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Royal Caribbean to take over Mexico port, build out 2nd ‘Perfect Day’ resort

Royal Caribbean to take over Mexico port, build out 2nd ‘Perfect Day’ resort

Royal Caribbean looked at a lot of potential homes for its second “Perfect Day” port of call after the success of its private Bahamas version on CocoCay. In the end, it decided to buy an entire port in Mexico.

The cruise line announced Wednesday it is in the midst of acquiring the port of Costa Maya, which will be home to “Perfect Day Mexico,” looking to open in 2027.

“We are building a Perfect Day there. It is a Perfect Day as you know our Perfect Day,” said Royal Caribbean’s chief product innovation officer Jay Schneider. “In addition to the port of Costa Maya, we are buying lots of adjacent land. We’ve been on a journey to buy lots of adjacent land for about a year.”

The port alone will have twice the capacity of Perfect Day at CocoCay, which has just one dock that can bring in two ships aiming for about a 13,000-person capacity. Costa Maya’s port can support four ships at its existing docks.

The port hosts about 2 million passengers a year now from all cruise lines, of which Royal Caribbean brings in more than 1.1 million. The line expects to grow their own passenger count to more than 5 million by the 2030s, Schneider said. read more

Hurricane Milton closes Florida ports, alters cruise line plans

Hurricane Milton closes Florida ports, alters cruise line plans

Cruise lines have shifted plans as Florida’s ports have either closed or limited traffic as Hurricane Milton bears down on the state.

Port Canaveral, the Port of Tampa, Port of Palm Beach and Jaxport are all closed, under the U.S. Coast Guard’s Port Condition “Zulu” while PortMiami and Port Everglades are under Port Condition “Yankee” as of 8 a.m. Wednesday limiting vessel traffic.

MSC Seashore, Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas, Disney Wish and Carnival Glory are all slated to arrive back to Port Canaveral on Friday.

“Port operations will be re-opened after assessment of the roadways and waterway,” Port Canaveral posted on its website.

Two ships canceled their port of call visit to Port Canaveral on Tuesday as well with both the MSC Meraviglia and Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas skipping their visit.

Already, Disney Cruise Line has canceled the Disney Wish sailing that was set to leave Port Canaveral on Friday.

“Refunds will be automatically processed back to the original form of payment used for the cruise booking. An email with more information will be sent to booked guests or their travel agents,” the line posted on its website. read more

4 mom-approved cheap Halloween costume ideas

4 mom-approved cheap Halloween costume ideas

By Elizabeth Ayoola | NerdWallet

The closest I got to Halloween as a child was through classic movies likeHocus Pocus and “Casper.” That’s because I grew up in a religious household that chose not to celebrate Halloween.

Since I didn’t embark on the adventure of costume wearing as a child, it’s become a first-generation tradition in my household. Although fun, my third year in, I’m realizing how expensive this costume business can become.

Americans are expected to spend about $104 on Halloween this year, according to the National Retail Federation. If you’ll be participating in spooky season festivities, keep reading for a few mom-approved tips for how to save on costumes.

Set a budget to avoid spooky spending

If you’re anything like me, when it comes to spending on creative ventures, you become a kid in a candy store. However, splurging on a Halloween costume can be counterproductive to your financial goals.

Karen Heffren, a mom from Tucson, Arizona, and owner of the DIY blog Desert Chica, says she’s always been frugal, and that’s no different on Halloween. read more