When taking a Carnival shore excursion to Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas, the rules are simple: No wristband means no entry. However, one stubborn cruise guest who didn’t possess this accessory wasn’t taking no for an answer until she was forcibly removed by security.

Over Easter weekend, Carnival Glory was making a routine call on Nassau, Bahamas – which is a staple on all of the current 3 to 4-night itineraries that she is currently operating out of Port Canaveral, Florida.

For many cruisers, one of the perks of visiting Nassau is that it serves as a gateway to Blue Lagoon Island – which is only a three mile (or 35 minute long) ferry ride away.

The island is home to a private beach and a variety of wildlife encounters, such as swimming with dolphins, snorkeling with sharks and stingrays, and meet and greets with sea lions.

But in order to visit the island, guests must first book the shore excursion through Carnival and have to wear a wristband in order to board the ferry – which serves as proof of payment for the crew members.

However, one woman managed to sneak onboard the ferry without a wristband – and refused to leave once she got caught. The confrontation lasted for over an hour before two security officers carried her off the boat.

“We’re stuck on the boat for 1.5 HOURS because one lady snuck on without a wristband and REFUSED to get off. Carnival excursion turned hostage situation?? You can’t make this up,” one witness, who goes by @heyitscrystaltoo on social media, shared on her TikTok.

The scene caused by the uncooperative cruise guest came after her fellow passengers already waited over an hour in line before they were able to board the ferry – with the added delay eating into their beach day and wildlife excursions that they paid for.

The non-offending passengers were also forced to wait in hot weather, which made the delay extra uncomfortable. According to the TikToker, another passenger even had a heat-induced Asthma attack.

What Really Happened?

At this time, it’s not clear if the woman in question intentionally left her wristband behind or not – or if she was even entitled to one.

However, there are only two possible scenarios. Either a mistake was made and she wasn’t given a wristband (or lost it), or she never actually booked and paid for the excursion – which is an offense that could get her banned from the cruise line.

The woman was traveling in a group of three, and a small child that appears to be her son is seen wearing a green wristband in a second TikTok – though his wristband could have been from another activity, too.

According to witnesses, the woman was adamant that she had paid for the excursion and would not leave, and that she would seek legal action against Carnival if she was forced out.

That said, it’s not clear why she wouldn’t then present her proof of payment in the form of an email confirmation or the HUB App on her phone.

Read Also: 10 Worst Cruise Fails You Can Prepare For

“She was determined that she was not getting off this boat. Security came, asked her to leave, and she just kept saying ‘I’m not getting off of the boat’ over and over again. Her little boy was begging her to get off the boat, and then the little boy just walked away, and broke down and started crying,” the TikToker explained.

While she could have left the ferry peacefully when she was first asked to do so and sorted out any miscommunication with the cruise line calmly, the woman’s non-compliance surely resulted in consequences.

In addition to a potential cruise ban, she also could have been hit with a $500 fine for her behavior per Carnival’s Code of Conduct – which is much more than just paying the $94.99 adult cost (or $84.99 child cost) to visit Blue Lagoon through the shore excursion.

It’s unclear if the other guests, who were forced to wait in the heat, have been compensated for the uncomfortable delay or not.

It’s rare that a day goes by without multiple cruise ships docked in the capital of the Bahamas, but visitors to Nassau will need to be cautious in the next few days in the aftermath of a massive, devastating fire.

According to the Nassau Guardian, the blaze broke out shortly before 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, 2025 at Victoria Court near Bay Street and Elizabeth Avenue, less than 500 yards east of the cruise ship pier.

Local residents and business owners shared frantic videos on social media as the fire advanced, pleading for fire truck responses and help.

“Where’s the fire trucks? It’s been an hour! More than an hour, no fire trucks!” one woman was yelling in a video shared by Manila Grill, a popular Filipino restaurant nearby. “We need help! Those who have connections, please call the fire trucks!”

Emergency sirens could be heard in the background, but by that time, the upper stories of the building were fully engulfed. Residents had evacuated as best they were able, bringing as many possessions as they could with them.

