On this show we get a review of Royal Caribbean's Empress of the Seas, a ship they recently put back in service after spending years with their European brand. Could this ship be coming back to do Cuba cruises?  Sherry Kennedy has cruise news: Lifeboat accident leads to crewmember death. Carnival announced new itineraries for 2018 - but nothing too new.  Celebrity Cruises is taking a ship out of the Med in 2017 - where is it going? Any updates on Istanbul or ports of call in Turkey after the coup last weekend? Listener Question: Can we renew our passport one year early. And if so, would that give me 11 years until next renewal or will it still be 10 years from when I renew? Thoughts or reviews? Email me: doug@cruiseradio.net  Find in-depth cruise news and ship reviews at https://cruiseradio.net