Cruise Lines Waiving Cancellation Penalties For Cruises Affected By The Zika Virus

Cruise lines have begun waiving cancellation penalties for some customers booked on voyages to the Caribbean and other regions affected by the Zika virus.

Industry giant Carnival Cruise Lines said it will allow pregnant women on sailings that include stops in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and other destinations impacted by the virus to switch to an itinerary to an unaffected area.

Alternately, passengers can postpone their trip or cancel outright and receive a future cruise credit.

Norwegian Cruise Line also is allowing pregnant women sailing to affected areas to postpone trips to a later date or switch itineraries, and Royal Caribbean is also giving pregnant women alternative options.

The cruise lines said the options also are being offered to people traveling with the pregnant passenger.

US health officials said that while posing little risk to most people, the Zika virus is particularly dangerous for pregnant women.

They have cited a link to microcephaly, a birth defect in which infants are born with small skulls and incomplete brain development.

Last week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded a Zika-related travel alert to include the US Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic.

Earlier, the CDC had issued travel alert for Barbados, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Puerto Rico and St Martin. The alert recommends pregnant women to postpone travel to those destinations.

Also included in the CDC alert are Bolivia; Brazil; Cape Verde; Colombia; Ecuador; El Salvador; French Guiana; Guatemala; Guyana; Honduras; Mexico; Panama; Paraguay; Samoa; Suriname and Venezuela.

Source: http://www.cruisediscuss.com/

How To Find A Cruise For Under $300!

The holiday season is almost upon us, and the search for the perfect gift has begun.  Sometimes, however, the greatest gift we can give is that of an unforgettable, memory-creating experience. With a little advance planning, you can gift your loved ones with a cruise for the holidays- without breaking the bank.

CruiseCompete offers a variety of budget-friendly 3, 4, or even 5-day cruises for under $300.00 per person.  With that pricing, you can take the whole family! (CruiseCompete will even help you plan- just take a look at their 2016 Family Friendly Cruise Travel Planner.)

For more cruises under $300 click here: http://www.cruisecompete.com/specials/price/under_300/1.

If you love the idea of a cruise as a holiday gift, and want to research all the possibilities, there is a cruise for every budget.  (You can also search by cruises by line, region and type.  Search all cruise specials here.)

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Now is the time to purchase cruises for the holiday season! CruiseCompete member-agents are the most well-educated, forward-thinking and trusted cruise specialists in the industry. If you’d like more information or assistance planning a future cruise, please visit CruiseCompete.com. To see consumer feedback click here.

Travelore News: Carnival Corporation Granted US Approval For Travel To Cuba

Carnival Corporation, the world's largest travel and leisure company, today announced that the US Department of the Treasury and the US Department of Commerce granted approval for the company to begin travel to Cuba. Carnival Corporation intends to take travelers to Cuba beginning in May 2016 via its newly-launched fathom brand – a new social impact travel brand providing purpose-oriented, social impact experiences, initially in the Dominican Republic.

Carnival Corporation intends to operate fathom travel itineraries directly to Cuba for the purpose of providing cultural, artistic, faith-based and humanitarian exchanges between American and Cuban citizens. Authorized under current US-to-Cuba travel guidelines, the new Cuban itineraries on fathom will strictly comply with US Department of Treasury rules that allow licensed travel companies to transport approved travelers to Cuba to engage in activities that support the Cuban people. Carnival Corporation is in active discussions and plans to work with the appropriate authorities in Cuba so that Cuban approval is granted.

Launched June 4 as Carnival Corporation's 10th global brand, fathom is designed as a purpose-driven brand to enrich the lives of its travelers and in the case of the Dominican Republic, drive sustainable social impact on a significant scale. The brand expects to attract 37,000 annual travelers who collectively could spend a total of more than 100,000 days a year either volunteering or immersing in educational and cultural exchanges in local communities.

Beginning in April 2016, fathom will embark on weekly seven-day voyages from Port Miami aboard the MV Adonia, a 710-passenger vessel redeployed from Carnival Corporation's P&O Cruises (UK) brand. fathom's first impact destination will be the northern region of the Dominican Republic, where Carnival Corporation's new port of call, Amber Cove, will serve as home base.

