Blog Page 4

Coast Guard Monitors Sick Cruiser 900 Miles Out, Then Rescues Him

Calvin Musquez
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Coast Guard Monitors Sick Cruiser 900 Miles Out, Then Rescues Him

Key Aspects:

  • An 81-year-old passenger was medically evacuated from Windstar Cruises’ Star Pride on October 26, 2026.
  • The U.S. Coast Guard received the request two days earlier, while the ship was approximately 900 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico.
  • A helicopter crew safely hoisted the passenger and a ship’s nurse aboard before transporting the patient to a San Juan hospital.

On October 26, 2026, U.S. Coast Guard crews conducted a medical evacuation from Windstar Cruises’ Star Pride. The 12,995-gross-ton vessel was sailing approximately 900 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico on Saturday, October 24, when an 81-year-old man on board suffered a medical emergency.

Sector San Juan watchstanders received an urgent medical evacuation request from the ship that same day, around 5:00 p.m. However, the Coast Guard did not immediately dispatch aid, instead maintaining continuous contact with the vessel over the weekend.

The Coast Guard did not say why it waited, but at 900 nautical miles the ship was well beyond the range of its helicopters, so watchstanders kept in contact with the vessel and monitored the patient as Star Pride sailed toward Puerto Rico. Commander Scott Verhage, Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen operations officer, explained the difficulty in conducting these long-range operations in a statement.

“Air Station Borinquen and Sector San Juan train relentlessly to mitigate the risks associated with demanding Coast Guard missions like long-range medical evacuations,” said Commander Verhage. “Our ultimate goal is to execute safe, highly efficient operations within a dynamic and unforgiving maritime environment.”

Star Pride Cruise Ship Airlift
Star Pride Cruise Ship Airlift (Credit: U.S. Coast Guard)

On Monday, an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew was dispatched to the ship around 3:00 p.m. By that time, Star Pride was sailing approximately 150 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico, en route to San Juan.

A video of the medevac shared by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the successful hoisting of the passenger as well as the ship’s nurse onto the helicopter by the crew. The guest was then transported to San Juan and taken to Centro Médico Hospital (the Puerto Rico Medical Center) in Río Piedras for further treatment. 

No Reported Impact to Star Pride’s Itinerary

At the time of the medevac, Star Pride was on an 8-night cruise to San Juan that departed from Boston on October 20. That same cruise was also sold as the final segment of a longer 19-night sailing from Montreal that departed October 9, though it’s unclear which of the two offerings the 81-year-old guest was a part of.

No interruption to Star Pride’s itinerary has been announced. Passengers were scheduled to disembark in San Juan on October 28.

The Same Air Station Has Conducted Cruise Ship Airlifts Before

Medical evacuations are not an unusual occurrence at sea. While cruise ships often have medical facilities and personnel onboard, passengers sometimes require medical aid beyond what the ship’s crew can provide.

In those cases, the ship’s crew will call for aid to evacuate and transport the patient. When sailing in and near U.S. waters, that task usually falls upon the U.S. Coast Guard. 

Cruise Hive recently reported that the same Coast Guard air station performed another airlift medevac from a cruise ship off the coast of Puerto Rico in September. Five hours after Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas departed San Juan, the Coast Guard airlifted a 32-year-old crew member suffering from severe abdominal pain. 

Air Station Borinquen Coast Guard crews are no strangers to long-range rescue operations, having conducted several others in past years. In 2024, for example, crews executed another successful airlift from Disney Fantasy 180 nautical miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

The identity of Star Pride’s guest has not been disclosed. While he was taken to the hospital for treatment, his medical condition has also not been publicly announced.

Carnival Clears Up Confusion Over Free Drinks for Diamond and Platinum Guests

Melissa Mayntz
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Carnival Clears Up Confusion Over Free Drinks for Diamond and Platinum Guests

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival has clarified how Diamond and Platinum Carnival Rewards members can use their two free drinks benefit.
  • The free drinks are also in addition to any Carnival FunPacks drink inclusions if guests purchase one of the bundle packages.
  • FunPacks are available for purchase through October 30, 2026 and can only be applied to voyages departing from October 31, 2026 through December 31, 2027.

