Cruise Industry News Ship Updates & Breaking Reports

An HM Coastguard helicopter airlifted a guest from Carnival Legend on the morning of Saturday, August 29, 2026. The ship was traveling in the English Channel at the time of the medical emergency and diverted slightly to meet the helicopter. No delay has been reported for Carnival Legend returning to Dover for debarkation on Sunday, August 30, as planned. Carnival Legend had a brief … [Read more...]

Norwegian Cruise Line has expanded the specialty dining offer of its Free at Sea package to include all guests in one stateroom. Previously, the package pricing for discounted dining at specialty restaurants only applied to the first two guests. All cruises booked on or after August 26, 2026 will have the new specialty dining bundle availability for all guests. Norwegian Cruise Line's … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean has dropped the "at" in the name of its private Bahamian destination, now Perfect Day CocoCay. The preposition has been removed from marketing materials, the cruise line's website, and the booking engine. No explanation has been offered for the change, but it does align better with the names of other Royal Caribbean private destinations. Royal Caribbean guests will no … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean has narrowed the potential names for Hero of the Seas' future Chief Dog Officer to seven finalists. Cruisers can cast their vote for their favorite name before CEO Michael Bayley makes the final decision. The dog will become Royal Caribbean's fourth Chief Dog Officer, following Rover, Sailor, and Skipper aboard the first three Icon-class ships. As Royal Caribbean's … [Read more...]

Curacao is a popular cruise destination due to its stunning natural beauty, ideal location, and vibrant culture. With pristine beaches and a unique blend of European and Caribbean cultural influences, it is the perfect place for both relaxation and exploration. I'll detail the Curacao Cruise Port in Willemstad so you can discover why it is one of the main gateways to the island nation's various … [Read more...]

Princess Cruises is offering select guests booked on Emerald Princess's September 1, 2026 Alaska sailing a full refund plus a future cruise credit to voluntarily change their plans. The future cruise credit is worth 100% of the base cruise fare paid and is valid for two years, while Princess is also offering up to $800 per person for eligible travel expenses. Similar offers have been … [Read more...]

John Heald has clarified that the new Carnival Rewards program still includes free laundry for Diamond and Platinum guests. The overall amount of complimentary laundry bags depends on sailing length and has been reduced from the VIFP program. Heald also reminds guests that they must opt in to the new program no later than August 31, 2026. Carnival Cruise Line's new rewards program … [Read more...]

A Cuban woman who previously worked aboard a cruise ship says she was barred from returning to Cuba for five years after remaining abroad. The woman says Cuban immigration authorities linked the penalty to rules governing citizens working aboard international vessels, though the specific regulation has not been identified. She says she had been abroad for roughly 18 months when she … [Read more...]

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, PhilaPort, and local officials held a ribbon-cutting for Philadelphia's new cruise terminal on August 27, 2026. The new terminal is now where Norwegian Jewel docks and will support Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Gem in future deployments. NCLH donated $20,000 to the local fire department and $30,000 to local Boys & Girls Clubs to support the … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line has opened new West Coast sailings from Long Beach for its 2028-2029 season. Baja Mexico cruises ranging from 2 to 3 nights will be offered aboard Carnival Radiance, plus a special 4-night Christmas sailing in December 2028. Meanwhile, Carnival Panorama will operate longer 5-night Mexican Riviera itineraries. Carnival Cruise Line is looking ahead to 2028 and 2029. … [Read more...]

Carnival Conquest responded to a distress call relayed from rescue authorities regarding a sailboat on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. The cruise ship was having a sea day on the way to Grenada at the time and was able to bring the one stranded individual aboard. There was no delay for Carnival Conquest to arrive in Grenada on Thursday as planned. Carnival Conquest took a slight detour on … [Read more...]

A critically ill passenger was transferred from Carnival Firenze to first responders near Long Beach, California, on August 25, 2026. Long Beach Fire Department safety crews brought the passenger ashore before transporting them to a local hospital. The medical emergency altered the ship's 4-night itinerary, with visits to Catalina Island and Ensenada rescheduled for the following two … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line's reservations system will be down for maintenance beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 29, 2026. During the planned outage, guests and travel advisors cannot make new bookings or service existing reservations. The outage is expected to end by 12 p.m. on Sunday, August 30, but previous outages have lasted longer than planned. Carnival Cruise Line has sent yet … [Read more...]

Greenland's government is asking cruise lines to avoid or limit sailing in certain fjord areas when possible. The voluntary recommendation follows concerns from residents about wildlife, noise, natural areas, recreation, hunting, and fishing. More formal restrictions are being developed under Greenland's Tourism Act and will identify areas open to cruise tourism and areas where … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean is seeking volunteers to give up their bookings on Voyager of the Seas' September 4, 2026 Alaska cruise. Guests can move to select 2027 Alaska sailings with a 100% cruise fare refund and $200 onboard credit, or cancel for a full refund plus a 150% future cruise credit. Guests must apply by September 1, 2026. Those who do not participate will remain booked on the … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line has notified booked guests about 11 itinerary updates across four different ships in the fleet. The changes are relatively minor with port swaps or changing the day or time of individual port visits. The impacted ships are Carnival Spirit, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Legend, and Carnival Elation with sailings from November 2026 to April 2028. It seems time again … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Line is testing keeping Guy's Burger Joint open later hours aboard Carnival Conquest. Brand ambassador John Heald confirmed that Carnival Conquest was chosen for the later hours because of its shorter sailings. Because of great responses, Heald said the cruise line is looking into extending the venue's hours on other ships. Guests sailing aboard Carnival Conquest … [Read more...]

Margaritaville at Sea will begin sailing from Galveston, Texas in October 2027, becoming the port's seventh cruise line. Weekly Friday departures will operate from Cruise Terminal 28, with itineraries visiting the Caribbean and Central America. The cruise line has not yet revealed which ship will be based in Galveston, with an announcement planned for September. Margaritaville at Sea … [Read more...]

Carnival Paradise is swapping Princess Cays for RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay on her November 9, 2026 sailing. There are no other changes to the 6-night cruise from Tampa other than changing the private destination visit. The cruise line has not indicated that there are any technical problems with the ship for this minor port change. Guests on one upcoming Carnival Cruise Line sailing will … [Read more...]

Carnival Cruise Director Robby Howell is retiring from the cruise line after 10 years at sea. Howell says the decision is entirely his own as he prepares to begin a new chapter on land with his wife. His final cruise will depart Port Canaveral aboard Carnival Venezia on November 1, ending November 8. All good things must eventually come to an end. That is certainly true today as … [Read more...]