A federal appeals court blocked Hawaii from enforcing a new climate-related tax on cruise ship passengers.
The tax would have imposed an 11 percent levy on prorated cruise fares, with counties authorized to raise the total to 14 percent.
State officials say the pause is temporary, while Cruise Lines International Association will continue to challenge the tax.
Cruise passengers sailing to Hawaii won’t see a new climate-related tax on their fares, at least for now.
On New Year’s Eve, a two-judge panel from the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals blocked Hawaii from enforcing a new tax on cruise ship passengers that was scheduled to begin January 1, 2026.
The decision grants an injunction while the case works its way through the appeals process, temporarily stopping the state from collecting the tax from cruise lines and their guests.
“Accordingly, and until further notice, the Department of Taxation will refrain from enforcing Act 96 as it relates and applies to cruise ships,”said Gary S. Suganuma, director of taxation for the State of Hawaii.
The challenge was brought by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which sued the state, arguing the new tax, Act 96, violates the US Constitution by effectively charging cruise ships for entering Hawaii ports. Cruise Lines, including Norwegian Cruise Line, had already started informing booked guests of the new fee.
CLIA also argued that the “green fee” would raise cruise fares for passengers sailing to the islands.
Hawaii’s proposed tax is part of a broader law aimed at generating new revenue across the island state to address climate-related issues. While most of the law focuses on increasing taxes on hotel rooms and vacation rentals, it also introduced a new charge on cruise passengers.
The law would impose an 11 percent tax on gross fares paid by cruise ship passengers, prorated based on the number of days a vessel spends in Hawaiian ports.
It also allows counties in Hawaii to add an additional surcharge of up to 3 percent, potentially bringing the total tax to 14 percent of prorated cruise fares.
Cruise Port Area in Hawaii (Photo Credit: Theodore Trimmer)
While the December 31, 2025, ruling pauses the enforcement of the cruise-related portion of the law, Hawaiian officials note the injunction is just temporary.
In a statement to local news outlets, Toni Schwartz, a spokesperson for the Hawaiian attorney general’s office, said, “We remain confident that Act 96 is lawful and will be vindicated when the appeal is heard on the merits.”
Governor Josh Green signed the bill into law with the goal of making visitors help pay for environmental challenges, such as shoreline erosion, wildfire prevention, and damage linked to climate change.
Most of the law focuses on increasing taxes on hotel rooms and vacation rentals, but, for the first time, it also applied a tax to cruise ship passengers.
State officials estimate the law could raise close to $100 million a year once fully implemented.
CLIA has also pointed to the economic role cruise tourism plays in Hawaii, saying it brings nearly $1 billion to the state each year while supporting thousands of jobs tied to ports, transportation, tours, and local businesses.
Cruise ships make hundreds of port calls annually across the islands, including stops in Honolulu, Maui, and Kauai.
The group says it will continue challenging the law in court while still working with Hawaii officials on tourism and sustainability issues.
Although a federal district judge initially upheld Act 96 on December 23, 2025, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals stepped in on December 31, blocking enforcement while the appeals process continues.
The FAA temporarily restricted US flights, including Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean.
It’s due to the US military attack in Venezuela that took place on January 3.
Cruise passengers were unable to fly home, while others on suspended flights missed embarkation.
Cruise passengers traveling across the Caribbean woke up to widespread disruption on Jan. 3, 2026, after a US military attack in Venezuela led the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to restrict airspace over Puerto Rico, prompting widespread flight cancellations by US airlines.
Cruise passengers returning from Caribbean holiday cruises, expecting to disembark and return to the US, as well as others looking forward to arriving in the islands to embark on the first vacation of the new year, received flight cancellation notices.
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, in particular, confirmed the disruption in an official announcement, citing a security order issued by the FAA, temporarily restricting airspace for 24 hours.
The airport is expected to remain closed until at least 1 a.m. on January 4, 2026.
Virgin Voyages Issues Advisory
Virgin Voyages issued an advisory to its guests disembarking in San Juan, confirming that US airline flights were impacted and outlining required procedures.
“Local port authorities have advised that the airspace over Puerto Rico is temporarily closed for all US airlines due to military activity in Venezuela,” the cruise line said in a statement.“This is impacting flights operated by US airlines flying into and out of San Juan.”
“US Customs and Border Protection requires the ship to be cleared. Disembarkation times remain unchanged. All Sailors must disembark by 10:30 a.m. as originally schedule,” the notice continued.
