Nothing goes better with a movie night than crisp and tasty popcorn, whether you like air-popped, slightly salty, or extra buttery kernels. But just what price would you put on those kernels?
For Carnival cruise guests, the cost is a hefty one. The fresh-popped snack is offered during most Dive-In Movie showtimes at the Seaside Theater, but the cost can be surprising.
One thoroughly surprised guest reached out to the cruise line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, asking about the cost.
“When did they start charging (much less $4) for popcorn during Dive-In Movies?”the guest asked.“I went to get some one night and was totally shocked that I now had to purchase it.”
Given that there are so many free food options onboard Carnival ships, even later in the evening when movies may be shown – such as pizza, the late-night Lido snack buffet, ice cream, and more – it can be very shocking to see the available popcorn (not to mention smell it!) only to learn there is a significant charge.
The snack boxes are also not generously sized and hold just 3-4 cups of popped kernels at most, similar to a small size at a movie theater or county fair.
Heald responded with explanations of both when and why the cruise line began to charge for the classic snack.
“We started charging for popcorn approximately five years ago, after finding out that when it was for free that people would order so much, eat very little, and thus waste so much,”he explained.
Carnival Cruise Line has worked hard to minimize food waste, taking steps such as eliminating the classic midnight gala buffet, revamping menus to highlight favorite dishes and remove less popular choices, and installing biodigesters across the fleet to process any remaining food debris.
But why would guests simply toss out so much popcorn, even if it was free? Of course, any frequent cruiser who has seen overloaded buffet plates left behind or the room service trays in the hallway with barely touched meals isn’t surprised.
Popcorn (Photo Credit: Tri Agung Budu S)
Furthermore, due to dietary restrictions to accommodate all travelers, the popcorn Carnival Cruise Line offers is salt-free and butter-free. Many guests may not expect that and may not like the taste of plain popcorn.
It’s easy to add salt and butter to your own box of popcorn. Sometimes salt shakers or flavorings are available right by the popcorn cart, or else they’re just steps away in the Lido Marketplace. Doing so, however, might mean missing favorite movie scenes or just isn’t worthwhile.
Not Just About Food Waste
The high price for popcorn isn’t just to discourage food waste, however.
“There was always an awful mess afterwards when it was free for housekeeping to have to clean,”Heald elaborated.“That is not the case now.”
It’s very true that popcorn spills easily, and the light kernels can be a nightmare to try to clean up – especially if it might be a bit breezy on the Lido Deck at movie time.
Guests who could grab several free boxes might also spill popcorn in many other places, such as in the atrium, hallways, elevators, and more. This would be a tremendous hassle for crew members to sweep up.
If popcorn isn’t cleaned up quickly, it could also attract opportunistic gulls looking for an easy meal. Guests are not permitted to feed birds from Carnival cruise ships, and the temptation to toss kernels at nearby birds could be too much.
For guests who love popcorn with a movie but simply can’t bring themselves to pay that high price, there is another option. Sealed bags of pre-popped popcorn can be brought onboard with a guest’s luggage and enjoyed during Dive-In Movies or while watching a movie in one’s stateroom.
Online check-in has considerably sped up embarkation day processes. But when technology fails, so does the speed.
Unfortunately, that’s what took place on May 12, 2025, when up to 4,000 passengers boarding Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream faced significant boarding delays.
A technical issue affecting online check-in for the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, sailing meant that all guests had to complete the entire process in person at the terminal.
Under normal circumstances, guests sailing with the cruise line upload their citizenship documentation and identification photos during online check-in weeks ahead of sailing.
The process allows a relatively quick document verification at the terminal and faster movement through security.
But the May 12 sailing required crew members to complete all those steps in person, from confirming passports and IDs to photographing every guest before boarding.
Passengers, fortunately, got a heads up, however. In an email sent the day before departure, Disney Cruise Line alerted guests of the issue and advised them to be prepared for delays.
“Due to a technical issue with Online Check-in for your sailing, we will need to verify all Guests’ documentation during the check-in process at the terminal on embarkation day,” the message read.
“This includes reviewing citizenship documentation and capturing photos for each Guest,” the letter continued. “Please be sure to bring all required identification and travel documents with you.”
