A glass panel on Deck 15 of Royal Caribbean’s brand new Star of the Seas suddenly shattered on the morning of August 26, 2025.
Crew members took appropriate actions to block off the area and no injuries have been reported.
The incident occurred during a preview sailing for the new ship, with her official maiden voyage quickly approaching on August 31, 2025.
The brand new Star of the Seas hasn’t yet set sail on her official maiden voyage, but there has already been some unwanted excitement onboard the second Icon-class ship.
At approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning, August 26, 2025, a glass panel on Deck 15 suddenly shattered, startling guests who were relaxing and tanning nearby.
The panel is one of many that run along the outside of the deck to form an aesthetic safety barrier.
A TikTok user, who goes by Asphalt Mafia on the platform, captured the aftermath of the incident on video as a crew member worked to block off the area.
The poster was one of up to 5,610 guests onboard for Star of the Seas’ second to last preview cruise, which is a 4-night sailing to Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas that embarked from Port Canaveral on August 23, 2025.
“Day three on Star Of The Seas while sitting on deck 15 I heard a pop. Like a tire popped. It was tempered glass that shattered,” the cruiser captioned the TikTok.
#shatteredwindowcruising#staroftheseasship#trending#glass#viral Day three on Star Of The Sea while sitting on deck 15 I heard a pop. Like a tire popped. It was tempered glass that shattered. It’s only 85 degrees and 1030 am est. is this a new phenomenon while cruising. Safety is priceless. Did Royal Carribean Order Faulty Glass.
The open area has now been blocked off with what looks like a white tarp and a crowd control barrier as a temporary solution.
There are thankfully no reports of any injuries to guests or crew members.
Hopefully, repairs can be completed ahead of the 248,663-gross ton vessel’s maiden voyage, which is a 7-night sailing to the Western Caribbean that embarks in just a few days on August 31.
Lots of Broken Glass
There is a common saying about “breaking the ice” when meeting someone new, but lately Royal Caribbean ships have been breaking the glass instead.
Indeed, there have been multiple incidents of glass breaking onboard Symphony of the Seas. The third incident of the year just unfolded earlier this month when atempered glass panel broke on Deck 16near the onboard zip line.
Thankfully, the panel cracked, but did not rain glass shards onto the busy Boardwalk area on Deck 6 below the panel.
Crew Member Checking Shattered Glass (Photo Credit: wild_n_free)
And at the beginning of June, a window in the Coastal Kitchen restaurant shattered, with passengers getting out of the way of the debris just in time thanks to crew member Nitin Kumar’s heroic efforts.
Icon of the Seas, which is Star of the Seas’ older sister, has also had some glass-related trouble of its own in the Category 6 Waterpark.
The attraction, which features the biggest drop at sea at 46 feet tall, has been closed onboard both Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas until an investigation into what happened is completed.
In all of these situations, it’s unclear what caused the glass to break. It could be anything from incorrect installation, manufacturing defects, changing weather conditions, an unexpected impact, or something else entirely.
But what is clear is that Royal Caribbean always has the safety of its guests and crew members as the top priority, and the cruise line will do everything in its power to investigate the causes and make appropriate repairs.
Cruise directors can make anywhere from around $50,000 per year to over $80,000 per year, with a $67,651 median salary. However, how much one makes depends on quite a few factors, including level of expertise, the cruise line and location.
Here’s everything you need to know about how much you can make as a cruise director and how to become one.
According toSalary.com, cruise directors from the United States make a median salary of $67,651. Some, though, make much less than this, while others make much more. The bottom 10% base salary can hover at around $56,000 per year, while the top earners can make as much as $80,450 per year.
There are a lot of factors that influence how much cruise directors make.
How Cruise Director Salaries Differ According to Geography
Cruise directors make more when they’re based out of certain cities. According to Salary.com, directors in the following cities all make more than $75,000 per year, putting them above the median salary.
San Jose, California
San Francisco, California
Oakland, California
New York City, New York
Queens, New York
Parasmus, New Jersey
Passaic, New Jersey
Bergenfield, New Jersey
Stamford, Connecticut
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Not unsurprisingly, a lot of these top-paying cities both are situated near cruise hubs, and are also cities with high costs of living.
How Cruise Director Salaries Differ According to Cruise Line
According to Columbia, the cruise line you work with will impact your salary as well. The more luxurious the cruise line, the more likely that they’ll pay you more.
The university estimates that luxury cruise lines will pay salaries around $80,000–$120,000; mid-range cruise lines will pay salaries around $50,000–$90,000; and budget cruise lines will pay salaries around $40,000–$70,000.
How Cruise Director Salaries Differ According to Ship Size
Additionally, Columbia noted, cruise directors will often make more on larger ships.
Large and Small Cruise Ships (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
This makes a lot of sense, as a cruise line’s biggest ships are often newer or flag ships that thousands of people will look forward to sailing on — so a cruise line will put a cruise director with a higher experience level at the helm. The large amount of experience required plus the high level of responsibility results in larger paychecks for cruise directors.
