Carnival Cruise Line appears to be increasing the price of all its internet packages.
No official notification of the price increase has yet been sent to booked guests.
At sea internet prices have increased dramatically in just five years, but service has also improved.
Carnival Cruise Line is quietly increasing prices for all its internet packages. While the detailed pricing has not been officially announced, Cruise Hive has carefully researched the options and noted the price differences, as well as reached out to Carnival Cruise Line directly for details.
The different plans offer different levels of connectivity. On the Social Plan, guests can easily access social media and airline websites, but no email, video, or streaming, and no web browsing. The Value Plan has a slightly faster connection speed and can support email and browsing.
Current Logged Out Plans on Carnival Site
The Premium Plan is up to three times faster than the Social or Value options and supports streaming, video chats, and other online activities. The Premium Multi-Device Plan is the same, but bundled for up to four devices and perfect for a family or group traveling together.
Obviously, with different levels of service, there would be different prices. Just one month ago, however, the Social plan was $15.30, the Value Plan was $19.55, the Premium Plan was $21.25, and the Multi-Device Plan was $75.00.
The new pricing is increases of 22% (Social), 13% (Value), 12% (Premium), and 12% (Multi-Device).
This may not be the only price change, however. Guests with cruises booked in 2026 are already noting even HIGHER pricing on internet access.
For a Carnival Freedom 5-night sailing in March 2026, for example, the pricing is:
Social Plan – $20.40
Value Plan – $23.80
Premium Plan – $25.50
Premium Multi-Device Plan – $84.00
These prices are even higher than the currently published rates by 9% (Social), 8% (Value), and 7% (Premium), with no change for the multi-device plan. The website does note that prices “start” at the published rates.
Logged In Plans for Carnival Freedom
It is possible that rates are adjusted for more popular sailings or on larger ships where internet access is in higher demand. The months of March and April are notorious as Spring Break sailing months, and therefore might command higher prices.
This could also be an indication that finalized price changes for all sailings might be coming soon, however, whether or not the cruise line issues an official notification of the increase.
Previous Price Increases
Cruise lines regularly increase pricing on add-on packages, and it’s no surprise that internet access has become increasingly popular over the years.
The price changes, however, are quite extreme and can come as a shock to anyone who may not cruise frequently. Just five years ago, in October 2025, for example, Carnival’s published internet prices were:
Social Plan – $6.80
Value Plan – $10.20
Premium Plan – $13.60
When compared to today’s rates, the internet plans have increased astronomically. In five years, the Social Plan has increased 175%, the Value Plan is up 117%, and the Premium Plan is up 75%. In 2020, Carnival Cruise Line did not offer the multi-device plan, which was only introduced in late 2024.
Of course, internet service at sea has also improved in that time. In May 2024, Carnival Cruise Line completed the two-year rollout of Starlink internet access onboard, improving connectivity reliability and speed.
Booked guests interested in internet access during their upcoming Carnival sailings may want to pre-purchase Wi-Fi packages right away to lock in the lowest possible rates.
Could this be a sign of even more increases to come? Pricing on gratuities, drink packages, and other popular add-ons might also be increasing soon and budget-savvy guests should stay alert for possible changes.
Now, with Points Choice, members of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society, Celebrity’s Captain’s Club, or Silversea’s Venetian Society will be able to apply their points to any of the sister brands’ loyalty programs.
Additionally, points earned during voyages on sister lines will continue to contribute to your existing loyalty status.
That means a Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society member will be able to apply the points they earned on Royal Caribbean sailings directly towards a voyage on one of Silversea Cruises’ vessels, even if they’ve never taken a Silversea cruise before.
The change gives loyal cruisers additional flexibility in how they apply their points, and makes it easier than ever to explore other cruise lines’ ships and itineraries for the first time.
Points Choice will launch in early 2026, and more details will be revealed leading up to the debut.
This latest move reinforces Royal Caribbean Group’s commitment to guest experience and excellence in customer service.
