Star of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, arrived at Port Canaveral for the first time on August 9, 2025.
The 248,663-gross-ton vessel will host multiple preview sailings for media, travel advisors, and select guests before its public debut.
Diana Ross will serve as godmother during the ship’s naming ceremony later this month.
The wait is nearly over! The world’s largest cruise ship sailed into the Florida Space Coast’s Port Canaveral for the very first time on August 9, 2025.
The 248,663-gross-ton Icon Class ship sailed past Jetty Park escorted by a water cannon tugboat before docking at the port’s recently renovated Cruise Terminal 1.
“She’s here!” Port Canaveral shared on its social media channels, along with arrival photos of the Royal Caribbean’s newest ship.
Star of the Seas, which was delivered to Royal Caribbean on July 10, 2025, from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Turku, Finland, began her journey across the Atlantic later that month.
Arriving in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on August 4, 2025, Royal Caribbean is now conducting a full-on preview blitz, beginning with a special media and influencers preview sailing that departed Ponce on August 6 to Port Canaveral.
Sailing well below the vessel’s full 7,600-guest capacity, the 3-night cruise staggered venues and experiences to give lucky insiders an unavailable preview.
Travel advisors are the next group to get a taste of the ship from August 9 to 13, followed by one last media preview from August 13 to 16, building the excitement for regular-Joe guests who will finally get to see the ship for themselves for yet another “showcase” cruise.
That special August 16 “Star”-studded celebration will feature Star of the Seas’ official naming ceremony, led by the “Queen of Motown” Diana Ross.
Royal Caribbean will take passengers on a 4-night journey that features the cruise line’s private island destination, Perfect Day at Coco Cay in the Bahamas.
There will be a 3-night departure on August 20, and 4-day option on August 23 and August 27 before the first “real” cruise: a 7-night Western Caribbean voyage beginning August 31 that will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Coco Cay, a feature of every Star of the Seas’ sailing.
What’s Ahead for Star of the Seas
The reason for so many preview sailings? Thank the shipbuilders, Meyer Turku in Finland, for its speedy early delivery of Star of the Seas on July 10, 2025.
Meyer Turku, which previously completed sister ship Icon of the Seas, learned Icon class’ tricks and breezed through steel cutting in February 2023, keel laying in December 2023, the float out in October 2024, and sea trials in May 2025.
Star of the Seas in Port Canaveral
Once Star of the Seas catches up to her original schedule, she will alternate between the Western and Eastern Caribbean, with the latter visiting St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.
That first itinerary sailing will take place on September 7, 2025.
Meanwhile, as Star of the Seas’ homeport, Port Canaveral is offering a free “sailabration” event to coincide with the vessel’s onboard naming party.
Locals and visitors are invited to Jetty Park, where food trucks, themed giveaways, music, and more will be offered as the ship sails away.
Festivities for the event at the port begin at 3:30 p.m. and requires parking passes that can be purchased in advance through the port’s website.
An unidentified man made a report that he had an explosive device while in the parking lot that serves Southampton’s Mayflower Cruise Ferry Terminal on August 9.
Out of an abundance of caution, the cruise terminal and P&O Cruises’ Ventura were evacuated.
Thankfully, the bomb threat was proven to be a hoax, and there was no significant delay to Ventura’s itinerary, aside from departing Southampton slightly late.
For thousands of cruise guests sailing out of Southampton in the UK, their vacations got off to a frightening start thanks to a bomb hoax.
On the morning of August 9, 2025, a bomb threat was reported at Southampton’s Mayflower Cruise Ferry Terminal, where P&O Cruises’ Ventura had just begun the embarkation process for a 14-night sailing to Spain, Portugal, and the Canary Islands.
By 11:46 a.m. local time, police were on the scene to investigate after an unidentified man claimed to have an explosive device.
A 200 meter (656 feet) perimeter was established while experts searched a motor truck belonging to the suspect and the surrounding area. Thankfully, the threat was not credible and no bombs were found.
“We are satisfied that there is no risk to the public, and the cordon will now be lifted,”said a spokesperson for the Hampshire Constabulary.
