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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Norwegian <keyword id="11930971" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cruise" source="Orion">Cruise</keyword> Line is the first major cruise line to announce that it's dropping its pre-travel Covid-19 <keyword id="46701" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="testing" source="Orion">testing</keyword> requirement.</li><li>The change doesn't affect people traveling from the US, where local regulations still require testing. </li></ul><p>Norwegian Cruise Line is the first major cruise company to <a href="https://www.nclhltd.com/news-media/press-releases/detail/495/norwegian-cruise-line-holdings-announces-revisions-to">drop</a> its policy requiring a negative Covid-19 test before passengers can set sail, but it won't affect travelers in the US. </p><p>The newly relaxed policy will officially take effect on August 1, but Norwegian says testing requirements will remain in places with local regulations, like the US, Canada, Greece, and Bermuda. </p><p>In a statement, Norwegian said that "the relaxation of the testing policy is in line with the rest of the <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword>, leisure and hospitality industry worldwide as society continues to adapt and return to a state of normalcy."</p><p>Norwegian's competitors, <keyword id="11914814" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="carnival-cruise" source="Orion">Carnival Cruise</keyword> Line and Royal Caribbean Cruises, still have pre-travel testing requirements in place. However, neither company could be immediately reached for comment when asked by Insider whether they were planning to follow Norwegian and ease pre-travel testing policies. </p><p>The cruise industry has taken a beating since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Cruise companies operating out of the US were <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-cruises-resume-cdc-feedback-no-sail-order-covid-coronavirus-2020-8">barred</a> from sailing by the CDC for more than <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-lifts-cruising-no-sail-order-november-issues-conditions-2020-10">six months</a> beginning in March 2020. Since then, cruise lines have faced a slew of operating challenges, including <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/get-set-for-bargain-cruise-holidays-this-summer-says-analyst-2022-6">slowing demand</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carnival-royal-caribbean-struggling-to-hire-crew-members-2022-5">hiring shortages</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cruise-passengers-felt-like-lepers-covid-19-forced-isolation-2022-1">outbreaks onboard</a>. </p>

Norwegian Cruise Line says it will drop its pre-travel Covid testing requirement, but passengers in the US will still have to get tested

<ul class="summary-list"><li>CDC's has downgraded its <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword> warning for <keyword id="11930971" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cruise" source="Orion">cruise</keyword> ships from "very high" to "high."</li><li>The CDC raised its cruise travel warning to the highest level on December 31.</li></ul><p>The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lowered its travel warning for cruise ships from its highest level on the back of a decline in COVID-19 cases.</p><p>The easing comes about seven weeks after the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-covid-vaccine-travelers-avoid-going-on-cruises-2021-12">CDC raised its travel warning</a> for cruises to the highest level as cases spiked on ships amid a surge in the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. At the time, the CDC advised travelers to avoid cruises, regardless of vaccination status.</p><p>CDC's travel warning for cruise ships is now at Level 3, which indicates "high" levels of COVID-19 on board ships, according to <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-3/coronavirus-cruise-ship#note1">guidance</a> updated on Tuesday. This is down from "very high" levels previously.</p><p>In January, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cruise-ships-covid-outbreaks-cdc-norwegian-carnival-caribbean-disney-2022-1">CDC said</a> all US cruises at sea hosted confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases on board.</p><p>The CDC is still recommending people get vaccinated before going on a cruise and advises travelers to wear well-fitted face masks indoors and in crowded outdoor areas.</p><p>"If you are not up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, avoid cruise ship travel," said the CDC.</p><p><a href="https://cruising.org/en/news-and-research/press-room/2022/february/cdc-recognizes-cruise-achievement">Cruise Lines International Association</a> called the move to lower the warning level "a step in the right direction," according to a Tuesday press release.</p><p>The downgrade of CDC's travel warning for cruise ships comes amid a fall in COVID-19 cases. According to <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailycases">CDC data,</a> the US reported 203,533 cases on Monday – down about 85% from a recent peak of 1.34 million new cases on January 10.</p>

