Lovers of Celebrity Edge and its sisters soon will have a new option to try out, as Royal Caribbean this week ordered a sixth Edge Series ship, scheduled for delivery in 2018.

Dubbed “Xcel 2” for now, the ship will join Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Apex, and Celebrity Edge, as well as the newest member of the Edge Series fleet, Celebrity Xcel, which will debut in November.

While the ship will include popular elements of the Edge Series, such as the floating Magic Carpet platform and Infinite Veranda staterooms that bring the balcony inside, the company promises, “other yet-to-be-announced innovations.” To that end, Celebrity has launched a “Dream Makers” program, inviting its fans—and their travel advisors—to help design their perfect voyage. Everyone is invited to join the “Dream Makers” community (Opt In thank you page Opt In Form), where you can vote on and test new experiences, from F&B to entertainment to textiles and interior design, the company said.

“Celebrity Xcel will be the happy place of vacationers globally when she launches in November and we’re thrilled to be making this commitment to bring her a sister ship in Edge 6,” Celebrity Cruises president Laura Hodges Bethge said In a press release announcing the new ship.

Celebrity Xcel’s inaugural season will depart Fort Lauderdale on seven-night itineraries to the Caribbean and Mexico, and then move to the Mediterranean for 7- to 11-night sailings from Barcelona and Athens, with overnights in Madeira, Portugal.

Royal Caribbean Group currently has six more ships on order, including the Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas, which also is scheduled to launch this year.

In a devastating incident at the Grand Kartal Hotel, part of Turkey’s Kartalkaya Ski Resort in the Bolu mountains, a fire broke out on Tuesday night, claiming the lives of at least 66 individuals and injuring more than 51 others.

Reports indicate that the fire erupted at the Grand Kartal Hotel, prompting some guests to leap from windows in a panicked effort to escape the flames. The fire rapidly spread, engulfing the hotel in smoke and chaos. The inferno caught residents off-guard in the quiet hours of the night, leaving little time for organized evacuation routes.

Local fire brigade and rescue teams responded swiftly, battling the flames and working to bring the situation under control. The details of exactly what triggered the blaze remain under investigation, with preliminary suggestions indicating the fire originated at the hotel’s restaurant.

As the travel industry looks forward to a new year of adventure and innovation, Host Agency Reviews is set to kick off Host Week 2025, its fifth annual celebration dedicated to hosted travel agents. This much-anticipated event, slated to run each January, is a vibrant homage to the contributions of hosted advisors and an acknowledgment of the industry’s dynamic support system that propels them.

Travel agents are invited to join this week-long festivity, which promises an array of enriching experiences tailored specifically for industry professionals. Host Week’s agenda features:

• Networking Opportunities: Engage with prominent host agencies and consortia through exclusive meet-and-greet sessions. Forge lasting relationships that can catalyze your business growth.
• Exclusive Deals: Attendees will have access to specialized promotions, meticulously curated for Host Week participants, enabling agents to enhance their offerings and deliver exceptional value to their clients.
• Inspiring Keynotes: Be inspired by uplifting speeches from industry leaders. These thought-provoking sessions are designed to motivate travel agents, equipping them with fresh insights and strategies to thrive in the ever-evolving travel landscape.
• Educational Sessions: Dive into EduSpots led by some of the most passionate educators in the field. These sessions will not only broaden your knowledge base but also provide practical skills to implement in your agency.

The event boasts an exceptional lineup of presenters determined to prepare you for a successful 2025, helping you refine your agency’s operations and maximize its potential. Best of all, this premier industry event is completely free of charge, ensuring that all travel agents have the opportunity to partake in its manifold benefits.

Secure your spot at Host Week 2025 and get ready to elevate your agency’s game like never before.

For more information and to register, visit Host Agency Reviews’ official website.

Fear not, travel advisors with solo travelers in 2025. But act fast.

Celebrating its 100^th anniversary with a nod to the $500 billion global solo travel market—whose members make up 11% of the industry and travel an average three times a year—luxury tour operator Tauck is waiving single supplements on many of its river and land cruises for Wave Season. And so too is Aurora Expeditions, on polar expeditions.

Tauck is offering single travelers supplement-free sailings in Category 1 cabins on European river cruise. The smallest cabins on Tauck ships, these measure 150 square feet and have no balcony. Looking for something larger? The Wave Season special offers $1,000 off the single supplement on many other cabins (mostly categories 4 and 5) on 52 departures.

