Safety concerns over channel depths and forecast tides have eliminated Carnival Encounter’s upcoming overnight in Cairns, shortening the visit to one day.
Departure from Cairns was moved up to 8:00 p.m. September 29 and a visit to Townsville was added the following day.
The change comes weeks after shallow channel depths forced the same ship to cancel another Cairns visit entirely.
Guests sailing aboard Carnival Encounter later this month will lose the second day of an overnight visit to Cairns. The recently upgraded 2,600-passenger ship is scheduled to depart from Brisbane, Australia on September 26, 2026 for a 7-night, round-trip Great Barrier Reef sailing.
The cruise was originally set to visit Airlie Beach on September 28, overnight in Cairns on September 29-30, and cruise by Willis Island on October 1, before returning to Brisbane on October 3. However, continued channel-depth concerns have affected the ship’s itinerary for the second time in September.
“Current channel depths and forecasted tidal levels are expected to affect the ship’s ability to safely depart Cairns at the originally scheduled time Wednesday, 30 September,”a notice sent to guests September 16 reads.
Carnival Encounter’s arrival in Cairns at 9:30 a.m. on September 29 remains unchanged. However, instead of leaving Cairns at 6:00 p.m. on September 30 as scheduled, the ship will depart at 8:00 p.m. on September 29, the same day as its arrival.
The cancelled second day in Cairns will instead be replaced by a visit to Townsville on September 30. The ship will arrive in Townsville at 8:00 a.m. and depart at 4:00 p.m. Townsville tours will be made available to guests for booking online ahead of the beginning of the cruise.
Carnival Encounter in Dry Dock
Additionally, the scheduled scenic visit to Willis Island on October 1 has been shifted one hour earlier. Instead of cruising by the island from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., the onboard experience will now take place from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
No changes to the departures and arrivals at Brisbane and Airlie Beach have been announced. Guests who booked shore excursions in Cairns for September 30 will either be moved to the 29th where space allows, or automatically refunded to the original form of payment.
Second Cairns Disruption in One Month
The adjustment comes just weeks after channel-depth issues prevented Carnival Encounter from reaching Cairns at all. Cruise Hive previously reported on adjustments made to the September 5, 2026 sailing aboard the 108,865-gross-ton vessel.
That sailing, a 6-night round-trip cruise from Brisbane, was similarly scheduled to call at Willis Island, Cairns, and Airlie Beach. However, shallow channel depths led to a reshuffling of the itinerary.
Due to those unsafe channel conditions, the visit to Cairns on September 8, 2026 was cancelled entirely. Instead, the scheduled Airlie Beach visit was moved forward to the 8th, and a visit to Townsville was added for September 9.
The September 26 sailing marks the ship’s first subsequent scheduled visit to Cairns. Carnival had not announced any changes to this voyage at the time. The notice now confirms that, while the ship is still expected to reach Cairns on September 29, channel depths will once again affect the itinerary.
The next scheduled visit to Cairns for Carnival Encounter is set for October 28, 2026, during a 6-night Great Barrier Reef sailing from Brisbane, departing October 25. No changes to that itinerary have been announced.
Carnival Encounter is based year-round in Brisbane, offering 3- to 14-night sailings around Australia and the South Pacific. These sailings will continue into 2027 and 2028 as part of Carnival’s expanded Australia and New Zealand lineup.
A sick guest was airlifted from Serenade of the Seas on Monday, September 14, 2026, roughly 480 miles northwest of Vancouver.
The 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force responded to the request for a medical evacuation.
Tthe operation was carried out efficiently and safely in apparent windy conditions, and the guest was transported to Port Hardy.
Just days after a medical airlift of an injured crew member from Disney Wonder and another airlift from an undisclosed ship, the same squadron of emergency personnel has performed another airlift from a cruise ship in the same region northwest of Vancouver.
According to CHEK News, the incident happened on Monday, September 14, 2026, when a request for a medical evacuation of a sick guest came in from Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas roughly 280 miles northwest of Port Hardy (approximately 480 miles northwest of Vancouver).
Serenade of the Seas had departed Vancouver the day before for a 7-night Alaska sailing, with visits planned for Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Prince Rupert.
The 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), based out of 19 Wing Comox in British Columbia, responded to the emergency assistance request and reached the 2,143-guest cruise ship just before 6 p.m., according to time stamps on photos shared by 19 Wing Comox.
A CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and a CC-295 Kingfisher plane coordinated the rescue, with the plane monitoring, communicating with the ship’s captain, and filming while the helicopter lowered two search and rescue technicians onto Serenade of the Seas.
Coordinating with the ship is especially important to create the safest, most stable conditions for the airlift.
“When the helicopter arrives, slow to a minimum steerage speed into the wind,”the flight crew directed in a video shared by the RCAF.
The sick guest was brought to the ship’s bow where the helipad is located and the litter was lowered to bring them up to the helicopter. The technicians secured the litter and guest, and guided the litter onto the helicopter under what appeared to be breezy conditions, according to the video.
Guide wires were used to help stabilize the litter as it was lifted, keeping the patient as level as possible during the extraction.
Following the successful airlift, both the helicopter and the cruise ship offered thanks and appreciation for the assistance, as well as safe journeys to both the aircraft and the ship.
