A transatlantic cruise can be a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket list sailing for many travelers, but guests looking forward to their crossing in November aboard MSC Cruises’ MSC Lirica are now disappointed.
While no firm reason other than operational adjustment has been given, MSC Lirica‘s November 7, 2025 departure from Venice, Italy has been cancelled.
The 21-night cruise was to have been a tremendous crossing, including visits to Greece, Spain, and the Canary Islands as the ship moved to Brazil, arriving in Sao Paulo on November 28.
Booked guests have been offered several options for their disappointment and inconvenience. Those who wish to cancel their reservation will receive a full refund without penalties.
Guests may also select an alternative transatlantic cruise similar to their now-cancelled sailing, with price protection to a similar stateroom on the new sailing.
The third option is to rebook on a different MSC Cruises vacation, on any ship in any sailing region. In this case, the cruise line will waive change fees for the adjustment. Guests will receive a €75 (approximately $88 USD) onboard credit as an incentive for rebooking.
For guests who do rebook, they will need to pay any fare difference if the new cruise they select is more expensive, though the cruise line will refund any balance if the alternative sailing is cheaper.
“Your satisfaction is our priority, and we are here to help you find the perfect alternative,”the cruise line said.
MSC Cruises will also reimburse travelers up to $400 per person for airfare or hotel change fees, subject to approval.
While it is certainly disappointing to travelers who may have been planning such a special cruise for years, these types of compensation options are typical when a cruise must be cancelled.
But What About the South American Season?
With her transatlantic cruise cancelled, MSC Lirica will not be moving to South America as planned for her winter season of departures from Santos and Rio de Janeiro.
Instead, MSC Sinfonia will take over that schedule, offering 3-, 4-, and 7-night itineraries to such top ports as Buzios, Ilha Grande, Itajai, and more through March 2026.
Overall, the itineraries and departure dates themselves remain the same – only the ship has changed. MSC Lirica and MSC Sinfonia are sister ships in the Mistral class, both at roughly 65,500 gross tons and offering similar features and amenities.
From late November through mid-March, MSC Sinfonia was scheduled to remain in the Mediterranean, offering a diverse selection of departures from Izmir, Istanbul, Bari, and Piraeus (Athens).
At this time, it is unknown if a different ship may take over that sailing season, or if MSC Lirica might be substituted instead, with only the transatlantic cruise impacted.
It is also possible that other changes may be made across the fleet as ships are reshuffled into the best possible position based on bookings, capacity, and future deployment needs.
Many different factors can cause similar situations for any cruise line. Just a week ago, for example, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Liberty cancelled an upcoming cruise due to shipyard labor disputes that meant the vessel, currently undergoing dry dock, needed to switch shipyards and her return to service is delayed.
Mechanical difficulties, port repairs, severe weather, and much more can all impact cruise line deployments and individual ship itineraries.
Fortunately, in the case of MSC Lirica, while this will be a disappointment to travelers, they do have several months before their vacation plans to make alternative arrangements if they prefer.
With the grand opening of Celebration Key less than a month away, Carnival Cruise Line guests are excited to learn what they can expect when they visit the new Bahamas destination.
The cruise line has teased a wide range of details, from the centerpiece that is the 10-story Suncastle to the Starfish Lagoon and Calypso Lagoon, the largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean.
What hasn’t been announced loudly, however, are the prices those guests will need to pay for the fun at Celebration Key.
It’s certainly no surprise that access to key areas of the private destination will require a separate fee. This is not uncommon, particularly for what are sure to be popular sections of the resort-like area.
For example, access to the adults-only Pearl Cove Beach Club will start at $99.99 per person, where guests will find plentiful loungers, a quieter pool, a full-service restaurant, and private beach access.
For a fee of $139.99 per person, guests can upgrade to an open bar along with all the Pearl Cove Beach Club amenities.
This is a reminder, of course, that Carnival Cruise Line’s Cheers! beverage package will not be accepted while at Celebration Key (it will still work onboard the docked cruise ship, just not on the island).
One of the more shocking fees for access to Celebration Key is the $14.99 per person fee to enjoy the two racing waterslides of the Suncastle, the Flash Flamingo and the Mach 3 Marlin.