Following the inaugural April month of voyages to the Dominican Republic, fathom intends to offer both Dominican and Cuban itineraries on a systematic and regular basis, giving travelers the opportunity to choose from two destinations and a range of activities from social impact in the Dominican Republic and educational and cultural exchanges in both countries designed to have a positive, transformative effect on the lives of the travelers.

"We are excited about receiving US approval as the very important first step to ultimately take travelers to Cuba under the existing 12 criteria for authorized travel. We look forward to working with the Cuban authorities for their approval to help make the social, cultural and humanitarian exchanges between US citizens and the people of Cuba a reality," said Arnold Donald, President and CEO of Carnival Corporation. "We know there is strong demand from travelers who want to immerse themselves in Cuban culture, so this is a historic opportunity for us to enable more people to experience Cuban society. It is also an important opportunity for our new fathom brand to expand its positive influence in the world with this potential to add full-week immersion sailings to Cuba to its already planned full-week social-impact itineraries to the Dominican Republic beginning in the spring of 2016."

Tara Russell, president of fathom and global impact lead for Carnival Corporation, added: "We're incredibly excited and humbled by this potential opportunity to help travelers experience the amazing beauty and culture of Cuba, while being able to provide educational and cultural exchange activities that will benefit both the traveler and the Cuban people. After establishing the Dominican Republic as our first partner destination, Cuba represents an important step for us to expand our ability to offer meaningful and enriching experiences to purpose-driven travelers. Our goal remains the same for both destinations – to enable travelers to immerse, learn, serve and flourish while making enduring, sustainable contributions on a scalable and systematic basis. We are looking forward to building what we intend to be a beautiful and lasting friendship with the Cuban people."

Led by Russell's strong background in social entrepreneurship, fathom seeks to develop lasting social impact partnerships that allow for meaningful personal enrichment of the traveler, while providing systematic, long-term educational, environmental and economic development benefits in its partner countries.

"We're very interested in exploring the prospects of expanding our partnership with fathom to include Cuba, building new impact programs and lending our assistance to strengthen existing initiatives that will help educational, cultural and humanitarian efforts already going on in Cuba," said David Luther, founder and executive director of IDDI, a non-profit organization with the mission to help alleviate poverty in rural and urban areas in the Caribbean. "IDDI has long-standing relationships in Cuba and more than a decade of experience working on the ground side-by-side with local officials to make a positive impact in Cuban communities. Nothing else like fathom exists to bring hundreds of like-minded travelers a week to communities of people who need ongoing support. With fathom and its travelers, the potential for making a lasting impact in people's lives is tremendous. We look forward to partnering closely with fathom to take our programs to the next level, and support growth and prosperity for the citizens of Cuba."

Princess Cruises' New Ship To Be Based In China Year Round

Carnival Corporation & plc, the largest cruise company in the world, announced that the new ship currently under construction for Princess Cruises will be based in China year-round when introduced in summer 2017. Based in Shanghai, the ship will be the first year-round international luxury vessel designed and built specifically for Chinese guests.

The as-yet-unnamed ship is being built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, and will carry approximately 3,600 guests on a variety of itineraries, to be announced at a later date. Based on the design of its highly-acclaimed ships Royal Princess and Regal Princess, the new vessel will feature a number of new innovations customized for the growing number of Chinese cruise vacationers.

"Deploying our next new ship in China underscores our strong commitment to growing the China cruise market and providing discerning travelers with amazing vacation experiences at sea," said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises.

Princess ships began home port cruising in China just last year, with a successful inaugural season of Shanghai-based cruises aboard Sapphire Princess. This ship returns for a second China season which begins on June 4 and runs through October 2015.

The ship will be based on the design of the company's new Royal Princess and Regal Princess which have been enthusiastically received by guests from all over the world for their luxurious and beautifully-designed spaces, array of entertainment and activity options, and multiple culinary venues.

The new ship will share many of these special features which include a dramatic multi-story atrium serving as the social hub of the ship; an over-the-ocean SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship; the Princess Live! interactive studio; the largest pastry shop at sea; a special Chef's Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; Princess Watercolor Fantasy, a fountain and music show; Movies Under the Stars featuring the largest outdoor screen at sea; and balconies on all outside staterooms. Accommodations will be configured to appeal to families and multi-generational travelers.
In addition, the new ship will showcase the exclusive Princess Class experience designed specifically for the Chinese market that the company introduced during its first season. Delivered by the ship's dedicated and caring crew, Princess Class enriches the travel experience of each cruise guest, enabling them to participate in unique cultural, culinary, entertaining and inspiring programs including the World Leaders Dinner, traditional English afternoon tea, a Lobster Grill, Ultimate Balcony Dining, an ocean-view hot pot dinner option, ballroom dancing, and an unparalleled duty-free shopping experience.

