Key Aspects: Following much speculation on social media, Royal Caribbean Group has detailed its new Points Choice loyalty program. The plan will take effect with departures on and after January 30, 2026. Points Choice allows guests to apply their points across the company’s three brands. After some details of its new Points Loyalty program emerged
Key Aspects: Guests on Oasis of the Seas will have reduced loyalty benefits for the January 18 sailing. Access to the Crown Lounge will be restricted during each evening’s happy hour due to many loyal guests onboard. Other benefits remain intact and no other sailing date is impacted. While Carnival Cruise Line angers loyal guests
Key Aspects: Norwegian Aura has been revealed and bookings are now open for the fifth Prima-class ship. The new ship will homeport from Miami, offering 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from June 2027. The ship is the largest in the NCL fleet and has multi-generational spaces designed for families to share. Just weeks ahead
Key Aspects: Norwegian Gem‘s January 22 visit to Great Stirrup Cay is being moved earlier in the morning and shortened by an hour. Not all guests are happy about the change, considering they will be the only ship at the private island that day. Weather may play a part in the visit change as winds
Key Aspects: Should flip-flops be permitted in the Main Dining Room? One Carnival guest wants to know. This created a debate about the difference between sandals and flip-flops and which is the appropriate footwear. Carnival Cruise Line’s dress code does not offer guidance on flip-flops or other questionable footwear. As any fashionista knows, great shoes
Key Aspects: The Port of Galveston has received more than $8 million in federal, state, and local grants. Funds will be used to improve traffic and pedestrian safety at the Gulf Coast facility. Several major cruise line sails from Galveston either year-round or seasonally. Galveston Wharves, the fast-growing cruise port on the Texas Gulf Coast,
Key Aspects: Carnival Cruise Line has alerted guests on two ships sailing from PortMiami on January 17 about extra traffic concerns. A planned 5K race near the cruise port will cause road closures and extra congestion on Saturday morning. PortMiami will have seven cruise ships in port on the race day and all guests should
Key Aspects: Royal Caribbean is cancelling all guest visits to Labadee, Haiti, through the end of 2026. Alternative port visits are being arranged wherever possible, but some ships will have extra days at sea. There is no timeline for when the cruise line may one day begin visiting Labadee again. The new year isn’t quite
Key Aspects: One Carnival guest is upset that they haven’t been offered a free stateroom upgrade. John Heald explains why the upgrade fairy doesn’t really exist at all. Upsells are available, but full-capacity ships and sold-out sailings mean free upgrades aren’t happening. It can be a pleasant surprise for cruise travelers if their stateroom is
Key Aspects: The first cabins have been lifted onto Icon 4, Royal Caribbean’s fourth Icon-class ship under construction in Finland. The modular cabins were prebuilt and are the first of 2,800 staterooms the ship will feature. Icon 4 is being built by Meyer Turku and is expected to launch in late 2027. Royal Caribbean has
Key Aspects: A cruise guest missed Utopia of the Seas because of confusion about the ship’s homeport. Their application to join the ship in Nassau the next day was also denied. The guest has shared their experience in the hopes that others can avoid similar mistakes. Missing the ship at embarkation is a nightmare scenario
Key Aspects: A powerful storm in the UK delayed P&O fly-cruise passengers from on-time embarkation. Passengers were issued an apology and compensation for a missed cruise day. However, delayed guests of the previous voyage say they didn’t receive the same courtesy. A powerful winter storm that swept across the United Kingdom on January 9, 2026,