Suncastle Racing Slides
These side-by-side body slides feature more than 350 feet of turns, twists, and drops as they pass through and around the Suncastle before splashing into the Starfish Lagoon. They will not, however, be free for guests to enjoy.
The $14.99 fee is an all-day, unlimited pass, and considering the high cost of some rentals on Celebration Key, it’s not a bad charge. It is, however, just for two waterslides.
This type of charge is not unprecedented, of course. Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay charges much higher fees – starting at $50 per person and going to $150 and higher depending on date and capacity – for access to Thrill Waterpark.
That waterpark, however, does have 14 slides as well as the largest wave pool in the Caribbean, the obstacle-laden Adventure Pool, a complimentary Snack Shack (try the chicken sandwich or mozzarella sticks!), and plenty of loungers.
Celebration Key Noodle Rental
Perhaps the most outrageous charge at Celebration Key is $19.99 (not a typo) for – wait for it – a pool noodle rental. Yes, rental. You don’t even get to keep the foam noodle, the exact same type that you can find at any discount store for less than $5.
These prices have been noticed just days after Carnival Cruise Line announced record profits and unprecedented demand for sailings. The second quarter 2025 results have seen $8.5 billion in customer deposits, the highest in the company’s history, with revenue at a record $6.3 billion.
More Celebration Key Rental Costs
A wide range of other rental fees for Celebration Key features might also raise eyebrows – or they might not.
For example, the different cabanas and villas range from $599.99 to $2,799.99 per rental, with the ability to accommodate 4-10 guests. The exact cost depends on the location of the rental, with higher prices at the adults-only Pearl Cove Beach Club.
These rentals do come with some exclusive features, such as lockers, coolers, snacks, an open bar, private attendant, and more. Some also include the Suncastle Racing Slides, so at least guests don’t have to also pay the extra $15 fee.
For simpler but still exclusive space, guests can enjoy a luxury daybed for $149.99 for two guests, though it does not include extra amenities.
The cabana and villa rental prices are similar to equivalent options available at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, the private island destination visited by Holland America Line ships: a sister cruise line to Carnival, and also under the Carnival Corporation & plc umbrella.
How much are you willing to pay to enjoy Celebration Key? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive boards!
I’m not a parent yet, but one thing my friends who are parents will never leave the house without is their foldable wagon or stroller.
On multiple occasions, I’ve seen these wagons serve as essential storage and as an invaluable lifeline when their little ones get tired of walking.
But with some conflicting information available on the internet, one parent took to Reddit to find out if she would be allowed to bring a foldable wagon on her upcoming sailing with MSC Cruises.
“Are foldable wagons allowed on the Cruise? One of the MSC representatives said it’s not allowed, then I called back and another representative said it’s allowed but cannot be rolled on or rolled off the ship, it must be folded,”the future cruiser inquired.
According to the MSC website, strollers and prams are definitely allowed onboard.
The policy does not specifically state that foldable wagons are allowed, but they aren’t on the prohibited items list either.
“Strollers and wheelchairs are always allowed on board but must be declared at the time of booking confirmation,” the cruise line policy states.
The strollers and wheelchairs must be foldable for easy storage in stateroomswhen not in use, but both can be used onboard.
Among the cruise community, the experience with bringing strollers and wagons onboard has been mixed.
Some said that they had no problem bringing their wagon onboard, even without declaring it during the booking process.
But since the policy does state that guests must declare that they are bringing the stroller, they should at least call the cruise line and document their intention if they forgot or didn’t know to note this when they made their reservation.
“I just got off 2 days ago with my wagon. They didn’t say a thing, I didn’t declare it or ask if I could have it, I just had it. It was actually nice bc I got let through the shorter lines with people who had carts, wheelchairs and wagons, etc,” one parent chimed in.
Others, however, did say that they were not allowed to board with their wagons in the past because they were deemed a safety risk.
A third facet also recommended against wagons because it was hard to navigate around tight hallways, crew members, and other passengers onboard. Strollers are often more narrow and less cumbersome.
Ultimately, this cruiser is doing the right thing by checking directly with the cruise line.
