Fincantieri will build two new cruise ships for TUI Cruises instead of Marella Cruises, reversing an earlier plan announced in March 2025.
The ships will each be about 160,000 gross tons and use dual-fuel engines capable of running on liquefied natural gas.
TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI Group and Royal Caribbean Group, will take delivery of the ships in 2031 and 2032.
Earlier this year, Marella Cruises, a UK-based cruise line fully owned by TUI Group, made headlines with news it would receive its first-ever newbuilds from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. But that plan has now changed.
The order has been reassigned to TUI Cruises, a separate brand that operates under a joint venture between TUI Group and Royal Caribbean Group.
The two companies announced today that they have finalized a contract with Fincantieri for the design and construction of two large new cruise ships. The order replaces the March 2025 agreement that had originally been signed for Marella Cruises.
The new ships will join TUI Cruises’ growing InTUItion class, which already includes Mein Schiff Relax. The two sister ships are scheduled for delivery in 2031 and 2032.
At approximately 160,000 gross tons, the ships will feature dual-fuel engines capable of running on liquefied natural gas (LNG).
While the specific financial terms of the order were not released, Fincantieri confirmed the contract value is higher than the amount foreseen in the original Marella agreement.
Fierroberto Folgiero, CEO and managing director of Fincantieri, said,“We are delighted to expand our partnership with the TUI Cruises brand, further enhancing our relationship both with TUI and Royal Caribbean.”
For Marella Cruises, the news means the British line will continue operating its fleet of refurbished, second-hand vessels while TUI Cruises secures the new tonnage.
A Boost for TUI Cruises
The decision to shift the order away from Marella Cruises puts the focus on TUI Cruises, the brand launched in 2008 and headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.
It serves the German-speaking market in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, competing most directly with AIDA Cruises, which is owned by Carnival Corporation.
The cruise line has steadily grown its fleet in recent years. Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2, each just over 111,000 gross tons, kicked off the expansion in 2018, with Mein Schiff 3 through 6 following at a slightly smaller tonnage.
Mein Schiff Relax (Photo Credit: TUI Cruises)
The cruise line’s original Mein Schiff 1, originally a Celebrity Cruises’ vessel, was transferred to Marella Cruises and currently sails as Marella Explorer.
In June 2024, Mein Schiff 7 was delivered by Meyer Turku shipyard, matching 1 and 2’s tonnage and capacity. It was the first new ship constructed for TUI Cruises since 2019.
But this year, the ships began making way for even more passengers. Mein Schiff Relax, debuting in March 2025 as the first InTUItion vessel, is 160,000 gross tons and can hold 4,100 passengers – the largest in TUI Cruises’ fleet.
The vessel is currently homeported in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, offering 8-night roundtrip voyages to Sardinia, Sicily, Naples, and Rome.
Mein Schiff Flow is scheduled to be received in July 2026 at the same size and will also operate its first season from Palma de Mallorca, with now the sister InTUIton class ships arriving from Fincantieri in 2031 and 2032.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings will now match loyalty status across all three of its cruise brands, giving guests even more travel options and benefits.
Requests for matching must be submitted before setting sail and status matching will be determined on a cruise-by-cruise basis.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is the second major cruise company to offer a loyalty match between lines, following Royal Caribbean Group’s similar program.
At a time when cruise line loyalty and status has become a hot button topic, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) has announced its new Loyalty Status Honoring Program across all three of its cruise brands beginning October 15, 2025.
This will include the Latitudes Rewards of Norwegian Cruise Line, the Oceania Club of Oceania Cruises, and the Seven Seas Society of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
“We want our guests to feel rewarded whenever they choose to sail within our family of award-winning cruise brands,”said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
“With the new Loyalty Status Honoring Program, our guests can experience more of what makes each brand special, while still enjoying the loyalty recognition they’ve worked hard to achieve.”
The new integration of all three programs will apply for all sailings departing on or after Wednesday, October 15, 2025 and will apply on all 34 ships in the combined fleets.
On a cruise-by-cruise basis, guests will have their loyalty tier honored at the closest corresponding tier on each brand. The intent is to encourage “brand exploration” by recognizing guests across the different lines.
In effect, guests will gain loyalty in each different cruise line, no matter which one they set sail with.
In this way, if guests feel they want a different experience or if one cruise line may no longer fit their vacation preferences, they can choose a different line and still enjoy loyalty benefits without “starting over” as novice members.
Guests will have to submit requests for their loyalty status from one brand to be honored on another. If guests have loyalty on more than one brand, the match will be made to the highest status a guest has earned. Requests must be submitted at least 10 days before the sailing date.