Guests looking forward to sailing to the Bahamas to visit Nassau and the cruise line’s private Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on a short, 3-night adventure, were urged to arrive at their previously assigned Port Arrival Time to help reduce congestion.
Still, Disney Cruise Line warned that wait times would be longer than usual.
“Travel with any convenience items you may need should you encounter a delay at the terminal,” the cruise line wrote.
Disney Dream crew did not specify how many guests were affected or whether the issue was tied to a broader system failure.
Live Reports of Long Waits
The technical glitch forcing Disney to process each passenger at the terminal turned into quite a headache for passengers as the day of departure progressed.
One guest shared on Reddit that their Port Time Arrival time was set for 11:45 a.m. and that they were still in line waiting for documents to be checked at 12:22 p.m., surrounded by “a lot of angry people and REALLY long lines.”
The guest reached the security check point at 12:50, just over an hour after the scheduled time.
Another passenger arrived for a 12:30 arrival time and said, “the line we’re in stretches back to the garage entrance (on the other side of luggage drop off).”
“It seems like the noon groups are still outside,” she continued. “It’s not being well directed. There definitely isn’t enough staff out here to get people organized.”
The glitch doesn’t appear to be a one-off either. Several guests of Disney Cruise Line’s 2,400-passenger Disney Magic, sailing to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Florida, a week prior, said a similar occurrence took place during their embarkation.
The delays forced the ship to leave 30 minutes later than its original 4 p.m. departure time.
Disney Dream, which accommodates 1,600 more guests, is scheduled to set sail at 5 p.m. local time.
The incident is isolated to Disney Cruise Line’s online technology and not the ports.
Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas, also setting sail from Port Everglades on May 12, 2025, is having no reported technical issues during its embarkation and will have an on-time 4 p.m. sail away.
Does the embarkation port for a cruise vacation count as someplace guests can explore before their cruise sets sail? With the chaos that first day can be, not all guests may want to leave the ship after boarding, but it isn’t explicitly forbidden.
The question comes from a guest who reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, about options for exploring certain homeports.
“Why does Carnival have a rule that if a passenger checks in and goes on the ship that they cannot get off again to spend time in a ports like Norfolk?”the guest asked.
The guest goes on to explain that their husband is a retired Navy veteran and would like to visit the famous Fran’s Ready Room bar in Virginia Beach, 16 miles from the Port of Norfolk. The bar was featured in the 1990 film “Navy Seals.”
“We want to check in, drop our bags off in the room because we can being Platinum,”the guest explained.“We want to get off and go to the bar. I am told on that this is not possible. Why should we be trapped on board?! I wager I am not the only one who wants to do this.”
Yes, guests who have reached the Platinum tier in Carnival Cruise Line’s VIFP loyalty program do have the perk of visiting their staterooms as soon as they board the ship to drop off their luggage.
Nowhere, however, is there any restriction that keeps guests “trapped on board” even at the embarkation port.
“Honestly, I do not think we do refuse you and if you need to go back ashore you can,”Heald confirmed.“Just make sure you have your Sail and Sign card and your photo ID with you as this will need to be shown as you get off the ship and then coming back through the terminal.”
Heald does caution the guest that they would still need to be back to the ship by the all-aboard time, just as in any port of call.
“Make sure you ask what time the doors of the terminal will be closed as you not want to be late back so do check that time,”he urged.
The guest does not specify what ship or sailing date they are departing from Norfolk, but Carnival Sunshine is currently the only Carnival cruise ship homeported from the Old Dominion. Depending on the departure date, she is offering Bahamas, Caribbean, and Bermuda sailings.
Of course, with so much to do onboard Carnival cruise ships on a busy embarkation day – safety drill check-in, spa tours and massage tasters, live music, that first Guy’s burger, welcome aboard trivia, the treat of funfetti cheesecake only available at embarkation lunch – guests may not want to leave.
“I do not think many will wish to do this because once on board you can relax and allow the crew to serve and entertain you,”Heald noted.
Do Other Guests Leave the Port on Embarkation Day?
The question was an unusual one and while Heald doesn’t think many guests do leave the ship after embarking at the beginning of their sailings, he asked his more than 610,000 followers about their experiences.
