect its civilians from ongoing Ukrainian shelling.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone attacks deep within Russia have forced Moscow to beef up its defences around Vladimir Putin’s heavily-guarded palace north of Moscow.

Live Reporting

Related stories, today’s live coverage has ended. here’s a roundup of the day’s events:.

• China and Russia kick off live-fire naval drills
• Ukraine and Russia release 190 POWs
• Kremlin denies its major ground offensive in Kharkiv failed
• Ukraine joining Nato means war, says Putin ally
• Boris Johnson urges Donald Trump to stand by Ukraine
• Japan to use frozen Russian assets to loan Kyiv billions
• Relatives of victims of MH17 vow to hold Russia responsible
• Putin fortifies palace over fears of Ukrainian drones
• Greece planning to send 32 F-16s to Ukraine - report 
• Ukrainian drones kill a couple in car

EU greenlights €4.2bn boost for Ukraine’s economy

The European Commission has green-lighted a €4.2 billion boost to Ukraine’s war-stricken economy.

Ursula Von Der Leyen, the Commission’s president, said: “The people of Ukraine are fighting an atrocious war.

“And at the same time they need functioning schools and hospitals, access to water and electricity, trains, roads and bridges to keep the country running.”

The bloc’s member states will have to also rubber-stamp the decision before the money can be fully dispersed.

Germany to halve military aid to Ukraine

Germany will halve military aid for Ukraine next year despite the possibility that Republican candidate Donald Trump could return to the White House and curb support for Kyiv.

German aid to Ukraine will be cut to €4 billion (£3.3 billion) in 2025 from around €8 billion in 2024, according to a draft of the 2025 budget.

Berlin hopes Kyiv will be able to meet the bulk of its military needs with the $50 billion (£38 billion) in loans from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets agreed by the G7 and that funds earmarked for armaments will not be fully used.

“Ukraine’s financing is secured for the foreseeable future thanks to European instruments and the G7 loans,” German finance minister Christian Lindner said on Wednesday.

Kremlin denies offensive in Kharkiv failed

The Kremlin has denied its major ground offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region had failed as it evacuates border villages in order to protect civilians from ongoing Ukrainian shelling.

Russia launched a surprise assault on the Kharkiv region, which sits across the border from Russia’s Belgorod region, in May in a bid to push Ukrainian forces back and establish what Vladimir Putin called a “security zone”.

However, Belgorod’s regional governor on Tuesday announced that 14 Russian border villages would be sealed off given the ongoing intensity of Ukrainian cross-border attacks.

Asked on Wednesday whether that decision meant the Kharkiv offensive had failed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “No, it doesn’t. This operation is ongoing, it will continue until it has been successfully completed.”

Ukraine and Russia exchange 190 prisoners of war

Russia and Ukraine released 190 captured soldiers in the latest prisoner swap between the two sides on Wednesday.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia’s defence ministry each said 95 of their soldiers had been freed in an exchange mediated by the United Arab Emirates.

“We continue to bring our people home. Another 95 defenders have been released from Russian captivity,” Mr Zelensky said on X, formerly Twitter, adding that the prisoners were from the army, national guard and border guards.

Vladimir Putin said in June that 1,348 Russian soldiers were being held in Ukrainian captivity, and that Russia had detained 6,465 Ukrainian POWs.

Ukrainian drones kill couple in car, says Russian official

A Ukrainian drone killed two people in Russia’s Belgorod region Wednesday, the governor said, a day after he announced plans to restrict access to over a dozen border villages due to continued bombardment.

“An FPV-drone attacked a passenger car with a young married couple in it in the vicinity of the Tserkovnyi hamlet. As a result of the car fire, the couple died on the spot before an ambulance crew arrived,” Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Mr Gladkov this week shut off access to 14 villages for most civilians excluding military and government officials, citing the “extremely difficult” situation there due to Ukrainian shelling.

Greece ‘planning to send 32 F-16s to Ukraine’

Greece is reportedly planning to send 32 F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv.

The Hellenic Air Force, one of the largest air powers in Nato, is said to be about to decommission 32 older F-16 Block-30 fighter jets as it upgrades its force.

According to sources who spoke to Al Jazeera, Greece’s preferred plan is to sell the jets back to the US, who will upgrade them and send them on to Kyiv.

