The 5-year-old girl fell 50-feet into the ocean from Deck 4 of the Disney Cruise Line ship. Less than a minute later, the girl’s father had jumped overboard to save her. Thankfully, the duo was rescued in less than an hour.
Early rumors blamed the child’s fatherfor allegedly holding the girl on the ship’s railing for a picture or claimed that she had been climbing the railing and slipped. But neither of these theories are true.
What really happened on that fateful day is that the child’s mother had encouraged her daughter to pose for a picture in front of an open porthole. Per the authorities, she did not realize that the porthole was open.
“[The mom] assumed the porthole had a window or plexiglass, and she thought that [her daughter] would be caught by the glass, but instead, she kept falling,”the police report stated.
Both the mother and the father spoke with police, and their stories match surveillance footage, in which the mom can be seen walking on Deck 4 before directing the little girl to the porthole.
Disney Cruise Line has not commented publicly on the findings of the investigation.
At the time, the cruise line confirmed the man overboard situation and commended the crew members for their heroic rescue of the dad and daughter.
“Upon looking at the window myself, as a prudent person, I immediately saw that the window was open to the air, and did not have a covering,”Detective Christopher Favitta, who investigated the scene in person, wrote in his portion of the report.
“This act, facilitated by [the mother] placed the child in a life-threatening situation. As a result, the child fell from the ship and into the water, in an avoidable accident,” he continued.
Dad Saves Overboard Daughter From Disney Dream (Credit: Janice Martin-Asuque)
But while the mother’s decision was not smart, it ultimately wasn’t enough to warrant charges.
“While the defendant’s conduct is arguably negligent and irresponsible, it does not rise the egregious level of conduct necessary to establish criminal culpable negligence,” Assistant State Attorney Melissa Kelly confirmed in the report.
The case is now closed, and the family can move on with their lives.
Thankfully, the story did have a happy ending – and all cruising families can learn from the mother’s mistake so that it doesn’t happen again.
Keeping kids away from openings and preventing them from climbing on railings can mean the difference between life and death, as the majority of people who fall overboard do sadly perish or are lost at sea.
According to a report from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 212 people went overboard from 2009 to 2019.
Only 48 were found alive, which equates to a successful rescue rate of approximately 22%.
In this case, both the father and daughter were immediately tended to by Disney’s onboard medical team after being rescued and were expected to fully recover, if they haven’t already.
The child escaped with mild hypothermia and minor lactic acidosis, while her father was hospitalized with hypothermia, lactic acidosis, and two spinal fractures.
Guests are no longer permitted to donate items to auction off at the Groove for St. Jude charity fundraisers onboard Carnival ships.
The change in policy has been at the request of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Carnival Cruise Line will honor it.
The Groove fundraisers are not ending and Carnival Cruise Line remains committed to strong support of the children’s charity.
Carnival Cruise Line is a long-time charitable partner for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The cruise line first began offering support in various ways since 2010, and in 2024, announced the ambitious goal to raise a total of $50 million by 2030.
One guest-led way of raising funds for the charity is no longer permitted, however. A recent policy change means guests can no longer donate items to be auctioned off during impromptu fundraisers on individual cruises.
A guest eager to donate to such an auction was recently turned down, and reached out to John Heald to see why that generosity is no longer welcome.
“Are you aware that they are no longer auctioning things at Groove for St Jude?”the guest asked.“I asked you about this and specially made 2 big crochet ducks to auction on [Carnival Firenze and Carnival Radiance] only to be told in the evening after I sent them to the cruise director via a Fun Squad member earlier in the day… no more auctioning. It was very disappointing.”
Groove for St. Jude is the fundraising dance party held onboard every Carnival cruise. Guests donate to join the event and receive t-shirts or other souvenirs as thanks for their participation. On some sailings, grooving can raise thousands of dollars for St. Jude.
In recent years, guests have often donated unique items to be auctioned as part of the event. Bedazzled, crocheted, or other unique ducks (part of the cruising ducks phenomenon) are popular and can help raise extra money for the charity.
Unfortunately, this will no longer be possible, but it isn’t Carnival Cruise Line’s decision.
“Yes, indeed this was something that we were requested not to do by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,”Heald confirmed.“This was their decision and we of course respect it.”
Heald apologized to the guest and thanked them for the time generously spent making the crocheted ducks, but the rule change is a very recent one and there was no way to inform the guest before their back-to-back sailings.
Carnival Firenze (Photo Credit: Felipe Sanchez / Shutterstock)
The dates of the guest’s recent cruises aboard were not disclosed, but both ships are currently homeported from Long Beach, California.