From the ship, the helicopter flew to Port Hardy, where the guest was transferred to paramedics for further transport to the appropriate medical facilities.
Serenade of the Seas Airlift (Credit: 19 Wing Comox)
No details about the guest, including their name, age, or why they required the medical evacuation, have been released. This helps safeguard the privacy of individuals and their family members, friends, and traveling companions at a very stressful time.
Approximately 200 personnel are part of the squadron, including maintenance personnel, pilots, navigators, and the search and rescue technicians, among others.
Cruise Hive is grateful that such personnel remain highly dedicated to their rescue missions, wherever and whenever cruise guests and crew members may require such emergency assistance.
Why Share Such Videos?
It can be curious to guests why videos of airlifts are released publicly, particularly when announcements are often made onboard not to film or photograph during rescue operations to avoid distracting the rescue team at critical moments.
Captain Steve Davies explained to CHEK News why the videos are valuable, not just for training and review. He noted that seeing the operations can help the public understand the dedication of the teams, including just how precise such operations must be.
“You are vulnerable out over the ocean for protracted periods,”Davies said.“Naturally the planning that goes into them is quite intense. Whether it’s at night or in the day, and the weather you’re going to encounter en route will drastically change the complexity.”
By better understanding how the teams coordinate and what is necessary for a successful rescue, guests can better appreciate the extensive training, professionalism, and expertise these teams offer with every rescue operation.
Royal Caribbean has announced when the first deployments and itineraries for the 2028-2029 season will be released for bookings.
Alaska’s 2028 season will be the first available beginning the week of September 28, 2026, followed by part of the European season (week of October 12) and the 2028 7-night Caribbean summer season (week of November 2).
Other sailing regions will be released at a later time, including Australia, the Bahamas, Hawaii, Bermuda, and more.
Experienced cruisers know planning and booking early is the best strategy for securing one’s preferred itinerary, favorite ship, and most desirable stateroom options. Royal Caribbean is making that planning a bit easier by announcing its schedule for 2028-2029 deployment plans.
Because cruise line deployment plans are released, in general, about two years prior to the sailing date, guests are now looking forward to learning which Royal Caribbean ships will be sailing in what regions from summer 2028 and into winter 2029.
2028 European Season (Part 1) – Week of October 12, 2026
2028 7-Night Summer Caribbean Season – Week of November 2, 2026
The Alaskan Season includes all Royal Caribbean cruises in the Last Frontier for Summer 2028. The season typically begins in early May and runs through mid- to late September.
For the 2028 European Season, not all itineraries may be released at the same time. The cruise line may split the deployment announcement by region, such as northern Europe, the Baltic, and the Mediterranean, or some ships may not be announced at the planned date as further itineraries are refined and confirmed.
This split might especially apply to the seventh Oasis-class ship and the fifth Icon-class ship, both of which are expected to debut in 2028. It is possible that at least one of them may enter service in Europe, but those details have not yet been confirmed.
The first of the 2028 Caribbean summer sailings to be released will be the weeklong itineraries. Shorter sailings will be announced at a later time.
Royal Caribbean Deployments
To be clear, the announcement dates only refer to the “Week of” the specific dates. This does not mean that all itineraries will be released on those days, only that Royal Caribbean is targeting that week for bookings to become available, but it might be later in the designated week and not only on the listed date.
It is also possible that some limited bookings may become available prior to those dates as the cruise line’s booking engine is updated with new offerings. There could be glitches and gaps, but the full collection of listed itineraries ought to be available for bookings by the end of the stated weeks.
When Will Other Cruises Be Released?
There are many sailing regions and top itineraries not yet included in this deployment update calendar: Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Bermuda, Hawaii, Mexican Riviera, Bahamas, Canada and New England, shorter Caribbean cruises, and specialized sailings like transits through the Panama Canal, one-way repositioning voyages, and both transatlantic and transpacific cruises.
At this time, Royal Caribbean only notes that those remaining deployment plans are “coming soon.” These itineraries will cover sailing dates from Fall 2028 through Winter 2029.
Bearing in mind that itineraries are generally released two years ahead of departure, these remaining deployment plans are likely to be announced before the end of 2026 or early in 2027, but the cruise line has not confirmed an exact release date.
Itineraries Can Always Change
Savvy cruise guests may look forward to planning their cruises for 2028 and into 2029, but they also know that itineraries and even ship deployments can and do change.
While simple itinerary changes like a swapped or cancelled port can happen for a wide range of reasons from berth availability to storms to unexpected technical issues, deployment swaps can also happen.
For example, Cruise Hive reported in September 2025 that four Royal Caribbean ships were swapping homeports: Radiance of the Seas swapped with Rhapsody of the Seas and Vision of the Seas swapped with Brilliance of the Seas.
The impacted cruises for those swaps were sailings in 2026 and 2027. Booked guests were contacted at the time with their options.
Cruise lines will make such swaps for different reasons. Changes in dry dock planning, the popularity of select itineraries, homeport construction plans, and other factors might all influence ship changes long after itineraries are announced.
As one of the most popular and largest cruise lines in the world, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) offers a bevy of ships for cruisers to book, including its brand-new ships like the Norwegian Luna and the upcoming Norwegian Aura.
