cruises

The sports court on Carnival Radiance.

(Carnival Cruise Line)

Sails to: Ensenada, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, La Paz, Cabo San Lucas and Catalina Island via three- to five-day wintertime voyages
Cost: Starting at about $200 per person

Carnival Radiance is one of the cruise line’s oldest vessels, having launched in 2000 under its original name, Carnival Victory. Following a $200 million refresh in 2021, it’s become a staple along the Long Beach waterfront.

The 2,984-guest ship offers a variety of shorter trips, which first-time cruisers may appreciate. Some of its staterooms connect, allowing extended families to vacation together. And most of its outdoor activities — such as mini-golf, a sports court and a two-level ropes course — are conveniently clustered together. Nearby are waterslides and pools, one of which sits under a large movie screen.

Like Carnival Firenze, Radiance also has NASA and Dr. Seuss-themed activities, in addition to an at-sea Build-a-Bear workshop and “Zumbini,” a kid-friendly Zumba class.

Picky eaters need not fret. Radiance has 15 dining options, nine of which are included in the cost of your cruise. A few have celebrity names attached to them: along with Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint and barbecue restaurant, there’s also a chicken counter from basketball star Shaquille O’Neal.

If you’ve tested the waters with a short Carnival Radiance cruise and can’t get enough, the ship will also be embarking on a 14-day round-trip voyage in early January to Kahului, Maui; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; Hilo, Hawaii; and Ensenada, Mexico.

HUGE sports fan? Setting sail on the seas doesn’t have to mean sacrificing the big game or your  fitness regime. 

Modern cruise ships come kitted out with all the latest wellness gear whether its high-tech courts, sports bars showing the latest footie games or  themed itineraries for mega fans.

From footie sailings with NFL tickets to island-hopping cycling tours, Sophie Swietochowski picks five of the best sports voyages. 

TAKE ON CROATIA ON TWO WHEELS 

CYCLISTS  will love this  adventure along Croatia’s sun-drenched Dalmatian coast with Sail Croatia. 

In just one week, you’ll tick off some of its  most picturesque islands on two wheels, including  mountainous Hvar and Mljet with its  peaceful lakes. 

Sail Croatia’s ships are small, so there will be just 38 of you on board. 

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Guests can hire bikes or e-bikes and will be accompanied on daily  cycling adventures by a  local guide. 

Itineraries vary in difficulty level – the Split Return Southern route is the toughest but has  breathtaking views. 

This cruise also calls at Milna, Bol, Korcula, Makarska and Split. 

GO: The seven-night Split Return Southern cycling cruise  from £929pp leaves Split on April 18, 2025. Flights extra. See sail-croatia.com.

BIG GAME WITH MIAMI NFL CRUISE 

AMERICAN Football is soaring in popularity in the UK with NFL matches taking place here for several years.  

But nothing beats seeing the stars on their home turf. So Iglu Cruise has launched NFL packages that combine a voyage with tickets to top games.

Fans can hop aboard Carnival Sunrise for a nine-night Western Caribbean cruise which includes tickets to see Miami Dolphins vs Buffalo Bills.  

You’ll spend three nights in Miami then day four at sea where you can enjoy mini golf or volleyball on board, before reaching Ocho Rios in Jamaica. You’ll head to Grand Cayman then back to Miami.  

GO: The nine-night NFL cruise is from £2,079pp, including Heathrow flights and Miami hotel stay. Leaves November 7. See iglucruise.com. 

WATCH GRAND PRIX IN ABU DHABI 

FORMULA One legends will be putting their pedals to the metal in Abu Dhabi this December for the much-anticipated grand prix.  

And if one cruise line understands what racing fans want, it’s Celestyal. You’ll have to splash the cash, but it’ll be worth it for this cruise.  

The Arabian Gulf package includes a short stay in a four-star hotel on the Corniche – the five-mile promenade – in Abu Dhabi and three-day  grandstand ticket to the Grand Prix.  

This is  followed by a five-night Desert Days cruise, with an overnight stop in Dubai.  

If you’ve never made it to the Grand Prix before then prepare to be dazzled as  fans will not only be watching their racing favourites  whizz round the tracks, they’ll also enjoy performances from Benson Boone, Post Malone, Metallica and Katy Perry.  

And the F1 fun continues on board, with passengers  joined by guest speakers, former race ace David Coulthard and sports host Laura Winter,  as they sail between Dubai, Yas Island and Abu Dhabi.  

GO: The seven-night Desert Days & Abu Dhabi Grand Prix cruise costs from £2,390pp including flights from the UK, all transfers, two-night hotel stay, three-day grandstand ticket and cruise.  

The price also includes an exclusive beach party on Sir Bani Yas island. See ­celestyaltravel.com. 

