Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas encountered a rogue wave on its return to Baltimore, causing the ship to rock heavily and sending dishes and glassware flying.
Passengers onboard Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas experienced a dramatic moment at sea when the vessel encountered a rogue wave on its return leg from Bermuda.
The incident, captured in a viral video now circulating across multiple social media platforms, shows the 78,340-gross-ton cruise ship rocking violently as carts of plates slid across dining room floors and glassware shattered.
The ship had departed Baltimore on September 20, 2025, for a 5-night roundtrip voyage to Bermuda. It was sailing back toward its Maryland homeport when the unexpected wave struck, causing the vessel to list heavily for several minutes.
In the TikTok video posted by @evanddddddddddd, crew members can be seen bracing themselves while attempting to stabilize service carts, while diners clutched onto tables and chairs to avoid falling.
The passenger said the ship “hit some waves the wrong way and tipped for a few minutes. Everyone was holding on as not to slip.”
They described the scene of dishes and glassware crashing to the floor in restaurants and lounges throughout the vessel.
“The bar floor was the worst with glass and liquor everywhere,” they explained, adding that the crew quickly cordoned off slippery areas to protect guests.
Despite the chaos, no injuries were reported. The same passenger noted that a few guests lost their balance during the rocking and that some children were frightened, but crew training and swift action kept the situation under control.
“They are trained and experienced,” the passenger said. “They are more worried about safety rather than the mess.”
The clip has drawn significant attention online, with more than 5.4 million views and a follow-up clip receiving over 1.3 million views at press time.
Hundreds of viewers weighed in. Some seasoned cruisers remarked that rough seas are part of the experience, while others admitted they would have been unnerved by the sudden motion.
Crew Response Praised
Vision of the Seas, one of the oldest ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, is a Vision-class vessel built in 1998 that can carry more than 2,000 passengers.
While the ship is equipped with stabilizers designed to minimize movement, rogue waves can overwhelm even modern cruise technology.
These rare waves, sometimes defined as more than twice the height of surrounding seas, have been known to catch vessels off guard.
Vision of the Seas Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Cristian Dina)
In this case, the incident occurred near the end of the voyage. Passengers reported that the sudden lurch lasted only minutes, but the effects were widespread. Broken glass and toppled dishes left dining areas temporarily unusable until staff completed cleanup and safety checks.
Commenters on social media praised the crew for keeping their composure while chaos unfolded around them. One user described the steady handling of a sliding cart as “a very impressive catch,” while another remarked that the cleanup must have been daunting.
Some even noted the swaying reminded them of why they enjoy cruising. One frequent cruiser said the rocking felt like “being rocked to sleep like a baby.”
Vision of the Seas safely returned to Baltimore and is currently on its subsequent voyage, a 9-night sailing to Canada and New England, which departed on September 25, 2025.
Royal Caribbean is moving four different ships in two homeport swaps for sailings in 2026 and 2027.
The impacted vessels are Radiance of the Seas swapping with Rhapsody of the Seas and Vision of the Seas swapping with Brilliance of the Seas.
Impacted guests can choose to rebook or cancel their sailing for a full refund if preferred.
It’s a confusing time for guests booked on various Royal Caribbean ships sailing in 2026 and 2027 as the cruise line sends out multiple notices of redeployment plans. This is canceling some cruises, changing homeports, and otherwise causing plans to change for thousands of booked guests.
Four different ships are impacted: Radiance of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, and Brilliance of the Seas.
Radiance of the Seas Swaps with Rhapsody of the Seas
Initially, Radiance of the Seas was scheduled to offer 7-night Southern Caribbean sailings from San Juan, Puerto Rico beginning in April 2026. Instead, the cruise line has decided to move Radiance of the Seas to Tampa, Florida.
“As a result, your cruise has been redeployed, and unfortunately, there is not a sailing on our new deployment that matches your current sailing,”the cruise line notified impacted Radiance of the Seas guests.
Royal Caribbean is waiving change fees and non-refundable deposits for guests who wish to rebook on any other sailing, which does not necessarily need to be aboard Radiance of the Seas. If guests do not wish to rebook, they will receive full refunds instead.