During the search, the cruise terminal and the 3,192-guest Ventura had to be evacuated out of an abundance of caution because they would have been within the range of a potential explosion.
“The captain made an announcement that we were in the bomb zone and we had to get out,” an unidentified 28-year-old cruise guest told The Daily Echo.
P&O Cruises later confirmed that an evacuation order was issued in an official statement.
“Due to an earlier police incident and in an abundance of caution, we made the decision to evacuate Ventura and the passenger terminal. This incident has now been resolved and normal embarkation operations have resumed,” said a P&O Cruises spokesperson.
“The safety of our guests, crew and port staff is our highest priority and we are grateful for the co-operation of the authorities,” the Carnival-owned brand continued.
Princess Cruises’ Sky Princess, P&O Cruises’ Iona, and MSC Cruises’ MSC Virtuosa were also in the busy UK port during the incident, but were far enough away to not be directly impacted.
Because of the delayed embarkation and evacuation efforts, current passengers were told to expect a delayed departure.
“We are on Ventura and leaving late, hopefully about 6:15pm now,”one guest reported.
As of 6:30 p.m. local time when I checked, cruise tracking data confirmed that the 116,017-gross ton ship was in the process of making her way out of the harbor.
Luckily, there should be no impact to the itinerary, with the ship still expected to make its first port call on Funchal (Madeira Island), Portugal, on August 13 as planned.
The other cruise ships in the port have reportedly set sail on time.
P&O Ventura Docked in Southampton (Photo Credit: Sail Away Media)
A road closure at Dock 10 that was also put in place during the incident, which temporarily caused increased traffic within the port, has now also ended.
However, the suspect who called in the fraudulent bomb threat will likely find his life is put on a continual delay.
Witnesses from onboard Ventura watched from the decks above as the man was taken into custody in the parking lot below.
Andy Palmer told The Mirror that he was enjoying an early lunch when he saw “a guy being dragged out of his car by six armed policemen.”
Depending on the charges, the perpetrator could face penalties from a fine to potentially years in prison if he is found guilty.
Bomb threats are always taken seriously. But because of the misuse of resources and the inherent danger that comes with a bomb hoax, the people behind them are often slapped with severe punishments.
Norwegian Escape‘s January 11, 2026 departure has every port changed to different days and times.
Costa Maya has been removed from the itinerary completely due to port availability.
The ship’s departure from New Orleans, Louisiana, has also been moved up by 90 minutes.
Experienced cruisers plan for months as their sail away date approaches to be sure everything goes smoothly, from packing to reaching the homeport to embarkation to that first bit of relaxation onboard.
Of course, even the most carefully laid plans can be disrupted, but REALLY experienced cruisers will even have a backup plan for that.
Guests booked on the January 11, 2026 departure of Norwegian Escape just might need to activate that backup plan based on the itinerary changes the cruise line has made to their sailing.
Norwegian Cruise Line reached out to booked guests and travel agents with the update, alerting them to some rather extensive changes for their 7-night Western Caribbean voyage.
In fact, only the two planned days at sea and the ship’s return to New Orleans are unchanged. Even embarkation has been dramatically shifted, which could impact some guests’ plans for arriving at the cruise terminal.
“We want to let you know that due to updated port availability, our visit to Costa Maya, Mexico, has been canceled,”the email notification explained.“We’ve also made a few small adjustments to our timing of your scheduled stops in Harvest Caye, Belize, Roatan, Bay Islands, and Cozumel, Mexico.”
I’m not sure who thinks completely changing the days of every single port visit as well as every port time amount to “small adjustments” but the overall impact on the itinerary is significant.
The new itinerary is as follows:
Sunday, January 11, 2026 – Depart New Orleans at 4 p.m. (formerly 5:30 p.m.)
Monday, January 12 – Day at Sea
Tuesday, January 13 – Day at Sea (formerly Cozumel, Mexico)
Wednesday, January 14 – Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras (formerly Harvest Caye, Belize)
Thursday, January 15 – Harvest Caye, Belize (formerly Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras)
Friday, January 16 – Cozumel, Mexico (formerly Costa Maya, Mexico)
Saturday, January 17 – Day at Sea
Sunday, January 18 – Arrive New Orleans at 8 a.m.
