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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
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THE DAILY CRUISE AND TRAVEL NEWS “PODCAST” WITH TOM DRAKE For nearly 30 years, comedian Tom Drake has gone where most people only dream of vacationing—performing stand-up aboard cruise ships around the world, crossing countless oceans, visiting faraway ports, enduring crowded airports, and witnessing nearly every kind of travel triumph and disaster imaginable. After that much time at sea, Tom has seen everything, done everything, and—at least according to Tom—now knows everything. That’s why he has earned the title “Guru of the Seas.” Every Monday through Friday, The Daily Cruise and Travel News “Podcast” with Tom Drake delivers the biggest stories making waves across the cruise and travel industries. Tom breaks down the day’s headlines, explains what they really mean for travelers, and shares the frank, funny, and completely unfiltered opinions you will not find in a cruise line press release. New ships. Changing policies. Airline meltdowns. Port problems. Passenger behavior. Travel trends. Strange stories from the high seas. If it affects the way people cruise, fly, or attempt to get from one place to another, Tom is talking about it. This is not a polished commercial for the travel industry. It is an honest look behind the curtain from someone who has spent decades working inside it—with a microphone in his hand, a comedian’s eye for the absurd, and very little interest in sugarcoating the truth. Whether you are a seasoned cruiser, planning your first voyage, frustrated with air travel, or simply enjoy sharp commentary and a good laugh, climb aboard. The Daily Cruise and Travel News “Podcast” with Tom Drake—weekdays wherever people “pod their cast.”
Episodes
983 episodes · about 37 min each
Will the rumors that the MSC Poesia was caught with a "magic pipe" prove true? 27 Passenger flights in Europe were disrupted by fake bomb hoaxes! Grow up, people! Will Europe's lack of water leave river cruises underwater? A recent study by LYFT showed that, despite the economy, people are going out, especially for breakfast and lunch. Mangia!
Why stay in a haunted hotel when you have Hilton? The only brand they don't have. JetBlue raised bag fees to $50.00. They used to sell flights for $49.00 TAP Air Portugal now offers non-stop flights from Orlando. The Guru likes that! More "Dopes Among Us" with Brooks!
Maybe next time. The US Coast Guard has detained the MSC Poesia for an undisclosed reason. The cruise has been canceled. Make up your mind already. The port of Barcelona, which was recently told to slow down on cruise ship calls, is now building another terminal! Did you know that Singapore and the UAE passports get you into many countries more easily? A bomb threat on an Israeli-owned cruise ship departure for our in Greece!
Carnival Cruise's new " I prepaid my gratuities" sticker for guests is another dumb idea! A lot of questions here? The Emerald Princess goes from a CDC score of 99 to 78 in a few short months. 60 more Wendy's stores close. Bad Management? Bad locations? Why? Join Dottie and Tom in 2027 for a fantastic hosted Crystal Cruise. Book early. Rooms are selling fast.
Today's Dope. A Seattle flyer attempted to bring a knuckle weapon with three long blades onto his flight. Think Wolverine with a boarding pass. Looking for something to do besides losing your money in Vegas. Try the Mob Museum. NCL Holdings has announced that all three of its lines will concentrate on getting you to spend more money before you join and while you're on board! Don't miss out on joining Dottie and Tom for their Wellness Cruise on board Crystal in October 2027. Come and see the Guru play Pickleball!
Royal Caribbean still hopes to return to Haiti someday, but not now! The Embassy Suites in downtown Nashville gets the Guru seal of approval! Frontier Airlines feels like the Carnival Cruise of aviation, but it does offer value! There is still time to join the Guru for America's funniest cruise!
Is Russell Galbut still moving forward with Crescent's Seas after Villa Vie's collapse? The SS United States will finally be sunk sometime in November off the coast of Florida. Port workers in Barcelona were so unhappy they started setting things on fire. Next time, try mediation. It requires less water. Port Everglades secured some of our tax dollars to expand its operations. You are welcome!
Royal Caribbean reports big numbers again. Charging a lot more and people are paying it. High winds and rough seas kept three ships outside Port Miami for seven hours! Old-school fun and great food at Lefty's Tavern and Grille in Coral Springs! Guru recommended! Virgin Voyages joins the list of cruise lines that will cancel your cruise to make more money elsewhere!