Columbia estimates that cruise directors on large ships make around $80,000–$120,000; cruise directors on mid-size ships make around $50,000–$90,000; and cruise directors on small ships make around $40,000–$70,000.
What Does a Cruise Director Do?
A cruise director is, in essence, the face of the cruise, or the face of fun, if you will. They’re interacting with guests and making sure they have the best possible time. This sounds like an easy job if you love cruising, but it’s actually a lot of hard work!
Cruise Director Jake (Photo Credit: Jake Miller)
On a day-to-day basis, cruise directors might:
Organize social events and activities
Manage staff related to social events and activities
Welcome guests to the ship
Provide guests with recommendations for what to do, both on the ship and in port
Ensure guests are behaving appropriately
Provide customer support to cruise guests when necessary
Provide support in the event of a cruise ship emergency
Make daily cruise ship announcements
Source and scheduling cruise ship entertainment
Host their own entertainment, such as game shows
Gather cruise passengers’ feedback and adjusting the experience accordingly
It’s also worth noting that a cruise director job isn’t one that you can just leave at the end of the day. Cruise directors are contracted to work on the ship for a certain amount of time — such as six months or so — and they often work all day long. As such, it’s important to have a true passion for the job.
Perks of Being a Cruise Director
There are many benefits to becoming a cruise director, starting with, obviously, the ability to spend every day, all day cruising around the globe, exploring different cultures.
However, for those who love to entertain, be around people and provide memorable moments for those around them, a role as a cruise director can be exceptionally fulfilling.
How to Become a Cruise Director
Pursue the Right Education
If you’re interested in becoming a cruise director, you’ll want to start with pursuing the right education, such as a degree in hospitality, communication, tourism, business administration or entertainment (like theater).
If you don’t have a degree in one of these fields, you may be able to make up for that with enough years’ relevant job experience.
Cruise Director on Royal Caribbean
It can also be very helpful to be fluent in a foreign language (or a few foreign languages!). Then, a cruise line could assign you to cruise routes that travel to countries wherein that language is spoken, making it easier for you to work with locals. Likewise, this skill can help you better accommodate international cruisers.
You may also want to pursue additional certifications, such as those offered by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). This type of continual education can boost job prospects throughout the entirety of your career as a cruise director (resulting in a higher salary!).
Develop the Right Soft Skills
Beyond education, though, many cruise lines are also looking at applicants’ soft skills. Successful cruise directors are excellent communicators, leaders and problem solvers.
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
They’re able to think on their feet, remain calm in a crisis and adapt as necessary. They also typically have very entertaining, funny and charming personalities.
Get Some Prior Job Experience
Most cruise directors do not go straight from getting a degree in hospitality to a cruise director role. Many start out in lower positions on a cruise ship and then work their way up, as cruise lines appreciate applicants with prior experience living and working on a cruise ship.
You might get a role as a cabin steward or activity director, for example, or a role as a cruise ship entertainer. Many Carnival Cruise Line cruise directors start out as a member of the Carnival Fun Squad before being promoted to cruise director status.
Examples of Real Life Cruise Director Backgrounds
Fleet Cruise Director, Lee Mason (Photo Credit: Lee Mason)
You can look at the resumes of prominent cruise directors working in the industry today, to see their career paths and what led them to becoming cruise directors. This will give you an idea of what you might need to similarly do.
For example, popular cruise director Leon Smith (who we’ll discuss more momentarily) has a degree in theater and music education, and held roles as a Chuck E. Cheese cast member and Nickelodeon resort activity host before becoming a cruise director.
Similarly, cruise director Lee Mason has a degree in musical theater, and held roles as an entertainment manager, performance host, radio presenter and assistant cruise director, before becoming a cruise director at Carnival Cruise Line.
Examples of Cruise Director Job Listings from Real Cruise Lines
At least three years in the entertainment industry
Cruise ship experience
On-mic experience
Experience managing budgets
At least three years of management experience (preferably)
Additionally, the cruise line notes it’s looking for cruise directors that are charming, engaging and able to train and mentor other staff.
On Princess Cruises, meanwhile, cruise director applicants are required to have at least five years of experience hosting events, activities, shows or theatrical performances.
MSC Virtuosa, Le Grand Theater
Princess Cruises likewise looks for applicants with charismatic, funny and lovable personalities. Applicants are also required to submit a head shot, as well as an unedited, unscripted video that includes a summary of the applicant’s life story, a recounting of a funny life moment, a welcome speech to cruise guests and other details that give hirers an idea of one’s stage presence.
At MSC Cruises, the cruise directors lead teams of hundreds of other individuals, so the cruise line is looking for applicants with leadership experience, as well as experience having worked with a cruise line, and in entertainment or presentation.
Applicants should all be knowledgeable of the cruising industry in general, and MSC Cruises likes cruise directors to be fluent in at least two European languages.
Career Path for Cruise Directors
While a cruise director job in general can seem like a great opportunity for someone who loves cruising, the opportunities don’t stop there. Once you become a cruise director, you have many more career paths ahead of you.
Fleet Cruise Director
Leon Smith Fleet Cruise Director Announced
For example, some cruise directors are promoted to what’s known as a fleet cruise director. A fleet cruise director is a leadership position overseeing other cruise directors for a cruise line. A cruise line can have multiple fleet cruise directors.
Often, cruise directors are awarded this role after they’ve spent many years with a cruise line and proven that they can deliver a superior cruiser experience, with every cruise.
For instance, in early 2025, Carnival Cruise Line promoted cruise director Leon Smith to fleet cruise director. Smith has been with Carnival Cruise Line since 2015 and is one of the line’s most beloved cruise directors with avid cruisers. He’s also worked on more than a dozen of the cruise line’s ships, as well as received many awards, such as Cruise Director of the Year.
Another opportunity for cruise directors? Many now take their effervescent personalities into the online realm, by posting about their journeys to social media, basically becoming influencers, which comes with its own career opportunities.
It’s nothing new for avid cruisers to quickly come to know who their favorite cruise directors are, and to specifically book cruises where that cruise director is in charge.
With so many cruise directors taking to social media in a broader way now, though, it gives cruisers yet another way to connect with these individuals vital to their cruising experience.
Popular cruise directors-turned-influencers include Christine Kesteloo, a former cruise director with 141k-plus followers on Instagram and 1 million-plus followers on TikTok, and who currently sails with her husband, who works as an engineer on Holland America ships.
There’s also John Heald, a UK-based senior cruise director for Carnival Cruise Line, who became a cruise director in 1990 and now has a following of more than 600k on Facebook.
Kyndall Fire, similarly, has 165k followers on Facebook, and currently works as a cruise director for Carnival Cruise Line, recently wrapping up a contract on Carnival Jubilee.
Other, more “micro” influencers include Carnival Cruise Line fleet cruise director Lee Mason, with 30k followers on Facebook; and Mark Walker, a Royal Caribbean cruise director with 53k followers on Facebook.
Is Becoming a Cruise Director Right for You?
So is becoming a cruise director right for you? It all depends on your career goals and whether or not you feel you have the right personality and mindset for this very unique role. It’s definitely not a job that’s for everyone, or even for everyone who loves cruising.
You’ll need to be comfortable staying at sea for months at a time, and love entertaining, being around lots of people and putting your cruisers’ needs first.
If, though, that sounds right up your alley, then becoming a cruise director can be an enjoyable career that comes with a very comfortable salary.
As someone who has been on more than a dozen cruises in recent years, one of my biggest problems is that my sailings start to blur together with time. After a while, the specific ports I visited slowly but surely became gray spots in my memory.
The Cruise Globe solves this problem. For the first time ever, cruisers can record every single one of their sailings in one digital online hub – making it fun and easy to relive and share their vacation memories.
Since its launch earlier this year, The Cruise Globe has become a major sensation among cruise fans and it’s easy to see why.
When The Cruise Globe Was Founded – and How It’s Grown
If you’re wondering why you haven’t heard about The Cruise Globe sooner, it’s because this digital platform is still brand new. The Cruise Globe only just launched on February 12, 2025.
But in just about six months, the platform has grown exponentially. As of August 25, 2025, The Cruise Globe has reached 58,000 users who come from more than 102 different countries (and counting!).
In just the first two weeks after launch, more than 57,000 cruises were logged in the platform – and that number has only grown in the months since.
Who Founded The Cruise Globe?
So, who are the masterminds behind The Cruise Globe? It is none other than Emma Le Teace, Matthew Jones, and Will Ellison.
You may already know Le Teace as an avid cruiser and the face of the Emma Cruises brand. Her YouTube channel has 405,000 followers as of the time of publication and she has hundreds of thousands of followers on her different social media platforms.
The Cruise Globe Founders: Emma Le Teace, Matthew Jones, and Will Ellison
Jones is in charge of all marketing and partnerships at The Cruise Globe, and its sister company, The Cruise Maps. He also has a background in cruising (both of his parents worked on Cunard Line ships), as well as publishing and geography.
Ellison is a naval architect with over 15 years of experience working with AIS satellite data, which is used to track cruise ships.
The three co-founders and friends have combined their experience to fill the gap in the cruise industry with the introduction of The Cruise Globe.
Revolutionizing Cruise Ship Tracking
What makes The Cruise Globe really special is that cruise fans are able to revisit their sailings as far back as 2015, free of charge. No other cruise trackers offer this feature.
“For years, I’ve felt as though the cruise industry has been left behind when it comes to technology. I’ve always kept a written list of my cruises, but I knew that there had to be a better way,”Co-Founder Emma Le Teace told Cruise Hive.