Replacing Radiance of the Seas in San Juan will be the somewhat older and smaller Rhapsody of the Seas. With the larger Radiance of the Seas to be sailing from Tampa, this gives guests booked from that homeport different options.
“The good news is, your sailing and itinerary will remain intact, just on a different ship,”the email explained.
Guests booked on Rhapsody of the Seas out of Tampa will automatically be moved to the same sailing on Radiance of the Seas in a like-for-like stateroom and with price protection.
If guests prefer to re-book on a different sailing, however, they can do so without any change fees. Guests can also choose to cancel their cruise vacation outright if no other sailing meets their expectations. If guests cancel, they will receive a full refund.
Brilliance of the Seas Swaps With Vision of the Seas
Brilliance of the Seas Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Benson Truong)
A similar ship swap is also happening for two more ships, involving San Juan and Fort Lauderdale as homeports.
Brilliance of the Seas was to have homeported from Puerto Rico from November 2026, but now that ship will instead be sailing from Fort Lauderdale.
Taking her place in San Juan is Vision of the Seas, another older and smaller vessel, which was to have sailed from Fort Lauderdale.
As with Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas, guests already booked on the impacted cruises aboard either Brilliance of the Seas or Vision of the Seas have the opportunity to rebook if they prefer, or else to receive a full refund.
Why Swap Ships?
Cruise lines will occasionally swap ships in this way to better serve passenger interest from different homeports. Ship capacities can be a factor in deciding which vessel is deployed where, as can the strength of bookings from different homeports and for different itineraries.
Fortunately, the changes for all four ships are several months in the future, which gives impacted guests plenty of time to consider their vacation options and rebook or cancel if they prefer.
If guests are booked on any of the four vessels but have not yet received notification of the ship swaps, they should be patient. It may take some time to notify thousands of guests of the impacted sailings, but emails are on the way.
Staying in close contact with the cruise line or their travel agent is a sure way to be alerted to such changes as soon as possible.
Princess Cruises took delivery of the new-build Star Princess from a Fincantieri shipyard in Italy on September 26, 2025.
The 4,300-guest ship is the second in the line’s Sphere class, following the 2024 launch of Sun Princess.
Star Princess will soon sail to Barcelona, where she will embark her first guests on October 4, 2025, and operate an 11-night Western Mediterranean inaugural cruise.
Princess Cruises took delivery of Star Princess, its 17th ship and the second in its celebrated Sphere class, during a festive handover ceremony at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
The delivery of the 177,882-gross-ton ship on September 26, 2025 drew cruise line and shipyard officials, and government representatives to the shipyard event.
“Today is a proud moment for Princess as we welcome the new Star Princess to our incredible fleet,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Princess Cruises.
“This remarkable vessel is a testament to the innovation and craftsmanship of our long-standing partners at Fincantieri, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to the shipbuilding team for bringing our newest ship to life,” Antorcha added.
The 4,300-guest Star Princess is a sister ship to Sun Princess, which launched in February 2024. The Sphere class brought several new features to Princess Cruises, including The Dome, a multi-deck entertainment space, the Princess Arena, an in-the-round stage show venue, and the Piazza, a three-story grand atrium at the center of the ship.
Guests on Star Princess will enjoy 30 dining venues and bars, and choose from more than two dozen stateroom categories, including the luxury Sanctuary Collection, which debuted on Sun Princess.
The private-access luxury area offers access to the exclusive Sanctuary Club and restaurant, and its cruise fares include Princess Premier perks, which cover unlimited specialty dining and premium spirits, a WiFi package, and crew gratuities, among other amenities and services.
Star Princess guests also will see two new mainstage productions in the Princess Arena, “Meridien” and “Illuminate: A Spectacle of Joy,” both created by London-based Black Skull Creative.
Another entertainment venue that launched on Sun Princess will be repeated on the new ship — Spellbound by Magic Castle, the speakeasy experience created in partnership with the Hollywood-based The Magic Castle venue.
Crew Members Are Onboard, Preparing For First Guests
Following the ship’s delivery to Princess Cruises, Star Princess’ 1,600 crew members are onboard the ship preparing staterooms and public spaces for the arrival of the first guests.