Very few take advantage of that opportunity, though some guests on back-to-back cruises may enjoy leaving the ship for a few hours before their next sailing begins.
Carnival Cruise Ship in Miami, Florida (Photo Credit: byvalet)
Most travelers note that it is safer and more relaxed to simply arrive at the embarkation city a day or two early and enjoy plenty of time for exploration without any risk of being late to return to the ship.
Another option, of course, is to stay an extra day or two after the cruise for more time to enjoy all a homeport city has to offer.
Many guests note that unless someone has a very early (before noon) arrival time at the cruise terminal, they may not have enough time to enjoy even a quick trip to local sites before the terminal closes. Local traffic, road closures, and other delays could be devastating for a tight schedule.
Some travelers also point out that no one is “trapped” onboard, as they have had to quickly leave the ship to retrieve forgotten items from a vehicle, for a quick trip to the store for missing essentials, or even for brief medical issues or other concerns.
Cruise guests love to visit a brand new destination, not only because it offers something different to explore and enjoy, but for the pomp and circumstance of inaugural calls and all their fanfare.
When Carnival Cruise Line officially opens Celebration Key this summer, passengers aboard the very first sailing to visit the private destination on Grand Bahama Island will have an extra treat with special guests onboard.
The cruise line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, made the announcement during his short daily video on Monday, May 12, 2025, just weeks before that first visit is planned.
“We are just a couple of months away to the grand opening of Celebration Key,”he said.“I will be cruising on the Carnival Vista, the first ship that will be calling there, the big grand official opening, with our president Christine [Duffy].”
“For those of you sailing on that Carnival Vista cruise,”Heald continued,“you will see me there. I’ll do some meet-and-greets and all sorts of bits and pieces, I’m sure. We will be there to host you at Celebration Key. It is going to be absolutely fabulous, I can’t wait to show you around.”
That first Carnival Vista sailing to visit Celebration Key is the ship’s July 12, 2025 departure from Port Canaveral. The 8-night Southern Caribbean sailing is scheduled first to visit Bonaire and Aruba, saving the grand opening of Celebration Key as the final port of call on Saturday, July 19.
Heald’s announcement is slightly unclear as to whether or not Carnival Cruise Line’s president, Christine Duffy, will be sailing aboard Carnival Vista or if she will be meeting the ship on the island for the grand opening.
Most likely, given the demands on her time running one of the world’s largest and most popular cruise lines, Duffy will meet the ship and guests as they arrive at the new destination that Saturday morning.
Carnival Vista will be the only ship calling on Celebration Key that first day, but Carnival Conquest will follow on July 20.
Carnival Glory, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Elation, Carnival Pride, Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Dream, and Carnival Sunrise will all make their initial visits to Celebration Key in July.
What to Expect at Celebration Key
Since construction began in May 2022, excitement has been building for Celebration Key – the first exclusive destination designed for Carnival Cruise Line.
Different portals will embrace the tropical Bahamian vibe and infuse it with Carnival’s signature fun. Specialty dining options, an adults-only area at the Pearl Cove Beach Club, retail spaces, waterslides, children’s play areas, beautiful beaches, and more will all be part of the destination.
Private villas, beach and water daybeds, cabanas, and other spaces will all be available for guests to enjoy exactly the kind of experience they want for every visit.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration Key
“There’s all those wonderful private areas, there’s a waterslide, and of course the massive lagoon with complimentary access to that, of course, with complimentary beach chairs, and we’re also going to be providing you with a light lunch,”Heald said.
Great fun is sure to be had with live music, games, and more, and special activities will likely be offered for guests to make the most of their time at Celebration Key.
Carnival Cruise Line has not ignored the practical needs of guests visiting the island, however. Lockers are being planned for different parts of the developed area so guests can conveniently store their belongings while they dive in to the fun.
So much excitement is already being generated for the new destination that a Phase 2 expansion is already being planned. This will include a pier extension to accommodate additional ships, along with further spaces to be developed.
A cruise can be a great way to celebrate all sorts of occasions, from graduations, weddings, and birthdays to a new job, a special anniversary, or a honeymoon. Cruise lines often help with celebrations through decorations or gifts, but not all celebrations can be accommodated.