Additionally guests will enjoy the international flavor of cruising with Princess, including experiencing cuisines from China, Japan, Italy, France, and North and South America among other regions; as well as an array of international festivals re-created to celebrate cultures around the world.

"And as this ship is still in the design phase we are looking forward to creating other new and exciting venues and experiences catering to the Chinese vacationer, which we will reveal in the coming months," Swartz added.

No Fun For 3500 Passengers On Carnival Cruise Ship Prevented From Docking In Sydney Harbor Due To Storm

This Carnival Cruise to Australia wasn't fun but scary for 3500 passengers. Authorities prevented this Carnival ship from docking in Sydney Harbor.

Instead passengers remained on board to experience 85 violent miles an hour winds and powerful 30 foot waves slamming against the cruiseliner.

What was meant to be a 12-night cruise onboard the Carnival Spirit was prolonged by what some are calling a once-in-a-lifetime storm.

It's all part of a massive storm system barreling its way down the Australian Coast.

Carnival reported no medical emergencies onboard the stranded ship.

Representatives for Carnival said their ships were built to take the kind of punishment brought on by the powerful storm which gave Sydney it's wettest two days in nearly two decades.

Queen Of The Mississippi The Most Requested Ship For River Cruises

Queen of the Mississippi the most requested ship for river cruises

The CruiseTrends report for the month of April 2015 has been released. This report provides the travelers with information on most popular trends among consumers, including the top ships, lines and travel dates for premium, luxury and river cruising.

The CruiseTrends report for April 2015 is detailed below.

Most Popular Cruise Lines
(Based on the total number of quote requests for each cruise line in the given month)

1. Premium/Contemporary: Carnival Cruise Lines
2. Luxury: Oceania Cruises
3. River: Viking River Cruises

In second place is Royal Caribbean International for premium/contemporary, Silversea Cruises for luxury and American Cruise Lines for river.

Most Popular Cruise Ships
(Based on the total number of quote requests for each ship)

1. Premium/Contemporary: Oasis of the Seas (changed from Norwegian Breakaway last month)
2. Luxury: Oceania Riviera
3. River: Queen of the Mississippi

Next in popularity are Norwegian Getaway for premium/contemporary, Queen Mary 2 for luxury and American Star for river.

Most Popular Cruise Regions
(Based on the total number of quote requests for each region)

1. Premium/Contemporary: Caribbean
2. Luxury: Europe
3. River: Europe

Next in popularity are North America for premium/contemporary, Mediterranean for luxury and North America for river.

Most Popular Cruise Departure Ports
(Based on the total number of quote requests for each departure port)

1. Premium/Contemporary: Miami, Fla. (changed from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. last month)
2. Luxury: Miami, Fla.
3. River: Budapest, Hungary (changed from Amsterdam, the Netherlands last month)

Next in popularity are Fort Lauderdale, Fla. for premium/contemporary, Istanbul, Turkey for luxury and Amsterdam, the Netherlands for river.

Most Popular Cruise Ports Visited

(Based on the total number of quote requests for each port visited during cruise itineraries, excluding departure ports)

1. Premium/Contemporary: Nassau, Bahamas (changed from Cozumel, Mexico last month)
2. Luxury: Santorini, Greece (changed from Mykonos, Greece last month)
3. River: Vienna, Austria

Next in popularity are Cozumel, Mexico for premium/contemporary, Kusadasi, Turkey for luxury and Regensburg, Germany for river.

Most Popular Countries Visited
(Based on the total number of quote requests for each country visited during cruise itineraries, excluding countries of departure)

1. Premium/Contemporary: Bahamas (changed from Mexico last month)
2. Luxury: Greece
3. River: Germany

Second are Mexico for premium/contemporary, Italy for luxury and Austria for river.

