Donna Tunney

Cruise News Writer

Donna Tunney is a travel news/feature writer and editor with 20-plus years covering cruise news, luxury travel, and Europe and UK destinations. A former staffer at Travel Weekly and at the USAToday Network, she also was a luxury travel columnist at Travel Market Report, and a cruise columnist at Sherman's Travel.

How did you get started in cruises?

My first job in the travel industry was copyeditor at the trade publication Travel Weekly in 1990. In 1992 my editors sent me on a cruise assignment to Eastern Canada/New England, and I’ve been hooked on cruising ever since. I eventually became Travel Weekly’s senior cruise editor, in 2011, and continue to be a cruise contributor at the publication.

What makes you a cruise expert?

Covering cruising from a business perspective gave me insights into the market as well as historical knowledge of the industry. I have sailed on about 30 cruises with 14 cruise lines, on both ocean and river ships.

I was a travel and cruise content producer for Travel Market Report, Sherman’s Travel, and TheTravel.com, and held senior editorial positions at regional newspapers in the USA Today Network. I’ve also received three reporting and editing awards from the New England Newspaper & Press Association (2005, 2015, and 2018).

You can check my Muck Rack profile here.

What’s your favorite cruise line?

It’s hard to choose just one, but I’d have to say Cunard, the UK-based luxury line. As a lifelong Anglophile, I enjoy the British atmosphere onboard — the Golden Lion Pub, formal afternoon tea, white glove service in the dining rooms, and more. This is the line that operates the iconic Queen Mary 2, which has, believe it or not, a planetarium onboard.

What’s your top tip for new cruisers?

Start by booking a short itinerary of just two or three nights to see if cruising generally agrees with you before committing to a full week or longer voyage.

You find out more about the Cruise Hive team right here.

2022
Started at Cruise Hive
653
Articles
Expertise
Cruises, Luxury Travel, Journalism
31
Cruises
32
Countries Visited
Massachusetts
Location Based

Articles By Donna

Cruise News Update: Private Island Upgrades, Water Leak, Fee and More

Cruise Hive has another weekly cruise news update, covering stories on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, and even Mexico.

Atlantic Canada Hits Record-Breaking 2024 Cruise Season

Cruise Ports in Atlantic Canada reach over 1 million cruise passengers, marking a record-breaking 2024 season.

Royal Caribbean Releases New Details About Its First-Ever Royal Beach Club

Royal Caribbean releases new details about its Royal beach Blub in Nassau, opening in December 2025, with a two-story cabana and world's largest swim up bar.

Princess Cruises Cancels Onboard Event Due to Sick Passengers

Princess Cruises has sent a notice to guests on the Ruby Princess about an event cancellations to due gastrointestinal among some passengers.

Oceania Cruises Is Offering These Perks in New Year Sale

The luxury line Oceania Cruises is adding more value to its sailings for 2025 and 2026, with upgrades, extra perks and more.

Galveston Hits Milestone With 1.5-Millionth Cruise Passenger

Port of Galveston in Texas reaches milestone with its 1.5 millionth cruise passenger for 2024.

Cruise Line Suspends Unique Dining Experience on Four Ships

Silversea Cruises temporarily pauses its Hot Rocks dining experiences due to technical issues on some ships.

Carnival Cruise Line Revises Itineraries Across Eight Ships

Carnival Cruise Line has sent out communications to booked guests with more than 20 revised itineraries across seven ships.

Major Refit on Horizon For Luxury Ship Paul Gauguin

A major multi-million dollar refit has been announced for the Paul Gauguin cruise ship.