Cruise News Update: Theft, Major Flooding, Upgrades, Cancellations
It’s been another hectic week for cruise news and now it’s time for Cruise Hive’s weekly recap of the major developments. This week we’re writing about Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Princess Cruises.
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Frustrated Cruisers Complain of Magnet Thefts
Attaching decorative magnets to stateroom doors is a fun way to personalize a cruise guest’s space, and the practice has been a growing trend for some time. But lately, it has taken a dark turn, as the theft of magnets appears to be on the rise.
Some frustrated guests have taken to social media to warn others that their magnets might well be stolen by unscrupulous cruisers.
Most recently, a situation unfolded on Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, when several guests’ magnets were removed from their doors — they’d had them custom-made to celebrate the birthday of one of their party, and all were stolen.
On another Royal Caribbean ship, Odyssey of the Seas, one guest recently reported that multiple “Do Not Disturb” magnets were stolen from various doors.
Ships operated by other cruise lines have experienced the same bad behavior, with incidents reported on vessels operated by Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, and others.
Victims of magnet theft can alert the ship’s crew, but it’s unlikely anything can be done to retrieve the items.
Royal Caribbean Suspends Port Calls at Labadee
Labadee, Haiti, is in the news again, as Royal Caribbean has reinstated its suspension of port calls to the private destination.
The cruise line cancelled calls for several months in 2024 due to civil unrest and gang violence in the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, which is roughly 100 miles from the Royal Caribbean destination. Calls resumed in October 2024, but are now nixed until further notice.
The cancellation impacts itineraries of several Royal Caribbean ships, including Voyager of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, and Adventure of the Seas, all of which are currently sailing Caribbean voyages. Other ships in the line’s fleet are likely to be affected in the coming months if the suspension continues.
Replacement port call destinations include Nassau, Bahamas, and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
Labadee is a gated, 260-acre resort-style destination with its own security team in place. With a water park, adventure activities like jet-skiing and para-sailing, multiple beaches, and cultural attractions, it is beloved by cruisers and a major port call for Royal Caribbean.
Due to security issues, the US State Department has a Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory in place for Haiti.
Youngster Falls Into Water at CocoCay Pier
It was a case of tragedy narrowly averted at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas, when a child fell into the water at the pier where Symphony of the Seas was docked.
Guests were visiting the popular destination while two ships, Symphony of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, were docked at their piers. A guest onboard Oasis of the Seas apparently saw a young child fall into the water.
The child’s mother was nearby and the youngster was quickly plucked from the water. The two appeared to be heading back to the ship after visiting the destination when the youngster got too close to the edge of the pier and fell in.
No other information was provided, and Royal Caribbean had no comment about how the child was rescued or whether he or she suffered any injury as a result of the fall.
Symphony of the Seas is sailing a 7-night cruise from PortMiami that departed on April 13, 2025. CocoCay was the first port call on her itinerary. Other calls are St. Thomas and St. Maarten. The itinerary was not impacted by the incident.
The lesson for parents is: Keep a close watch on kids.
Great Stirrup Cay Poised to Offer New Experiences
Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ private island destination in the Bahamas, will soon offer an adults-only Vibe Beach Club and Horizon Park, a lawn games area, as part of a major upgrade plan.
Vibe Beach Club already exists on several Norwegian Cruise Line ships, and the concept is being expanded to the private island. It’s a secluded, luxury-level sun deck with pools, food and beverage services, lounge chairs, and private cabanas.
Horizon Park is a multi-use recreation area for games as well as relaxation and sunbathing. It also is being adapted from an onboard experience. Both the Vibe Beach Club and Horizon Park are expected to debut later in 2025.
Great Stirrup Cay also now features a new welcome center and a tram service for exploring the destination. A new splash pad for youngsters and a heated pool with swim-up bar for adults add to the fun experiences guests can enjoy.
Earlier upgrades to the destination provided a new pier where cruise ships can dock, removing the previous need for tender boats to transport guests ashore.
Burst Pipe Disrupts Evening Activities on Sky Princess
Passengers sailing aboard Princess Cruises’ Sky Princess in the Western Mediterranean heard the words no cruise guest ever wants to hear over the public address system: Proceed to your assigned muster station.
The April 8, 20215 directive came after a major water pipe burst as the ship sailed between Bilbao, Spain, and Le Verdon, France, during her 21-night “Mediterranean, Spain & France Medley” voyage roundtrip from Southampton.
Apparently, a burst pipe on Deck 7 caused water in the ship’s Sky Pool to enter the main atrium.
Some guests posted videos on social media, showing water pooling near a staircase and crew members trying to mop the water with towels. The announcement to proceed to muster stations was made because Decks 5, 6, and 7 needed to be cleared of all passengers so that restoration work could begin.
But there was never a need to evacuate the ship, as such an announcement might imply. It was an inconvenience, however, since the notification came at 10:45 p.m., when many guests had already turned in for the night.
The water damage was cleaned up by the next morning, and no injuries were reported.
Hawaii’s Proposed Taxes Annoy Cruise Industry
Hawaii is looking to increase the tax revenue it gets from cruise tourism, and some in the industry are not happy about it.
The state Legislature passed measures to enact a head tax of $20 per person, per port, and to apply the existing Transient Accommodations Tax to cruise cabins. Currently, that tax is charged only on short-term rentals on land.
Both laws have an effective date of January 1, 2027, however, much remains to be done before any implementation. First, both bills are in conference committee and could be altered during negotiations, and second, the governor needs to sign the final bills. Cruise industry advocates, including lawyers for Norwegian Cruise Line, are already busy lobbying against the laws.
Norwegian Cruise Line operates the only inter-island itinerary in the Hawaiian Islands aboard Pride of America. Since the ship is US-flagged, she is able to sail directly between US ports. All foreign-flagged ships are prohibited from doing so.
Enacting either, or both, taxes would substantially impact the cost of cruises onboard Pride of America. The cruise line is said to have threatened to sue the state over the taxes or withdraw the ship entirely from the region. So stay tuned.
Royal Caribbean Ship’s Outbreak Spawns Two Lawsuits
Two cruise guests who became ill from a Salmonella outbreak on Royal Caribbean’s 2,100-guest Radiance of the Seas in September 2024 are suing the line, charging negligence and breach of duties.
The two were sailing an Alaska cruise roundtrip from Vancouver, British Columbia, when the bacterial outbreak hit. They weren’t the only ones — the ship reported that 8.29% of the shipboard population was affected.
Separate lawsuits were filed with the British Columbia Supreme Court in March of 2025 by Tierny Patterson and Nicole Singh, who are seeking restitution for financial damages and compensation for pain and suffering.
Patterson said she endured diarrhea, stomach cramps, dehydration, and fever, and was not diagnosed until she visited a doctor in Vancouver after the cruise ended. Singh, meanwhile, said she was made to isolate in her cabin. She claims the ship’s medical staff was not properly trained or equipped.
The lawsuits are pending. Royal Caribbean has not commented on the charges.
More Cruise Headlines
Cruise Hive has even more cruise news stories you won’t want to miss, so check out our coverage about Cozumel setting a first-quarter record in cruise arrivals; Princess Cruises launching its 56th season in Alaska; Holland America Line enhancing its sailaway festivities; strong winds forcing a Royal Caribbean ship to miss a port call; and Disney Cruise Line revealing more exciting details about the new-build Disney Destiny.
Cruise News Update: Theft, Major Flooding, Upgrades, Cancellations