Valiant Lady (Photo Credit: Lissa Poirot)
Despite the flight disruptions, the cruise line said disembarkation procedures could not be delayed. However, the cruise line confirmed an itinerary change to avoid calls at Curaçao and Aruba on its January 3 cruise.
The notice to guests said:
“Due to the evolving situation in Venezuela, we have made some careful adjustments to our route in the best interest of our sailors and crew. Safety is always our top priority, and after close coordination with government officials, we are confident that this is the right decision to make your time at sea peaceful, safe and filled with amazing moments.“
Passengers were instructed to proceed to the airport as planned and to work directly with their airline for flight-specific updates, as airlines are responsible for accounting for all travelers and sharing rebooking options.
“While airport operations continue, flight activity is currently impacted, and some flights may be delayed or cancelled, particularly those involving US-registered aircraft, due to an active NOTAM affecting Caribbean airspace,” the airport said in a statement.
Other airports affected include those in the US Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Antigua, Grenada, and St. Lucia.
Cruise Passengers Left Scrambling
The disruption created challenges not only for passengers ending cruises in San Juan and beyond, but also for those scheduled to arrive for new sailings.
Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas, carrying up to 2,191 passengers, and Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady, with up to 2,770 guests, both arrived in San Juan on January 3 to complete a voyage and relaunch on a subsequent cruise.
Virgin Voyages acknowledged that some passengers would be unable to reach ships in time for the next embarkation due to cancelled or suspended flights. It said those not able to reach Valiant Lady before her 8 p.m. departure would receive compensation.
“Any Sailor unable to embark due to this situation will receive a full voyage credit to use on a future Virgin Voyages sailing,” the cruise line said.
San Juan Cruise Port
Although San Juan’s airport is shut down until 1 a.m. on January 4, the reopening time is subject to further evaluation and could impact others attempting to arrive in Puerto Rico for January 4 departures.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic, and Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas are each set to return to San Juan on January 4 with guests both eager to get home and to embark on the next voyage.
Grand Princess, which is also based out of San Juan, is, in fact,delaying its departure from the Caribbean port until Monday, January 6, at 6:00 PM, giving stranded passengers more time to get to the ship. However, that has resulted in an itinerary with the cancellation of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
“On our way to airport this morning in Indiana and flight was cancelled. Southwest Airlines is saying Puerto Rico is on lockdown. Can’t get a hold of Princess Cruises,” said one distraught passenger.
Guests sailing with Virgin Voyages also received notification of excursion cancellations in Aruba and Curaçao, which are located within 220 nautical miles from Venezuela’s border. The calls were scheduled for January 5 and 6, respectively, and the cruise line has not revealed if ships will be repositioned to new ports as an alternative.
Brilliance of the Seas also has Aruba and Curaçao on its itinerary, with a January 8 and 9 arrivals, respectively.
Undoubtedly, cruise lines will be paying very close attention to further military action that may affect the safety of crew and passengers.
Cruise guests are advised to check directly with airlines and cruise lines, although cruise lines are reporting higher-than-normal call volumes and to remain patient during this disruption.
Carnival Cruise Line will be returning to the old safety briefing format for an upcoming sailing onboard Carnival Miracle.
Meanwhile, guests of Carnival Radiance and Carnival Firenze have been warned of limited parking at the Long Beach Cruise Port.
Finally, future passengers of Carnival Venezia are being reminded about the policies for sailing with mobility scooters.
Safety briefings, parking, and scooters, oh my!
Carnival Cruise Line is diving into the new year with updates and reminders for several January sailings, including parking advisories, the scooter storage policy, and a revised safety briefing.
Carnival Miracle Returns to Old Safety Briefings
Carnival Miracle’s January 4, 2026, sailing, which is a 7-night cruise to the Western Caribbean embarking in Tampa, will return to the old safety briefing format for this one specific voyage.
Ever since cruising resumed after the Covid-19 pandemic, Carnival has primarily used a self-mustering process through the HUB App to complete the mandatory safety briefing process on embarkation day.
But occasionally, certain sailings are randomly selected to undergo the traditional group muster drills from years past.
“Shortly before departure, a full safety drill will take place on your upcoming sailing. This is a mandatory procedure, and all guests will be required to participate in this brief but essential exercise,” Carnival wrote in a heads-up to passengers.
“Ship-wide announcements will provide guidance on the process, which will include collective gathering at your assigned muster station to familiarize yourself with the necessary steps to take in the unlikely event of an emergency,”the letter continued.