Star Princess will make her way to Barcelona, where embarkation will take place prior to her inaugural cruise departure on October 4, 2025.
The 11-night voyage will call at Marseille, France; Rome and Naples, Italy; Palermo, Sicily; Cartagena, Spain; and Gibraltar, UK before returning to Barcelona.
Star Princess Cruise Ship
The ship will sail a 7-night Mediterranean cruise after her maiden voyage before beginning a transatlantic crossing to her US homeport, Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades. Star Princess will sail 7- and 14-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from the South Florida port through mid-April 2026.
On April 13, 2026, the ship will sail a 20-night “Panama Canal – Ocean to Ocean” voyage to Seattle, where she will be based for the summer Alaska season. From Seattle, the ship will sail 7-night Inside Passage cruises.
The ship will return to Fort Lauderdale in October 2026 for seasonal winter voyages.
The launch of Star Princess was twice delayed. She was originally slated to enter service in July 2025, then in September 2025. Several cruises had to be cancelled as a result of the postponements.
The ship’s sea trials were held from August 9 to 12, 2025, when key systems such as navigation, propulsion, safety, and other processes were tested. Star Princess and Sun Princess represent the line’s first vessels to be powered by LNG (liquified natural gas).
Carnival Sunrise will be visiting Half Moon Cay a day early on her September 25, 2025 sailing to ensure smoother water and safety for all guests.
The tropical depression developing near Cuba has already impacted other cruise lines and ships, but is not yet an official tropical storm.
Rough weather is expected to move north through the Bahamas during the weekend and is likely to impact more ships and sailings.
With a tropical system continuing to form just east of Cuba and forecast to move north through the Bahamas over the weekend, Carnival Cruise Line has decided to shift one port visit on Carnival Sunrise for a better experience.
The impacted cruise is the ship’s current sailing, which departed from Miami on Thursday, September 25, 2025. The 4-night Bahamas cruise was to have spent Friday at sea, then visit Half Moon Cay on Saturday, followed by Celebration Key on Sunday, before returning to Florida on Monday, September 29.
Instead, the first full day of the cruise will now be spent at Half Moon Cay, with the day at sea moved to Saturday, September 27.
“We are actively monitoring a weather system forecasted to affect Half Moon Cay Saturday, September 27. To improve your experience, we will visit the destination tomorrow, Friday, September 26, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, when conditions are expected to be better,”a notice sent to guests onboard confirmed.
Because Half Moon Cay is a tender port, it is important that ships visit when the seas are calm. Long swells or other rough water can make it too dangerous to operate tenders and unsafe for guests to walk across the unstable gangways.
While the Bahamas may be experiencing higher waves and wind gusts for the next 2-3 days, at this time it is only the call to Half Moon Cay that is impacted.
It is possible that the ship’s visit to Celebration Key might also be adjusted, though no such decision has yet been made. Celebration Key does have a dock, however, and if the weather is not too severe, a visit can still be manageable.
Carnival Sunrise (formerly Carnival Destiny) is homeported year-round from Miami, offering 4- and 5-night Bahamas sailings with occasional Eastern and Western Caribbean routes for even more vacation options.
Storm Development Likely This Weekend
The area of tropical interest currently centered near eastern Cuba that is already impacting cruises is expected to further develop over the next 2-3 days. In fact, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts an 80-90% chance of the system becoming an official tropical storm, which would be named Imelda.
Even without full development, however, strong winds and waves are likely to bring heavy surf and rain to the Dominican Republic, the Turks and Caicos, and the Bahamas through the weekend.
Developing Storm
Other cruise lines are also making similar adjustments to select ships and itineraries to pursue the safest sailings.
Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, for example, will now be sailing a 7-night Western Caribbean route for her September 28, 2025 departure instead of the planned Eastern Caribbean itinerary. This will also cause the second Icon-class ship to postpone her inaugural visit to St. Kitts.
Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish has also adjusted her September 26, 2025 sailing by dropping Nassau as a port of call and moving up her day at Castaway Cay to ensure a safer, more enjoyable experience.
Additional cruise lines are likely to make similar adjustments as needed to safeguard their ships and keep all guests and crew members safe and comfortable for the best possible vacations.
