Blog Page 12

Why Are Cancelled Jubilee Sailings Being Linked to Adults-Only Cruises?

Catie Kovelman
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Why Are Cancelled Jubilee Sailings Being Linked to Adults-Only Cruises?

Key Aspects:

  • Nine of Carnival Jubilee’s sailings scheduled for 2027 were suddenly cancelled by Carnival Cruise Line.
  • An additional voyage embarking on September 4, 2027, has been turned into an adults-only SEA cruise.
  • Carnival cited operational changes as the reason behind the cancellations, but many believe the scrapped voyages will also become SEA cruises.

Carnival suddenly cancelled nine separate voyages for Carnival Jubilee, impacting thousands of cruisers who were booked to sail on the 5,362-guest ship in 2027.

The cruise line has not publicly confirmed the specific reason behind the mass cancellations, only citing operational changes in its communication to guests.

However, many suspect that this change was made to make room for more adults-only SEA cruises. SEA is an acronym that stands for “sailings exclusively for adults.” They started as invite-only casino charters, but quickly gained popularity among cruisers 21+.

“We have revised operational plans for Carnival Jubilee, and, unfortunately, your cruise has been cancelled,” Carnival wrote in a letter to guests, which was shared by an impacted passenger on Facebook.

The scrapped itineraries were scheduled to embark in Galveston, Texas, in August, September, November, and December of 2027. Specifically, the following voyages are now cancelled:

  • August 15, 2027
  • August 21, 2027
  • August 29, 2027
  • September 12, 2027
  • September 18, 2027
  • September 26, 2027
  • November 27, 2027
  • December 5, 2027
  • December 11, 2027

As of the time of publication, the specific sailings have already been removed from Carnival’s website. However, they would have been 8-night sailings to the Bahamas or 6-night sailings to the Western Caribbean.

SEA Cruises Seem Likely

These nine sailings are not the only upcoming voyages to change for Carnival Jubilee. Additional passengers cruising in September 2027 were informed that their sailing had been turned into an adults-only vacation.

Guests booked on the September 4, 2027, departure received the following notice, which is top-of-mind in a Facebook group dedicated to this sailing.

“We have made operational changes to your voyage – the sailing will now be exclusively for guests 21 years and older,” Carnival wrote in an alternate letter.

“We recognize this cruise may no longer meet your vacation needs, particularly if you were planning to travel with guests under the age of 21 years, and we sincerely apologize for any disappointment this may cause,” the cruise line continued.

Passengers who wish to stay on the modified voyage will need to make sure their date of birth is on their reservation by August 5, 2026, or their reservation may be cancelled.

“We are on a sailing in September 2027 that was affected. They said all people in our party must be 21 and older. We have to add everyone’s age to keep the booking and we only have to August 5th this year to make the edit,” an impacted passenger confirmed.

It’s currently unclear why the nine sailings were cancelled outright, while this one stayed on the schedule with a new age requirement.

Most likely, the cancelled itineraries may need to be reconfigured to transition to adults-only sailings and may eventually be re-released with different voyage lengths and/or with new port calls.

Carnival Jubilee in Galveston
Carnival Jubilee in Galveston (Photo Credit: NAN728)

This also isn’t the first time Carnival has pulled a stunt like this. In March, Cruise Hive reported that Carnival had cancelled all of Carnival Firenze’s Baja sailings departing between October 12 and November 16, 2026.

Brand Ambassador John Heald recently announced that these dates are now being used to offer four more SEA cruises, which interested guests must book by July 31, 2026.

Two seven-day sailings were introduced, as well as one 11-night and one 14-night voyage, which is a departure from the vessel’s usual 3- to 4-night itineraries.

Heald will also be onboard for the first of the new sailings, which is a 7-night cruise to Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, and Ensenada that embarks in Long Beach, California, on October 12, 2026.

Compensation Provided

Understanding that this news will be disappointing for many, Carnival is offering multiple compensation options to make things right.

Guests booked on the cancelled sailings have until August 5, 2026, to call Carnival to reschedule on a different cruise.

If they choose to go this route, their cruise rate will be protected on a comparable sailing with similar accommodations. Additionally, a $50 per person onboard credit will be provided for the inconvenience (up to $100 per stateroom).

