Carnival Cruise Line resumed guest operations from Mobile, Alabama this week with Carnival Ecstasy.

Carnival Ecstasy is the first cruise ship to depart from Mobile in nearly two years. The five-day Western Caribbean cruise is also the kickoff of the line’s Sailabration festivities which celebrates Carnival’s 50^th Birthday.

Seabourn is modifying six cruise itineraries on Seabourn Ovation that were originally scheduled to visit St. Petersburg, Russia this year. Replacement ports include stops in Scandinavia, Western and Northern Europe and the Norwegian Fjords, such as Gothenburg and Helsingborg, Sweden; Ulvik, Sandness (Stavanger), Farsund, and Aalborg, Norway; Amsterdam, The Netherlands and more. The new itineraries will allow cruise travelers the opportunity to visit a number of destinations rich in history, culture, world-class architecture and beautiful landscapes.

The U.S. price of oil surged 26% last week, rising a little more than $24 per barrel reports AAA. An increase of that size translates to a 60 cent increase at the pump and, for many, fewer road trips. So far, the average has increased 44 cents since last week, which means another 10-15 cent hike is possible. If that happens, the state average would eventually surpass the previous all-time high, moving toward around $4.12 per gallon.

Royal Caribbean International’s latest world’s largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas, welcomed its first guests on board this week then headed to the Caribbean from Port Everglades. Said to have “the ultimate combination of all-new adventures “Wonder is sailing 7-night Caribbean cruises through April 2022 before heading to Barcelona, Spain, and Rome for a summer in the Mediterranean. 

Viking Cruises has a special offer on their popular Cities Of Light itinerary with savings of up to $3800 per couple. Sailing for 12 days from Paris to Prague, this Viking video gives a nice snapshot of what to expect: