Earlier this week, Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas experienced a period of time where many of the toilets onboard were not working correctly.
Other guests have reported similar plumbing issues during their sailings, as well as bad sewer-like smells onboard.
Royal Caribbean works hard to maintain its cruise ships, but cannot control when guests decide to flush products down the toilet that don’t belong there.
2025 has been a bit of a rough year for Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas.
During her most recent health inspection on February 9, 2025, the Oasis-class ship was only one point away from failing.
Now, guests have noticed another major issue. For at least a portion of the current sailing, which is a 7-night cruise to the Bahamas that embarked on August 24, 2025, much of the ship was without working toilets.
According to updates from current passengers, this plumbing event would have occurred on embarkation day in Cape Liberty, New Jersey, or very soon after setting sail that afternoon.
“Right now we are on the Symphony of the Seas and yesterday almost the entire ship was without toilets. We found out after our kids had used our stateroom toilet and it wouldn’t flush,” one current passenger posted on Redditon August 25.
Presumably, one of the up to 5,518 passengers onboard flushed something they shouldn’t have, which caused a blockage.
The cruise lines are constantly reminding guests to only flush the provided toilet paper, as the powerful vacuum system on cruise ships may not be quite powerful enough to handle things like wet wipes, feminine products, or other non-dissolvable items.
“It was a disgusting period of time. I guess someone flushed something they weren’t supposed to and it clogged up the ship,” they continued.
The cruiser titled their post “Almost Pool Cruise 2.0,” which was a reference to the infamous Carnival Triumph sailing in 2013 in which passengers were stranded at sea for days without working bathrooms following an engine fire.
The Netflix “Trainwreck” documentary on this topic dropped on June 24, 2025, bringing this ill-fated cruise back into the spotlight and making it very top of mind in situations like this.
Is Plumbing an Ongoing Issue?
In my research, I found reports going back as far as July 2025 of cruisers who experienced plumbing problems during their time onboard Symphony of the Seas.
“That happened to us on Symphony in July. Decks 5-7 had no working toilets for about 3 days. They said the same thing – clogged with items that should not be flushed,”one recent guest recounted.
“On our July 13-20 cruise someone apparently flushed things other than toilet paper. Some people on our deck were complaining of toilet issues but thankfully ours was fine. There was a HORRIBLE septic smell for days on the higher decks,” someone else said.
“The ship smells terrible. I don’t know if it’s because of the [air] in port or if it’s from the poo issue,” they wrote in an update to their original post.
“We were on Symphony recently and every time we used the stairs and were passing by deck six it stunk. We dubbed it the poop deck,” another passenger added.
All that said, let’s give credit where credit is due. The approximately 2,200 crew members onboard work hard to maintain the Royal Caribbean ship.
In addition to the care she receives while in service, Symphony of the Seas visits dry dock as required for more significant inspections and maintenance.
Her most recent dry dock stint was in April 2023, which really wasn’t that long ago.
When things do go wrong mid-voyage, there are dedicated teamsof maintenance workers, engineers, and plumbers onboard who are ready to spring into action.
However, the cruise lines can’t control their guests, and this includes the items that they decide to flush down the toilet. As long as guests misbehave in this regard, there is a risk of plumbing issues.
Carnival Cruise Line is one of the largest cruise lines in the world, so to keep track of its growing fleet, I’ve decided to organize all the Carnival ships by size. And trust me, they are getting bigger!
I’ve listed all the current 29 Carnival ships in size order by gross tonnage, starting with the largest at over 180,000 gross tons and ending with the smallest in the fleet at 70,367 gross tons. There are also some enticing future cruise ships to look forward to, including Carnival Festivale, Carnival Tropicale, and the much-anticipated Project Ace class.
So, without any further delay, let’s take all of the largest to the smallest cruise ships in the Carnival fleet!
Project Ace is going to be just huge! For the first time, Carnival will rival Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises in ship size, with three ships that will be at 230,000 gross tons each. They will be the largest and most advanced Carnival ships ever constructed and will no doubt bring new features to the fleet.
They will arrive in 2020, 20231 and 2033, respectively. All will be constructed by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. The Project Avce ships will also have a maximum guest capacity of 8,000 each and over 3,000 staterooms.
In April 2025, Carnival Cruise Line announced two new Excel-class cruise ships that would evolve the class even further by having slightly different features, such as the Sunsation Point water park rather than a BOLT roller coaster.
Carnival Festivale will arrive in Spring 2027 and will likely have a slightly larger tonnage than previous ships in the class, which is usually the case with new vessels. The new ship will have 1,000 interconnecting rooms, which is almost 70% more than the older ships in the class.
Carnival Tropical will be very similar to the Carnival Festivale and will be completed a year later in Spring 2028. Both ships are being constructed at the popular Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
If you’re an avid follower of the cruise industry, you’ll no doubt know that Carnival Jubilee joined the fleet in December 2023 and was even voted the best new cruise ship of that year. The ship celebrated its naming ceremony with godmother Gwen Stefani in February 2024.
The third Excel class vessel follows the same design and features as her sister ships and the biggest Carnival cruise ship, with a few adjustments. There are two new themed zones, including The Currents, which spans Deck 6 and Deck 7, and The Shores zone, which also features venues Coastal Slice, Marina Bar, Rudi’s Seagrill, and Cucina del Capitano.At the moment, C
The ship is the second in the Excel class and is currently the second-largest Carnival ship in the fleet. Just like Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration was also constructed at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland and LNG-powered, which debuted in November 2022.
This vessel is one of the biggest in the fleet and features a total of six themed zones, including Celebration Central, Summer Landing, 820 Biscayne, The Gateway, Lido, and The Ultimate Playground. The ship also features a roller coaster and the same dining venues found on Mardi Gras.
Carnival Mardi Gras (180,000 Gross Tons)
Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz
Gross Tonnage: 180,800
Guest Capacity: 5,282
Crew Capacity: 1,735
Length: 1,130 Feet
This is the first Excel class cruise ship in the fleet and the first in the fleet powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). The large new vessel introduced several new features and venues, including the first-ever BOLT Roller Coaster, Emeril’s Bistro, Rudi’s Seagrill, Street Eats, Fortune Teller Bar, and more.
Mardi Gras has six different zones for passengers to enjoy, including Grand Central, French Quarter, Summer Landing, La Piazza, Lido, and The Ultimate Playground.
Mardi Gras was the first to be constructed in Finland since the Spirit class ships. The ship has started a new era of design for the cruise line and sets the standard for the following sister ships in the same class.
Carnival Venezia (135,225 Gross Tons)
Carnival Venezia Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Mariusz Lopusiewicz / Shutterstock)
Gross Tonnage: 135,225
Guest Capacity: 4,090
Crew Capacity: 1,424
Length: 1,061 Feet
The Carnival cruise ship is just slightly larger than the Vista-class vessels and is the first in the fleet that offers Italian-style cruising.
Carnival Venezia was transferred from sister brand Costa Cruises in March 2023 and debuted in New York City in June 2023, after a dry dock transformation in Cadiz, Spain. The ship has stunning decor that’s all Italian-inspired and very different from your typical Carnival fun ship interior.
Carnival Firenze (135,156 Gross Tons)
Carnival Firenze Cruise Ship Docked in Long Beach
Gross Tonnage: 135,156
Guest Capacity: 4,126
Crew Capacity: 1,425
Length: 1,061 Feet
Carnival Firenze is almost identical to sister ship Carnival Venezia, both offering an Italian-inspired cruising experience for the US market. Carnival Firenze comes in at 135,156 gross tons following its huge transformation during a dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, in Spring 2024.
The final Vista-class ship joined the fleet in December 2019 and is the first new Carnival cruise ship in 20 years to be based on the U.S. West Coast. She features the first Sky Zone Trampoline Park at Sea, which replaced the IMAX Theater found on sister ships Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon.
Carnival Panorama is based on the U.S. West Coast, sailing week-long Mexican Riviera cruises, including calls to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.
Carnival Horizon (133,500 Gross Tons)
Photo Copyright: Tony Davis
Gross Tonnage: 133,500
Guest Capacity: 3,960
Length: 1,055 Feet
The vessel is the second Vista-class ship and the largest in the fleet until Carnival Panorama arrived. Although she offers many of the same features, Carnival Horizon has a slightly larger guest capacity than its sister ship, Carnival Vista.
The first in her class, Carnival Vista, brought brand new features to the Carnival fleet and entered service in Spring 2016. The ship was the first to introduce SkyRide, a big ride-like experience located on the open deck at the very top of the ship. The ship also has its own onboard brewery with exclusive tastes just for those cruising on the ship.
Carnival Breeze (130,000 Gross Tons)
Photo Copyright: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive
Gross Tonnage: 130,000
Guest Capacity: 3,690
Length: 1,004 Feet
The last ship in the Dream class started sailing for Carnival Cruise Line in 2012. Carnival Breeze was the flagship for a while as there wasn’t a new ship until Carnival Vista arrived in 2016.
The ship has some really good features, and during dry docks, a new Alchemy Bar and Guy’s Pig & Anchor BBQ have been added. Carnival Breeze was built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy and debuted on March 6, 2012.
The vessel is the second Dream-class vessel built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. She debuted on May 1, 2011, the same year all the new FUN 2.0 upgrades were introduced.
This is where the Dream class all started, which is an evolution of the popular Conquest-class ships. Carnival Dream changed the layout compared to ships before her and had a distinct red theme throughout. However, she no longer holds the top spot among Carnival ships by size.
All the latest FUN features were added during a 217 dry dock. Carnival Dream debuted on September 21, 2009, and was built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
It’s kind of an odd ship and the only one of her class in the fleet. However, sister cruise line Costa Cruises does have an identical Splendor class ship. Splendor was built at the Fincantieri Genoa shipyard and sailed her maiden cruise on July 2, 2008.
The ship spent a season sailing the Baltic, which is very rare for Carnival. Since the end of 2019, the ship has been based in Australia.
Carnival Freedom (110,000 Gross Tons)
Carnival Freedom In Port Canaveral (Credit: Port Canaveral)
Gross Tonnage: 110,000
Guest Capacity: 2,980
Length: 952 Feet
The ship is the final Conquest class cruise ship, which has proved extremely popular for the cruise line. Like many ships in the fleet, Carnival Freedom was built by Fincantieri and cost $500 Million.
She departed on her maiden voyage on March 14, 2007. Even though she’s not among the largest Carnival ships by size, she ends a final class and still offers a great cruising experience for all.
Carnival Liberty (110,000 Gross Tons)
Carnival Liberty Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Ron Cogswell / Creative Commons)
Gross Tonnage: 110,000
Guest Capacity: 2,974
Length: 952 Feet
The ship was the first in the fleet to receive all the FUN 2.0 upgrades during a huge refurbishment in 2011. Updates included the hugely popular Guy’s Burger Joint, which has since become an important food venue across the fleet. Carnival Liberty’s inaugural cruise departed on July 20, 2005.
Carnival Valor (110,000 Gross Tons)
Photo Credit: James Andrews1 / Shutterstock
Gross Tonnage: 110,000
Guest Capacity: 2,980
Length: 952 Feet
Carnival Valor is the third in the Conquest class. When it comes to Carnival ships by size, she may not be at the top of the list, but she continues to offer a large ship experience and expand the cruise line even further. The ship received all the latest FUN 2.0 onboard features during a huge dry dock in 2016.
Carnival Glory (110,000 Gross Tons)
Carnival Glory
Gross Tonnage: 110,000
Guest Capacity: 2,980
Length: 952 Feet
Glory was another large ship for Carnival Cruise Line at the time, but now, this tonnage would not be considered the biggest. Like her sister ships, Carnival Glory was built in Italy and set off on her inaugural sailing on July 14, 2003. The ship had a fairly recent refurbishment in 2022, so it is up to date.
The very first Conquest-class ship, Carnival Conquest, was built by Fincantieri in Italy and departed on her inaugural cruise on November 15, 2002. It started a new era for the cruise line and a new shipbuilding boom.
The Carnival ship was one of the early ships to receive all the FUN 2.0 upgrades in 2012. The most recent updates were in 2017, so the ship is all updated with the latest that the cruise line has on offer.
Carnival Encounter (108,856 Gross Tons)
Carnival Encounter
Gross Tonnage: 108,856
Passenger Capacity: 2,600
Crew Capacity: 1,100
Length: 290 Meters
Carnival Encounter adds some handy capacity to the Carnival fleet after being transferee from the now disbanded P&O Australia in March 2025. The vessel offers slightly different features than regular Carnival ships and still operates in Australia.
Carnival Adventure also joined the fleet from P&O Australia, just like its sister ship, Carnival Encounter. The vessel is not among the largest ships in the fleet, but it offers a unique design that originally comes from Princess Cruises’ Grand class.
Carnival Sunshine (102,853 Gross Tons)
Carnival Sunshine in Charleston
Gross Tonnage: 102,853
Guest Capacity: 3,002
Length: 892 Feet
Formerly known as the Carnival Destiny, the ship was completely overhauled in a huge dry dock in 2013 and renamed Carnival Sunshine to become a Sunshine class cruise ship.
Under the new name, the inaugural sailing departed on May 5, 2013. The transformation cost $155 million and added a ton of new features and upgrades.
Carnival Sunrise (101,509 Gross Tons)
Carnival Sunrise Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Andres Felipe Perez / Shutterstock)
Gross Tonnage: 101,509
Guest Capacity: 2,984
Length: 893 Feet
The vessel became a reality in 2019 when the ship was completely transformed from the Carnival Triumph into the new Carnival Sunrise. The $200 million dry dock took place in Cadiz, Spain and the inaugural sailing departed on April 29, 2019.
Carnival Radiance (101,509 Gross Tons)
Radiance Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Felipe Sanchez / Shutterstock)
Gross Tonnage: 101,509
Guest Capacity: 2,764
Length: 893 feet
Carnival Victory is in the same class as Carnival Triumph and just smaller than the popular Conquest class ships. The ship was built by Fincantieri in Italy and cost $430 million.
A major refurbishment was completed in Spring 2018, where all the latest FUN 2.0 upgrades were added along with newly added cabins, and she was renamed Carnival Radiance.
Carnival Luminosa (92,720 Gross Tons)
Carnival Luminosa (Photo Credit: Ian Dewar Photography / Shutterstock)
Gross Tonnage: 92,720
Guest Capacity: 2,260
Crew Capacity: 926
Passenger Decks: 12
Length: 964 feet
Beam: 106 feet
Max Draft: 26 feet
The Carnival vessel is also a Spirit-class cruise ship, but slightly larger. In September 2022, Carnival Luminosa was transferred to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet from sister brand Costa Cruises.
Even though she is now part of the fleet, there are still Italian-inspired venues onboard, and you won’t find popular venues like Guy’s Burger Joint.
The final Spirit-class vessel entered service in 2004. Unlike many other ships in the fleet, the Carnival Miracle was built at the Kvaerner-Masa Yards in Helsinki, Finland. The Fantasy-class ships were also built here. The ship has 12 passenger decks and can fit through the Panama Canal.
Another Spirit-class Carnival ship, the Carnival Legend, has sailed everywhere, including Australia and Alaska. Like her sister ships, It was built in Finland and departed on its inaugural cruise on August 24, 2002.
Carnival Pride (88,500 Gross Tons)
Carnival Pride in Dover (Photo Credit: Port of Dover)
Gross Tonnage: 88,500
Guest Capacity: 2,124
Length: 963 feet
A fully updated Carnival cruise ship that has all the latest FUN 2.0 features. It also is scheduled for a dry dock in 2019. Carnival Pride was built in Finland and began cruising on January 12, 2002.