The CDC has lowered its travel warning for cruise ships as COVID-19 cases fall

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Two passengers on the Celebrity Millennium <keyword id="64965" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="cruise-ship">cruise ship</keyword> tested positive for the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword>.</li><li>The operator said before launch that at least 95% of passengers would be vaccinated.</li><li>The two who tested positive do not have symptoms and are isolated from others, the operator said.</li></ul><p>Two people on a cruise ship tested positive for COVID-19, even after operators said it would sail only with at least 95% of people on board vaccinated.</p><p>The Royal Caribbean Group said in a <a href="https://presscenter.rclcorporate.com/press-release/143/celebrity-millennium-update/">statement</a> on Thursday that two passengers sharing a room on the Celebrity Millennium ship tested positive during "required end-of-cruise testing."</p><p>It said: "The individuals are asymptomatic and currently in isolation and being monitored by our medical team. We are conducting contact tracing, expediting testing for all close contacts and closely monitoring the situation."</p><p>Celebrity Cruises, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/celebrity-cruises-begins-caribbean-comeback-with-first-sailing-from-st-maarten-301306403.html">said</a> when the ship launched Saturday that it would travel with "a vaccinated crew and at least 95% vaccinated guests."</p><p>It is not clear whether the passengers who tested positive had been vaccinated. It is possible, though rare, to contract COVID-19 even after vaccination.</p><p>In a Thursday statement, the Royal Caribbean Group said: "Celebrity Millennium is sailing with fully vaccinated crew and guests and following comprehensive protocols that align with our destination partners and exceed CDC guidelines to protect the health and safety of our guests."</p>

2 people tested positive for COVID-19 on a cruise ship that operators boasted was 95% vaccinated

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After tanking during March as the coronavirus hit travel, <keyword id="3116" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Cruise">cruise</keyword> operator <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ccl-stock">Carnival</a> has seen its stock price surge almost 150%.</li><li>But one analyst warns that even as travel starts to return, the stock is set for a fresh crash.</li><li>Michelle Connell, president of Portia Capital Management, said she expects the cruise giant to see a major stock price fall as short-sellers circle the company, and cash flows struggle because of the pandemic</li><li>Connell asked: "How much less is their revenue going to be after the pandemic?"</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ccl-stock">Track the price of Carnival live here. </a></li></ul><p>Those who thought <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ccl-stock">Carnival'</a>s stock got a boost from more upbeat employment figures last week should think again, according to one analyst, who says the cruise giant's stock is in for a bumpy ride in the coming months.</p><p><keyword id="24087" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="carnival">Carnival</keyword> crashed to a low of $7.80 at the end of March, days after coronavirus lockdowns kicked in across the globe, as taking a cruise was probably the last thing on peoples' minds. </p><p>Earlier this week all three major cruise operators Carnival, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/nclh-stock">Norwegian Cruise Line</a> and <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/rcl-stock">Royal Caribbean</a> rose on Monday just days after it emerged that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/may-jobs-report-unemployment-rate-declines-nonfarm-payrolls-surprise-increase-2020-6?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestgest">the US added 2.5 million new jobs in May,</a> a stunning and unexpected bounceback.</p><p><strong><em>Read More: </em></strong><em><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-picks-to-buy-beat-market-recession-recovery-tom-lee-2020-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Renowned strategist Tom Lee nailed the market's 40% surge from its worst-ever crash. Here are 17 clobbered stocks he recommends for superior returns as the recovery gains steam.