With the loss of Costa Maya as a port of call, the time has indeed been extended at two other destinations. Guests will now have one extra hour in Roatan and one extra hour in Belize.
The overall port time in Cozumel remains the same at 10 hours, but the time has shifted from originally 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will now be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Guests will especially want to note that Norwegian Escape will now be leaving New Orleans 90 minutes earlier than initially scheduled.
This can cause problems for any travelers arriving at the port later in the day, as they must be sure to make the now earlier all-aboard time or they could miss their cruise.
Why Such Dramatic Changes?
No detailed explanation has been offered for why Norwegian Escape‘s itinerary has been adjusted so drastically, other than “updated port availability” that impacts Costa Maya.
Interestingly, Norwegian Escape was the only ship scheduled for Costa Maya on her original visit date of Friday, January 16, 2026.
The other ports of call, however, have substantially more traffic. On Tuesday, January 13, a whopping 10 different ships were scheduled for Cozumel. In comparison, Friday, January 16 has just seven ships other than Norwegian Escape.
To be clear, Cozumel has multiple piers and can accommodate a higher number of ships. The more ships that visit on the same day, however, the more crowded tours can become and it will be a less pleasant visit for all guests.
Norwegian Escape in New York (Photo Credit: Mariusz Lopusiewicz / Shutterstock)
On Thursday, January 15, just four ships were scheduled for Roatan. On the day before, when Norwegian Escape will now visit, there will still be four total ships.
At Harvest Caye on Wednesday, January 14, Norwegian Escape would have been visiting along with Norwegian Dawn. Now on Thursday, January 15, Norwegian Escape will be the only ship.
Liberty of the Seas is the next Royal Caribbean ship to get Coca-Cola freestyle machines added onboard.
These high-tech soda fountains feature a greater variety of drink types and flavors, but some worry that they don’t work as well as they should.
Guests will need to purchase at least a basic drink package in order to enjoy drinks from the freestyle machines.
Soda lovers have something to celebrate! Another Royal Caribbean ship is getting a thirst-quenching upgrade with the addition of Coca-Cola freestyle machines.
Indeed, a recent guest onboard Liberty of the Seas saw the installation in progress in the Windjammer Buffet and outside of Sorrento’s Pizza, and confirmed what they were seeing with a crew member.
“Saw some work done in the windjammer near the station with the ice waters/juices/lemonade. I asked the worker what it was for and he said they were going to install the freestyle machines but no indication when this work would be complete,” the guest shared.
“Also saw one of these machines outside Sorrento’s so they’re probably getting added there too,” they inferred.
The freestyle machines offer smarter technology, such as easy-to-use touch screens and touchless drink pouring using a smartphone app.
Perhaps more important, these modern soda fountains offer a much wider selection of flavors and have the ability to dispense more than 100 different varieties of sodas, waters, and other drinks.
This is pretty amazing considering more standard soda fountains usually offer less than 10 main selections.
However, it’s unclear how many machines will be introduced onboard and when they will officially be ready for action. But it will likely be soon, as these machines can be installed in as little as a few hours on land.
Once the installation is complete, Liberty of the Seas will join the ranks of the 17 other Royal Caribbean shipsthat already feature the coveted freestyle drink machines.
It’s unclear when and if these higher-tech machines will be rolled out onboard the remaining ships in the fleet.
New Machine Gets Mixed Reactions
Somewhat surprisingly, the freestyle machines are rather divisive among cruise fans, who were either delighted by the news or very apprehensive.
Among the excited crowd, many celebrated the greater variety in beverage selections and felt that this addition was a long time coming.
“We have a bunch of zero cal/zero caffeine people in my family — the Freestyle machines add a lottt of variety for them. Glad to see this addition,”one cruise fan responded.
“Finally. A lot of people have been upset over the years because the soda package says freestyle machines and the ship didn’t have them,” another Royal Caribbean cruiser said.
But among cruisers on the fence, there were concerns about the drinks not tasting quite right, long lines to use the machines, and that the new additions might not work at all.