The first in her class, Carnival Spirit, was built in Finland to sail through the Panama Canal and offer a cruising experience not only in the Caribbean but also on other continents. The ship has 12 passenger decks and joined the fleet in 2001.
As a Fantasy class ship, she might be an older type of ship, but it can often offer the best experience. With fewer passengers, guests usually have a great vacation. Carnival Elation entered service in March 1998 and has 11 passenger decks. The ship underwent a major dry dock upgrade in February 2023.
Carnival Paradise (70,367 Gross Tons)
Paradise Cruise Ship
Gross Tonnage: 70,367
Guest Capacity: 2,124
Length: 855 feet
The ship is slightly newer than Carnival Elation but has slightly lower gross tonnage. It is part of the Fantasy class and sailed its inaugural cruise on December 6, 1998. Carnival Paradise underwent a dry dock in October 2023 and is fully updated with all the latest Carnival features.
What is the Biggest Carnival Ship?
The largest Carnival ship by size is the Carnival Jubilee, which joined the fleet in December 2023. She is large at 183,521 gross tons, a guest capacity of 5,374 at double occupancy, but that goes even higher with a maximum passenger capacity of 6,631. The third Excel class ship also has a crew capacity of 1,735.
What is the Smallest Carnival Ship?
The smallest Carnival ship is the 70,367 gross ton Carnival Paradise, which entered service in 1998. The vessel is part of the Fantasy class and has a much older design compared to newer vessels in the fleet. Carnival Paradise has a length of 855 feet and 11 passenger decks.
What Was the Size of Former Carnival Ships?
Carnival Cruise Line has a total of 13 former ships, and sadly, they have all been scrapped at various scrapyards, including in Turkey and India. Here’s a list of all the former Carnival cruise ships from the largest to the smallest:
Ship
Gross Tonnage
Length
Carnival Ecstasy
70,367
855 feet
Carnival Sensation
70,367
855 feet
Carnival Inspiration
70,367
855 feet
Carnival Imagination
70,367
855 feet
Carnival Fascination
70,367
855 feet
Carnival Fantasy
70,367
855 feet
Celebration
47,262
733 feet
Jubilee
47,262
732 feet
Holiday
46,051
728 feet
Tropicale
36,674
671 feet
Festivale
32,697
760 feet
Carnivale
31,500
640 feet
Mardi Gras
27,284
650 feet
We’ll See You Onboard!
The Carnival Cruise Line fleet has changed a lot through the years. Time will tell if the cruise line will rival the size of Royal Caribbean cruise ships in the future.
The good thing is that travelers have a wide choice of different-sized vessels to choose from, from the funky early 90s style Fantasy-class ships to the more modern roller coaster-featured Excel-class ships! And no matter what, they are all the fun ships!
Carnival Cruise Line will reposition Carnival Firenze from Long Beach, California, to Miami in early 2027 via a circumnavigation of South America.
The Italian-style ship will sail three Carnival Journeys voyages as she sails around Cape Horn and north to PortMiami for a seasonal deployment.
In summer 2027, Carnival Firenze will reposition to New York for a series of summer cruises that have not yet been detailed by the line.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Firenze circumnavigated South America when she first joined the fleet in 2024, as the former Costa Cruises’ ship sailed from Europe to her North American homeport, Long Beach, California.
In 2027, she will do a reverse set of South America voyages, this time rounding Cape Horn and heading north, all the way to Miami, where she will homeport on a seasonal basis starting in early 2027.
It will be the first time that Carnival Firenze will be based on the US East Coast, offering her Carnival Fun Italian Style cruise experience on a series of Caribbean voyages. The East Coast trend will continue into summer 2027, when the ship deploys to New York for summer 2027.
Cruise watchers will recall that Costa Firenze became Carnival Firenze a year after Costa Venezia became Carnival Venezia, as both ships were transferred from Costa to sister brand Carnival, allowing Carnival to expand its fleet with Italian flair.
The decor aboard Carnival Firenze was inspired by the Italian city of Florence, while Carnival Venezia sported designs evocative of Venice. Both ships underwent renovations to create Carnival’s signature venues, but with an Italian twist — even Guy’s Burger Joint introduced an Italian-style burger.
Both ships accommodate 4,100 guests in double occupancy.
Carnival Firenze’s three upcoming South America voyages are all Carnival Journeys cruises, which are typically longer itineraries featuring less-visited destinations and offering special onboard activities.
“The South America journeys we’ve opened today truly stand out even among our already impressive lineup of Carnival Journeys cruises that combine our signature fun with spectacular longer itineraries,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
Let’s dive into these Carnival Journeys. The first is a 15-day segment that features the ship’s final departure from Long Beach. Set to depart on January 4, 2027, Carnival Firenze will call at ports in Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru before ending in Santiago, Chile.
Carnival Firenze Cruise Ship
Continuing south and rounding Cape Horn, the ship will then begin a 14-day cruise on January 19, 2027, sailing from Santiago to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The ship will cruise the Darwin Channel and through the Chilean Fjords before calling at Ushuaia and Puerto Madryn, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay.
The final leg is a 16-day sailing that departs Buenos Aires on February 2, 2027 and calls at several ports in Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro during Brazilian Carnival. The ship will visit Grenada, Martinique, and St. Maarten before concluding in her new homeport of Miami.