It is unclear if guests can request the honored status for multiple sailings with a different cruise line, though this may be clarified as the program commences and requests are processed.
Norwegian Cruise Brands Loyalty
Some benefits are excluded from the NCLH Loyalty Status Honoring Program, such as personalized gifts, cabin upgrades, and free cruises. Similarly, charter cruises are not eligible for status honoring. Benefits are subject to change at any time.
Frequent cruisers who have sailed with multiple cruise lines should be aware that this honoring program is only between cruise lines owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings: Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Oceania Cruises.
The program does not match the status from other cruise lines, such as Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, or Virgin Voyages.
Why Status Match Matters
With Carnival Cruise Line’s recent shakeup as it sunsets the Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) program and replaces it with the new Carnival Rewards program, it has become clear to all cruise lines just how much frequent cruisers value loyalty.
Loyal cruisers are, of course, aware that benefits do change over time. Some perks are discontinued because they may no longer be popular or practical, or new loyalty tiers are added as programs continue to grow.
Norwegian Cruise Line Ship (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
By matching status across its brands, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is demonstrating that it values its guests but also recognizes that their cruising preferences may also change over time.
There is no similar program between lines in the Carnival Corporation & plc family, which would include not only Carnival Cruise Line but also Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, and more.
Carnival has stated multiple times that the products offered by the different lines, as well as the vast differences in experiences and pricing between them, makes such a program impossible.
Island Princess will no longer be visiting Puerto Chiapas, Mexico, on September 30, 2025.
The cruise ship will not be able to safely access the port due to a build-up of sediment that has made the channel into the harbor too shallow.
Instead, guests will spend the day in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala.
Island Princess, which is currently in the middle of a Panama Canal cruise, has had a last-minute change of itinerary.
Due to sediment build-up that has made water levels too shallow to traverse the area safely, the Coral-class ship will be unable to call on Puerto Chiapas, Mexico, as planned on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
“We recently have been notified by Puerto Chiapas Port Authority of some details that I’d like to bring to your attention,” Captain Vincenzo Lubrano Lobianco wrote to the up to 2,210 guests onboard.
“Sediment has built up on the bottom of the channel, creating water depths that are too shallow for us to safely navigate,” his letter continued.
With this in mind, Tuesday’s port call has been replaced with a day in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, which is only about 200 miles south of the original destination.
While Puerto Chiapas is not part of the Panama Canal itself, it sits in Southern Mexico and serves as a point of entry to the region.
To access the port, cruise ships must still navigate a main channel that leads into the harbor from the Pacific Ocean.
“As a result of this silting, we have made some necessary changes to our scheduled itinerary,” the Captain explained.
“We will no longer call to Puerto Chiapas, Mexico, on Tuesday September 30 and will instead call to Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM on the same date.”
Her smaller size is what enables her to navigate the narrow sections of the Panama Canal and surrounding destinations, but even smaller vessels need a minimum of 25 to 50 feet of waterbeneath them to sail and dock safely.
One More Tweak to the Itinerary
Luckily, the majority of the 18-night one-way sailing has gone off without a hitch.
The 2003-launched vessel embarked from New York on September 18, 2025, and has already visited most of the ports on her itinerary – stopping at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; Aruba, Costa Rica, and Panama City, Panama, along the way.
She has two more ports of call left before the voyage disembarks in Los Angeles, California, on October 6, 2025 – the first of which has also been tweaked slightly.
Island Princess Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: hydebrink)
The cruise ship will arrive one hour later than expected in Huatulco on the Mexican Riviera on October 1, 2025, as Puerto Quetzal is a bit further away than Puerto Chiapas would have been.
“Additonally, we will amend our call to Huatulco, Mexico from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Wednesday, October 1, rather than 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM,”the Captain’s letter confirmed.
The final port call of the trip on Puerto Vallarta on October 3, 2025, remains unaffected.
While an hour delay likely won’t impact the experience or shore excursions in Huatulco much, Princess Cruises has confirmed that any tours of excursions that were booked for Puerto Chiapas through the cruise line will be automatically refunded.
New shore excursions for Puerto Quetzal are already available for booking in the Princess Cruises app or by visiting the Shore Excursions Desk onboard.
Norwegian Cruise Line is now charging a $5 fee for second entrees in their main dining room restaurants.
The newly implemented fee is printed on the bottom of daily menus but has been introduced quietly.
This fee can be an attempt to discourage food waste as well as speed up dining service, but some guests see it as nickel-and-diming.
