Key Aspects: Guests and crew aboard Emerald Princess spotted a lone lifeboat off the coast of Alaska. The ship investigated the mysterious lifeboat for around an hour before being cleared by the Coast Guard. The lifeboat turned out to be abandoned from a cargo ship that sank last year. A mystery unfolded off the southern
Key Aspects: Barcelona’s city council has decided to accelerate what should have been a gradual increase in taxes on visiting cruise guests. Officials have pledged to increase the daily tax for cruise passengers to €24, the legal maximum. The purpose of the tax is to encourage homeporting operations while mitigating overcrowding from short port calls.
Key Aspects: Cunard Line has unveiled plans for a major, three-week dry dock renovation for Queen Victoria. Classic onboard spaces, such as the Grand Lobby and Queen’s Room, will see extensive upgrades. The 2,061-guest ship will also see new spaces added, such as new staterooms and the popular Pavilion Wellness Cafe. Every queen needs the
Key Aspects: Tropical Depression Two has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and may impact ships from New Orleans and Galveston. The storm is likely to strengthen over the next few days into Tropical Storm Bertha as it heads west. No official cruise impacts have yet been announced, but guests on several ships should stay
Key Aspects: Carnival Cruise Line celebrated the one-year anniversary of the opening of Celebration Key on July 19, 2026. The occasion was marked by special performances and activities. The cruise line reflected on the destination’s success, both as a financial enterprise and as a mechanism for positive impact. As the old saying goes, time flies
Key Aspects: A 51-year-old woman was airlifted from Carnival Luminosa after experiencing symptoms of a stroke. Despite the difficult conditions, the rescue went off without complications. The woman was taken to a Northern California hospital, where she is reportedly in stable condition. One woman’s summer cruise aboard Carnival Luminosa came to an abrupt end when
Key Aspects: Six different cruise ship guests were arrested at Port Canaveral on Friday, July 17, for different warrants and probation violations. The ships the guests were sailing on were not identified, but Carnival, Disney, and Royal Caribbean ships were in port. Background checks for outstanding warrants are common at cruise ports, and such arrests
Key Aspects: Shortly after departing from PortMiami on July 16, a guest of Carnival Sunrise began to experience pregnancy complications. The US Coast Guard successfully rescued the 29-year-old mother-to-be. Carnival Sunrise has continued on with its 4-night sailing to the Bahamas with no reported itinerary changes. A getaway cruise to the Bahamas came to an
Key Aspects: Disney Cruise Line has appointed its first-ever female captain, Maria Gotor. The new captain sat down for a Q&A with Disney Experiences, where she shared how she went from a legal career to a cruise captain. Gotor will helm Disney Wish, currently sailing Bahamas itineraries from Port Canaveral. In a historic move, Disney
Carnival Cruise Line has sent out a guest advisory regarding an itinerary change for the Carnival Paradise ship out of Tampa, Florida. The communication was sent out on June 1, 2026, and impacts only the July 20 departure. The itinerary in question is a six-night western Caribbean voyage that includes calls at Belize on July
Key Aspects: The final block of Hero of the Seas’ hull has been placed, officially marking the end of the hull’s construction. Meyer Turku Shipyard will now shift focus to ensuring the vessel is ready for float out and delivery. Hero of the Seas, the fourth Icon-Class ship, has had a rapid construction process and
Key Aspects: Sara Taskoski, a beloved member of Carnival’s Fun Squad, has just been promoted to cruise director. Taskoski has been working her way up in the cruise company for the past 4.5 years. She is currently leading the fun onboard Carnival Firenze and will be assigned to Carnival Freedom later this year. Years of