Those who choose not to reschedule don’t need to take any action. A full refund will automatically be processed after August 5, 2026. Passengers booked on the confirmed adults-only sailing on September 4, 2027, will need to be a little more proactive.

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Groups or families traveling with anyone under 21 must contact Carnival by August 5 in order to remove underage guests or cancel their booking and receive a full refund. This is also their deadline to reschedule with the same cruise fare protection and onboard credits as those booked on the cancelled sailings.

In this case, cruisers who attempt to cancel after August 5 will be subject to the normal fare rules and standard cancellation charges will apply.

These Two Crew Members Started With a Ship Tour and It Ended in Marriage

Calvin Musquez
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These Two Crew Members Started With a Ship Tour and It Ended in Marriage

Key Aspects:

  • Two P&O Cruises crewmates just got married aboard Iona, after a three-year romance at sea.
  • The pair shared how their love story blossomed since meeting aboard P&O Azura in 2023.
  • The ceremony was officiated by the ship’s captain and attended by family, friends, and fellow crewmates.

Working onboard a ship traditionally comes with the tying of many kinds of knots: bowlines, figure eights, clove hitches, and half hitches, to name a few. Two P&O Cruises crewmates, however, just tied a different kind of knot.

Customer Services Manager René Palguta and Assistant Shore Excursions Manager Yricka Espinosa Fausto are celebrating a love story at sea after getting married aboard P&O Cruises’ 184,089 gross ton Iona.

Iona is currently sailing seven-day Norwegian Fjords itineraries from Southampton in the United Kingdom. While the cruise line did not reveal the exact date of the wedding, they did speak with the couple, who provided details of how their romance developed while working aboard P&O Cruises ships.

René, from Slovakia, and Yricka, from the Philippines, first met in 2023 while working on P&O Azura, an older, 115,055 gross ton vessel which first entered service in 2010, when René gave Yricka a tour of the ship in her early days aboard.

“René made me feel welcome from the very beginning,” said Yricka. “He was patient and genuinely cared about helping others. Looking back now, it’s funny to think our story started with something so ordinary.”

Their friendship progressed, even as they worked on different contracts, across different ships. Over time, this friendship grew into something more.

As they were again reunited for contracts aboard P&O Iona, sharing a coffee together after work, watching the sunset on an open deck, and exploring various ports and destinations together, it became clear to them that this was much more than a fleeting romance at sea.

“Living and working together in such a unique environment meant we learned how to support one another and appreciate the time we had together,” Yricka said. “Being apart during different contracts also made us value every reunion even more.” 

Yricka & Rene Wedding
Yricka & Rene Wedding

In December 2025, René decided he never wanted their voyage to end, a feeling cruisers can almost certainly relate to, and proposed to Yricka. While Cruise Hive has reported before on proposals gone wrong, this one thankfully went very right.

René proposed on the private island of Lakawon in the Philippines, amidst the backdrop of a beautiful sunset, much like the ones they’d watch together from the deck of Iona.

Details Of The Wedding Ceremony At Sea

When it came to deciding on a venue for their wedding, there was really only one option. They’d marry in the very place they fell in love: onboard Iona. P&O Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, celebrated the couple’s union.

“René and Yricka’s story is a wonderful example of the friendships and connections that can develop through life at sea,” said Carnival UK & P&O Cruises president, Paul Ludlow. “We were delighted to celebrate this very special milestone with them on board Iona and wish them every happiness for their future together.”

The day began like any other, with the pair performing their regular daily duties for Iona’s 5,206 guests. However, the pair would be exchanging their typical post-shift coffees for glasses of champagne.

“Getting married on board felt like the perfect way to celebrate our story because it’s where everything began. We met through P&O Cruises and fell in love while working at sea,” Yricka commented.

René donned a finely tailored naval suit, and Yricka put on a silky white wedding dress, and then the pair went up to Iona’s Ivory Suite to meet family, friends, and fellow crewmates and exchange their vows, with the ship’s captain officiating.

More From Cruise Hive

Romantic relationships aboard cruise ships are not uncommon. However, every cruise line has its own strict rules regarding romance and intimacy in the workplace.