Guests booked on Bahamas or Eastern Caribbean sailings departing in the next few days should stay in close communication with their cruise line for updates and itinerary alterations.
Disney Cruise Line is notifying guests on select Disney Wonder sailings that their taxes have increased by hundreds of dollars for visiting Hawaii.
This is the result of the new Transient Accommodations Tax passed in May 2025, which is the first time the state has applied such taxes to cruise ships.
The new tax takes effect from January 1, 2026 and will impact all cruise lines and ships visiting Hawaii from that date forward.
Guests looking forward to an outstanding cruise aboard Disney Wonder in February 2026 are receiving a bit of sticker shock with notifications about the new taxes being implemented in Hawaii.
The impacted cruise is the ship’s February 16, 2026 voyage, a 10-night, one-way sailing from Honolulu to Vancouver after the ship finishes her season in Australia.
Disney Cruise Line has reached out to booked guests just over three weeks before their final payment is due to alert them to the increased charge.
“We are writing to you with important information related to your upcoming cruise, which includes a visit to Hawai’i. The State of Hawai’i will be implementing an 11% Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT), as well as a 3% Local County TAT, on a portion of your cruise fare based on the time spent docked in Hawai’i,”the email explained.
These new taxes were approved in May and are set to take effect from January 1, 2026. This is the first time cruise ships have been included in the TAT.
Guests booked on sailings that include Hawai’i will now have their taxes, fees, and port expenses updated to reflect the new taxes.
For this particular Disney Wonder cruise, the visits to Nawiliwili, Maui, and Hilo will all be taxed.
The exact amount of the increase in taxes will depend on the individual fare rates guests have booked. Some guests are already reporting increases of $400-450 and higher, which can be quite a chunk for a family budget.
The final payment date for the sailing is October 19, 2025, which will include all the new taxes.
Failure to pay the increased taxes may result in reservation cancellations and the loss of a cruise vacation that guests may have been looking forward to for months, if not years.
Can Cruise Lines Increase Fares?
Cruise Lines have the authority to adjust fares and pricing at any time, for any reason. Once a guest confirms their reservation, their fare rate is generally locked in, but taxes and fees are set by ports and may still change.
Most cruise lines attempt to estimate these fees as closely as possible so there are no surprise increases so close to a sailing date. If the cruise line were to overestimate such fees, they might refund the few extra dollars to guests as onboard credit.
Many times, if cruise lines underestimate fees by a small amount, they will simply absorb that increase without changing what guests have already paid.
Cruise Ship Docked in Honolulu, Hawaii (Photo Credit: Nate Hovee)
This new TAT in Hawai’i, however, is far from a small increase. Just for this one Disney Wonder sailing, if every stateroom were to have a $400 increase in taxes, that would total $350,000 in extra fees.
The previous Disney Wonder sailing, the February 2, 2026 departure from Sydney to Honolulu, will likewise have a fee increase, though not likely quite as high. While the ship will still spend some time in the Aloha State before debarking in Honolulu, there is just a single port visit to Nawiliwili on February 15.
Ships from many cruise lines will be impacted by this change starting in January 2026. Just in January, this will include Ruby Princess, Holland America Line’s Zaandam and Nieuw Amsterdam, Carnival Radiance, Emerald Princess, and Coral Princess.
Of course, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America will be impacted most of all, as that ship sails 7-night Hawaiian itineraries year-round.
In August 2025, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) filed suit against the State of Hawaii challenging the constitutionality of the new tax, but it could be many months before that federal lawsuit is resolved.
Star of the Seas will sail a Western Caribbean itinerary for her September 28 departure instead of the originally planned Eastern Caribbean route.
The full itinerary change is due to the development of what will likely become Tropical Storm Imelda over the next few days.
This will also cause the ship to postpone her inaugural visit to St. Kitts, which will now take place as part of her October 19 sailing.
Just a few weeks after joining the fleet, Royal Caribbean’s new Star of the Seas is sailing headfirst into hurricane season with a dramatic itinerary change.
Guests booked on the Sunday, September 28, 2025 departure have now been informed that their 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary has been shifted to a Western Caribbean sailing due to tropical system development.