</a></em></p><p>The significantly better than expected jobs report brought into question whether economies are on track for a swift recovery, which could revert a halt in all types of travel, including <keyword id="4809154" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="cruise-lines">cruise lines</keyword>. </p><p>Since hitting its March low, Carnival's stock price has bounced almost 150%, but it still remains some 62% lower than it was in January.</p><p>And one money manager said Carnival is set for a fresh crash given the uncertainties facing the US economy, including the second spike of virus cases that appears to beginning in numerous states.</p><p>Speaking to <keyword id="31671" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="markets">Markets</keyword> Insider, Michelle Connell, president of Portia Capital Management, said that as well as economic uncertainty, Carnival's stock is at risk because of how many short-sellers are invested in the stock right now.</p><p>"There is a huge short interest on Carnival's stock. There is 27% short interest on this, while the average short interest for a stock is usually between 2-3%". </p><p>Connell added: "As of the end of December 2019, Wall Street analysts were estimating that revenue growth for [Carnival] CCL in the first, second and third quarters of 2020 would all be negative as compared to the previous year's quarters.  Therefore, revenue estimates for CCL's entire 2020 were estimated to be negative approximately 2-4%.  And these estimates for 2020 were made before the pandemic hit."</p><p>"If CCL was not expected to have positive 2020 revenue growth before, how much less is their revenue going to be after the pandemic?" Connell said. </p><p><strong><em>Read More:</em></strong><em> </em><em><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-investing-strategy-picks-themes-fund-manager-mitch-rubin-2020-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A fund manager crushing 98% of his peers over the past half-decade told us 4 themes he's betting on and 4 he's betting against — and why the latest market rally still has room to run</a></em></p><h2><div type="image" title="carnival cruise ship beach" height="1000" width="1999" msid="76337984" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Connell said another reason why investors should not buy Carnival's dip is because its debt levels have risen significantly in recent weeks as it looks to the capital markets to help it weather the pandemic. </p><p><a href="https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/carnival-plans-to-sell-3-billion-of-bonds-in-dollars-euros">Bloomberg reported</a> in early April that the cruise operator is looking to raise at least $6 billion of cash. </p><p>"Looking at Carnival's cash flows and discounting it back I am getting a negative number," Connell said. "If it is a Tesla, Amazon or Google, you can do it for a while. You know way in the future they are going to pay up."</p><p>"I am not willing to pay for a stock that is going to have no cash flow and it is just bleeding cash flow especially when there is so much uncertainty and we have a '100 year pandemic'," she said. </p><h2>Buy <keyword id="948261" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Norwegian-Cruise-Line">Norwegian Cruise line</keyword> stocks instead </h2><p>Even though stock prices of rival cruise operators have fallen along with Carnival, Connell thinks Norwegian Cruise is a better buy. </p><p>Norwegian Cruise Line had a positive free cash flow yield prior to the pandemic while Carnival had a negative free cash flow yield she said. </p><p>"We have had protesting and riots. We are looking at so much uncertainty in terms of the economy and politics for us, I think a lot of people who take a Carnival cruise are middle class and they are going to think a bit more about spending money versus somebody who has a lot of discretionary income," she said. </p><p>She said the customers who book Norwegian Cruise line stocks usually have higher disposable income. </p><p>"I would rather own something I know a rich person is going to buy now," she added. </p><p>"Looking at pricing trends Carnival has had to take down their prices a lot lower than Norwegian or Royal Caribbean to entice people to book," she said. </p><p>Norwegian Cruise and Carnival could not be contacted immediately for comment. </p>