While intimate relationships between crew and passengers are generally forbidden under P&O Cruises Fleet Harassment Policy, relationships between coworkers onboard are more flexible and generally permitted, provided they are not between a superior and subordinate and do not interfere with onboard duties.

Royal Caribbean Ship Overhauls Entire Itinerary to Dodge Storms

Melissa Mayntz
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Royal Caribbean Ship Overhauls Entire Itinerary to Dodge Storms

Key Aspects:

  • Navigator of the Seas‘ July 24, 2026 itinerary is being adjusted due to rough weather from two storm systems.
  • The ship’s visit to Ensenada is cancelled and the visits to Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlan are both moved up one day.
  • There is no change to the ship’s departure from Los Angeles or her return to her homeport at the end of the weeklong cruise.

Guests boarding Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas on Friday, July 24, 2026 will not be sailing the itinerary they have been expecting. In a last-minute change, the cruise line has alerted guests that every port visit is now adjusted (and one is cancelled) to sail smoother seas instead of risking tropical storm conditions.

Navigator of the Seas is homeported from Los Angeles, California and the July 24 departure is a 7-night Mexican sailing that originally had visits planned for Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlan.

In a notification sent to booked guests, the cruise line explains the need for the itinerary change.

“Due to tropical storm conditions and rough seas, we have adjusted our itinerary to provide a smoother and more enjoyable sailing experience,” the email reads.

“We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather – your safety is our top priority.”

Originally, the 3,376-guest ship was scheduled to visit Ensenada on Saturday, July 25 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a day at sea before enjoying Cabo San Lucas on Monday, July 27 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mazatlan was the next day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Two additional days at sea would have wrapped up the cruise as Navigator of the Seas made her way back to southern California for debarkation on Friday, July 31.

While embarkation and debarkation have not changed, the port visit to Ensenada is now cancelled completely and Saturday will be a day at sea instead.

The visit to Cabo San Lucas has been moved up to Sunday, July 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., which is 90 minutes shorter than the originally planned visit time. Likewise, Mazatlan has also been moved up a day to Monday, July 27, but the port time remains unchanged at 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Now the sailing will end with three full days at sea as the ship returns to Los Angeles for an on-time debarkation.

Royal Caribbean has noted that any shore excursions that have been pre-paid through the cruise line will be adjusted accordingly for the new port days and visit times. Tours that cannot be adjusted, as well as any tours for Ensenada, will be refunded to guests’ onboard accounts.

What Storms Are Impacting Navigator of the Seas?

Two active storm systems are causing rough conditions that are now impacting Navigator of the Seas.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Fausto is located just over 1,000 miles west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas. While the Category 1 storm is moving quickly westward and will not directly impact the popular Mexican port, swells and turbulence can extend hundreds of miles from a hurricane.

Hurricane Fausto
Hurricane Fausto

A second storm is also likely to develop off the southern coast of Mexico and head west-northwest over the next few days. While this area of development is not yet an official storm, it too is likely to cause rough seas near Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlan.

By moving up both port visits, Navigator of the Seas will be able to enjoy smoother sailing throughout the cruise as well as safer, more stable tendering operations in Cabo San Lucas, ensuring all guests enjoy the port visit.

“Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because our ship can quickly move out of the way of any inclement weather,” Royal Caribbean has reminded guests.

Cruise Hive is also keeping close watch on other storm-related impacts to cruise ships from Tropical Storm Bertha in the Western Caribbean. At this time there are no confirmed itinerary changes, but Carnival Cruise Line is monitoring the storm and how it may impact Carnival Breeze sailing from Galveston.

Carnival Adjusts Sailing Times and Port Stops on Two Ships

Melissa Mayntz
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Carnival Adjusts Sailing Times and Port Stops on Two Ships

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival Cruise Line has notified guests of changes on five upcoming sailings that involve two different cruise ships.
  • The August 8, 2026 departure of Carnival Elation will be setting sail from Jacksonville 3.5 hours later than originally planned.
  • Four Carnival Radiance itineraries from Long Beach are updated with changes and cancellations to planned Catalina Island visits.

Carnival Cruise Line has alerted guests setting sail on select voyages of Carnival Elation and Carnival Radiance that their itineraries have changed.

