Key Aspects: For the very first time, Star Princess arrived at the Port of Los Angeles. The Sphere-class ship will feature LA in many upcoming 2026-2027 itineraries. Itineraries include Pacific Coast, Mexican Riviera, and Panama Canal voyages. Move over, Hollywood Walk of Fame, there’s a new star in Los Angeles: the 177,800-gross ton Star Princess.
Key Aspects: Guests of Norwegian Encore were delayed by Customs and Border Control agents in San Francisco. The screening process took much longer than normal due to the ship’s late arrival, technical difficulties, and a death onboard. Passengers weren’t allowed to go ashore for several hours, and some never even made it off the cruise
Key Aspects: Platinum guests will not receive key VIFP benefits on Carnival Spirit‘s May 5 departure from Seattle. The 7-night Alaskan sailing is the 2026 FFS Cruise with brand ambassador John Heald. Diamond guests are still retaining all their loyalty benefits for the very special cruise. With the Alaska season just getting underway for Carnival
Key Aspects: Construction crews in Germany’s Meyer Werft Shipyard are making great progress on the completion of Carnival Festivale. Carnival shared a sneak peek of the new build, showing that the ship’s exterior is nearly finished. The fourth Excel-class ship is just one year away from entering service in May of 2027. Carnival Cruise Line
Key Aspects: P&O Cruises is introducing two new shows for the summer season through a partnership with two British celebrities. Magician Stephen Mulhern will debut a brand new magic show and host family workshops onboard Iona. Comedian Jason Manford is launching an adults-only comedy club experience onboard Iona and Arvia. P&O Cruises has made some
Key Aspects: Rotterdam has returned to service following a 2-week dry dock refreshment in the Netherlands. More live music venues were added, as well as updates to other public spaces and suites. The ship is now offering northern European itineraries and will move to Florida in October. Holland America Line fans can sing and dance
Key Aspects: A passenger dies after falling from a balcony on the Carnival Firenze near Catalina Island. The tragedy took place on the morning of April 27. Carnival Cruise Line’s Care Team is supporting the guest’s family at this time. A woman from the Carnival Firenze cruise ship has reportedly died after falling from her
Key Aspects: The US Coast Guard has suspended the search for a crew member who went overboard from Norwegian Breakaway on April 25. Despite hours of searching from the cruise ship and first responders, the crew member was not located. Norwegian Breakaway’s next sailing was briefly delayed by the search, but is now underway with
Key Aspects: Royal Caribbean Group has confirmed the orders for the sixth and seventh Icon-class ships. The vessels will be built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland and will debut in 2029 and 2030. This announcement comes as the third Icon-class ship, Legend of the Seas, is currently undergoing sea trials. There is no
Key Aspects: Guests in select non-Haven staterooms will now be able to dine in the exclusive The Haven Restaurant. The free perk is only being extended to Haven-connected staterooms with related travel parties. Non-Haven guests will not have any access to other areas of The Haven or its specialized amenities and services. Norwegian Cruise Line’s
Tipping and gratuities can be a controversial topic for cruise guests. While no one denies that crew members work exceptionally hard and do their very best to ensure everyone has a great cruise vacation, higher and higher gratuity rates can really damage a cruise vacation budget. So far in 2026, Cruise Hive has reported that
Key Aspects: A Celebrity Cruises guest has proposed the idea of a day pass to visit Royal Caribbean ships to enjoy waterslides. This could help promote the differences between cruise lines, which might appeal to curious travelers. Security and logistical concerns, however, make such excursions or passes to different ships unlikely. It can be a