Will This Lead to More Carnival Cruisers Jumping Ship?
While Royal Caribbean Group’s loyalty program changes have been widely well-received by cruisers, Carnival is still in damage control mode over its own loyalty program.
Announced in June, the new Carnival Rewards program, which will replace the current VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) program in 2026, was met with severe backlash from loyal guests.
The program gives loyalty status an expiration date of two years, doing away with lifetime status and requiring many long-time cruisers to start from scratch.
Points Choice
Also ruffling Carnival cruisers’ sails was the change in how points are earned. Rather than points being accrued based on the number of days sailing, the new program would allot points based on money spent onboard.
These pay-to-play changes, along with the removal of VIFP Club Parties, logo gifts, and VIFP pins for Gold tier members, left many feeling used and abandoned.
While Carnival has since made some tweaks to this plan in an attempt to address guest concerns, many feel it’s too little, too late and have expressed plans to jump ship to other cruise lines.
Royal Caribbean seems to be a popular choice for those leaving Carnival on the horizon, and one can’t help but wonder if all these loyalty boosts from Royal Caribbean Group are in response.
Whether it’s the group’s intentions or not, the new Points Choice program is bound to make Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea much more tempting for former Carnival loyalists as well as brand new cruisers.
The JAXPORT Cruise Terminal offers secure, easily bookable cruise parking just a short walk away from the terminal itself, and at a reasonable rate.
However, other parking options are available in the vicinity if you’d like to shop around and try to get the best deal possible. Here’s what you need to know about Jacksonville cruise parking before your trip.
As far as cruise terminals go, the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal (located at 9810 August Drive) is on the smaller side, only offering cruises from Carnival Cruise Line and only four and five-day cruises to the Bahamas.
However, just because the terminal is small, that doesn’t mean that you won’t need to think about your parking in advance of your embarkation day, just like you would when cruising out of a much larger port.
The lit and fenced parking lot is right on JAXPORT property and just steps away from the cruise terminal. The parking lot is monitored by security personnel 24 hours per day.
Cruise Ship Docked in Jacksonville, Florida (Photo Credit: Ramunas Bruzas)
Parking is $17 per day, which works out to $68 for a four-day cruise or $85 for a five-day cruise. If you have an oversized vehicle that will basically need two parking spots all on its own, you’ll pay double this, so $34 per day, or $136 for a four-day cruise or $170 for a 5-day cruise.
Passengers don’t have to reserve their parking at the terminal in advance, but doing so can make a trip more convenient. Do note that if you do wait to pay for parking until your arrival, the lot only accepts payments via major credit card.
Disabled parking spots are available. Free parking is available to those with a Florida disabled veterans plate, Florida toll exemption decal or those driving a vehicle modified for a disability (such as with a ramp) with a disability parking placard.
Address: 9810 August Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32226
Distance to port: Onsite
Shuttle service: No
Cost: From $17 per day
Tel: (904) 357-3006
Off-Site Jacksonville Cruise Parking
While parking right at the terminal building is incredibly easy and pretty affordable, too, you may want to shop around for other options. If that’s the case, consider the following providers.
The Parking Mall
The Parking Mall claims that it can guarantee the cheapest parking space with no hidden fees. The parking lot is fully enclosed, lit and offers 24-hour video monitoring.
Additionally, this lot provides a continuous shuttle service for no extra fee (and, while you wait for the shuttle to come back around, the team will even give you a free beverage). If you need vehicle or luggage assistance, it is provided upon request as well.
Carnival Ship Docked at Jacksonville Cruise Port (Photo Credit: NEFLO PHOTO)
Parking is sold in multi-night packages, including three-night, four-night, five-night, six-night, seven-night, eight-night and 12-night packages.
The three-night package starts at $35, and across the packages, the rate works out to approximately $12 per day — so you’d definitely save money at The Parking Mall versus the actual cruise ship terminal. The only downside is that you aren’t parking right on-site, though the shuttle service helps make up for that.