Carnival Firenze is offering 4-, 5-, and 6-night sailings to Baja Mexico and the Mexican Riviera, while Carnival Radiance is sailing 3-, 4-, and 5-night cruises also to Baja Mexico, as well as regular 14-night sailings to Hawaii.
Other St. Jude Fundraisers
There has been no reason given about why St. Jude has requested that the onboard auctions no longer be held. It is not uncommon, however, for organizations to want to ensure their connections are carefully curated to follow their mission statement and policies.
Furthermore, unauthorized items may seem to indicate endorsements from the charity, which is something that must be carefully regulated.
In addition to the Groove for St. Jude onboard events, Carnival Cruise Line has often held other, more unique fundraisers.
For example, in October 2024, Christine Duffy, the cruise line’s president, did a special tandem skydive over Tampa Bay and raised more than $85,000. That fundraiser was not for St. Jude, however, but was for the Gary Sinise Foundation in conjunction with special efforts to support first responders after hurricane impacts.
Individual cruise directors occasionally host wacky fundraisers along with the Groove for St. Jude parties, such as in August 2025 when Marq Anthony squeezed into the smallest possible shirt size after a $2,000 donation onboard Carnival Vista.
Popular cruise director Alex Siegler has done several unique challenges for St. Jude. In January 2025, he went clean-shaven for the first time in more than a decade after successful fundraising aboard Carnival Spirit, then followed it up just a few weeks later with chest waxing (now that’s dedication!). Those two challenges raised more than $12,000 for St. Jude.
While guest donations will no longer be accepted for onboard auctions, it is unknown whether cruise directors will be able to continue such crazy antics or if other fundraiser methods might be introduced.
Port of Galveston will be rerouting street traffic through December 5, 2025, due to road construction.
All passenger vehicles for Terminal 25, used by Carnival Cruise Line, must enter and exit on 23rd Street.
Cruise traffic for Terminal 28, which serves Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, and Carnival, will be rerouted to 33rd Street.
Cruise passengers departing from Galveston, Texas, this fall will need to follow new routes to reach two of the port’s busiest terminals.
The Port of Galveston is temporarily rerouting traffic flow to Terminals 25 and 28 through December 5, 2025, due to ongoing road construction near the cruise complex.
At Terminal 25, used by Carnival Cruise Line, all passenger vehicles will enter and exit via 23rd Street. At Terminal 28, which serves Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Disney Cruise Line, all cruise traffic will use 33rd Street for pickups and drop-offs.
Passengers are encouraged to park in official Port of Galveston lots and to take port shuttles to their assigned terminal to help alleviate roadside delays and congestion.
“Cruise passengers may also receive details from their cruise line before their sailing date,” representatives at the port stated.
The new routes will affect thousands of passengers sailing to the Western Caribbean aboard nine ships currently homeported in Galveston.
These include Disney Cruise Line’s 2,713-guest Disney Magic, operating 4-night roundtrip cruises to Progreso, Mexico, and Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess, which sails 7-night voyages to Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; and Roatan, Honduras.
Carnival Cruises, Port of Galveston’s largest cruise operator, recently marked its 25th anniversary sailing from Galveston.
The celebration aboard 5,374-passenger Carnival Jubilee’s on October 18, 2025, highlighted the cruise line’s growth and long-standing partnership with the city.
Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream, and Carnival Legend also run regular Western Caribbean itineraries from Galveston to Mexico and Honduras.
Passengers booked on Royal Caribbean should not feel the strain as much as the line operates from its dedicated Terminal 10, which debuted in November 2022.
Both the 5,479-passenger Harmony of the Seas and the 3,344-passenger Mariner of the Seas continue 7- and 4-night Caribbean sailings, respectively, through the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Galveston’s newest cruise facility, Terminal 16, is on track to open in November 2025.
The fourth terminal will welcome MSC Cruises’ 5,877-guest MSC Seascape for its inaugural sailing to the Western Caribbean on November 16, marking the cruise line’s official debut from the Lone Star State.
Port Growth and Record Passenger Volumes
The traffic changes come as the Port of Galveston experiences record growth and mounting infrastructure demands.
In 2024, the port logged a record 3.4 million passenger movements across its terminals and projected more than 400 sailings in 2025. By the end of 2026, the Port of Galveston anticipates welcoming 2 million passengers.
Its newest 165,000-square-foot terminal, a $151-million project, anchors the expansion alongside a $55-million parking garage to support drive-to cruisers using Galveston’s prime Gulf of Mexico location.