“The response to The Cruise Globe so far has been phenomenal. It’s clear that I wasn’t the only person who wanted a way to track and relive my cruises, keeping everything together in one place. This is just the start and I am so excited about the future,” Le Teace added.
Using AIS tracking data, the platform can pull the exact route a cruise ship took during a specific sailing in virtually no time at all.
The Cruise Globe Map
This can then be explored using 3D maps and detailed satellite views of ports of call, allowing cruise lovers to relive their favorite experiences and show off to friends and family at home.
One of my personal favorite features is the Cruise Replay option, which plays your cruise route in a 3D video exactly as it happened during your sailing.
While guests often know the ports of call, they may not know the exact course that their ship charted (and how close to major landmarks they may have been), so it’s also an opportunity to learn something new about your travels potentially years later.
You can also view digital cruise cards of your voyage, which are easy to download or share on social media, that show the dates of your sailing, where you embarked and disembarked, and how many nautical miles you traveled.
What I found even more fun is that I could look at my entire cruise history collectively in my Globe Passport.
The Cruise Globe Passport
Based on the four sailings I entered into my account, I have sailed 3,625 nautical miles, spent 22 days at sea, and visited 16 cruise ports across six countries and two continents. How cool is that!
Of course, The Cruise Globe does offer live 3D tracking of cruise ships’ current locations.
All you have to do is search for a specific ship to find out everything you could possibly want to know about where it is, where it’s been, where it’s heading, and how fast it’s sailing.
It also shares useful stats about the ship’s size, when it launched, and how long the vessel is.
For easy access, you can also favorite specific ships – which I know will be useful for people like me who like to track my ships in the weeks and days leading up to my next sailing.
How to Use The Cruise Globe
The Cruise Globe is very innovative, but it’s not complicated to use at all, even for someone who isn’t particularly tech savvy like me.
To start, all you have to do is make a free account using your email address. If you have one, you can even use your existing Apple or Google account to make the process quicker and easier. The sign-up process takes minutes, if that.
Then, all you have to do to start logging your cruises is go to “My Cruises” and select “Add a Cruise” on the left hand side of your computer screen.
The Cruise Globe
You’ll be prompted to fill in your ship’s name, the dates of your sailing, and your embarkation and disembarkation ports.
After that, all you have to do is click submit and your exact cruise route populates in a matter of seconds.
The platform is very intuitive and easy to use. Once you add your cruise, simply select your sailing and click on buttons that say “cruise card” and “cruise replay” to explore your voyage in new ways.
Turning Memories Into Keepsakes
Again, The Cruise Globe platform is entirely free to use.
But for extra special sailings, cruisers might want to opt to have their voyage map printed and framed – which makes a great gift for birthdays or for the holiday season.
In The Cruise Globe, you will have the option to select “Buy This Map” on the bottom right hand corner of your screen when a specific sailing is selected.
The Cruise Maps
This will take you to The Cruise Maps, which is The Cruise Globe’s sister website that launched in 2024, where you can have your custom map printed for as little as $67.
Starting the process in The Cruise Globe allows you to preview your cruise map before printing, and then autopopulates the cruise information fields (i.e., sailing dates) for you.
There are a variety of options in terms of map types (satellite or classic), layout (landscape or portrait), sizes, and frame options to choose from.
As another unique keepsake, you can also have the cruise cards that The Cruise Globe generates sent to The Cruise Maps for printing.
Cruise Cards
Pricing starts at $20 per card, but discounts are given as more cards are added to your order.
The cards can be printed individually, or you can upgrade to a custom cruise card album that holds up to 60 cruise cards and is entirely handcrafted by professional bookbinders in the UK. This upgrade costs $97 as of the time of publication.
What’s Coming Next For The Cruise Globe?
It’s only up from here! The team behind The Cruise Globe has many plans to continue to improve the experience.
By early September, an IOS and Android App that allows cruise fans to access The Cruise Globe from their smartphones will be available in the App Store.
Additionally, the team is working hard on adding a new feature called “Cruise Discovery,” which will allow users to explore possible future cruises on the map interface as they think about where they want to sail to next.
Cruise Hive will be eagerly watching as The Cruise Globe continues to innovate and grow.
One guest has complained about long PA announcements for sales and spending onboard Carnival ships.
John Heald offered insights into making the onboard announcements and why they are necessary.
Carnival Cruise Line is a business and onboard spending helps keep cruise fare prices affordable.
It’s unfortunate that poor behavior often makes headlines, and Carnival Cruise Line has acquired quite the reputation for poor behavior in recent months.
In fact, the behavior is encouraged, and it is Carnival cruise directors who are doing it: lengthy sales-job announcements.
Every guest has heard the reminders over the ship’s public address system about sales, jewelry specials, spa offers, pay-to-play games, and more. But not every guest appreciates the daily “just buy more” rundown.
One frustrated guest was so upset recently that they reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, about the practice.
“Our cruise director was really, really nickel and diming us on our sailing. Overhead announcements 3x a day at minimum. Loud and long, morning, noon, and night,”the guest described.
“He was basically saying Good Morning hope you having a awesome time on your cruise. Don’t forget to bring your wallet to bingo, the shops & art auction so you can donate!”
The guest noted that “every passenger” they spoke to said the same, that the announcements were too long and lost listeners’ attention.
“Why is this allowed?”they asked.
Heald spent many years of his Carnival career as a cruise director on various ships. He shared his insights while explaining why the announcements are the way they are, and why they won’t be stopping.
First, he noted that the volume of the intercom can be difficult to gauge. Some cruise directors might come across as overly loud when they don’t mean to be yelling.
“Nobody gives you any training in the use of the PA system and trust me, it’s harder to use than you might imagine,”he said.
“You can’t hear yourself so it’s hard to judge the volume and finding the right time to make announcements and, even more importantly, the right length is also very difficult.”
But what about the content of the announcements? The spiels for sales, buy this, buy that, spend here, just a few more dollars… Heald reminds the guest that Carnival Cruise Line is, after all, a business.
“How sodding dare we try and make money, what would our shareholders say?”he quipped.
“It is the Cruise Director’s responsibility to promote the revenue and it is that onboard revenue that has always been the foundation on which Carnival Cruise Line can keep the cost of your cruises the most affordable in the entire industry.”
(Photo Credit: Stephen Barnes)
To be fair, no Carnival guest is ever forced to spend more than they might wish, no matter what the announcements say.
Don’t want to pay for a formal night portrait? Take a selfie instead. Not interested in a bingo game or Deal Or No Deal? It’s free to watch. Don’t care for the art auction? You don’t have to go.
Cruise directors often try to inject their personality into announcements to make them funny and interesting.
Singing, catch phrases, or bad jokes can all be part of the announcements. Some of the most memorable Carnival cruise directors I have heard used exaggerated accents or stage whispers to keep guests listening.
More Ways to Get Announcements
Not every guest may appreciate the intercom announcements, but there are other ways to learn what is going on around a Carnival cruise ship.
Reading the paper copy of the FunTimes newsletter is one option. These copies are delivered to guests’ staterooms every evening, or they can be picked up at the Guest Services desk.
The Carnival Hub app also has each day’s activities, including special sales, deals, and offers for guests to consider.
Different members of the activities team, what Carnival calls the “Fun Squad,” may also give reminders about upcoming activities and events at trivia contests or other games.
Ultimately, what guests need to consider is that yes, Carnival Cruise Line is still a business. Overall, even 2-3 minutes of PA announcements several times a day is just a tiny percentage of the fun time guests can have onboard.
Soon after embarking on an 11-night sailing to Alaska, two cruise passengers onboard Ruby Princess required an urgent medical evacuation at the same time.
The two airlifts were pulled off successfully thanks to some impressive teamwork by the US Coast Guard, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Canadian Coast Guard.
The rescue did not impact the itinerary, with Ruby Princess completing her first port call on the itinerary (on Ketchikan, Alaska) as planned.
People often say good things come in small packages, and that apparently applies to some not-so-good things as well.
This sentiment rings true for Ruby Princess, from where not one, but two passengers had to be medically evacuated on Sunday, August 24, 2025.
Just two days prior on August 22, the 3,080-guest ship had embarked from San Francisco, California, on an 11-night sailing to Alaska– so the disembarked guests sadly didn’t get to enjoy most of the voyage.
You can watch footage from the US Coast Guard below:
As two patients were in need of urgent care, the evacuation had to become a joint rescue effort.
The first guest in need was a 52-year-old female passenger who had gone into cardiac arrest and was placed on life support.
The second was a 99-year-old male guest who was reportedly suffering from complete esophageal obstruction, which is a life-threatening condition where the tube that connects the throat to the stomach is blocked.
The impressive airlift was completed successfully thanks to flawless collaboration by the US Coast Guard (USCG), the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and the Canadian Coast Guard.
A CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft from RCAF 19 Wing Comox, and a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from USCG Air Station Port Angeles reported for duty, with the Kingfisher aircraft supervising and coordinating the airlifts.
“This case demonstrates how our specialized expertise and dedicated training allows us to rapidly respond to these types of time-sensitive medical evacuations at sea,“said Cmdr. Kelly Higgins, commanding officer of US Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles.
“The expert coordination between the Canadian Coast Guard, the Life Flight Network, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the US Coast Guard ensured [these patients] received the care they needed,” Higgins continued.
The prognosis of the disembarked guestsis unknown, but Cruise Hive wishes them both a smooth recovery.
No Impact to the Itinerary
When the rescue unfolded, Ruby Princess was approximately 145 nautical miles west of Cape Flattery, Washington.
The 113,561-gross ton vessel was on her way to her first port call of the sailing, which was on Ketchikan, Alaska, on August 25 (the next day).
Although cruise tracking data showsthat the Princess cruise ship paused to allow the airlifts to take place, there was no significant delay – which also means that the planned itinerary was able to go forth as planned.
Ruby Princess in San Francisco (Photo Credit: Iv-olga)
The distance from Washington to Ketchikan, Alaska, is around 600 to 700 nautical miles, depending on where exactly the vessel is, which a cruise ship sailing at top speeds can easily cover in a day.
The 2008-launched vessel arrived on time in Ketchikan on August 25.
She will go on to visit Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Sitka, and Victoria, British Columbia, before disembarking in San Francisco on September 2.
She has two more 11-night Alaska sailings to operate before her season concludes (embarking on September 2 and September 13), which will hopefully be a lot less eventful.
Wonder of the Seas has arrived in Miami for the first time and will now sail 3- and 4-night Caribbean cruises from PortMiami.
The redeployment highlights Royal Caribbean’s strategy of putting its largest ships on short itineraries to attract younger, first-time cruisers.
The ship was welcomed by PortMiami and operations officials.
Cruise lovers in South Florida welcomed a new skyline today, August 25, 2025, when Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas pulled into PortMiami for the first time. The Oasis-class ship is now set to call Miami home with year-round getaways to the Caribbean.
The 235,600-gross-ton ship docked at the “Cruise Capital of the World” and was welcomed by PortMiami Deputy Director Fred Wong, who presented Wonder of the Seas Captain Trym Selvag with a commemorative plaque to mark the milestone.
Florida Stevedoring/Farovi Shipping Corporation, which provides port operations and maritime service at PortMiami, also marked the occasion.
“We are proud to welcome Wonder of the Seas – one of the largest and most innovative cruise ships in the world – to her new home at PortMiami,” the company said on a social media post.
Hours after the plaque presentation, the ship that can accommodate 5,734 passengers (double capacity) sounded her horns for a 4:30 p.m. sail away: a 4-night cruise to Nassau, Bahamas, and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay destination.
The sailing will be a mainstay of a selection of 3- and 4-night alternating itineraries – the longer of which will also include a sea day – and is part of Royal Caribbean’s wider rollout of short Caribbean getaway from multiple US homeports.
Wonder of the Seas’ redeployment follows the grand debut of the cruise line’s newest and largest ship, Star of the Seas, which arrived in Port Canaveral earlier this month and joins sister Oasis-class ship Utopia of the Seas in providing sailings from Port Canaveral, Florida.
Florida Stevedoring’s Jorge Rovirosa, Frank Rovirosa, Frankie Rovirosa, Andres Rovirosa welcome Wonder of the Seas to Miami. (Photo Credit: Florida Stevedoring)
Before arriving in Miami, Wonder of the Seas, which debuted in 2022, spent her first voyages from Port Canaveral. From there, the vessel offered week-long Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries that called at destinations including St. Maarten, the US Virgin Islands, Honduras, and Mexico.
The ship now joins a collection of Royal Caribbean vessels that will offer itineraries that can be done over a long weekend. Alongside Wonder of the Seas in Miami, Utopia of the Seas will do the same from Port Canaveral, while many stars of the fleet do the same from Los Angeles, Galveston, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa.
Short Cruises, Big Business
Royal Caribbean’s decision to send Wonder of the Seas to Miami for short sailings is part of a broader business model shift. The cruise line is leaning heavily into quick Caribbean getaways, with Oasis-class ships like Wonder and Utopia of the Seas anchoring the strategy.
By positioning its largest vessels on 3- and 4-night itineraries, the company is betting that guests want access to the same big-ship experiences without committing to a full week at sea.
Docked Wonder of the Seas (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)
The move is designed to capture new, younger and first-time passengers with less expensive cruises that require fewer vacation days to enjoy.
However, the strategy has sparked debate among the line’s loyalists who argue the mega ships were designed for longer vacations to allow passengers time to fully explore their amenities and size.
Some have criticized the itineraries for having higher per-night costs and fewer port calls, but with Wonder of the Seas’ arrival in Miami, Royal Caribbean is confident new cruisers are going to clamor aboard.
A petition protesting Perfect Day Mexico has already gathered more than 278,000 signatures.
The petition is not opposed to the project but wants more environmental assessment and local involvement.
Royal Caribbean has shared its sustainability plans for Perfect Day Mexico and will be holding local meetings.
Royal Caribbean’s planned Perfect Day Mexico may not be so perfect after all, according to pushback from locals. Multiple concerns have been raised about the project, including its impact on the environment, local culture, beach access, and more.
Concerned residents and supporters have organized a detailed Change.org petition that has already garnered more than 278,000 signatures against the project.
The petition aims to protect Mahahual, the small fishing village in Costa Maya, just two miles from the cruise port. This is the region where Perfect Day Mexico is planned with an anticipated opening in 2027.