The changes are not extreme for either ship, but are time and day changes that guests need to be aware of as they plan their cruise vacations.

Carnival Elation Itinerary Change

Just a single cruise for Carnival Elation has been changed at this time. For the ship’s August 8, 2026 departure, the ship will now set sail from Jacksonville, Florida at 7 p.m. rather than the originally planned time of 3:30 p.m.

This will be good news for any guests anticipating a later arrival to the vessel, as they will have much less risk of potentially missing the ship and losing out on their cruise.

There is no indication of any delay for boarding the ship, the vessel will just remain docked longer than expected that afternoon. No details about the schedule change have been offered, but port operations, Coast Guard inspections, nearby naval exercises, and other marine traffic can all impact when the ship departs.

Tidal schedules can also have a strong impact on ships departing from Jacksonville, as vessels must pass underneath the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge (known locally as the Dames Point Bridge) as they leave. At high tide, clearance can be tricky.

According to the National Weather Service, high tide at Dames Point that evening is expected at 6:13 p.m. By waiting to leave until after that time, clearance under the bridge will be much easier.

Carnival Elation Cruise Ship
Carnival Elation Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)

The 2,130-guest Carnival Elation offers 4- and 5-night Bahamas cruises from Jacksonville. The impacted sailing is a 5-night cruise that will be visiting both Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay before returning to Jacksonville on Thursday, August 13.

At this time, there is no indication that the ship’s port visits will be impacted. Because the first day of the sailing is a day at sea, Carnival Elation can easily adjust cruising speed to compensate for the later departure without affecting port arrivals in the Bahamas.

Carnival Radiance Itinerary Changes

Four sailings of Carnival Radiance from Long Beach, California have also been updated with changes. All four of the cruises are well into 2027, ensuring that guests have plenty of time to adjust their travel plans if necessary.

The ship’s August 30 and September 6 voyages are changing the day when Carnival Radiance will be visiting Catalina Island. The port visit is still planned, but will not be on the expected days. Updated details will be available on the cruise line’s website when exact times are confirmed.

Both of those impacted cruises are 4-night voyages that also include a call to Ensenada, Mexico. The planned visits to Ensenada are not affected.

Two more sailings for the 2,984-guest Carnival Radiance are removing the visit to Catalina Island altogether. The September 20 and September 27 cruises (both in 2027) will not be visiting the island and instead will enjoy a “Fun Day at Sea” without any other port visits.

Those sailings are also 4-night sailings and will still visit Ensenada as originally planned.

More From Cruise Hive

Carnival Cruise Line has noted that any shore tours for Catalina Island purchased through the cruise line will be automatically adjusted for these changes, including cancellation and full refunds if the port visit has been cancelled.

It is not unusual for cruise lines to tweak itineraries as sailing dates approach, or even weeks or months in advance as port availability changes and route plans are refined. Cruise Hive has frequently reported on such changes across the Carnival fleet, including port visit changes, embarkation changes, and even complete reversals of planned itineraries.

Viking Cruise Guests Stunned by Generous Overbooking Offer

Calvin Musquez
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Viking Cruise Guests Stunned by Generous Overbooking Offer

Key Aspects:

  • An eight-day Viking River Cruises sailing has been overbooked, leading to a special offer for guests.
  • Those willing to switch sailings will receive a 100% refund and a free stateroom upgrade on their new sailing.
  • Guests shared the offer on social media, with many remarking on what a good deal it is.

Guests booked on a Viking River Cruises’ eight-day Romantic Danube cruise have just been offered the deal of a lifetime. The river cruise sailing aboard the 190-guest capacity Viking Tor is scheduled to embark from Regensburg, Germany on July 24, 2026.

It will stop at Passau, Krems, and Vienna, before disembarking in Budapest, Hungary on July 31. However, guests received an email July 21 informing them that this sailing was overbooked.

“Your July 24 departure of Romantic Danube is currently oversold,” the email read. “We would like to extend a special offer should you choose to sail on the same itinerary, departing later in 2026 or 2027, instead.”

By accepting the offer and switching to an alternate sailing, guests would receive a 100% refund of their cruise fare as well as a complimentary cruise fare on their new sailing. Essentially, guests are being offered a completely free cruise.