The parking facility follows recommendations from a traffic-flow study that called for onsite parking, dedicated curb lanes for embarkation and debarkation, and a separate truck entrances.
The temporary reroutes for Terminals 25 and 28 are part of those long-term plans. While traffic is expected to return to normal patterns in early December, guests should stay alert for further changes in case of construction delays.
Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador John Heald has once again attempted to explain that, in fact, crew members receive all tips offered to them, with no impact to their base salary.
The controversy has gained attention recently due to “influencers” spreading incorrect information without real knowledge of the cruise line’s employee payment policies.
Many different gratuity controversies continue to circulate online covering a wide range of topics about how, when, and who to tip.
Gratuities are a controversial topic among cruisers, whether it is a discussion of who should receive them, how they are paid, what the current rate may be, or if they should be mandatory or discretionary.
One issue that frequently resurfaces through social media groups and so-called “influencers” is exactly how cruise lines calculate crew members’ salaries in comparison to tips.
A concerned guest reached out to Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, for clarification about the sometimes confusing connection between a crew member’s base salary and any gratuities they receive.
“[This person] is a cruise influencer with over 100,000 followers! She states that the money we tip the crew is used to pay them in addition to their normal pay as part of their base pay. Can you come clean on this?”the guest asks.
What this influencer seems to be claiming is that any gratuities a crew member receives are actually deducted from their “base pay” to keep the overall pay at a “normal” rate. For example, say a crew member’s salary is $400 per week, but they receive $150 per week in gratuities.
The claim is that Carnival would actually only pay the crew member $250, and the $150 in gratuities is added to reach that $400 salary. This would mean that the tips guests so generously offer are not actually over-and-above for excellent service, but are just being used as part of crew members’ base pay.
Heald left no question that this is not the case.
“As you are the 50th plus person to ask me this in the last few days I thought it was time for me to post the answer to save anyone else wasted time in asking me,”he noted.“THIS IS NOT CORRECT. IT IS FALSE INFORMATION.”
Heald goes on to note that some “influencers” can be very good a what they do, but others are not so good. It’s always best for guests to go straight to the source for information, whether that is browsing the official website or speaking to a cruise line representative.
“Let me categorically deny that we do as they suggest,”he responded to further comments on the tipping confusion. “Gratuities that are given to the crew are kept by the crew and not by the company to support any salaries. That may happen on other cruise lines, but not with us.”
Cash Tipping on Carnival Cruise Line
To be clear, Heald is not confirming how any other lines may manage gratuities, service charges, or tips. Payment and payroll operations are confidential for all cruise lines, and policies may be adapted as times change or when tax laws, or payment options shift.
“All I can say is that we are very grateful to every single guest who takes the time to give a gratuity to our crew,”he said.“Tipping is a very personal subject and at the end of the day people have to do what they think is best.”
At the moment, Carnival Cruise Line service gratuities are assessed at $16 per person, per day for most stateroom types. Guests staying in suites, which are larger rooms with more customized service, are assessed at $18 per person, per day. Carnival has not increased gratuity rates since April 2023.
More Tipping Controversies
Carnival Cruise Line has addressed a wide range of tipping controversies in the past.
Another hot topic is how different guests might actually offer extra gratuities to staff members, and whether or not “cutesy” trends of how to display the cash one gives are appropriate or just tasteless.
Who receives tips, tipping porters at the cruise terminal, and whether to offer cash or increase the auto-gratuities on one’s shipboard account are all questions that are regularly discussed, with strong opinions on both sides.
The January 15, 2026 sailing of Carnival Elation from Jacksonville has been cancelled.
The cruise line alerted guests of the need for a longer time in dry dock, necessitating the cancellation of the last cruise before the ship is out of service.
Guests may rebook with fare protection on a comparable sailing and will receive a $50 per person onboard credit as incentive for booking a new cruise.
Guests booked on Carnival Elation for the last sailing before the 27-year-old ship enters dry dock in January 2026 will need to change their vacation plans.
Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests to alert them that the dry dock will need a bit more time than anticipated, and the ship’s January 15, 2026 sailing from Jacksonville, Florida has been cancelled.
The impacted cruise was to have been a 4-night Bahamas trip with visits to Celebration Key and Nassau. Following that cruise, Carnival Elation is scheduled to enter dry dock and will not resume service until February 9, 2026.
Guests are being offered the opportunity to rebook their sailing with some incentives, or else a full refund, including pre-purchased packages and tours as well as non-refundable deposits, will be provided.
