Key Aspects: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill restricting dredging in protected waters on March 19, 2026. The bill could block a proposed cruise port in Manatee County near Tampa and is backed by environmental organizations. The planned terminal is designed to accommodate larger cruise ships that cannot pass under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
Key Aspects: Princess Cruises is expanding its North to Alaska program with four new onboard experiences for the 2026 season. The new programming will be available across all eight ships sailing in Alaska. The 2026 season will be the cruise line’s largest in Alaska, with 180 departures and visits to 19 destinations. Alaska cruises are
Key Aspects: MSC Poesia is adding new menus and beverage options ahead of its inaugural Alaska season, beginning in May 2026. The culinary focus will be on regional seafood and cold-weather offerings, including hot drinks during glacier viewing. The ship is also adding Butcher’s Cut and Kaito Sushi Bar to its specialty dining options. Hot
Key Aspects: Carnival Cruise Line has sent traffic alerts to guests sailing out of PortMiami this weekend, March 21-22. With 8 ships on Saturday and 9 on Sunday, tens of thousands of guests will be moving through the port each day. Guests should plan accordingly for potential delays, as each Carnival ship will be departing
Key Aspects: A former NCL guest has filed a lawsuit against the cruise line after being seriously injured during a shore excursion. The guest was partaking in an ATV tour when her ATV turned over and fell on her during an accident. She alleges that the cruise line is negligent in its advertising of the
Key Aspects: NCL has announced two operational updates for Great Stirrup Cay impacting drink packages and the destination’s new pier. First, Norwegian Cruise Line will now allow guests to use their “Free at Sea” drink package on the island indefinitely. Next, the private destination will temporarily resume tendering operations as work on the new pier
Key Aspects: A cruise guest drowned near the Grand Turk Cruise Centre on Monday, March 9, 2026. The guest was identified as 39-year-old Richard Parrish of the Wildwood Police Department. The incident is likely to be investigated and the cause of Parrish’s drowning has not been released. A cruise vacation should be a joyful time
Key Aspects: Silver Ray will be unable to visit Madeira as planned due to poor weather expected during her overnight visit. Instead, the ship is adding a visit to Leixoes, Portugal at the end of her transatlantic itinerary that left Florida on March 10. True to the luxury line’s customer service, every notification letter was
Key Aspects: Disney Cruise Line has announced the name of the fourth Wish Class ship as Disney Believe. The new ship will debut in late 2027 with a “promise and possibilities” theme. The ship’s homeport and itinerary options have not yet been announced. Disney Cruise Line is growing rapidly and guests who believe in the
Key Aspects: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has updated its cross-brand loyalty status matching across Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The biggest changes affect top-tier members, whose status will now be recognized at lower levels. The updated structure applies to requests submitted on or after March 16, 2026. Cruise loyalty perks
Key Aspects: TUI Cruises has cancelled more cruises aboard two ships stranded in Middle Eastern ports. Scheduled sailings of Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 are nixed at least through late March. The ships are unable to leave the area via the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing conflict. Still unable to move
Key Aspects: The US Coast Guard performed a nighttime airlift from Star of the Seas 200 nautical miles northwest of Puerto Rico. A 64-year-old male British passenger was evacuated from the ship due to a medical emergency. The incident occurred during the ship’s March 8, 2026 sailing, an Eastern Caribbean itinerary. An emergency medical situation