The massive structural fire gutted several buildings, including nearby apartments, and is believed to have started in an abandoned building. The cause of the fire is not yet known, nor is it clear whether or not any injuries resulted from the blaze.

Residents in the area reported several “loud booms” as the fire spread. This has not yet been explained, but is not uncommon as fires encounter transformers and other equipment.

Local firefighters battled the fire for several hours before it was contained. To assist the efforts, emergency resources were diverted from Lynden Pindling International Airport, 10 miles away.

At 6 a.m., the area was still burning, though much less violently, and firefighters continued to work to put out the remaining hot spots. The entire area remains closed.

Police have begun an investigation of the incident, and drivers are urged to avoid the area as that investigation is underway.

Are Cruises Impacted?

Five cruise ships from four different lines are planned to dock in Nassau on Friday, May 2 – Norwegian Gem, MSC Seascape, Disney Dream, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Freedom.

Carnival Cruise Line’s official Brand Ambassador, John Heald, commented on the fire early in the morning as Carnival’s ships were due to arrive.

“People are asking if this will change the itineraries to their cruise. Firstly, let me say how very sorry I am to read about this fire and I hope everybody is OK,” he said. “As far as any changes, there are none at the time of me writing this, but I’m sure if there are Chief Chris and his team will let everyone know.”

Just before 9 a.m. on Friday, satellite tracking data and port webcams show that Disney Dream, Carnival Celebration, and MSC Seascape have all arrived as planned, and Carnival Freedom is en route for a later arrival. The ship was not scheduled to arrive until 10 a.m., so this is normal.

Read Also: When Is the Best Time to Cruise to the Bahamas?

Norwegian Gem, however, does not appear to be visiting Nassau on Friday after all, but her itinerary has been updated for a Saturday, May 3 visit.

In the meantime, Oasis of the Seas is shown docked in Nassau – a port change after Labadee was removed from the ship’s original itinerary.

It is unlikely that the fire will impact cruise itineraries, as the cruise port was not involved in the blaze and has not been damaged. Smoke is hanging over the area and will likely remain that way for several days.

Some shore excursions may be slightly impacted for city tours or driving routes, but such changes will likely be minimal. If tours are unable to be operated, booked guests will be notified as necessary.

Throughout the weekend, additional ships from Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Margaritaville at Sea, and Royal Caribbean are expected to call in Nassau.

Vancouver’s Canada Place cruise terminal may have welcomed its first ship of 2025 on March 5, but the port is bracing itself for a surge of passengers that will begin disembarking from major cruise ships between May and September.

As the Alaska cruise season begins, the Port of Vancouver anticipates more than 1.2 million passengers will arrive via more than 300 ships.

In fact, cruise ships are scheduled to call nearly every day now through the end of September, often with multiple vessels docked on weekends.

Port officials say that as many as 50,000 passengers will pass through the terminal between Friday and Monday on peak weeks.

“We’re thrilled to be embarking on another successful season for Vancouver’s thriving cruise sector, with more than a million passengers expected to pass through Canada Place in coming months,” said Chance McKee, cruise account representative at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

The port estimates that each ship visit contributes more than $3 million in direct spending in the local economy, with Holland America Line guests specifically expected to spend nearly $18 million at the city’s restaurants, shops, and attractions.

The cruise line has 74 cruises operating from Vancouver this year with four ships based in the city the first week of May 2025.

“Vancouver is one of the premier hubs from which our ships explore Alaska,” said Bill Fletcher, Holland America Line’s senior director of sales enablement.

Added Budd Darr, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association, “Vancouver is one of the premier gateways to the breathtaking beauty of Alaska and the start of the 2025 cruise season is an exciting milestone.”

To manage the impact of passenger arrivals, the City of Vancouver is testing a new one-way vehicle flow along Canada Place outside the terminal to ease congestion.

The port is also adding more staff to help with guest questions and logistics.

Busy 2025 Season Underway

Although the surge in traffic will be great, Vancouver’s Canada Place’s passenger count will be slightly less than last year.

In 2024, the cruise terminal experienced a record-breaking season, welcoming 1.32 million passengers and hosting 327 cruise ship calls between March 11 and October 29.