On land, meanwhile, Tauck has reduced the single supplement by up to $600 on 84 departures on five continents—including up to $300 off trips to the US National Parks, Hawaii and the Canadian Rockies; $400 off its iconic 14-day Classic Italy itinerary; or $600 off trips in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

More adventurous souls might appreciate the Wave Season offer from Aurora Expeditions, which is targeting the solo market on high-end cruises to the Arctic and Antarctica. Through March 31, it is offering a number of supplement-free rooms on polar sailings in 2025 and 2026, including 10 single rooms with no supplement on every 2026 sailing on three ships—among them the new Douglas Mawson, scheduled to debut in December 2025. (The supplement usually is 50%, or as much as $6,500 per person.) Aurora also will pair guests with a roommate of the same sex, or honor the double rate if they cannot find you one.

Cruise lines typically charge as much as 100% extra for singles occupying a stateroom built for two, as they lose out not only on the extra fare but also on incidentals and upcharges. Cruzely.com notes that on Royal Caribbean, for example, 31.2% of the $1,818 average spend per passenger per trip comes from onboard spending.

Even as smoke fills the skies above Los Angeles and residents flee the flames, the City of Angels always believes that the show must go on. So while many public spaces are closed, area airports and hotels remain open to travelers, with few cancellations.

FlightAware reported 13 canceled and 41 delayed flights on Thursday, though videos of the fire as seen from the windows fill social media. American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United all are offering travel waivers for those who are interested. The Hotel Association of Los Angeles reports that “hotels are taking in thousands of Angelenos” and their pets, often at reduced rates.

The danger is not yet over, however. “We are far from out of the woods,” meteorologist Ariel Cohen, who oversees the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office, told CNN on Thursday, though the gusts will be less powerful and destructive in terms of structural damage.

Here’s a roundup of other news we found:

Internova’s Family Bonds Foundation offers financial support to travel advisors in need, and may be able to help. The deadline for their next scheduled grant distribution is January 15 (www.familybondsfoundation.com) so apply quickly. (Or donate if you can!)

Red flag warnings are in effect until 6 pm Friday for the Malibu coast, Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, San Gabriel Valley and Mountains, San Fernando Valley, Calabasas, and the 5 and 14 Freeways.

Many major roads around Los Angeles are closed, including the Pacific Coast Highway between the McClure Tunnel and the Topanga Canyon.

Universal Studios Hollywood is closed Thursday but Disneyland is open.

Burbank Airport posted on X: “Weather conditions are impacting various flight operations today. Check with your airline on the status of your flight before heading to LUR.”

The NBA has postponed Thursday night’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets.

The Apple Farm Inn is offering $79/night rates through Friday. Include the word “evacuee” in the notes when you book. (Thanks for sharing Delia DuPlessis.)

Along with the traditional Wave Season specials, Holland America Line this week announced a plan to spend $70 million over the next three years enhancing the guest experience at the sprawling, 60-acre Holland America Denali Lodge. The drawing board includes a remodel of existing rooms and the addition of a new building, restaurant, coffee bar and bar.

With tourism to the 49^th state soaring—and competition for this top-selling cruise destination heated among both cruise and land suppliers— HAL president Beth Bodensteiner noted the convenience of staying at a lodge “at the doorstep of Denali National Park,” near the base of the 20,000-foot Mount Denali. Bodensteiner called the plan “a win for Alaska, our guests, and Holland America Line. Enhancing and expanding the Holland America Denali Lodge will help meet the growing interest in combined land and sea Cruisetours for our 49th state and further support the Alaska tourism industry.”

This year, HAL will add scenic viewpoints to its riverside interpretive trail, improve on-site wayfinding, refine the menu offerings in the restaurants, and improve the public spaces in the Lodge’s Cottonwood and Canyon Lodge buildings.

In 2026, the plan calls for remodeling 48 rooms in Denali Lodge, adding a new coffee shop, and remodeling Karstens Public House with expanded indoor and outdoor seating “to provide a more immersive experience.”

A new building with 120 suites and rooms will open in 2027, with a new restaurant, a new lobby bar, and an enhanced coffee experience.

HAL’s popular Cruisetours program offers 17 itineraries that combine an Alaska cruise with a ride on the glass-domed McKinley Explorer train to Denali National Park and/or Canada’s Yukon Territory, utilizing company-owned motorcoaches, railcars, and hotels, including Denali Lodge.