While the e-muster process is generally faster (and the preferred method), it’s still important to occasionally revisit the old process as part of the cruise line’s ongoing commitment to safety and ensuring crew members are fully trained.
Another Parking Warning in Long Beach
The parking struggles are continuing in Long Beach, California, where Carnival Radiance and Carnival Firenze both currently homeport.
Guests of Carnival Radiance’s January 5 sailing and Carnival Firenze’s January 8 cruise have been warned of limited parking at the port, and are strongly encouraged to make other transportation arrangements.
The on-site parking structure has 1,450 spaces, which is simply not enough for the thousands of passengers drawn to the port by these ships.
Carnival Radiance Docked in Long Beach (Photo Credit: Mariusz Lopusiewicz)
Because of this, soon-to-be guests have been advised that they may be directed to overflow parking at a nearby offsite facility if they have to drive and park at the port.
“The parking facility at the cruise terminal has very limited capacity. Please make plans to use alternate transportation that does not require parking,” Carnival advised.
“If driving (and parking at the port) is your only option, please be prepared to be directed to park at an offsite location operated by the City of Long Beach (not the pier),” the cruise line added.
Offsite parking will cost $20 per day, which is slightly less than the $23 charged per day by the onsite structure.
Directions and information about accessing the overflow parking will be given to guests when they arrive at the main cruise port on embarkation day.
Carnival Venezia Guests Reminded of Scooter Storage Policies
The behavior of scooter users onboard is always a source of controversy, and lately Carnival has been cracking down on enforcing its policies for mobility scooter storage.
This is to ensure the safety of all onboard, but also to prevent unpleasant surprises on embarkation day.
Guests of Carnival Venezia’s January 11 sailing, which is a 14-night sailing to the Caribbean and Panama embarking in Port Canaveral, received a reminder letter with the current policy.
Carnival Venezia Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Sumerdita_Dphots)
“The safety of everyone on board is our priority. As stated in the terms and conditions of the Ticket Contract, due to safety considerations, mobility devices (including strollers) cannot be stored in corridors or public areas,”the letter reads, in part.
Mobility devices cannot be left unattended, and when used in public areas, cannot obstruct emergency exits or fire and safety equipment.
In order to safely stay in a standard stateroom, mobility scooters must also be 21” or less in width. Guests with a wider scooter or parties with multiple scooters must purchase a fully accessible stateroom.
Scooter sizes will be checked during the embarkation process, and those that do not safely fit will not be allowed onboard.
Welcome to 2026 and this week’s recap of the major cruise developments, all covered by Cruise Hive. Highlights in this edition include stories about the first cruise ship to dock at Great Stirrup Cay’s brand new pier, Port Canaveral again winning the title of Best US Cruise Homeport, and how one teenager learned a life lesson onboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship.
Stay up to date on the major cruise news stories with Cruise Hive’s Daily Update, a must-read for industry insiders. Sign up here and have the news delivered to your inbox each morning.
First Cruise Ship Docks at Great Stirrup Cay
The new pier at Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay, a private island destination in the Bahamas, officially welcomed its first cruise ship, Norwegian Getaway.
The 4,000-guest ship docked on December 28, 2025, making it the first of many that will no longer have to tender guests ashore. Ships operated by sister brands Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises will also have use of the pier, which can accommodate two ships simultaneously.
Norwegian Getaway is First to Dock at Great Stirrup Cay on December 28, 2025 (Photo Credit: Katie Lowe)
Another Norwegian ship, Norwegian Gem, called at the island on December 28, but that ship continued using tender boats. The cruise line has not explained why the second ship couldn’t use the pier, but it is likely because some operational kinks were still being worked out.
The construction of the two-ship pier began a year ago and is part of an overall enhancement of the destination.
Calling the upgrades a transformational investment in Great Stirrup Cay, parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings also added the 28,000-square-foot Great Life Lagoon, the adult-only Vibe Shore Club, and Hammock Bay, featuring — you guessed it, dozens of hammocks where guests can relax.
Still to come, in summer 2026, is the opening of the Great Tides Waterpark, with 19 thrill rides, play spaces for kids, a cliff-jumping experience, and a lazy river.
Mom Saves Child Who Fell Into Harbor at Private Island
A mother’s instinct immediately came into play when her 4-year-old child fell off the cruise ship pier and into the water at Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration Key on December 21, 2025.
The two were guests aboard the 2,984-guest Carnival Sunrise, which had docked for the day at the private destination on Grand Bahama Island. Apparently, the two were walking to or from the ship when the incident happened.