“We have a variety of alternatives and are confident you will find another Carnival cruise that is filled with an equal amount of fun,”the email said.
If guests rebook on a “comparable sailing, in similar accommodations” their original cruise fare rate will be protected. The email does not specify if that new cruise must also be aboard Carnival Elation or the only other Fantasy-class ship in the fleet, Carnival Paradise, or if any 4-night Carnival sailing will be acceptable.
If guests do rebook, they will receive a $50 (USD) per person onboard credit for their new sailing, up to $100 per stateroom.
Carnival Cruise Line is also offering reimbursement of up to $200 per person for non-refundable air expenses or change fees. Guests must submit receipts and other documentation to qualify for that reimbursement if needed.
Carnival Elation is scheduled to return to service from February 9, 2026. That first sailing back is not comparable to the cancelled cruise, as it is a 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary. After that special voyage, however, Carnival Elation will resume her schedule of 4- and 5-night Bahamas itineraries at least through spring 2028.
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
At this time, there has been no notice of any impact to the February 9 departure and no changes to that itinerary following the ship’s refreshment.
Why Is More Dry Dock Time Needed?
Carnival gives no exact explanation for the extension of the dry dock window, only that “we have had to extend Carnival Elation’s 2026 dry dock period.”
This could simply be due to shipyard schedules in order to maximize the efficiency of when different ships are serviced. Labor shortages or supply chain issues could also impact the dry dock schedule.
It is also possible that additional work may need to be done on one of Carnival Cruise Line’s oldest ships, greater than what was initially presumed.
There have been no technical problems with the ship’s operation in recent weeks, and no systems or onboard activities have been compromised. It is not uncommon, however, for cruise ships – especially older vessels like Carnival Elation – to require technical work to comply with updated environmental and safety regulations.
This is not the first Carnival ship to have dry dock scheduling changes in recent months. In July 2025, the cruise line alerted guests that five sailings aboard Carnival Breeze had to be cancelled for a dry dock schedule change. Those cruises were in early 2027.
Because shipyard schedules can fluctuate for reasons far outside a cruise line’s control, any guests who book sailings right before or after a dry dock should be flexible with their travel plans in case changes are necessary.
The exact changes in store for Carnival Elation have not yet been announced. The ship’s most recent major dry dock was in 2020 at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, which included adding the Alchemy Bar, the JavaBlue Cafe, and Bonsai Sushi Express to the onboard venues.
In 2023, a brief dry dock included general refreshment and aesthetic upgrades, including new carpeting and hull cleaning, as well as the new red, white, and, blue hull livery.
A TikTok captured two teenagers standing on the balcony railing attached to their cruise cabins, which is extremely dangerous.
People in the cruise community think that the teens and their parents or guardians should be punished or banned.
Dangerous behavior like this is definitely enough for guests to lose access to their balconies, be confined and placed under observation, or even banned.
An unusual video of some very dangerous behavior is making waves on the internet, and leading some to question if balcony cabins should become a luxury of the past.
The video in question, which was posted on TikTok by @dvandzzedsw, shows two teenagers climbing on the railing of their cruise cabin’s private balcony and inching along the top of it to a neighboring balcony.
One of the youths puts himself into a particularly precarious position, where he can be seen leaning over the open ocean as he holds onto the bottom of the balcony above him for support.
It’s not officially confirmed which cruise ship the troublesome teens were sailing on, but the TikToker suggested it was Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas.
The design and layout of the balconies in the video are consistent with the private balconies on the Oasis-class vessels.
It goes without saying that this stunt is incredibly dangerous, and definitely not allowed.
It takes just one wrong misstep – and one of the boys was only wearing a pair of what looked like flimsy sandals – to fall overboard. The fall into the ocean or onto a below deck could be fatal.
Additionally, the misbehaving guests could potentially fall backwards instead of over the edge, which could result in significant injury as well.
It’s unclear where the teens’ parents or guardians were, but it’s worth noting that Royal Caribbean requires that minors stay in the same stateroom as an adult over the age of 21 or in a connecting cabin to ensure proper supervision.
The other mainstream cruise lines have similar policies. Carnival Cruise Line, for example, does not allow guests to stay in a balcony cabin without a guardian until they turn 21.
Should Balcony Cabins be Banned?
As the TikTok has circulated, some have begun to question if the cruise lines should ban balcony cabins in order to make sure guests can’t climb or walk on the railings.
However, the overwhelming majority felt that it’s the teens and their parents or guardians who should be banned for the dangerous behavior.
Personally, I’m inclined to agree, as a few bad apples shouldn’t ruin the fun for everyone.
