Key Aspects: Some guests booked to sail on Ovation of the Seas’ August 14 voyage may be getting new staterooms. Due to new occupancy limitations, certain travel groups may need to be moved to cabins that are better suited to accommodate their group. The Royal Caribbean ship recently completed a major refurbishment in dry dock,
Key Aspects: A hairstylist who worked onboard Brilliant Lady is accused of molesting female passengers. The crew member allegedly offered unsanctioned massages to female passengers who booked hair appointments with him. If convicted, the Virgin Voyages’ employee could face two years in prison for each charge. A former crew member who once lived and worked
Key Aspects: Seven new gastrointestinal illness cases are now reported aboard Ruby Princess on her July 2, 2026 sailing. The new cases follow the 125-case outbreak on the ship’s previous cruise. No report has yet been made to the CDC for the new outbreak as it is not widespread enough to require investigation. Additional cases
Key Aspects: A UK school principal lost her teaching career after changing school term dates to take cruises. The disciplinary panel found the changes negatively affected attendance and disrupted families and school staff. Investigators did not identify the cruise line or itinerary. A pair of luxury cruise vacations ultimately cost a school principal in England
Key Aspects: Carnival Cruise Line’s July 4th meetups offered fireworks at Celebration Key and many onboard events. Not all guests were happy with the different activities and some ships did not seem to offer much. It is possible the cruise line may begin offering annual July 4th celebrations, but this has not been confirmed. The
Key Aspects: Holland America Line unveiled its 2027-28 Caribbean season with 47 departures across 29 itineraries. The deployment emphasizes longer Caribbean voyages, with more sailings of 9 days or longer. The season will also introduce a reimagined Oosterdam and upgrades to RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. Longer Caribbean cruises are taking center stage in Holland America Line’s 2027
Key Aspects: Netflix is releasing a documentary on the Costa Concordia disaster on July 10, 2026. “Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea” includes survivor accounts and never-before-seen footage of the incident. The online streaming platform has released several documentaries on different cruise-related events. News coverage was extensive in January 2012 when Costa Concordia struck a rocky outcrop
Key Aspects: Put your phone into airplane mode before your cruise to avoid unexpected bills. Utilize WiFi-enabled texting via apps like iMessage or WhatsApp. Look for deals that give you free WiFi on the ship or use free WiFi while in port. One thing that always makes me nervous when traveling internationally, including while on
Key Aspects: Queen Mary 2 was anchored in New York Harbor as part of the Sail4th 250 event to celebrate America’s independence. The visit concluded a transatlantic crossing voyage that departed Southampton on June 26. An international ship parade, military flyovers, and fireworks were all part of the celebrations guests onboard enjoyed. The skies were
Key Aspects: A former guest of Mardi Gras is suing Carnival Corporation after breaking her ankle during a shore excursion. The guest was riding a dune buggy in allegedly unsafe conditions, which flipped and fell on top of her. Her legal team claims that Carnival is negligent in how it advertised the tour and for
Key Aspects: At least three of Zaandam’s remaining Alaska itineraries have been altered, with a high possibility that more have also been changed. The confirmed impacted sailings include the departures on July 15, August 19, and September 16. Holland America Line cited limitations related to operating speeds and ocean tides as the reasons behind the
Key Aspects: Royal Caribbean is hiding special patriotic-themed ducks onboard ships to celebrate the July 4th weekend and America 250. The red-white-and-blue ducks feature the Royal Caribbean logo and flag-like patterns. Ducks are being hidden fleetwide and are already being found aboard Utopia of the Seas. Cruising ducks continue to be a fun phenomenon that