For Wave Season, meanwhile, Hal’s Start Your Journey offer promises balcony upgrades, bonus amenities, reduced deposits, and other savings. Bookings made by February 28 will be eligible for an onboard spending credit of up to $400 per cabin ($US100 per person) on six- to nine-day cruises, or more for longer voyages.

Have It All premium packages on select cruises between April 2025 to April 2026 get a cabin upgrade in select categories, reduced fares for children, and a 50% deposit. And if they are booked during the offer period, by March 31, 2025, they include shore excursions, the signature beverage package, specialty dining and wi-fi.

Expanding the increasingly popular Dry January theme into the new year, Princess Cruises is rolling out the Amore Princess Zero Alcohol Drinks collection, a “curated menu of premium non-alcoholic elixirs and spirits alternatives.” The curated alcohol-free drinks will be included in Princess Plus and Princess Premier Packages.

The first standalone non-alcoholic menu at a major cruise brand, it will feature 10–20 craft cocktails, developed in collaboration with the team behind Sips, Barcelona, as well as an exclusive selection of craft non-alcoholic beers and white, red, rosé, and sparkling wines. Offerings will include drinks like Blake’s Breeze, a blend of Betty Buzz Sparkling Grapefruit, a splash of soda, and a twist of citrus; Kylie Minogue’s Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé; mocktails featuring Lyre’s No-Jito Royale, mojito made with Lyre’s White Cane Spirit, fresh mint, and lime; and the 24K Margarita, featuring Almave tequila by Lewis Hamilton.

The Amore Princess Zero Alcohol Collection will debut fleetwide by the end of March.

Travel advisors with whom TRO spoke were overwhelmingly positive about the new product.

”I think it’s awesome!!” said Gretchen Machnik Soares, owner of Gulls Way Travel in Old Lyme, CT.

“Yes I think it would make many guests happy as many people in Los Angeles don’t drink and you see this on many bar menus now,” said Melissa Curtin McDavitt at Fora Travel.

“I drink minimally, so I mostly stick to fruity drinks that mask the taste, or non-alcoholic drinks that actually taste good,” said Mollie Knowles Ward at Troubadour Travel in Austin. “I personally am HERE for this new menu option, as will be friends and family in recovery! Previously I got Princess Plus mostly for the WiFi and so my family could enjoy the benefits. This one is all for me!”

Most of my clients are non-drinkers, so I definitely think that this would be something that would interest them. I hope it catches on and eventually goes industry wide,” agreed Mary Barrett, an Outside Travel Agent at Cruise Brothers.

Travel With Shelly Eden owner Michelle Feit Eden noted that “people going alcohol free seems to be a new trend—not because of an alcohol problem but more because they don’t like how they feel and for their health. Many local bars/breweries/restaurants are expanding their offerings to this. I think it’s a great idea.”

At The Bee’s Knees Travel by Heather Bannon, Bannon sees the new option as a selling point for Princess. “Many clients are focusing on health and wellness. And the Millennial and Generation Z clients tend to drink a lot less than the previous generations,” she said. “This is a great offering from Princess and I can think of many clients that would be swayed with this option.”

“Clients often say, ‘my partner doesn’t drink, so we won’t need the Plus package.’ They still struggle with justifying the upgrade even after I explain all the benefits of the package to them,” says Julie Vowell-Ramirez, owner of Dream Vacations franchise Sunny Days Vacations. “This is a great idea!”

“I, personally, love my booze but I am glad to see this trend,” says Phillip Archer, Chief Experience Designer at Roaming Richly Travel. “So many of the younger generations prefer mocktails and this is a great way for Princess to reach a younger audience, which makes great sense for the future of the line.

And Kay Sanderford owner of A+ Cruises and Tours in Kerrville and Waco, TX, just plain likes it for herself. “This is fabulous!” she said. “Due to recent health concerns, I’ve had to mostly shelve the alcohol myself. I really miss an occasional martini especially, even though I’ve never been a heavy drinker. If some of these non-alcoholic drink options are also low or no-sugar, many of my clients and I will be super excited about this new direction. And hope many other cruise lines will follow this trend!”