“Our Captain, along with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, has been monitoring the expected development of a tropical storm near the northwest Bahamas and a hurricane in the Atlantic,”the email explained.
“We have decided to change our itinerary to safely avoid the storm and large seas on our eastern route. As a result, we’ll now sail a Western Caribbean itinerary.”
As originally scheduled, Star of the Seas was to have spent Monday at CocoCay, Wednesday at St. Thomas, and Thursday at St. Kitts before returning to Port Canaveral on Sunday, October 5.
Now, the revised itinerary is as follows:
Sunday, September 28 – Depart Port Canaveral
Monday – Day at sea
Tuesday – Costa Maya from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday – Roatan from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday – Cozumel from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday – Day at sea
Saturday – Day at sea
Sunday, October 5 – Arrive Port Canaveral
It is interesting that there is no rescheduling of the visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, which is a highlight of almost every Star of the Seas sailing.
Saturday, October 4, would have been the most probable day the ship could be rescheduled for the private destination. On that day, however, Wonder of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas are already booked for CocoCay, which does not leave room for the second Icon-class ship.
Any pre-paid tours booked through Royal Caribbean for the now-cancelled port visits will be automatically refunded to guests. Tours for the new destinations can be booked through the Royal Caribbean app or by visiting the Shore Excursions Desk on Deck 5, portside next to the Pearl.
The tropical system impacting Star of the Seas is still developing just north of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It is expected to move north across the Bahamas through the weekend.
While not yet even an official tropical storm, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has an 80-90% expectation of full storm development late Friday, September 26, or over the weekend. If named, the system will become Tropical Storm Imelda.
Inaugural Visit to St. Kitts Postponed
Along with the itinerary change comes a particularly disappointing cancellation for Star of the Seas‘ guests. The ship’s September 28 Eastern Caribbean sailing was to have included the ship’s very first visit to St. Kitts.
Inaugural port visits are always special occasions and often include ceremonies for the ship’s officers as well as welcoming committees on the pier or other festive arrangements for guests to enjoy.
Star of the Seas Departing Port Canaveral (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)
The cruise line informed the St. Kitts Tourism Authority on Thursday, September 25 that the inaugural visit would need to be postponed due to the tropical system.
Now, the ship’s first visit to St. Kitts will be on Tuesday, October 23, 2025, if there is no further interference from Mother Nature. That will be part of the ship’s October 19 departure.
Star of the Seas does have another Eastern Caribbean sailing before that date, but she does not always visit St. Kitts on each itinerary. Instead, other Eastern Caribbean routes include San Juan and St. Maarten.
Nevertheless, guests onboard are sure to be treated to some inaugural season fun with special retail merchandise and events to commemorate the new ship and just how much of a star she is.
Disney Wish will be skipping Nassau and visiting Castaway Cay early on her September 26, 2025 departure, a 3-night weekend sailing.
The tropical system developing near the Bahamas makes this itinerary deviation a wise change to ensure better weather and smoother waters for the ship.
Additional ships from multiple cruise lines are likely to be impacted over the weekend and guests should stay alert to possible changes to their sailings.
Guests setting sail on Disney Wish on Friday, September 26, 2025 for a weekend getaway will still get to enjoy their 3-night cruise, but now with changes due to tropical storm developments.
Disney Cruise Line reached out to booked guests the day before embarkation to alert them to the change and what they can expect.
“We have been closely monitoring a weather system that is forecasted to produce tropical storm force winds in The Bahamas later this weekend. Based on the system’s forecast track, and the conditions expected, it is necessary to make some changes to your itinerary,”the notification reads.
The 144,300-gross-ton Disney Wish was originally supposed to set sail on Friday and enjoy a day in Nassau on Saturday, September 27, followed by Disney Cruise Line’s private island, Castaway Cay, on Sunday, September 28.
The revised itinerary still visits the private island, but Nassau is no longer possible. Instead, guests will visit Castaway Cay a day early and enjoy a day at sea on Sunday, as follows:
Friday – Depart Port Canaveral
Saturday – Castaway Cay
Sunday – Day at Sea
Monday – Arrive Port Canaveral
The ship’s departure from and return to Port Canaveral are not impacted by these necessary adjustments.