This has been made very clear to one guest booked on Carnival Cruise Line who had a request that must absolutely be denied.
The request was sent to John Heald, the cruise line’s official brand ambassador. He frequently receives all sorts of requests and does his best to help whenever possible.
“I get so many requests for so many different things,”Heald explained.“I get wishes for birthdays and anniversaries and weddings and honeymoons, and different things. Yesterday, well, I got asked to do one of these gender reveal things.”
Gender reveals – when proud parents-to-be either first learn their baby’s gender or share it with others in a fun, surprising way – have become more and more popular in recent years.
From themed cakes to releasing balloons to confetti cannons, pinatas, silly string, or even scratch off tickets in shades of pink and blue, expectant parents enjoy all sorts of ways to spread the excitement of a baby girl or boy.
“This gender reveal request was absolutely brilliant,”Heald acknowledged.“They wanted me to arrange either blue or pink smoke to be blown out of – guess where – yes, the whale tail. They wanted to be standing on Lido with their group that they’re sailing with to do the gender reveal and everybody look up at the whale tail.”
While Heald did not disclose the date of the excited parents’ cruise, he did mention they were planning to sail aboard Carnival Horizon. The ship is homeported year-round from Miami, Florida, offering 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean itineraries.
“Can you imagine me asking the Chief Engineer?”Heald noted with laughter.“Obviously, the answer is no, we can’t do it.”
He does say he will be sending something special to the happy couple to celebrate their bundle of joy, though he can’t assist with such an outrageous gender reveal request.
This is not the first time Carnival Cruise Line has declined gender reveal options. In December 2024, an expectant couple had their confetti cannons confiscated as they boarded Carnival Breeze. They had hoped to use them for a gender reveal onboard, but it was not permitted.
While Heald did not elaborate on why colored smoke couldn’t be managed for the couple’s exciting moment, undoubtedly it would present an engineering challenge and potential hazard for the ship’s exhaust systems.
Furthermore, the dyes to make colored smoke could be considered an environmental contaminant, a clear violation of the cruise line’s policies.
Gender Reveals Onboard a Cruise Ship
While Carnival Cruise Line is unable to honor some crazy requests for gender reveals onboard a ship, there are ways guests can make their own announcements.
Decorating their cabin door in appropriately themed colors can be fun, and they could even use a whiteboard for passersby to “vote” on their choice in the early days of a sailing.
Dressing in pink or blue attire for elegant evening could be another option, complete with photos to share the happy news with those back home.
Carnival Cruise Line also offers toys for sale in the Fun Shops, and purchasing “baby’s first cruise souvenir” in an appropriate color could be a fun choice.
Of course, Carnival guests can always bring along signs, quirky t-shirts, or other ways to announce their baby’s gender (subject to the prohibited items list, of course) and arrange for photos, either at the regular backdrops each evening or through a Dreams Photo Studio private session.
But be careful – guests planning a gender reveal during a cruise should make sure they are within the sailing guidelines and won’t be denied boarding due to a pregnancy.
Carnival Cruise Line requires that guests be no further than 24 weeks along in the pregnancy or else they will not be permitted to sail.
Any way it may be done, an onboard gender reveal is sure to be a special moment the new parents will treasure as they wait for their special bundle to arrive.
Carnival Miracle may be celebrating her twenty-first year in service, but she doesn’t look a day older than a brand new ship now that she’s fresh from her dry dock at the Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain.
Now, the ship is sporting new updates and features guests have wanted for years. Gary Blair, Carnival Miracle’s cruise director through mid-November, has shared the fantastic updates awaiting guests on the ship’s first post-dry dock sailing.
“You have asked… And we have delivered! Dive-In Movies now available on the Carnival Miracle!”Blair confirmed.“Just one of our many incredible Dry Dock additions!”
The new big screen (admittedly not as big as on some ships) is located midship on the Lido Deck, between the ever-popular Guy’s Burger Joint and the Blue Iguana Cantina. This is the perfect positioning not only for movies at sea, but to showcase deck parties and other fun.
Other updates to the popular Spirit class ship include total refreshment to the onboard nightclub – Dr. Frankenstein’s Lab Dance Club – as well as the Alchemy Bar, the casino, and the main theater.