Norwegian Cruise Line has quietly added a new fee to their dining menu that may surprise guests. While it’s expected that specialty restaurants have an extra charge, the cruise line is now charging $5 for any second, third, or more entrees in their complimentary main dining rooms.
The charge is printed on dining room menus, in small print at the bottom, where it might not be noticed at first.
“One entree per guest. Additional entrees will incur a $5 charge,”the menu reads.
Norwegian Cruise Line is not the first major cruise line to implement a fee on main dining room entrees, but they may be the first to add the charge to a second entree.
Carnival Cruise Line, for example, does have the same $5 fee for extra dinner entrees, but it only applies to the third, fourth, or higher entree and a guest’s first two selections remain free. Carnival implemented this fee in late 2022.
Other cruise lines often have fees for premium items, such as entrees one would normally find in the onboard steakhouse or seafood restaurant. Those selections can be ordered in the dining room, but with a significant surcharge.
The $5 fee is a minimal one and can help discourage excessive food waste.
Some speculation is that this fee may also help cut down on “influencers” or “content creators” who create vlogs of their sailings, showcasing every item on each menu even when they don’t actually eat it all.
Instead, they order it, take a bite or two for a video, evaluate it, and move on to the next dish.
This can lead to a tremendous amount of waste as well as dramatically slow dinner service for the next guests. As Norwegian Cruise Line offers freestyle dining without set dining times, a clogged table can have a knock-on effect for many other guests’ dining plans.
Other guests are less understanding of the fee, noting that sometimes small portion sizes can make ordering multiple entrees more attractive. Multiple entrees also permit guests to enjoy different tastes as menus rotate.
This new fee follows just shortly after Norwegian Cruise Line implemented a $10 per person fee for no-shows or late cancellations for specialty dining.
In that case, guests were generally pleased with the fee, noting that it could help more cruisers be able to take advantage of specialty dining opportunities.
Guests React to New Fee
With a charge now for even a second entree in the free main dining room venues, such fees can feel like nickel-and-diming tactics that don’t sit well with guests.
“I thought that was one of the appeals of the MDR, you can order everything in the menu if you wanted and not get charged,”one guest noted.“If you get an entree that you don’t like and you order a different one, you’ll be charged?”
The Manhattan Room, Main Dining Room
The answer to that question is not immediately apparent, and may be handled on a case-by-case basis onboard. For example, if a guest orders their first entree, eats it all, then claims they didn’t like it and wants to order a second, they would likely be charged the fee.
If, however, the first entree may have been incorrectly prepared, such as a rare steak when the order was for medium-well, one would hope no charge for a replacement entree would be added if the guest simply returned the first order.
Some guests also note that they don’t care for appetizers or desserts, but instead make up their meal with multiple entrees. This can feel like a penalty for those dining preferences.
There is no apparent limit on the appetizers or desserts guests may order, nor is there any restriction on going to the Garden Cafe all-you-can-eat buffet onboard.
Guests could even visit the buffet before or after their dinner, if they are so inclined. I’ll admit, I’ve sometimes snuck an extra dessert this way!
Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Depression 9 are impacting Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean, and Bermuda sailings over the next few days.
Multiple Royal Caribbean ships are changing course or dropping port visits to steer clear of the rough weather.
This article will be updated as additional changes are confirmed for more ships and booked guests should stay alert for messages from the cruise line with further adjustments.
After being relatively quiet for nearly four months, the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season is certainly amping up at the end of September and into early October. At this time, two storm developments are in progress and impacting multiple Royal Caribbean ships in different ways.
As new itinerary changes are confirmed for Royal Caribbean ships, this article will continue to be updated with all the latest adjustments for both storms. Newest updates will be posted at the top.
For each ship, any shore excursions for now-cancelled port visits will be automatically cancelled and refunded as onboard credit. New shore tours can be booked through the Royal Caribbean app or by visiting the Shore Excursions Desk onboard.
Symphony of the Seas
Symphony of the Seas Departing Cape Liberty (Photo Credit: ARK NEYMAN)
Homeported from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, Symphony of the Seas will be unable to visit the Bahamas as planned for her Sunday, September 28 departure.
What was planned as a tropical 7-night getaway to Port Canaveral, Nassau, and CocoCay will now be significantly different as the ship heads in the opposite direction to avoid the developing storms.
“These storms’ forecast tracks make it hard to provide you with a safe and comfortable journey toward Florida and areas south,”the notification email said.“After exploring all of our options, we’ve decided to sail to Sydney and Halifax, Nova Scotia instead.”
