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Carnival Guests Embark on Inaugural Voyage to Celebration Key

Carnival Cruise News

Skyler Wolpert

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Jul 12, 2025

Carnival Guests Embark on Inaugural Voyage to Celebration Key

On July 12, 2025, guests embarked on the 133,500-gross-ton Carnival Vista for the first-ever voyage to visit Celebration Key.

While more than 20 Carnival vessels will visit the private destination this year, those sailing on Carnival Vista this week will be the first passengers ever to set foot on the private 64 acres of land in Grand Bahama next Saturday.

To help ring in the important occasion, Christine Duffy, the President of Carnival Cruise Line, was in attendance for embarkation to help welcome guests.

The itinerary, which is eight nights and round-trip out of Port Canaveral, includes stops in Bonaire and Aruba, as well as Celebration Key.

Set to arrive at the cruise line’s newest private destination as its final stop, passengers on this Carnival Vista voyage will be the only ones present during the opening day celebration.

However, Carnival Cruise Line did invite community leaders, government officials, and residents of Grand Bahama to a special preview event of Celebration Key on July 12 in tandem with the embarkation of Carnival Vista.

Celebration Key, which took more than three years and $500 million to finish phase one, is the first major project to be completed on Grand Bahama in nearly twenty years, making the grand opening that much more exciting.

Carnival Vista will arrive in Grand Bahama in the morning of July 19, calling on the port from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time.

There will also be a special grand opening ceremony that will begin at 10 a.m.. Present at this event will be Carnival President Christine Duffy and other special guests, who have yet to be announced to the public.

Guests Warned of Kinks

Carnival provided a letter to guests onboard, sharing that since it is the first-ever visit to Celebration Key, they should expect some kinks to be ironed out and to be patient with the staff and crew.

Also, all guests were invited to a special Shop Eat Explore show with cruise director MarQ on July 13 at 10:30 a.m. to learn more about Celebration Key and the other ports of call throughout the sailing.

Currently, Carnival brand ambassador John Heald is on this sailing, and plans to share his full experience with the ship and the island with the cruising community.

While Carnival Vista may be the first vessel to visit, Carnival Conquest will not be far behind, set to arrive on July 20, 2025.

Another 10 Carnival ships will make their initial visits to Celebration Key by the end of July alone, and it is estimated that two million Carnival Cruise Line passengers will visit the new destination by the end of 2025.

Thankfully, after years of waiting, passengers will get to experience the waterslides, specialty dining options, beautiful beaches, and so much more starting at the end of next week.

Not Quite Done Yet

But wait, there is more! Yes — that is right, Celebration Key is technically not fully done being under construction as the cruise line is already working on a pier extension.

Phase two of Celebration Key is set to double the pier’s berthing capacity, which currently sits at two available spots. Announced back in 2024, this $100 million project will be completed sometime in 2026.

With four spots available beginning in 2026, and with all being able to accommodate the Excel-class vessels, this new destination will likely become even busier.

If you are looking to visit on a calmer day, either plan to visit before the pier extension, or plan your cruise on days when fewer or smaller ships will be docked.

The good news is that the arrival of Carnival Vista at Celebration Key marks the first of over a hundred itineraries already available with this port of call, so there is no lack of options to choose from.

Cruise Guest Warns of Taxi Scam at Popular Greek Homeport

Port News

Catie Kovelman

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Jul 12, 2025

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Cruise Guest Warns of Taxi Scam at Popular Greek Homeport

With the main cruise season in full swing in Greece, some nefarious taxi drivers are on the hunt for frazzled tourists who they can take advantage of to get a bigger payday.

One recent victim of a taxi scam is now warning other cruise guests to stay vigilant to avoid the same fate.

For those that have never visited the Piraeus Port in Athens, it’s quite common for taxis to line up near the cruise terminals to pick up disembarking passengers.

This is where the recent cruise guest hailed a taxi to take the 15-30 minute ride to Neos Kosmos, which is only about 10.7 kilometers (or 6.65 miles) away from the cruise port.

The cruiser quickly ran into problems from the language barrier, as the driver didn’t speak a word of English, and then was surprised as he seemed to try to tack on fees left and right.

“The driver didn’t speak any English and tried to get me to pay in cash. He gave me a receipt that said $17.10,” they explained.

Currently, the the standard flag-down fee for taxis in Athens is 1.80 euros ($2.10) and the standard metered rate is .90 euros ($1.05) per kilometer during the day.

With the additional 1-2 euros surcharge that can apply to cruise port pickups, this total is not out of the realm of reason for this ride.

But then, the taxi driver also wanted to charge a fee of 11 euros ($12.86) for each suitcase that was loaded into his vehicle, which really racked up the total.

