The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake

The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake

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.”

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Most Recent Episode

The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
August 7, 2026. Does giving rebates for your travel service mean your services are worth less?

MSC is adding another private island. Money, money, money.

Allegiant Air is adding first-class seats. Money, money, money.

Port Miami is adding another short power outlet. Good job!! Helping to save the planet by Tuesday.

Check out the unbelievable value: cruising on Crystal from New York City in October 2027.

00:32:45
Aug 7, 2026 8:9 AM
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More Episodes

The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
August 6, 2026 the new Boeing 777X is amazing. According to Boeing. The Guru will be happy if it just stays in the air!

 The very popular Captain Kate has decided to retire as a Captain.

Travel and Leisure reports that you should hold onto your boarding pass. It's valuable. The Guru agrees.

Severe turbulence in Denver forces 22 flights to divert to Colorado Springs. Buckle your seatbelts, people!

Rooms are selling fast for America's funniest cruise! Don't wait!

 

00:32:03
Aug 6, 2026 7:24 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
August 5, 2026 Amtrak is thinking about splitting the company into three separate companies that won't be effective!

Virgin Voyages will be embracing their curry with their new restaurant on Valiant Lady!

Regent Seven Seas will join Oceania and teach their pastry chefs how to make pastries on board!

An alleged Italian drug kingpin is arrested before he can join the Allure of the Seas. As a guest, not a waiter.

The Cyclospora outbreak is forcing a lot of people to sit down and pay attention!!

00:36:48
Aug 5, 2026 7:21 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
August 4, 2026 - Are the Bahamas really unsafe?

Marriott's big boss announces that business is better than ever!

Are there really that many people who go on a cruise to lose weight and get healthy?

Margaritaville at Sea gave away 60,000 free cruises at Zac Brown concerts. That's one way to fill your ship.

A waterline breaks on Royal Caribbean and fills an inside cabin with water. No extra charge for that water.

00:34:25
Aug 4, 2026 7:0 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
August 3, 2026 Who is buying the Oceania Sirena? A few possibles!

Six Italian guys sharing two rooms on MSC hacked the public addresses to make fake announcements! 

The San Francisco City attorney has the time to sue hotel booking companies because they don't arrest anybody!

NCL Boss Chidsey and the Guru think alike!

Regent Seven Seas ships will have more space per guest. Crystal is already there!

 

00:34:05
Aug 3, 2026 7:41 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
July 31, 2026 A wall collapse at Santorini shuts down the tram and the donkeys!

 

  • Norwegian Cruise Line is changing course, lowering prices earlier, with the hope of raising them later!
  • Is MSC heading into the river cruise business? Looks like it's time for a whole new "river state of mind!"
  • Oceania is saying goodbye to another R-Class ship. Sirena sails into retirement in 2028.
  • Cruise with Best at Sea Tours, where you're not just another guest... you're family!
 
 
 
00:32:48
Jul 31, 2026 7:28 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
July 30, 2026. For some cruise lines it's all about the money. Celebrity raises their gratuities!
  • Low water on the Danube leaves a Viking river ship stranded on a sandbar. Time to call in the motorcoaches!
  • A 44-year-old man was arrested on a Carnival cruise after allegedly assaulting children. Just another alcohol-fueled three-day cruise gone off the rails.
  • If someone dies on a cruise ship, is an investigation and autopsy always required? The answer may surprise you.
  • Day two on Wegovy... and still no side effects. Either I'm getting lucky, or the plot twist is coming later today.
00:38:11
Jul 30, 2026 7:17 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 19, 2026 Do people cruise and worry about their weight the whole time? No,they bring their jabber.

The airline bosses are right for a change. Congress has to start paying TSA!

Ozempic and Wegovy are changing the shape of cruising!

The US State Department is telling people to stay the hell out of southeastern Turkey!

World cruisers will start finding out now that they're not going through the Suez Canal!

 

00:35:22
Mar 19, 2026 6:57 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
MARCH 18, 2026 Travel Weekly article on luxury cruising gets it all wrong!

The Suez will not be safe anytime soon! Africa, here we come!

The top ten clean cruise lines! No surprises.

The Italian Olive Oil guy is back at Oceania on some ships!

The Guru questions the credibility of all magazines!

 

00:40:02
Mar 18, 2026 8:8 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 17, 2026 Happy St. Patrick's Day! MSC gets creative in Scotland!

The little cruise line that could! Victory Cruises will spend $5 million updating its two ships!

How creative are the creative people building shows for ships? 

The people in Dubai are not as worried about being attacked as the media portrays!

Don't apply for a status match if you're anticipating being elevated on the other cruise line!

00:35:36
Mar 17, 2026 7:26 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 16, 2026 Royal Caribbean building another revenue producing destination!

The Guru thinks the Princess boss has the right focus. Fix-not reinvent!

Gavin Newsome is in Tommy's doghouse!

The Guru offers praise for Sid from Hampton Inn in Vancouver!

Ungrateful Portland Maine politicians go for the money grab!

 

 

00:37:29
Mar 16, 2026 8:2 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 14, 2026 Hilton CEO offers criticism without solutions. Nothing new in the travel industry!

Ouch! Carnival cancels 11 cruises for this fall. People make plans, you know?

Virgin Voyages will debut an Indian restaurant on the Valiant Lady. The idea is a Valiant one.

The U.S has lost 5% of international travel, but it is still pretty popular!

Check out www. bestatseatours and travel with the Guru!