Carnival's stock has jumped almost 150% in the last 2 months, but one money manager says it's set for a fresh crash

<ul class="summary-list"><li>La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent first erupted on Friday.</li><li>Another 'explosive event' took place on Sunday.</li><li>Much of the country has limited water supplies and is experiencing <keyword id="6471610" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="power-outages">power outages</keyword>.</li></ul><p>There has been another "explosive event" at La Soufriere volcano on the Caribbean island of St Vincent, the National Emergency Management Organization of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Nemo) said on <a href="https://twitter.com/NEMOSVG/status/1381122419654541316">Twitter</a>.</p><p>The volcano first <a href="https://www.insider.com/st-vincent-volcano-erupts-thousands-on-caribbean-island-evacuate-2021-4">erupted on Friday</a>, scattering ash across the island and resulting in thousands of evacuations.</p><p>These eruptions could go on for weeks, scientists told the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-56707956">BBC</a>. </p><p>The most recent explosion has left the country without power and coated in blankets of <keyword id="140087" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="volcanic-ash">volcanic ash</keyword>.</p><p>"Massive power outage following another explosive event at La Soufriere Volcano. Lightning, thunder, and rumblings. Majority of the country out of power and covered in ash," Nemo wrote on Sunday.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/congress-stocks-markets-investments-cayman-islands-facebook-2021-4">Rep. Dean Phillips' office explains his investment in a fund based in the Cayman Islands</a></em></p><p>Roads are "treacherous" due to the ash flow, Nemo added.</p><p>Water supplies to most of the island have been cut off, St Vincent's prime minister Ralph Gonsalves told <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/nbcsvg/">NBC News</a>.</p><p>He urged residents to "save water" due to "limited" supplies, the Independent reported.</p><p>Thousands of those evacuated on Friday are still sleeping in shelters, Gonsalves told NBC <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news">News</keyword>.</p><p>Five ships from the Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean <keyword id="6356001" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="international">International</keyword> sailed to Saint Vincent to help evacuate people.</p><p>The Caribbean island went into red alert on Thursday, with Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves ordering an evacuation of all northern districts of the island, which has a population of approximately 100,000.</p><p>The northern areas are home to around 16,000 people. All have been ordered to leave immediately as they were in the direct path of lava flow and literal fire from the volcano.</p><p>Each ship is expected to take on board up to 1500 people. They will be transported to neighboring islands that have agreed to house them, according to <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Caribbean-Travel/Cruise-lines-rescue-St-Vincent-volcano">Travel Weekly.</a></p><div type="image" title="Saint Vincent evacuation" height="1200" width="1600" msid="82019227" hostid="261"></div>The ash expelled from the volcano has traveled far, with those in <keyword id="3322" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="barbados">Barbados</keyword> - over 120 miles away - now being advised to stay indoors.<p>Barbados has sent support to St Vincent. Its armed forces have sent humanitarian assistance and a disaster response mission to the island, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency wrote on Twitter.</p><p>Friday's eruption marked the first time the mountain has erupted since April 1979.</p><p>The volcano's deadliest eruption was in 1902, when 1600 people (predominantly indigenous Caribs) were killed. Shortly after that eruption, Martinique's <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/28/physicalsciences.highereducation">Mount Pelee also erupted and destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre</a>. More than 30,000 people died as a result.</p>