Among other claims, the petition argues that the new development will threaten local beach access, damage mangrove systems and coral reefs, and bring unprecedented pollution to the region.
“Royal Caribbean plans to welcome up to 20,000 tourists per day: with them, tons of chemical sunscreen, plastic waste, water-polluting mega-cruise ships, and absurd freshwater consumption in a region already suffering from water stress,”the petition states.
The petition does note, however, that the organizers are not opposed to either development or tourism outright. Instead, they believe stronger collaborative measures are necessary.
“We believe in a model based on sustainability, respect for ecosystems, and justice for local communities,”the petition reads.
To create what the organizers believe would be a stronger, more environmentally-sound project, the petition calls for the current Perfect Day Mexico project to be completely and immediately cancelled.
This can be followed with “a rigorous, independent, and public environmental impact assessment” that includes a national debate about tourism for Mexico.
So popular is the petition that it has caught Royal Caribbean’s attention. The cruise line has responded to many of the petition’s negative claims.
El Hideaway is the signature adults-only neighborhood on Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico
Royal Caribbean is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement and will be holding a community meeting about the project.
“Perfect Day Mexico is designed to generate a positive and lasting impact on the economy, the local community, and the environment,”the cruise line said.
Royal Caribbean is focusing on a collaborative approach, which also includes all cruise lines continuing to call at Costa Maya to support the community and regional tourism.
In addition to Royal Caribbean, ships from Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Oceania Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, TUI Cruises and more also visit Costa Maya.
The cruise line has pledged to conserve more than 100 acres of mangroves, restore natural waterflow, clean up the coast, and protect native sea turtle nesting sites.
A wastewater treatment facility and reverse osmosis plant are also part of Royal Caribbean’s plans, along with using 100% green energy no later than 2040.
About Perfect Day Mexico
Royal Caribbean announced Perfect Day Mexico in October 2024. At the time, Mara Lezama, the governor of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, expressed enthusiasm for the project.
“We are very excited that Royal Caribbean has decided to invest in Mahahual, a land of opportunity and hard-working people,”Lezama said.
The roughly 200-acre project will include the cruise line’s signature water park experience with more than 30 waterslides offering thrills for all ages.
The park will also include the longest lazy river in the world, a cliff-diving experience, and a 100,000-square-foot pool (one of 10 pools at the destination).
“At Royal Caribbean, our ambition is bigger than ever, and so is our lineup of amazing experiences we are designing, all centered on our guests,”said Royal Caribbean’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kara Wallace.
Adults-only areas, an exclusive beach club, more than two miles of white sand beaches, 24 bars, and more will also be part of Perfect Day Mexico.
Other than 2027, no official opening date or itineraries visiting Perfect Day Mexico have yet been announced. Whether or not the protest petition might impact the cruise line’s plans remains to be seen.
MSC World Europa lost power and propulsion during its current cruise, leaving the ship helpless and reliant on backup generators.
Italian Coast Guard deployed tugboats, patrol vessels, and a helicopter to monitor and assist the 215,863-gross-ton vessel.
The ship regained propulsion but the incident delayed its arrival into Port Naples and its subsequent cruise.
Passengers aboard one of the world’s largest cruise ships were left drifting off the Italian coast on Monday, August 25, 2026, after MSC World Europa suffered an electrical failure that cut its propulsion.
Reports out of Italy say the ship lost power around 7:25 a.m. when the MSC Cruises’ vessel carrying 6,496 passengers and 2,089 crew members was 8 nautical miles southwest of Ponza, Italy, while en route from Genoa to Naples.
Italian Coast Guard officials said the situation remained calm, however, with favorable sea conditions and backup generators supplying essential services onboard.
“The situation on board is calm and under control,” the coast guard told local media. “The weather and sea conditions are favorable and the essential services for passengers continue to be provided by the onboard generators.”
Partial propulsion was eventually restored by the afternoon, and the ship is continuing toward Naples, where it is scheduled to complete a 7-day roundtrip cruise that launched on August 18, 2025.
The 215,863-gross-ton ship, which debuted in 2022, had visited Messina, Sicily; La Valletta, Malta; Barcelona, Spain; Marseille, France; and Genoa without any incident.
Due to its propulsion issues, MSC World Europa missed its 1 p.m. local time arrival and, at press time, was nearing the Port of Naples with an anticipated arrival of 9 p.m., 8 hours behind schedule.
Following its arrival, passengers will disembark, and the cruise line will conduct an in-depth technical check with plans to embark guests scheduled to board for the ship’s next voyage if the inspection reveals no further repairs are needed.
Ship Helped by Italian Coast Guard
The loss of power on MSC World Europa meant the ship lost the ability to generate energy to turn its propellers, meaning the captain and crew could not steer or move the vessel on its own.