The Chef’s Table space – aft on Deck 1, Riviera Deck, conveniently adjacent to the galley – has also been refreshed and updated. Guests who book that exclusive dining experience are sure to enjoy the upgrade!
Other cosmetic updates such as carpeting, upholstery, deck refinishing, and painting have also been completed, and the ship is just as gorgeous as she was when she debuted in 2004.
In addition to the refurbishments to public spaces, Carnival Miracle has also gotten behind-the-scenes technical updates to ensure she is running as smoothly, safely, and efficiently as possible.
Her most recent previous update was in late 2022 at the Vigor Shipyard in Portland, Oregon. At that time, she first received the new red, white, and blue hull livery plus other technical updates and general maintenance.
One update Carnival Miracle has not received is free slippers for all guests – as the cruise line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, recently noted. That simply isn’t an update anywhere on the Carnival fleet.
Sailing Aboard the Refreshed Carnival Miracle
Clean, updated, and eager to welcome guests, Carnival Miracle will set sail from Lisbon, Portugal on Sunday, May 11, 2025 on a one-way trip to Dover, UK.
Along the way, these first guests on the refreshed ship will enjoy visits to La Coruna and Bilbao in Spain, as well as Le Verdon-sur-Mer and Le Havre (Paris), France, before arriving in Dover on Sunday, May 18.
Carnival Miracle will remain homeported from Dover through mid-August, offering longer (9-12 nights) itineraries with various routes, including the British Isles, Spain, Portugal, Iceland, northern Europe, and Scandinavia, depending on departure date and cruise length.
On August 10, the ship will depart on a 15-night one-way reposition to Civitavecchia (Rome), visiting amazing destinations in France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy along the way.
From Rome, Carnival Miracle will welcome guests to the second half of her European season with Greek Isles itineraries visiting amazing ports such as Istanbul, Mykonos, Athens, Ephesus, Katakolon, and more.
The ship will return to the US with a transatlantic cruise from Rome to Tampa departing on November 8, with stops in Spain, the Azores, and Nassau before arriving in the Sunshine State on November 22, ready for a winter in the Caribbean through April 2026, at which time she’ll head for Seattle and the Alaska season.
Regardless of where she is sailing, Carnival Miracle can welcome 2,124 guests aboard at double occupancy, with just over 900 crew members onboard to ensure outstanding service on every cruise.
Cruise guests often choose their vacations based on port destinations and overall itineraries, and a port cancellation can be a disappointment – especially when cruises are often booked months in advance.
Guests booked on select upcoming Royal Caribbean sailings will have that disappointment, however. The cruise line is now continuing to cancel visits to its private destination in Labadee, Haiti, well into the summer months.
For example, travelers booked on the July 20, 2025 departure of Oasis of the Seas – a 6-night Western Caribbean sailing from Fort Lauderdale – have been notified that they will not be visiting Labadee as originally planned.
“We have been monitoring the evolving situation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and out of an abundance of caution, we’re swapping our visit to Labadee for a Sea Day, and we’ll now visit Nassau, Bahamas on Day 6 instead,”the email explained.
On the original itinerary, Oasis of the Seas was to have spent Day 6, the last day of the sailing, enjoying leisurely time at sea. Now, the ship will visit the capital of the Bahamas instead.
Furthermore, Oasis of the Seas‘ visit to Falmouth, Jamaica, on Day 4 (July 23) has also been tweaked to permit more time in port, giving guests extra time to enjoy that fantastic destination.
In recent weeks, Royal Caribbean has once again begun cancelling all calls to Labadee as gang violence and other criminal activity escalates in the country.
While the situation is not unprecedented (several months of visits were cancelled in 2024), because the cruise line is now adjusting itineraries months in advance, it appears unlikely that visits to the private destination will resume anytime soon.
Similarly, itineraries in July 2025 for Adventure of the Seas, homeported from Port Canaveral, as well as Liberty of the Seas from New Jersey, are also cancelling visits to Labadee.
Royal Caribbean is trying to offer alternative ports such as Nassau, Grand Cayman, or CocoCay whenever possible, but some itineraries must make do with an extra sea day when Labadee is removed.