Now, Symphony of the Seas will spend an overnight call in Sydney from 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, September 30 until 6 a.m. on Wednesday, October 1. The call to Halifax will be on Friday, October 3, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Due to the dramatic shift in itinerary, Royal Caribbean is providing onboard credit with $75 (USD) for interior cabins, $100 for ocean view or balcony cabins, and $200 per suites. These amounts are the total for the stateroom, but an additional $25 per person will be added for third or fourth guests in the same stateroom.
All guests will also receive a future cruise credit prorated to the value of one day of their cruise fare paid. This credit can be used on any Royal Caribbean sailing that departs on or before September 28, 2026.
While not all storm-adjusted sailings are receiving onboard credit or future credits, this is a goodwill gesture for guests onboard Symphony of the Seas based on how very different the adjusted itinerary must be.
Oasis of the Seas
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas (Photo Credit: The Hungarian Sailor)
At the end of Oasis of the Seas‘ current 8-night Southern Caribbean sailing that departed Port Everglades on September 20, the ship shifted course slightly. Rather than calling on Perfect Day at CocoCay, the lead ship of the Oasis class spent Saturday, September 27, 2025 in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas.
This was not done strictly due to the storm, however. In fact, the weather was fine at CocoCay and both Utopia of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas enjoyed their visits.
Because the island cannot accommodate three Oasis-class ships simultaneously, it was decided to reroute Oasis of the Seas since Utopia of the Seas’ schedule had already been changed, and the ship is now on a shorter sailing with just a single port of call.
Oasis of the Seas is returning to Fort Lauderdale as planned on Sunday, September 28.
Enchantment of the Seas
Enchantment of the Seas Cruise (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
Guests setting sail on Enchantment of the Seas will not be taking the 5-night Bahamas and Perfect Day cruise they had originally booked.
Due to the rough weather expected in the Bahamas this weekend, the ship’s September 27, 2025 departure from Tampa is being rerouted as a Western Caribbean itinerary.
Now, the ship will enjoy a day at sea on Sunday and will spend both Monday and Tuesday in Mexico, at Costa Maya and Cozumel, respectively. Wednesday will be another day at sea as Enchantment of the Seas returns to Tampa for her planned debarkation on Thursday, October 2.
“Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because our ship can quickly move out of the way of any inclement weather,”the notification email reminded guests.
Utopia of the Seas
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas (Photo Credit: Justin Kozemchak)
The World’s Biggest Weekend is going to have more time to party onboard and less time in port in order to avoid the influence of Tropical Depression 9 (which will undoubtedly strengthen to Hurricane Imelda over the weekend).
For the Oasis-class ship’s Friday, September 26 departure, Utopia of the Seas will no longer be visiting Nassau on Saturday, September 27. Instead, the ship will head directly for Perfect Day at CocoCay, which had originally been on the schedule for Sunday.
Now, Sunday will be a day at sea, allowing the ship to sail away from the rough weather and the forecast of high winds and significant waves. Utopia of the Seas‘ departure from and return to Port Canaveral are not impacted.
Star of the Seas
Star of the Seas Departing Port Canaveral (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)
Royal Caribbean’s newest and largest vessel, Star of the Seas, will not tempt fate with her Eastern Caribbean itinerary departing Port Canaveral on Sunday, September 28, 2025. Instead, the ship will sail a Western Caribbean itinerary calling on Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel.
This also means the new ship’s inaugural visit to St. Kitts, which was to have been on Thursday, October 2, now has to be postponed. The next opportunity for that special visit will be on Tuesday, October 23.
The storm system impacting Star of the Seas has not yet officially developed into a confirmed tropical storm. The area of strong storm activity is centered just east of Cuba and is forecast to move north over the Bahamas through the weekend.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts an 80-90% likelihood that the system will officially develop into Tropical Storm Imelda over the weekend.
Freedom of the Seas
Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas in Miami (Photo Credit: EQRoy)
Sailing from Miami, Freedom of the Seas is also unable to enjoy her planned Eastern Caribbean cruise that departed on Thursday, September 25.
The only port of call for the ship was to have been Grand Turk on Saturday, September 27. Because of the rough weather developing in the region, however, the ship is instead heading west.
Freedom of the Seas will visit Cozumel, Mexico on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is actually 30 minutes longer than the time that had been planned in Grand Turk.
Liberty of the Seas
Liberty of the Seas at Sea (Photo Credit: Debbie Ann Powell)
Sailing roundtrip from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, Liberty of the Seas is also unable to keep her planned 5-night sailing to Bermuda but will instead visit St. John, New Brunswick for an overnight stay.
This is quite the change for guests boarding the ship on Saturday, September 27, but it will keep the ship out of the way of Hurricane Humberto as that storm strengthens and heads north with Bermuda in its crosshairs.