Backup generators power safety systems, lighting, air conditioning, kitchens, and other passenger services, keeping guests comfortable but leaving the ship immobile in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Two tugboats were dispatched to help MSC World Europa, one leaving from Gioia Tauro in southern Italy and another from Naples, to help guide or tow the ship safely to port if the engines could not be restarted.
MSC World Europa
The Italian Coast Guard also sent two patrol boats and prepared an AW139 helicopter to monitor the scene, staying in contact with maritime rescue teams in nearby Civitavecchia for additional support.
Passengers shared their experience on social media and said the ship initially went dark when power failed, but order was quickly maintained.
MSC Europa is scheduled to embark on another 7-night journey to La Valletta, Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, and Naples, although it has missed its 6 p.m. departure time.
MSC Cruises has not provided details on any compensation to passengers who may have missed flights home following the affected cruise.
Guests scheduled to sail on its subsequent cruise will not know if they will be able to depart until the ship is inspected.
The cruise line will provide updates to those affected passengers, including any changes to the itinerary, should the cruise continue on a delayed schedule.
A cruise family has sued Norwegian Cruise Line more than a year after a drowning death.
The lawsuit alleges negligence in that NCL did not properly inform guests of hazards for a swimming tour.
Drowning deaths happen for a variety of reasons, but how much responsibility does a cruise line have?
Every cruise traveler hopes they will come home with happy memories of fun in the sun and enjoying time together. For one family, however, their memories of sailing aboard Norwegian Getaway are anything but happy.
Now, the family has filed a lawsuit against Norwegian Cruise Line that alleges a variety of negligent actions that directly contributed to a drowning death.
The family – father, mother, two young sons, and grandmother – were enjoying the 7-night Bermuda sailing that had departed on March 24, 2024, when tragedy struck on an otherwise picture-perfect beach day.
Hyon Duk Shin, his wife Yanli Gong, their two sons, and Shin’s mother, Kwang Shin were all traveling together. According to The Royal Gazette, the family booked what was advertised as an “easy” excursion to Horseshoe Bay on March 27, 2024.
The crescent-shaped, iconic pink-sand beach on Bermuda’s south shore is a tourist hotspot popular for snorkeling and swimming, just a 30-minute drive from the cruise terminal.
Dangerous rip currents that day, combined with a lack of lifeguards due to being outside of the busiest cruising season, led to a horrific chain of events.
The father and his sons were snorkeling in shallow waters when, just before 3 p.m., Shin noticed a girl drifting away from the beach due to undertow currents. He swam out to her, but after rescuing the girl, was himself overcome by the current.
Shin’s wife and mother saw that he was drifting and appeared unconscious. The women yelled for help, but there were no lifeguards on duty that afternoon. A local bystander managed to bring Shin to shore, but was unable to resuscitate him and he passed.
The young boys, ages 7 and 9 at the time, witnessed their father’s drowning. That traumatic event will far outshadow any positive memories the family may have made on what they had undoubtedly hoped would have been a happy vacation.
On March 25, 2025, the legal case was originally filed against Norwegian Cruise Line. The details of the case includes various allegations, such as:
The tour was described as “easy” and did not mention dangerous currents in the region.
The ship was visiting outside the established tourist season and therefore fewer lifeguards were available.
The cruise line did not disclose other recent drowning deaths in the region.
The lawsuit states that “NCL had notice of these dangerous conditions through public warnings from multiple government entities, available weather and sea condition forecasts, a variety of cruise passenger reports and prior similar incidents.”
Had the family been aware of the dangers, they may not have booked the excursion and the tragic incident would never have occurred.
Excursion Still Being Offered
More than a year after Shin’s death, Norwegian Cruise Line continues to offer shore excursions to Horseshoe Bay.
The “Horseshoe Bay Beach Transfer” is described on the cruise line’s website as an opportunity to “soak up the sun, swim in the crystal clear water or just relax in the pink sand.”
The excursion is listed as an easy Level 1 tour that may “involve walking over relatively level terrain, possibly some cobblestone, gravel, or a few steps.”
No mention of currents, rip tides, or swimming dangers are noted, though the excursion is labeled as a “Beach/Swimming” tour.
Horseshoe Bay Beach, Hamilton, Bermuda (Photo Credit: Deron Levy / Shutterstock)
Of course, cruise guests always assume responsibility for their own safety even on recommended tours.
Any traveler should be acutely aware of nearby conditions. At a beach, this might include slippery surfaces, rough surf, stinging jellyfish, or the potential for dangerous currents.
Earlier in August, an elderly Vietnamese couple drowned on Milos in Greece when strong winds and rough waves caused them to fall into the ocean, though they were not on a swimming or water activity tour.
Medical emergencies and poor weather can contribute to drowning incidents, as can guests underestimating their swimming capabilities or overall physical condition.
This lawsuit, if successful, may prompt changes to beach signage or tour descriptions so guests can feel better informed when choosing shore excursions.