“After 10 minutes of trying to tell me something and pointing to his phone and card reader, he showed me on his phone that it was another 11 euros per bag(3 bags). I kept telling him I had no cash. He finally swiped my card, thanked me and shook my hand,” the cruiser continued.

It’s not abnormal for taxi drivers to charge a fee for handling luggage, but usually that cost is 2 euros or less.

The Hassle Had Just Begun

Assuming the luggage fee wasn’t included in the $17.10 fare, the cruise passenger would have been on the hook for around $55 – which is still quite high.

But when the cruiser checked with their bank later on, they were surprised to find that they had been charged just over $80.

This meant that they had to go through the hassle of reversing the charge, which they thankfully had the receipt to use as evidence.

“I checked my card account later and he had charged $82.14 usd. I’ve already emailed the taxi authority and informed my bank not to pay him,” they said.

Making sure to get a copy of the receipt is a great tip for ensuring everyone is on the same page, especially if there is a language barrier, and can be helpful for resolving potential disputes successfully.

Athens Cruise Port (Photo Credit: Aerial-motion)

Of course, this cruiser hoped that by sharing their story, it would save others from getting scammed to begin with. So, what can we learn from their story?

If you’re planning to take a taxi at any cruise port, forcefully insisting on being paid in cash is a red flag.

I often prefer to pay in cash because it protects me from potential credit card theft, but Greek taxis are legally required to accept card payments.

Next, taxi drivers who refuse to use their meter are likely up to no good and this is likely a sign that they will try to overcharge.

“We arrived at the cruise terminal 2 weeks ago and walked up to the taxi line. As he was putting bags in, we asked if he was going to use the meter etc. He threw our bags out and refused to take us,” another cruiser who recently disembarked in Athens shared.

As many in the cruise community agree, I’m also usually inclined to book an Uber or Lyft as a way to protect myself and avoid the taxi line entirely.

Rideshare services allow all payments to be handled through the app and come with customer service teams to protect passengers if anything starts to smell fishy.

Is Carnival Silencing Hip-Hop or Just Keeping It Family Friendly?

Carnival Cruise News

Melissa Mayntz

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Jul 12, 2025

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Is Carnival Silencing Hip-Hop or Just Keeping It Family Friendly?

On a cruise ship with thousands of guests, it’s inevitable that not everyone will share the same taste in music. But is Carnival Cruise Line singling out one particular type of music for an all-out ban?

That is the claim made through various social media sites, that Carnival is banning rap and hip-hop music. So prevalent is the rumor that guests have reached out to the cruise line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, for clarification.

“Did Carnival really stop playing hip-hop music on their ships?” one guest asked.

“Is the hip-hop/rap ban on all ships or just the 3-5 day cruises?” another chimed in.

Heald’s answers have been similar to all such questions, noting that everyone has different preferences and the cruise line is trying to offer a variety of different musical genres for everyone to enjoy.

“Because of the different musical tastes and interests of our guests, we are now extending themed nights in our nightclub venues and will play music that fits with the theme for the evening, including R&B, Dance & Pop hits, Blues & Funk, Latin & Soul, and 80s and 90s hits, rap, hip-hop, and Cleveland Ohio drum and bagpipe among others,” he said with his characteristic wit.

It is true that new nightclub theme nights have begun to be scheduled on different Carnival ships, but an exclusive modern hip-hop night is not among them.

Is Current Hip-Hop Really Banned?

Some other guests have chimed in on the various musical conversations, and one persistent omission has been noticed. Some guests have been especially upset that “current hip-hop” is not played onboard.

While it is certainly true that one can find a wide range of musical notes coming from different nightclubs, stages, and sound systems onboard, today’s current hits on the hip-hop charts are not usually among them.

There is a good reason for the omission, however. Carnival Cruise Line strongly and loudly prides itself on being a family-friendly cruise line, and many of the lyrics for today’s top hip-hop hits aren’t necessarily family friendly.

While there are many different rankings and hits charts available, one of today’s hottest hip-hop hits is “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar. Released in May 2024, the song reached #1 on a variety of critical rankings, including Billboard’s #1 of The 100 Best Songs in 2024.

It was performed at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show in February 2025, had more than 823 million on-demand audio streams in the US in 2024, and has been in the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart, Australia’s ARIA Charts, and others.

Furthermore, “Not Like Us” won five Grammy Awards in February 2025 – Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.

There’s no denying, then, that the song is absolutely popular and a very current and much-requested hip-hop song.

Why, then, will guests most likely never hear it in the nightclub or on the Lido Deck of any Carnival cruise ship?

The cruise line does not have any problem with hip-hop or rap music as a genre, but this individual song goes dramatically against Carnival’s “family-friendly” vibe.