She should document who she spoke to and what was said as an extra layer of protection if she does decide to bring the wagon on her sailing.
Is MSC Kid Friendly?
As someone who recently sailed with MSC Cruises, I can say that the ships offer an elevated and sophisticated experience.
That said, the cruise line has plenty of opportunities for children to have fun onboard and has been making a conscious effort to appeal to families.
In summer 2024, MSC debuted expanded programming in the “Doremiland” kids’ clubs for families.
The changes included offering care for babiesaged 6 months and older when previously baby care services were only available for children who had already celebrated their first birthday.
They also introduced the “Doremiland Open House and Party,” which is an opportunity for parents to visit the kids’ clubs and participate in fun activities with their little ones.
The family-friendly offerings were expanded once again this summer with even more new activities like game shows, dance events, parties, and parades.
Just to name one example, a partnership with LEGO has allowed MSC Cruises to debut a new LEGO Family Game Show. During the show, kids and parents compete to build the coolest and most creative structures using LEGO bricks.
While I was recently onboard MSC World America, I also got to watch the fun LEGO parade march and dance down the World Promenade as the enthralled kids onboard couldn’t look away.
The Teens Club also got revamped programming, including a new quiz show and a disco party called the Doremix Family Disco.
After months of waiting, there is finally some good news coming from the San Juan Cruise Port in Puerto Rico.
Of the five piers at the popular cruise port, only Pier 3 is capable of handling larger Oasis-classand Icon-class vessels.
Since November 2024, Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships have been skipping San Juan because Pier 3 was taken out of commission after MSC Cruises’ MSC Meraviglia accidentally damaged its dolphin mooring structure.
Earlier in the saga, there were rumors that the repairs and inspections might have been completed as early as January 2025, but this obviously did not happen and many itineraries had to be changed.
But on Friday, June 27, 2025, port officials announced that the repair work is finally complete and has been approved by the US Coast Guard.
“It has been a long road, but our priority has always been to meet all the requirements established by the regulatory agencies and ensure the safe arrival of cruise ships in the coming years,”Clarivette Diaz, General Manager of the San Juan Cruise Port, said in a statement.
Indeed, Pier 3 is now fully functional and all restrictions have been lifted, which means mega ships can finally return.
“Pier 3 West has been officially restored, after completing a rigorous structural assessment in accordance with U.S. Coast Guard requirements. The slora restriction is lifted and the full use of the facility is enabled,”a statement from port authorities added.
However, it was important for the cruise destination to take its time to properly repair the damage. The dock also had to pass a series of strict assessment studies conducted by the US Coast Guard, which has now happened.
Which Cruise Ships Were Affected?
Symphony of the Seas has arguably been the most impacted by Pier 3’s indefinite closure, as the Oasis-class shipwas the first to start skipping the port in November of 2024.
There was nothing the cruise line could do because Pier 3 is the only option for ships that are over 910 feet in length, and the 5,518-guest ship is 1,184 feet long.
Unfortunately, the re-opening comes a bit too late for the mega-ship, as cruise tracking data shows that she is not expected to return to San Juan in the coming months.
As the largest cruise ship in the world, the Icon-class flagship is 1,197 feet long. This ship will return to San Juan before the year ends, with her next visit scheduled for August 12, 2025.
It’s also worth noting that Royal Caribbean wasn’t the only cruise line to be impacted.
Disney Cruise Line’s recently launched Disney Treasure had to cancel its port call on February 5, 2025, because Pier 3 was still unavailable.
“We were advised by the port in San Juan, Puerto Rico that the berth that was previously confirmed for the Disney Treasure is unavailable due to ongoing construction work,”a notification sent to travel agents read at the time.
“Unfortunately, we have determined that there are no suitable alternative berths available in San Juan, Puerto Rico for this sailing.”
With a passenger capacity of 4,000 and a length of 1,119 feet, the Wish-class vessel is among the biggest in Disney’s fleet.
The DCL ship will sadly not return to Puerto Rico in the near future, with no other visits scheduled for this year.
Welcome to Cruise Hive’s newest weekly recap, where you’ll get caught up on the big developments across the industry. Highlights of this week’s update include details about the much-anticipated Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line’s new private destination, and new adult-only restaurant charges on Disney Cruise Line ships.