Disney Cruise Line is automatically rescheduling any pre-booked Port Adventures on Castaway Cay for Saturday instead of Sunday, while reservations for Nassau will be automatically cancelled and refunded.
Guests are generally reacting positively to the change, noting that a calmer day on Castaway Cay and a fun day aboard the ship may be preferable to bad weather in Nassau.
Disney Wish in the Bahamas (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz)
Disney Wish is homeported year-round from Port Canaveral, offering 3- and 4-night Bahamas itineraries. At the moment, her sailings have the spooky “Halloween on the High Seas” theme, which is immensely popular with the 4,000 cruise guests the ship can welcome.
Costume contests, themed activities, special decorations, and trick-or-treating will all be part of the onboard activities. Fortunately, no one will let bad weather scare away the fun!
Storm Development Likely This Weekend
The tropical weather system (AL94) impacting Bahamas sailings has not yet formed into an official tropical storm or hurricane, though such development may happen over the next 2-3 days.
As of Thursday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) estimates the chances of development at 80-90% either late Friday or over the weekend.
Currently centered just north offshore of the Dominican Republic, the system is expected to move northwest or north over the southwestern Atlantic, through the Bahamas and toward the US coast.
Thursday, September 25: NHC Director Dr. Michael Brennan provides an update on Atlantic disturbance AL94.
“Interests in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Bahamas should monitor the progress of this system,”the latest update reads.“Regardless of development, heavy rains and gusty winds are likely across that region during the next couple of days.”
It is likely that Disney Wish will be one of only several ships with Bahamas itineraries this weekend to make modifications. Guests booked on weekend cruises or setting sail early next week should stay in close contact with their cruise line for the most recent updates and itinerary adjustments.
Cruise travelers should also note that two systems are currently active in the western Atlantic.
In addition to the as-yet-unnamed AL94 system impacting the Bahamas, Tropical Storm Humberto formed on Thursday and is likely to impact Bermuda in the coming days, depending on the forecast track.
Every cruise ship has its own unique decorations and interior design style, but did you know that you can add your own personal touch to your stateroom door?
Cabin door decorating is a fun and popular activity that adds to the excitement of a cruise vacation and helps passengers feel more at home onboard.
I’ve personally gotten joy out of seeing the unique displays across cruise lines, including MSC Cruises, Disney Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, and Carnival Cruise Line.
But if you’re going to decorate your cabin door on your next sailing, here is what you need to know first.
Aside from the fact that it is simply a fun activity, many cruise guests love to decorate their cabin door because it helps them identify which stateroom is their home away from home.
The hallways and doors usually look identical onboard cruise ships, so it can be easy to get lost when looking for your specific accommodations.
While some may argue that guests should be able to remember their cabin number or can look it up in the cruise line’s smartphone app, not everyone has memories of steel or actually has access to a cruise line app.
My cruise card also didn’t show our cabin number so that no one else would be able to access our stateroom in the event that the card was lost or stolen – which happens more often than you’d think.
On more than one occasion, I ended up in tears because I was lost and some nice crew members had to intervene to help me find my stateroom again.
After the third incident of this, we started decorating our cruise cabin doors so I always knew when I found the right one.
Carnival Cabin Door Decoration
My mom once had custom magnets made with our names on them, so there was no chance of mistaken identity.
On a more fun note, some people decorate their cabin doors to commemorate a celebration, such as a milestone birthday or anniversary.
When I took a Carnival cruise as my bachelorette party before I got married, my bridesmaids decorated the door so there was no doubt from passersby on which cabin the bride was staying in.
Another reason cruise guests love to decorate their doors is to stay connected with other members of their travel party who may be staying in a different stateroom.
These vacationers will get decorations that match to show they are all sailing as part of the same group, and/or will get whiteboards or magnetic chalkboards to leave fun messages for each other.
Decor-Related Gift Exchanges
Some cruisers don’t just decorate their doors for themselves or their friends, but also to indicate to other guests that they want to be included if there is a gift exchange during their sailing.