`Photo Credit: shorex.koss / Shutterstock
“Now everyone gets to stand and wait while Jayden fills up a cup with 30 flavors,”one person quipped.
“Hope they work well! Cruised on Harmony in May and they were terrible. Only 4 on the ship, 1 was inoperable, 1 couldn’t do any diet soda, and 1 had an ice issue that blocked the sensor,” a recent guest explained.
“I wish they had old single flavor soda fountains. The freestyle machine makes the sodas taste bad, there’s always a hint of flavor from the last person’s drink,” another cruiser lamented.
If you’re interested in trying out one of these Coca-Cola freestyle machines for yourself, you will need to invest in a drink package. Soda is not included in the standard cruise fare on Royal Caribbean cruises.
The most basic drink packageis the Classic Soft Drinks package, which includes the freestyle drinks, standard fountain drinks and refills, and a Coca-Cola souvenir cup.
Though prices vary based on the length of the voyage, this bottom-tier package usually costs between $12 and $15 per person, per day.
Guests looking to also add in juices and alcoholic beverages to their cruise experience may also want to consider the middle-tier Refreshment Package or the top-tier Deluxe Beverage package.
The Refreshment Package usually comes with a price tag of $29 to $42 per person, per day, while the daily fee for the premium Deluxe package usually ranges between $56 to $105.
Sister ships Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas met up for the first time on Friday, August 8 at CocoCay.
Icon of the Seas was on a regular sailing, but Star of the Seas only stopped for a photo visit.
Star of the Seas will make her first official visit to CocoCay on Sunday, August 17, on her first showcase sailing.
It was an iconic meeting of stars in the Bahamas on Friday, August 8, 2025 as the two largest cruise ships in the world met for the first time.
Sister ships Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas both visited Perfect Day at CocoCay, a first meeting for the two 250,000-gross ton vessels.
Granted, Star of the Seas is not “officially” sailing as she has not welcomed her first paying guests, but that doesn’t mean the ship is empty.
Not only are her more than 2,300 crew members aboard, but she is also hosting hundreds of content creators and influencers who are discovering just how much of a star she is.
Icon of the Seas, on the other hand, is on a regular 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary that departed Miami on Saturday, August 2. CocoCay is her last port visit on this sailing, and she will return to Florida on August 9.
If both ships were sailing fully booked, together they could have brought more than 15,000 guests to the island at once!
What a sight it must have been for both vessels to be docked side-by-side. Even as far away as Great Stirrup Cay, about one mile east of CocoCay, the Icon-class ships can truly dwarf the Bahamian island.
Star of the Seas stopped by for the meetup only as a photo opportunity, rather than spending a full day at the private destination. Her first official visit will be on Sunday, August 17 as the only port visit on her initial showcase sailing.
Final Steps Before Star of the Seas Joins the Fleet
Star of the Seas will embark her first “official” guests on Saturday, August 16 at her homeport of Port Canaveral. That maiden voyage will be accompanied by a fun “sailabration” as hundreds of onlookers wave the ship out of the port with a spectacular sendoff.
Until the end of the month, the new ship is offering a series of shorter showcase cruises – 3- and 4-night voyages that were made possible because of her early delivery to Royal Caribbean last month.
Beginning Sunday, August 31, Star of the Seas will offer 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean sailings, just as Icon of the Seas offers from PortMiami.
In the meantime, the ship has had very momentous occasions in the past few days. She completed her first transatlantic sailing and stopped in Ponce, Puerto Rico to take on additional supplies and crew members ahead of entering service.
Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas (Photo Credit: Jouni Niskakoski)
One of those crew members is her most famous officer, Sailor, the Chief Dog Officer of the ship. Royal Caribbean fans have eagerly watched the famous golden retriever pup since she was born in February. She will undoubtedly be (and probably already is!) one of the most photographed members of the ship’s crew.
The next few weeks will be filled with plenty of fantastic firsts for the new ship as she makes inaugural visits to different ports of call.
For those special visits, port authorities often exchange plaques or other mementos with the vessel to commemorate each occasion.