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.
Carnival Cruise Line President Addresses Guest Complaints
Carnival Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Adam McCullough)
Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy responded to the outrage that many guests expressed after the line announced plans to significantly alter its loyalty program and change the way cruisers earn benefits and perks.
The proposed changes, slated to become effective in 2026, include phasing out the Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) program and replacing it with Carnival Rewards.
The existing program offers benefits based on the number of days a guest cruises with the line while the new plan is based on the amount of money a cruiser spends on their fare and onboard purchases.
The reason for the change, Duffy said, is tied to the huge number of repeat guests who quickly reach higher levels in the program. For instance, the number of Platinum guests, meaning those who have sailed for a minimum of 75 nights, has more than doubled in recent years.
It’s unsustainable, the president explained, and has eroded the recognition program. Full details of the new Carnival Rewards plan are yet to be disclosed, and the line has said it is taking guests’ reactions into account as it moves forward with the new program.
A cherished mariner who served as captain for the luxury line Seabourn, Geir Arne Thue-Nilsen, known to colleagues and cruise guests as Captain GA, has passed away, leaving behind a stellar legacy.
Thue-Nilsen died on June 22, 2025, his wife, Juvy Thue-Nilsen, said in a social media post. Born in Norway he studied at the Master’s and Horten Engineer Academy and rose to the rank of captain in 1995, serving on Cunard and Seabourn ships.
Colleagues reacted to the news with warm memories of Captain GA. Strength, kindness, and calm were among the words used to describe him.
Sailing to all corners of the world, including Antarctica, Thue-Nilsen served as captain aboard Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Spirit, Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Encore, and Seabourn Quest.
Personable and admired by his guests, Captain GA often greeted cruisers and interacted with them during trivia games and other onboard activities. He most recently had served on the cruise line’s expedition ships, exploring remote destinations around the globe.
Images Show What Celebration Key Has in Store For Guests
Celebration Key Entrance
Carnival Cruise Line released a set of photos from its new private destination, Celebration Key, set to open on July 19, 2025.
Industry watchers have been following the construction of the sun-and-fun development on Grand Bahama Island for about two years, eagerly awaiting the details.
Now, glimpses of the destination are revealed, showing Paradise Plaza, the entry area that sports information booths and way-finding stations, and Suncastle, a 10-story-high arch with two massive water slides.
Aerial views of two huge lagoons, Starfish and Calypso, were disclosed along with photos of the destination’s AquaBanas — 8-person floating cabanas that guests will be able to rent.
For kids, the photos show the Guppy Grotto Splash Pad, and for those seeking a luxury experience the cruise line shared images of its Over-the-Lagoon Super Villas, with accommodations for up to 10 people.
These are just some of the features guests will enjoy when the destination opens, but stay tuned since more sneak peeks are likely to be released in the next few weeks.
Cruise Line Changes Rule Tied to Free Bottle of Water
Carnival Sensation Atrium Bar (Photo Credit: Rob Bixby)
A free bottle of water is among the perks that loyalty club members at Carnival Cruise Line receive when they embark their ships, and now the rules about how to claim the water have been clarified.
Brand Ambassador John Heald has confirmed that a bottle of water found inside a stateroom can be claimed as the free bottle, meaning that guests no longer must visit a bar to claim the perk.
The confusion arose after one guest recently complained that he was mistakenly charged for using the in-cabin bottle, even though he was entitled to it. At the time, Heald explained that bottled water found inside a stateroom is not a perk — it is placed by the housekeeping staff and, if opened, generates a charge.
The irate guest had threatened to withhold crew gratuities if his charge was not reversed. Heald made sure that it was, so as not to deprive a room steward from receiving his hard-earned tip.
But going forward, all guests who are members of the line’s Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) loyalty program can consume the water found in their cabins without worrying they will be erroneously charged for it.
Some Disney Cruise Line Ships Raise Dining Up-Charges
Disney Cruise Line Palo
Disney Cruise Line guests who indulge in the line’s Remy Champagne Brunch, featuring delectable dishes such as vegetable risotto, lobster cannelloni, and sea bass, are paying more for the privilege after a series of dining venue price hikes were implemented.