One of the most popular benefits of being a Platinum or Diamond member with Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Rewards program is the two complimentary beverages guests may claim onboard. This perk was also available as part of the “Very Important Fun Person” (VIFP) loyalty program that ended on August 31, 2026.

Whether in the VIFP program or now in the Carnival Rewards program, however, the complimentary beverages have caused confusion for guests as to when and how they may be claimed.

John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, addressed the confusion and explained how guests can make the most of their beverage choices in a video posted to his Facebook account on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

“I’ve had, again, people a little confused about it,” Heald noted. “When you get on board, and unless you tell the bartender or the bar server that you do not want your first two drinks to be those complimentary ones, they will automatically make it.”

It is standard policy that a Diamond or Platinum guest’s first two drinks are those complimentary beverages, but Heald confirms how easy it is for guests to request otherwise and save the complimentary drinks for later in their sailing.

“If you go up to the bartender and say, could I have a bottle of water, I’m really thirsty, the bartender gives you a bottle of water. Unless you say, please do not make this one of my complimentary Platinum or Diamond drinks, they will automatically do it,” he explained.

If a guest requests that a drink not be one of their complimentary beverages, that purchase will be charged to their stateroom account instead and their two free drinks will remain available for later use.

Heald also recommends that guests let the bartender or bar server know if they are using one of their complimentary beverages by stating it as they place their drink order.

Alchemy Bar on Mardi Gras Cruise Ship
Alchemy Bar on Mardi Gras Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)

FunPacks and Free Drinks

Another bit of confusion with the complimentary beverages for Diamond and Platinum guests is whether those count against the drink totals if guests purchase one of the limited-time FunPack bundle promotions.

Those four bundles, which Carnival Cruise Line announced on October 14, 2026, include different drink options depending on which FunPack guests select.

The “Kidstarter FunPack” bundle includes the full Bottomless Bubbles soda and juice package, while the “Zero Proof FunPack” includes the CHEERS! Zero Proof package that the cruise line first introduced in September 2025. The “Social FunPack” offers guests three alcoholic beverages per day plus unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, while the “Epic FunPack” includes the complete CHEERS! beverage package.

Heald confirmed that if Diamond or Platinum guests do purchase a FunPack, they will still receive their complimentary beverages in addition to the drinks included in their FunPack.

“One of the questions I had was over and over was, if I buy these, do I still get my 2 complimentary Platinum or Diamond drinks? Yes, you do,” he said. “That does not interfere with that at all.”

The FunPacks are only available for purchase through October 30, 2026 and may be applied to sailings departing from October 31, 2026 through December 31, 2027. FunPacks must be purchased at least three days before the sailing date.

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Heald did not disclose whether or not the FunPack options would be extended for either purchase date or sailing date, but he did comment on how many people have purchased them.

“They are all very popular in their own right,” he said. “And remember, you only have 2 more days, 2 more days, 2 more days to get that. After that, I don’t know if they’ll be back.”

In addition to the included beverage options, the FunPacks also include other popular add-ons, such as arcade tokens, bulk candy discounts, WiFi packages, shore excursion discounts, specialty dining discounts, and other perks, depending on which FunPack guests choose.

Three Cruise Ships Reach Miami Six Hours Late as Rough Weather Hits Florida

Melissa Mayntz
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Three Cruise Ships Reach Miami Six Hours Late as Rough Weather Hits Florida

Key Aspects:

  • Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Joy, and Queen Elizabeth were all delayed several hours into PortMiami on Tuesday due to rough weather.
  • The subsequent embarkation plans for all three vessels were delayed accordingly and guests were notified of the changes.
  • A fourth ship, Mein Schiff 1, skipped a port visit to Miami altogether and instead spent the day at sea en route to her next destination, San Juan.

Rough weather impacted PortMiami late Monday, October 26, 2026, and kept three cruise ships from returning to the Florida homeport as planned on Tuesday, October 27.

Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Joy, and Queen Elizabeth spent Tuesday morning circling offshore waiting for conditions to improve until they could safely dock.