At the moment, Humberto is approaching the Eastern Caribbean but is expected to turn north and continue strengthening into a major storm over the weekend.
By Tuesday, when Liberty of the Seas was to have been docked at Kings Wharf, the storm will likely be passing west of Bermuda, exactly where the cruise ship needs to sail to return to her homeport.
By rerouting to Canada instead, Liberty of the Seas will enjoy smoother sailing and a more pleasant experience for everyone.
Storm Updates
For all cruise ship changes, safety is always the foremost consideration.
Royal Caribbean will continue to monitor weather conditions for the entire fleet and will make further adjustments as needed to provide the best possible vacations for all guests, no matter where they are sailing or what ports they may visit.
As of Saturday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports that Hurricane Humberto has maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour, making it a Category 5 major storm.
Hurricane Humberto
He is moving west-northwest at 10 miles per hour and is forecast to remain a major storm through the weekend and early part of next week.
By Tuesday, September 30, Hurricane Humberto will be at his closest approach to Bermuda, but most likely west of the island, which can make travel difficult for any ships from US homeports.
Tropical Depression 9 has maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour, but it should strengthen into a tropical storm over the weekend as it passes through the Bahamas. Storm watches and warnings are already in place in the islands and the central coast of eastern Florida, including Port Canaveral.
Tropical Depression Nine
The storm will be named Imelda when she officially forms. The forecast path shows her likely to head mostly north and possibly make landfall somewhere from the northeast Florida coast to North Carolina, but not until Tuesday or Wednesday next week if she does make landfall at all.
All cruise guests with sailings booked in the Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean, or Bermuda over the next few days should stay in close contact with their cruise line for the most up-to-date itinerary information.
A glass panel broke on Deck 15 of Utopia of the Seas this week. The incident occurred in the Windjammer Marketplace.
No one was injured in the incident and the panel did not fall. The glass was quickly roped off for repairs.
Royal Caribbean has been plagued with multiple glass incidents on different ships in recent weeks, including Symphony of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and Icon of the Seas.
Yet another glass panel has shattered on a Royal Caribbean ship, this time on the newest Oasis-class vessel, Utopia of the Seas.
The affected panel is on Deck 15 in the Windjammer Marketplace. Photos circulating on social media show the shattered panel above the distinctive Boardwalk neighborhood balconies, but the glass remained in its frame and did not fall to the deck below.
Utopia of the Seas offers the “World’s Biggest Weekend” sailings from Port Canaveral. These 3- and 4-night cruises visit either just Perfect Day at CocoCay on the short cruises or both Nassau and CocoCay on the 4-night itineraries.
The exact sailing when the glass shattered has not been confirmed, but as the photos just appeared on Friday, September 26, it is likely to be that departure date for this weekend’s 3-night cruise.
No injuries have been reported, and the broken glass will not impact Utopia of the Seas‘ itinerary in any way. The affected panel will be covered and replaced as soon as possible.
So Many Glass Incidents on Royal Caribbean Ships!
It is not unusual for glass to break on cruise ships occasionally, but for panels to shatter without an apparent cause is more concerning.
For example, if a glass panel were to break due to a rogue wave, that would be understandable. If there were a collision with a pier that broke some glass, no one would wonder why.
Shattered Glass Panel on Utopia of the Seas (Photo Credit: Mike Kerwin)
What is raising concerns is so many glass-related incidents aboard Royal Caribbean ships in recent weeks.
Onboard Symphony of the Seas, for example, three different panels have broken since early June. On June 8, a panel in the Coastal Kitchen restaurant shattered and rained shards onto the pool deck below. Injuries were avoided only thanks to the fast warning of an alert crew member.
In early August, a glass panel on Deck 16 shattered near the miniature golf course. Speculation is that an errant golf ball might have caused that incident. Fortunately, the glass did not fall, though the entire panel was fractured.
Onboard Icon of the Seas, the Frightening Bolt waterslide captured headlines with dramatic footage of its glass breaking and water pouring down over the deck as the slide was in operation on August 7. One guest was injured in that incident, and the slide has since been repaired with a solid-colored section.
Even the brand new Star of the Seas has had a glass incident. A panel on Deck 15 broke on August 26, just days before the ship’s official maiden voyage.
Guests who were nearby when the glass shattered reported hearing a pop as it broke, but there was no immediately apparent cause for the break.
Royal Caribbean has not announced any connection between so many glass incidents. There could be many factors behind the different breaks, from sudden impacts to manufacturing defects to weather-related stress.