Most Popular Cabin Types
(Based on the total number of quote requests for each cabin type)

1. Premium/Contemporary: Inside
2. Luxury: Balcony
3. River: Balcony

Number of Cabins Requested
(Based on most popular number of cabins per request)

1. Premium/Contemporary: 1
2. Luxury: 1
3. River: 1

Second are 2 cabins for premium/contemporary, 2 cabins for luxury and 2 cabins for river.

Most Popular Cruise Itinerary Lengths
(Based on most requested itinerary lengths)

1. Premium/Contemporary: 7 nights
2. Luxury: 7 nights
3. River: 8 nights

Second are 5 nights for premium/contemporary, 10 nights for luxury and 7 nights for river.

Most Popular Sailing Months Requested
(Based on the most requested months)

1. Premium/Contemporary: April 2015 (changed from March 2015 last month)
2. Luxury: July 2015 (changed from May 2015 last month)
3. River: October 2015 (changed from May 2015 last month)

5 Reasons To Warm Up In Martinique

If the chill of winter has already got you down, consider booking a trip to Martinique in the Southern Caribbean. Whether by cruise ship or by plane, it’s never been easier to reach this tiny French-speaking island and you’ll be glad you did when you arrive to the warm breezes, culinary delights and natural wonders that make Martinique a must-visit destination in the Caribbean. Take a look at five reasons to warm up in Martinique this winter.

1. More cruise ships are making Martinique a port of call

A number of cruise ships have added a stop at Martinique’s Fort-de-France to their itineraries, including the Carnival Splendor and Norwegian Pearl, both of which are making their first-ever stops at the Cruise Village in Martinique this winter. Royal Caribbean’s much-feted Quantum of the Seas will also make port in Fort-de-France starting in January. Meanwhile, Disney Cruise Lines recently added Martinique to Caribbean itineraries for sails in 2016.

2. You’ll find an abundance of outdoor adventures

Whether you want to hike across miles of nature trails, go wreck diving to explore 19th century shipwrecks that sunk in Saint-Pierre’s Bay following a volcanic eruption or try out kitesurfing or boating, it’s easy to spend every day of your visit to Martinique engaging in new adventures across the island. New this year: skydiving. Thanks to Air Colibri, visitors can now experience the beauty and colors of Martinique with a 20-minute flight and a tandem dive from 3500 meters up in the sky.

3. Gourmet cooking classes offer immersive culinary experiences 

Martinique has long been known as an exciting gastronomic destination due in large part to its French-Creole influences. New culinary packages offered by Les Ateliers Medelices now enable unsurpassed cooking experiences. Foodies can choose from small group sessions with renowned chef Jean-Charles Bredas, who was selected as one of the Four Best Caribbean Chefs by Bon Appetit magazine, or classes in local Martiniquan kitchens to create authentic island dishes.

4. A number of prize-winning rum distilleries call Martinique home

Considered the Rum Capital of the World, you’ll find 10 distilleries on the small island of Martinique and you can visit them all along the “Route of Rum.” Even better, many distilleries sit alongside sugar cane plantations with colonial mansions and exquisite gardens. Musée du Rhum Saint-James offers guided tours on plantation trains through the sugar cane fields detailing how rum is made. Meanwhile, Habitation Clement features an art gallery, audio guides (in English and French), and of course, rum tastings.

5. Hotels and villas offer a unique French-Caribbean style and authenticity 

You won’t find chain hotels or mega resorts in Martinique. Instead, you’ll find mostly boutique hotels and luxury villas that reflect a level of authenticity not found on other islands in the Caribbean. Even Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek in Sainte-Anne boasts Creole spa treatments and a French chef who created the menus across the resort. Look to the new Domaine des Fonds Blancs for exclusive self-catering villas complete with gourmet kitchens, private airport transfers, concierge service, even private chefs and bartenders.

Contributed by Erin Gifford, www.aluxurytravelblog.com

Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport

Carnival Cruise Lines Offering New Unique Longer Voyages In 2015-16

 Carnival Cruise Lines will offer a series of unforgettable 10- to 14-day voyages on six different ships between October 2015 and February 2016 that feature extended calls at magnificent destinations throughout the Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexican Riviera and The Bahamas.