It isn’t clear how the child ended up in the water near the 101,509-gross-ton ship, but that didn’t matter to Mom, who jumped right in and got hold of the youngster.
Mom and Baby Rescued From Between Cruise Ship and Pier (Credit: @chelspiers)
Ship’s crew members also sprang into action, racing to the scene, throwing life rings into the harbor, and positioning a ladder so that the two could climb out of the water. The activity was videotaped by a guest onboard Carnival Conquest, which was docked next to Carnival Sunrise.
Neither appeared to be injured when they emerged from the water. Fellow cruisers who had gathered at the scene applauded their safe return to dry land. Posted on social media, the video went viral, with more than 1.4 million views and 3,400 comments.
The ship was sailing a 4-night Bahamas cruise from PortMiami.
Expedition Ship Grounds on Reef in South Pacific
Cruise ships rarely become grounded, but that’s what happened to Coral Adventurer, a 120-guest ship that got stuck on a reef in Papua New Guinea on December 27, 2025.
The ship is based in Cairns, Australia, and after several unsuccessful attempts to free the vessel using tugboats, her 80 guests were evacuated on smaller watercraft to Lae, Papua New Guinea, and then returned by air charter to Australia. No injuries to guests or crew were reported.
Coral Adventurer Ship (Credit: Coral Expeditions)
It isn’t clear how the ship became grounded, but she was listing six degrees to port while stuck on the reef. The location of the ship was at Dreghafen Point, a region known for higher reefs and strong currents — apparently even local fishermen sometimes avoid the area.
Finally, on December 30, 2025, a larger tug was able to free the ship. The incident is under investigation by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
Coral Adventurer is an expedition ship owned by Coral Expeditions. The ship sails to destinations in Australia, the South Pacific, and the Asia-Pacific region.
More than 100 Become Ill on Celebrity Cruises’ Ship
A holiday cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Eclipse turned out to be a big disappointment for dozens of guests and several crew members who were victims of a gastrointestinal bug.
In all, 104 cases of the illness were confirmed — 95 passengers and nine crew members, with symptoms that included vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. The illnesses were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as required, but no definitive cause has been identified.
Cruise ships must notify the CDC when 3% or more of the people onboard experience an illness. In this case, 3.1% of guests and .7 of the crew were affected.
The ship was sailing an 8-night voyage that departed on December 20, 2025 from Port Everglades. The Eastern Caribbean itinerary featured calls at Antigua, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
Sanitizing efforts and the isolation of the ill guests and crew were immediately implemented and, undoubtedly, an intense disinfection process was implemented before Celebrity Eclipse departed on her next cruise.
Typically, stomach bugs are spread through direct contact with contaminated surfaces. It’s always best to frequently wash hands and to avoid touching surfaces in public areas.
Another Feather in Port Canaveral’s Cap
Cruisers just love sailing from Port Canaveral, the Central Florida port that’s close to the state’s popular theme parks and serves as a homeport for several of the industry’s top cruise brands.
How do we know? Port Canaveral was voted Best US Cruise Homeport in the 2025 Cruise Hive Awards — for the sixth consecutive year!
Port Canaveral has, at least for now, overtaken PortMiami as the World’s Busiest Cruise Port, welcoming over 8.6 million guests in 2025. In the Cruise Hive Awards results, Port Canaveral garnered 27.3% of the votes, far more than PortMiami’s 17.2%.
Cruise Ships in Port Canaveral, Florida (Photo Credit: blue.iris)
Aside from its proximity to the theme parks in Orlando, Port Canaveral also is nearby the Kennedy Space Center, the Brevard Zoo, and other regional attractions.
Cruise brands operating from the port include Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line.
The port is known for its convenient parking options and timely embarkation systems, such as facial recognition technology, which speeds up the process for guests eager to begin their at-sea vacations.
MSC World America Named ‘Best Overall’ Cruise Ship
MSC Cruises’ MSC World America entered service in April 2025 and can already claim a badge of honor: The 6,700-guest ship was voted Best Overall Cruise Ship in the 2025 Cruise Hive Awards.
The award category is a competitive one, where readers write-in their vote rather than choose from a list. MSC World America received 4.8% of the vote, a respectable percentage compared to the second-place vote-getter, Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, which earned 2.8%.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Aqua came in a close third, with 2.5%.
MSC World America Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Just dance)
The 16-deck ship is the largest in the MSC Cruises’ fleet, weighing 216,638 gross tons. With 19 stateroom and suite categories and 2,626 total cabins, there’s an accommodation for every budget.