Address: 3372 Zoo Pkwy, Jacksonville, FL 32226
Distance to port: 0.8 miles
Shuttle service: Yes
Cost: From approximately $12 per day, depending on package
Tel: (904) 274-2244
Wally Park
Technically, Wally Park’s Jacksonville cruise parking is considered airport parking first and foremost, but there’s absolutely no reason why you wouldn’t be able to use their parking facilities while you’re cruising!
You can find rates from Wally Park starting at $7.77, if you’re willing to sign up for the parking provider’s loyalty program (which might be worth it for you if you cruise often — even if you don’t cruise from Jacksonville all that much, Wally Park also has outposts in Los Angeles, Seattle and San Diego, other cities popular with cruisers).
Jacksonville Skyline (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
The covered parking lot is open all the time, and you can make your contactless reservation right on the website or mobile.
Unfortunately, though, the lot’s shuttle service only takes you to the Jacksonville International Airport, not the cruise port. So, you’ll need to find your own way to make the nearly 10-mile trek to the port. Luckily, it’s not difficult to find a rideshare service or a taxi service in Jacksonville.
Similarly, Park EZ Fly & Ride is a paved parking lot near the Jacksonville airport that you could book if you don’t mind getting your own transport, actually to the port.
Two parking options are offered — valet parking and oversized vehicle parking. Valet parking starts at $6 per day, while oversized vehicle parking starts at $12 per day. All parking is uncovered.
Directions for Jacksonville Cruise Port (Photo Credit: Kristi Blokhin)
You can also search for different parking options ahead of your cruise by using platforms that compile all of the area options into one spot.
CruiseParking.com does this and, while you’ll see options on the site already discussed, such as The Parking Mall, you may also come across a few other parking spots up for grabs.
For example, the platform will allow you to book parking at several area hotels. While these types of spots won’t come with shuttle service and very likely not any security, you may want to still check them out as you compare and contrast rates.
Hotel Cruise Parking in Jacksonville
One other option that I like to recommend is parking at a hotel for the duration of your cruise by booking a hotel cruise parking package. These packages let you park at the hotel for the duration of your cruise, while also allowing you to spend the night before your cruise at the hotel.
Why would you want to do that? Well, it’s always a good idea, if you’re flying, to fly into your cruise port city the day before embarkation. Embarkation occurs in the morning and the ship waits for no one.
Holiday Inn Express, Jacksonville
If you’re delayed for any reason, you could find that getting to the port is either extremely stressful or impossible. So, fly in the day before. Sleep at a nearby hotel. Make embarkation day as easy and seamless as possible.
Several hotels in the Jacksonville area offer these types of packages.
Additionally, while you’ll need to call to inquire, the Jacksonville tourism board notes that the following hotels offer cruise and park packages, some with shuttle service:
Courtyard by Marriott I-295 East Beltway
Hampton Inn Jacksonville East
TownePlace Suites Jacksonville Airport
Tru by Hilton Jacksonville Airport I-95
WoodSpring Suites Jacksonville East 295 Cruise Port
How to Get to the Jacksonville Cruise Port
If you’re driving to the Jacksonville cruise port and not staying in a hotel, here’s how to get there.
From I-95 South
Take Exit 362A – I-295 South and continue for approx. six miles
Turn right onto Zoo Parkway and cross New Berlin Road
Turn left on August Drive into the cruise terminal entrance
Final Thoughts
While you may not have as many parking options at the JAXPORT cruise terminal as you would at a larger cruise port, you do still have several lots to pick from, on-site and off-site, all at reasonable prices.
Again, though, I’d recommend that, if you’re flying into Jacksonville or driving in from a long distance, you arrive the day ahead of your embarkation — at which point booking a hotel room that offers a cruise and park package may make the most sense for your travel budget.
A guest was found deceased on Lizard Island after being accidentally left behind by a Coral Expeditions ship.