In fact, the up-charges at multiple adult-exclusive dining venues onboard Disney ships have risen or will soon rise by up to 10%.
In some cases, the price hikes impact only certain vessels. For example, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy are raising charges at Remy, for both the brunch and the prix-fixe dinner. The brunch rises by $5, to $85 per person, while dinner goes up $10, to $145 per person.
Fleetwide, guests dining at Palo will pay $5 more for the venue’s brunch and dinner, which will now cost $55 per person.
These and other changes were implemented on various dates in June, depending on the ship. However, Disney Fantasy will not begin charging the new costs until November 2025, after the ship completes a dry dock maintenance upgrade.
The last time Disney Cruise Line raised costs at its adults-only eateries was back in 2023.
Rough Seas Force World Cruise Itinerary Changes
Crown Princess (Photo Credit: Princess Cruises)
Princess Cruises’ Crown Princess was temporarily sidelined by severe weather as the 3,080-guest ship was preparing to call at Cape Town, South Africa, during her world cruise.
The ship is sailing a 113-day world voyage roundtrip from Auckland, New Zealand, and departed the port on May 31, 2025. Slated to call at Cape Town on June 25, 2025, heavy rain and powerful winds forced an itinerary change that had the ship calling at Durban instead.
In fact, the ship spent June 23 and 24 sailing along the coast near Durban. The altered port call at Cape Town was set for June 28, with the ship slated to remain in port overnight, as originally planned.
After Cape Town, Crown Princess will visit Walvis Bay, Namibia, on July 1, 2025, rather than the originally planned June 28, 2025.
Since the weather delay will have a domino effect on the itinerary, further changes are expected and guests are being updated by ship officials.
The full voyage will take guests to the Western Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the British Isles, North and South America, and French Polynesia before ending in Auckland.
P&O Cruises Adds Kids’ Club Fee on One Ship
P&O Iona Docked in Southampton (Photo Credit: Kev Gregory)
Families planning to sail aboard P&O Cruises’ Iona now must pay for their children’s visits to The Reef, the supervised play area for youngsters under age 12.
The line, which caters to the UK market, announced that parents must pre-register their kids before they visit the facility and pay a fee of £4.95 (or $6.74 USD) for each daytime session and £8.95 (or $12.19 USD) for each evening visit.
Iona, an Excellence-class ship with capacity for 5,200 guests, is the only ship currently charging the fees. The cruise line has not revealed whether the fees will roll out on its other ships, which include Arvia, Britannia, Ventura, and Azura.
Two additional ships in the P&O Cruises’ fleet, Aurora and Arcadia, do not allow children under 18 to sail.
The cruise line is urging parents to make reservations in advance of their departure date, since space is expected to be limited.
Programs for older children, including the H20 Children’s Club and The Scene, both geared to teens ages 13 to 17, do not require advance registration and do not charge any fee.
More Cruise Headlines
Let’s keep going with even more news updates from Cruise Hive, including guests aboard a Silversea Cruises’ ship enduring a shore excursion stranding thanks to the falling tide; Carnival Corporation revealing stellar financial results from the second quarter; and Virgin Voyages experiencing a surge in bookings.
Also, a new TV show chronicling life aboard two Holland America Line ships, and a cruise guest getting arrested after posting selfies with stolen jewelry while onboard her ship.
Only a few days ago on June 24, 2025, guests onboard Crown Princess for her world cruise learned that inclement weather would be changing up the itinerary while sailing around South Africa.
Deciding to wait for more favorable conditions, the 3,090-guest ship added a port call on Durban, and pushed back the planned visits to Cape Town (South Africa) and Walvis Bay (Namibia).
The stop at Cape Town changed from June 25 to an overnight stay on June 28 and June 29. This meant that the planned call on Walvis Bay then had to be moved from June 28 to July 1.
However, continued poor weather and the domino effect of making these tweaks have now impacted more of the itinerary.
The cruise line sent a letter to passengers on June 26, 2025: “As you are aware, our call dates for Cape Town, South Africa and Walvis Bay, Namibia have been amended. After leaving Walvis Bay, we will no longer call to Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands on Sunday, 6 July, and will spend that day at sea.”