PUMP SOME IRON AROUND THE MED 

KEEN to keep on top of your fitness? Princess Cruises has 18 ships offering top-notch gyms, blood-pumping classes and state-of-the-art courts. 

Whether you’re a pickleball enthusiast or prefer something more low-key,  the sports court  of Sun Princess has something for all. 

More of a runner? The gym isn’t short of treadmills, and there’s also an outdoor running track. There are fitness classes too, from pilates to spin. Revive aching muscles  at the spa. 

Explore Naples in Italy, Chania in Greece, Kusadasi in Turkey and Mykonos and Athens in Greece on this seven-night Med voyage. 

GO: A seven-day Mediterranean with Italy & Turkey sailing is from £796pp departing Rome on May 23. Flights extra. See princess.com. 

SINK HOOPS IN  THE CARIBBEAN 

MORE of an all-rounder?  You’ll love the adults-only Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade on board Royal Caribbean’s newest ship Star of the Seas. 

The lively venue is crammed with screens showing the biggest sports games and events. 

For something more physically  challenging, the sports court has a basketball area, pickleball and football. Or at Adrenaline Peak, guests can take on the rock-climbing wall or try riding waves on the surf simulator. 

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The ship departs Orlando and sails to  CocoCay in the Bahamas, above, Cozumel (Mexico) Roatan (Honduras) and Puerto Costa Maya (Mexico). 

GO: The seven-night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day cruise is from £1,059pp leaving  on November 23. See royalcaribbean.com. 

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka set the platform for a US Open second-round victory over Polina Kudermetova by continuing her formidable tie-break record.

Sabalenka, 27, claimed her 17th consecutive tie-break in a 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 win in Wednesday’s night session in New York.

Being able to lock in when it mattered proved crucial once again for the world number one, who has won 10 of her past 11 matches when winning a first-set tie-break.

Taking the opener dampened her Russian opponent’s spirits and led to Sabalenka going on to break early in the second set.

Sabalenka’s service game was still a little scratchy – digging deep to save two break points before holding for 3-1 – but her level improved as she raced towards victory.

On the reason why she has been so dominant in tie-breaks this season, the three-time Grand Slam champion said: “I’m just trying to stay aggressive and fight for every point.

“I know every point can be a key moment of the set so I’m just trying to stay strong and play aggressive.”

Sabalenka is aiming to become the first player to defend the women’s singles title since Serena Williams in 2014.

Next she will face Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, who was a beaten finalist in 2021 when she lost to Britain’s Emma Raducanu.

Aug. 17 (UPI) — Two American cruise passengers in their 70s drowned in separate incidents on Carnival Cruise Lines’ private destination in the eastern Bahamas.

At Celebration Key on the south side of Grand Bahama, one person died in a lagoon and another at the beach on Friday, the cruise line told ABC News. The 65-acre private location, which initially cost $600 million to build, opened in July.

Grand Bahama, with 47,000 residents, is not on a private island, like Carnival’s other locations for guests.

The island, which serves two Carnival ships at one time, also includes a water park, restaurants, swim-up bar, the world’s tallest sandcastle and swing, and 1.5 miles of beach.

“One guest was sailing with family on Mardi Gras and one guest was sailing with family on Carnival Elation,” the cruise line said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the guests and their families and our Care Team is providing assistance.”

Both cruise ships left ports in Florida last week.

Before noon, Royal Bahamas Police Force officers found a 79-year-old man unresponsive aboard a commercial vessel.

“According to the initial report, the male became unresponsive while snorkeling at a beach,” police said in a statement to NBC News. “A lifeguard assisted him from the water, and CPR was administered, but to no avail.”

Shortly before 2:30 p.m., offers found an unresponsive 74-year-old woman who had been swimming in the pool. A lifeguard assisted her out of the water and CPR was administered “to no avail,” police said.

Carnival said more than 2 million guests a year will visit the destination. An extension is being built to serve two additional ships at one time.

In the debut on July 19, more than 7,000 passengers from Carnival Glory and Carnival Conquest went to Carnival’s site.

Grand Bahama, which is near Freeport, is 65 miles east of Palm Beach County in Florida. Southeast Bahamas, 145 miles from Grand Bahama, is under a tropical storm warning from Hurricane Erin.

The Elation, which launched in 1998, is a 71,909-ton, 855-foot-long ship, that can accommodate up to 2,900 guests and a crew of 900. It sails out of Jacksonville on five-day cruises.

The Mardi Gras, which began service in 2016, is a 181,808-ton, 1,113-foot ship can host up to 6,000 passengers and 2,000 crew members. The Mardi Gras sails out of Port Canaveral on seven-night trips. Another Mardi Gras was Carnival’s first ship launched in 1972 and sold in 1993.