Winter Series From Miami Includes Carnival Journeys Voyages
A series of Caribbean cruises from 4 to 13 days aboard Carnival Firenze will follow her South America voyages, including 10- to 13-day Carnival Journeys voyages to the Southern Caribbean.
A 4-day Bahamas cruise, for instance, will visit the line’s two private destinations, RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key, while 7-day itineraries will call at ports in Mexico, Honduras, Belize, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the USVI.
The ship will remain in PortMiami through early May 2027, when she repositions to New York for summer cruises. Itineraries have not yet been revealed.
Carnival Venezia has been spending her summers in New York since she joined the fleet in 2023. Will Carnival Cruise Line have two ships sailing from the Big Apple in summer 2027? Stay tuned to Cruise Hive to find out.
Carnival Cruise Line is adding fresh, warm donuts as a breakfast specialty treat but with extra charges.
Four donuts plus beignets and churros are on the menu, ranging from $2-7 depending on the order.
The new menu is planned to be rolled out to all Carnival ships but with no timeline for its debut fleetwide.
Specialty dining is wildly popular aboard cruise ships, with restaurants offering elevated dinners from classic steakhouse venues to energetic hibachi experiences. But what about breakfast?
For most cruisers, a trip to the breakfast buffet (that’s where you’ll find me!) or a more relaxed breakfast or brunch in the dining room starts the typical morning. Carnival Cruise Line, however, has just announced a new option: donuts and beignets.
John Heald, the cruise line’s brand ambassador, teased about the tempting treat with a Facebook post.
“Coming to your cruise very soon,”he said, sharing the menu for the breakfast delights.
The menu includes four types of donuts, “Made to order & served warm!” Cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, Boston cream, and glazed are the options.
The “Light, fluffy, and featuring New Orleans flavor” beignets come with three dipping sauces: powdered sugar, strawberry sauce, and chocolate sauce.
The menu is rounded out by “Freshly fried golden churros rolled in cinnamon sugar.”
Guests can also opt for a “Breakfast Combo” of two donuts and four beignets. For the combo, guests choose which flavors and sauces they prefer.
There is a twist with these sweet treats, however. Unlike the included breakfast danishes, muffins, and croissants at the buffet or on the dining room menu, the donuts, beignets, and churros have an extra cost.
The donuts are two for $4 or five for $8, while the beignets are a very reasonable four for $3.50. Guests can enjoy five churros for $3 or double up with 10 churros for just $5. The breakfast combo of donuts and beignets is $7.
It is unknown whether or not a gratuity or service fee will be added to the menu prices as well. Typically, and 18-20% fee is added to these types of premium selections.
Carnival Cruise Line Breakfast Treats
While these prices are indeed very reasonable, the fact that there is an extra charge is not sitting well with all Carnival guests.
“Adding a simple food like doughnuts but charging for them is not a good look,”one guest commented.
“I understand specialty restaurants and even charging for some of the better steaks at dinner. But don’t start nickel and diming us at breakfast.”
“[You’re] telling me that I paid almost $3,000.00 for a cruise, and I have to pay extra for donuts?!”another guest exclaimed.“I don’t mind paying extra for steakhouse and drinks, but freakin donuts?!”
To be fair, beignets have always been a staple at the Emeril’s restaurants onboard Carnival’s Excel-class ships, Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee. In those locations, they have always been an extra charge.
Guests have also been able to order beignets at the Main Dining Room for breakfast, also with an extra cost.
I’ve enjoyed Emeril’s beignets several times, and the light, fluffy fried dough (warm but not greasy) is well worthwhile. I’m not as thrilled with the dipping sauces, but to each their own.
Heald did not indicate when the fresh donuts would be available fleetwide, but he did confirm they will be coming to all Carnival ships.
He is also going to follow up and see whether or not sugar-free options may be available in the coming weeks.
Not All Snacks Are Free
The coming-soon donuts are not the only small bites that come with an extra fee during Carnival cruises. If guests want popcorn to enjoy during the Seaside Theater movies, for example, they have to pay $4 for each small box.
Candy from the Cherry on Top store, chocolate-covered strawberries from room service, and deluxe pastries from the coffee bar also have extra charges.
Other cruise lines also charge for certain snacks, regardless of the time of day. Premium treats, such as exclusive gelato offerings or gourmet chocolates, often have a nominal charge.
Not all snacks have fees, however. On Carnival ships, guests can enjoy soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt from Swirls, slices of pizza, and all sorts of desserts from the Lido Marketplace buffet without any cost when the venues are open.
Perhaps if the donuts were more elaborate, the cost wouldn’t seem outrageous. I’d happily pay for a maple-glazed donut topped with crumbled bacon and brown sugar drizzle, but probably not for just a standard glazed or powdered sugar donut. How about you?
Margaritaville at Sea introduced 3-night getaway cruises from Florida’s Port of Palm Beach aboard the 1,680-guest Margaritaville Paradise.
The new weekend itineraries, called “Bahamas Duos,” will call at two popular ports in the Bahamas, Nassau and Freeport, Grand Bahama.
At the same time, the cruise line unveiled a Labor Day Flash Sale through September 8, 2025, offering 80% cruise fare discounts on the second, third, and fourth guests sharing a stateroom.
A quick getaway cruise featuring two port call destinations in the Bahamas is the latest offering from Margaritaville at Sea, the Jimmy Buffett-inspired cruise brand that evokes a laid-back Caribbean party vibe.