Instead of calling on Mindelo, the 113,561-gross ton ship will head toward Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which is replacing a now cancelled visit to Gran Canaria (Los Palmas) in the Canary Islands.
“We will proceed to Santa Cruz de Tenerife for a call on Thursday, 10 July, which has replaced our visit to Gran Canaria (Las Palmas), Canary Islands originally scheduled for 9 July,”the update continued.
Finally, the visit to Casablanca, Morocco, has been pushed back by one day. Unfortunately, this means that the Princess cruise shipwill no longer be able to sail to Gibraltar, UK, on July 12.
“Additionally, our visit to Casablanca (for Marrakech), Morocco will take place on Saturday, 12 July rather than 11 July, and as a result, we will no longer call to Gibraltar,” the letter reads.
Guests who pre-booked tours through the cruise line at the now cancelled port calls will automatically receive refunds in their onboard accounts.
Meanwhile, passengers who booked tours in Casablanca will be able to use their existing tickets for their pre-reserved excursion on the new visit date.
Will Weather Continue to Impact the World Cruise?
Crown Princess really only recently embarked on her current 113-night sailing from Auckland, New Zealand, on May 31, 2025.
However, the first month of the voyage has been plagued by strong winds and stormy weather.
Just one week into the voyage on June 6, 2025, the 2006-launched ship encountered rough seas while sailing near the border of Victoria and South Australia.
The wind shifted unexpectedly from 45 knots on one side of the ship to 50 knots on the other, causing the vessel to list 7° and resulting in the Captain’s decision to turn the ship around.
Crown Princess in Vancouver (Photo Credit: Lenic)
While listing 6° to 7° is not necessarily considered unusual, the surprise tiltingstill did a fair amount of damage onboard.
Several glass displays shattered, merchandise in the stores was thrown to the floor, and many activities had to be cancelled or closed due to safety concerns.
Just one day before it was determined that Durban would be added to the massive itinerary (June 23), Crown Princess also found herself in an area that was under a level 4 damaging wave warning and gale-force wind alerts.
This is actually what led to Durban, which is on the east coast of Africa, being added to the itinerary. The Captain decided it was best to avoid the south coast of Africa until the weather passed.
It’s hard to say at this point if the remaining three months or so of the world cruise will be smoother sailing, as we don’t have a crystal ball to predict the future for us.
But rest assured with the knowledge that a cruise ship is one of the safest places to be during a storm and that the bridge team is constantly monitoring the forecasts to avoid the worst of the weather.
Passengers sailing aboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas arrived later than planned in Amsterdam, Netherlands, today, June 25, 2025.
The delay was a result of onboard maintenance, according to the ship’s Captain, Iv Vidos.
The 154,407-passenger vessel departed Southampton, England, on June 21, 2025, and spent three beautiful days in ports along Northern Europe’s coastline earlier this week.
But while guests spent 8 hours in Oslo on June 23, 10 hours in Copenhagen on June 24, and 9 hours in Hamburg, Germany, they learned their visit to Amsterdam, via a call in neighboring Rotterdam, would be a bit less than they hoped for.
Aurora Yera-Rodriquez, assistant vice president of guest experience at Royal Caribbean, shared the news after the captain’s PA announcement.
“We’ve had to make some adjustments to the times we’ll visit Rotterdam, Netherlands, due to speed restrictions from ongoing maintenance onboard,” she shared in a letter to guests.
Although scheduled to arrive at 11 a.m. local time, the slower speeds forced the ship to pull into Rotterdam late, even later than Yera-Rodriquez had expected.
Instead of arriving around 1 p.m., the vessel made it to Rotterdam closer to 2 p.m.
Yera-Rodriquez was quick to mention that the maintenance wasn’t anything to fret over, adding, “Rest assured, all maintenance work is being conducted with the utmost safety.”
Unfortunately, Independence of the Seas couldn’t make up the difference to up to 3,634disappointed guests, and kept its 7 p.m. departure time and shortened the call to less than 5 hours. The problem? Amsterdam is about an hour away by bus.