It was the first time that an MSC Cruises’ ship won the category. The cruise line last won one of the Cruise Hive Awards in 2017, when MSC Seaside shared the Best New Cruise Ship title with Norwegian Joy.
Teen Learns a Lesson Aboard Carnival Dream
A teenager who recently sailed aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Dream learned his lesson the hard way after he participated in damaging an arcade game — an action that cost his family several hundred dollars.
Also, the 14-year-old’s parents took away his phone and grounded him for at least a month.
The incident unfolded one night when his parents were asleep in their cabin. The youngster made some new friends on the ship and ended up in the ship’s arcade, where one of the boys tipped a machine in an effort to obtain the coins inside.
Carnival Cruise Line Getting Strict
The parents who grounded their child posted about the event on social media, presumably as a warning to others.
Under Carnival Cruise Line’s Code of Conduct, no illegal activity or disruptive behavior will be tolerated. In this case, the ship’s security team discovered the teenagers involved and notified their parents.
The teen’s father posted on Reddit that the family had to pay a $500 code of conduct fine and one-third of the cost to repair the arcade game, bringing the total expense to $763.58. No criminal charges were filed, and the family is not banned from sailing with the line again.
More Cruise Headlines
Why stop now? Let’s keep going with even more news from Cruise Hive, including coverage of St. Maarten launching its 2026 cruise season, Mexico’s Quintana Roo marking its strongest cruise-tourism year ever, and weather conditions prompting a Norwegian Cruise Line ship to miss a call to the Dominican Republic on New Year’s Day.
Intense winds interrupted a performance by DJ Alok onboard MSC Preziosa.
The ship also briefly tilted in the storm, which was scary for some guests.
The cruise ship was quickly righted, and no significant damage or injuries were reported.
DJ Alok’s New Year’s Show onboard MSC Preziosa blew guests away, but not for the reasons that passengers were expecting.
The famous Brazilian DJ was performing a live show on the ship’s upper decks in the early morning hours of January 2, 2026, when the 139,072-gross ton vessel encountered strong winds.
The winds became so bad that the ship’s security team halted DJ Alok’s performance and asked guests to go inside and leave the open decks, which is the standard safety protocol in these types of conditions.
One of the approximately 5,000 guests onboard, Influencer Francisco Garcia, captured footage of crew members and guests struggling against the gusts to rush inside.
It was a tense situation, with security yelling to be heard over the gusts and objects flying.
“It was us running everywhere, and security getting the people out and yelling ‘let’s go, get down, get down, get down’ and things flying,”Garcia narrated.
Intense winds can cause doors to slam, deck furniture to move unpredictably, and create wind tunnels, which could result in injury to a guest who is at the wrong place at the wrong time.
In really extreme situations, as this appeared to be, strong gusts could also increase the risk of accidental overboards.
Panic Ensues as Cruise Ship Tilts
The wind on its own can be scary for guests, but passengers like Garcia also report that the ship began to tilt due to the heavy gusts.
Among some guests, this led to worries that the Fantasia-class ship would soon tip over – which for the record, is extremely unlikely.
Cruise ships are equipped with sophisticated safety mechanisms, including stability control systems and supportive stabilizers.
“The vessel started to tilt…a woman passed by me, I said, ‘What is it woman? What is happening?’ She said ‘The vessel is capsizing’” Garcia recalled.
MSC Preziosa Celebrations Chaos (Credit: @fgnico)
Thankfully, the tilting only lasted for a brief moment before the skilled bridge team was able to right the 2013-launched vessel.
Aside from some fallen items and spilled drinks, there was no damage to the ship and no injuries have been reported.
It wasn’t long before the festivities could start back up and DJ Alok could resume his performance.
Following the incident, many applauded the 1,388-person crew on their ability to manage the rocky situation and keep everyone safe.
How Could This Happen?
The bridge team and cruise line employees on land are constantly monitoring forecasts and weather patterns to try to avoid inclement weather and potentially dangerous situations.
However, Mother Nature can sometimes still be unpredictable. Conditions can sometimes worsen rapidly or change in unexpected ways.
Sailing Into Weather
At the time of this event, the MSC ship was making its way back to Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil, to disembark a 4-night New Year’s-themed cruise on January 2.
The festive sailing first embarked on December 29, 2025.
As the ship got closer to its homeport, it likely began to experience some of the stormy weather hitting Santos.