The female guest had been hiking but separated from her group to rest and failed to return to the ship.
The cause of death has not been confirmed, but her body was located more than 150 feet from the trail.
It’s been a sad week for cruise guests with yet another death now reported, this time from a Coral Expeditions ship sailing near the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia.
According to 7 News, the 81-year-old female guest was hiking with other passengers on Lizard Island on Saturday, October 25.
The group was climbing Cook’s Look. The popular hike follows the famed path of Captain James Cook and offers stunning panoramic views from the peak. The elderly woman, whose name has not been released, stopped hiking only partway up the peak, however, and needed to rest.
The hike is a challenging one, and it isn’t unusual for hikers to overestimate their abilities and not be able to complete the entire route. The rest of the group reportedly continued the climb and eventually returned to their cruise ship.
What no one realized, however, was that the woman had not returned to the vessel. She was a solo traveler, and her absence was not noticed for several hours. She was officially reported missing on Saturday, October 25.
Search operations were initiated as soon as the woman could not be located. Both land and sea assets were used to try and find her, as well as air support. The search continued for several hours.
The woman’s body was located approximately 165 feet off the trail where she had been hiking.
“Following the operation, Coral Expeditions was notified by Queensland Police that the woman had been found deceased on Lizard Island,”confirmed Mark Fifield, CEO of Coral Expeditions.
“While investigations into the incident are continuing, we are deeply sorry that this has occurred and are offering our full support to the woman’s family.”
The exact ship the woman was sailing aboard has not been disclosed. Coral Expeditions has just three ships: Coral Adventurer, Coral Discoverer, and Coral Geographer.
While Coral Geographer is currently sailing near Japan, both Coral Adventurer and Coral Discoverer are in the region near Lizard Island. As part of the Great Barrier Reef, the area is renowned for spectacular snorkeling and scuba diving.
The intimate ships of the Coral Expeditions fleet can welcome just 70-120 guests and offer immersive itineraries to out-of-the-way destinations that larger vessels are often unable to visit.
Lizard Island
No further details about the woman, including her identity or her condition when she was located, have been released. This will help safeguard the privacy of her family members and friends at this very troubling time.
Coral Expeditions remains in contact with the family as the investigation is ongoing.
“The Coral team have been in contact with the woman’s family, and we will continue to offer support to them through this difficult process,”said Fifield.
Other Recent Hiking Mishaps
This is not the first time this year that a cruise guest has gotten into fatal difficulty on a hike while visiting a port of call.
In two separate incidents, two cruise guests died in Juneau, Alaska, while hiking on popular trails known for challenging conditions.
The first guest was hiking by themselves on July 1, 2025. A multi-day search operation was launched when the 62-year-old woman did not return to Norwegian Bliss and her body was located 1,700 feet below Gold Ridge Trail, where she had planned to hike.
The second incident occurred on September 16, 2025 when two male hikers fell from the Mount Roberts Trail in the same region. One hiker only sustained minor injuries, but the other slid further down the mountainside and died from his injuries.
Royal Caribbean Group has unveiled exciting plans for Royal Beach Club Santorini, its first shoreside destination in Europe. Set to open in summer 2026, the club will welcome guests sailing on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises voyages.
The beach club experience will be combined with sightseeing options to the Greek island’s landmarks and cultural sites, creating the “Ultimate Santorini Day,” a nod to Royal Caribbean’s extremely popular Perfect Day at CocoCay experience that debuted in 2019 in the Bahamas.
Santorini is the latest in Royal Caribbean’s series of planned land-based destinations meant to enhance the cruise experience. Several Royal Beach Clubs are already in the works, with the first, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in The Bahamas, slated to open in December 2025.
In addition to Santorini, the company in 2026 will open the Southernmost Hotel on Earth — The Cormorant at 55 South in Chile, and Royal Beach Club Cozumel in Mexico. Perfect Day Mexico, in Costa Maya, will open in 2027 followed by Royal Beach Club Lelepa (Vanuatu), in 2028.