Most visitors to Mexico head straight to the country’s stunning beaches, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. However, there is an abundance of delights in store for those who venture beyond the beaches to Mexico’s beguiling magic towns. The Mexican tourist board has selected 132 pueblos to be included on a list of so-called ‘magic towns’. The towns are chosen for a combination of characteristics, including culture, architecture, natural beauty, cuisine, and indigenous history. Read the rest of this entry »

The myths and legends of Scotland are fitting of the storyteller culture it is. The tales call forth the natural surroundings of foggy coasts and cliffs. With more than 790 islands along its coast and hills as far as the eye can see, Scotland has plenty of true wilderness to explore. Its cities are reminiscent of the Middle Ages that coexist with the growing modern world. Add hospitable and down-to-earth people – you have an amazing destination for the traveler all around. Read the rest of this entry »

Slow travel is a grassroots approach that emphasizes sustainability, intentionality, and quality over speed and mass tourism. Slow travelers prioritize taking their time to get to know a place in its entirety – not just the main points of interest but also the culture, people, and everyday life. Unlike traditional mass tourism, slow travel emphasizes spending more time in each destination, experiencing local culture face-to-face. Rather than an effort to “tick off” as many places as possible, the slow traveler instead focuses on getting to know one place deeply Read the rest of this entry »

In a bid to enhance transparency and combat financial crimes, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) has introduced a pivotal requirement for U.S. businesses: the Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR). Here’s what you need to know about this new mandate.

What is the BOIR?

The BOIR is a critical reporting requirement aimed at increasing transparency in business ownership. This report necessitates companies to disclose detailed information about individuals who hold significant ownership stakes, known as beneficial owners. Read the rest of this entry »

Sailing into 2025, RCCL’s Oasis-class ships remain unable to dock at the Puerto Rican capital—much to the dismay of customers, travel advisors, and presumably, Royal Caribbean.

The Symphony of the Seas sailings on December 28, 2024, and January 12, 2025, are the latest to be rescheduled, following the closure of San Juan Cruise Port Pier 3.

Pier 3, the only one that can handle the largest RCCL ships, has been out of service since April, when the US Coast Guard announced that “San Juan Port’s Pier-3 West remains closed to cruise ships until further notice pending requested satisfactory assessment studies followed by a Coast Guard on-site inspection of the facility.”

The port at the time said it was “working diligently with regulatory agencies to restore service to Pier 3 West, following a recent incident involving a mooring dolphin.”

Through November and December, RCCL ships have been visiting Labadee, Haiti; Falmouth, Jamaica; and Nassau, Bahamas instead of San Juan. But San Juan is a different kind of destination, a Royal Caribbean homeport that’s not a typical Caribbean island but a US territory with its own unique culture. And the dock is in the heart of the old town of San Juan, with restaurants and stores within easy walking distance of the ships.

Local media reported at the time of the accident that the pier was damaged by MSC Meraviglia, but neither Royal Caribbean nor the Port of San Juan have officially confirmed this.

In the meantime, smaller ships can use the Pan America pier. But there is no timeline for when Pier 3 will be available.

Calls to RCCL for comment were not returned by press time.

Focusing on the highly successful travel advisor channel, Celebrity Cruises in February will launch a new—and gamified—version of its training program and add a position dedicated to serving the trade.

In an exclusive interview onboard Celebrity Ascent, Katina Athanasiou, Celebrity’s senior vice president of sales & services for The Americas, told TRO that the Celebrity Learning program is currently in drydock—but when it emerges in 2025 it “will offer amazing opportunities to learn much more about our ships and brand.” The site’s “facelift” will add content and functionality, gamification elements, and elevated awards when travel advisors finish the courses.

“We’re going to leverage it more to be a site for resources and webinars, where you can see all the previous trainings we’ve done, as well as learn about our systems and our new initiatives,” Athanasiou said. “I’m very excited – it’s a huge investment, but it will ultimately deliver better content and ability for our agents to engage more often with the brand.”

Over the past months, she noted, Celebrity has been “watching the growth in the home-based and IC communities, and we’re working to be very intentional in building a strategy and then a structure” to work with them. “Nearly two-thirds of advisors are either home-based or ICs, and many are new to the industry. How we partner with those advisors, how we engage, and how we train is a little different from pre-pandemic.”

Also on the agenda is more collaboration among the three Royal Caribbean sister brands—Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea—and “a big media push on national TV,” including new markets like professional and college sports.

The European travel industry continues to face challenges, notably from a wave of industrial actions expected to ripple through the continent in the coming months. According to an article in Euronews, here’s what travelers need to keep on their radar.