Independence of the Seas calls in Rotterdam instead of Amsterdam due to the city’s increase on tourist tax and environmental concerns and protests that has the port moving to capping the number of guests allowed to disembark.
As expected, the delay also forced Royal Caribbean to reschedule its excursions.
Guests booked through Royal Caribbean were automatically rescheduled with notification letters and new tickets delivered to passenger staterooms.
Subsequent Cruise Affected
While Royal Caribbean makes it sound like routine maintenance is underway, another letter was sent to passengers on Independence of the Seas’ subsequent journey from Southampton.
With Rotterdam as the last call for Independence of the Seas’ 8-night “Northern City Escapes” cruise, the ship is currently returning to Southampton for its June 29, 2025, completion.
Expected to arrive by 5:30 a.m., the ship is scheduled to take its next group of passengers on a 7-night “Norwegian Fjords” cruise, departing at 5 p.m. on the same day.
Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas (Photo Credit: Rosemarie Mosteller)
But those passengers received a letter from Royal Caribbean saying the ongoing maintenance taking place on Independence of the Seas will force the vessel to miss its first call to Alesund on July 1, 2025.
Instead, the ship will spend two days at sea and sail into Molde, Norway, an hour earlier on July 2.
“Due to speed restrictions from ongoing maintenance onboard, we’ve had to make some adjustments,” the letter to passengers began again.
For skipping a port altogether, the cruise line is giving passengers an onboard credit to enjoy as “a token of our appreciation for your understanding.”
The onboard credit provides $150 for interior and oceanview cabins, $200 for balcony cabins, and $400 for suites. An additional $25 is being added for each third and fourth guest in each stateroom category.
All excursions purchased through Royal Caribbean were also cancelled and refunded. With two sailings affected, it’s likely the 16-year-old Independence of the Seas is working on repairing some propulsion issues.
Cruise Hive will report any additional itinerary changes that may come as a result.
It can be great to get away for a long weekend, but can it be even greater to take advantage of an enticing offer to move your vacation plans?
Select guests booked on the July 5, 2025 departure of Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas are needing to make such a decision, as the cruise line has now reached out with rebooking offers for the 5-night Bermuda cruise.
“We are looking to see if you and your travel party have flexible travel plans,”the email inquired.“If your plans are set in stone, please mark this email as ‘Read’ and gear up for your upcoming adventure – although, there are some pretty sweet options.”
The options include moving the sailing to select August, September, or October cruises still aboard Liberty of the Seas, or select sailings aboard Symphony of the Seas.
If guests do choose to rebook on the offered sailings, they will receive a 100% refund for their original booking, as well as be moved to the new cruise date.
Hello? Full refund and you STILL get to go on another cruise? You can bet I’d make every effort to be flexible for that kind of offer, particularly since one of the alternative sailings is a 9-night Bermuda and Eastern Caribbean itinerary that is nearly double the length of the original booking.
Other options for rebooking include identical 5-night Bermuda itineraries as well as 7-night Bahamas cruises. All available departures are still from New Jersey.
Granted, not everyone who receives this tempting offer would be able to make the change, depending on their work requirements or other commitments, such as whether or not the original booking is during a pre-planned vacation or special occasion.
Some guests, in fact, are worried that this might be an overbooking situation and they could be left at the embarkation port if they don’t take advantage of the offer.
“The ship must be overbooked. We have already had a cabin number assigned. I am now concerned that we’re going to get to the port and they tell us we can’t board as it’s overbooked. Am I overthinking it?”the original poster asked on Reddit.
Other commenters were quick to respond, however, noting that the notification email specifically called out the idea that if plans are “set in stone” then there’s no need to worry.
Even if the ship does happen to be overbooked, the offer is such a spectacular one that there’s little doubt other cruisers would take advantage of it and change their plans, freeing up space for guests who aren’t able to be flexible.
Why Do Cruise Ships Overbook?
Of course it is in a cruise line’s best interest to always sail with ships full to capacity, but why would they take the chance of overbooking altogether?
After years of offering oceangoing vacations, cruise lines are well aware that some percentage of travelers will always cancel at the last minute, leaving some staterooms unsold.
While it may seem like a gamble to sell more staterooms than are available onboard, most of the time, it works out well for the cruise line.