Another 'explosive event' at St Vincent volcano has left the island struggling with power outages, limited water supplies, and blankets of ash

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11993668" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="prince-william-and-kate-middleton" source="Orion">Prince William and Kate Middleton</keyword> are facing protests on their Carribean royal tour.</li><li>Protesters are calling out the <keyword id="13432457" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="monarchy" source="Orion">monarchy</keyword>'s colonial and racist past. </li></ul><p><keyword id="6427688" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="prince-william" source="Orion">Prince William</keyword> and <keyword id="11993667" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kate-middleton" source="Orion">Kate Middleton</keyword>'s latest royal tour is off to a rocky start.</p><p>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are currently on a weeklong royal tour of the Caribbean countries that are part of the Commonwealth — Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. The tour is part of Queen Elizabeth's <a href="https://www.insider.com/queen-elizabeth-hosts-reception-ahead-of-platinum-jubilee-celebrations-2022-2">Platinum Jubilee</a> celebrations, and a <a href="https://www.royal.uk/duke-and-duchess-cambridge-will-visit-caribbean">press release</a> from the palace states William and Middleton hoped to see how the pandemic impacted these nations during their trip, as well as meet as many locals as they can. </p><p>But multiple protests over the <keyword id="11893535" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="royal-family" source="Orion">royal family</keyword>'s racist and colonial roots are becoming the focus of the tour. </p><h2>Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal tour has been disrupted by protests</h2><p>William and Middleton <a href="https://www.insider.com/prince-william-kate-middleton-cancel-caribbean-tour-stop-over-protests-2022-3">had to cancel the first stop of the tour in Belize</a> on Saturday after locals organized a protest against the <keyword id="11893529" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="royals" source="Orion">royals</keyword>.</p><p>The royals were given permission to land their helicopter on a soccer field that is currently embroiled in a land dispute between Belize citizens and Flora and Fauna International (FFI), a conservation group that lists Prince William as a patron, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/british-royal-couple-starts-caribbean-tour-amid-colonial-reckoning-2022-03-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> reported. According to the outlet, the FFI has property near the village's "communal land," which has created issues between the groups. </p><p>Protesters carried signs that read, "Prince William leave our land," "Not your land, not your decision," and "Colonial legacy theft continues with Prince &amp; FFI," according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/start-british-royals-caribbean-tour-marred-by-belize-protest-2022-03-19/">Reuters.</a> Youth leader Dionisio Shol also told <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/duke-and-duchess-of-cambridges-caribbean-tour-hit-by-protest-hjxk3m679" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Times of London</a> that the interactions between the organizers of the event and villagers felt "very colonial in nature."</p><p>Representatives for Kensington Palace and Flora and Fauna International did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.</p><p>On Monday, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/world/prince-william-kate-middleton-royal-tour-jamaica-b2040152.html">The Independent's Nadine White reported</a> that there would be another protest against the royal family in Jamaica on Tuesday. </p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/Advocatesnetja">The Advocates Network Jamaica</a> — which is an "unincorporated, non-partisan alliance of organizations and individuals in Jamaica and the Jamaican Diaspora," as its official overview states — published an open letter to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge about their reasoning for the protest.</p><p>In the letter, which the organization sent to Insider and White shared on <a href="https://twitter.com/Nadine_Writes/status/1505955796269547525">Twitter</a>, the Advocates Network wrote: "We see no reason to celebrate 70 years of the ascension of your grandmother to the British throne because her leadership, and that of her predecessors, have perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind."</p><p>The letter also included a list of 60 reasons the country and its citizens deserved an apology and reparations from the monarchy, such as participating in the slave trade, establishing a plantation system, and cruel and inhumane treatment of Jamaican citizens. </p><p>Rosemarie Francis-Binder, a member of Advocates Network representing Stand Up for Jamaica, Germany, told Insider that the country's "relationship with the monarchy has not benefit ted Jamaicans at all."</p><p>"After 60 years of independence, we've not forgotten and demand an apology and reparations from the crown," she said.</p><p>Speaking specifically of Prince William and Middleton, Francis-Binder went on to say, "We want them to recognize that all we are asking is that you do apologize for these atrocities that were done to our ancestors in Jamaica," adding that the organization hopes the pair of younger royals can start a dialogue about the monarchy's colonial history. </p><p>The protests come just four months after <a href="https://www.insider.com/queen-congratulates-barbados-republic-removed-as-head-of-state-2021-11">Barbados removed Queen Elizabeth as head of state</a> and became a republic, though it is still part of the Commonwealth. The Queen was still the head of state in Jamaica, Belize, and the Bahamas at the time of writing.</p><h2>The protests aren't surprising given the royal family's colonial past</h2><p>The British monarchy colonized dozens of countries and territories that are populated by predominantly Black and brown people in its history, from Belize and Jamaica to India and Nigeria. </p><p>Queen Elizabeth I went as far as to <a href="https://www.insider.com/british-royal-family-racist-history-black-lives-matter-2020-8">publicly support the slave trader</a> Captain John Hawkins and contributed a ship to one of his journeys in the 1500s.</p><p>The royal family has also done little to distance itself from its racist past. The British royals were <a href="https://www.insider.com/video-prince-harry-racism-black-lives-matter-royal-family-2020-8">silent amidst the Black Lives Matter movement</a>, and Queen Elizabeth II, the head of state for the last 70 years, has never formally acknowledged or apologized for her ancestors' racism.</p><p>Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have also been outspoken about the <a href="https://www.insider.com/royal-familys-racist-discussions-about-archie-arent-surprising-2021-3">racist behavior the royal family displayed towards Markle</a> in recent years.</p><div type="image" title="meghan markle prince harry" height="2379" width="3173" msid="90363249" hostid="261"></div><p>In their <a href="https://www.insider.com/prince-harry-hurt-over-tabloid-racist-treatment-of-meghan-markle-2021-3">2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey</a>, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex claimed the monarchy did nothing to protect Markle from rude or untrue tabloid stories. They also said a senior member of the royal family questioned how dark their son Archie's skin would be.</p><p>The monarchy's history is rife with tales of racism. But to many, William and Middleton's tour of colonized nations is particularly egregious, as it seems to celebrate British imperialism rather than condemn it. </p>