Italy’s Transport Standstill

Italy bound travelers should brace themselves as a four-hour national strike by the public transport sector unfolds on January 10. Spearheaded by the FAISA-CONFAIL union, this protest will primarily affect urban commutes. Visitors may experience delays or cancellations affecting buses, trams, and metro lines, although taxis and long-distance trains remain operational. Likewise, those navigating Florence in mid-January should expect further disruptions from strike actions targeting regional rail and tram services.

France’s Festive Season Train Snags

For journeys through France, December poses potential travel pitfalls. Strikes, rooted in disputes over regional railway privatization, are poised to hamper both high-speed TGV services and regional TER routes. Given the volatility of the situation, travelers are advised to monitor real-time updates to avoid last-minute surprises.

Portugal’s Flight Punctuality

In Portugal, a series of strikes targeting overtime during the festive season threaten substantial delays at airports. These actions are scheduled to impact flights primarily around Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, as dissatisfied Portway ground staff seek improved compensation.

UK Rail Issues

Across the English Channel, the UK faces its own turbulence. Avanti West Coast rail staff have planned strikes for New Year’s Eve and January 2, potentially complicating travel plans on the West Coast Main Line. Continued disruptions loom every Sunday from mid-January until late May.

Spain’s Coach Commotion

Spain’s ongoing nationwide bus strike disrupts numerous services as the Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT) union agitates for better driver conditions. This situation predominantly affects Murcia and Andalusia, demanding travelers in these regions to adapt their itineraries accordingly.

For continuous updates and to manage travel expectations, it’s advisable to stay informed through official channels and maintain flexibility.

File under “One more thing for travel advisors to remind their clients about.”

Beginning January 8, travelers to the United Kingdom from non-European nations, including the United States and Canada, will need to take an extra step, as the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system rolls out.

Whether just passing through a UK airport or planning a stay of six months or less—for tourism, family visits, business meetings, conferences, or study abroad—visitors will have to fill out an online form (available here: How to apply – Apply for an ETA to come to the UK – GOV.UK) and pay a £10 fee (about $12.75). Then as you prepare to board a plane, gate agents will verify your ETA status via digital link to your passport.

The Home Office says the system, like all biometrics in the travel industry, is designed to speed up the process and increase security.

While applications might be approved in a few hours, the site suggests allowing at least three days for them to come through. But why wait? Applications already are being accepted.

Once issued, an ETA is valid for two years or until the traveler’s passport expires, whichever comes first.

On April 2, the requirement to have an ETA will roll out to EU nationals as well. Only citizens of the UK and Ireland, and those with valid UK visas, will be exempt.

Joyeux Noël from Tauck. With Christmas Market river cruises largely sold out for this year and much of next, interest has been growing in a new destination for holiday sailing and shopping: The River Seine. Jumping on the trend, Tauck this week announced its first-ever Christmas markets river cruise in France for 2025.

The five eight-day “The Seine: Holiday Magic” itineraries begin in Paris, on Tauck’s ms Sapphire riverboat, for three nights and two full days. On tap is hot mulled wine, along with roasted chestnuts, sausages, cheese and chocolate at the Tuileries Garden and other local Christmas markets.

From there Sapphire will sail to Rouen, Les Andelys and Vernon. Highlights include excursions to Gothic Sainte-Chapelle, home to Louis IX’s personal collection of holy relics; a cocktail party at the beautifully decorated Château de Bizy; a private lunch at Château Vaux-le-Vicomte; and a guided tour of Normandy’s D-Day beaches (all included in the price).

Prices range from $4,490 per person plus airfare, including all shore excursions, gratuities, all onboard beverages, meals, taxes and fees and airport transfers.

Onboard Sapphire, most cabins have French balconies, and all have flat-screen televisions, Molton Brown toiletries, cushy bathrobes and free Wi-Fi.

“The Seine: Holiday Magic” is Tauck’s fifth Christmas-market river cruise. It also offers two holiday cruises on the Danube (including a family-friendly Tauck Bridges journey, plus one on the Rhine and one on the waterways of Belgium and Holland.

Online passports have taken a step forward with the broad rollout of a Google Wallet application. Travelers now can upload a passport and just show their phones  as ID at TSA checkpoints across the United States.