On the rare occasion when no one may have cancelled and the departure date is fast approaching, the line can offer these types of special deals to entice some travelers to move to another sailing.
Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas (Photo Credit: Wangkun Jia / Shutterstock)
This gives the cruise line flexibility with how to fulfill guaranteed cabin rates, as they can shuffle guests around without difficulty in the days before embarkation.
Such offers have often been made in previous years on other ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. Most of the time, these offers are successful at clearing out any overbooking issues, but onboard Quantum of the Seas in November 2023, some guests were left behind without any available staterooms.
Hopefully, the current offers for Liberty of the Seas are impressive enough that everyone will be happy, whether they stay on the same cruise or take advantage of these very special circumstances.
Just days after popular streaming service Netflix debuted an episode of its disaster-oriented series Trainwreck covering the infamous “Poop Cruise” aboard Carnival Triumph, a new show will highlight another scary cruise experience.
The upcoming three-part true crime documentary miniseries “Amy Bradley Is Missing” will offer an in-depth look at the young woman’s disappearance from Rhapsody of the Seas in March 1998 and the nearly 30 years of investigative efforts that have so far come up empty.
The show will premiere on Netflix on July 16, 2025, exploring different leads, sightings, and efforts to find Amy Lynn Bradley, who was 23 when she vanished from a family cruise. Today, she would be 51, but her fate remains unknown.
Bradley was enjoying a 7-night Caribbean sailing in March 1998 with her parents when she disappeared. The ship had departed Puerto Rico and was planning to visit Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas.
In the early morning hours of March 24, however, Bradley vanished seemingly without a trace. She and her younger brother, Brad, had visited the ship’s nightclub and gotten back to their stateroom at about 3:30 a.m.
By 6 a.m. when the family was getting up to get ready for breakfast before their day in Curacao, she was gone.
Search efforts aboard what was then one of the newest Royal Caribbean ships were immediately initiated, but Amy was not located and guests were permitted to debark in Curacao. Local authorities were contacted and search efforts continued, in case she had gone overboard.
No evidence of her disappearance was ever found, either on the ship or in the water, and only a polo shirt and a pair of sandals remained.
The new documentary will feature interviews with FBI investigators, eyewitnesses aboard Rhapsody of the Seas, and the Bradley family through the years as search efforts have continued.
Unconfirmed sightings of Amy in the Caribbean – from a taxi driver in Curacao, in a store restroom in Barbados, and even in a brothel – have all been explored over the years.
These sightings and other unusual theories about her disappearance will also be discussed in the Netflix special in the hopes that new insights might lead to even more discoveries that could help solve this mystery.
This is not the first time new efforts have been used to attempt to locate Amy or determine what happened to her on what was supposed to have been a happy family vacation celebrating her college graduation.
In 2017, computer-aged photos of Amy were released to try and help find her, but it is difficult to determine what so much time and decades of life experiences would do to a person’s physical appearance.
Amy Lynn Bradley (Credit: FBI)
In June 2024, just after her 50th birthday on May 12, 2024, interest was again renewed to try and find Amy, but no new evidence surfaced.
While officially Amy was declared legally deceased on March 24, 2010 – twelve years after her disappearance – the family has not given up hope.
Her case remains active with the FBI, and a reward of up to $25,000 is available for information that will solve her disappearance.
Cruises Popular on Television
While Amy’s case has been featured in a number of shows, including America’s Most Wanted in May 1999 and Disappeared in 2018, hers isn’t the only cruise-related event to be showcased in different broadcasts.
Of course, the recent release of the “Poop Cruise” episode of Trainwreck has been highlighted, but not all cruise-related shows are negative.
Carnival Triumph During “Poop Cruise” (Photo Credit: Netflix)
Of course, fun bits of cruise vacations have been seen in episodes of innumerable shows, including the hit comedy Everybody Loves Raymond, British comedy Keeping Up Appearances, and even The Simpsons.
And no one can forget such popular cruise-centric options as The Love Boat, Mighty Cruise Ships, The Suite Life on Deck, and movies like the incomparable Titanic, Poseidon, and Speed 2: Cruise Control.