Carnival Cruise Line Deck 9photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)

I cannot reprint the lyrics (not only for copyright reasons), but I will give you some hints. The three verses, two choruses, and final bridge have a total of roughly 900 words for the 4-minute, 34-second song.

Of those words, six are the “f-word”, 17 are the “n-word”, six could be meaning a female dog, nine refer to something other than a donkey, and one is certainly not a cat.

The storylines of the song seem to reference different criminal and sexual acts, slavery, jail time, and more. Granted, every song is a musician’s personal expression and is open to different interpretations depending on each listener’s own experiences.

The catchy beat and rhythms of the song do have a great club vibe, but the lyrics would simply be too controversial to play onboard a Carnival ship.

To be clear, this is just one song and there are many hip-hop songs that could be played for everyone to enjoy. It would be challenging, however, for Carnival Cruise Line to curate a play list of current songs and top hip-hop hits that wouldn’t have some controversial aspects that would upset many of their guests.

Furthermore, Carnival would likely not play music of any genre that had such potentially controversial lyrics or storylines, whether it was a pop song, country tune, or even a lullaby.

All Carnival guests can, however, bring along whatever music they enjoy to listen on private headphones.

While bluetooth speakers are banned and individual music cannot be played publicly, no one is prohibited from enjoying their favorite songs as they sunbathe on the Lido Deck, stroll down the promenade, or otherwise enjoy their cruise vacation.

Cruise News Update: Cruises Cancelled, Technical Issues, New Ships

Cruise News

Donna Tunney

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Jul 12, 2025

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Cruise News Update: Cruises Cancelled, Technical Issues, New Ships

Don’t miss a thing happening across the cruise industry with Cruise Hive’s weekly news recap. Stories this week cover the delivery of Royal Caribbean’s newest Icon-class ship and two Norwegian Cruise Line ships swapping homeports.

We also got stories on two Royal Caribbean-owned ships with technical issues, Celebrity Xcel, Star of the Seas delivery, and Carnival Breeze cancellations.

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.

Two Norwegian Cruise Line Ships Swap Homeports

Norwegian Breakaway (Photo Credit: Shutterstock)

Cruise watchers were left scratching their heads after Norwegian Cruise Line recently cancelled more than 40 voyages on two ships, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Prima, during the winter 2026-27 season.

But this week, the cruise line explained its future plans for both vessels. Basically, the line has simply swapped the two ships’ homeports, sending Norwegian Breakaway from her originally planned San Juan, Puerto Rico, base to Norwegian Prima’s New Orleans deployment, and vice versa.

Rather than sail from San Juan, Norwegian Breakaway will switch to the Big Easy and Norwegian Prima will operate from the Caribbean island. Itineraries remain the same, just the ship changes.

Norwegian Breakaway accommodates 4,000 guests versus Norwegian Prima’s 3,100. It could be that the cruise line believes it has a better chance of filling berths on the bigger ship from New Orleans.

Guests booked on each ship’s original itineraries are receiving automatic refunds and a 10% future cruise credit. They can rebook on the newly deployed ships if they wish.

Dry Dock Schedule Upends Five Carnival Breeze Voyages

Carnival Breeze Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)

A dry dock schedule has forced the cancellation of five voyages aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Breeze, all with 2027 departure dates.

The ship will enter dry dock for routine maintenance in early 2027, nixing the scheduled cruises from Galveston. Impacted cruises are a 4-night sailing departing on January 11; an 8-night cruise departing on March 5; two 4-night cruises departing on March 13 and 18; and a 5-night sailing leaving on March 22.

The cancellations indicate a longer-than-normal dry dock stay, possibly pointing to the ship needing more fixes than usual. Cruise ships typically enter dry dock for routine maintenance every three to five years.

The Dream-class ship accommodates 3,700 guests and entered service in 2011.

Cruise fares and any pre-purchased packages will be refunded and the line is offering some incentives for guests who decide to rebook on another sailing. Onboard credits are among the incentives and range from $50 to $100 per stateroom.

Those who want to rebook should contact the cruise line or their travel advisor by July 21, 2025. Cruise fares will be protected and applied toward a comparable sailing in similar stateroom categories.

New Venues, Services Detailed on Celebrity Cruises’ Latest Ship

Sitting poolside will take on a whole new meaning when Celebrity Cruises’ new Celebrity Xcel debuts in November 2025.

Among new onboard destinations just revealed is the Celebrity Pool Club, with sun-beds guests can stretch out on and a pool valet to keep everyone cool with chilled towels. The pool deck heats up at night, too, with a Shine the Night poolside party held on the last sea day of each voyage.

As the countdown continues to the ship’s launch on November 9, 2025, the cruise line detailed more of her new spaces and amenities.