However, as is the case with all cruise lines, as NCL’s fleet has welcomed new ships, some of its older ships have fallen out of favor, and it hasn’t quite made sense to keep operating them.
Norwegian Cruise Line has nearly 20 such ships that have been retired, some as recently as 2025. Here’s what’s happened to them.
Sunward
Sunward (Photo Credit: Raymond L. Blazevic)
Before there was Norwegian Cruise Line, the one we know and love today, there was Norwegian Caribbean Line. Founded in 1966, the line’s very first ship wasn’t actually purpose-built as a cruise ship. Instead, it was originally a ferry!
The Sunward (not to be confused by similarly named ships to come) worked as a car ferry between the United Kingdom and Spain before the cruise line took it over, taking Sunward from Europe to the Caribbean, where it would sail from Miami to the Bahamas, to great success.
The Sunward could carry just over 500 passengers and it was hardly a luxury ship. It had two cabin decks, two decks with public spaces and two decks with outdoor spaces and a lounge. The one luxury that did make it stand out? Air conditioning — an amenity not found on some other cruise ships of the day.
However, the Sunward was not to stay long under the Norwegian Caribbean Line umbrella. Sunward was booted from the fleet in 1973.
The ship went back to Europe, and then the Middle East, serving as a ferry, hotel and cruise ship in its next lives, under various new names. The ship finally met its fate after nearly 40 years at sea, being sold for scrap in Bangladesh in 2004.
Starward
Starward (Credit: Robert J. Fluegel)
As Norwegian Caribbean Line saw greater and greater success, it decided to order some purpose-built cruise ships for its own use. Starward was the first of these, built in 1968.
However, in a unique nod to Sunward’s past, Starward could also carry cars, just like a ferry — though the car-carrying spaces within the ship were converted into public spaces and cabins for passengers after a time.
Starward remained in the fleet for much longer than Sunward, though, until 1995, when the ship was sold. Over its life, the ship changed hands multiple times.
It sailed for Festival Cruises, Louis Cruise Lines and others (including the U.S. government as an evacuation ship in 2006), until it was eventually sold for scrap in 2018.
Skyward
Skyward (Photo Credit: Rich Turnwald)
Skyward was very similar to Starward, also being ordered as a purpose-built ship for Norwegian Caribbean Line after the line saw its increase in bookings after launching Sunward.
It likewise featured that car-carrying space that was later converted. Additionally, both ships were about 80% larger than Sunward and capable of carrying around 750 passengers.
These earlier ships were known as the White Fleet, because, at the time, NCL’s ships were all white on the hull, rather than sporting the colorful hull art the line is known for today. As a fleet, the ships served very short sailings from Miami.
However, while Norwegian Cruise Line was seeing a good degree of success with these earlier ships, the line was not without its issues.
On Skyward in particular, the line faced a series of illnesses due to serving infected water on the ship, and, in 1979, a fire broke out on the ship.
After leaving NCL in 1991, Skyward served multiple purposes, as a cruise ship and casino ship, for a handful of different owners, its last being New Century Cruise Line. In 2021, the ship was sold for scrap in India.
Southward
Southward (Photo Credit: Rich Turnwald)
Between Skyward and Southward, there was supposed to be another ship, Seaward, but this 1970s ship never saw the light of day, at least not as a Norwegian Cruise Line ship.
Seaward’s builder went under, the hull was sold to P&O and the ship that was intended to be Seaward eventually became Spirit of London.
Regardless, Southward was the next ship for Norwegian Caribbean Line and would eventually be the next ship to leave the line’s fleet.
Southward departed from earlier ships Starward and Skyward by being the first ship in the fleet to have none of those ferry-esque car-carrying capabilities.
The Southward was built in 1971 and is actually partially to credit for Norwegian Caribbean Line changing its name to Norwegian Cruise Line.
When Southward moved from the Caribbean to offering similarly short itineraries out of Los Angeles, the cruise line couldn’t very well call itself “Caribbean” anymore, and so it became Norwegian Cruise Line.
Norwegian Cruise Line relieved itself of Southward in 1994 and the ship changed hands several times before eventually becoming scrap in 2013.
Sunward II
Sunward II (Photo Credit: Rich Turnwald)
Next up was the Sunward II, acquired in 1977 after the original Sunward I’s retirement from the fleet. Sunward II was not purpose-built for Norwegian Cruise Line. Instead, the cruise line purchased the Cunard Adventurer from Cunard, and transformed it into Sunward II.
The ship remained in the fleet until 1991, after which it was sold to Epirotiki Lines, for Greek Isle cruises. The ship changed hands a few more times before eventually being scrapped in India, in 2014.
Norway
SS Norway (Photo Credit: Thorsten Pohl)
Very similarly, the Norway was not built for Norwegian Cruise Line at all — but that didn’t stop the ship from making waves when it first debuted under the NCL banner in 1980.
Norway was significantly, significantly larger than the cruise line’s prior ships. In its past life, the Norway was known as the France. Already on the older side, the ship had been out of service for a few years before Norwegian Cruise Line purchased it.
