Key Aspects: MSC Group will convert part of the Grand Lucayan Resort into a new 20-acre MSC Beach Club for cruise guests. Construction is set to begin on April 12, 2026. The project is tied to a broader $450 million cruise port development planned for Freeport Harbor. A long-idle portion of one of Grand Bahama’s
Key Aspects: MSC Poesia has finished her extensive dry dock in Malta and is making her way to Alaska. The ship will be the first for MSC Cruises to ever sail in Alaska, offering 7-night cruises from Seattle. The MSC Yacht Club has been added to the ship, plus a thermal suite and other updates.
Key Aspects: Carnival Pride returned to service on April 9, 2026, after a 22-day dry dock in Freeport, Bahamas. Refurbishments included updates to the casino, retail areas, and new carpets and upholstery. The ship resumed year-round sailings from Baltimore with a 10-night Eastern Caribbean cruise. After more than three weeks out of service for maintenance and
Key Aspects: Carnival Spirit has adjusted the itinerary on her current weeklong cruise due to “in-service work” needed. The visit to Bimini was cancelled and Celebration Key was moved to a day later than originally planned. There is no reported disruption to the ship’s onboard operations and the visit to Nassau is not changed. Guests
Key Aspects: Meyer Werft unveiled the project “Vision,” a concept for a fully battery-electric ship. The 82,000-gross-ton ship could carry 1,856 passengers and be delivered by 2031. The design could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95 percent. The idea of a cruise ship powered entirely by batteries is moving closer to reality. German
Key Aspects: MSC Euribia‘s May 2 departure from Kiel has been cancelled as the ship remains in the Arabian Gulf. Guests have rebooking and refund options for their now-cancelled vacation plans. No further itineraries are impacted at this time, but might be necessary in the weeks to come. While the conflict in the Middle East
Key Aspects: The lease agreement for a new cruise ship dock in downtown Juneau has been finalized. Áak’w Landing project is being designed and built by the Huna Totem Corporation. The project will include a dock, retail spaces, and cultural attractions built in three phases. The City and Borough of Juneau and the Huna Totem
Key Aspects: Brilliant Lady arrived at the Port of Los Angeles on April 6, 2026, marking the first Virgin Voyage cruise season operating from California. The ship began its inaugural 5-night “L.A. MerMaiden” sailing on April 7, visiting Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Ensenada, Mexico. After several Mexican Riviera sailings, the ship will reposition on May
Key Aspects: Upside-down pineapples on cruises are displayed and worn by swingers to discreetly signal their lifestyle to others. Some cruise lines no longer allow passengers to display non-family-friendly symbols such as pineapples on their cabin doors. A lot of on-ship décor and symbols worn by cruisers have no specific meaning and are just tropical and for fun. If you spot an upside-down pineapple on a
Key Aspects: A Miami couple was arrested after collecting more than $200,000 for cruise vacations and luxury watches that were never delivered. Victims paid over $44,000 for fake reservations on a July 2023 sailing aboard Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas. The suspects face multiple felony charges and up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Key Aspects: Norwegian Dawn will be embarking from Tarragona, Spain, instead of Barcelona on August 2. Guests have been notified of the embarkation port change, which is due to port availability updates. Barcelona has demolished three terminals for the construction of a new terminal to be completed by 2030. Traveling to a cruise homeport for
Key Aspects: Carnival Cruise Line is testing a new Chicken, Waffles, & Waves lunch venue on select ships. The new menu has been reported on most Conquest Class vessels on Deck 10. Guest reactions are mixed to the offerings, but the new menu may yet be further refined. Guests looking for some southern comfort food