Those souvenirs are typically displayed onboard, and over the years become a timeline of a cruise ship’s world travels.
The next few months will certainly be filled with celebratory firsts, including the ship’s naming ceremony, holiday sailings, special performances, port visits, and much more that thousands of guests will enjoy.
Parking rates at the Port of Baltimore Cruise Maryland Terminal will increase starting September 1, 2025.
New nightly rates will range from $25 to $55, depending on vehicle type.
Parking is payable by credit card only, and no reservations are required.
Cruisers sailing from the Port of Baltimore will soon be paying more to leave their vehicles at the terminal.
Cruise Maryland announced that starting September 1, 2025, parking rates at the Cruise Maryland Terminal will increase for all vehicle types.
The newly nightly rates will be $25 for passenger vehicles and SUVs, $45 for recreational vehicles under 30 feet, and $55 for recreational vehicles over 30 feet.
All parking fees are payable by credit card upon arrival, and the port accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.
“We make it easy for you,”advertised Cruise Maryland Terminalin its notice. “No advanced reservations are required to park in our secured, long-term lots, which are located within walking distance to the terminal.”
The lots are specifically designed for long-term passenger use, with special needs accessible parking available on site.
The price increase is just an additional $5 per night, but for a week-long cruise, this means a passenger car will pay $175 in parking fees and those who arrive in RVs will spend $385.
While some passengers shared concern over the increase on social media, with one saying, “There is no more saving money by driving vs flying.”
Yet another pointed out that airfare from Florida to Baltimore for a family of four hovered near $3,500.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship in Baltimore (Photo Credit: Cruise Maryland)
That said, most Florida families will most likely drive to its ports in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Port Canaveral.
Baltimore is traditionally considered a drive-to cruise destination in the Mid-Atlantic, with Cruise Maryland Terminal located just off I-95.
The port saw more than 444,000 cruise passengers in 2023 but suffered a setback when the nearby Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in March after being struck by a cargo ship.
Cruise ships were diverted from Baltimore until cleanup of the bridge was complete nearly two months later. Despite the setback, the port still welcomed 378,000 cruise passengers.
Popular Drive-to Port
The Port of Baltimore continues to thrive, with Carnival Cruise Line signing a 5-year contract with a 5-year renewal option at the end of 2024.
“The international cruise industry recognizes Baltimore as one of the top cruise markets in our nation,”said Governor Wes Moore during the signing.
“Carnival is a longtime partner and supporter of the Port of Baltimore and we are very happy to continue that relationship,” he continued.
The cruise line is one of the biggest operators, offering 5- to 14-day cruises, including 7-night Bermuda and Bahamas voyages on Carnival Pride, which accommodates up to 2,134 passengers at double capacity.
They are not the only cruise operator homeporting in Baltimore. Royal Caribbean’s 2,050-guest Vision of the Seas has also been sailing to Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean from the port.
However, the cruise line announced it will be relocating the 78,340-gross-ton ship to Fort Lauderdale in 2026, where she will stay until April 2027.
It’s easy to keep up with all the big cruise news stories of the week. Just check out Cruise Hive’s recap of the major developments.
Among our top stories in this week’s edition: MSC Cruises ditches winter voyages from New York in 2026-27, a power loss leaves a ship drifting in the Ionian Sea, and a big brawl breaks out at Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Make sure you stay well-informed by signing up for Cruise Hive’s Daily Update, so the big cruise stories are delivered right to your inbox.
A power outage aboard Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Constellation impacted hotel operations for about two hours on August 3, 2025, as the ship sailed from Kotor, Montenegro, to Messina, Sicily.
The power loss also affected the ship’s speed, which was reduced to practically nothing — maybe 2 knots, when she would normally travel at a rate of about 24 knots. The loss of propulsion caused the ship to temporarily drift in the Ionian Sea.
Celebrity Constellation, which launched in 2002, had departed Ravenna, Italy, on July 28, 2025 and was sailing an 11-night cruise to Rome. During the power loss, guests reported there was no air conditioning, no working toilets, and no hot foods for dinner that night.