Both Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Joy were concluding 4-night Bahamas sailings, while Queen Elizabeth was finishing a 12-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary.

Guests onboard the ships were notified as soon as the delay was confirmed and tentative docking plans were available.

The dock schedule for PortMiami confirmed that all three vessels were arriving late. Norwegian Joy arrived at 12:50 p.m., followed by Queen Elizabeth at 1:15 p.m. and Norwegian Getaway at 1:35 p.m.

These arrival times are roughly 6-7 hours later than the original schedules, which meant not only were plans delayed for guests debarking the three ships, but also incoming guests for Queen Elizabeth and Norwegian Joy had their Tuesday embarkations pushed back.

Guests planning to embark Queen Elizabeth, for example, were notified of the delay and how to adjust their arrival to PortMiami.

“Please arrive at the cruise terminal seven hours later than the arrival or check-in time shown on your boarding pass,” the notification requested. “Please do not arrive before your revised arrival time, as check-in will not be available.”

Onboard Queen Elizabeth, guests were likewise advised of the delayed debarkation and revised times for departing the ship, which began at 3 p.m. The final debarkation group began to leave the ship at roughly 5:30 p.m.

PortMiami Dock Schedule
PortMiami Dock Schedule

Guests onboard Norwegian Getaway were also advised of the late arrival and urged to contact their airline to make any necessary changes to post-cruise flights, if applicable. If guests had made those arrangements through Norwegian Cruise Line, adjustments were made for them to coordinate with the revised arrival time.

Norwegian Getaway actually had no embarkation guests, as the ship’s return to Miami was the final sailing from that homeport, and the vessel is next moving to Port Canaveral for sailings through early April 2027.

Norwegian Cruise Line is also offering up to $300 (USD) per person to reimburse changes or cancellation fees that are not covered by travel insurance or the airline. Guests must submit receipts for reimbursement consideration.

Another Ship Skips Miami Altogether

A fourth vessel, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 1, skipped a stop in PortMiami altogether due to the weather-related delay. The ship was due to visit Miami from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. as a port call on her current sailing, a 14-night one-way voyage between New York and La Romana.

Miami was to have been the ship’s second port visit after departing New York on Friday, October 23. Mein Schiff 1 spent Monday in Port Canaveral.

Instead of visiting Miami, the ship spent the day at sea and the itinerary has been adjusted for an early arrival to San Juan, Puerto Rico. AIS tracking now shows that Mein Schiff 1 is due in San Juan on Thursday, October 29 instead of Friday, October 30 as originally planned.

Miami Weather Update

According to the National Weather Service, Miami remains under a gale warning at sea until 8 a.m. Wednesday, October 28, with wind gusts as high as 35 knots and peak seas of 9-14 feet. Coastal flood warnings are also in effect along the eastern Florida coast.

No cruise ships are scheduled for PortMiami on Wednesday, but several vessels from Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages, and Holland America Line are scheduled over the next few days.

Carnival Rewards Fails to Fix Platinum Perk Problem on Three Sailings

Calvin Musquez
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Carnival Rewards Fails to Fix Platinum Perk Problem on Three Sailings

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival Cruise Line has notified Platinum guests on three upcoming sailings that several priority benefits will be unavailable.
  • The changes affect Mardi Gras on October 31, 2026 as well as Carnival Legend and Carnival Pride on November 1, 2026.
  • Unusually high numbers of Platinum guests were cited as the reason, a recurring issue that has continued following the launch of Carnival Rewards.

Carnival Cruise Line is once again removing benefits for some of its most loyal guests. The cruise line has notified Platinum guests booked on three upcoming sailings that several of their priority benefits will be unavailable.

The first affected cruise is the October 31, 2026 sailing of Mardi Gras from Port Canaveral. This 7-night voyage is scheduled to visit Grand Turk, Puerto Plata/Amber Cove, RelaxAway Half Moon Cay, and Celebration Key before returning to the Florida port on November 7.

Carnival Legend and Carnival Pride’s respective November 1, 2026 departures will also be impacted. The Carnival Legend cruise is a 15-night transatlantic voyage from Civitavecchia to Tampa, visiting Cartagena (Spain), Malaga, Gibraltar, and King’s Wharf.