Even Google cautions that the technology, which went into beta in September and rolled out on Friday, is still “in its early stages.” And there are a few caveats: Online passports are acceptable as ID at TSA checkpoints for domestic travel only, and do not replace paper passport books for international travel. For now, even Google advises carrying a paper passport book as backup just in case. And the Google wallet is available only on Android phones, not iPhones.

Still, though, it’s a step toward a digital future that finally will let us stop asking that last question as we get into our Ubers to the airport: “Does everyone have their passport?”

To try the new system, open the Google Wallet app on your Android phone and select the prompt that reads “create an ID pass with your US passport.” Then just scan the security chip in your passport and take a selfie video to verify your identity. In a few minutes, you’ll get a notice that your ID pass is ready.

Digital IDs increasingly are being used on the state level; more than half of all states (27 states and Puerto Rico, with New Mexico joining the list this month), and airports including JFK International Airport in New York, Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International, currently accept digital IDs in Google Wallet and/or Apple Wallet. And in September, the State Department rolled out online passport application processing.

Facing strong pushback from the travel industry in general, and the cruise lines in particular, Mexico has postponed a new $42 tourist tax on cruise passengers by six months, from January to July 1.

Mexico has long taxed hotel guests but exempted cruise passengers, who sleep on their ship. But a new bill that passed the Mexican Congress in December calls for a $42 tax on every cruise ship passenger entering Mexican waters, whether they disembark or not.

According to a statement issued by The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, which represents 23 cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian, Mexican officials have agreed to delay the new Federal Law of Rights tax on cruise passengers from January 1 until July 1, 2025. Among other things, the cruise lines had argued that just a 15% drop in calls to Mexico would result in a financial impact that would offset any gains from the tax.

In a statement, FCCA CEO Michele Paige emphasized that the temporary delay is helpful, but does not go far enough. “We thank the Mexican government for listening to our concerns and proposing a delay in the implementation of the tax that will fall mainly on American citizens. However, the removal of the in-transit tax exemption – which was provided to our industry over a decade ago for valid reasons that still apply today – was done without our prior input and after the legislation was passed. It is ironic that until this law was abruptly announced the industry was looking to grow business in Mexico, and now the opposite will occur.”

Designed to address Mexico’s enormous debt—and, some argue, to support its military rather than its tourism infrastructure—the tax will affect the more than 10 million passengers on 3,300 ships arriving in the ports of Cozumel—one of the world’s busiest ports, with 4 million visitors—as well as Costa Maya and Cabo San Lucas.

The cruise industry had strongly lobbied against it. The FCCA said in December that it was “completely caught off guard with last week’s unilateral decision to eliminate the long-standing in-transit exemption and efforts to fast-track this policy change without any dialogue with the industry.”

The group noted that the tax was a “staggering more than 213% increase over the average cost of a Caribbean port” that “could also jeopardize the cruise industry’s investments in the country, including billions in planned developments and other projects”—a serious threat given such planned projects as Royal Caribbean’s new private beach club in Cozumel and Perfect Day Mexico, for example.

Every cruise ship passenger entering Mexican waters soon may be charged a $42 tax, whether they disembark or not.

Mexico has long taxed hotel guests but exempted cruise passengers, who sleep on their ship. But a bill working its way through the Mexican Congress now would target cruise ships beginning in 2026.

Designed to address Mexico’s enormous debt, the tax would affect more than 10 million passengers on 3,300 ships arriving in the ports of Cozumel—one of the world’s busiest ports, with 4 million visitors—as well as Costa Maya and Cabo San Lucas.

The cruise industry, of course, is opposed to the new tax. Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association president Michelle Paige said in a statement that they “were completely caught off guard with last week’s unilateral decision to eliminate the long-standing in-transit exemption and efforts to fast-track this policy change without any dialogue with the industry. This gives us and our partners virtually no time to prepare and creates confusion and uncertainty for our guests because the majority of our cruises have already been sold for 2025.”

A public letter from the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), which represents 23 major cruise lines, said it would make Mexico more than double the price of the average Caribbean port and “could also jeopardize the cruise industry’s investments in the country, including billions in planned developments and other projects.” The Mexican Association of Shipping Agents said in a statement that “if this measure is implemented, it would make Mexican ports of call among the most expensive in the world, severely affecting their competitiveness with other Caribbean destinations”—a serious threat given Royal Caribbean’s plan to open a private beach club in Cozumel in 2026 and Perfect Day Mexico in 2027.