Booked guests are notified with the exact changes to their itineraries as soon as such plans are confirmed.
Why Not Visit Haiti?
To be clear, the capital city of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, is located roughly 90 miles due south of Labadee. Because of the nation’s mountainous geography and meandering road systems, however, driving between the two can typically take 6-7 hours.
As the email states, the cruise line is making these scheduling decisions out of an abundance of caution. Not only does cancelling port visits keep cruise guests safe, but it also ensures that local port employees, tour operators, and other residents of Haiti are not at risk to service a visiting ship.
Cruise Passengers in Labadee, Haiti (Photo Credit: Mary Baratto)
“Since March 2024, Haiti has been under a State of Emergency. Crimes involving firearms are common in Haiti. They include robbery, carjackings, sexual assault, and kidnappings for ransom,”the advisory reads.“Kidnapping is widespread, and U.S. citizens have been victims and have been hurt or killed.”
As recently as Friday, May 2, 2025, a special alert was issued by the US Embassy about a gunfire incident on Rue Romain in downtown Port-au-Prince. Embassy employees and visitors were asked to avoid the area, not to be outside after dark, and to be prepared to shelter in place if necessary.
Personally, despite multiple Royal Caribbean cruises, I’ve never managed to make it to Labadee. Violence and tumult is not uncommon in Haiti, and on several itineraries the port has been dropped from our planned sailings.
While I have been disappointed to not yet visit what seems to be a lovely and unique destination, it’s hard to argue with safety first. I’d rather skip the port and be sure to have a safe and enjoyable cruise!
Even after more than a decade, few in the cruise community will ever forget the infamous “poop cruise” onboard Carnival Triumph – although the more than 4,000 passengers and crew members onboard likely wish that they could.
But this summer, cruise fans will get to go back in time to revisit the chaotic voyage as part of a new Netflix anthology, called “Trainwreck.”
Each of the eight episodes will be a standalone documentary that digs into some of the most bizarre – and sometimes disgusting – mishaps to make wavesaround the world.
The four-day sailing on the ship that is now known as Carnival Sunrise went massively viral in 2013 after an engine room fire cut power to the ship, leaving the vessel with no propulsion, no refrigeration, and perhaps most notably, no working (and overflowing) toilets.
The incident was so extreme that nearly a month of sailings had to be cancelled in the aftermath and an investigation was conducted by the Bahamas Maritime Authority, the United States Coast Guard, and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Unsurprisingly, the sailing has been heavily covered in the media – as the world tuned in live to watch how things would unfold. But the new “Poop Cruise” documentary, which is directed by James Ross, will offer a different perspective as the story will be told by the people who lived it.
“Behind the sensational coverage and sound bites are complex stories, essential questions, and real people who found themselves at the center of the chaos,” reads a press release from TUDUM, Netflix’s companion site.
“Told from their perspective, the Trainwreck series and films will explore everything from disastrous festivals, political scandals, and media hoaxes to cult-like corporations and reality TV disasters,” continued the release.
The episodes will begin airing weekly on Netflix on Tuesdays starting on June 10, 2025, with the “Poop Cruise” episode dropping on June 24, 2025.
In addition to the Carnival sailing, the series will also take an in depth look at topics like the Astroworld Tragedy from November 2021, the dark secrets behind the American Apparel fashion brand, and Nevada’s Area 51.
What Really Happened on the “Poop Cruise?”
This infamous voyage was supposed to be a four-day dream vacation to Cozumel, Mexico, that should have sailed round trip out of Galveston, Texas. But when Carnival Triumph embarked on February 7, 2013, she sailed into a nightmare.
In the early morning hours of February 10, 2013 – three days into the sailing – a fire broke out in the aft engine room, with the flames stemming from diesel generator No. 6.
Guests were woken up to the sound of fire alarms going off – and smoke even made it into some of the hallways – but the fire was automatically put out without any harm to the passengers and crew members.
Carnival Triumph (Photo Credit: William A. Morgan / Shutterstock)
However, the damage had been done – and thus five days of torture and uncertainty ensued for the people stuck onboard.
The damage from the fire ultimately left the 1999-launched ship without power or propulsion – effectively stranding the ship in the Gulf of Mexico.
