Starting in January, all staterooms will be non-smoking. Already, hallways, corridors, restaurants, entertainment venues, and most interior public spaces are non-smoking. In addition, one lounge or bar on each ship will be set aside as a non-smoking public room.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride will operate a series of seven-day eastern and western Caribbean cruises from Miami beginning in April 2009 as the cruise operator announced. Three different weeklong itineraries will be offered on this unique program, which will run through August 2009.

The Jamaican government is reportedly considering construction of a cruise ship port near Negril, a popular destination, especially for younger travelers, on the western coast.

Royal Caribbean International will homeport its two 5,400-passenger Genesis-class ships in Port Everglades, making the Fort Lauderdale port home to the two largest cruise ships ever built.

American Canadian Caribbean Line, Inc. (ACCL), a family-operated small ship cruise line that caters to active mature travelers, announces savings of $500 per person on four 11-night select winter 2008 Caribbean cruises with an additional holiday savings offer for single travelers this December.

Disney Cruise Lines has announced that it will make seven visits to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands as part of its 2009 itinerary. St. Croix will be a featured stop on one new seven-night itinerary the line is introducing. The ship will visit twice in January and once each in February, March, October, November and December.