Good news from IHG Hotels. As the Guru predicted, Americans are staying home and spending their money in the good old USA. Another moron threatens to hijack a plane on a Vegas flight and goes down the gangway wearing cuffs! The UK's Defense Minister tells the British people to prepare for war! Putz! There is still time to join the guru for New Year's Eve on Crystal or America's Funniest Cruise on Holland America!!
The Guru does not agree that Newark Airport is the most stressful in the country! That safari will soon cost a few more bucks. Tanzania now requires you to buy their travel insurance to see a giraffe in the wild! Three guests joining the Norwegian Jewel get popped for carrying a pharmacy with them. None of it was legal. Condé Nast readers ranked Oceania ninth in the mid-size ship category, destroying any credibility!
TSA rules say your prescription drugs do not have to be in the original bottle, but be careful outside the U.S. Cruising year-round will be the next big thing because it could work and because there's too many damn ships! AAA reports that a record number of Americans will walk up the gangway and try cruising for the vacation. The lazy Hotel industry is helping. The biggest mistake cruisers make is not doing too much on the cruise; it's choosing the wrong cruise line!
A drunk who stole a flamingo in Las Vegas could end up in jail protecting his flamingo! American Express is trying to foot the bill for the travel industry by offering points only for bookings through its arms! Are travelers ready to give up all their privacy for faster check-in? A new AARP survey reports that it will cost quite a bit more this year to visit Grandma for Christmas.
Another dope loses it on Singapore airlines plane and forces the pilot to turn back after nine hours! The cruise from hell. A 16-day Carnival repositioning cruise with only one Port Call! Paris is burning and the NFL is heading there for a game on Sunday. That's another riot! The US State Department does people if the lions in Kenya don't get you, the criminals will!
A cruise guest is arrested in Tampa, drunk out of his mind, carrying a backpack full of pills. How did he get caught? In 2028, United First Class passengers will taste their new wine, formulated 35,000 feet in the air, where the boss who came up with the idea lives. A recent study reports that Iowa is one of the cheapest places to retire to. Does that need explanation? The former majesty of the seas is up for sale for $40 million. The Guru will pass on this fine offer.
Rough seas forced Royal Caribbean to cancel Bermuda, and they took the guests nowhere. Not a great backup plan! If you're sailing a world cruise in 2027, don't expect to see the Suez Canal unless it's in a video! The TSA is rethinking its dumb idea to let people who are not flying get to the gates with family! Split personality? Travel and Leisure is now a travel site and an e-commerce site!
A female British architect who lost their mind on a Dubai-Heathrow flight is convicted in a British Court, but she wasn't there. The Dope's Among Us. The Hollywood Burbank Airport is getting a $1 billion makeover. Say goodbye to the small, quaint airport. Carnival announces they will use dynamic pricing on their drink package. Chasing the money!!! It's not too late to join the Guru for New Year's Eve on the Crystal Symphony. Check out BestatSeaTours.com
Princess plans to bring many ships through the Panama Canal. Let's hope there's water and time slots. Royal Caribbean plans to move all its older ships to Europe in 2028. The Caribbean is probably crowded enough with the mega mothers. In Hollywood, Florida, a man showed his ethnic background to everyone at the Hispanic Heritage festival and found himself in handcuffs. Oceanview rooms are still available at great prices on America's funniest cruise. Join the guru on February 14, 2027.
The next time he goes through Heathrow, the guru might sign up for the Diamond Air service! Does the world need another new hotel brand? Who is behind the World Cruise Awards, and can you pay to win? Delta flight attendant biter Selma Blair's attorney told the judge his client is the Gold Standard. Sure, and soon she will be endorsed by the American Dental Association.
The Maldives government suspends the 17% tourist tax when it realizes people might not visit its islands. DUH! TSA officials arrest a flyer in Phoenix after discovering he filled his Apple Mac mini with illegal narcotics. What's the big deal? Have you downloaded this app yet? It is called Flush, and it will help you find a bathroom. They should've called the toilet quest. The DOT will change the rules for situations where airlines disappoint you. They will have more opportunities to stick it to you!
The Mexican government changed its mind and decided to ban big ships from visiting Loreto. Why? To protect the blue whale. I couldn't do a survey by Yelp and Lyft; New Orleans is the most popular city in America for dining out. Really? Another traveler from Havana, Cuba, was arrested in Miami with a dozen birds in his crotch! A German tourist was arrested in Majorca after breaking into a hotel room in order to fulfill a TikTok challenge.