For the first time, a 3-night voyage aboard Margaritaville Paradise will operate from the Port of Palm Beach, Florida, visiting Nassau, Bahamas, and Freeport, Grand Bahama Island.
While unveiling the new itinerary, the cruise line also announced a time-limited Labor Day Flash Sale that offers steep cruise fare discounts for the second, third, and fourth guests sharing the same stateroom.
First, let’s look closer at the new 3-night getaway sailing. The 1,680-guest Paradise will sail five departures of the “Bahamas Duos” cruise. All are weekend trips starting on Fridays and returning to Palm Beach on Monday mornings.
Departure dates are October 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, 2025. The last departure happens on Halloween, but all of the ship’s cruises in October will feature the cruise line’s “Sail the Haunted Seas” Halloween theme.
“With these new 3-night itineraries, guests don’t have to choose between an off-the-beaten-path adventure or sun-soaked, white sand beaches – they can have both,” a statement from Margaritaville at Sea said.
Sister ship Margaritaville Islander will also sport the spooky theme as she sails September and October cruises from the Port of Tampa.
Onboard Paradise, costume parties and Halloween trivia contests will be part of the fun, and some venues will be transformed. For instance, the Hemisphere Dancer bar will become the Hemis-Fear Dancer bar.
Guests who move quickly to book one of the new “Bahamas Duos” cruises can take advantage of the Labor Day sale. Reservations booked between August 25, 2025 and September 8, 2025 are eligible for a whopping 80% discount off the fares for the second, third, and fourth guests sharing a cabin.
Paradise Cruise Ship (Photo Courtesy: Port of West Palm Beach)
Fares for inside staterooms start at $229 per person for all departures except the October 31, 2025 sailing; that one starts at $269. Prices rise based on stateroom and departure date selected, ranging from ocean-view cabins at $239 per person to suites that cost up to $699 per person.
Stateroom selection is free except for suites. The Labor Day sale is valid on all Paradise sailings through December 30, 2026 and on Islander cruises through April 24, 2027.
In addition to the new Bahamas cruises aboard Paradise, the ship sails 2-night “Nassau Getaway” cruises that call at Nassau and 2- and 3-night “Grand Bahama Getaway” voyages, both calling at Freeport.
Cruise Brand Set to Expand With Third Ship
Margaritaville at Sea’s two-ship fleet is soon to become a three-ship fleet, with the cruise line’s planned purchase of a third vessel from Costa Cruises. The ship, the 3,450-guest Costa Fortuna, will be renamed Margaritaville Beachcomber after the vessel joins the fleet in September 2026.
Both Paradise and Islander are former Costa Cruises’ ships — Costa Classica and Costa Atlantica, respectively.
Meanwhile, Margaritaville at Sea recently announced it is relaunching its two-tiered Paradise Pass, which rewards frequent cruisers with the opportunity to lock in prices on future cruises for an upfront price.
The Silver Pass is valid on 2- and 3-night cruises, while the Ultimate Gold Pass is for 4- to 7-night voyages.
Norwegian Aqua completed her first sailing from Manhattan to Bermuda, marking the start of a season of roundtrip cruises to the island through October.
Tri-state area passengers can enjoy one- or two-night overnight visits at the Royal Naval Dockyard.
The ship will reposition to Miami in early October for a winter season in the Caribbean.
It’s not often that cruisers in the tri-state area get to enjoy a brand-new ship for an entire season, with cruise lines often just making a one-time preview visit, but now they have something to celebrate.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest ship, Norwegian Aqua, has just completed her first of several voyages from Manhattan to Bermuda.
The ship, which made her maiden voyage in March 2025, will operate from New York through October 2025, offering roundtrip 5- and 7-night cruises to the Royal Naval Dockyard.
“We’re thrilled to have had Norwegian Aqua kick off her voyages from New York City this past week,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
He said New York is an important market to the company and that the cruise operator that also operates Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises is “excited to showcase our newest ship” from the region.
“We look forward to our guests enjoying all the onboard experiences Norwegian Aqua has to offer with their loved ones before relaxing on the pink sandy beaches and dipping into the clear blue waters of Bermuda,” he added.
Not only do guests get to enjoy a new ship, but they also get to enjoy the cruise line’s newest features, including the Aqua Slidecoaster, the first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide at sea, and Glow Court, a digital sports complex.
Norwegian Aqua’s first successful voyage from the city that never sleeps launched on August 22, 2025, and enjoyed an overnight call in Bermuda, arriving at 8 a.m. on August 24 and not departing again until 3 p.m. on August 25.
The second voyage kicks off later today, August 27, for another 5-day itinerary, now that the ship’s inaugural sailing has returned.
Longer 7-night options spend two nights in Bermuda for an even extended visit to the British island.
New Ship, New Fun
Norwegian Aqua’s Bermuda itineraries, designed to provide up to 3,571 passengers with more time ashore, also allow for plenty of time to experience the new ship and discover its amenities.
Families and groups will find a new Aqua Game Zone venue with arcade and virtual reality games, while adults can head to the expanded pool deck or the adults-only Vibe Beach Club retreat, complete with cabanas and hot tubs.
Entertainment onboard includes two major productions. “Revolution: A Celebration of Prince” pats tribute to the late music icon with a theatrical experience, while “Elements: The World Expanded” builds on one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s most popular shows.