Along with the pool club and events, Celebrity Cruises is enhancing the ship’s spa with a new hydra room, with hot tub, and heated lounge chairs. An outdoor deck, Vitamin D, will be offered to Thermal Suite guests and provide sea views and wait staff service.

The ship, fifth in the line’s Edge class, will also introduce the Celebrity Flagship store, where guests can buy branded clothing, water bottles, keychains, and lots of other items.

The 3,260-guest new-build is under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France and will homeport at Fort Lauderdale following her launch.

Celebrity Cruises Ship Departs Following Technical Issues

Celebrity Infinity Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Iryna Makukha)

Following a small electrical fire in the engine room on Celebrity Infinity on July 7, 2025, the ship has now finally departed Kusadasi, Turkey. The vessel was forced to remain in port for days, which resulted in the cancellation of all the ports of call.

Guests could only enjoy the time on the Millennium-class vessel or by spending a lot of extended time exploring the port of call. According to passengers onboard, around 10% of their fellow guests had chosen to disembark the ship, rather than remaining until the issue was repaired.

The good news is that the Celebrity Infinity is now repaired and set sail from Kusadasi on July 11. According to the cruise ship tracker, the ship is currently heading more for the Port of Piraeus, the main homeport for Athens. Celebrity Cruises will finally be able to disembark the remaining passengers on July 12.

Star of the Seas Delivered to Royal Caribbean

Star of the Seas at Meyer Turku (Photo Credit: Jouni Niskakoski)

Royal Caribbean has officially taken delivery of its second Icon-class cruise ship, Star of the Seas. Shippbuilder Meyer Turku in Finland handed over the giant vessel during a ceremony held onboard at the shipyard.

It now means that many crew members are already onboard, making final preparations for the first guests in August 2025. There are also some final outfitting being completed, which is normal for a massive new cruise ship!

It will set sail for southern Spain later in the month, spending July 24 through 26, 2025, at the Alegeciras shipyard before beginning its transatlantic sailing to its homeport in Port Canaveral.

A series of preview cruises is set for early August 2025, when travel advisors and media outlets will get their first look at the new ship. Star of the Seas will sail her maiden voyage on August 31, 2025, a 7-night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day at CocoCay cruise.

Port calls will be made to the CocoCay private destination, plus Costa Maya, Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatan, Honduras. Following the inaugural voyage, the ship will sail alternate Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.

Royal Caribbean Ship Suffers Technical Issue

Serenade of the Seas Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: StudioPortoSabbia)

Royal Caribbean has also been dealing with some technical issues this past week with Serenade of the Seas out of Vancouver, Canada.

The vessel developed an issue on its June 29 sailing, forcing the ship to sail at reduced speed and skip a call at Icy Strait Point. This also had a knock-on effect for the following July 6 cruise, also to Alaska.

Serenade of the Seas was forced to turn around, just two hours after departure, due to further work needing to be done. Serenade of the Seas was to have arrived in Sitka, Alaska, for a visit from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8. However, that never took place with the ship remaining in Vancouver.

The Royal Caribbean ship eventually set sail on July 7 on a revised itinerary. If all goes to plan, Serenade of the Seas is set to return home on July 13.

More Cruise Headlines

Check out more news on Cruise Hive, including Panama eliminating incentives for homeporting cruise ships, port congestion prompting a Norwegian Cruise Line ship to alter its itinerary, and the cruise industry’s most expensive suite nearly selling out.

Also, Cunard is seeing a huge jump in bookings after opening 2027 sales, and the world’s oldest cruise ship is arriving at the scrapyard.

Carnival Cruise Line Releases New Celebration Key Menus

Celebrity Cruises News

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Jul 11, 2025

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Carnival Cruise Line Releases New Celebration Key Menus

With its official grand opening happening in just over a week, the menus for the dining options at Carnival’s new private destination, Celebration Key, have been shared for the very first time.

Set to open on July 19, 2025, Celebration Key now has 13 available menus for guests to review ahead of their visit.

Unfortunately, only a small portion of these menus, labeled “Island Eats”, are redeemable for the one complimentary meal provided to passengers while at the destination.

Guests will be able to enjoy the different dining options located at the Snack Shack, food trucks, or in the Captain’s Galley Food Hall.

Now let’s get into the yummy stuff!

Beachside Burgers and More Menu

Starting strong, this burger spot has a menu that is all Island Eats, so guests can choose from any option without being charged extra for one meal.

Passengers will have the choice between cheeseburgers, hamburgers, a fried chicken sandwich, an island-spiced grilled chicken sandwich, fried chicken tenders, and a Caesar salad.

All of these options also include a complimentary chocolate chip cookie.

Streatery Sushiva Menu

For guests looking to enjoy some Asian inspired cuisine, Streatery Sushiva is a great choice — but there are only two Island Eats options.