Reservations opened today on 11 different voyages offered on Carnival Miracle, Carnival Dream, Carnival Glory and Carnival Sunshine which depart from Long Beach, Calif., Port Canaveral, Fla., San Juan, Miami, and New Orleans and visit more than two dozen tropical destinations, including less traveled ports like Bonaire, Martinique, Dominica, Grenada and, for the first time on a Carnival ship, Tobago. Several of the 10- and 11-day voyages can be combined into three-week-long Caribbean adventures providing an unmatched combination of breathtaking ports of call, amazing experiences ashore, and fun-filled sea days, all at an incredible value.

These new voyages are in addition to a previously announced series of nine 10- to 14-day departures to the Caribbean and Bermuda offered on Carnival Triumph from Galveston and Carnival Pride from Baltimore in 2015-16.

"Based on feedback from our guests and travel agent partners, we're delighted to offer these longer length voyages which provide vacationers an opportunity to visit some of the world's most breathtaking destinations while enjoying all the wonderful on-board innovations and features found aboard Carnival's ships," said Terry Thornton, Carnival's senior vice president of itinerary planning.
The new voyages include:

Carnival Dream

• Oct. 4-15, 2015: 11-day Caribbean/Bermuda cruise from New Orleans to San Juan featuring Nassau, King's Wharf, Bermuda (overnight call), St. Maarten and St. Thomas.

• Oct. 15-25, 2015: 10-day Caribbean cruise from San Juan to New Orleans with calls at St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, Grand Turk, and Falmouth, Jamaica (the above two cruises can be combined to create a 21-day round-trip voyage from New Orleans).

• Jan. 3-14, 2016: 11-day southern Caribbean cruise from New Orleans to San Juan with stops at Grand Turk, Aruba, Bonaire, St. Kitts, Antigua and St. Maarten

• Jan. 14-25, 2016: a 10-day Caribbean cruise from San Juan to New Orleans calling at St. Thomas, Dominica, St. Kitts, Grand Turk and Falmouth (the above two cruises can be combined to create a 21-day round-trip voyage from New Orleans).

Carnival Glory

• Oct. 31–Nov. 14, 2015: 14-day Caribbean cruise round-trip from Miami visiting Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.

• Jan. 23-Feb. 2, 2016: 10-day cruise from Miami to San Juan calling at the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Antigua, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Thomas.

• Feb. 2-13, 2016: 11-day cruise from San Juan to Miami visiting St. Croix, St. Maarten, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire, Aruba, and Curacao (the above two cruises can be combined to create a 21-day round-trip voyage from Miami).
Carnival Sunshine

• Nov. 28-Dec. 9, 2015: 11-day Caribbean/Bahamas voyage from Port Canaveral, Fla., to San Juan visiting Grand Turk, St. Thomas, Tortola, St. Kitts, Dominica, St. Lucia, Antigua and St. Croix.

• Dec. 9-19, 2015: 10-day Caribbean cruise from San Juan to Port Canaveral featuring St. Thomas, Antigua, Dominica, Martinique, St. Croix, and Grand Turk (the above two cruises can be combined to create a 21-day voyage round-trip from Port Canaveral).

• Feb. 21-March 5, 2016: 13-day southern Caribbean cruise round-trip from Port Canaveral calling at St. Maarten, Dominica, Barbados, Scarborough (Tobago), Grenada, Martinique, St. Kitts and St. Thomas.
Carnival Miracle

• Jan. 31- Feb. 12, 2016: 13-day Mexican Riviera voyage round-trip from Long Beach, Calif., calling at Cabo San Lucas (two-day call), La Paz, Mazatlan, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, Manzanillo, and Puerto Vallarta (overnight call).

In addition to fantastic dining, entertainment and activity options available on board, each of these destinations offers beautiful beaches, interesting historical attractions and natural landmarks, and unique sightseeing, dining and shopping opportunities. During these cruises, guests can zipline across the lush countryside, view centuries-old architectural structures, visit world-class museums, and snorkel and scuba dive in crystal-clear waters teeming with tropical fish and other sea life.

The 2015 Best Cruises

The cruise industry has bounced back after some high-profile safety and health scares. In fact, this year's passenger levels are expected to hit a record. To help travelers choose safe, high-quality cruise vacations US News & World Report today released its ranking of the 2015 Best Cruises. For the second year in a row, Disney holds the lead as the No. 1 Best Cruise Line for Families and the No. 1 Best Cruise Line in the Caribbean. Silversea Cruises makes its debut on the list as the No. 1 Best Cruise Line for Romance.