Jamaicans and Belizeans protest Prince William and Kate Middleton during their Caribbean tour over the royal family's racist past

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Royal Caribbean International, the award-winning <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=cruise&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">cruise</a> line has a new Oasis-class ship. Called <keyword id="2908931" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Harmony-of-the-Seas">Harmony of the Seas</keyword>, this is also the world’s largest-ever <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=cruise+ship&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">cruise ship</a>. Before you ask, yes it's bigger than <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=titanic&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Titanic</a>.<br />
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And, guess what? It’s ready for its maiden voyage, as well.<br />
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Incase you’re not excited yet, you will be once we take you through its features.<br />
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Spanning 16 decks, Harmony of the Seas can carry 5,479 guests at double occupancy and comprises 2,747 staterooms. It also features ‘VOOM’, the fastest internet connection at sea.<br />
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Besides its enormous size, the ship is also the first to feature a Splashway Bay- an interactive aqua park for kids. There’s also the Ultimate Abyss- the tallest slide at sea touting a 100-foot dramatic plunge and the Perfect Storm Water slides that guarantee to make Harmony of The Sea the ultimate family vacation experience.<br />
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If you’re looking for some adrenaline rush, wait till you see what this ship has in store.<br />
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From a 43-foot tall rock climbing wall and a signature zip line to the DreamWorks Experience and a FlowRider surf simulator, the adventure craver in you will be more than satisfied.<br />
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Then there’s the fabulous wine and dine experiences, courtesy the dazzling bionic bar with robot-bartenders who whip up lip-smacking, premium-crafted cocktails. <br />
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Additionally, Royal Caribbean’s Dynamic Dining will give <em>Harmony of the Seas</em>’ guests a culinary experience as vast and varied as dining in the world’s most cosmopolitan cities with more choice and flexibility than ever before.The new Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine will give guests the chance to experience a unique culinary adventure for their visual as well gustatory senses. The diners experience a new endeavour as they reveal their menu with a stroke of a paintbrush. Prepare yourself for a Disney-styled feast as Royal Caribbean chefs twist their culinary kaleidoscopes in a whimsical setting that challenges the imagination with never-before-seen fare.<br />
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Trust us on this, it promises to be an experience of a lifetime.<br />
<br /> The ship departs for its inaugural <keyword id="3116" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cruise">cruise</keyword> on May 22 from Southampton, England, before homeporting in Barcelona, Spain and eventually at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It will tread through the beautiful azure waters of the Caribbean, taking the guests through Jamaica as well as the Bahamas and Haiti. <br />
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Harmony cruisers can also opt for various options and itineraries that will take them to the most exquisite spots that Europe has to offer including Rome, Naples, Provence and Palma de Mallorca till September. <br />
<br /> Speaking on the launch of Harmony, Mrs Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN <keyword id="6354692" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Travel">Travel</keyword> Marketing, the exclusive India representative for Royal Carribean International said, “We are delighted to introduce <em>Harmony of the Seas </em>to Indian cruise enthusiasts, Harmony of the Seas is the absolute, unparalleled best that the line has to offer and no other ship in the world comes close. With best-in-line services, impeccable amenities on board and sheer grandeur for visual appeal, <em>Harmony </em>will really make for the ultimate holiday experience as far as discerning Indian guests are concerned.”<br />
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This is the world's largest cruise ship and it's ready for its maiden voyage