However, the France had set records already over its life, as one of the largest ships in the industry, as well as the longest ship ever built and the second-fastest passenger ship to offer transatlantic cruises. It took about $80 million to turn the France into the Norway.
There was just one issue. The new Norway was too large to visit the Caribbean ports of call that Norwegian Cruise Line was accustomed to visiting.
As such, the cruise line began using tendering ships known as the Little Norway I and the Little Norway II to get passengers from the Norway to shore. (Interested in these unique ships? You can actually see them if you have to tender at Great Stirrup Cay.)
Over Norway’s life, it received several upgrades in order to retain its status as one of the most impressive in the biz. The ship received luxury staterooms and private veranda cabins, and new public spaces, for example. The ship would sail all over the world, before it was eventually retired from the NCL fleet in 2003.
The ship was sold for scrap, but the process of actually turning the ship into scrap was a long one, as the ship’s large volume of asbestos required careful handling.
Seaward/Norwegian Sea
Norwegian Sea Docked in Roatan
Remember how there was supposed to be a Seaward ship that debuted for Norwegian Cruise Line in the 1970s, but that ship never materialized and the hull was given over to P&O?
Well, finally, in the 1980s, Norwegian Cruise Line got another crack at this ship. By the time Seaward debuted, the ship was the first new-build ship for the cruise line in nearly two decades.
Seaward was built in Turku, Finland, and cost $120 million at the time. It could hold 1,534 passengers and measured in at around 42,000 GT. The ship offered a range of cruises and, by the mid-1990s, represented about 20% of Norwegian Cruise Line’s capacity, given the ship’s size.
Seaward was renamed Norwegian Sea in 1997 and, eventually, was transferred over to Star Cruises in 2005, at which point the ship became SuperStar Libra.
SuperStar Libra was heavily overhauled to meet the expectations of the Asian cruising market and began cruising out of India. In 2018, the ship became a hotel ship, and then it was finally moved to Turkey to be turned into scrap in 2022.
Westward
Black Watch (formerly Westward)
Norwegian Cruise Line’s parent company bought the Royal Viking cruise line in the 1980s and, in 1991, two of the line’s ships were transferred over to the NCL brand: Westward and Sunward (yes, yet another ship named Sunward). However, neither of these ships would remain in the fleet very long.
Westward was already pretty old when it joined the fleet, having been built in the early 1970s, and sailing for Royal Viking for nearly 20 years. As Westward, the ship offered itineraries between New York City and Bermuda.
However, after just a handful of years, the ship moved to Royal Cruise Line, where it was renamed Star Odyssey, but only lasted a handful of years here, too, before moving on to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. The ship became the Black Watch, sailed for a while longer, then was sold as a hotel ship in 2020, then beached for scrapping in 2022.
Yes, there were already two other Norwegian Cruise Line ships that were named Sunward, but, at the time of this Sunward’s sailing, the other two were out of commission.
The latest Sunward was, like Westward, acquired from Royal Viking Line. The ship had already been sailing for quite some time and would only sail for NCL for a very brief period, about a year.
Over its lifetime, the ship would have more than 10 different operators, finally being sold for scrap in 2021.
Norwegian Star
Norwegian Star (Photo Credit: Aah-Yeah)
Norwegian Star is kind of an outlier, as it didn’t really sail for the Norwegian Cruise Line that we know of now.
Instead, this ship, like Sunward and Westward, was originally a Royal Viking Line ship and, when it was turned over to Norwegian Cruise Line, it became a member of a small fleet (so small that this was the only ship!) known as the Norwegian Capricorn Line.
The Norwegian Capricorn Line had the same owners as Norwegian Cruise Line, but it was technically a separate cruise line meant to offer cruises to the Australian market. Unfortunately, the Norwegian Capricorn Line didn’t last long. In 2001, the ship was given to Star Cruises.
Since then, the ship has changed hands multiple times and was a hotel ship at one point. The ship was scrapped in 2021.
Dreamward/Norwegian Dream
Norwegian Dream Cruise Ship
Built in 1992, Dreamward — later renamed Norwegian Dream — didn’t really compete with the other cruise ships of its age, in terms of size.
However, it was a nimble little ship. Measuring in at around 40,000 gross tons, it was just a fraction of the size of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships today, but it was actually built with the intention that it could be, if needed, lengthened and expanded.
In 1998, the ship was resized and renamed Norwegian Dream. However, this expansion did not ensure Norwegian Dream’s standing in the fleet for very long. Just six years later, the ship was turned over to Star Cruises.
While Star Cruises had plans to sell the ship multiple times over the years, those deals never materialized, and the ship remained in Star Cruises’ possession, undergoing some extensive refurbishments along the way, until the ship was finally sold for scrap in 2022.
Windward/Norwegian Wind
Norwegian Wind in Alaska (Photo Credit: Gillfoto)
Sister ship to Dreamward, Windward was built in 1993 and likewise was able to be lengthened and expanded if needed. This occurred in 1998 as well, and the ship received its new name: Norwegian Wind.
However, Norwegian Wind’s story was much the same as Norwegian Dream’s tale. The ship was transferred over to Star Cruises in 2007 and became SuperStar Aquarius. It was also sold for scrap in 2022.