Royal Caribbean also operates a private destination in Labadee, Haiti, although it remains closed due to civil unrest on the island.
“Expanding our Royal Beach Club Collection to include Santorini – one of the world’s most popular and beautiful locations – is a bold step forward in growing our vacation portfolio from two to eight by 2028, giving guests more ways to have unforgettable experiences with us,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group.
“We’re thrilled to connect guests with Santorini’s gems – from its iconic villages to the Aegean Sea’s famous beach club culture – creating a balanced, authentic island experience,” Liberty added.
Royal Caribbean’s announcement does not indicate what the cost will be to visit Royal Beach Club Santorini, if any, or to book the Ultimate Day Santorini island sightseeing tour.
It does state, however, that the Ultimate Day Santorini experience will have three starting points on the island, which the company believes will ease tourist congestion in the destination as guests will fan out from various locations.
Santorini has become overrun by cruise passengers in the post-pandemic years, with as many as 17,000 arriving in a single day.
Royal Caribbean Santorini Beach Club
Roughly 1.3 million cruise guests typically arrive each year on upward of 800 cruise ships that call at the island, which is famed for its turquoise waters, white-washed buildings, and iconic cultural sites.
In fact, Santorini and nearby Mykonos in 2025 began charging cruise guests an arrivals fee to help manage the flow of tourists and address infrastructure and environmental impacts that high numbers of visitors cause.
In high season, the cost is €20 (approximately $22), with lower fees charged in the shoulder and low seasons.
Multiple Ships Will Call at Santorini As Beach Club Opens
While Royal Caribbean Group has not yet disclosed the specific location or an opening date for Royal Beach Club Santorini, those details are expected soon, and guests can choose from a variety of sailings that will call at the destination.
Several Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises’ ships will visit Santorini in summer 2026, including Explorer of the Seas, sailing roundtrip from Ravenna on multiple dates, and Odyssey of the Seas, which will be based in Rome and offering Eastern Mediterranean voyages.
A 7-night “Greece & Adriatic Cruise” departing on August 22, 2026 aboard Explorer of the Seas calls at Athens, Santorini, and Split, Croatia, for instance.
With Celebrity Cruises, guests can book a “Greece, Malta & Turkey Cruise” aboard its newest ship, Celebrity Xcel, on dates in July and August 2026. The voyages, from Barcelona to Athens, call at Valletta, Malta, Santorini, and Kusadasi, Turkey.
Celebrity Ascent will also be based in the Mediterranean, sailing cruises round-trip from Rome that feature calls to Santorini.
A crew member went overboard from Viking Star in the Aegean Sea in the late morning of Monday, October 27.
The cruise ship assisted search efforts but has been released by the Italian Coast Guard to resume her sailing.
The crew member’s identity has not been released at this time, but the cruise line is offering support.
Just days after an overboard incident from Norwegian Jewel near the Azores, another overboard incident has occurred, this time from Viking Star.
At 11:31 a.m. local time on Monday, October 27, a crew member was seen going overboard the 47,800-gross-ton ship in the Mediterranean Sea. At the time, Viking Star was in the southern Aegean Sea on a day at sea between visits to Crete and Sicily on a 7-night cruise.
“The ship’s emergency response was immediately activated, and an extensive search operation was launched, in coordination with the Italian Coast Guard,”a statement from the cruise line said.
Photos from the area show a smoke flare was dropped into the water to mark the position of the overboard, which can help a ship return to the precise location and can help guide other authorities in reaching the site. Several orange life rings were also tossed into the water.
Satellite tracking data shows that the ship circled the search area several times before resuming its voyage.
“The Italian Coast Guard has jurisdiction over the operation and is continuing the search. At 6:00 p.m. local time, the Italian Coast Guard released the ship from the search efforts; it will now proceed on its journey,”Viking explained.
It is common for local authorities and specially-equipped search-and-rescue vessels to take over search operations in these types of incidents.