The US Congress has also cleared the way for Greece to purchase up to 40 fifth-generation F-35 multirole fighters, which Ukraine has said it wants.

It comes after president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed this week that the first batch of the long-awaited F-16s is set to arrive in Ukraine imminently, with the second due to arrive by the end of the year. 

Germany jails man for selling military electronics to Russia

A German court on Wednesday sentenced a dual German-Russian citizen to six years and nine months in prison for selling electronics to Russian companies for military use in violation of sanctions.

The EU prohibited such business after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 as part of a wave of sanctions that have increased since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour in 2022.

The Stuttgart court said the 59-year-old man delivered 120,000 parts to Russia that could be used for military purposes between January 2020 and May 2023.

The parts included those used in the Orlan-10 drone deployed by Russia against Ukraine, the court said.

North Korea official visiting Russia drowns

A North Korean official visiting Russia has drowned while swimming in a pond outside Moscow, according to Russian media.

The official, Kim Geum Chol, whose name matches that of a man cited by the secretive state’s media as the leader of a military training contingent, is said to have died on July 11 in Zelenograd, a city just northwest of Moscow.

North Korea’s state KCNA news agency reported earlier this month that a North Korean elite military training delegation had left for Russia on July 8, the first military exchange between the two countries since their leaders signed a pact pledging closer military cooperation.

KCNA said that Kim Geum Chol, whom it described as the president of the Kim Il Sung Military University where Kim Jong-un attended, was leading the delegation.

Putin fortifies palace to protect against Ukrainian drones

Ukrainian drone attacks deep within Russia have forced Moscow to beef up its defences around Vladimir Putin’s palace, 250 miles north of Moscow.

Satellite images revealed at least seven Pantsir-1 medium-range air defence systems have been stationed around the sprawling forest estate on the shores of Lake Valdai, according to the US-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War.

Ukraine’s relentless drone strikes, that have been successfully targeting Russian air bases, have forced Moscow’s military command “to prioritise limited air defence assets to cover what it deems high-value targets,” the ISW said.

Such static coverage could prove futile as Ukrainian drones can still bypass the air defences and strike from uncovered directions, analysts warned.

Hungary: Efforts continue on second peace summit for Ukraine

Efforts are being made to hold a second peace summit on Ukraine this year, Hungary’s foreign minister Peter Szijjarto told Russia’s RIA state news agency on Wednesday.

“I believe that if we want to hope for any peace conference in the future to be successful, we need to make sure that both sides are represented,” Mr Szijjarto told the agency.

It comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said this week that Russia should be represented at the second summit, marking a major about-turn after banning Moscow from the first.

Relatives of MH17 victims vow to hold Russia responsible

Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysian Airlines flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine gathered with officials at Australia’s Parliament House on Wednesday to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives.

One of those relatives, Paul Guard, mostly blames the conflict raging in eastern Ukraine a decade ago for the missile attack that killed 38 Australians, including his parents.

“I don’t think anyone intended to bring down a passenger plane. So in that sense, I’m heartbroken that the conflict continues,” Paul Guard told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“But I think that a lot of families would really have just liked an acknowledgement that what happened was wrong and that Russia should not have been waging war,” he added.

The pro-Russia rebel-held border region from where a Soviet-era Buk surface-to-air missile was fatefully launched and where much of the debris landed is now territory controlled by the Russian military.

Moscow has repeatedly denied responsibility for MH17’s destruction and refused to hand over two Russians and a Ukrainian convicted by a Dutch court in absentia in 2022 of murder.

Pictured: The aftermath of a Russian airstrike in Donetsk

Ukraine: Russia loses 1,100 troops and 11 tanks in past day

Ukraine claimed on Wednesday that Russian forces lost over 1,100 troops, 11 tanks, nine armoured vehicles and 43 artillery systems in the past 24 hours.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the losses, adding them to its overall toll of 563,620 Russian troops killed or wounded since February 2022.

Kyiv also added that Russian troops had attacked on 11 fronts over the past day, with the heaviest fighting taking place near to Pokrovsk and Kurakhove in Ukraine’s shattered Donetsk region.

Watch: Chinese tourists fire guns and drive tanks in Russia ‘war games’ holidays

Chinese tourists are visiting the snowy landscapes of Russia to drive tanks, fire grenades and play with guns for the country’s “war games” holidays.