The 2015 Best Cruises features rankings and information on 15 cruise lines in five categories: Best Luxury Cruise Lines, Best Cruise Lines for the Money, Best Cruise Lines for Romance, Best Cruise Lines for Families and Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean. Travelers can search for cruises and itineraries specifically by destination, budget, cruise line and traveler type to find cruises that best suit their individual needs.

"The cruise industry is booming – their efforts to revamp their image and win over new types of travelers by launching new ships and innovative entertainment experiences are paying off," said Liz Weiss, travel editor for U.S. News. "We aim to help travelers sort through their options and identify cruise lines and ships that best suit their needs."

U.S. News ranked cruise lines using a methodology that factored in expert evaluations of cruise ship quality, reputation among travelers (as expressed through reviews and ratings collected by Cruiseline.com) and results from health evaluations conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. News editors analyzed data for 148 ships across the 15 major cruise lines that were included in the rankings. The top three cruise lines in each ranking category were awarded a U.S. News "Best" designation.

2015 Best Cruise Lines

Best Cruise Lines for the Money
#1 Royal Caribbean International
#2 Disney Cruise Line
#3 Carnival Cruise Lines

Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean
#1 Disney Cruise Line
#2 Royal Caribbean International
#3 Carnival Cruise Lines

Best Cruise Lines for Families
#1 Disney Cruise Line
#2 Royal Caribbean International
#3 Celebrity Cruises

Best Cruise Lines for Romance
#1 Silversea Cruises
#2 Crystal Cruises
#3 Azamara Club Cruises

Best Luxury Cruise Lines
#1 Crystal Cruises
#2 Silversea Cruises
#3 Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Travelore News: Carnival To Ban Smoking On Balconies

Carnival Cruise Lines will ban smoking on cabin balconies beginning this fall. Smoking already is prohibited in all staterooms.

Cruise passengers requested the tougher smoking rules, the line said.

"In response to the preferences of a majority of our guests, effective October 9, 2014, Carnival Cruise Lines will no longer allow smoking on stateroom balconies fleetwide," the line said in a statement to USA TODAY. "Carnival's updated smoking policy is consistent with most other major cruise lines."

Earlier this year, Royal Caribbean put into effect a similar beefed up policy. Norwegian Cruise Line and Holland America Line still allow smoking on balconies, though not in staterooms.

Carnival's updated policy has been posted on the line's website. Passengers caught smoking on balconies after the new rule takes effect will be assessed a $250 "cleaning and refreshing" fee.

Carnival left other smoking restrictions unchanged. Cigarette and E-cigarette smoking still will be allowed in designated open deck areas as well as in the nightclub and certain areas within the casino and casino bar. The line allows cigar and pipe smoking only in designated outdoor areas.

For a deck-by-deck look at a Carnival ship, click through the carousel below.

Carnival Cruises’ 70,367 gt, 855-by-103-foot, 2,052-guest Carnival Imagination is currently home-ported in Long Beach, CA, offering three and four night cruises to Ensenada, Mexico and Catalina Island. (Photo: Peter Knego)

We Are Pleased To Report, In Reversal Of Stance, Carnival Says It Will Pay US For Disabled Ships

Contributed by Curt Anderson

 Carnival Corp. said Monday it will repay the U.S. government an unspecified amount for the costs to taxpayers of responses to disabling accidents on its Triumph and Splendor cruise ships, both of which left thousands of passengers stranded at sea for days.

The world's largest cruise line company said the payments were being made voluntarily to the U.S. Treasury Department and that no government agency had requested reimbursement for either accident.

But Carnival had come under pressure from U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., who was highly critical last week of Carnival's indirect responses to his inquiries about its willingness to pay.

Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, estimated the Coast Guard's costs in dealing with the crippled Triumph earlier this year at nearly $780,000. The 2010 engine fire that left the Splendor adrift off of Mexico, he said, cost the Coast Guard and Navy about $3.4 million. The Navy work in that case included delivering food from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.

In both cases, passengers were left in uncomfortable and even squalid conditions before the ships made it back to port.

Carnival's statement did not say if it would pay those amounts or something else. But the company insisted that it never flatly rejected the idea of reimbursement.

"It should be clearly noted that at no point in time has Carnival stated that it would refuse to reimburse federal agencies if they sought remuneration," the company statement said.