Meanwhile, Carnival Pride will depart on a 14-night, round-trip southern Caribbean sailing from Baltimore. This sailing will visit St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands), Philipsburg, Basseterre, Oranjestad, Willemstad, and Puerto Plata/Amber Cove.

On these sailings, Platinum guests will not receive priority embarkation and debarkation, early stateroom access, or priority luggage delivery, while the luggage Drop and Go service will also be unavailable. Additionally, guests were warned that priority line and phone assistance from Guest Services may not be available.

“These operational changes are consistent with other voyages where we have a very large number of Platinum guests. We apologize for any disappointment and thank you for your understanding,” said the letter to booked guests.

Carnival Perks Letter
Carnival Perks Letter

The cruise line cited a high number of Platinum guests booked on these voyages as the primary reason for the suspended benefits. Carnival also cited limited turnaround time and housekeeping needs when explaining why early stateroom access and luggage Drop and Go would be unavailable.

The removal of loyalty benefits on busy sailings has been a frequent issue for Carnival guests in recent years. In March 2026, the cruise line removed benefits for three other sailings due to a high volume of Platinum guests.

Carnival Rewards Hasn’t Eliminated the Problem

One of the goals of Carnival Rewards, the revamped loyalty program replacing VIFP, was to help address the growing number of guests with elite loyalty status. When it was announced, Carnival President Christine Duffy cited difficulties in handling the number of high-tier status passengers as a motivating factor behind the new program.

“When so many guests have elite status, it is much more difficult to make everyone feel special,” said Duffy in June 2025.

Carnival Mardi Gras Cruise
Carnival Mardi Gras Cruise (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)

Although the new loyalty program launched on September 1, 2026, the issue persists. These latest suspensions mark the second instance of Platinum guests losing their benefits that Cruise Hive has reported since Carnival Rewards officially launched. 

Just days after the program began, the September 5 departures of Carnival Vista and Carnival Sunshine also saw the removal of Platinum perks, including priority embarkation and debarkation as well as early stateroom access. As with the October 31 and November 1 departures, a high volume of Platinum guests was cited as the reason.

Some of this high volume may be a carry-over from the old system, however, as guests who opted into Carnival Rewards will keep their VIFP loyalty status through December 31, 2028. Whether these ongoing issues will ease after some guests lose status following the 2028 deadline remains to be seen.

Carnival Reveals Farewell Voyages as Two Ships Leave Australia

Calvin Musquez
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Carnival Reveals Farewell Voyages as Two Ships Leave Australia

Key Aspects:

  • The final Australian departures for Carnival Adventure and Carnival Luminosa have been revealed for March 2028.
  • Carnival Adventure will travel from Sydney to Seattle via Tokyo, while Carnival Luminosa will sail from Sydney to Los Angeles.
  • These departures will reduce Carnival’s Australian fleet from four ships to two, with the newly announced repositioning voyages going on sale later this week.

Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled the final Australian voyages for two of its ships. Carnival Adventure and Carnival Luminosa are scheduled to officially leave the Australian market in March 2028.

The final “g’day mate” for the two ships will include four itineraries ranging from 8 to 23 days. The itineraries will feature destinations across the Pacific, including ports in Japan, Hong Kong, Hawaii, and French Polynesia. 

Carnival Adventure will offer three itineraries, beginning March 20, 2028 with a 19-day departure from Sydney to Tokyo. The voyage will feature visits to Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Taipei in Taiwan, and destinations in Japan.

The 2,636-guest vessel will then sail from Tokyo on an 8-day, round-trip voyage departing April 8, 2028. Busan and destinations near Mount Fuji were highlighted by Carnival for this sailing. 

Wrapping up the ship’s tenure in the region will be a 15-day Transpacific cruise from Tokyo to Seattle departing April 16, 2028. Carnival did not specify any ports of call for this voyage in its announcement.

Meanwhile, the 2,260-guest Carnival Luminosa will sail one 23-day repositioning cruise from Sydney to Los Angeles. This cruise will depart on March 15, 2028 and visit Hawaii and French Polynesia.