Footage shows the strange new phenomenon where young Chinese, dressed in princess costumes, attend Russian winter camps to let off steam while holding AK-47s and rocket launchers.

Read more on the bizarre experience here .

Japan to use frozen Russian assets for Kyiv

Japan is said to be making the final arrangements to loan $3.3 billion to Ukraine using interest from frozen Russian assets.

The loan will amount to roughly 6 per cent of the G7’s total $50 billion package, the Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday, citing diplomatic sources.

The package, where the US and EU each lend $20 billion and Japan and Britain and Canada lend a combined $10 billon, is set to be approved at a G7 meeting in Brazil later this month.

• Boris Johnson urges Trump to stand by Ukraine

Boris Johnson urged Donald Trump not to abandon Ukraine after the former president picked a running mate who strongly opposes American support for the war.

Mr Johnson met Trump on the fringes of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Monday for almost an hour to discuss the war.

The Republican nominee has chosen JD Vance, a hard-line Ukraine sceptic, as his vice-presidential candidate for November’s election.

The 39-year-old Ohio senator has previously called for Washington to negotiate directly with Moscow over the war, and believes Ukraine will never recover territory lost after Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Read the full story here .

Putin ally: Ukraine joining Nato means war

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has warned the accession of Ukraine to Nato would be a declaration of war against Moscow and the alliance was perilously close to shattering the planet into pieces.

Mr Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and a leading voice among the Kremlin’s hawks, told Russian media that Ukraine’s membership would go beyond a direct threat to Moscow’s security.

“This, in essence, would be a declaration of war - albeit with a delay,” he said in remarks published on Wednesday.

Nato leaders pledged at their summit last week to support Ukraine on an “irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including Nato membership,” but left open when that membership could happen.

Ukraine and Russia to exchange 180 prisoners of war - report

Russia and Ukraine are set to exchange 180 prisoners of war on Wednesday in a deal facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, according to Bloomberg.

Each side plans to release 90 prisoners, a source familiar with the matter told the outlet. The swap will be the sixth exchange this year facilitated by the UAE.

Last week, Ukraine’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, said that Kyiv was planning “a big” prisoner exchange with Russia soon, with the help of the UAE.

China and Russia begin live-fire naval drills in South China Sea

China and Russia have kicked off live-fire naval exercises in the South China Sea as the two countries continue to strengthen military ties in the face of US sanctions.

The opening ceremony of the joint naval drills ‘Maritime Cooperation - 2024’ took place in the Chinese port of Zhanjiang, which will be followed by three days of exercises, the Russian defence ministry said.

During the sea maneuvers, crews of ships of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy are expected to conduct joint air defense exercises, anti-submarine drills and artillery firing.

Wang Guangzheng of the PLA Navy’s Southern Theatre said: “The China-Russia joint patrol has promoted the deepening and practical cooperation between the two in multiple directions and fields... and effectively enhanced the ability to the two sides to jointly respond to maritime security threats.”

Hello and welcome to our live coverage

We will be bringing you all the latest updates from the war in Ukraine.

• Ukrainian army deserter shot dead as anger grows over recruitment drive
• Wounded Russian soldiers – some on crutches – used in 'meat wave' attacks
• Englishman fighting in Ukraine says Kremlin recruiting English speakers
• Russia-Ukraine invasion live,
• Russia-Ukraine war,
• Vladimir Putin,
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• Facebook Icon
• WhatsApp Icon

• 00800 0310 21 21 1-855-577-9489 1-877-288-3037 1-877-288-3037 1-877-474-2969
• | NCL Travel Blog">11-Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog
• | Norwegian Cruise Line">14-Day Authentic Alaska - Northbound Cruise Tour | Norwegian Cruise Line
• | Deck Plans | Norwegian Cruise Line">14-Day Authentic Alaska - Southbound Cruise Tour | Deck Plans | Norwegian Cruise Line
• | Norwegian Cruise Line">20-Day Transpacific from Tokyo (Yokohama) & Alaska | Norwegian Cruise Line
• | NCL Travel Blog">11 Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog
• View All Results
• Preferences
• Latitudes Rewards
• 1 (current)

* Terms & Conditions Package not available on sailings less than 5 days or charter sailings.