While a cruise ship will remain in the area of an overboard to assist in search efforts as long as necessary, every ship also has a schedule that must be considered.
A Viking Star crew member went overboard in the Mediterranean Sea during a cruise on Monday. The Italian Coast Guard is conducting an urgent search.
The safety of human life is obviously the most important consideration, but rescue craft are better suited to ongoing search efforts.
Viking Star‘s next port of call is Messina, Sicily, with an expected arrival of 7 a.m. on Tuesday, October 28. There is no further disruption to the ship’s itinerary. She will continue on to Naples for a visit on Wednesday, October 29, and will reach Civitavecchia for debarkation on Thursday, October 30.
Onboard Viking Star are 925 guests and 471 crew members, according to the ship’s manifest. Viking Star can welcome as many as 930 guests, depending on the overall occupancy on any particular sailing.
“We are deeply saddened by what has occurred. Our thoughts are with the family of our crew member, and we will continue to support them during this difficult time,”the cruise line said.
Viking Star operates in the Mediterranean year-round, offering itineraries that include Greece, Italy, and Spain as homeports and visiting iconic destinations such as Kusadasi, Santorini, Florence, Marseille, Dubrovnik, and more.
Sad Week for Cruise Ships
The past few days have been solemn for different cruise lines. In addition to this overboard incident from Viking Star, a crew member passed away on P&O Cruises’ Arvia just the day before on Sunday, October 26.
That death is attributed to an accident onboard the ship, but no further details have been released. Arvia is sailing her transatlantic crossing ahead of her winter Caribbean season, and the incident happened after the ship left Southampton on Friday, October 24 and was en route to Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, October 21, an overboard alert was heard aboard Norwegian Jewel while the ship was sailing off Ponta Delgada in the Azores. The ship searched unsuccessfully for 10 hours before resuming course to Miami.
Norwegian Jewel had departed Barcelona on October 15 on a 12-night repositioning cruise to Florida. The ship will offer Caribbean, Bahamas, and Panama sailings from Miami through January, then will move to Tampa for a series of themed sailings in February before returning to Miami for another few cruises.
Vision of the Seas will skip her visit to Sydney, Nova Scotia on Tuesday, October 28 due to bad weather.
High winds and waves are impacting the region, and the ship will instead overnight in Halifax.
The impacted sailing is the ship’s October 23 departure, but her return to Baltimore on November 1 is unaffected.
With many cruisers’ eyes focused on Jamaica and Hurricane Melissa, it’s important to remember that weather-related itinerary changes aren’t always due to hurricanes. In fact, such changes can happen anywhere when rough weather coincides with a cruise ship’s route.
This is exactly what’s happening to Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas. The 78,700-gross-ton ship is homeported from Baltimore, Maryland and departed on Thursday, October 23, 2025 for a 9-night Canada and New England itinerary.
The ship visited Boston on Saturday, October 25, followed by St. John on Sunday, October 26. After a day at sea, two more port visits are on the original itinerary:
Sydney, Nova Scotia on Tuesday, October 28 and Halifax on Wednesday, October 29. Vision of the Seas will be back in Baltimore on Saturday, November 1.
Unfortunately, a developing storm in the northwestern Atlantic is impacting the region and the ship will be unable to complete the itinerary as planned.
“We have been monitoring unfavorable weather conditions developing along our route toward Sydney, Nova Scotia,”a letter delivered to guests’ staterooms read.“As a result, we’ll have to skip our visit to Sydney, and now we’ll arrive in Halifax, Nova Scotia a day early to enjoy an extra day in port.”
Vision of the Seas will now enjoy an overnight visit to Halifax, from 2 p.m. Monday afternoon through 6 p.m. Tuesday evening. After leaving Halifax, the ship will remain at sea as she makes her way back to Baltimore.
As is standard operating procedure when a port visit must be cancelled, all pre-paid shore tours booked through Royal Caribbean for the visit to Sydney will be returned as refundable onboard credit to guests’ SeaPass accounts.