Carnival Luminosa has sailed from Brisbane since 2022, first year-round and then seasonally from 2025. Carnival Adventure sails year-round from Sydney, first joining Carnival’s fleet in March 2025 after previously sailing as Pacific Adventure under P&O Cruises Australia.

Both ships will continue to offer Australian itineraries until the March 2028 departures. Bookings for the newly announced repositioning voyages will open later this week, though Carnival has not provided an exact date or time.

Why Carnival is Pulling Ships From Australia

The two ships’ departures from Australia were first announced on October 15, 2026. Both ships had previously been expected to split their time between Australia and North America, but Carnival has confirmed neither will return.

As Cruise Hive covered at the time, the move was motivated by several factors. Government regulations, global competition, and overall itinerary planning and management were cited by the cruise line as reasons for the change.

Carnival Adventure Cruise Ship
Carnival Adventure Cruise Ship

Australia’s federal government provided an extension to exemptions to the Coastal Trading Act 2012 for cruise ships through the end of 2028. However, the cruise line said that, as the only cruise line with ships dedicated to Australia year-round, it faces a greater impact from changes in operating conditions than seasonal operators.

The removal of the two ships is also causing concern outside of Australia. Vanuatu’s Ministry of Trade and Commerce recently published a blog post, detailing how the redeployments may impact local tourism businesses with reduced cruise calls to Port Vila, Mystery Island, and other destinations.

More From Cruise Hive

“It is decisions taken in Australia, not in the Pacific, that are now determining how ships are deployed across the South Pacific,” said the blog post, “and it is Pacific destinations such as Vanuatu, and the operators and communities who depend on cruise visitors, that are bearing the consequences.”

Despite the reduction in ships, Carnival is not leaving the region altogether. Carnival Encounter and Carnival Splendor will remain homeported in Australia, sailing year-round from Sydney and Brisbane.

Villa Vie Odyssey Residents Ordered Off Ship as Fuel Crisis Forces Layup

Melissa Mayntz
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Villa Vie Odyssey Residents Ordered Off Ship as Fuel Crisis Forces Layup

Key Aspects:

  • Villa Vie Residences’ Odyssey has suddenly paused operations and entered layup in Cambodia, with residents required to move off the ship immediately.
  • The company cites rising fuel costs for the action and is now working on restructuring and recapitalization, but no financial plans have been confirmed.
  • Residents from the ship have noted decreases in service and what appears to be poor management of the operation in recent months.

The cruise that was never supposed to end has now ended, as Villa Vie Residences’ ship Odyssey has entered layup in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, with the remaining residents asked to disembark with their belongings in just a matter of hours.

The news comes from ResidentialCruising.com and one of the ship’s residents, Randy Cassingham, as the notice from the cruise line’s CEO, Kathy Villalba, was posted to an internal messaging board on Monday, October 26, 2026.

“Unfortunately, we were unable to secure the fuel necessary to continue operations. As a result, the Odyssey will enter a temporary layup this afternoon, with crew remaining onboard to maintain the vessel and its essential systems,” the message read. “All residents must disembark by 2:00 PM today.”

Residents were able to coordinate with Guest Services onboard Odyssey if they were unable to remove their belongings immediately, but the availability to use shuttles to move belongings off the ship was only until Tuesday evening.

The residential cruise company noted that monthly fuel costs to operate the ship have risen from a historical average over the past two years of roughly $1,800 per cabin to what is now $6,000 to $8,000 per cabin in parts of Asia, despite taking measures to conserve fuel.

“The company cannot simply pass increases of that scale on to residents, and the resulting shortfall has placed its current operating model under unsustainable financial pressure,” Villa Vie Residences said in a release on Tuesday, October 27.

“We have taken significant steps to reduce fuel consumption, including slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port. Those measures have not been enough to offset the extraordinary increase in fuel costs, and we have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses.”

Cassingham’s perspective is slightly different, however, as he noted “it was a cascade of problems piling up on one another, from the business model to mistakes by management to the mentioned crisis in fuel cost and availability, and more.”