After each incident, crew members have worked quickly to secure the glass and ensure there is no debris that could cause injuries to anyone nearby. Repairs have been made as quickly as possible.
Other than the closure of the Frightening Bolt waterslide on Icon of the Seas (as well as on Star of the Seas as a precaution), none of these incidents have impacted ship operations in any way once the repairs have been completed.
After another busy week of cruise news, it’s time to recap the big developments you need to know about.
In this week’s update, we have coverage of a huge theft of cars from a UK cruise terminal parking venue, a Carnival Cruise Line guest who debarked at a Caribbean port and deliberately disappeared, and a Norwegian Cruise Line guest who got stuck in a waterslide tube.
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Disney Destiny Sails Complex Route on Ems River
Disney Destiny, River Ems
Cruise ships move forward while sailing, sideways while docking, and even in circles if adrift, but backward?
Yes, they do, when they are navigating the complex River Ems, near the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
Cruise ships that are constructed at the shipyard, which is located 20 miles up the river from the turbulent North Sea, must undertake a complicated conveyance on the river when leaving the shipyard. It happened this week with Disney Cruise Line’s new Disney Destiny.
Apparently, sailing backward provides greater maneuverability and better sight lines for the captain or pilot in charge of navigation, and protects the ship’s propellers from the riverbed.
The 144,000-gross-ton Disney Destiny began her trip down the river just before noon on September 19, 2025 and arrived in Eemshaven, Netherlands, on September 21, 2025. The new-build will be officially handed over to the cruise line soon, although the exact date has not been announced.
Construction of the ship began in March 2024. Her maiden voyage is set for November 20, 2025, a 4-night Bahamas cruise roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, her US homeport.
Guest Debarks on Port Visit, Asks to Be Left Alone
A disappearance was reported by Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Horizon as the ship called at Kralendijk, Bonaire, during a Southern Caribbean voyage: A 47-year-old female guest failed to return to the ship by the all-aboard time.
As departure time approached, the ship issued several onboard announcements asking her to make herself known, and probably tried to contact her by email or text.
The case took a strange turn when the guest, Jessica Collins, texted one of the ship’s Care Team members with a message that said she is safe and does not want to be found or contacted.
She had debarked the ship on September 17, 2025 with all of her belongings — she had apparently boarded with just a backpack, and had left a thank-you note and a tip for her cabin steward.
Since the cruise line had reported her missing to Bonaire authorities, local officials began a search for the woman.
It is unknown why Collins left the ship, which had departed from PortMiami on the 8-night cruise.
Debarking from a cruise ship is not a sanctioned entry method for emigrating to Bonaire, or any destination. But perhaps that was not her motive.
Video of Waterslide Tube Mishap Goes Viral
Cruise Guest Stuck on Waterslide (Credit: kaylamierzejewski)
Imagine getting stuck inside a waterslide tube, high above the open ocean. It happened to a female guest on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, and the mishap was caught on video and posted on social media.
It garnered more than 7 million views and close to 10,000 comments in just a few days, as scores of people watched the guest struggle after coming to a full standstill at a point in the Ocean Loops slide where the water level is very low.
The 13-second video shows the woman trying to move along inside the slide, which is positioned high above the ocean. She eventually manages to get past the low point and continue on her way.
It isn’t known which ship the guest was sailing on, although only three Norwegian ships have the slide — Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy, and Norwegian Encore. All three were sailing Alaska cruises around the time the video was posted on TikTok on September 19, 2025.
Some commenters indicated that they would have felt panic if they had experienced such an incident. Others said that being stuck in a slide over the ocean would cause them feelings of claustrophobia, breathing difficulties, and emotional distress.
Massive Car Theft Hits Southampton Cruise Parking Lot
Cruise Parking Lot in Southampton (Photo Credit: Gallwis)
Many cruisers choose voyages at ports they can drive to, thereby avoiding the inconvenience of air travel, and usually things work out just fine. But not always.
More than a dozen cruise passengers who recently sailed from Southampton, England, returned from their at-sea vacations to find their cars had been stolen from an indoor parking lot near the port’s cruise terminals.
The thefts of 17 cars apparently happened on September 9 and 10, 2025, impacting guests who had sailed on various cruise ships homeporting at Southampton.
The cars were parked in a locked warehouse, so it is unclear how thieves could have reached them. Local media reported that the facility is located on First Avenue in Millbrook and is operated by Southampton Cruise Parking Services.
A free shuttle service to and from the cruise terminal is offered to guests who leave their cars at the indoor lot, which is claimed to have 24-hour surveillance and security with CCTV.