Leeward
Leeward (Photo Credit: Aah-Yeah)
In the 1990s, beyond building a few new ships, Norwegian Cruise Line also continued its pattern of acquiring older ships and repurposing them for its own use. As somewhat of a throwback to its origins, the cruise line acquired another ferry in 1995.
The Leeward was built in 1980 and did serve as a partial ferry for six years before becoming a full cruise ship in 1986, then operated by the now-defunct Sally Cruise. The ship led a dramatic life for a while, suffering fires, partial sinkings and an array of rebuilds.
As mentioned, Norwegian Cruise Line put its stamp on the ship in 1995, renaming it Leeward, but the ship only remained in the fleet for five years before it went on to join Star Cruises.
Following this stint, the ship changed hands several other times. It most recently operated as Celestyal Crystal for Celestyal Cruises until 2023.
In April 2025, the ship was sold to a UAE buyer and was eventually scrapped at Alang ship-breaking facility in India.
Norwegian Crown
Norwegian Crown (Photo Credit: Doug Letterman)
In 1996, Norwegian Cruise Line moved another ship over from the previously purchased Royal Cruise Line (NCL had purchased the entire line in the late 1980s — don’t confuse Royal Cruise Line with Royal Viking Line!) to the NCL fleet. The prior Crown Odyssey, built in the 1980s, became Norwegian Crown.
This ship was traded back and forth between fleets several times. In 2000, NCL passed it over to Orient Lines, which it had also purchased, and the ship became Crown Odyssey again. Then, in 2003, the ship went back to being a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, retaking the Norwegian Crown name.
Finally, the ship was sold in 2006 to Fred. Olsen Cruises, at which point the ship was renamed Balmoral, and, today, the ship still offers itineraries. It’s currently the smallest ship in the Fred. Olsen Cruises fleet.
Norwegian Dynasty
Norwegian Dynasty (Photo Credit: MeRyan)
In 1997, Norwegian Cruise Line purchased Majesty Cruise Line and gained two ships in the process. Norwegian Dynasty was originally Crown Dynasty, operated by Cunard Line, before being operated by Majesty Cruise Line under the name Crown Majesty.
Norwegian Cruise Line only operated Norwegian Dynasty, a very small ship at only about 25,000 GT, for two years, before eventually selling the ship to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.
The ship operated under the line for nearly two decades, until it was sold to Villa Vie Residences. The ship offers long-term, residential-style cruises, with cruisers sailing for more than three years at a time. As of early 2025, cruisers are still actively living on the ship.
Norwegian Majesty
Norwegian Majesty (Photo Credit: K0NFUZIUS)
Also once a Majesty Cruise Line ship, Norwegian Cruise Line gained this ship as well in the line’s acquisition.
Norwegian Cruise Line expanded the ship, lengthening her, and renamed her Norwegian Majesty, but only kept her for less than a decade before transferring her to Star Cruises.
The ship was sold to Louis Cruise Lines in 2008 and then eventually to Mano Cruise, in 2018. The ship currently goes by the name Crown Iris.
Norwegian Sun
Norwegian Sun Cruise Ship in Jacksonville (Photo Credit: NEFLO PHOTO)
After Norwegian Majesty, Norwegian Cruise Line more or less slowed its continual revolving door of ships, while also slowing its acquisition of other, older ships, instead focusing on its own new-builds.
This has resulted in the modern Norwegian Cruise Line fleet that we see today. Since Norwegian Majesty’s retirement, we’ve not seen any other ships leave the fleet until announcements were made in 2025 — starting with the announcement regarding the retirement of Norwegian Sun.
This Sun-class ship originally launched in 2001. It’s long been one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s smaller and more modest ships, so it’s no surprise that the cruise line decided to transfer her over to Cordelia Cruises, in a joint transfer along with Norwegian Sky.
While the announcement was made in 2025, the transfers are scheduled for 2026 and 2027, for Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun, respectively.
Don’t worry, though. While some cruisers may have been out of sorts at the thought that their previously scheduled cruises on these two ships were canceled, Norwegian Cruise Line is replacing the ships with bigger and newer ships to come over the next few years.
Before its retirement was announced in March 2025, Norwegian Sky was not the oldest or smallest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet (that title is held by Norwegian Spirit, which is still in operation).
However, the cruise line still felt that Norwegian Sky was a better choice to leave the fleet than its sister ship.
Norwegian Sky itself has an interesting history, as it was originally destined to become a Costa Cruises ship, but then, during the ship’s construction at Lloyd Werft in Germany, the ship became Norwegian Sky, launching in 1999. Over the ship’s lifetime, it’s also served as the Pride of Aloha.
The ship was rumored to be sold or transferred to either Star Cruises or Pullmantur Cruises at various points in time, but those changes never materialized.
Now, though, Norwegian Sky has already completed its final passenger cruise, which was a 9-night sailing out of Barcelona on August 31, 2026. The vessel will finally have a new life known as Cordelia Sky for Cordelia Cruises, which serves the Indian cruise market.
Ruby Princess will not be visiting Nawiliwili (Kauai) on her September 17, 2026 sailing, a 16-night Hawaiian voyage roundtrip from San Francisco.
Hurricane Lowell caused extensive power outages and damage on Kauai when it passed close to the island on September 7-8.
