Cruise ship 'draws' 16-mile-wide smile at sea as a departure gift for passengers
These are dark times in the world as the new coronavirus rages, and there's not a lot of upbeat news. But one small cruise ship has just given us a reason to smile.
The 2,074-passenger Marella Discovery 2 on Tuesday "painted" a 16-mile-wide picture of the Marella Cruises "smile" logo in the sea near Jamaica as it prepared to suspend operations.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
The image could be seen on ship tracking sites.
A spokesperson for Marella Cruises' parent company, TUI U.K., said the ship's captain, Jason Ikiadis, and his bridge team worked together to create the smile in the waves while carrying out routine maneuvers while anchoring in Montego Bay.
"They wanted to do something that would make both our customers and teams smile as a thank you for supporting us during these unprecedented times," the line said in a statement to The Points Guy.
The maneuver came as Marella Discovery 2 was in the process of suspending operations. Like all major cruise lines, Marella Cruises is halting all voyages for at least the next month due to the coronavirus outbreak. It has canceled all sailings departing through April 16.
Related: Cruises in many regions unlikely to resume for months
Known as Thomson Cruises until 2017, Marella Cruises is a British line that caters mostly to British vacationers. It currently operates six ships.
Marella Cruises is part of of the TUI Group, one of the world's largest travel companies. In addition to cruise ships, the TUI Group owns travel agencies, hotels and airlines.
Cruising regulars may recognize the distinctive profile of Marella Discovery 2. The vessel formerly was Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas, the lead ship in Royal Caribbean's highly successful Vision Class series that began debuting in 1995.
The ship was transferred from Royal Caribbean to TUI in 2017.
In its statement, Marella Cruises looked ahead to a time when the coronavirus crisis had passed and the world could return to traveling.
Visit TPG's guide to all coronavirus news and updates
"We'll be ready and waiting to set sail with our customers soon," the line said.
Additional resources for traveling during the coronavirus outbreak:
- Can I cancel or postpone my cruise due to coronavirus?
- Should I travel? Advice for the coronavirus outbreak
- Airlines scale back inflight offerings due to coronavirus
- Hotel change and cancellation policies: What to know
- How to ward off coronavirus in your hotel room
- A guide to travel insurance for cruises
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.