Included are the orange chicken roll and the crazy California roll, again with a complimentary chocolate chip cookie.

The rest of the menu includes fusion rolls, such as the Kamikaze tuna roll, the honey sriracha conch roll, the Ingrid roll with tempura shrimp, the spicy salmon and crab roll, the veggie planet roll, and good old pineapple teriyaki chicken.

There is an option to get keto cauliflower rice as a replacement for regular rice if requested.

Beyond that, there are also chicken and veggie egg rolls, as well as desserts including wonton cheesecake and matcha brownies.

Fowl Play Menu

As the name may suggest, this menu features none other than chicken!

The Island Eats at this spot includes either four pieces of bone-in or boneless chicken wings, which both come with complimentary sauce, French fries, and again a chocolate chip cookie.

The other paid options include six and ten-piece chicken wings, again either bone-in or boneless, with six sauces to choose from. There are also fries, loaded fries, and loaded nachos available.

Mini Donut King Menu

For passengers seeking out a sweet treat, Mini Donut King offers four mini donuts as part of Island Eats.

Guests will get to choose between two classic donuts, such as plain or glazed, as well as two specialty donuts, such as s’mores or guava cheesecake.

Additional regular menu options include a half dozen classic mini donuts, a half dozen specialty mini donuts, shaved ice with eight flavor choices, and beverages, which are either soft drinks or bottled water.

Calypso Chicken Co. Menu

Because one chicken place was not enough, there is a second — but this one is all Island Eats!

Calypso Chicken Co. offers guests the option to order a fried chicken sandwich, a Bahamian fried hot chicken sandwich, and fried chicken tenders.

Also included are the cheesesteak sandwich, the grilled chicken & cheese sandwich, and a Caesar salad.

Of course, all of these meals come with the coveted chocolate chip cookie.

Seaside Shack Subs & Tenders Menu

Seaside Shack Subs & Tenders is yet another dining option that is exclusively all Island Eats!

Passengers can choose from a cheesesteak sandwich, a grilled chicken & cheese sandwich, fried chicken tenders, fried mozzarella sticks, and a Caesar salad — all coming with a complimentary chocolate chip cookie.

Seaside Burgers & Dogs Menu

Again, another Island Eats only menu, this time with options for a hamburger, cheeseburger, a quarter-pound beef hot dog, and again a Caesar salad. This location also provides complimentary chocolate chip cookies.

Grand Bahama Taco Menu

Surprise — another menu filled with Island Eats, only this time there are more new options.

Grand Bahama Taco Co.’s menu features three kinds of tacos, including jerk chicken, fried fish, and steak.

There are also three quesadillas to choose from, which are jerk chicken, steak, and cheese.

Oh, and of course, the chocolate chip cookie that comes with each meal.

Flippin Fritters Menu

The Flippin Fritters menu has the smallest selection of Island Eats out of any menu, offering a six-piece fritter meal.

This option comes with two conch, shrimp, and corn, along with sweet potato fries, Caribbean coleslaw, and a chocolate chip cookie.

The rest of the menu includes an eight-piece savory fritters option, an eight-piece sweet fritters option, sweet potato fries, soft drinks, bottled water, and beer.

Dipping sauces are only included in the paid options on this menu.

Pizzas & Subs Menu

According to Carnival brand ambassador John Heald, this full menu, along with the Taco, Burrito, or Bowl menu as well as the Mediterranean Flavors menu, are all complimentary — but the addition of Island Eats sections suggests otherwise.

For Island Eats on this menu, guests can choose from cheese or pepperoni pizza, both of which come with… a chocolate chip cookie!!

Other options include an Italian sub, a meatball sub, a chicken parm sub, an Italian sausage sub, and a vegetarian sub, all of which come with potato chips.

One final choice is lasagna, which is served on its own.

Taco, Burrito, or Bowl Menu

While it is still unclear if this option is complimentary or not, passengers will get to build their own taco or burrito bowl.

This dining experience is fully customizable with four bases to choose from and 14 additional choices for toppings, protein, and sauces.

Mediterranean Flavors Menu

This dining option has also been hinted at as complimentary, but the menu lacks the Island Eats verbiage, so it is safe to assume, for now, that it is not free.

Similar to the taco & burrito bowl option, guests will get to fully customize their Mediterranean meal with three bases to choose from.

Additionally, passengers will get to choose five of the 12 toppings available, as well as choose one of four proteins, and one of seven sauces.

Snack Shack Menu

The final menu shared was for none other than the Snack Shack, which has quite an interesting setup.

Island Eats options include a Caesar salad, hot dogs, a chicken Caesar wrap, a turkey club wrap, and a hummus vegetable wrap.