Additional tours for Halifax can be booked at the Shore Excursions desk portside on Deck 5, just aft of the Casino Royale and near the Guest Services desk.
Canada and New England cruise itineraries are very popular in the autumn months for their spectacular fall foliage viewing. Vision of the Seas‘ current sailing is her last autumn itinerary for the season.
While the ship will still be sailing from Baltimore for another year, she will be offering Caribbean, Southeast Coast, and Bahamas itineraries through the winter season, with Bermuda itineraries in the spring and summer as well. Her next Canada departure is not until August 27, 2026.
Strong Winds and High Waves Forcing Change
The weather system currently affecting Vision of the Seas is generating strong winds and high waves near Sydney, on the eastern tip of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
According to Windy.com, winds in the region are currently 20-25 knots (23-29 miles per hour), which can create unstable conditions for a ship to enter challenging harbors or dock safely.
Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas (Photo Credit: StudioPortoSabbia)
Winds are expected to strengthen into early Tuesday morning, just when Vision of the Seas would have been approaching the port.
The direction of the wind, an individual ship’s profile, and tidal impacts can all be part of a decision to reroute a cruise ship or cancel a port of call.
The safety of the ship, her guests, and all crew members is always the top priority for any cruise line. A smoother sailing away from harsh weather is not only safer, but is also more comfortable for a better cruise vacation experience.
While guests may be understandably disappointed with the change, Royal Caribbean is doing everything possible to provide a fun and enjoyable cruise, and crew members will do all they can to ensure everyone aboard Vision of the Seas enjoys their sailing.
Hurricane Melissa has rapidly gained strength as she moves west across the Caribbean. Multiple cruise lines have adjusted their itineraries to stay away from the storm and keep their ships, guests, and crew members safe. Individual adjustments and port visits may vary based on ships’ operational needs and berth availability.
This list will be updated as additional itinerary adjustments are confirmed.
As of the 11 a.m., Monday update, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports that Hurricane Melissa is a powerful Category 5 storm with winds reaching 165 miles per hour. She is projected to make landfall in Jamaica early on Tuesday, October 28, and continue northeast across Cuba and the eastern Bahamas.
Hurricane Melissa
MSC World America
The largest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, MSC World America has adjusted her October 25 itinerary to a Western Caribbean route instead of the Eastern Caribbean itinerary that was originally planned.
The ship will be visiting Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel during the weeklong cruise. The visit to MSC Ocean Cay is still planned for Friday, October 31 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Carnival Dream
Sailing from Galveston on a 14-night Eastern Caribbean route that departed on October 18, Carnival Dream is unable to make her last scheduled port visit, which was to have been Ocho Rios, Jamaica on Wednesday, October 29.
The ship will spend a day at sea instead and will follow a different route back to Texas on time while staying out of the storm’s path.
Rhapsody of the Seas
Rhapsody of the Seas left San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday, October 26 for a 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise. The ship has cancelled her visit to St. Croix and moved her visit to St. Thomas to Tuesday instead of Monday.
A visit to La Romana in the Dominican Republic has been added for Monday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but the remaining ports are unchanged.
The ship will now be visiting Cozumel and Roatan, but the visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay at the end of the cruise is still a go for Friday, October 31.
The ship will be visiting Costa Maya, Belize, and Roatan before returning to Miami on schedule on Sunday, November 2.
Regal Princess
Regal Princess departed on her transatlantic cruise to move from Southampton to Galveston on September 28, and the end of her sailing is now impacted by Hurricane Melissa.
The ship’s final port visit was to have been Grand Cayman on Sunday, October 26, but that stop was cancelled and the ship instead enjoyed a day at sea. Her arrival in Galveston on Wednesday, October 29 is unchanged.
Disney Treasure
The newest member of the Disney Cruise Line fleet, Disney Treasure is also sailing to the Western Caribbean rather than her planned Eastern Caribbean cruise that left Port Canaveral on October 25.