“Balcony cabins should always be an option. No need to ban balcony cabins due to a few teenage idiots….their parents should be responsible,” one cruise fan said.
“They should not ban balconies because of a few stupid people. Ban the stupid people for life. That was extremely dangerous. I hope they got caught and penalized,” another cruiser chimed in.
Climbing and walking on the railings would be a direct violation of the code of conduct – not just for Royal Caribbean, but for all the major cruise lines. This means that this stunt really could result in a lifetime ban.
Additionally, guests who are caught taking part in these dangerous behaviors may lose access to their balconies for the remainder of their sailing.
This could be as simple as the crew members removing the handle to the balcony door, rendering the balcony inaccessible.
In this case, it’s unclear what consequences the teens may have earned for their actions. But a stunt like this can bring a young life to an abrupt end, so the cruise lines must be strict and take no chances when policing this behavior.
In response to actions taken by the US, China has enacted new port fees for vessels connected to the US, which includes cruise ships.
The new charge is 400 yuan ($56) per net ton, which will grow to 1,120 yuan ($157) per ton by April of 2028.
So far, Oceania Cruises’ Riviera cancelled its call on Shanghai to avoid the fees, and Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas was issued a fee waiver to return to Shanghai.
In response to the US charging new port fees for Chinese ships, China has enacted its own special port fees.
Starting on October 14, 2025, China began charging 400 yuan ($56) per net ton for US vessels, which also applies to ships from cruise lines based in the United States.
The starting fee is just slightly more than the$50 per net ton that the US is charging Chinese ships to dock in US ports.
However, it will increase annually until it reaches 1,120 yuan ($157) per ton by April of 2028.
Each ship will be charged the fee on a maximum of five voyages per year, and the fee will only be levied at the first Chinese port of call on the itinerary.
While cruise lines often pass off slight port fee increases onto passengers in the cruise fare, the new port fees China has introduced may simply be too high to reasonably go that route.
When considering that cruise ships are thousands to hundreds of thousands of gross tons, this extra fee would equate to millions of dollars. Even getting hit with this charge just once would be a massive blow.
Just two days after China’s new policy took effect, on October 16, 2025, Oceania Cruises’ Riviera replaced its scheduled call to Shanghai, China, for this reason.
Instead of shelling out the cash, the cruise line rerouted the 1,250-guest ship to Busan, South Korea.
For context, Oceania Cruises operates under Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., which is based in Miami, Florida.
More US Cruise Ships Potentially Affected
This is likely only the beginning of US-owned cruise ships steering away from Chinese ports to avoid the hefty fees.
However, Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas, which is currently homeported in Shanghai, was still able to dock at the Chinese port on October 17, 2025.
There was initially some speculation on how the cruise line would proceed given the new fees.
Spectrum of the Seas in Nha Trang, Vietnam (Photo Credit: Huy Thoai)
Luckily, the 169,379-gross ton ship was able to obtain a waiver to avoid paying the new fees.
This was likely because the 4,426-guest ship primarily caters to the Chinese market with short getaway sailings and was built specifically with Asian cruisers in mind.
That said, Caixin Global reported that Chinese officials have warned that this isn’t a blanket waiver for all cruise ships connected to the US, and other vessels may not get so lucky.
Royal Caribbean has other ships scheduled to call on Chinese ports like Hong Kong in the next year, such as Navigator of the Seas.
Ships from its sister brand, Celebrity Cruises, are also on the port schedule for Hong Kong in the coming months. These include Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Solstice.
Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line are all US-based cruise lines that are also supposed to make appearances in China in November and December.
And if these vessels cannot obtain waivers or something doesn’t change, the cruise lines will need to make some very important decisions about their itineraries.
As spooky season approaches, you may find yourself dreaming of getaways that come with a bit of a scare factor. Luckily, you don’t have to give up your love of cruising to get it.
There are numerous haunted ships you can visit, such as the Queen Mary, as well as cruises that will take you to haunted destinations like New Orleans or London.
Plus, if you like thrills and chills that you’re for sure are fake, you can find them thanks to spooky cruise ship venues like Disney’s Haunted Mansion Parlor or Carnival Cruise Line’s Fortune Teller Bar.
For spine-tingling experiences, visit these ships that are almost guaranteed to be haunted, with the most haunted of them all — the RMS Queen Mary — taking the lead.
The RMS Queen Mary
The Queen Mary is arguably not only one of the most haunted cruise ships in the world, but also one of the most haunted spots in America overall.