Guests can also choose from 17 dining venues and multiple nightlife options.
The last roundtrip sailing to Bermuda will conclude on October 4, 2025, and then the 156,300-gross-ton vessel will reposition to Miami to launch a winter program of Caribbean and Bahama cruises on October 7 through April 2026.
These itineraries range from 4 to 7 days and include calls at the cruise line’s private destination, Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas, currently undergoing a multi-phase expansion.
The destination will debut a new multi-ship pier, a 28,000-square-foot heated pool, and a kids’ splash pad by late 2025. A waterpark is also scheduled to open in summer in 2026.
Norwegian Aqua will return to New York for passengers who miss this inaugural season, with further roundtrip sailings through October 2026.
An overboard situation from Disney Wish at around 8 p.m. on August 26, 2025, turned out to be a false alarm.
The Disney cruise ship turned around and launched a search and rescue mission.
Cruise Hive will update when more is known about the status of the rescue and any potential changes to the 4-night Bahamas itinerary.
UPDATE:
Since the original report, it has now been confirmed that the overboard was a false alarm. A full rescue operation was launched, including the ship’s rescue boats, following a sighting of a large piece of debris in the water. As a precaution, the ship’s captain initiated a mandatory count of all passengers and crew. Thankfully, everyone was accounted for.
ORIGINAL:
The second man overboard situation of the summer is currently unfolding for Disney Cruise Line.
Tonight, on August 26, 2025, the man overboard alarm has been sounded once again – this time onboard Disney Wish.
The 4,000-guest ship was en route from Nassau, Bahamas, to Castaway Cay (which is Disney’s original private island) when the man overboard announcement was made at approximately 8 p.m. ship time.
“Departed Nassau around 5:30 pm heading towards Castaway Cay. MOB called just before 8 pm. We have turned around. It is dark, so not much to see,”one guest reported.
“We’re on the Wish now, about an hour after leaving Nassau they sounded the man overboard alarm and started throwing life preservers over the port side and started turning around,” another current passenger verified.
This is still a developing situation, and it is currently unknown who went overboard and what circumstances may have led to their fall.
Cruise Hive has reached out to Disney Cruise Line for comment and will update our readers when more information is known.
The Search is On
The 1,555 crew members working onboard Disney Wish quickly launched emergency protocols, likely following a similar process as what unfolded onboard Disney Dream and allowed for the successful rescue of the father and daughter earlier this summer.
As reported by current passengers, life preservers were thrown overboard, presumably in the area where the person landed.
This helps the person stay afloat until the cruise ship can turn around and come back for them, and also can make them easier to find again.
Per witnesses, at least two rescue boats have been launched, while pictures show a spotlight scanning the water from overhead.
Disney Wish Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
“Two boats were launched, the smaller boat was just recovered with just the crew. The second boat, a life boat, is still in the water. Water is fairly smooth,” one guest updated just before 9 p.m. EST.
At around 9:45 p.m. EST, another passenger informed the cruising community that guests have been called to their muster stations for a headcount and likely to check if any witnesses may have useful information for the search.
“Update: they are calling a mandatory meeting at assembly stations to account for all guests on board,” the cruiser shared.
We can only hope that the person who went overboard will be found and rescued safely, and Disney Cruise Line is surely doing everything in its power to achieve that outcome.
Disney’s crew members will most likely continue searching until they find the missing person, or until first responders from the US Coast Guard take over.
At this time, it’s unclear how the remainder of the current 4-night Bahamas cruise, which embarked from Port Canaveral on August 25, may be impacted.
The second and final port call of the voyage is on Castaway Cay and is scheduled for tomorrow, August 27.
The DCL ship is only around 60 nautical miles from Castaway Cay, which is a pretty short distance for a cruise ship sailing at normal speeds, but all will depend on how long it takes for this unfortunate situation to resolve.
Repairs are now in progress for the Frightening Bolt waterslide onboard Icon of the Seas, from which a glass panel shattered while a guest was riding it earlier this month.
The acrylic glass panel is being replaced with the same solid tubing that is used on the rest of the attraction.
It’s unclear when the repaired slide will actually be back in business onboard Icon of the Seas, or when the identical slide onboard the newly launched Star of the Seas will open.
Few in the cruise community will ever forget the day that the Frightening Bolt waterslide broke open on Icon of the Seas, but Royal Caribbean is one step closer to putting the saga in the past.
While the man thankfully did not fall through the slide, which would have been bad, as Frightening Bolt is the tallest at waterslide at sea at 46 feet tall, he did receive significant skin lacerations.
For Royal Caribbean’s part, the cruise line offered the passenger prompt medical care and closed the attraction on both Icon of the Seas and the brand new Star of the Seas until a thorough investigation could be completed.
But while the cause of the break hasn’t been publicly released, a determination must have been made as current guests onboard the Icon-class flagship have noticed that repairs are now in progress.
Icon of the Seas Waterslide Repairs (Photo Credit: thugsbunny808)
Instead of installing a new acrylic glass panel, crew members appear to be replacing the broken part with a solid piece that is similar to the tubing that is used for the rest of the slide.
“It looks like the slide is currently being fixed. They are replacing the clear plexiglass with a solid piece,”one cruiser shared, along with pictures of a crane and a construction team at work.
“They’re replacing the broken clear section with a piece similar to the rest of the slide,” another current guest verified.