Instead, Ruby Princess will extend her visit to Honolulu into an overnight stay, but no other ports on the itinerary are impacted.
Ruby Princess will be skipping her planned visit to Nawiliwili (Kauai) on her September 17, 2026 departure, a 16-night Hawaiian Islands cruise roundtrip from San Francisco. To give guests more port time, the ship will extend her visit to Honolulu, arriving earlier than planned and staying at Hawaii’s capital city overnight.
The change is due to the impact Hurricane Lowell has had on Kauai following the storm’s close passage to the island on Monday night, September 7, and into Tuesday morning, September 8. The storm, which peaked at Category 5 but weakened to Category 2 as it passed the western islands, was the first hurricane to directly impact Kauai since 1992 and, according to Kaua’i Now, knocked out power to more than 91% of the island’s utility cooperative accounts.
As of September 16, an outage map from KIUC shows more than 3,100 customers are still without power. Hundreds of structures were also damaged by the storm, as well as roads on the island.
Princess Cruises reached out to guests booked on Ruby Princess‘ September 17 departure to alert them to the itinerary change.
“Due to the impact of Hurricane Lowell on the island of Kauai, Ruby Princess will no longer call to Kauai (Nawiliwili), Hawaii on Tuesday, September 22,”the notification confirmed.
The ship was scheduled to be in Nawiliwili from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The port was to have been the first stop on the ship’s itinerary, but now Ruby Princess will proceed straight to Honolulu.
“Instead, the call to Honolulu, Hawaii has been extended to an overnight call now arriving on Tuesday, September 22 and departing Wednesday, September 23 as scheduled,”the email said.
Ruby Princess was originally scheduled to arrive in Honolulu at 7 a.m. on Wednesday. Now, the estimated time of arrival is 8 a.m. on Tuesday, giving guests a full 39 hours in the city before the planned departure at 11 p.m. on Wednesday, plenty of time for an additional tour or more experiences ashore.
The cruise line has confirmed that any shore excursions booked through Princess Cruises for the now-cancelled visit to Kauai will be automatically cancelled and refunded to the original form of payment.
At this time, there are no further changes to the itinerary. Ruby Princess is still scheduled to visit Kona from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 24 followed by Kahului from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, September 25.
The next five full days will be at sea, and Ruby Princess will have a short call to Ensenada, Mexico from 12 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 1, before one more day at sea. The ship will return to San Francisco for debarkation on Saturday, October 3.
Not the First Storm to Impact Hawaii in 2026
Hurricane Lowell is not the first storm to have impacted the Aloha State during the 2026 hurricane season. In the eastern Pacific, the official hurricane season runs from May 15 through November 30.
In mid-August, Cruise Hive reported on the impact of Hurricane Lala, which included cancelled port visits and itinerary adjustments for Pride of America and Norwegian Spirit while the Port of Honolulu was closed.
While Hawaii has had multiple storm impacts this season, the Atlantic hurricane season has been eerily quiet, with no official hurricanes yet recorded since the season began on June 1.
In many years, multiple ports in the Bahamas and Caribbean would have port closures and ship itinerary changes due to the impact of different storms. Though 2026 has not yet seen an Atlantic hurricane, tropical storms can still be of great concern and cause similar adjustments to cruise ship sailings.
A fire in a linen storage area onboard Phoenix Reisen’s Amadea caused 320 guests to be evacuated to a different part of the ship on September 14, 2026.
The fire happened while the ship was docked in Ronne, Denmark for a port visit but was extinguished within 10 minutes of the first report.
No injuries were reported related to the fire and local authorities praised the crew’s response to the emergency.
It was a scary 10 minutes aboard Phoenix Reisen’s Amadea on Monday, September 14, 2026 as a fire broke out onboard and hundreds of guests were prepared for evacuation.
According to Bornholms Tidende and other local reports, the fire was reported at 7:21 a.m. while the ship was docked in Ronne, Denmark, preparing for guests to debark for the day’s port visit. Emergency agencies responded quickly, and the fire was extinguished by 7:31 a.m.
During those 10 minutes, 320 guests onboard the ship were evacuated from one deck to another and moved to a different part of the ship by crew members.
“They did a fantastic job,” Emil Gørløv, incident commander with Bornholm Fire Service, said of the crew’s response, “and they gave us good guidance so we could quickly find our way around on board.”
Port employees also helped direct emergency response vehicles along the access road to the ship to ensure fast action and efficiency.
No injuries to guests or crew members were reported.
The fire occurred in a linen storage area of the ship’s laundry facilities, but an official cause of the blaze has not yet been determined. Bornholm Police are investigating, but no further information has been released.
The extent of damage onboard the vessel has not been confirmed, but the 624-guest ship departed Ronne and has continued on her 12-night itinerary. The cruise began in Bremerhaven, Germany on Saturday, September 5, 2026 and had already visited ports in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Poland before the fire occurred in Ronne.
The ship was scheduled to be visiting the Danish island from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and appeared to depart on schedule. A call to Wismar, Germany followed on Tuesday, September 15, and Amadea will arrive back in Bremerhaven for debarkation on Thursday, September 17.
Phoenix Reisen has not made a public statement about the incident.