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mesosphere</span></p><p class="caption">Mesosphere CEO Florian Leibert in the company's San Francisco headquarters. The magenta spots are the locations of their worldwide offices; the names in blue are some of their customers.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Mesosphere, a San Franciso cloud-infrastructure startup that once famously turned down an acquisition from Microsoft, is now on a $50 million annualized run rate. </strong></li><li><strong>CEO Florian Leibert says Mesosphere is on track to be a self-sustaining company, but won't rule out future options including more fundraising or an IPO.</strong></li><li><strong>While Mesosphere is often portrayed as a key player in "containers," a trendy Silicon Valley technology, Leibert disputes the characterization. </strong></li></ul><p> </p><p>In October 2015, San Francisco-based data center software startup Mesosphere made headlines when it was reported that the company had <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mesosphere-rejects-microsoft-acquisition-offer-2015-10">turned down a $150 million acquisition offer from Microsoft</a>.</p><p>Two years later, Mesosphere is around and kicking - something that still surprises Silicon Valley, Mesosphere CMO Peter Guagenti tells Business Insider. Guagenti says he regularly hears "nonsense" about Mesosphere being defunct, or otherwise doomed.</p><p>Today, Mesosphere exclusively reveals to Business Insider that it's on a $50 million annualized run rate, a measure of how much revenue the company will generate in the next 12 months if its numbers hold steady. And while Mesosphere doesn't have to disclose specific numbers as a private company, it says revenue is tripling every year.</p><p>And while Mesosphere still isn't profitable, the company says it's heading in the direction of breaking even. With everything moving the right direction, Mesosphere CEO Florian Leibert tells us the company has lots of options.</p><p>In its four-year lifespan, Mesosphere has raised over $122 million in venture capital, from investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Hewlett Packard <keyword id="6356323" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Enterprise">Enterprise</keyword>, Khosla Ventures, and even Microsoft itself. There's enough of that cash left in the bank that Mesosphere doesn't currently need more investment, though Leibert says that could change.</p><p>And when it comes to acquisitions, Leibert won't rule anything out, but says Mesosphere has a future as an independent company, even through a potential (but not currently planned) IPO. </p><p>"I think we are well-positioned to be a standalone company," says Leibert. "I don't see any hurdles in the way."</p><h2>What is Mesosphere?</h2><p>The origins of the company trace back to Mesos, a popular piece of free and open-source software, famously <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-siri-uses-apache-mesos-2015-8">used by Apple to power the Siri virtual assistant</a>. <span>Mesosphere founder Ben Hindman created Mesos while at UC Berkeley, and brought it with him to a job at Twitter, working with Leibert and the other Mesosphere cofounders. </span></p><p>Mesosphere's flagship product is the Data Center Operating System, or DC/OS, built on top of Mesos. As the name suggests, you install DC/OS on a bunch of servers - either your own, or a bunch of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-amazon-is-so-hard-to-topple-in-the-cloud-and-where-everybody-else-falls-2017-7">virtual servers in Amazon's, Google's, or Microsoft's cloud platforms</a> - and it acts as one, unified machine.</p><p>That Mesos pedigree has "gotten [Mesosphere] in the door in a significant number of enterprises," says Rhett Dillingham, a senior analyst with Moor Insights &amp; Strategy. Mesosphere customers include Royal Carribean International, Verizon, and Time Warner Cable. Leibert says around 25% of the Fortune 50 use Mesosphere.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>YouTube</span></p><p class="caption">Mesos inventor and Mesosphere co-founder Ben Hindman</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The DC/OS pitch is as follows. First off, it makes it easier to roll out new data-center software, like the Cassandra database, Spark data-analysis tool, or Google's TensorFlow artificial intelligence framework. A process that used to take weeks or months can take seconds or minutes, kind of like installing an app on your phone. </p><p>Second, because Mesosphere can run on any group of servers, it makes it easier to shift from data center to the cloud, or from one cloud to another, or any combination therein. If you're just starting to think about moving your applications up from the data center to Amazon's cloud, Mesosphere can let you do it piecemeal.</p><p>And, Mesosphere lets you squeeze more performance from existing hardware - Uber once explained how it used Mesos and Mesosphere to save a whole lot of money, versus either buying more servers or going to the major cloud providers.</p><h2>The container wars </h2><p>One side-effect of Mesosphere's approach is that it makes it really easy for customers to deploy and run "containers," a trendy Silicon Valley technology for building and managing applications at the scale of, say, Google.</p><p>The DC/OS product makes it easy, or at least easier, for companies to add and use containers. Forrester principal analyst Charlie Dai calls Mesosphere "<span>one of the key players in enterprise container platform market."</span></p><p>The problem, says Leibert, is that this leads to a perception of Mesosphere as being specifically in the container business, competing with the likes of <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-09/docker-is-said-to-be-raising-funding-at-1-3-billion-valuation">hot $1.3 billion startup Docker</a>, which essentially created the current container craze. </p><p>Leibert believes containers are important, but someday soon, the technology will be so commonplace and commodotized that there won't be any money in it. He calls it a "race to zero."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Docker</span></p><p class="caption">Docker founder and CTO Solomon Hykes</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Still, the company's fortunes are tied in some way to software containers, at least for the time being. Recently, Mesosphere added support for Kubernetes - a technology for managing containers, originally invented at Google, that's become the standard in the industry, putting pressure on Docker.</p><p>Dillingham says the move could be a "bridge" for Mesosphere, riding the success of Kubernetes to new heights, while also furthering what it's already good at. </p><p>From Leibert's perspective, this is all about helping customers bridge the gap between their own data centers and the cloud. In fact, he says, Royal Carribean is putting that concept to novel use: Each individual cruise ship is powered by servers running Mesosphere, which then dump their data back into the cloud when they get to port. That's what Leibert is aiming for.</p><p>"We want to become the central plane for hybrid cloud," says Leibert. </p><p class="tagline">Get the latest Microsoft stock price<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/MSFT-Quote"> here.</a></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tabbys-star-kic-8462852-mystery-explained-dust-cloud-2017-10">Scientists think they've finally solved the mystery of the 'alien megastructure' star</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

This startup famously turned down an acquisition offer from Microsoft - now it's a $50 million business