All of these options include potato chips and a chocolate chip cookie.

The regular menu is exactly the same as the Island Eats menu, just without the complimentary chips and cookies.

Why is there even a separate menu? There is no good answer for that!

Choose Wisely or Pay the Price

With so many dining options available, the thing guests should look out for is the best use of their one free meal, as not all of the options are created equal.

For example, instead of getting free donuts from Mini Donut King, consider using the voucher for all of the other meals that already come with a free cookie.

With beverages not included and more limited Island Eats options, guests headed to Celebration Key soon are surely in for some unavoidable extra spending.

But hey, at least it is a vacation, right?

AIDA Cancels Middle East Season, Shifting to Europe

Cruise News

Lissa Poirot

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Jul 11, 2025

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AIDA Cancels Middle East Season, Shifting to Europe

AIDA Cruises is changing course for the upcoming winter season.

The German cruise line has officially cancelled all AIDAprima sailings to and from Dubai and Abu Dhabi for winter 2025-2026 due to the “unreliably assessable situation” in the Middle East.

The decision affects not only the season but also the ship’s repositioning voyages in fall 2025 and spring 2026.

The news, announced July 11, 2025, comes amid a period of heightened political instability in the Middle East. They began with escalations near the Red Sea and Persian Gulf by Iranian-backed pirates attacking commercial vessels.

More recently, however, rising tensions between Iran, Israel, and the U.S. have some passengers feeling concerned about cruising in the region.

Instead, AIDAprima will stay closer to home, operating a series of itineraries in Northern Europe, Scandinavia, and the Canary Islands during the same timeframe.

In a statement released by the cruise line, AIDA Cruises said the move was made to give passengers more certainty and peace of mind.

“With this decision, the company wants to provide its guests with reliable clarity about their holiday trips in the coming winter season as soon as possible,” it read.

“At the same time, the safety of guests and crew is a top priority,” it added.

AIDAprima was scheduled to sail a repositioning cruise from Hamburg, Germany, to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in October 2025. It has been calling on Dubai since its first arrival in November 2022.

That non-defunct itinerary spanning over a month included calls in Europe, the Canary Islands, Africa, Mauritius, and Oman.

The original season included multiple 7-night voyages from a Dubai homeport to Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas in the U.A.E., and Khalifa Bin Salman in Bahrain or Muscat, Oman.

Worth Reading: Carnival’s Costa Brand Pulls Out of Middle East Due to Fluid Situation

The 3,300-passenger ship was also scheduled to conduct another repositioning voyage in early April 2026, returning to Hamburg for the 2026 spring and summer.

Passengers already booked on cancelled sailings will be offered unrevealed alternative cruises.

AIDAprima Cruise Ship — Photo Credit: 13threephotography / Shutterstock.com

As compensation, AIDA Cruises is giving affected guests a voucher worth 10 percent of their original cabin fare (excluding travel and insurance), understanding that booking prices have increased since guests’ original purchases.

The vouchers are valid on future bookings made through September 30, 2025, so passengers need to decide quickly where they want to go, or lose out on their vouchers.

New Itineraries

With its withdrawal from the Middle East, AIDAprima will now sail a variety of regional routes. In October 2025, the ship will operate cruises from Hamburg to Norway and major cities in Western Europe.

From there, the nearly 125,000-gross-ton vessel will shift to Baltic Sea itineraries including stops in Helsinki, Finland; Tallinn, Estonia; and Stockholm, Sweden.

December 2025 brings seasonal sailings from Kiel, Germany, to Christmas markets in cities like Gdansk, Poland, and Riga, Latvia.

AIDAprima will also mark a first for the fleet by spending Christmas Day in Stockholm.

In January 2026, the ship is scheduled to sail a 23-day “Great Winter Break Canary Islands” voyage roundtrip from Kiel. This journey will take passengers along the coast of Western Europe.

In offering this route, Kiel becomes a year-round port for the first time in AIDA history.

To accommodate these changes, the 69,203-gross-ton AIDAbella will pick up some of AIDAprima’s originally planned Canary Islands and repositioning sailings following the ship’s refurbishment.

AIDAbella will undergo a major overhaul in Marseille, France, from January 21 to March 11, 2026, as part of the cruise line’s “Evolution” modernization program.

Bookings for the revised itineraries aboard AIDAprima and AIDAbella will open July 30, 2025.

Top Salsa Stars to Entertain on Carnival Ship’s Spanglish Party Cruise

Carnival Cruise News

Donna Tunney

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Jul 11, 2025

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Top Salsa Stars to Entertain on Carnival Ship’s Spanglish Party Cruise

Cruisers setting sail aboard one Carnival Cruise Line ship in late October 2025 will undoubtedly be dancing the night away during the First Annual Spanglish Party Cruise.