Small Fires Happen in Select Areas Onboard
Small fires happen more frequently in certain areas onboard cruise ships, including laundry facilities, engine rooms, and kitchens. On June 10, 2024, a small electrical fire broke out in the main laundry room onboard MSC Cruises’ MSC Armonia as the ship was arriving in Venice for a scheduled port of call visit.
On August 29, 2025, a small fryer fire on P&O Cruises’ Iona caused temporary closure of multiple onboard restaurants and a call for crew members to report to their muster stations. That fire was quickly controlled and guests were not required to muster.
The same day as the fire aboard Amadea, Cruise Hive reported on a fire onboard the tour boat Klondike Express in Whittier, Alaska. That fire impacted Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jade, forcing the cruise ship away from the dock to stay safe as the fire was brought under control. That incident stretched over several hours and caused severe damage to the tour boat.
Norwegian Jade was not damaged but did switch to a different cruise terminal for embarkation of her next sailing.
A week earlier, a small fire was reported in a trash bin onboard the upcoming Norwegian Aura at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. That incident was quickly contained and there was no significant damage to the new ship.
Following a fight onboard Costa Smeralda, 13 cruise guests have been reported to Palermo authorities for aggravated brawling.
The incident involved two groups of guests after a comment made toward a young woman escalated to physical violence.
Authorities identified all 13 guests involved and it was confirmed that one guest who was kicked while unconscious did not suffer serious injuries.
One comment turned into a brawl with more than a dozen participants aboard Costa Smeralda recently while the ship was at sea in the waters between Naples and Palermo.
According to Palermo Today and investigations from local authorities, including the Palermo Maritime Border Police, the incident was between two groups of young guests, ages 18-20. One group has been identified as from Salento, while the other group is from Sicily.
Italpress has noted that the two groups boarded Costa Smeralda in Civitavecchia and Palermo, respectively. It is unknown whether anyone in either group knew one another prior to meeting onboard the ship.
Following detailed reconstruction of the incident from onboard video surveillance footage and crew member accounts, authorities determined that an individual in the Salento group directed a joke at a young woman in the Sicilian group, which began a verbal confrontation near the ship’s nightclub.
The encounter quickly escalated to physical violence and moved into corridors and the nearby elevator bank. Video of the incident shared from the Palermo Maritime Border Police and posted on Facebook shows a very active fight scene with at least one chair thrown and other nearby furniture in disarray.
During the fight, one young man was reportedly knocked unconscious and several others continued to kick him in the head. He was hospitalized temporarily for medical checks but it was determined he had not suffered any serious injuries.
As a result of the brawl, 13 cruise guests were reported to the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Palermo for aggravated brawling, but it is not confirmed if they were taken into custody or officially charged.
The exact date of the incident is unclear, but the 5,224-guest ship is sailing regular itineraries in the Mediterranean and sails along the Italian coast each week. The ship’s most recent call to Palermo was on Thursday, September 10, 2026, while the most recent visit to Civitavecchia was on Friday, September 11.
Fights Not Uncommon But Followed by Consequences
Unfortunately, fights are not uncommon on cruise ships. When thousands of people are together for several days, it is inevitable that personality conflicts may occur.
Cruise Hive has reported on various incidents from different ships and in different ports of call involving cruise guests. For example, on June 8, 2026, six guests were arrested in Nassau for a brawl at the port that continued in the nearby police station. Ultimately, those guests were collectively fined more than $52,000 for a variety of charges.
Also in June 2026, a huge brawl erupted at PortMiami following a 3-night weekend sailing of Carnival Conquest and 16 guests involved in the incident were banned from Carnival Cruise Line.
No consequences have been confirmed from Costa Cruises for those young guests involved in the recent brawl, but the cruise line’s own terms and conditions clearly state in Section 10.2 that “Passengers’ behavior shall not affect the safety, comfort, wellbeing or enjoyment of other Passengers.”
The terms and conditions go on to outline that the ship’s Master has the power to take actions such as debarking guests, confining them to their staterooms, or otherwise limiting their activities due to unruly behavior.
Royal Caribbean has named retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson as godmother of Legend of the Seas.
During her 37-year military career, Robinson made history as the first woman to lead a U.S. unified combatant command.
The naming ceremony will take place in Fort Lauderdale on Veterans Day, November 11, as the ship begins its U.S. season.
Royal Caribbean has named retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson as godmother of Legend of the Seas. The history-making military leader is set to officially name the cruise line’s third Icon Class ship this November.
The naming ceremony will take place four days after the vessel arrives in Fort Lauderdale, following its inaugural European summer season. Robinson will be joined by Royal Caribbean executives, crew members, and other guests at the Florida port for the naming event.
The ceremony coincides with the United States’ annual observance of Veterans Day, giving Robinson’s selection added significance. Robinson commented on the date’s importance to her and expressed her gratitude for the role.
“I am deeply honored to be named godmother of Legend of the Seas and take part in such a special tradition for Royal Caribbean alongside my family,”Robinson said.
“Having the ship’s naming ceremony on Veterans Day makes this especially meaningful to me, and I look forward to recognizing the generations of men and women who have served.”