It’s unclear when the Frightening Bolt waterslide will finally reopen. Once repairs are completed, the slide still has to pass inspections and testing to ensure its safety.
Will Star of the Seas Get the Same Fix?
At this time, the identical attraction in the Category 6 Waterpark onboard Star of the Seas remains closed.
“Currently on star and it’s not operational as of yet. We dock tomorrow,”said one cruiser, who is onboard for the 4-night preview voyage that embarked on August 23.
Depending on what Royal Caribbean uncovered in the investigation, it’s possible that the brand new cruise ship will need to undergo the same fix.
“I assume Star will need the same acrylic section replaced on its trap door slide before that reopens,” one cruise fan theorized.
Icon of the Seas Waterslide Breaking Moment (Credit: @pendopopolis)
It’s unclear if the slide will reopen before the 5,610-guest mega-ship embarks on her official maiden voyage on August 31, 2025, in Port Canaveral.
Among the cruise community, the majority have been impressed by the quality of Royal Caribbean’s fix, and the speed at which repairs are being completed.
“This is no surprise to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if the thermal difference between fiberglass (normal slide construction) and acrylic (clear slide construction) contributed to the issue. This is a good fix,”one person reacted.
“Honestly, I expected this slide to be out of action for months. Amazed they’ve moved so fast,” another cruiser chimed in.
As the repairs are completed, safety will no doubt continue to be top of mind for the cruise line.
Royal Caribbean prides itself on often going above and beyond the standards that have been established by Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the US Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA).
Extinction Rebellion activists blocked P&O Cruises’ Ventura from docking in Rotterdam on Sunday, August 24.
The ship was delayed for about 30 minutes before local police broke up the protest and arrested two protesters.
This is the group’s second protest in recent weeks, the earlier one being against Celebrity Eclipse in Amsterdam.
Protests against cruise ships aren’t a new phenomenon, whether with signs and billboards or, in the case of a recent protest in Rotterdam, kayaks and oars.
A small group of Extinction Rebellion activists staged a floating protest on the Maas River as P&O Cruises’ Ventura was visiting the second-largest city in the Netherlands.
Using canoes and kayaks, about 15 protestors attempted to stop the ship’s arrival on Sunday, August 24, 2025 by clogging the water near the pier. This prevented the ship from docking on schedule.
Police officers forced the protesters to move to accommodate the ship. Ultimately, two protesters were arrested, but it is not known what charges they may face.
Local media reports note that Ventura was only delayed for about 30 minutes. Overall, the “protest” did not have a significant impact on the ship’s visit or schedule.
Cruisegigant Ventura in Rotterdam geblokkeerd door dappere rebellen 🪧 Kijk live mee via xrtv.nl
The protesters offered a different view of what otherwise appears to be a failed effort, considering the ship did ultimately dock after only the briefest of delays.
“If politicians still don’t ban cruises… we’ll stop them ourselves!”Extinction Rebellion declared in a social media post.
“We blocked the Maas River so that the cruise ship couldn’t dock. Rebels also stood on the quayside to protest and proclaim our demand: Ban cruise ships and close the cruise terminal!”
It’s a bold statement from a very vocal group, but ultimately, has very little impact on the cruise line or port operations in Rotterdam.
Ventura visited Rotterdam as the only port of call on a 4-night sailing from Southampton that departed on Saturday, August 23. The ship is homeported year-round from the UK, offering a diverse selection of itineraries from 4-14 nights.
Amsterdam and Rotterdam are both frequent calls for Ventura‘s short sailings, as they are a convenient distance for a quick getaway. Amsterdam is 300 miles from Southampton as the ship sails, while Rotterdam is just a bit further at 320 miles away.
In that incident, about 30 protestors formed a barrier and blocked the ship for about two hours. As Celebrity Eclipse was debarking in Amsterdam, the disruption was far more problematic.
Many different cruise lines visit both ports, including Holland America Line, AIDA Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Virgin Voyages, and more.
How Can Small Boats Block a Much Bigger Ship?
It seems completely silly that something as small as a meager flotilla of kayaks can stop a massive cruise ship.
After all, Ventura measures 116,017 gross tons and has a maximum passenger capacity of 3,597 guests. A typical 2-person kayak weighs just about 85 pounds and has a passenger capacity of, well, two.
Comparing the ship to the kayaks, it would take 1,799 kayaks to equal the cruise ship’s passenger capacity. In other words, a lot more than the 15 kayaks the “protestors” managed to line up.
Extinction Rebellion and Stop Croisières Block Cruise Ships in Marseille (Photo Credit: Stop Croisières)
In comparing overall size, it would take 220,000 kayaks to equal the cruise ship – a LOT more than 15.
Nevertheless, blocking the cruise ship can be an effective, if very short-term, strategy. The ship certainly will not simply sail over kayakers (that would be a much bigger news story).
Ultimately, however, it isn’t blocking an individual cruise ship that such protest groups want. Raising awareness of the controversy ships can cause with overcrowding, pollution, and other concerns can be a far more effective protest weapon.
If cruise ships are significantly delayed or ultimately cancel port visits due to even small protests, that can have a knock-on effect with unhappy guests, disrupted port operations, and schedule changes.
All of these factors might, in fact, cause cruise lines to reconsider whether or not they will continue to visit cities with frequent protests.
