How Cruise Lines are Helping You Cruise from Home

Another installation from our Couch Cruising series…

While the anchor is dropped on ships around the world, cruise lines have gotten creative with ways to reach would-be cruisers and loyal followers alike. From events on social media, podcasts, entertainment showcases, cooking demos and more, cruise lines have figured out a way to navigate these current times and bring the best parts of a cruise to travelers docked at home. 

Crystal Cruises introduced Crystal@Home,  with virtual voyages designed to bring Crystal fans together. The line has created daily programming for Crystal@Home which includes a ‘Storyteller Monday’ podcast series, ‘Wellness Wednesday’ fitness demonstrations on Facebook, ‘Thirsty Thursday’ cocktail making classes, Friday entertainment from Crystal performers and a Sunday cooking series with Chef John Ashton. 

One of the most loved aspects of cruising is obviously food and cocktails. Multiple lines have decided to bring the experience of cruise dining (and sipping) to your kitchen with video cooking demos and sharing the recipe of onboard favorites. Celebrity Cruises is hosting ‘Cooking with Celebrity Today’ a Facebook series featuring daily live videos of chefs preparing the recipes served in Celebrity restaurants. Dishes to date have included Lamb Meatballs from Luminae, Gluten-Free Apple Cookies from the Spa Cafe, Grilled Honey Glazed Pork Chops from the Main restaurant, and a Spice Caliente Margarita from the Sunset Bar. Oceania Cruises is hosting a #OLifeCookingChallenge by posting recipes on their blog and encouraging fans to share pictures of their own creations of the dish on social media. Oceania Chefs have shared their gourmet recipes for Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, Jacques' Roasted Chicken, and Banana Pancakes. Also sharing restaurant recipes that fans can recreate from home is Seabourn. The Seabourn blog, Current, recently featured Chef Anton Edgar’s Orecchiette Pasta and Simple Roasted Salmon which is served onboard at Earth & Ocean. 

Royal Caribbean is bringing the party to your living room with a virtual cruise series. Royal tasked Cruise Director Abe Huges to take over their channel and lead virtual voyages on social media along actual sailing routes. So far, armchair vacationers have traveled to Alaska and the Caribbean. Daily, Hughes shares a Cruise Compass with facts on the ‘port’, trivia challenge, and live activities to participate in like a Facebook happy hour and a podcast taping. Follow along and share your favorite Royal Caribbean cruise moments with #VirtualOfTheSeas. 

Similarly, Carnival Cruise Line Cruise Directors are leading virtual vacations for cruisers at home. Brand Ambassador and Senior Cruise Director John Heald is sharing a drink of the day featured at bars across Carnival’s fleet that fans can make at home. Cocktails have included a Negroni from the Alchemy Bar and a Ting Mojito from Red Frog Rum Bar. 

Carnival Cruise Director Matt Mitcham is bringing virtual entertainment to your living room by hosting live ‘lido deck’ dance parties and trivia sessions. As many of Carnival’s regular cruisers are currently working at home using video conferencing, the line introduced a gallery of tropical backdrops for Zoom calls (and to make coworkers jealous). Carnival is also sharing some of its top restaurant recipes that you can make at home including Cucina Del Capitano’s Chicken Parmigiana and Cherry’s On Top's Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich.

Viking is debuting videos each day on the newly-created Viking TV channel as a way to connect with cruisers. These videos feature enriching content similar to the programming you would find on a Viking Voyage. Themed days on Viking TV are Museum Mondays, Resident Historian Tuesdays, Arts & Music Wednesdays, Guest Speaker Thursdays, At Home at Highclere Fridays, and Wellness Weekends. Some highlights of this series to-date have included a chat with the Director of the Munch Museum in Oslo and performance from artist Debbie Wiseman, composer of Viking’s signature music ‘The Traveler’. 

Other lines want to see your favorite cruise memories and show support on social media. Norwegian Cruise Line is rolling out a #NorwegianStaycation series asking followers to send in photos of featured destinations. Silversea Cruises has asked fans to send in pictures of the current view out of their window with #YearningToSailAgain and #ThisIsSilversea. Although they have yet to have an official sailing, Virgin Voyages even got in on the party (literally) by hosting a #ScarletNightAtHome dance party complete with a curated playlist for followers to jam along to. 

Do you plan on cruising from your couch (or kitchen) with any line? We want to see what you are doing! Send us your pictures and videos on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or share in our forum.