All all, the cruise line operates 29 ships worldwide.

Belgian champion Tim Wellens claimed his first Tour de France stage victory with a breakaway win on stage 15.

The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider has done a lot of work for race leader Tadej Pogacar in the opening two weeks of the Tour but, freed from his domestique duties for the day, attacked on the final climb of the hilly 169.3km ride from Muret to Carcassonne.

The 34-year-old ultimately won by one minute 28 seconds, with fellow Belgian Victor Campenaerts finishing second and Julian Alaphilippe third.

Wellens’ team-mate Tadej Pogacar crossed six minutes later in the peloton to maintain his lead of four minutes 13 seconds over Jonas Vingegaard in the general classification standings.

Since Draper’s last appearance at Wimbledon, he has reached a Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open, won one of the biggest titles on the ATP Tour in Indian Wells and become only the fourth British man to crack the world’s top five.

That means he is widely regarded as the fourth favourite – behind Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic – at this year’s grass-court major.

A big reason why left-handed Draper can thrive on the slicker surface is his serve.

The power and variety of his opening shot enables him to start points strongly.

When he lands his first serve, it is effective. His first-serve percentage is only the 43rd best on the ATP Tour this year, but he is 14th in terms of points won after it.

Against 38th-ranked Baez, Draper broke in the first game of the match and the strength of his first serve meant the Argentine had little chance of responding.

He landed 78% of his first serves in the first set, winning 86% of those points with the help of four aces.

By the time Baez decided he could not continue, Draper had won 23 of his 25 first-serve points (93%).

“I served well, although I could have been a bit cleaner off the ground,” said Draper.

World number one Scottie Scheffler continued his stunning form with a four-shot victory at the Memorial Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.

The American shot a two-under-par 70 to beat compatriot Ben Griffin, whose challenge faded on the back nine.

After bogeys on the 12th and 13th, Griffin eagled the 15th and birdied the 16th to move to within a stroke of Scheffler.

But he double-bogeyed the 17th to ease the pressure on his rival, who went on seal his third win from his previous four tournaments.

The victory follows his triumph in the PGA Championship in May, Scheffler’s third major win.

He dropped just one shot in his final round when he bogeyed the 10th hole, but made birdies on the seventh, 11th and 15th.

Scheffler’s victory makes him just the second player to win the Memorial in consecutive years, following Tiger Woods’ victories in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

Tom Cruise has starred as the lead in the Mission Impossible series for eight films and with the final instalment now in cinemas, fans can refresh their memories on TV tonight

One of Tom Cruise‘s award-winning Mission Impossible movies is airing on TV tonight (Saturday, May 24). It comes just days after the eighth and final movie in the series, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning was released in UK cinemas.

Many fans will be heading to the pictures to see the film this bank holiday weekend, and if you want a refresher on what’s happened previously, Channel 4 has you covered tonight.

The channel will be airing the seventh film in the series, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning which was released in 2023. The film sees Ethan Hunt seek to destroy the Entity, a powerful AI, in order to keep its dangerous power away from corrupt governments.

Channel 4 will be airing the film at 8pm on Saturday, and will run all the way up until 11.10pm. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning runs for 2 hours 50 minutes.

Fans were left waiting years for the highly anticipated seventh instalment of the movie to be released – after it was pushed back a number of times due to the Covid pandemic.

It was originally set to be released in 2021, but due to the pandemic, was pushed back to 2022. However, fans were left waiting yet another year when it was pushed back once again to 2023.

The film received two Oscar nominations for Best Sound and Best Achievement in Visual Effects. The movie also won number of awards including a Saturn Award for the Best Action/Adventure Film.

The movie has mixed reviews from fans, although some hail it as the best in the series. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan penned: “I’ve watched all of them and mission impossible dead reckoning part 1 is the best film in the series,” as another agreed: “MI Dead Reckoning (Part 1) gets my vote for the best of the Mission Impossible Films.”

However, others weren’t so impressed with the movie, as one penned: “Dead Reckoning Part 1 was a huge step back. Worst since MI:2,” as another disappointed fan penned: Dead reckoning part 1 is… Ok you know what, I’m calling it, while the 7th film is a good action film, it is the worst mission impossible film.”

Earlier this week, the Hollywood star made headlines after he was asked an awkward question about Father’s Day on the red carpet after being estranged from his daughter Suri.

“Father’s Day is just around the corner,” an E! News reporter told the star. She then followed up by asking: “What would an ideal Father’s Day look like for you?”

Visibly taken aback, the Hollywood star looked to the side as he said: “You know…” After a pause, he then continued: “Just having fun, man. Making movies, big adventure, having a great time,” before the interview came to a close.

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