It started with an article in Queens Jewish Link with the incendiary title Cruise Company To Kosher Travelers: Stay Off (queensjewishlink.com) and quickly spread across the tight-knit religious Jewish community.

Here are the facts as we know them.

The article asserted that a group of 140 Jewish cruisers on the Costa Toscana had been canceled just days before departure because “the ship’s crew refused to cooperate with the provision of kosher food” and refused to allow the use of kosher china, pots, frying pans, etc.”

No recourse was possible, the article quoted Costa as saying. “We simply will not do this,” tour operator Yossi Zablocki was told, even though he already had purchased $22,000 worth of kosher food, bought tickets to Europe for his staff, and had a history of running more than 40 high-end kosher cruises in the past, many of them with Costa Cruises, which is owned by Carnival Cruise Line.

“I thought the days of ‘No Jews and dogs allowed’ were over,” the article quoted Zablocki as saying. “I don’t think they realize what they have walked into. I will keep fighting until the world understands what they have done. The Jewish People have faced enough discrimination.”

Costa responded that it is “very familiar with Kosher meal requirements, and we have successfully supported Kosher meal requests onboard Costa ships multiple times per year for decades and will continue to do so in the future. Unfortunately, last July, Destination 631 Tours failed to reach the minimum cabin booking thresholds (50 cabins) necessary for us to provide Kosher meal service. Costa was fully transparent with the tour operator, communicating with them well in advance of departure that if the tour did not meet the required minimum cabin reservations, it would be impossible for us to provide Kosher meals.”

But Zablocki insisted the group had 140 attendees and anti-Semitism was the real issue.

Costa Replies to TRO

Approached by a travel advisor after the original story broke, TRO reached out to Costa Cruises for a comment. They replied,

“We regret that the facts of this situation have been misrepresented by Mr. Yosef Zablocki, who we have ceased doing business with as a result of his breach of our business terms and unprofessional business behavior. Each year Costa welcomes hundreds of thousands of guests from all different religions, backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures, and with proper notice and coordination, we happily accommodate a variety of special requests, including dietary requirements. We are very familiar with Kosher meal requirements and successfully support Kosher service requests onboard Costa ships multiple times per year.

“Unfortunately, for two July sailings, Destination 613 Tours and Mr. Zablocki failed to reach the minimum cabin booking thresholds required for us to provide Kosher meal service at the strict levels specified for this tour. These requirements ensure we have the adequate operational set-up to fulfill the special meal requests, as we will do this summer for two other Kosher groups organized by other long-standing reputable tour operators, who met the necessary terms without issue.

”Costa was fully transparent with the tour operator, communicating with them well in advance of departure that if the tours did not meet the required minimum cabin reservations, the full Kosher service could not be provided.

“The business decision to terminate our business relationship with Mr. Zablocki and Destination 613 says nothing of the company’s dedication to and proud service of our many Jewish guests across all our cruise lines, and to our many Jewish travel partners and employees.”

Correction: The original version of this story mistakenly stated that it was retracted by the author, Jeffrey Helmreich. This was incorrect; we inadvertently mistook him for someone else in the story. We sincerely apologize for any embarrassment this has caused Mr. Helmreich and/or The Jewish Link.

As if record crowds and anticipated storms aren’t enough trouble for the Thanksgiving rush, airport workers at Los Angeles and Charlotte are threatening labor actions that will add to the turmoil.

At LAX, 100 members of members of the SEIU United Service Workers West—ground workers who clean planes, handle baggage, maintain airport safety, and assist wheelchair passengers—are scheduled to rally and march today. They are demanding an increase in the minimum wage to $25 an hour, and $30 an hour by 2028, and access to affordable health care.

The rally is the result of the LA City Council’s postponing a vote on a proposal to raise the minimum wage for tourism workers until December 11.

SEIU says LAX generates $126 billion for Southern California—a number sure to grow when Los Angeles hosts the World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in 2028.

In Charlotte, meanwhile, ground workers of the Service Employees International Union and Prospect Airport Services held a 24-hour strike today at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, an American Airlines (AA) hub. The two companies provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs for AA. They, too, are demanding higher wages; most workers earn $12.50 to $19 an hour, the union said.

American said in a statement that it doesn’t expect “any significant disruption” this week from the strike, and only about 30 American flights—about 4%—were delayed on Monday afternoon, according to FlightAware.