Villa Vie Odyssey
Villa Vie Odyssey (Photo Credit: ODIN Daniel)

Another resident of the ship posted on Facebook about some severe problems in recent weeks, citing cancelled port visits and itinerary changes, decreases in food service, loss of laundry service, and overall poor management.

“We are off the Villa Vie Odyssey ship. The management of the ship has been the biggest [****] I’ve ever been a part of. The residents are lovely but the business end is terrible,” the resident noted.

Odyssey first set sail in late September 2024 following several months of delays related to renovations and administrative difficulties.

What Happens to Odyssey Residents Now?

Villa Vie Residences is now working with Odyssey residents to help arrange temporary living arrangements, but no details of those arrangements or any available assistance have been confirmed.

The company claims that it will “work toward restructuring and recapitalization over the next 60 days” but that “no outcome is assured.”

No further details about any financial plans have been released at this time.

Just three months ago, on July 27, 2026, Villa Vie Residences announced its planned second vessel, Legacy, expected to enter service in early 2029.

At that time, the company claimed that Odyssey had sold more than 85% of its available residences. The “Legacy Bridge Program” was introduced to offer new owners the opportunity to purchase immediate residency aboard Odyssey before an eventual transition to Legacy with no extra purchase price.

No update has been provided about Legacy and Villa Vie Residences’ official website remains active with no mention of the operational pause for Odyssey.

The overall itinerary for Odyssey was just updated on Tuesday, October 20, showing future berth schedules for destinations in Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and more, with detailed plans extending into August 2030.

Storms Force Ambassador’s Ambition to Scrap Two More Norway Ports

Melissa Mayntz
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Storms Force Ambassador’s Ambition to Scrap Two More Norway Ports

Key Aspects:

  • Ambition is now cancelling visits to Alesund and Stavanger on her already-adjusted itinerary in Norway due to Storms Austen and Boelo.
  • Visits to Molde and Bergen are being extended and the ship should return to Bristol, UK on time for debarkation on Monday, November 2.
  • Reactions are mixed about the changes when another of the cruise line’s ships, Ambience, is visiting many of the same ports, but the two ships differ significantly in size.

Severe weather is causing more port cancellations and itinerary adjustments for Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition, currently sailing a 17-night “Land of Northern Lights” voyage that departed Bristol, UK on Friday, October 16, 2026.

Cruise Hive previously reported on changes to five ports on the itinerary due to Storms Austen and Boelo. Now, additional adjustments must be made as the severe weather continues.

“We’re sorry to share additional changes to Ambition’s itinerary which are needed due to the latest weather forecasts. We have continued to monitor conditions closely and have been working with our local agents and port authorities throughout,” the cruise line explained in a Facebook post late Monday, October 26.

The notification explained that southerly winds with gusts up to 28 knots (32 miles per hour) are forecast for Wednesday morning, October 28, when the ship has planned to visit Alesund.

“In these conditions, berthing and departing safely would present significant challenges, so the Captain has taken the difficult decision to cancel this call,” the notification read.

Instead, Ambition will now extend her visit to Molde on Tuesday, October 27 to an overnight stay and will depart on Wednesday, heading directly for Bergen with an expected arrival at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 29. This arrival is later than the revised schedule had planned, and therefore the ship will also stay in Bergen overnight, not departing until Friday, October 30.

“Regrettably, this also means our scheduled call at Stavanger has been cancelled,” the cruise line noted.

The call to Stavanger had been arranged for Friday as part of the initial itinerary revisions, but now Ambition will depart Bergen and head directly back to Bristol for debarkation on Monday, November 2.

Guest Reactions Are Mixed

Commenters are having mixed reactions to so many changes on a single itinerary.

“Always disappointing for ports of call to be changed or cancelled, but after cruising regularly for 29 years now it is nothing new, you are at the mercy of the weather,” one commenter wrote on the latest itinerary update post.

“Putting the safety of all onboard first again. After seeing some footage today of another cruise line’s ship, I would say Ambassador Cruise Line [is] making some very wise decisions,” another said.