Additionally, toilets couldn’t flush andsewage began backing up into passenger areas – which created a serious health hazard and gave the event the name of “Poop Cruise.”
The crew members and cruise line did their best to tend to guests’ needs throughout the incident – with Carnival Elation, Carnival Legend, and Carnival Conquest each stopping by to deliver food, water, and other essential supplies between February 10, 2013, and February 11, 2013.
Also on February 11, the ship regained some of her functions thanks to emergency electrical generators, which marginally helped the situation.
After multiple delays caused by strong winds and broken tug lines, the 101,509-gross ton ship was finally towed to safety by a team of four tugboats (with one additional tugboat on standby) – reaching the pier in Mobile, Alabama, by 9:20 p.m. on Valentine’s Day.
Following this disaster, Carnival invested $300 million on fleet-wide safety upgrades and fire prevention.
Carnival Triumph is also still in service today, but under a different name – perhaps as a way to distance the ship from her past. The name change coincided with a massive $200 million refurbishment that was completed in 2019.
We sure had a busy week of cruise news, so we’re here to ensure you’re fully updated, including stories from many of the major cruise lines and destinations. Some highlights are a pizza petition being started by a Carnival guest, soda being removed from Princess packages, and even taxes being a hot topic for passengers.
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.
Canned Soda Nixed From Some Princess Packages
Drinks on Princess Cruises Ship (Photo Credit: Brian Logan Photography)
Princess Cruises has removed cans of soda from the inclusions in its Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages, although guests can still get fountain sodas through the plans.
The cruise line quietly altered the policy, but guests were quick to notice the change, and some reached out to Princess for an explanation. The line did not explain why soda cans were removed from the offerings but simply confirmed that the policy had been changed.
The cruise line noted that, originally, cans of soda were not covered in either plan. So, it’s actually a return to a previous policy.
It appears that once the change is fully rolled out, guests with the Plus and Premier plans will receive a 25% discount on canned soda, which currently costs $3 plus an 18% tip.
On the upside, two other drink plans offered by Princess still include cans of soda. These are the Classic Soda Package and the Zero-Alcohol Package.
Also, guests who love to drink soda are allowed to bring up to 12 unopened, sealed cans (12 ounces or less each) onboard Princess Cruises ships at embarkation.
Negotiation With Mexico Ends With Lower Tax on Cruisers
Cruise Ships Docked in Cozumel, Mexico (Photo Credit: Eric Glenn)
The Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) has managed to negotiate a big reduction in the proposed tourist tax that Mexico intended to levy on cruise guests visiting its ports.
The so-called non-resident fee was approved by the Mexican government at $42 per person, per cruise, which would have added a whopping $168 to the cost of a family of four sailing an itinerary that calls at a Mexican port.
The new fee is $5 per person and it takes effect on July 1, 2025. However, Mexico will raise the fee on a phased-in basis — to $10 in 2026 and $21 in 2027.
Under the agreement, cruise lines will collect the tax and pay the Mexican government. The non-resident tax is not new. It has been in effect since 1999 but did not apply to visitors spending less than seven days in the country.
In return for the lowered tax, the FCCA, which represents 23 cruise lines, vowed to increase the number of calls and guests to Mexican ports, and to support local infrastructure projects.
Pizza-Loving Guest Petitions Carnival Cruise Line
Miami Slice Pizza on Carnival Celebration (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz)
Some cruisers love pizza so much they’re willing to fight for it — not with fists but with a petition, asking Carnival Cruise Line to bring back late-night pizza.
Cruise line guest and pizza enthusiast Jonathan Hurrell created a petition on change.org seeking like-minded cruisers to sign on and pressure the cruise line to provide some free food options — especially pizza, onboard Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter.
Both ships are former P&O Cruises Australia ships that were recently transferred to the Carnival fleet when the brand was absorbed by Carnival, and both continue to sail itineraries Down Under. But some Aussies are frustrated by the cruise line’s policy to offer no free food choices after 9 p.m.
That’s not the case on other Carnival Cruise Line ships, they point out, where complimentary eateries are open well past midnight. More than 500 people have signed the petition so far.