Among the ships based at Southampton whose passengers might have been impacted were Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas, Cunard’s Queen Anne and Queen Mary 2, Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Fantasy, and Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess.
Royal Caribbean Confirms Plans to Build ‘Icon 5’
Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas at Meyer Turku
There will be yet another Icon-class ship coming to Royal Caribbean in 2028 — temporarily named Icon 5, now that the cruise line has confirmed an order for the ship.
The confirmation was part of an extension of the cruise line’s partnership with the Meyer Turku shipyard. The line already has an option for Icon 6, and the extension adds an option for Icon 7. It means that the Finnish shipyard now has contractual agreements with Royal Caribbean through 2036.
The cruise line introduced the popular Icon class with the 248,663-gross-ton Icon of the Seas in 2024. Star of the Seas debuted in August 2025, and Legend of the Seas is due to launch in summer 2026.
Also on the roster is Icon 4, slated to enter service in 2027. The mega-ships accommodate 5,600 guests in double occupancy and 7,600 with all berths occupied. Counting crew, the ships can sail with nearly 10,000 people onboard.
New ships are not the only additions coming to Royal Caribbean in the next few years. The Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, in the Bahamas, is scheduled to open in December 2025, a beach club is scheduled to open in Cozumel, Mexico, in 2026, and Perfect Day Mexico is slated to open in 2027.
Speed Problem Delays Ship’s Return to Big Apple
Cruise ships typically return to their homeports at the end of a voyage first thing in the morning, but that wasn’t the case for Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape, thanks to a technical problem that reduced the ship’s speed.
The 4,200-guest ship began a 5-night Bermuda cruise from New York on September 19, 2025 and was due back to port by 7 a.m. on September 24, 2025. However, the propulsion problem forced the ship to sail more slowly, arriving at about 2 p.m. that afternoon.
The vessel was sailing at about 16 knots. Her top speed is around 23 knots.
It caused some problems. First, debarking guests with early flights had to be rebooked. Those who booked air with the cruise line had arrangements automatically updated, and the line provided up to $300 (USD) in reimbursement for any non-refundable or not-covered airline change or cancellation fees for those who booked air independently.
Also, the delayed debark process meant that guests on the ship’s next sailing experienced a delayed embarkation. Normally, guests can begin embarking around noon, but guests on the September 24, 2025 cruise were not able to board the ship until between 4 and 8 p.m.
The cruise line has not indicated what caused the speed issue.
Prank Ducks’ Free Drink Offer Is One Big Joke
Carnival Cruise Duck Message (Credit: John Heald)
We’ve heard of Mallard ducks, baby ducks, and even dead ducks, and now there’s something new — prank ducks.
They’ve been found on Carnival Cruise Line ships. First, for those who don’t know, cruise ducks are a bit of onboard fun for some guests on various cruise lines. People hide them for others to find, and it’s all in good fun.
But now, someone is hiding prank ducks that come with a tag that states: “Congratulations! You have found one of our ducks! 1 free drink redeemable at the casino bar! Thank you for sailing with Carnival!”
Carnival Cruise Line has not hidden any of the prank ducks, and the free drink is not a valid offer.
Cruise line brand ambassador John Heald addressed the issue on his popular Facebook page, asking whoever is responsible for the duck prank to stop.
Heald noted that it puts the ships’ bartenders and servers in a negative situation when they have to deny guests the free drink and explain that they are the victims of a joke.
More Cruise Headlines
Did you know that Virgin Voyages unveiled a new cruise fare structure, or that Celebrity River Cruises opened all of its inventory for sale on two new river ships? These and other articles are found on Cruise Hive, your go-to source for cruise news.
Authorities have recovered 7 out of the 17 cars stolen from a secure parking facility near the Port of Southampton earlier this month.
The makes, models, ages, and conditions of the recovered vehicles have not been released as the investigation is continuing.
Southampton is the UK’s busiest cruise port, but the port itself is not involved with the impacted parking facility, which is independently operated.
Just over two weeks after a massive theft of 17 cars from what was to have been a secure parking facility service the Southampton Cruise Terminal, seven of the stolen vehicles have now been recovered.
According to the Daily Echo, local authorities have confirmed the recovery, noting that the cars include various makes, models, and ages.
The recovered vehicles were not all found together, but have been located at different intervals since the initial theft overnight on September 9-10. The seventh car was just recovered on Friday, September 26.
No information about the condition of the vehicles, including whether or not any of them have sustained significant damage or if any contents were removed, has been released. Each vehicle will surely undergo detailed forensic investigation to gather evidence in the hopes of tracking down the thieves.