Ambition Cruise Ship
Ambition Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Peter Titmuss)

Some guests also questioned why another ship in the Ambassador Cruise Line fleet, Ambience, is currently sailing to northern ports seemingly without difficulty.

“Many missed ports…. weather was ok up north… should have stayed up there away from the storm down south and carried on with the itinerary ….. there’s a lot of unhappy people on board right now,” one guest described. “Ambience is still up there?!”

AIS tracking confirms that Ambience is visiting many of the ports that have been cancelled for Ambition, including Alta and Hammerfest, but the two ships are not the same.

The 48,123-gross ton Ambition has a passenger capacity of 1,200 guests, significantly smaller than the 70,285-gross ton Ambience with its capacity of 1,400 guests.

Both ships have 10 guest decks, which likely means that Ambition has a higher profile compared to the vessel’s overall gross tonnage. This would make Ambition more susceptible to the effects of strong winds, and each ship would have different navigational challenges in the Norwegian fjords.

Ambience is also a notably longer vessel at 811 feet compared to Ambition‘s 709 feet, and Ambience also has a deeper draft at 27 feet, whereas Ambition has a draft of just 23 feet.

These measurements could have a discernible impact on the ship’s overall stability in different weather conditions and may be one factor in why the two ships are handled differently in severe weather.

Margaritaville at Sea Paradise Cruise Extended, Freeport Call Cancelled

Melissa Mayntz
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Margaritaville at Sea Paradise Cruise Extended, Freeport Call Cancelled

Key Aspects:

  • Margaritaville at Sea Paradise cancelled a visit to Freeport due to poor weather, and expected conditions at the Port of Palm Beach are also delaying the ship’s return by a full day.
  • The ship will visit Nassau on Tuesday, October 27 as an extra port call since it cannot return to its homeport on that day.
  • Guests on the next sailing have been notified of their now-shortened cruise and given the option to rebook on a different sailing date without any fees.

Guests aboard Margaritaville at Sea Paradise are unexpectedly getting a much different cruise than originally planned as the ship has been unable to visit one of its two port destinations and will be delayed returning to the Port of Palm Beach for debarkation. This extends the sailing by a full day, and a new port is being added to the now longer itinerary.

The cruise line notified guests of the extension at the same time the scheduled visit to Freeport, Bahamas was cancelled. That visit was to have been on Monday, October 26, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but was not possible with local high winds and dangerous swells.

Margaritaville at Sea Paradise departed the Port of Palm Beach on Friday, October 23, for the 4-night itinerary and had already visited Key West, Florida, when the announcement was made that Freeport was no longer possible.

Any pre-paid tours booked through Margaritaville at Sea for Freeport were automatically cancelled and refunded to guests’ stateroom accounts. Instead of her time in Freeport, Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is spending Monday at sea.

Because of severe weather expected to impact the Port of Palm Beach, however, the ship’s sailing will not end on Tuesday as planned. The ship will now visit Nassau on Tuesday, when she was originally meant to disembark at the Port of Palm Beach.

Paradise Letter
Paradise Letter

“Extreme weather is also expected at the Port of Palm Beach, and the port authority has advised that we cannot return on Tuesday morning as scheduled,” a letter delivered to guests’ staterooms explained. “As a result, our sailing will be extended by one full day, and we will now return to Palm Beach on Wednesday, October 28.”

If guests had purchased any packages for the length of their cruise, including WiFi and drink packages, those purchases will be extended for the additional day at no extra charge.

Next Sailing Shortened

Since Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is unable to return to the Port of Palm Beach on Tuesday, the next sailing is now shortened and booked guests have been notified of the change via email and text message.

The Tuesday, October 27, 2026 departure was to have been a 3-night “Nassau Escape” spending Wednesday, October 28 at sea and enjoying a visit to Nassau from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, October 29 before returning to the Port of Palm Beach on Friday, October 30.

Because the Port of Palm Beach and Nassau Cruise Port are about 200 miles apart, it is possible the ship can still maintain most of her planned schedule, just without the planned day at sea. Margaritaville at Sea has not yet confirmed plans for the ship, however, as conditions may continue to change.