Robinson’s historic Air Force career spanned 37 years from 1981 to 2018. Among her notable leadership positions, she served as commander of Pacific Air Forces from 2014 to 2016.
Legend of the Seas Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Jouni Niskakoski)
In 2016, President Barack Obama nominated Robinson to lead U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). She became the first woman in U.S. history to lead a unified combatant command and led USNORTHCOM and NORAD until her retirement in 2018.
As godmother of Legend of the Seas, Robinson will bestow well wishes on the ship, its crew, and future passengers at the naming ceremony. She joins the roster of Icon Class godparents, who include soccer star Lionel Messi, godfather of Icon of the Seas, and research astronaut Kellie Gerardi, godmother of Star of the Seas.
Legend of the Seas Arriving in Florida
The naming ceremony for the 248,663-gross-ton vessel will take place in Fort Lauderdale on November 11, 2026. Legend of the Seasofficially entered service on July 4, 2026 and spent its inaugural season sailing in Europe.
The ship is scheduled to reposition to Fort Lauderdale from Barcelona with a 13-night transatlantic cruise departing October 25. The vessel will then arrive at the Florida port on November 7, 2026.
Legend will sail one cruise from Fort Lauderdale prior to the naming ceremony. This 3-night voyage will depart November 8 and visit Royal Caribbean’s private island destination, Perfect Day CocoCay, before returning at 6:00 a.m. on November 11, ahead of the ceremony.
Following the naming ceremony, the 5,610-guest ship will sail another 3-night getaway to CocoCay, marketed as a special “Legend Naming Cruise.” It will then kick off its regular Caribbean program on November 14 and continue sailing Caribbean voyages from Fort Lauderdale until it repositions to Barcelona in April 2027.
Norwegian Cruise Line has revealed the entertainment options that will be available aboard the upcoming Norwegian Aura.
“Whitney: A Celebration of Whitney Houston” will be the headlining production show, with other live music and immersive productions.
The 170,000-gross-ton ship is scheduled to welcome her first guests in the Mediterranean in May 2027.
Some legendary entertainers just have an aura about them, and Whitney Houston is one such superstar. It’s entirely fitting, then, that a new tribute to the singer will be the headlining production show aboard the upcoming Norwegian Aura.
Norwegian Cruise Line announced the new ship’s entertainment lineup on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, just over eight months before the fifth Prima-class ship will welcome her first guests.
“Whitney: A Celebration of Whitney Houston” has been developed in partnership with The Estate of Whitney E. Houston and Primary Wave Music, ensuring a comprehensive and exclusive look at the singer’s spectacular career. Houston’s accolades included more than 220 million records sold worldwide, six Grammy Awards, and seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits.
The 45-minute production show incorporates contemporary arrangements of Houston’s hits along with storytelling and stagecraft for a unique concert tribute.
Multiple popular hits are part of the show’s lineup, including “It’s Not Right, But It’s OK,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me).” The show will be held in the three-story Aura Theatre & Club located forward on Decks 6, 7, and 8.
“We are thrilled to partner with Norwegian Cruise Line to present ‘Whitney: A Celebration of Whitney Houston’ for the debut of the Norwegian Aura in May 2027,”said Pat Houston, executor of The Estate of Whitney E. Houston and president of the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation.
“Whitney enjoyed cruises. Her fans and supporters will have a nostalgic experience enjoying the extraordinary artistry and live music of Whitney Houston, performed by worldclass musicians while sailing on the high seas.”
“Every new ship is an opportunity for Norwegian Cruise Line to push the boundaries of what entertainment at sea can be, and with ‘Whitney: A Celebration of Whitney Houston,’ we’re building on the incredible momentum we’ve seen from our Vegas residency-inspired productions celebrating some of music’s most iconic artists,”said Bryan White, vice president of entertainment production at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
More Original Entertainment Options and Guest Favorites
The Whitney Houston tribute production show is not the only exclusive entertainment planned for Norwegian Aura.
Guests will marvel at illusions, acrobatics, and visual effects in the 45-minute production show “ILLUMINOX: Infinite Wonder Unboxed” that encompasses steampunk vibes as it turns impossibilities into realities.
For live music fans, “The Vinyl Republic” is the cruise line’s newest music collective that celebrates the legacy of vinyl records across different genres, from country to funk to blues and more. Two late-night parties are planned, one focusing on rock and the other on country, with other live music performances throughout the ship on every sailing.
“LunaTique: Pop Circus” will also be featured on Norwegian Aura, merging adults-only cabaret, circus artistry, and nightlife with curated cocktails. Guests should note that this is an extra-charge show, though the other entertainment offered onboard is complimentary.
Finally, to keep the party going, “Latin LIVE!” is an energy-filled poolside celebration with live percussionists, vocalists, and dance performances sure to light up the night even as the sun goes down.
To discover all the ship’s entertainment options, guests won’t want to miss the “Aura FIRST NIGHT” welcome showcase that will introduce the entire lineup with sample performances, helping guests plan their entertainment preferences onboard.
Norwegian Aura is currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. Cruise Hive reported on her floating out on April 17, 2026, and the 170,000-gross-ton ship, the largest ever built for Norwegian Cruise Line, is now undergoing interior finishing ahead of her Mediterranean debut in May 2027.