These gift exchanges are often spontaneous or are organized by passengers – not the cruise line – in social media groups ahead of their cruises.
While these exchanges do happen onboard cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, they are most common onboard Disney Cruise Line.
There is a small fish on the wall outside of every cabin on a Disney Cruise ship, which has a little slot where crew members can leave things like letters and luggage tags for the guests staying inside.
Some guests add what they call fish extenders, which are usually personally decorated fabric holders with multiple pockets, to show that they want to be or have already signed up to be part of the onboard gift exchange.
Those who participate will leave small gifts and trinkets for another cruise guest (or several) with fish extenders, and will return to their own cruise cabin to find little surprises of their own throughout their sailing.
During one of the multiple times I cruised onboard Disney Magic, one very generous guest left a limited edition Disney pin in my fish extender.
More commonly, cruisers gift easy-to-packand affordable trinkets like magnets, stickers, key chains, or small toys.
What are the Rules for Decorating Your Stateroom Door?
As a disclaimer, rules regarding door decorating may vary by cruise line and can change at any time.
We always recommend checking with your specific cruise line as embarkation day approaches to receive current information.
Now that we have that out of the way, it’s true that most of the mainstream cruise lines do allow cabin door decor within certain parameters.
First, door decor usually must be made from fire-retardant materials. It cannot obstruct the hallway or bleed into the door frame or onto doors belonging to other passengers for obvious safety reasons.
Cabin Door Decoration on MSC World America (Photo Credit: Catie Kovelman / Cruise Hive)
They also cannot do any damage to the doors, meaning decorations cannot be attached with tape, nails, or adhesives like glue or removable gels.
Some cruise lines do not even allow command strips, which can be risky to use as removing them incorrectly can leave behind residue or cause damage.
For these reasons, flame-retardant magnets or adding magnetic tape to non-magnetized decorations are usually the most popular choices among cruisers.
However, keep in mind that not every cruise ship has magnetic doors, so command strips might be the only viable option in those cases (if the cruise line allows them).
Guests may be asked to take down decorations that are too offensive or vulgar, or may come back to their stateroom to find that the crew members have already taken the liberty of removing them.
This isn’t so much because the cruise line condemns the swinging lifestyle – consenting adults may do as they wish – but because it might lead to awkward or uncomfortable situations for a passenger who might not know what the symbol really means.
As of the time of publication, only two of the mainstream cruise lines ban the practice of door decorating outright.
Photo Credit: Joni Hanebutt / Shutterstock
Norwegian Cruise Line does not allow the activity because the decorations used might pose a fire hazard.
“For everyone’s safety, Norwegian Cruise Line does not allow any type of door decorations, including paper or magnetic ones, due to their flammable nature. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation with our safety policy,” reads the NCL website.
Virgin Voyages, which is an adults-only brand, does not allow door decorating because of the wear and tear it may cause on its Lady ships over time.
“We think our Lady ships look fabulous as they are, and door decorations inevitably lead to unsightly damage,”Virgin Voyages’ policy states.
Based on the chatter on cruise forums and Reddit, how much these policies are enforced varies across sailings.
But if you choose to decorate your door when the practice has been banned, you are doing so at your own risk. Cruise Hive never encourages rule-breaking.
Inspiration for Decorating Stateroom Doors
Decorating your stateroom door is a fun activity, and it’s worth getting in on the excitement at least once if your cruise line of choice allows it.
When we don’t feel like putting in too much effort, my family likes putting up a simple whiteboard to ease our communication onboard (especially before the days of Starlink internet).
“I put up a cheap magnetic dry erase board and wrote stupid punny jokes with a little drawing each day. It was fun and some people even wrote that they enjoyed reading them each day,”one person wrote online, proving my family isn’t alone in loving this idea.
Halloween Door Decoration (Photo Credit: Ihor Koptilin / Shutterstock)
We once had a custom magnet made with our first names and to show what we were celebrating, which was a fun touch.
When we returned home from our vacation, this became part of our fridge decorations.
But if you go this route, I recommend leaving off last names and other private information, such as phone numbers, that you might not want other guests to have.