The special theme cruise featuring top salsa musicians, plus freestyle and rock performers, is to be held on the 2,980-guest Carnival Glory, a Conquest-class ship that joined the Carnival fleet in 2003.

Departing from Port Canaveral on October 24, 2025, the 3-night party cruise will feature just one port call, to Celebration Key, the cruise line’s new private destination set to open on July 19, 2025.

The cruise is sponsored by Spanglish Entertainment, a South Florida company that highlights English and Spanish cultures via podcasts, the Spanglish Entertainment Magazine, and various events dedicated to the Hispanic community.

Partners in the event are Detroit radio station Wild95FM and MH Promotions, which markets promotional products and branded merchandise.

The getaway voyage is not a full ship charter. Those who book a stateroom online or through a travel advisor may be unaware that a music-themed party cruise will be held during their vacation. If so, it won’t take long for them to find out — more than a dozen music groups will be performing in various venues on the ship.

“As you board the Carnival Glory, you’re stepping into a realm where melodies become memories, and rhythms are the heartbeat of the moment,” said Alida Hernandez, Executive Producer and Editor in Chief of Spanglish Entertainment Magazine.

“From the acoustic sounds of percussion to the dance beat of Freestyle and the thunderous roar of rock-n-roll, every note is a brushstroke on the canvas of your experience,” Hernandez added.

The salsa artists set to perform during the cruise include the top names in Latin entertainment, including Herman Olivera, an award-winning salsa singer and vocalist with the Eddie Palmieri Orchestra; Willie Panama, known as “the King of Salsa Rap”; and Pedro Brull, the lead singer of the band La Mulenze.

Worth Reading: Is Carnival Silencing Hip-Hop or Just Keeping It Family Friendly?

Freestyle artists featured on the cruise will include Nas T Boyz, Day-ja La Loba, and Wil & More, plus Rolling Quartz, an all-female quintet.

Ship Venues, Port Call Add to Voyage’s Entertainment Choices

Besides attending music performances, guests onboard Carnival Glory have plenty of activities and destinations to entertain them, such as outdoor movies, the Punchliner Comedy Club, multiple pools, and the cruise line’s popular eateries, such as BlueIguana Tequila Bar and Guy’s Burger Joint.

Adults looking for a quiet atmosphere can enjoy the Serenity Retreat, open to those 21 and older.

During the one-day port call at Celebration Key, guests can spend time at the family-oriented Starfish Lagoon and Lokono Cove, featuring a Bahamian marketplace.

Carnival Glory Cruise Ship int he Bahamas (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)

Adults will find some serenity here too, at Calypso Lagoon and the adult-only Pearl Cove Beach Club with its infinity pool and private cabanas.

Various mainstream cruise lines frequently offer music-themed cruises. The 14th annual Monsters of Rock Cruise, a full ship charter, for instance, is set to depart Port Canaveral on April 12, 2026 aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s 3,852-guest Norwegian Joy.

TUI Cruises added three music cruises to its summer 2025 roster of voyages, offering pop culture performances featuring the music of The Beatles and ABBA, among others.

Country music gets its share of cruise line attention, too. Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam hosted performers from the genre during its Country Music Cruise in January 2025.

Star of the Seas Scraps Cadiz Stop Amid Ongoing Labor Unrest

Royal Caribbean News

Lissa Poirot

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Jul 11, 2025

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Star of the Seas Scraps Cadiz Stop Amid Ongoing Labor Unrest

As excitement builds for the arrival of the new Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s second Icon Class vessel delivered by Meyer Turku shipyard on July 10, 2025, one destination is feeling dismayed.

As the ship begins its final outfitting, it was expected to leave its Finnish birthplace at the Meyer Turku shipyard and travel to Cadiz, Spain, for a two-week stay at the Navantia shipyard.

As Royal Caribbean’s CEOs Jason Liberty and Michael Bayley were on hand in Turku, Finland, to receive the new ship from Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm, initial reports revealed the ship was cutting its visit to Navantia to just three days.

Now, it appears the 248,663-gross-ton Star of the Seas will skip the shipyard altogether and instead visit the nearby Algeciras shipyard, according to Diario de Cadiz.

The decision follows growing concerns about a metalworkers’ strike that has disrupted operations at the Navantia shipyard and caused other cruise lines to reconsider their own plans to visit the region.

Star of the Seas now remains in Finland until July 17, 2025, with the crew boarding the delivered vessel to begin preparing the ship for guests.

It will set sail for southern Spain later in the month, spending July 24 through 26, 2025, at the Alegeciras shipyard before beginning its transatlantic sailing to its homeport in Port Canaveral.