Then, as if that wasn’t enticing enough, Viking River Cruises sweetened the deal by offering a free stateroom upgrade to a Veranda Suite. These 275 square foot suites come with their own set of onboard perks, including priority embarkation and stateroom access, free Wi-Fi, and complimentary laundry and shoe-shine service.

The Veranda Suites each feature a private veranda for optimum river views, a spacious sitting room, and a French balcony in the sleeping quarters with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, allowing guests to enjoy the views even from their queen-size bed.

Viking Cruises Ship
Viking Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: StudioPortoSabbia)

The Veranda Suites come with their own set of onboard perks, including priority embarkation and stateroom access, free Wi-Fi, and complimentary laundry and shoe-shine service.

Guests who booked their travel with Viking Air are also being offered a free flight re-booking to align with their alternate sailing. Yes, all of that is being offered to guests completely for free, just for switching their sailing to a different date.

Guests React to the Offer

Overbooking is a typical practice in travel industries. Cruise lines, airlines, and hotels can usually count on a certain amount of cancellations before departure. Overbooking helps counteract these cancellations, maximizing profit.

However, if those cancellations don’t add up enough, a cruise line can be left in the tricky position of having more people booked than they can accommodate. This often leads to guests being offered enticing benefits in exchange for switching their sailing, such as onboard credit or stateroom upgrades.

Just recently, Cruise Hive reported on Royal Caribbean offering overbooked guests a free sailing, although that came with a stateroom downgrade, rather than an upgrade.

A guest booked on the overbooked July 24 Viking Tor sailing shared the email on social media, asking if such practices were common and seeking advice on how to proceed. Other guests couldn’t believe what they were reading.

“Am I reading this correctly, they’re basically offering us a free cruise with an upgraded room if we change our booking?” another booked guest commented.

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Other cruisers wasted no time in telling the guests to jump at the offer. Deals like this do happen from time to time, but when such sweet offers come along, they go very fast.

“You just got offered the “Golden Ticket” of Viking Cruises. Grab that in a hurry. We didn’t regret getting ours,” one person advised.

“You hit the lottery. Act immediately or someone else will snatch it up,” said another.

Cruisers seem to all be in agreement. This deal is too good to let slip. Those booked on this Viking sailing who have some flexibility had better act fast.

Carnival Provides First Update for Tropical Storm Bertha

Melissa Mayntz
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Carnival Provides First Update for Tropical Storm Bertha

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival Cruise Line has alerted guests for Carnival Breeze that their cruise is not yet impacted by Tropical Storm Bertha.
  • There are no changes confirmed for the ship’s Thursday, July 23 departure or itinerary for a 4-night cruise to Cozumel.
  • No other ships from New Orleans or Galveston are expected to be impacted by the tropical storm.

With Tropical Storm Bertha now churning just off the Gulf Coast and aiming toward New Orleans and Galveston in the next few days, Carnival Cruise Line has provided a reassuring update for guests booked on one ship.

The alert has been sent out to travelers booked on Carnival Breeze, which is scheduled to depart the Port of Galveston on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

“Our Fleet Operations Center is actively monitoring Tropical Storm Bertha, which is expected to impact the Gulf Coast later this week. At this time, there are no changes to our operational plans for your cruise, but we will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated,” the brief notification explained.

Carnival Cruise Line has previously explained how different information is correlated at the Fleet Operations Center for any storm, including how any necessary itinerary changes may be communicated to guests.

Carnival Breeze is homeported from the Lone Star State offering 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean itineraries. The 3,690-guest vessel departed on her most recent sailing on Saturday, July 18, 2026, and is due to return on Thursday, July 23.

Tropical Storm Bertha is expected to move across the northern Texas coast on Thursday, just when the Dream-class ship is expected to be turning around for her next sailing. That cruise is a 4-night itinerary with a Cozumel visit planned for Saturday, July 25.

With no changes at the moment, booked guests should stick to their original travel plans and cruise terminal arrival appointments for embarkation on Thursday. If changes are necessary, Carnival Cruise Line will update guests via text messages and emails with new details once they are confirmed.