That season hit a new high for the port, with 80,000 more guests compared to the previous year.

This year, the port’s season started on March 5, 2025, when the 1,750-passenger Disney Wonder, operated by Disney Cruise Line, arrived at its West Berth.

It took another month before other cruise lines followed suit, with Holland America Line’s 2,650-guest Koningsdam arriving on April 5. The ship returned two more times in April and now is on a series of voyages to Alaska through October 4, 2025.

Read Also: 10 Must-Know Things About the Vancouver Cruise Terminal

The port will have 42 days where its East, North, and West Berths will all be filled, and Vancouver will welcome Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jade, Silversea Cruises’ Silver Moon, Oceania Cruises’ Ocean Riviera, Seabourn’s Seabourn Quest, Viking Cruises’ Viking Venus, and Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas for the first time.

The residential cruise, Villa Vie Odyssey, will also make a maiden call in the port.

Additional cruise lines that will visit the port include Explora Journeys, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, and several expedition lines.

Although the peak season will end in September, Canada Place is scheduled to see ships into October, with Princess Cruises’ 2,000-guest Coral Princess the last passenger ship departure of 2025.

The fast-growing Port Canaveral, the second-busiest US cruise port behind Miami, has detailed more improvements under way or soon to begin as part of its Port Canaveral Advantage plan.

With an investment of nearly $500 million, the port will receive a slew of infrastructure upgrades to its cruise and cargo operations, a May 1, 2025 update from port officials states. 

The cruise industry is the major economic player at the port and accounts for the lion’s share, about 58%, of its total operating revenue. In 2024, that number was $156 million.

Also last year, Port Canaveral reported 7.6 million cruise passenger movements, including homeport embarkations and debarkations, and single-day ship calls. The number is predicted to climb to  8.4 million in 2025, with revenue topping $175 million.

“Port Canaveral has been a driving force for the Central Florida economy for over seven decades, and the continued prosperity of our Port community depends on our continued success,” said Capt. John Murray, CEO of Port Canaveral. 

“As we look ahead to the future, our challenge is balancing the business demands we have today while positioning ourselves for continued growth,” Murray added.

Among the initiatives planned is an expansion of the existing Cruise Terminal 5, adding a Cruise Terminal 6 and increasing its size by 65% to allow the accommodation of larger ships. The expansion is slated to take about 16 months, and construction will not impact ongoing ship operations.

The port announced in 2024 that it would create Cruise Terminal 6 at its North 8 berth space, which would be made available to various cruise lines. Cruise Terminal 5 is mostly used by Royal Caribbean ships.

Along with expanding Cruise Terminal 5, the port’s growth plan includes enhancing Cruise Terminal 10. The project is in its early stages and a feasibility study is scheduled to be finished in June 2025.

The goal of these terminal changes is to provide space and capacity to accommodate mega-ships up to 1,200 feet long. For reference, the largest cruise ship sailing today, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, is 1,196 feet long.

Other improvements detailed in the port’s five-year planning guide are exterior enhancements at Cruise Terminal 1. Starting in May 2025, new walkways, lighting, and landscaping will be added, along with parking garage updates.

Port on Track to Host 1,000-Plus Ship Calls in 2025

In 2025, 16 ships will homeport at Port Canaveral, representing 1,030 total ship calls, including 918 by homeporting ships and 112 calls. Carnival Cruise Line is among the big players at the port, with four ships based there year-round — Carnival Freedom, Carnival Glory, Mardi Gras, and Carnival Vista — and one seasonally based, Carnival Venezia.

Read Also: Port Canaveral Cruise Port – Piers, Terminals, and Getting Around

All of the major cruise lines have a homeport presence at Port Canaveral, including Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Norwegian Cruise Line is the latest to deploy a new-build to Port Canaveral. On April 26, 2025, Norwegian Aqua arrived at the port for her seasonal voyages to the Caribbean. 

Royal Caribbean will be next to base a new-build at Port Canaveral when Star of the Seas, second in the Icon class, launches in August 2025.

The year got off to a roaring start for Port Canaveral, which in March reported a monthly record of 925,994 cruise passenger movements. The number reflects a 16% spike over March 2024.