The forecast for January 2 called for heavy thunderstorms, and the state of Sao Paulo is currently under a rain warning from Brazil’s Defesa Civil.
“Heavy rain is approaching the Baixada Santista region. There will be lightning, wind, and a chance of hail. It will affect neighboring municipalities. Exercise caution in the coming hours,” the advisory, which was last updated on the afternoon of January 2, states.
But while the conditions may have felt extreme to passengers, it was likely nothing the experienced bridge team couldn’t handle.
The ship did make it to Santos safely and on time, completed the disembarkation process normally, and is already back at sea with a new load of guests for a 3-night getaway cruise.
A 76-year-old American woman was evacuated from a cruise ship off the Mexican Pacific coast after an onboard injury.
The rescue happened on January 1, 2026, during a 17-night Panama Canal repositioning cruise.
Mexican naval rescue crews transferred the injured guest from Viking Sky to a nearby hospital.
The New Year got off to a bumpy start for one unlucky cruise passenger after the Mexican Navy performed a dramatic rescue to get her to a hospital during a holiday cruise.
The woman, a 76-year-old American passenger, was sailing aboard Viking Ocean’s 930-passenger Viking Sky when she suffered a fall onboard that resulted in a fracture in her left thigh.
The injury occurred while the ship was sailing along Mexico’s Pacific coast, far from a port equipped to handle specialized orthopedic care.
At the time of the incident, Viking Sky was operating a 17-night repositioning cruise that began in Fort Lauderdale on December 19, 2025, and is scheduled to end in Los Angeles on January 5, 2026.
The holiday sailing included stops in Cozumel, Mexico; Cartagena, Colombia; and Colón, Panama, followed by a full crossing through the Panama Canal on December 26, 2025, before continuing north along the Pacific coast.
But on January 1, 2026, Viking Sky’s crew put out a call to Mexican authorities for medical assistance as the ship was off the coast of Michoacán, not having the ability to properly assist the passenger.
The call was answered by the Secretariat of the Navy, which dispatched a rescue team from its Naval Search, Rescue and Maritime Surveillance Station (ENSAR) in Lázaro Cárdenas in a Defender-class naval vessel.
Once the ships were alongside each other, naval medical staff assessed the woman and secured her on a stretcher for transfer.
“Naval medical personnel carried out an evacuation and prepared the patient on a stretcher, proceeding with her evacuation,” the Navy said in a statement.
Viking Sky Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Bu Luna)
Acting as the Coast Guard, the Secretariat of the Navy “reaffirms its commitment to the public to safeguard human life at sea.”
The passenger was brought safely to port in Lázaro Cárdenas, where she was transferred in stable condition to a local hospital for further treatment.
Viking Star, which stopped its engines to await medical assistance, was able to continue its voyage and, with only sea days ahead, is expected to arrive in Los Angeles on time.
No further information about the passenger has been released.
Emergency Calls at Sea
Although this rescue has a happy ending, another dramatic search and rescue on the first day of the New Year did not.
On January 1, Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam also cut its engines and made an SOS call to local authorities after a 77-year-old female passenger went missing and is said to have gone overboard.
The US Coast Guard searched the waters north of Cuba using helicopters and boats but called off the search after an extensive 8-hour search.
The incidents followed a series of medical emergencies as 2025 came to a close. On Christmas Eve, a US Coast Guard helicopter evacuated a 61-year-old female guest from the Japanese cruise ship, Pacific World, during a transpacific voyage after she suffered from septic shock.
She was transported to a hospital in Honolulu. Weeks earlier, on December 11, the Coast Guard also rescued a 65-year-old man from Celebrity Apex and transported him to a hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after he sustained multiple injuries.
Each case highlights the readiness of maritime rescue crews, always available around the clock to respond to emergencies at sea, even on holidays.
Royal Caribbean Group will launch its Points Choice rewards program on January 30, 2026.
The new program allows guests to apply loyalty points to any of its three brands.
A points table shows the exchange rates between the brands.
As promised, Royal Caribbean Group has revealed details of its new Points Choice rewards program, which was announced in late 2025 and spans its three brands, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and luxury line Silversea Cruises.
Under Points Choice, which takes effect on January 30, 2026, members of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society, Celebrity’s Captain’s Club, or Silversea’s Venetian Society will be able to apply their loyalty points to any of the sister brands’ programs.
The new system builds on the parent company’s Status Match program, which rolled out in 2024 and enabled guests to apply their existing loyalty tier level to any of the three brands.