The Queen Mary has a long, long history. Originally operating for the Cunard Line, the ship launched in 1936 and, over the years, in addition to offering passenger service, also served during World War II.
In 1967, Cunard retired the Queen Mary and she took up a new home in Long Beach, California, where she became a tourist attraction.
Today, visitors can stay on the Queen Mary, in one of the ship’s guestrooms or suites. They can dine at multiple restaurants. They can even host a wedding on the ship.
Queen Mary (Photo Credit: GagliardiPhotography)
However, it’s the ship’s paranormal attractions that really steal the show. Multiple Haunted Encounters tours are offered, taking guests around the ship, teaching them about its history, legends and ghost stories.
So, who are some of the Queen Mary’s most iconic specters? There’s supposedly a ghost of a murdered individual still living in one of the staterooms. In one of the pool areas, you might spot the ghost of a drowned child. Another ghost includes that of a father who committed filicide.
If you really want a spooky stay, consider booking cabin B340, which supposedly sees poltergeist-like activity, including water turning on and off throughout the middle of the night and blankets being pulled off the beds.
The Star of India
While not a cruise ship per se, this is still a historic ship worth visiting if you’re into both maritime history, as well as supposedly haunted spots.
The Star of India is the world’s oldest active sailing ship, situated at the Maritime Museum of San Diego (very close to the San Diego cruise port, so this a great activity to plan for, if you’re looking for things to do in the vicinity).
Star of India (Photo Credit: Jeff Whyte)
Launched in 1863, the ship has experienced its fair share of drama, including a mutiny and cyclone, being trapped in ice and numerous reported grisly deaths.
Now, rumored ghosts include that of a sailor crushed in the ship’s chain locker, that of a unlucky stowaway who fell from the top mast and that of a captain who committed suicide.
The Berkeley Steam Ferry
Also now located at the Maritime Museum of San Diego, the Berkeley Steam Ferry was a commuter ferry built in 1898. Not only was it the first propeller-driven ferry on the West Coast, but also the largest commuter ferry in the country, with capacity for 1,700 passengers.
Berkeley Steam Ferry (Photo Credit: Delpixel)
The ship may not have as gory of ghosts as the Star of India or the Queen Mary, but employees still say it might be haunted, due to the role the ferry played in rescuing victims during the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, as well as its collision with another ship in 1890.
Rumored Cruise Ship Hauntings
While the above vessels are pretty much guaranteed to contain a few resident ghosts, you might not be all that impressed. After all, these ships are old! They’ve experienced disaster! Of course they’re haunted!
Instead, you want to know about the haunted cabins that you can find on today’s modern cruise ships.
(Photo Credit: zef art)
While haunts on modern cruise ships aren’t as widely documents (because think of what a PR nightmare that might be!), you can still find cruise ship passengers that report spooky goings-on in their cabins. Here are a few recent stories we dug up.
They said they had an oceanview cabin on the ship’s second deck. At night, they typically leave the bathroom light on, with the door cracked. Multiple nights, they said that they felt an apparition walking back and forth in front of the bathroom door.
Then, the poster woke up around 4:30–5 a.m. one morning to see a specter standing over her husband. The ghost was an older, balding gentleman with dark hair, a green shirt and tan pants. The presence wasn’t threatening, but still there.
Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas (Photo Credit: Mikko Hietanen)
Some commenters said that the poster must’ve been taking good advantage of their drinks package. However, other commenters gave the claim some credence.
The original poster implied this wasn’t their first experience with the supernatural. As such, some theorized the poster brought the ghost on board with them, rather than the ghost living in the stateroom aboard Explorer of the Seas.
Others pointed out that, while its uncommon, people do die on cruise ships, which could lead to spectral stowaways.
Meanwhile, others chimed in with their own Royal Caribbean ghost sightings.
Room 9264 on Freedom of the Seas
One commenter said that they were staying in Room 9264 on Freedom of the Seas. At night, the motion light outside their bathroom was triggered — and triggered and triggered and triggered again, over and over throughout the night.
Photo Credit: Joni Hanebutt / Shutterstock
Both people staying in the room swore they saw an apparatus, and that part of the room was colder.
Room 9307 on Independence of the Seas
Another said they were in Room 9307 on Independence of the Seas and they woke up thinking their child was calling them around 3 a.m.
Hearing nothing after awakening, they smelled a foul, feces-like odor that began to dissipate quickly. They went to the bathroom, turned on their light and saw a small woman standing next to them in the mirror.
