Key Aspects: Holland America Line is increasing gratuities and service charges for all sailings after June 1, 2026. Gratuities will go up $1 per person, per day, while service charges will be 20% instead of 18%. The increase follows similar increases on Carnival Cruise Line, a sister line to Holland America Line. Guests enjoying the
Key Aspects: Carnival guests have been flooded with dozens of identical promotional emails in just a few minutes. The emails appear to be linked to the new Carnival Millions digital lottery or other casino offers. Carnival Cruise Line has not acknowledged the email glitch, but it does appear to be resolved. Every guest who has
Key Aspects: The small cruise ship Fiji Princess ran aground on a coral reef near Monuriki Island in Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands. About 30 passengers and 17 crew members were safely transferred to Port Denarau with no reported injuries. Authorities and salvage crews are removing fuel, assessing damage, and planning for the ship’s recovery from the reef. A
Key Aspects: Valiant Lady made her inaugural visit to Charleston on April 3 as she headed for New York. The ship is the largest by gross tonnage to ever call on the South Carolina port. Valiant Lady‘s next sailing is also unique with a dramatic itinerary change from Bermuda to Canada. Virgin Voyages ships often
Key Aspects: Princess Cruises oversold the Discovery Princess’ April 7, 2026, transpacific repositioning cruise. The cruise line is offering some passengers a full refund plus a 100 percent future cruise credit if they voluntarily give up their cabins. Passengers are also being offered $1,500 for travel expenses reimbursement. Some passengers preparing to board an April 7, 2026,
Key Aspects: Valiant Lady‘s April 6, 2026 5-night sailing will now be going to Canada rather than Bermuda. The itinerary change is due to poor weather that makes docking unsafe in Bermuda. The weather difference between the ports is upsetting some guests, but others are making the best of it. Many cruise guests look forward
Key Aspects: A minor mechanical issue has impacted Carnival Horizon‘s speed towards the end of its March 28 sailing. Carnival has informed guests that the ship will arrive late back at PortMiami on April 5. Embarkation for the next April 5 sailing is likewise shifted two hours later. Guests currently onboard Carnival Horizon are going
Key Aspects: Virgin Voyages has changed Brilliant Lady’s itineraries for her inaugural season in Alaska. Instead of Tracy Arm Fjord, the ship will cruise through Endicott Arm Fjord. Tracy Arm continues to be geologically unstable following a major landslide in the summer of 2025. Brilliant Lady is just a few short months away from becoming
Key Aspects: Port Tampa Bay is continuing to expand and has begun construction on a new cruise terminal. These growth plans are part of ongoing development to support all port operations. This news follows the cancellation of the planned new cruise port south of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. While the idea of a new cruise
Key Aspects: Passengers visiting South Korea will be able to receive refunds of VAT and consumption taxes. The Korea Customs Service linked cruise guest manifests to the tax refund system so they could qualify. The program applies to purchases made at about 23,000 designated tax-free retail stores. Short cruise stops in South Korea are about
Key Aspects: Three passengers, who fell during their cruises, are suing Royal Caribbean. The lawsuits blame the cruise line for allowing unsafe conditions onboard and for not properly warning guests of slip hazards. Royal Caribbean prides itself on safety and exceeds safety standards set by regulatory authorities, such as SOLAS. People often say that bad
Key Aspects: Gratuity and Bottomless Bubbles drink package price increases went into effect for Carnival Cruise Line on April 2, 2026. Online calculators can help guests determine the costs of these expenses and how their budget is impacted. The increases were first announced in early February and guests could pre-pay to lock in the previous