Under the enhanced plan, if a guest enrolled in the Crown & Anchor program is sailing with Celebrity Cruises for the first time, they can choose to apply the points earned for the Celebrity sailing to either brands’ loyalty programs.
The effort is seen as serving two goals — giving guests greater choices in how they use their rewards and encouraging passengers to sail on more than one brand.
Here’s How Points Choice Will Work
The new points system will take effect with cruise departures on and after January 30, 2026. Guests booked on cruises can obtain a Points Choice Request form via the Royal Caribbean app or from the line’s website.
After disembarkation day, passengers have 14 days to submit the request, which will enable guests to apply their points to the loyalty program of their choice. Guests must already be enrolled in the loyalty program to which they wish to apply their points.
Royal Caribbean Brand Points
The criteria for earning points does not change: Points will continue to be based on cabin category and number of nights sailed. Guests who wish to apply their points to the brand they sailed on need to take no action.
But those who choose to move their points to a different brand will adhere to a points table that shows the exchange rates between the brands.
For instance, a guest who books a Sunset, Owner, or Aqua-Theater Suite, or Oceanview Panoramic Suite on Royal Caribbean would earn 2 points in that line’s Crown & Anchor, but earn 8 points in Celebrity’s Captain’s Club and 1 point in Silverseas’ Venetian Society, for example.
Rewards Programs Are Very Popular With Guests
Across the cruise industry, loyalty programs provide popular perks and service upgrades to guests, such as early check-in, priority reservations for restaurants and entertainment, and early booking access to new itineraries.
Also, loyalty members are often invited to private parties and enjoy free amenities such as laundry services, for example.
All of the major cruise lines use loyalty programs to encourage repeat bookings. Sometimes, changes can cause a backlash from frequent guests.
Carnival Cruise Line, for example, angered some guests when it replaced its Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) loyalty program with Carnival Rewards. The new plan is based on guest spending rather than nights sailed.
The uproar prompted the cruise line president to issue a letter explaining the line’s reasoning for the change.
“Cruise ship personnel and USCG crews searched for approximately 8 hours over 690 square miles,”the post on X confirmed.
Cutter William Trump and an MH-60 helicopter from Air Station Clearwater were the USCG assets involved in the search throughout the day, roughly 40 miles northeast of Sabana, Cuba.
Nieuw Statendam also remained with the search nearly all day, repeating a zig-zag search pattern along its route in the region where the overboard was confirmed.
#UPDATE#Final The @USCG suspended its searches for a missing 77-year-old woman who went overboard the cruise ship, Nieuw Statendam, Thurs., pending the development of new information. Cruise ship personnel and #USCG crews searched for approx. 8 hours over 690 square miles.
— U.S. Coast Guard Southeast (@USCGSoutheast) January 1, 2026
The emergency search began after repeated early morning calls for the missing woman to report to Guest Services, followed by an announcement that she was no longer onboard.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm that while sailing in waters north of Cuba, a guest on Nieuw Statendam went overboard earlier today,”Holland America Line said in a statement to Cruise Hive.“A review of closed-circuit cameras shows the guest alone on the ship’s third deck appearing to go overboard intentionally.”
The USCG’s final update does clarify that the guest is a 77-year-old woman, but no further details about her name or nationality have been released to protect her privacy and those of her traveling companions. Holland America Line’s family assistance team is offering support to those impacted.
Nieuw Statendam Resumes Sailing
As darkness fell (sunset in the area was at approximately 5:30 p.m.), the cruise ship was released from the all-day search and returned to her route back to Port Everglades. The ship was to have made one final port stop in Key West, Florida on Friday, January 2, but that call has been cancelled.
Instead, Nieuw Statendam will spend the last day of the 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing at sea and will return to Fort Lauderdale as scheduled on Saturday, January 3.
The Pinnacle-class ship can welcome 2,666 guests at double occupancy or up to 4,173 guests when fully booked with all berths filled. For holiday sailings such as the current New Year’s cruise, most ships are much closer to full occupancy instead of double occupancy.
Nieuw Statendam is homeported from Fort Lauderdale through early April, at which time she will move to Europe for a summer offering outstanding British Isles, Arctic Circle, and Baltic Capitals sailings with embarkation at both Dover and Rotterdam.
In December, the ship will return to the Sunshine State for another Caribbean winter season from Port Everglades.
Overboard Procedures
Each cruise line uses similar procedures when a guest may be reported missing and potentially overboard. A thorough search or headcount of guests may be made to determine if the individual is still onboard, while security footage is reviewed to see if they can be found and tracked.