Independence of the Seas Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Ceri Breeze / Shutterstock)
Still, another commenter mentioned feeling a presence in their cabin on Jewel of the Seas, while one said that they saw a ghost in the theater on Harmony of the Seas (and that they later found out that one of the ship’s actors committed suicide on the ship years before).
Do with all this information what you will, but, if you’re looking for a seriously scary time, you might consider booking one of the above-mentioned rooms on your next Royal Caribbean cruise, just to see if anything happens.
Haunted Cruise Ship Venues
While we often think of cruise ships as lively spots to have fun in the sun, with nary a shadow around, some cruise ships are rolling out venues that have a certain spooky appeal, such as the Haunted Mansion Parlor on two Disney Cruise Line ships, and the Fortune Teller Bar on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras.
Disney Cruise Line’s Haunted Mansion Parlor
Disney Cruise Line introduced its Haunted Mansion Parlor on Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny. An adults-only space, this bar is themed after the Disney parks attraction and movies of the same name.
The décor, special effects and even the drink menus make a nod to the Haunted Mansion franchise.
Disney Treasure Haunted Mansion Parlor (Photo Credit: Kent Phillips)
One fun touch? The parlor comes with a game of sorts. The story is that the parlor belonged to a sea captain and his fiancé, and no one knows quite why the two disappeared. Clues are hidden around the bar, allowing passengers to suss out what exactly happened.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Fortune Teller Bar
On Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, you can saddle up to the Fortune Teller bar and see what exactly the souls of the departed have in store for you. The bar has a New Orleans’ French Quarter vibe that befits the ship’s name.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Fortune Teller
The drinks are just as fun as the atmosphere, with cocktails that change color, as well as even one that contains real bits of gold.
Haunted Halloween Cruises
In addition to haunted cruise ships and haunted cruise ship venues, some cruise lines, like Virgin Voyages and Carnival Cruise Line, host specifically haunted or spooky-themed cruises around the Halloween season.
If you’re a fan of all things spook-tacular, you’re going to want to book one of these cruise itineraries fast.
Carnival Cruise Line Frightfully Fun Halloween Cruises
There’s a Patch the Pumpkin Pirate deck party (featuring a 12-foot-tall pumpkin-headed pirate). A specialty cocktail is available at the atrium bar, called Patch the Pumpkin Punch. Pumpkins are hidden around the ship.
Carnival Cruise Line Halloween Sailing (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
Halloween activities include horror movie showings, Halloween-themed live music and spooky crew-led activities. Costume contests are on tap as well (just with a few special rules, such as no real or fake weapons, no masks or face coverings, and nothing obscene).
Disney Cruise Line’s Halloween at Sea
Through late September and until Halloween, Disney Cruise Line hosts its Halloween at Sea, which is just as boo-tiful as its park Halloween festivities.
Disney Cruise Line Halloween (Photo Credit: Disney Parks)
Expect a Mickey Mouse-querade, Halloween-themed meet and greets with characters and Halloween desserts and beverages found throughout the ship.
Make sure to plan to attend the pumpkin tree lighting that takes place the first night of each cruise, and listen to the spooky stories!
Margaritaville at Sea: Sail the Haunted Seas
Margaritaville at Sea runs its Sail the Haunted Seas event through October as well, with lots of fun Halloween activities and specials taking place across the boutique cruise line’s ships.
Margaritaville at Sea Haunted
The cruises’ glow parties get a Halloween makeover. Halloween cocktails are being served at the bars. Costume contests and trick-or-treating across ship venues allow you to score some sweet treats. Don’t forget to start your day with a Halloween coffee, either.
Virgin Voyages Halloween Voyages
But even Margaritaville at Sea allows the entire family on board. What if you’re looking for some seriously adults-only Halloween fun?
In that case, look to Virgin Voyages. The adults-only, millennials-and-younger-focused cruise line allows you to enjoy the spooky season to its fullest without once almost tripping over a kiddo dressed like the latest superhero.
Virgin Voyages Cruise Ship at Night (Photo Credit: AVOXY)
There are, of course, costume parties and contests; Halloween-themed entertainment; spooky activities; and exclusive Halloween dining and drinking.
Haunted Cruise Destinations
You don’t need to sail on a haunted cruise ship or a Halloween-themed cruise to enjoy a little spooky goodness.
No matter what time of year you’re sailing, no matter the ship, consider a cruise itinerary that will take you to some of the most haunted cruise port cities in the world. Here are just a few options.