The parking facility where the cars were removed from is the lot on First Avenue in Millbrook, belonging to Southampton Cruise Parking Services. It is just a 5-minute drive from the cruise terminals.
The company’s website boasts that they are “the only ‘indoor & secure’ parking facility at Southampton docks” and that this provides “peace of mind your car is in safe hands whilst you enjoy your holiday.” Cars are parked indoors at the facility’s warehouse.
The company is working closely with authorities to support those impacted and to strengthen their security features to minimize any future risks.
As is common for public parking lots and cruise terminal parking facilities, leaving one’s vehicle is always at the traveler’s risk. Despite on-site security features, including cameras, 24-hour security, and fencing, the company is not responsible for loss, damage, or theft.
While the investigation of this massive theft is far from complete, authorities have indicated an organized crime ring may be responsible for the act.
Cruise Parking Lot in Southampton (Photo Credit: Gallwis)
Port officials are planning extra patrols and increased surveillance of parking facilities, including consultations with outside firms for measures to improve security.
Just in September, more than 60 ship calls are scheduled. This includes vessels from Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, AIDA Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, P&O Cruises, MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Cunard Line, Silversea, and more.
Cruise Lines Not Involved
The names of the stolen (and subsequently recovered) vehicles’ owners and which cruise lines they were sailing with at the time of the theft have not been released.
The cruise lines are not involved with the theft investigation and have no bearing on the criminal activity. None of the cruise lines or the Port of Southampton have ownership of the parking facilities, nor are they involved with how the facilities are operated.
As the investigation remains ongoing and there are still 10 more vehicles to recover, local police are urging anyone with information about the theft or the locations of the still-missing vehicles to come forward.
Global Ports Holding is investing $250 million across five major projects in The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, Spain, and Puerto Rico.
Completion dates stretch from late 2025 through 2027.
The new projects include new terminals, upgraded berths, and expanded amenities designed to handle larger ships and more passengers.
From the Caribbean to the Canary Islands, Global Ports Holding (GPH) is pouring $250 million into reshaping how and where cruise passengers arrive, with new pools, terminals, and piers rolling out through 2027.
The company, the world’s largest cruise port operator, is simultaneously moving ahead with five major construction projects across its global network while continuing to operate dozens of existing facilities.
Current developments include Nassau, The Bahamas; Antigua & Barbuda; St. Lucia; Las Palmas, Spain; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“These construction projects with a combined investment volume of over $250 million reflect our commitment to building world-class cruise destinations that support both passengers and local communities,”said Mehmet Kutman, chairman and CEO of Global Ports Holdings.
In Nassau, a waterfront expansion for GPH is nearing completion with the new West Marina Pool set to open by mid-October 2025 and a Superyacht Marina with berths for mega-yachts opening by year’s end.
Antigua’s port district in the island’s capital of St. John’s is also being reshaped with a homeport terminal designed for turnaround operations, alongside new retail, dining, and public amenities.
The redevelopment includes a pool, signature restaurant, and expanded parking with the terminal slated to open late in 2025 ahead of the high season, while broader features will roll out in 2026.
St. Lucia’s Point Seraphine in the main cruise terminal in Castries, the nation’s capital, will see Berth 1 upgraded to handle the region’s largest cruise ships.
A new tender jetty, improvements at Fishermen’s Village and Soufriere Bay, and a revitalized Vendors Arcade are also in progress for the island with full completion by 2027.
In Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain, GPH is building what will be the largest cruise terminal in Europe.
Designed to host up to five ships and 12,000 passengers is scheduled for competition in September 2025. The terminal will feature renewable power and energy-efficient systems.
Global Ports Holding’s rendering of the expanded cruise port in Antigua.
Puerto Rico is also seeing major investment. At San Juan, rehabilitation work is underway on the Pan American Wharf and Piers 3 and 4. While Pier 3 upgrades are already complete, improvements to the wharf are due in October 2025, and Pier 4 is slated for 2026.
“Each project is carefully designed to enhance the guest experience, create economic opportunities, and deliver sustainable infrastructure that will serve these ports for decades to come,” said Kutman.
Continued Growth for GPH
Global Ports Holding has grown rapidly over the past two decades. The company manages nearly three dozen cruise ports across Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia.
Earlier this year, GPH expanded its presence in Spain with new terminals in Alicante and on the Canary Islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.
In Alicante, on the Mediterranean coast, two large ships can be welcomed simultaneously at the 700-meter cruise pier with improvements to food and retail at the terminal, while the Canary Islands projects are expected to accommodate more than a million passengers annually.
By combining larger berths and modern terminals with retail, dining, and public spaces, GPH is positioning its ports as destinations.