Disney Wish is also homeported from Port Canaveral but offers shorter itineraries than her new sister. The ship’s October 27 departure is a 4-night sailing to the Bahamas and both port visits are still on the itinerary, but now in the reverse order.
Disney Wish will visit Castaway Cay on Tuesday, October 28 and Nassau on Wednesday, October 29.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander
Margaritaville at Sea Islander was the first vessel to confirm storm-related itinerary changes. In fact, the ship shifted her October 19 schedule while Melissa was still a tropical storm.
The planned visit to Cozumel remained unchanged, but the stops in Jamaica and Grand Cayman were swapped for Belize and Roatan. Margaritaville at Sea Islander returned to her Tampa homeport as planned on Sunday, October 26.
The ship’s next sailing is already planned to visit Cozumel, Roatan, Belize, and Costa Maya.
A crew member has passed away following an accident on Sunday, October 26 aboard P&O Cruises’ Arvia.
The nature of the accident has not been revealed but the cruise line has confirmed the death.
Arvia remains fully operational and on her way to the Canary Islands on her current sailing.
Guests onboard P&O Cruises’ newest and largest vessel, Arvia, may notice a subdued mood among crew members over the next few days. The cruise line has confirmed the death of a crew member following an accident that occurred on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
The crew member’s name, nationality, and position onboard have not been released in order to safeguard the privacy of family members and friends at such a troubling time, but P&O Cruises is taking steps to help.
“We can confirm the death of a crewmember following an accident on board Arvia yesterday,”a P&O Cruises spokesperson said in a statement provided to Cruise Hive.“Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends both on board and at home and we are providing every possible support to them.”
The 185,600-gross-ton cruise ship departed Southampton, UK on Friday, October 24 for a 14-night sailing to Barbados to begin the winter Caribbean season. There have not yet been any ports of call on the voyage, but Arvia is scheduled to enjoy a day in Tenerife in the Canary Islands on Tuesday, October 28.
At the moment, that visit remains on schedule. Despite the somber circumstances, there is no anticipated change to the ship’s itinerary, which includes stops in St. Maarten (Tuesday, November 4), St. Kitts (Wednesday, November 5), and St. Lucia (Thursday, November 6) before arriving in Barbados on Friday, November 7.
Arvia can welcome as many as 6,685 guests and is also home to approximately 1,700 international crew members.
While the incident remains under investigation, the circumstances of the accident have not been revealed. This is standard procedure to ensure that all safety protocols are in place and being followed correctly, and that there is no foul play involved.
Depending on where the crew member worked, the accident could be industrial or mechanical in nature, as cruise ships are immense engineering constructs. It is also possible that the accident is simply a fluke, such as a slip-and-fall that might occur anywhere at any time.
There is no impact to onboard operations and the ship’s systems and safety are not impacted in any way.
Crew Deaths Are Rare, But Do Happen
While overboard incidents happen occasionally with crew members as well as guests, accidents onboard cruise ships are even more uncommon but still happen. This is true with any workplace, where a wide range of accidents can be dangerous to workers.
Onboard Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam in March 2024, for example, a steam leak in an engineering space unfortunately claimed the lives of two crew members. The ship was docked at Half Moon Cay at the time and was slightly delayed in leaving the private island.
In December 2015, a grisly death was reported aboard Carnival Ecstasy when an electrician was killed while working on an elevator repair.
Crew members are also not exempt from natural deaths, even while at work. In May 2025, Captain Michele Bartolomei of the Diamond Princess had a sudden medical emergency and passed away while the ship was spending an overnight call in Keelung, Taiwan.
In April 2024, Captain James MacDonald of Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas was medically evacuated from the ship in Cozumel, Mexico following a severe heart attack. He sadly passed away two weeks later.
Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with all the crew members of Arvia at this sad time, as well as all the extended family of P&O Cruises.
