Key Aspects: MSC Cruises has unveiled five new bars and lounges that will debut aboard MSC World Asia. The new venues include a throwback soda bar, the futuristic Sky Box Bar, an Italian aperitivo lounge, a Philippine-inspired pool bar, and a cocktail bar serving drinks inspired by Asian flavors. MSC World Asia will begin sailing
Key Aspects: Daquan Lamont Smith has been federally indicted for making a threat against passengers aboard a cruise ship in December 2025. The ship was not specified, but Smith’s recorded threat said he was on a cruise from the Bahamas with a bomb on the boat and the intention to blow it up. If convicted
Key Aspects: Norwegian Joy’s May 19, 2028 Alaskan itinerary has been shuffled, with visits to Skagway and Sitka replaced with a call at Whittier. The day cruising near Hubbard Glacier as well as the port visits to Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan have also been adjusted. There is no change to the ship’s departure from
Key Aspects: Guests sailing aboard Norwegian Sky’s final voyage were notified that several onboard venues and services would be unavailable or closed early. The ship’s gift shops were closed throughout the voyage, while the Art Gallery and Mandara Spa ceased operations before the cruise concluded. Norwegian Sky will leave Norwegian Cruise Line following the voyage
Key Aspects: Hero of the Seas was floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland on Friday, September 4, 2026. Both Meyer Turku and Royal Caribbean have shared behind-the-scenes looks at the milestone with photos and video. The fourth Icon-class ship is now at the outfitting pier at the shipyard where her construction continues.
These will no doubt be the 10 Western Caribbean cruise ports that are on your radar when planning a cruise. Many of these stops include multiple piers and cruise line exclusivity, so you’ll want to know which cruise lines sail to which ones. In This Article: Cozumel, MexicoGrand Cayman, Cayman IslandsCosta Maya, MexicoRoatán, HondurasOcho Rios,
Key Aspects: Three cruise lines have placed restrictions on cruise ducks: Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Marella Cruises. Despite the restrictions, none of the three cruise lines has ducks on its official prohibited items list. Guests should respect the restrictions, or the activity could be banned outright, and more cruise lines might introduce restrictions.
Key Aspects: A recent Royal Caribbean guest has asked about elevator use etiquette while toting luggage after encountering a skeptical passenger. Cruise lines do not restrict guests from bringing luggage into elevators, even on the most crowded days. Elevator etiquette can be a hot topic among cruisers, including rude behavior, misusing buttons, or smart elevator
Key Aspects: Scottish trail runner Paul Manson ran 7 marathons during a 7-night cruise aboard Enchanted Princess in August 2026. He completed the first marathon in Rome the day he boarded the cruise ship and did additional marathon distances at every port. One day was a marathon onboard the ship at sea with 185 laps
Key Aspects: A small fire broke out onboard Norwegian Aura on August 28, 2026, while the future Norwegian Cruise Line ship was under construction at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard. The fire reportedly began in a waste container, producing a large cloud of black smoke. Emergency crews at the shipyard contained the fire and no injuries were
Key Aspects: A brief power outage onboard Adventure of the Seas on Saturday, September 5, 2026 interrupted ship operations. The ship had departed Perfect Day CocoCay before losing power, but the outage only lasted about 30 minutes. Royal Caribbean has not issued any statement about the incident but power appears fully restored and the ship’s
Key Aspects: A water leak onboard Quantum of the Seas caused flooding down a stairwell near the Royal Esplanade on a recent cruise to Mexico. Royal Caribbean has not issued a statement on the incident, but it appears to be like a burst pipe, which is not uncommon on cruise ships. The water was cleaned