Tropical Storm Bertha Impacting Hundreds of Miles of Coastline

Tropical Storm Bertha is currently located just 88 miles east of the Port of New Orleans and is moving west-northwest at six miles per hour (mph). Maximum sustained winds are 50 mph, well below the 74 mph threshold of a Category 1 hurricane.

The 10 a.m. (CDT) update from the National Hurricane Center notes that the storm’s center is wobbling, but it is expected to continue on its westward track.

Tropical Storm Bertha Track
Tropical Storm Bertha Track

“On the forecast track, the center of Bertha will move near or along the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts through Thursday, and then move farther inland into Texas on Friday,” the report reads.

Tropical storm watches and warnings are now in effect from the western Florida panhandle all the way to Sargent, Texas, which is 64 miles southwest of Galveston. In total, roughly 600 miles of coastline is currently under a watch or warning.

Why Aren’t Other Ships on Alert?

While guests setting sail on Carnival Breeze may be relieved to know that there are not yet any changes for their cruise, what about other ships setting sail from New Orleans or Galveston?

Two Carnival cruise ships, Carnival Liberty and Carnival Valor, are homeported from New Orleans, but neither ship is anywhere near the homeport while the storm is nearby.

Read Also: Cruising During Hurricane Season – What You Must Know!

Carnival Valor departed on Monday, July 20 for a 5-night itinerary to Cozumel and Progreso and will not return until Friday, July 25, well after Tropical Storm Bertha will have passed New Orleans.

Carnival Liberty is even further away, having departed the Big Easy on Sunday, July 19 for a weeklong voyage to Key West, Celebration Key, and Nassau. The ship will not return to New Orleans until Sunday, July 26.

In addition to Carnival Breeze, several other ships are homeported from Galveston but none will be returning to their homeport until at least Saturday, July 25. This includes Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Dream, and Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas.

By this weekend, Tropical Storm Bertha is expected to have moved well inland in Texas or even into northern Mexico. By then, the storm is likely to have been downgraded or dissipated completely.

MSC Cruises Takes Illness Precautions for Alaska Sailing

Melissa Mayntz
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MSC Cruises Takes Illness Precautions for Alaska Sailing

Key Aspects:

  • MSC Poesia has implemented enhanced sanitation procedures following several reports of gastrointestinal illness.
  • Guests on the July 20, 2026 sailing have been informed of the outbreak, but there is no official CDC report as yet.
  • Eight outbreaks aboard cruise ships have so far been reported in 2026, but none have been aboard MSC Cruises ships.

Guests who boarded MSC Poesia on Monday, July 20, 2026 received notification of a possible gastrointestinal illness outbreak on the ship’s previous sailing, with stronger cleaning and sanitation measures now implemented on the vessel.

In a letter provided to embarking guests and shared on Facebook, the cruise line has explained the situation as well as what guests can do to lower the risk of any contamination.

“We would like to inform you that a small number of guests and crew from the previous sailing reported symptoms of gastrointestinal illness. As a precaution, we have further enhanced our already rigorous cleaning and sanitation procedures throughout the ship,” the letter said.

Those enhanced procedures include more frequent cleaning as well as moving to a crew-served buffet rather than self-service. Guests who debarked the ship on July 20 also witnessed crew members sanitizing elevator buttons, door handles, and other high-contact surfaces.

Extra hand sanitizing stations were also implemented at the entrances to the ship’s main dining restaurants and the buffet.

The notification letter continues with reminders about proper handwashing procedures and a request that guests contact the Medical Center if they experience vomiting or diarrhea. Those medical consultations are complimentary.

MSC Poesia is the first MSC Cruises ship to be offering an Alaska season with 7-night voyages roundtrip from Seattle. The current sailing is scheduled to visit Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, and Victoria, with scenic cruising along Endicott Arm Fjord along the way.

The ship departed Seattle as planned on Monday and there have been no itinerary adjustments announced. In the case of severe outbreaks, such as onboard Star Princess in March 2026 when more than 100 guests reported symptoms, there may be delays between cruises to permit deeper cleaning and sanitizing.

Similarly, Cruise Hive reported about a mid-cruise stateroom deep cleaning on Ruby Princess during a norovirus outbreak in June while the ship was on a 20-night sailing.