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Fondation Jacques Rougerie</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>In fiction, floating cities are often imagined much like a normal city, buoyed with some type of flotation life raft or supported by steel beams connecting to the seafloor.</p><p>A design for the cruise ship of the future, c<span>alled "</span><a href="http://www.rougerie.com/indexd.php" target="_blank">The City of Meriens</a><span>," does</span> not look like that at all. It's more like a gigantic steel manta ray, which might just be the shape of things to come with regards to floating cities and luxurious cruise ships.</p><p>Its measurements would be 2,950 feet long and 1,650 feet wide. For comparison, the world's largest cruise ship, Royal Carribean's Allure of the Seas, is 1,187 feet long and measures only 213 feet at its widest point.</p><p>Maximum capacity aboard the Allure is 6,410 guests, but there's room for 2,384 crew members, bringing the sum total capacity to 8,794. <a href="http://www.rougerie.com/">Meriens</a> would only hold 7,000 people, but without any cramped staterooms.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Fondation Jacques Rougerie</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>According to the designer behind <a href="http://www.rougerie.com/">Meriens</a>, French architect <a href="http://www.rougerie.com/">Jacques Rougerie,</a> its ideal use would be as a university research vessel, "a floating scientific city entirely dedicated to the observation and analysis of marine biodiversity," housing students and scientists with enough room to research, study, and recreate.</p><p><a href="http://www.rougerie.com/">Meriens</a> would be fully autonomous, using renewable marine energy producing zero trash. It would also have space on the outer edges of its wings for a hydroponic garden, and its centrally located lagoon would house aquaculture breeding farms.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.fondation-jacques-rougerie.com/">Fondation Jacques Rougerie</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div> </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sharks-spotted-coast-england-2015-7">People were baffled by 50 sharks circling in shallow waters off the English coast</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="R1c2tjdjrwFAGrHUqd0W71KfHPLzHONw" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

This manta ray looking thing might be the future of luxury cruise ships - or floating cities

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tatoosh01.JPG">Seastar357, Wikimedia Commons</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen is combating allegations by the Cayman Islands that his superyacht, the 300-ft MV Tatoosh, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/paul-allens-yacht-destroys-coral-reef-2016-1">destroyed 14,000 square feet of coral reef</a> while anchored off of Grand Cayman in January.</p><p>The Cayman Islands Department of the Environment alleges that the yacht's dragging anchor chain did the damage, impacting up to 80% of the coral in the area. </p><p>But Allen does not agree about the extent of his responsibility. There appear to be differences between the plans the Department of the Environment and Allen have for restoring the coral, too. </p><p>In a <a href="http://www.vulcan.com/news/articles/2016/cayman-reef-statement">statement released</a> by his company, Vulcan Inc., Allen and his spokespeople note that they have hired coral restoration experts to assess the situation, and submitted a remediation plan to the local government earlier this month.</p><p>"We took this step even though extensive past and recent damage to this same reef, as a result of other incidents that were not remediated, makes it difficult to determine what, if any, actual damage was caused by the Tatoosh," the statement says.</p><p><span>Allen's team contends that the Tatoosh was moored off of a popular dive site in a position "explicitly directed by the local Port Authority." Upon learning of potential anchor chain issues, the crew relocated the yacht - but not, according to the government, before the harm was done.</span></p><p><span>"<span>Because Vulcan continues to disagree with the scale and source of damage, as well as the length of time required for the restoration effort, details of the remediation plan have not been finalized," <span>Gina Ebanks-Petrie, director of the Department of the Environment, said <a href="https://caymannewsservice.com/2016/02/allens-company-quibbles-over-reef-damage/">to the Cayman News.</a></span></span></span></p><p>Despite these disagreements of scope, cooperative repair work between Allen's experts and the DoE's team did begin this week, although both sides remain unresolved on the full remediation plan. In the meantime, the reef is at risk; any coral tissue still alive needs immediate attention to be salvaged. The Port Authority has issued an anchoring restriction in the area to minimize further damage and allow for work to proceed. </p><p>In recent years, multiple incidents of reef damage do not appear to have been met with government action. Video shows a cruise ship operated by the Royal Carribean cruise lines making <a href="https://www.caymancompass.com/2015/12/10/Cruise-anchor-reef-scare-in-George-Town-harbor/">similar damages in 2015</a>, and in 2014 a Carnival cruise ship was also believed to have harmed the nearby coral.</p><p>"We are ready and willing to continue the work of the last two days and are hopeful the remediation plan can now be promptly approved and implemented," Vulcan's statement adds. "<span>There is nothing more important than the pressing need to save and restore the damaged coral, and Paul Allen and Vulcan continue to stand ready to do our part."</span></p><p>Allen is a known philanthropist and environmentalist who supports marine conservation efforts, including <a href="http://www.pgafamilyfoundation.org/oceanchallenge/">providing a grant</a> for ocean health efforts earlier this year.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/destroyed-coral-reef-in-cayman-islands-paul-allen-microsoft-yacht-2016-1">A Microsoft cofounder's $165 million yacht allegedly destroyed a protected coral reef</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="l2Nm1qMDE6PSd6YmmGJcYUm4wGRYZZGE" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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