Last week, in response to written questions from Rockefeller about repaying the costs, Carnival released letters responding to the senator stating that its policy in such situations is to "honor maritime tradition" requiring assistance to those in need at sea from all maritime interests. Carnival also said in those letters that it frequently participates in rescues at Coast Guard request and strongly defended its safety record.

Rockefeller had labeled that initial response as "shameful" and indicated then that he might hold hearings or propose legislation.

He didn't immediately return messages from The Associated Press seeking comment on Carnival's decision.

The 900-foot Triumph was disabled during a February cruise by an engine room fire in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving thousands of passengers to endure cold food, unsanitary conditions and power outages while the ship was towed to Mobile, Ala. It is still undergoing repairs there.

The 952-foot Splendor was also hobbled by an engine fire in January 2010, leaving its thousands of passengers to endure similar difficult conditions for three days in the Pacific Ocean while it was towed to San Diego. The Splendor is now back in service and cruises out of New York, according to Carnival's web site.

In both cases, Carnival gave passengers refunds, free cruise vouchers and other forms of reimbursement.

Carnival is also dealing with last year's grounding and capsizing of the Costa Concordia off the coast of Italy, which killed 32 people and spawned both criminal investigations and lawsuits. Costa is one of Carnival's six cruise brands.

Carnival Tells Rockefeller It Won't Pay U.S. For Rescues

Contributed by Dennis Schaal , Skift.com  

New letters from Carnival Corporation to Senator Jay Rockefeller indicate that the cruise line has no intent to reimburse the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy for assistance in the recent Carnival Triumph accident, the 2010 Carnival Splendor incidents, or any future problem where they require help from the U.S. government to aid a distressed vessel.

The senator from West Virginia penned a letter March 14 to Carnival CEO Micky Arison alleging that the U.S. Coast Guard responded to 90 “serious events” involving Carnival ships over five years, and that the Coast Guard and Navy had shelled out $4.2 million to cover the CarnivalTriumph and Carnival Splendor incidents. The senator asked whether Carnival, since it pays “little or nothing in federal taxes,” will reimburse the Coast Guard and Navy.

Without giving a specific “yes” or “no” answer to the question, James Hunn, Carnival’s senior vice president, corporate maritime policy, wrote: “Carnival’s policy is to honor maritime tradition that holds that the duty to render assistance at sea to those in need is a universal obligation of the entire maritime community.”

Read more about Carnival's letters to Rockefeller at Skift

For example, the Carnival Breeze diverted from its scheduled course on March 25 and helped the Coast Guard respond to two individuals requiring medical help in a small boat off the Florida coast, Hunn wrote.

Of the 90 incidents that Rockefeller cited in his letter to Arison, Hunn replied that only seven — including those involving the CarnivalSplendor, Costa Concordia, Carnival Triumph and four others — amounted to “serious maritime incidents,” as defined by the Code of Federal Regulations.

Hunn dodged the issue of how much Carnival pays in federal taxes, but replied that cruise industry ships that call at U.S. ports “pay hundreds of millions of dollars in annual fees and taxes to federal, state and local government agencies in the form of port head taxes, dock fees, wharfage and other fees.”

Carnival Corp. is the largest cruise company in the world.

In his letter, Hunn notes Carnival’s safety record, outlining remedial steps Carnival and the cruise industry took in the wake of the CarnivalSplendor, Costa Concordia, and Carnival Triumph incidents.

Arison wrote his own, shorter letter to Rockefeller in which the cruise and Miami Heat owner stood his ground.

Arison wrote to Rockefeller that his letter “seems to cover much of the same ground we discussed” at a meeting a year earlier. Arison indicated he thought the Senator had been satisfied with Carnival’s responses at that earlier meeting, although he characterized the meeting in the senator’s offices as involving a “frank discussion.”

“I assure you, as I did during our discussions, that we remain committed to the safety and comfort of our guests and we are proud of our ability to provide millions of people with safe, fun and memorable vacation experiences,” Arison wrote in a letter dated March 29.

Senator Rockefeller, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, wasn't pleased with Carnival's responses to his letter.

"Carnival's response to my detailed inquiry is shameful," Rockefeller told Skift. "It is indisputable that Carnival passengers deserve better emergency response measures than they experienced on the Triumph. I am considering all options to hold the industry to higher passenger safety standards.”

Read the letters in full here.