Has the CDC Been Notified of Any Outbreak?

At this time, there is no official report of any large-scale gastrointestinal outbreak aboard MSC Poesia. Such reports to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are only required when a minimum of 3% of either guests or crew members report symptoms.

MSC Poesia can welcome 2,550 guests at double occupancy and up to 3,605 travelers if fully booked with all berths filled. Also onboard are up to 1,027 international crew members.

CDC Sign
Photo Credit: Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com

If the ship were only sailing at double occupancy at this time, at least 77 guests or 31 crew members would need to report symptoms for a CDC report to be required.

Because the ship is sailing in Alaska and the summer holidays are always busier, it is more likely she is close to her maximum capacity. This would mean a minimum of 108 guest cases would be necessary to trigger a mandatory report.

For the purpose of reporting to the CDC, cases are counted for the duration of a sailing. This means that some guests may be ill early in the cruise while others do not report symptoms until several days later, but the cumulative total is what is considered for reports.

No MSC Cruises Outbreaks in 2026

While there have so far been eight different gastrointestinal illness outbreaks reported to the Vessel Sanitation Program of the CDC to date in 2026, none have been aboard MSC Cruises ships.

Three outbreaks have been aboard different Princess Cruises ships, while Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises have each reported one outbreak.

Lindblad Expeditions’ National Geographic Sea Bird has been struggling with norovirus on multiple sailings between late May and mid-July.

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Of this year’s reported outbreaks, the incidents involving Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises were confirmed as E. coli, while seven other official reports have confirmed norovirus as the causative agent.

No laboratory confirmation is yet available from the latest reported National Geographic Sea Bird outbreak, nor has any information been confirmed about the cause of the illness aboard MSC Poesia.

Utopia of the Seas Hit by Mechanical Issue, Forcing Itinerary Change

Emrys Thakkar
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Utopia of the Seas Hit by Mechanical Issue, Forcing Itinerary Change

Royal Caribbean’s 5,668-passenger Utopia of the Seas has been dealing with mechanical issues, resulting in a delayed start to its July 20 cruise out of Port Canaveral in Florida.

The vessel was originally scheduled to depart the popular home port at approximately 4:00 PM on Monday and include a call to the cruise line’s private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay on July 21, a call to Nassau the following day on July 22, and a return to Port Canaveral on July 24 to end the 4-night Bahamas voyage.

Utopia of the Seas never departed as expected and remained tied up at the terminal in Port Canaveral. Guests were informed that the ship was experiencing a mechanical issue.

According to some passengers onboard, the Oasis-class cruise ship may have eventually gotten going and departed at approximately 5:00 AM on July 21. However, the Cruise Ship Tracker shows that the ship departed after 7:00 AM.

One passenger onboard the ship posted on Facebook, “UPDATE: we left at 5 am!! They are changing our itinerary around!”

The guest previously posted, “This is my 51st cruise, and I’m experiencing a first…..I’m on the Utopia of the Seas and it’s currently 9:36 and we still haven’t left Port Canaveral. We were supposed to leave at 4! We are having some sort of mechanical issue.“

Utopia of the Seas Docked in port Canaveral
Utopia of the Seas Docked in port Canaveral (Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks)

As a result of the delayed departure, Utopia of the Seas‘ short 4-night getaway has been adjusted. Rather than sailing to CocoCay on the first day, July 21, that has now become a day at sea.

Nassau becomes the first port of call on July 22, and instead of a day at sea before returning to Florida, July 23 will become a call at CocoCay.

With the private island being so near Florida, at approximately 185-195 miles from Port Canaveral, they are lucky enough to still experience the port visit.

More From Cruise Hive

Royal Caribbean has not detailed what the mechanical issue was, but cruise ships are complex, and these issues can happen. One of the most common types of problems is propulsion, when a vessel cannot sail at its optimal cruising speed.

Utopia of the Seas is a new cruise ship entering service in July 2024, so passengers will hope the issue is fully resolved and there will be no impact on future departures.