Many ships do have man overboard detection systems, which can include motion sensors, cameras, alarms, and other tech assets to notice these incidents and raise alarms more quickly.
The momentum of a 100,000 (or more) gross ton ship, however, can carry it miles past an overboard point before the vessel could safely be slowed, turned, and return to the point at which an individual went overboard.
In that time, waves and currents may move that person away from where they entered the water, making it very difficult to locate the individual.
Despite many hours of searching, many incidents, like this first overboard of 2026, may never locate the person.
Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with the family and friends of the elderly woman at this difficult time, and we are all grateful for the emergency crews who undertake the search efforts to help bring closure to these sad incidents.
Princess Cruises celebrated the new year with a Star Princess float in the Rose Parade.
The float celebrated the debut of the new ship and her inaugural Alaska season.
The impressive display featured over 300,000 flowers and other natural materials.
Princess Cruises rang in the New Year with a special float in the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. This event is hosted on the morning of January 1 every year.
The design celebrated the 4,300-guest ship’s debut and her upcoming inaugural season in Alaska in summer of 2026, during which she will operate 7-night sailings out of Seattle and Vancouver.
“What better way to welcome the new year than on the world-famous Rose Parade stage, celebrating the breathtaking beauty of Alaska and the debut of our remarkable new ship, Star Princess,” said Marie Lee, Princess Cruises Chief Marketing Officer.
“Our float pays homage not only to our passionate Princess crew who bring Alaska voyages to life, but also to the local Alaskans – the storytellers, guides, artists, naturalists, and communities – who welcome our guests each season and make every journey extraordinary,”Lee continued.
A dozen performers also danced their way down the 5.5-mile parade route with the float as the “Love Boat” theme song played, which is a nod to Princess Cruises’ connection with the classic TV show.
As a California-based company, the Rose Parade is also a tradition that is likely very near and dear to the cruise line’s heart.
The parade started in 1890, and was already well-established by the time Princess opened its headquarters in Santa Clarita in 2001.
The Alaska Season to Come
In addition to celebrating the fleet’s newest vessel, the design is inspired by an exciting upcoming Alaska season for the cruise line – which is the biggest ever for the cruise line.
With the addition of the new Star Princess, eight Princess ships (instead of the usual seven) will be deployed to Alaska for the summer season.
Combined, these vessels will offer an impressive 180 departures, call to 19 popular destinations, and include 20 cruisetour options for inland areas and national parks.
Star Princess Cruise in Alaska
The float, which was 55 feet long and 21 feet high, was adorned with more than 300,000 flowers and natural materials to capture the beauty of the young ship and the Alaska scenery.
Perhaps most exciting is that the animals on the float, including a bear, sea otters, soaring eagles, wild moose, and whales, were animated, with their movements really bringing the float to life in an impressive marvel of innovation.
All About the Details
The impressive parade float was designed and constructed by Artistic Entertainment Services, which is a full-service creative, design, and fabrication studio with facilities in both California and Florida.
As the name Rose Parade suggests, every visible surface on floats in the parade must be covered by natural organic materials, with fresh flowers being the most famous.
Textures and tones inspired by Alaska’s rugged coastlines and breathtaking regional scenery were strategically used, and every detail was given careful thought.
The constructors even weaved in Blue Tweedia to symbolize the Alaska state flower, which is the Forget‑Me‑Not.
Additional materials included 21-foot trees of pine and spruce to form an authentic forest backdrop and white chrysanthemums, rice, and iridescent everlasting (accented with cool blue tones) to create floral versions of glaciers.
Layered blues and whites to form the water were created using iris, hydrangea, dendrobium orchids, ocean mums, and gypsophila, while animals like moose and bears were crafted from materials like palm fiber, cornsilk, grasses, and seeds.
Gratitude for the Crew
As a somewhat more subtle detail, four Princess teammates also rode in the float as a representation of the cruise line’s appreciation for its crew members.
Two of the representatives came from shoreside operations, while the other two were actual crew members. This was also a natural fit for the parade’s 2026 theme, which was “The Magic In Teamwork.”
“This year’s ‘The Magic in Teamwork’ theme perfectly reflects who we are: an extraordinary team dedicated to delivering unforgettable travel experiences that inspire joy, connection, and moments worth retelling,”Lee added.
Princess currently employs approximately 25,000 crew members from dozens of countries around the world, who have already jumped into providing another year of stellar customer service and facilitating dream cruise vacations.