Food is available on both ships 24/7, however, via room service, but it is not free. A pan pizza will cost a cruiser $6 on either of the ship. No word from Carnival Cruise Line on whether it will consider the petitioner’s request.
Royal Caribbean Makes Offers That Are Hard to Resist
Deck of Allure of the Seas (Photo Credit: Aleksandr Dyskin)
It says a lot about the health of the cruise industry that a 225,282-gross-ton ship accommodating up to 6,700 guests is overbooked for her May 15, 2025 Mediterranean cruise from Rome.
That’s the case with Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, and booked guests are being courted with some very lucrative offers if they agree to move to a smaller cabin or switch to a different ship.
The most astonishing offer is for a full refund of the cruise fare paid and a $200 onboard credit to those who will move to an interior stateroom. A second option is to transfer their booking to Odyssey of the Seas, leaving Rome three days later, and enjoy a Greek Islands itinerary.
The full refund applies to this alternative, too, but guests would have to pay taxes, port fees, and crew tips — still a bargain.
And finally, guests can cancel their Allure of the Seas booking, get a full refund, and receive a future cruise credit equal to 100% of the value of the original booking.
When it comes to sweet deals, Royal Caribbean takes the cake with these choices.
MSC Cruises’ Guest Arrested on Murder Charge
MSC Virtuosa Cruise Ship in Southampton, UK (Photo Credit: P.Cartwright)
A getaway cruise sailing from the UK took a tragic turn when a 60-year-old guest died following a fight onboard an MSC Cruises ship.
It’s now a murder investigation, and a suspect is under arrest. The altercation happened on MSC Virtuoso’s weekend sailing from Southampton to Bruges, Belgium, on May 3, 2025. Less than three hours after departure, a fight between two men left one dead.
The cruise continued on its scheduled itinerary, and when the 4,800-guest ship returned to Southampton on May 5, 2025, a 57-year-old suspect was taken into custody.
Details of the incident are unknown, including whether the victim and suspect knew each other, how the fight started, and how the man died. Police asked guests with information, or who may have witnessed the fight, to come forward.
Some social media posts described the sailing as a booze cruise, with lots of parties going on. Apparently the death was not made known to the ship’s population at large, as online posts showed guests having a good time, seemingly oblivious to the incident.
Both the suspect and victim were said to be UK residents.
Carnival Corporation, the conglomerate behind major cruise brands including Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Cunard, Costa Cruises, and others, is planning to build a massive — up to 700,000-square-foot — corporate headquarters in Miami.
The company is already based in Miami, but the new, bigger corporate campus will bring together staff from all brands into one giant building.
Slated for completion in 2028, the site will house not only office space for 2,000 employees but also training spaces for the lines’ entertainment projects and other initiatives.
It means that staff now located at smaller offices around the US — Princess is based in Santa Clarita, California, and Holland America in Seattle, for instance, all will relocate to Miami. Carnival Corporation will build the campus on property it has purchased in Miami’s Waterford Business District.
Some industry insiders saw the move coming, since Carnival Corporation in April 2024 put its current office space up for sale.
Hawaii Legislature Passes First Cruise Tax
Royal Caribbean Ship Docked in Honolulu, Hawaii (Photo Credit: Gimas)
For the first time, Hawaii lawmakers agreed to expand the state’s transient accommodations tax to include cruise passengers who visit ports across the islands.
Effective on January 1, 2026, the state will levy an 11% tax on cruise fares, prorated based on the number of days a ship is docked at a Hawaii port.
For example, if a cruise guest visits three Hawaii ports on three days of an itinerary, the tax will reflect 11% of the cruise fare for each of those days.
Hawaii typically welcomes about 1 million cruise guests each year, and is a destination frequently included on world cruises and on sailings from the US and Canadian west coasts. Just one ship, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, sails inter-island voyages year-round from Honolulu.
The tax, which must be signed into law by the state governor, is expected to generate $100 million annually, and be invested in environmental protection projects.
More Cruise Headlines
Don’t stop here! Cruise Hive has even more stories for cruise enthusiasts. Check out our coverage of Carnival Cruise Line selling a limited edition of Jack Daniel’s bourbon onboard its ships; and MSC World Americarescuing people stranded on a boat off Mexico.