Ships Skip Cadiz Due to Protests

The move mirrors a recent decision by Carnival Cruise Line, which pulled Carnival Liberty from Cadiz dry dock because of strike disruptions that took place in mid-June.

On June 18 and 19, 2025, over 26,000 metalworkers across Cadiz launched a strike, led by major Spanish unions.

The workers were demanding better sick-leave, wages automatically tied to inflation, the reinstatement of a “toxic work bonus,” and more regulations of contracts. They also reported excessive overtime, no breaks, and unsafe conditions.

The strike included thousands of workers employed directly or as subcontractors at Navantia, according to World Socialist.

It also forced Carnival Cruise Line to stop dry dock refits early and relocate the vessel to Marseille, France, for completion.

Navantia Shipyard (Photo Credit: Navantia Shipyard)

However, even attempting to move the ship was hindered by the strike with reports of protestors preventing the ship from leaving the shipyard earlier than it could.

The delays resulted in Carnival Liberty cancelling its July 6, 2025, cruise to the Bahamas from New Orleans and reimbursing nearly 3,000 passengers.

Carnival Cruise Line has since filed a €4.5-million lawsuit against Navantia for damages.

It has 11 ships scheduled for dry dock through 2028 in the shipyard, which could be at jeopardy due to the strike and pending lawsuit.

A settlement was not reached during the initial days of the strike, also interrupting passenger operations for P&O Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line’s sister company under Carnival Corporation.

In late June, 5,200 passengers aboard P&O Cruises’ Arvia and more than 3,000 guests aboard Ventura were diverted from a Cadiz call due to security concerns amidst the unrest. It is estimated that the missed calls cost Cadiz over €350,000.

While it is unclear what the future holds for Cadiz, the protests will not delay Star of the Seas‘ big debut.

The ship is set to arrive in North America in early August and will host three preview sailings for media, travel agents, and industry insiders ahead of its August 31, 2025, inaugural voyage.

That sailing will be a 7-night voyage to the Caribbean with a stop at Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at Coco Cay for up to 5,610 passengers.

Major Homeport Beefs Up Security During Busy Summer Season

Port News

Catie Kovelman

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Jul 11, 2025

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Major Homeport Beefs Up Security During Busy Summer Season

The peak cruise season in Southampton runs annually from late April through September, which means it’s the busiest time of the year for the UK cruise port.

But as the crowds grow, extra security will be present to keep everyone safe.

Major brands like Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, P&O Cruises, Cunard Line, and more are sending their ships to the British port this summer.

Up to five large cruise ships can dock in Southampton at once, which means over 10,000 passengers could potentially be in the port in one day (assuming the ships all have a capacity of at least 2,000).

Some ships that homeport here, such as P&O Cruises’ Arvia, can carry more than 5,000 passengers in one voyage.

With the five cruise terminals running at or near capacity, both armed and unarmed British police officers will be conducting increased patrols of the facility to help out the terminal security that is employed by the port.

So, if you are sailing out of Southampton in the near future and notice a heightened police presence, do not be alarmed.

Adding patrols is actually a routine activity that is done during the peak cruise season and major holidays out of an abundance of caution.

“These patrols are conducted every year during busy periods and we can assure you there is no reason to be concerned. They are just one way we are working to make sure people can go on holiday and come home safely,” said Police Sergeant Max Preston.

“Southampton is a major international port with thousands of people coming in and out of the terminals during this busy period so it is important for us to provide a visible policing presence,” Sergeant Preston continued.

While authorities do not anticipate any acts of violence or major security threats at the busy port, having some extra eyes looking out for all the employees and passengers passing through certainly does not hurt anything.

Southampton’s Getting Busier

I personally sailed out of Southampton for a British Isles cruise onboard Regal Princess in 2023.

Even then, my family and I had to sit in traffic and wait in long lines before even making it inside the terminal. That year, I was one of 2.6 million cruisers to visit the port.

But in 2024, Southampton saw a 15% boom in cruise tourism, with a record-breaking 3 million cruise guests passing through the port.

Cruise Ships Docked in Southampton, UK (Photo Credit: Ben Gingell / Shutterstock)

In addition to the British Isles, the port is a good origin point for sailings around the world to destinations throughout Europe, the Caribbean, and even Transatlantic crossings to North America – which is part of what makes it so popular.

The arrival of Cunard Line’s Queen Anne, which made Southampton her homeport, also contributed to the increased business last year.

Once again, 2025 is expected to be another record-breaking year for the 182-year-old port, which is responsible for supporting 85% of the UK’s cruise industry.

This is again helped by inaugural visits from brand new cruise ships, such as when the newly-launched 3,571-guest Norwegian Aqua debuted in the port in March.

With the crowds only expected to grow, emphasizing safety certainly seems like a logical move for the bustling port.