“My second Disney cruise, I printed out lots of paper stuff, laminated and cut them, and then stuck magnets on the back. I have a magnet for Royal with my name and crown & anchor level,”one person shared on Reddit.
Others had more creative ideas to fit the season or to get a chuckle out of their fellow passengers.
“For our holiday cruise I had garden flags (from Amazon $5) saying Merry Christmas & put up dollar store stockings. For new years I put up a flag. During the college bowl games I had a college flag up,”one person said.
“At a car show, we got some magnetic poetry, a few of the words are Toyota themes, but the rest are normal. We put that on our door and it was a hit, lots of people saying they found it fun while walking past,” added another cruise fan.
As you can see, the only limit is really your own imagination when it comes to door decorating.
With just a little bit of thought, your door can really be an expression of your personal identity and excitement.
Carnival Cruise Line recommends guests leave their passports onboard in ports of call. Crew members will retrieve them in case of an emergency.
The US State Department, however, advises travelers to keep their passports with them in foreign countries, even if cruise lines recommend otherwise.
Different guests have different preferences that often depend on which ports of call they may be visiting.
While it isn’t necessary for guests to travel with passports for most closed-loop cruises from US homeports, what should guests do with that critical document in ports of call if they do have one?
There is a lot of misinformation and different opinions about the need to take a passport ashore in port. One understandably confused guest reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, for clarification.
“Some people say you should bring your passport with in a foreign country. Others have said you are supposed to leave your passport in your room safe,”the guest explained.
Much of the confusion comes because passengers on both sides of the issue claim that Carnival’s “official policy” backs up their suggestion, whether to leave the passport onboard the ship or take it along in ports of call.
“It had been mentioned that Carnival will assume the responsibility of getting your passport to you in the event it is needed or leave it with someone in port if you miss the boat,”the guest continued.“Can you provide any clarity to this discussion? What should people do with their travel documents while in port?”
To be clear, Carnival Cruise Line does not have any official policy on passports and does not require that guests either take them into port or leave them on the ship. The cruise line does offer strong recommendations, however, which Heald has kindly explained.
“It’s a very very, good question and when this is asked, it’s always a good time for me to remind everybody what we recommend. You should not take your original passport with you when you go ashore,”he states.
Heald does note that guests will need a photo ID to show local security officers when returning to the ship. This could be driver’s license, a photocopy of one’s passport, or a similar ID.
But what happens if a guest does leave their passport onboard but then needs it while in port? This could happen if they accidentally miss the ship or have some sort of medical emergency and aren’t able to return to the ship by the all-aboard time.
“In case of an emergency which meant you could not return to the ship we do indeed have a policy in place,”Heald confirmed.“Your passport would be collected from the guest cabin (including retrieving it from the safe) and by our housekeeping officers, a Guest Services officer, and someone from our security team.”
Having multiple crew members on hand to retrieve a guest’s paperwork ensures that everything is done according to proper procedures and is documented accordingly.
Carnival Cruise Ships Docked in Costa Maya (Photo Credit: denbaim)
“We would then return the passport to the ship’s agent,”Heald continued.“We have one in every single Port who takes care of the ships need’s during the time there. The agent would return the original passport to you.”
While this is the cruise line’s recommendation, the US Department of State does not agree and instead advises guests to always keep their passports with them.
“Always carry your passport with you in case of an emergency. You may need your passport in the event of an unexpected medical evacuation or if the ship docks at a different port,”the state department advises.“You should bring your passport even if your cruise says you won’t need it. ”
What Do Frequent Guests Do?
More than 320 other guests commented on the question, offering their own advice and experiences.
For some, whether or not they take their passport with them depends on the destination. In the Caribbean or the Bahamas, they may choose to leave their official documents onboard.
In Europe, Mexico, or South America, many guests feel more comfortable having their passport close by.
Others note the risk of taking one’s passport off the ship in case they fall victim to any nefarious behavior.
“I take my drivers license and I have a picture of my passport saved on my phone. I don’t want to lose my passport to a pickpocket on shore,”one guest explained.
Some guests carry both a passport book and a passport card. The book stays in the stateroom safe, while they will use the simpler and more convenient passport card as their ID in ports of call.