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Guests booked on the now-shortened cruise are receiving a pro-rated “refund credit” for any per-day packages, such as drink packages or WiFi, and the cruise line notes that the amount may be changed.

“Refund amounts are based on the information available today and may be adjusted if weather conditions, the itinerary, or port guidance change,” the notification, which is also posted on the cruise line’s website, explained.

Guests will also receive a $50 future cruise credit usable on any future Margaritaville at Sea sailing, not just on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. If guests prefer to reschedule their cruise instead of continuing on the shortened itinerary, they can do so without any rebooking fees.

Captain Under Investigation as Mein Schiff 3 Cancels 20-Night Voyage

Melissa Mayntz
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Captain Under Investigation as Mein Schiff 3 Cancels 20-Night Voyage

Key Aspects:

  • TUI Cruises has cancelled the 20-night Canary Islands sailing for Mein Schiff 3 following the ship’s collision with two container ships in Bremerhaven on Sunday, October 25.
  • The cruise ship now requires urgent repair work that must be undertaken in a shipyard, including lifeboat, crane, and hull repairs.
  • It is unknown whether any additional voyages will be impacted by the incident but TUI Cruises is keeping guests informed as details are confirmed.

TUI Cruises has provided Cruise Hive with an update on Mein Schiff 3 following the cruise ship’s collision with two container ships while leaving Bremerhaven, Germany, just after 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 25, 2026.

The collision happened as the cruise ship was moving away from the dock, but strong winds pushed the vessel into what the cruise line now confirms are two container ships. Initially, it was believed Mein Schiff 3 had only contacted one container ship.

“We can confirm that, as the Mein Schiff 3 was leaving Bremerhaven in the late afternoon of 25 October, a collision occurred with two container ships,” the cruise line stated to Cruise Hive. “The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority. We are therefore very relieved that, according to current information, no one has been injured.”

Nevertheless, the collisions are not without significant consequences for the 2,428 guests and 922 crew members that were onboard Mein Schiff 3 at the time.

The cruise line noted that technical teams immediately inspected the cruise ship and determined that the damage caused in the collision requires urgent repair work that cannot be completed while sailing and must be completed in a shipyard.

“In light of this, we have decided to cancel the planned cruise to the Canary Islands. This decision has been extremely difficult for us to make. We know how much our guests were looking forward to this cruise and deeply regret the inconvenience this causes,” the statement explained.

“At the same time, we are convinced that this is the only responsible decision to ensure our high safety standards are maintained.”

Mein Schiff 3 was departing Bremerhaven to begin a 20-night Canary Islands itinerary that included port visits in Portugal, several Canary Islands destinations, and both Morocco and Spain as the ship would have made her way back to Germany for debarkation on Saturday, November 14.

For now, the 99,526-gross ton ship remains in Bremerhaven and evaluations are ongoing.

“Based on this, we will determine whether—and to what extent—subsequent voyages may be affected. As soon as we can reliably assess any potential impact on future sailings, we will proactively inform all booked guests,” the cruise line stated on its website.

Police Report Details Damage

An update from the Wasserschutzpolizei of the Bremen Police Department has provided further details on the damage to all three ships. The update confirms that a gust of wind impacted Mein Schiff 3 and caused the cruise ship to drift as it was underway, while both container ships were moored.

The smaller container ship, MSC Anne F, only had minor damage, but the larger container ship, MSC Victorine, had “considerable damage.”

“The collision tore open several meters of the port side of the larger container ship and deformed the container guides,” the report explained.

As the reported damage was above the waterline, there was no water ingress on any of the vessels and no injuries were reported related to the incident. For Mein Schiff 3, the damage was not only to the lifeboats, but also to their associated cranes as well as the ship’s hull.

Investigations into the incident are continuing, and the Bremen Police Department has confirmed that the maritime safety authority, Dienststelle Schiffssicherheit, has issued a sailing ban on all three ships.

According to t-online, the police department has also confirmed that it is beginning an investigation into the cruise ship’s captain and whether he may have fulfilled his duty of care. This is standard procedure after such an incident and if found derelict, the captain may face a fine.

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