The cruise line offered no reason for the outage on the 2,184-guest ship. Celebrity Constellation was due to conclude her sailing on August 8, 2025 in Rome, and cruise tracking showed the ship in Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, on that date.
Thankfully, the situation was remedied fairly quickly, never rising to the level of the so-called Poop Cruise aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Triumph in 2013, when a major power loss kept toilets out of order for several days.
Cruise Line Nixes Exemptions on Beverage Plan
Royal Caribbean Drinks Exception Change (Photo Credit: Sandra Foyt)
There will be no more exemptions from Royal Caribbean’s no-sharing policy when it comes to the line’s deluxe drink package.
The cruise line requires that if one person in a stateroom buys the drink package, everyone staying in the same cabin must do so as well. This is to avoid having guests share the package. However, exemptions were being made.
For instance, if one person bought the plan, another would make a special request, asking to be allowed to buy the non-alcoholic Royal Refreshment package, or just a soda package instead.
That arrangement would be a money saver for guests, since the deluxe beverage package can cost up to $115 per person, per day, while the Refreshment package tops out at $45 and the soda plan at $20.
The cruise line would often agree to the exemption, but no more. Starting on August 1, 2025, the line is no longer granting such requests, which had increased over time, Royal Caribbean said.
Guests Alerted to New Jet Ski Rule in Bahamas
Jet Skis At Perfect Day At Cococ Cay (Photo Credits: Darryl Brooks & Mary Baratto)
Teenagers under 18 years old can no longer drive the jet skis at Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay private island destination in the Bahamas, thanks to a law newly enacted by the Bahamian government.
Previously, the minimum age to drive the Wave Jets at CocoCay was 16, but no more. The younger guests can ride as a passenger on jet skis, they just cannot be the driver under the new rule. The minimum age for riding on a jet ski is 10.
Jet ski excursions are a popular activity for guests whose ships call at the private destination.
The change in the law came to light recently, when guests booked on the cruise line’s “Wave Jet Driver and Passenger” excursion were notified of the new age rule.
Bahamian officials began reviewing their water sports regulations after several tourists were injured and one died as a result of a jet ski accident.
The new law applies to all cruise lines that operate private island retreats in the Bahamas.
Brand Ambassador Aims to Settle “Buttergate”
Carnival Cruise line Butter (Photo Credits: Just dance & senadesign)
Social media posts have created yet another controversy about cruise ship dining, this time about whether Carnival Cruise Line serves butter or margarine in its main dining rooms.
One perturbed guest put the question to Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald, who fields a lot of interesting questions and comments on his popular Facebook page.
Since the pats of butter (presumably) are wrapped in unlabeled foil, it’s hard to know what the substance actually is. Some guests commented that the cruise line is looking to save money and has downgraded from butter to margarine.
But Heald says no, that is not the case — it absolutely is real butter being served. Those who want margarine can request it, he noted.
Heald also asked that guests help spread the word, in an effort to dispel the margarine rumor. Butter has come up before on Heald’s social media page. One guest had complained that the butter he was served was too cold and firm, and should have been softened. It’s always something.
MSC Cruises Chooses Miami Over New York in 2026-27
MSC Meraviglia Cruise Ship in New York (Photo Credit: Mariusz Lopusiewicz)
MSC Cruises is bidding farewell to the Big Apple for the winter 2026-27 season with the deployment of MSC Meraviglia to PortMiami.
The 4,400-guest ship will sail 6- and 8-night Caribbean and Bahamas cruises, although itineraries have not yet been revealed. In fact, the cruise line hasn’t officially confirmed the repositioning, but booked guests have begun receiving notices with rebooking options.
The line detailed several choices. Guests can cancel and receive a full refund, or a future cruise credit in the amount paid for the original booking. The new booking would have to be made within one year.
For those who wish to rebook on an MSC Meraviglia cruise from PortMiami, they can choose a specific 6- or 8-night voyage in the same stateroom category and for the same month as their original cruise.
The 8-night option comes with one extra free night and a $50 per person onboard credit, while the 6-night cruise offers a $100 per person onboard credit.
Finally, guests can choose a 7-night voyage from Miami, Port Canaveral, or Galveston.