New Orleans
It doesn’t get any more haunted than New Orleans! Many cruises depart on round-trip Caribbean itineraries from the city — including cruises from Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Bourbon Street, New Orleans (Photo Credit: L Paul Mann)
Consider arriving early or staying late and indulging in one of the many, many haunted tours, or just doing a little sightseeing on your own, by visiting the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the LaLaurie Mansion or the Hotel Monteleone.
Montego Bay, Jamaica
During a cruise to Jamaica, visit the Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay, where you can potentially catch a glimpse of one of the Caribbean’s most famous ghosts, that of the White Witch.
View of Montego Bay, Jamaica (Photo Credit: Nathalia_Guaus_Patricio)
If you have ample time, you can explore elsewhere around the island, visiting haunted spots like the abandoned Duppy Church (a “duppy” is literally a Jamaican folklore ghost, so this church is basically named “the Ghost Church”), or the ruins of Edinburgh Castle, built by Jamaica’s first serial killer on record.
London
And, if you’re taking a European cruise that starts or stops in London, make time to visit the city’s many, many haunted spots, from the Tower of London to Highgate Cemetery and beyond.
What should cruise guests do with trash as they’re walking around a Carnival cruise ship? There are no trash cans in sight.
John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, has explained why it’s easier for the cruise line to not have public trash cans available to guests.
Guests have different options available for trash disposal, depending where on the ship they are and what type of trash they have to discard.
While everyone’s standards for cleaning up at home may be different, consider this: would you leave dirty dishes of half-eaten food in the hallway? Drop towels on the floor for someone else to pick up? Discard an empty paper cup on a random surface or corner and walk away?
On a cruise vacation, these things are not only commonplace, but expected as dedicated crew members work diligently to tidy up, deeply clean, and effectively sanitize the ship.
One curious guest reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, with a question about trash collection and why a very commonplace item is absent from Carnival’s ships.
“I’m currently on the Paradise for the fifth time and yesterday I noticed something that I haven’t noticed before. I’m sure there is a reason for it but why are there no trash cans around?”the guest asked.
“I went from the United States Bar on Deck 9 to the gym on Deck 12 carrying an empty coffee cup from Java Blue. Finally found a can in the men’s locker room. It’s not a big deal – just curious.”
That’s a questions I’ve been curious about myself, and it isn’t confined to Carnival Cruise Line. While some different cruise lines do have discreet trash cans, often near elevator banks, most ships lack this simple and seemingly basic accessory.
Carnival Paradise, currently homeported from Tampa and offering 4-, 5-, and 6-night itineraries, is one of Carnival’s smallest ships but even with just 2,124 guests aboard, that can still lead to a lot of trash on every sailing.
Heald, however, carefully explained why trash cans aren’t available. It’s not about making the ships seem as though there is no trash about: every cruise guest has seen discarded trash on tables, in hallways, and even in the corners of elevators.
“The answer is very simple,”Heald noted.“Through various government agencies we have very strict policies on garbage separation. It is a mammoth task and if we failed to separate the garbage correctly, there are big fines for us to pay.”
Okay, that makes sense. Different countries would have different regulations on how trash is separated, treated, and disposed of, from food waste to contaminated paper to broken glass to all manner of little things. Plastic tags taken off souvenirs, candy wrappers, empty sunscreen bottles, it must all be treated carefully.
“While the crew are trained in garbage separation, the guests are obviously not,”Heald continued.“It would cause us so much more work if we allowed guests just to throw their garbage away.”
Crew Member Sorting Trash (Photo Credit: Mundofoto / Shutterstock)
It’s a simple explanation but one that does make sense. If a trash can were to become contaminated, all the refuse might need to be further sorted and treated in different ways before it could be properly and safely discarded, creating even more work for the crew.
How Should Guests Dispose of Trash?
Without trash cans every few feet, what should guests do with any garbage? Of course, trash cans are available in every stateroom and restroom, and as the original poster notes, in the locker rooms.
Heald has previously confirmed that guests should put dirty room service plates in the stateroom corridors for crew members to pick up. Not only does this keep food waste trash separated from say, bathroom waste, but it also ensures the dishes are cleaned and put back into service as quickly as possible.
If guests are carrying disposable cups, napkins, or other trash, they can stop by a bar to ask for it to be thrown away, or place the items on a closed bar surface or nearby table so it can be easily seen and collected for disposal.
Preferably, trash should not be placed in tucked away corners (I’ve never understood leaving dirty cocktail glasses in an elevator) where crew members might not spot it right away. This should not be a game of hide-and-seek with trash.
Of course, no trash should ever be tossed overboard, and guests would face strict consequences such as fines and other penalties if they discarded garbage in that way.