00:35:34
Mar 14, 2026 7:32 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 13, 2026 Unauthorized Aussie officials keep trying to board Carnival ships!

Brussels Airport shuts down after a threat of a strike!

The Guru says stay on the ship's time if you don't want to miss the ship or your tour!

The brand new Star Princess suffers a Noro outbreak. Wash your hands, people!

Global Entry is self-funded, but still run by DHS!

00:32:22
Mar 13, 2026 8:1 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 12, 2026 Rising fuel costs might cut into airlines obscene profits. Who cares?

DHS reopens Global Entry. Political pressure? One percenters complaining?

The Guru thinks the Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber could offer old-fashioned fun.

There is still room to join the Guru on a fantastic trip from Tokyo to Seward!

Ready to visit Bhutan? Your cost per day will be $100!!

00:34:01
Mar 12, 2026 7:53 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 11, 2026 Will Oceania start selling art onboard?

Will the Guru ever be considered a cruise icon?

Dinner in less than an hour on a cruise ship? Would that be a good thing?

Smart TVs on cruise ships are filled with more ways to earn revenue. Embarrassing.

The Guru likes Puerto Rico and hopes their new tourism campaign produces results!!

 

00:37:25
Mar 11, 2026 7:43 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 10, 2026 The Houthis are not going away any time soon!

Is Royal Caribbean now getting into the drydock business, too?

Explora Journeys is getting ready to run six "Ocean State of Mind" ships!

Some requests by cruise ship guests are not well thought out!

The Guru remains a fan of Chilis!

00:40:17
Mar 10, 2026 8:12 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 9, 2026. NCL Holdings needs to stop the self-flagellation!

The U.S. Government is not a travel agency. People stuck in the Middle East need to understand that!

Jeffries stock analyst likes Viking and not NCL Holdings. One man's opinion!

Another cruise line cancels its Middle East season! Too noisy?

Best at Sea Tours chooses nine Crystal Cruises itineraries for its hosted cruise program in 2027!

 

00:35:15
Mar 9, 2026 7:34 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 7, 2026. Regent Seven Seas Navigator has a new home!

Princess will have two ships homeporting in Barbados. The Brits will put up with it!

The Villa Vie people will charter the Seven Sea Navigator and try to raise money to buy it!

The CDC issues a polio warning for many countries. Check with your Doctor and not the Guru!

Should it be mandatory that Hibachi chefs be Japanese?

00:36:33
Mar 7, 2026 8:3 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 6, 2026 The Guru celebrates one million users the past month!!

NCL takes delivery of its new right-sized ship! The new Boss is pleased!

Trump tries to please the left by showing the head of Homeland Security the door.

Travel Industry leaders are back to whining about TSA cutbacks because they're working for free!!

Today is the 901st podcast, and they said it would never last!

00:36:37
Mar 6, 2026 7:25 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 5, 2026. Cruise guests still stuck in Dubai. What about insurance?

Royal Caribbean will help clean up the sargassum in Quintana Roo as part of the Costa Maya expansion!

A no-brainer! Royal Caribbean dumps Jamaica in favor of Cozumel for their new ship!

Disney christens their newest ship in Singapore. I ship that will sail nowhere.

Squaremouth says that some guest might be covered by their insurance as they sit in the middle of a war!

00:31:23
Mar 5, 2026 7:50 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 4, 2026 The Guru gives Avis in Tampa a A Plus! Regents gets a new bean counter boss!

Torstein Hagen has a lot of ship orders! An optimistic CEO!

Airline industry officials continue to say they don't hire based on DEI. The guru likes that.

Crewmembers on Margaritaville should be very proud. Both ships scored 100% during the CDC inspection.

Another Holland America ship has a Norovirus outbreak. Buy some sanitizers!

00:33:22
Mar 4, 2026 8:2 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 3, 2026 NCL Holdings 4th quarter results did not please many on Wall Street!

Is the Regent Seven Seas Navigator going to the people at Villa Vie?

Oceania is not paying for your referrals!

NCL Holdings' CFO admits to self-inflicted errors that caused a weak performance!

Elliott Investment Management experts are not happy with NCL Holdings' current management!

00:35:50
Mar 3, 2026 5:45 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
March 2, 2026 Final exit interview with Dottie Kulasa!

Several cruise lines canceled cruises through the Middle East after the US and Allies took out Iranian terrorist leaders!

Four Seasons takes delivery of its first new stunning cruise ship, called Four Seasons One.

The Guru talks to legendary Cruise Director Dottie Coss about her final days at Oceania.

 

00:41:38
Mar 2, 2026 1:33 PM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
Feb. 27, 2026 The Guru says grow up and get a passport!

The Port of Vancouver is getting ready for another record season!

The Guru wonders what makes up a "Legendary Cruise"?

A Delta 757 blows an engine and sets a field afire!

The Guru probably won't be on the new panel of Azamara advisors!

00:34:51
Feb 27, 2026 9:40 AM
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The Daily Cruise and Travel News "Podcast" with Tom Drake
Feb 26, 2026 Crime pays for awhile! Former NCLH Exec arrested in Argentina for embezzlement!

Explora Journeys new ad campaign sends a strange message!

Mexico's President says her country is safe again! 

American Airlines and the city of Miami will team up to rebuild concourse D!

Carnival Cruise line announced they will cut back on cruises in Australia, lack of government support.

 

00:36:46
Feb 26, 2026 8:57 AM
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