Two More Ships Will Offer Popular Vibe Beach Club
New Vibe Beach Club for Norwegian Jewel and Pearl
Vibe Beach Club, Norwegian Cruise Line’s exclusive adult-only retreat, is being added to two more ships, Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Pearl, when the ships enter dry-dock in fall 2025.
Just nine of the cruise line’s 20 ships have the club, so the addition of two more vessels is big news. The beach club offers an exclusive adult-only experience with hot tubs, lounge chairs, seven private cabanas, a pool, a full-service bar, and personalized services.
The venue will be located on a Deck 14 sundeck area on both ships. The vibe at the beach club is designed to be quiet and serene, and comes with luxury amenities such as chilled towels and fresh fruit on skewers.
The work will be completed during Norwegian Jewel’s dry-dock, from September 25 to October 15, 2025, while Norwegian Pearl’s is set for November 3 to 23, 2025.
The adult retreat is limited to guests age 18 and older, and those who wish to partake in the luxury treatment must buy a day pass, which varies depending on cruise length.
Bad Behavior Goes on Display at CocoCay
Passengers Brawl at CocoCay Lagoon (Credit: @salt.sky.travel)
What could there possibly be to fight about if you’re enjoying the Oasis Lagoon at Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay, perhaps sitting at the swim-up bar under sunny skies?
Some people apparently found a reason, and their actions led to a full-blown brawl in the freshwater pool. Two ships were calling at the private retreat that day, Utopia of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas. Both ships were sailing 3-night getaway cruises from Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale, respectively.
The altercations were, of course, filmed and posted on social media, and the video shows pushing, shoving, name-calling, and other angry exchanges between a large group of people.
The physical attacks appeared to leave hair and blood in the water, so the facility was immediately shut down to be cleaned.
Royal Caribbean has not commented on the incident, but could take action against those responsible since its Guest Conduct Policy states that verbally abusive or offensive language directed toward anyone is not permitted.
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There’s no point stopping now! Read on for more important cruise news stories from us!
Also, there’s a glacial lake outburst expected to cause major flooding in Juneau, Alaska, and steel has been cut for a new Disney Cruise Line ship at a German shipyard.
Ovation of the Seas will no longer visit Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for an overnight call on August 8-9, 2025, due to heavy wind and rough seas from Tropical Storm Ivo.
Strong winds and big swells have made tendering operations unsafe at the cruise port, and safety always has to be the top priority.
Guests currently onboard were compensated with onboard credits based on their cabin type and the number of cruisers in their travel party.
Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas has been homeporting in Los Angeles for the summer season, but the famous West Coast sunshine is never a guarantee.
In fact, it’s this lack of sunshine due to Tropical Storm Ivo that has caused the captain onboard the Quantum-class cruise ship to cancel an overnight port call to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, that was scheduled for August 8-9, 2025.
The one other port call on the 6-night itinerary, which is on Ensenada, Mexico, on August 11, is so far unchanged.
Cabo is known to have a shallower depth, so larger cruise ships drop anchor just inside of the marina and ferry cruise guests between the ship and the shore using smaller tenders.
However, the weather conditions need to align to tender guests safely, and that just isn’t the case at the moment.
“As previously announced by our Captain, the port of Cabo San Lucas has closed until further notice as there have been high winds and swells in and around the area making it unsafe to tender for our call,”reads a letter sent to the up to the 4,905 guests onboard.
“Due to this unforeseen circumstance, we will enjoy two Sea Days instead,” the update continued.
Throughout the day on August 8, Cabo has been experiencing rain showers and winds of 10 to 20 miles per hour.
This is related to Tropical Storm Ivo, which has been bringing heavy rain and winds as it makes its way along Mexico’s Pacific Coast.
Safety Must Come First
Contrary to what some of the reactions to this necessary itinerary change might suggest, Royal Caribbean does not control the weather.
While the brand certainly doesn’t want to disappoint passengers, it has a duty first and foremost to make sure that everyone returns home safe and sound at the end of their vacation.
“We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather – your safety is our top priority,”the cruise line expressed.
“Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because our ship can quickly move out of the way of inclement weather.“
Though Royal Caribbean is not responsible for the circumstances, guests were still provided with compensation in the form of onboard credits as a good faith gesture.
Interior and oceanview credits were given a $100 credit per stateroom, balcony cabins got a $150 credit, and suites received a $200 credit.
Passengers also received an additional $25 credit for each guest after the first two in a cabin. So, a third guest would warrant an extra $25, and a fourth guest would bring the total up to an extra $50, and so fourth.
These onboard credits are non-refundable and have to be used before this voyage concludes on August 12.
Shore excursions booked through Royal Caribbean will also be automatically refunded as onboard credits, which will be subsequently refunded to the original form of payment if any funds are left over after guests disembark.
With Tropical Storm Ivo expected to become a hurricane at some point on August 8 before it weakens over the weekend, it’s also possible that other cruise ships sailing in Mexico could be impacted.
Cruise tracking data shows that Carnival Panorama alsoskipped its planned one-day call on Cabo San Lucas on August 8.
At this time, it’s unclear if Carnival Firenze’s planned visit on August 9 will also be impacted by the weather.
Carnival Adventure called on Port Vila in Vanuatu, making it the first ship to return to the cruise port since a severe earthquake left behind a wake of destruction last December.
The cruise ship’s arrival was celebrated with a special ceremony and commemorative plaque exchange.
Carnival Adventure will continue to sail to Port Vila, with Carnival Encounter and Carnival Splendor also coming soon.
Believe it or not, it’s been eight long months since a massive 7.3 earthquake rocked Vanuatu on December 17, 2024.
The shaking didn’t last long, but it didn’t take long to decimate infrastructure and put a halt to cruise tourism in the South Pacific destination. The epicenter was just about 19 miles away from the cruise port, which is much too close for comfort.
“The first cruise ship has arrived in Port Vila, 8 months after the devastating earthquake in December last year,”Carnival Ambassador John Heald shared on his Facebook page.
“Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Adventure arrived with 2,846 guests, spending the day in Port Vila on Friday,” Heald posted.
To mark the momentous occasion, local officials hosted a special celebration for the guests and the 1,100 crew members onboard.
Pictures show the locals smiling ear to ear holding balloons and in traditional dress for performances.
Captain Francesco Bencivenga also took part in a commemorative plaque exchange.
“The Vanuatu Government organised a welcome ceremony for the guests and crew, who will bring a much-needed economic boost to Port Vila,”Head confirmed.
The extra special port was included as part of a 10-night sailing that embarked from Sydney, Australia, on August 3, 2025.
The other destinations on the itinerary included Mystery Island, Vanuatu; Lifou Island, New Caledonia; and Noumea (Grande Terre Island), New Caledonia.
Cruising Picks Up Speed
Port Vila welcomes an estimated 260,000 cruise guests every year, with cruise ship calls now even more important to the economy in the wake of December’s destructive earthquake.
The local infrastructure still isn’t completely perfect, but it’s good enough to allow cruising operations to resume.
For example, Heald shared that the cruise port is still closed due to damage, so the destination has temporarily become a tender port for the foreseeable future.
“The road between the CBD and the cruise port remains closed due to a landslide during the earthquake, so a temporary tender berthing arrangement was in place,”Heald clarified.
Landslide in Port Vila following 7.3-magnitude earthquake. (Photo Credit: Dan McGarry)
Later this month, Carnival Adventure will make a second appearance in Port Vila on August 18.
Additionally, Carnival Encounter will visit the port twice and Carnival Splendor will call once before August is through.
While other mainstream cruise lines do visit the port, no non-Carnival ships will call until Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seasarrives on November 24, 2025.
All that said, it is rather fitting that Carnival is the first brand to return, as the cruise line was heavily involved in aiding the island nation in its recovery efforts.
Carnival generously donated $60,000 to ProMedical Vanuatu, which is a team of first responders that worked around the clock for the first 48 hours after the quake to search for survivors in the rubble.
The cruise line also kept in touch with the Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office and other aid agencies to try to assist in other ways, even offering the use of its local cruise ships at one point.
