Does CND's Cruiseblogger Provide Original Content or Aggregate News?

Updated

CND's Cruiseblogger is primarily a curated news blog rather than a source of original reporting. Its posts summarize cruise industry announcements and republish cruise line-supplied renderings and photos, with brief commentary added by the blog author. If you want official press releases or first-hand reviews, go to the cruise lines or dedicated review sites; if you want a quick, dated digest of ship news, this blog fits that purpose.

What the posts actually contain

Looking at the visible entries from late October to early November 2023, the pattern is consistent:

  • Ship announcements – e.g., a November 2, 2023 post introduces Norwegian Aqua as the first Prima Plus-class ship, noting its hull art by Allison Hueman, titled "Where the Sky Meets the Sea," and its Aqia Slidecoaster hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide.
  • Entertainment and venue news – a November 1, 2023 post describes the Princess Arena aboard Sun Princess, its configurable traditional or in-the-round layout, and four new production shows.
  • Milestone events – an October 31, 2023 post covers Carnival Jubilee's transit down the Ems River from Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, to Eemshaven in the Netherlands.
  • Refurbishment updates – an October 30, 2023 post reports Carnival Paradise's return to service in Tampa after a 16-day drydock, including a re-imagined Serenity Retreat, an updated Piano Bar, and an expanded casino.

Each post carries a short factual summary, sometimes a line of light commentary, and images credited to the cruise line.

Where the content comes from

The blog's material is attributed to external sources throughout:

Content type Attribution seen in posts
Renderings Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises
Photographs Carnival Cruise Line
Shipyard/facility details Meyer Werft, Grand Bahama Shipyard

Posts also carry explicit copyright notices such as "Renderings courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission." That language signals the visuals are licensed press assets, not the blogger's own photography or artwork.

What this means for you as a reader

  • Use it for: a chronological feed of cruise ship news, launch timelines, and refit summaries, with labels like NCL, Princess, and Carnival helping you filter by brand.
  • Don't use it for: independent reviews, pricing, onboard testing, or investigative reporting. Nothing in the visible posts suggests the author sailed on these ships or gathered original data.
  • Verify before relying on it: since posts restate cruise line announcements, confirm details such as show names, venue features, or service dates against the cruise line's own channels before booking or planning around them.

In short, treat CND's Cruiseblogger as an aggregator with a point of view, not a primary source.