Woman Uses Dining Fork to Scratch Foot on Cruise Ship, Sparking Outrage

Melissa Mayntz
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Woman Uses Dining Fork to Scratch Foot on Cruise Ship, Sparking Outrage

Key Aspects:

  • Several short videos of a woman with what appears to be severe dry skin or foot fungus on a Carnival ship have gone viral.
  • A woman is seen scratching her foot with a fork at the Lido Marketplace dining area in one video.
  • The ship has been identified as Carnival Sunrise, formerly Carnival Triumph of “poop cruise” infamy.

A short series of strange and disturbing videos filmed aboard a Carnival cruise ship are going viral and it’s not the type of thing anyone wants to see on their vacation.

Posted on Instagram by user lucky_charmedcourt, the four videos show an unidentified woman who appears to have a skin condition on her foot scratching and picking at dry and flaky skin or fungus several times in public areas of the ship.

We’ve all had that itch that just has to be scratched no matter where we are, but this gets worse. Much worse.

The first video shows the woman seated in one of the ship’s restaurants with other guests eating nearby and a crew member cleaning up an adjacent table. During the short video, the woman is firmly scratching her bare foot and white bits of dry, dead skin or other debris are seen falling away as she scratches.

After a few moments of intense itching, the woman looks at her hand and appears to quickly brush some debris from her fingernails before reaching for a slice of pizza and continuing her lunch.

As if that isn’t enough of an ick factor for viewers and other cruise guests, a second video, filmed at roughly the same time in the same restaurant, shows the woman using (wait for it) a metal fork to scratch. The scratching continues for several seconds, with the fork clearly being used on the bottom of the woman’s foot.

The second video ends before the scratching does and it is unknown what happened to the fork.

A third brief video shows the woman, dressed in the same attire, now sitting in a chair out on the open deck but still scratching away. No fork is in evidence in the third video.

Combined, the first three videos have more than 268,000 likes and thousands of comments.

Did Carnival Cruise Line Take Any Action?

In the fourth (and so far final) video, the guests who filmed the previous videos are now at the Guest Services desk expressing their concerns. The video is titled “First Attempt to Inform Guest Services,” but there is no indication of whether there will be a second attempt.

The audio portion of the video is slightly muddled, but the concerned guests seem to be following up to determine why the fork was not apparently disposed of and what other sanitation measures may be implemented.

“At this point the whole ship is really at risk,” one woman is heard saying. “I do have a close up of her foot and it looks horrible, it looks infected with something, and the fact that that fork is in limbo throughout this whole ship, you’re putting the whole ship at risk. We can’t eat.”

The Guest Services crew member’s response is not entirely clear, but they appear willing to investigate the incident and be sure proper protocols have been followed with the correct department. There has been no official statement from Carnival Cruise Line.

Read Also: 15 Most Annoying Things People Do on Cruises

All cruise lines have strict cleaning and sanitation procedures for used dishes and utensils, regardless of what those utensils may be used for. Hopefully there is no contamination or other difficulty and no issue arises from this bizarre incident.

UPDATE – Cruise Hive received the following statement from Carnival Cruise Line addressing this incident:

“We take cleanliness on our ships seriously, so when this matter came to our attention, we took quick action to speak with the guest and to ensure the behavior was immediately addressed. Maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene across our fleet is a top priority, and our crew remains vigilant in enforcing policies designed to provide a safe and comfortable environment for all guests.”

Not the First Disgusting Thing on This Specific Carnival Ship

What makes this incident even more eyebrow-raising is that this is far from the most disgusting thing ever to have happened onboard this exact Carnival cruise ship.

While the original poster did not identify the vessel, the architecture, carpeting pattern, lighting, and chairs pictured in the video can only be Carnival Sunrise.

The 101,509-gross-ton ship was formerly Carnival Triumph, the unfortunate victim of “poop cruise” fame in 2013. So outrageous was that four-day incident that Netflix covered it in a documentary as part of their “Trainwreck” anthology in June 2025.

None of the videos for the “foot incident” include any date information or details on when they were filmed. The first three were posted on Monday, July 20, 2026, while the Guest Services video was posted on Tuesday, July 21.

The 2,984-guest Carnival Sunrise is homeported from Miami, offering 4- and 5-night Bahamas itineraries. The ship departed on her current sailing on Monday with visits planned for Celebration Key, Princess Cays, and Nassau before returning to Florida on Saturday.

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