Cruise News Update: Leaking Water, Caution, Massive Waves
Calling all cruise enthusiasts! It’s time for Cruise Hive’s weekly recap of the top cruise news stories and developments. Read on for coverage of Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Quark Expeditions, Princess Cruises, and The Bahamas.
Make sure you stay well informed by signing up for Cruise Hive’s Daily Update, so the big cruise stories are delivered right to your inbox.
Water Leaks Through Atrium Ceiling on Disney Magic
For the second time in two weeks, a plumbing problem was discovered on Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic as she sailed a 7-night cruise to the Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale.
At least one guest posted a video on Reddit showing water dripping from the ceiling on deck 5, in the main atrium. Ship’s crew closed the midship areas on decks 3, 4, and 5, and any activities scheduled in those areas were cancelled.
Some guests posted that the leak went unfixed for roughly one day. The cruise line has not made any public statement about the mishap.
The 2,700-guest ship, which entered service in 1997, had an earlier issue with plumbing in March 2025, but that one involved a sewage back-up problem.
In that case, guests in impacted cabins had to deal with the crew’s cleaning procedures, since the ship was apparently sailing full and no staterooms were available.
Disney Cruise Line indicated that just one cabin had been affected by the sewage problem, but some guests onboard said they believed it was more than one.
US Adds Cautions to Bahamas Travel Advisory
The US Department of State updated the travel advisory for The Bahamas with new information about possible safety issues.
The added advice concerns water activities like jet skis, boats, and beach safety, and includes details about traveling with weapons. The update followed the March 22, 2025 death of a Holland America Line guest who was riding a jet ski on Half Moon Cay, the line’s private island destination.
The advisory also tells travelers to avoid over-estimating their fitness for some activities, such as snorkeling and swimming, and to stay aware of weather and water conditions.
It noted, too, that boating in The Bahamas is not well regulated, and that crimes can happen on and around public beaches in Nassau and elsewhere.
Nassau is among the busiest cruise ports in the world and a mainstay destination for Caribbean and Bahamas cruises. In 2024, 5.6 million cruise guests called at the port.
The advisory is at Level 2, which indicates tourists should exercise increased caution.
Viral Video Shows Rough Crossing of Drake Passage
A cruise to Antarctica is a bucket-list trip for most cruise enthusiasts but there’s one part of that voyage known for elevating the adventure into something that can be a bit scary — the crossing of the Drake Passage, where the Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern oceans meet.
Massive waves and rough weather can be expected, and that’s what happened on a recent crossing of Quark Expedition’s Ocean Explorer. Travel blogger Lesley Anne Murphy was onboard and recorded the 35-foot waves as they crashed against the ship, which is purpose-built for polar exploration.
After posting her video on social media, it received some 450,000 likes and 10,000-plus comments. Murphy says she was not afraid and felt safe onboard the ship as it rolled and pitched in the rough seas.
It isn’t always rough in the Drake Passage; plenty of cruisers have experienced smooth transits in both directions, as ships typically sail from Ushuaia, Argentina’s southernmost city and the jumping-off point for most Antarctica voyages.
But it’s a risk all guests take when cruising to the White Continent.
New Eateries, Lounges Debut on Majestic Princess
New public spaces, including several of Princess Cruises’ most popular dining venues, were added to Majestic Princess, which has just returned to service following a dry dock.
Guests onboard the 3,560-guest ship, now sailing a series of Mediterranean voyages, can indulge in their favorite cuisines at eateries such as O’Malley’s Irish Pub, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, and Ocean Terrace Sushi Bar.
Some venues were removed from the ship to make way for the upgrades. For instance, the Vines Wine Bar is no more, and in its place is the Irish pub.
Pizza lovers and those looking for a quick bite poolside will be glad to know the ship now offers Alfredo’s Slice, and the Salty Dog Grill, serving up hot dogs, burgers, tacos and the like. As a result, Chopsticks Noodle & Dim Sum Bar and the Lobster Bar & Grill were removed.
Come cocktail hour, guests can check out the new Bellini’s Cocktail Bar and Good Spirits at Sea, where bartenders show off their talents to patrons.
Yet Another Plea to Early Boarders: Stay Out of Your Cabin
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald is, once again, urgently asking guests who enjoy early embarkation to please drop their bags in their cabin but then vacate the space so that staff can continue with their cleaning chores.
It’s been a problem for a long time. Diamond and Platinum loyalty club members as well as guests who booked a deluxe suite or bought a Faster to the Fun upgrade all are allowed to board the ship before others.
While the policy is intended to give those guests extra time on the ship to grab a bite at the buffet or explore the public spaces, too many of them are occupying their staterooms before room stewards are done with their work.
Some of the privileged guests who take possession of their cabins even tell the housekeeping staff to come back later to finish their work. So Heald has again made his plea, and is reminding guests that they must remain in a ship’s public area until cleaning is complete.
Congrats to Carnival Cruise Line’s New Cruise Directors
Now that Carnival Cruise Line has officially welcomed the transfer of two ships that formerly sailed under the P&O Cruises Australia brand, Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter, all that remained was to name their new cruise directors.
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald revealed the new directors on his popular Facebook page, welcoming and congratulating Ben Kitchen, who was named cruise director on Carnival Encounter, and Chelle O’Callaghan, who was appointed to the post on Carnival Adventure.
Kitchen’s background includes cruise director experience with Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, and as cruise director and entertainment director with Carnival Australia.
O’Callaghan has worked as cruise director with P&O Cruises Australia since 2023, and previously was an entertainment manager with Thomas Cooke Group.
Both newly appointed cruise directors are sure to bring their outgoing personalities and broad entertainment knowledge to the Fun Ship brand.
More Cruise Headlines
And there’s even more news from Cruise Hive that you won’t want to miss, including MSC Group officially opening its new terminal in Barcelona; Margaritaville at Sea adding its first port overnight to an itinerary; MSC World America detailing new shopping experiences; a Royal Caribbean ship missing a port call due to high winds; and the UK Port of Southampton expecting a record-breaking year.