Key Aspects: One Carnival guest is upset that they haven’t been offered a free stateroom upgrade. John Heald explains why the upgrade fairy doesn’t really exist at all. Upsells are available, but full-capacity ships and sold-out sailings mean free upgrades aren’t happening. It can be a pleasant surprise for cruise travelers if their stateroom is
Key Aspects: The first cabins have been lifted onto Icon 4, Royal Caribbean’s fourth Icon-class ship under construction in Finland. The modular cabins were prebuilt and are the first of 2,800 staterooms the ship will feature. Icon 4 is being built by Meyer Turku and is expected to launch in late 2027. Royal Caribbean has
Key Aspects: A cruise guest missed Utopia of the Seas because of confusion about the ship’s homeport. Their application to join the ship in Nassau the next day was also denied. The guest has shared their experience in the hopes that others can avoid similar mistakes. Missing the ship at embarkation is a nightmare scenario
Key Aspects: A powerful storm in the UK delayed P&O fly-cruise passengers from on-time embarkation. Passengers were issued an apology and compensation for a missed cruise day. However, delayed guests of the previous voyage say they didn’t receive the same courtesy. A powerful winter storm that swept across the United Kingdom on January 9, 2026,
Key Aspects: MSC Poesia‘s February 13, 2026 departure from Southampton is now cancelled. Guests will receive a full refund and a 50% cruise fare credit for a future sailing. The cancelled cruise is the last sailing before the ship’s planned dry dock. Guests booked on the last sailing of MSC Cruises’ MSC Poesia before the
Key Aspects: Noordam was forced to skip a visit to Townsville on January 9 due to a tropical cyclone. The Australian cyclone season runs from November 1 through April 30. Noordam was able to remain safely at sea and has continued her 42-night itinerary. January isn’t typically the month that cruise travelers expect hurricanes to
Key Aspects: Norwegian Cruise Line announced a new brand identity and national campaign. The campaign revives the cruise line’s 1990s tagline, “It’s Different Out Here.” A new “For All Maritime” television commercial will reposition the cruise line as it sails into 2026. When Norwegian Cruise Line quietly swapped its familiar blue logo for black across
Key Aspects: Cruise Hive asked our readers what cruise trends need to stop in 2026. Unsupervised and unruly children, especially in hot tubs, were seen as the most annoying. Bad behavior related to chair hogging and poor hygiene also needs to be checked. It’s officially a new year, and the cruise community is hoping that
Key Aspects: Wave season takes place each year between January and March. During wave season, many cruise lines offer their steepest discounts and best promotions of the year. Beyond lower cruise fares, cruisers can also get lots of freebies and perks from wave season promotions, such as free drink packages or onboard credits. Wave season is the annual period when cruise lines roll out lots of sales and promotions, and when many travelers book their
Key Aspects: One Carnival guest is unhappy about a confiscated item they claim to have been sailing with for a decade. More guests share dozens of examples of items they’ve had confiscated by cruise lines. All cruise lines publish prohibited items lists that guests should consult before packing for their vacation. All cruise travelers know
Key Aspects: After warning guests of bad weather, MSC Splendida also had to cancel a port call. Big swells and winds reaching 35 knots made docking unsafe in La Goulette on January 8. The cancelled call was replaced with a day in Palma de Mallorca on January 9. MSC Cruises’ MSC Splendida was rocked by
Key Aspects: Four more Carnival Cruise Line sailings will be removing perks for elite loyalty club members. Too many Platinum guests will be onboard to make certain perks practical, although Diamond guests don’t seem to be affected this time. Benefits like priority embarkation and disembarkation and early stateroom access are going away. Carnival Cruise Line
