MSC Magnifica has completed her massive two-month refurbishment.
Upgrades include new restaurants as well as an updated spa and gym.
The ship immediately launched into a Mediterranean sailing ahead of her January world cruise.
Like the proverbial phoenix rising from the ashes, MSC Magnifica recently departed the Palumbo Malta Shipyard in Geneva, Switzerland, looking shiny and new.
If you’re feeling a bit unkempt, when you’ve finished your workout on the high seas, stop in at the new Gentleman’s Barber for a trim!
Not all of the upgrades are available right away. Debuting on the ship in 2026, those looking to splurge can enjoy the new and improved MSC Yacht Club experience.
MSC Magnifica’s Yacht Club Royal Suite
In addition to the Yacht Club’s 24-hour butler and concierge service, the ship now features 63 Yacht Club suites, a brand new private sundeck, top sail lounge, and an MSC Yacht Club exclusive restaurant.
MSC Magnifica’s sister ship, MSC Poesia, is scheduled for a similar revamp.
The 2,550-passenger ship will enter dry dock in February 2026 to receive her upgrades before embarking on Alaska itineraries the following May.
New Journeys for a New Magnifica
Wasting absolutely no time after the refurbishment, MSC Magnifica immediately set sail for her winter season.
She is currently sailing an 8-day Mediterranean itinerary, which departed from Barcelona, Spain on December 17, and stopped in Civitavecchia, Rome on December 19, Genoa, Italy on December 20, Marseille, France on December 21.
This itinerary will continue with Alicante, Spain on December 23 and Valencia, Spain on Christmas Eve before returning to Barcelona on Christmas Day, December 25.
She will continue sailing Mediterranean itineraries through the end of the year.
On January 5, 2026, she will depart from Genoa, Italy, on a much-anticipated 132-day world cruise, visiting 46 destinations across 33 countries, returning to Genoa on May 3, 2026.
This will be followed by Northern European itineraries sailing out of Germany in summer 2026.
For anyone feeling FOMO from next year’s world cruise, fear not! MSC Magnifica will depart on another 121-day world cruise beginning on January 5, 2027, visiting 25 countries.
MSC clearly wants to show off its revamped ship, as sales have already begun for yet another world cruise aboard Magnifica in 2028!
The 2028 world cruise is a 115-night voyage sailing from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, stopping in more than 40 exotic locations around the world, including a trip through the Panama Canal.
If you’re feeling like you might need a bit of a rejuvenating refurbishment yourself, these upcoming voyages aboard the new and improved MSC Magnifica may just be the perfect place to do it.
An elderly German cruise guest was swept off rocks and killed during a tour in Vigo, Spain.
Warnings had been issued for rough seas and strong winds in the region that day.
Multiple rescue agencies were alerted right away, but the woman was found already deceased.
A German cruise tourist tragically lost her life during a port visit to Vigo, Spain on Thursday, December 18, 2025 due to high winds that caused crashing waves and swept her out to sea.
According to Infobae, the 85-year-old woman was cruising aboard AIDAmar and had joined approximately 50 other guests on a bus tour to Baiona, a 30-minute drive away. It is not clear whether the tour was arranged through AIDA Cruises or may have been independently operated.
During the tour, the woman moved away from the group and ventured out onto rocks to take photographs of the crashing waves, which can be quite spectacular in the area.
In fact, on that afternoon, Weather Underground notes that steady winds in the region were approximately 18-22 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 35-36 miles per hour. Local weather services had issued an orange alert that day for coastal regions due to winds and swells.
The incident occurred at roughly 2:30 p.m. at Concheira Beach, well known for its scenic views and clean waters, as well as nearby cafes and parks in Baiona.
A neighbor who saw the woman on the rocks reportedly noted that she dropped something, bent down to pick it up, then was swept away. That unidentified neighbor immediately alerted lifeguards.
Maritime rescue resources were activated, including a boat and a helicopter, as well as the local police, the Spanish Civil Guard, and an underwater rescue team. A local boat from a sailing club also joined in the search efforts.
It wasn’t long before the woman’s body was found by another individual, who also contacted emergency services. Despite the fast response, the woman was already deceased.
The woman’s name and whether she was traveling solo or cruising with companions has not been released. This is standard procedure in such a tragic situation in order to protect the individual’s privacy and that of family members and loved ones.
AIDA Cruises has not released a statement about the incident, but undoubtedly the cruise line is offering support to other guests or relatives as well as crew members impacted by the loss.
AIDAmar was near the end of a 43-night itinerary that had departed Hamburg on November 9, with visits to ports in Europe, Bermuda, the Caribbean, and the Canary Islands.
The 71,300-gross-ton ship was not delayed and resumed her itinerary, returning to Hamburg for debarkation on December 22. AIDAmar can welcome 2,192 guests onboard, and is also home to more than 600 crew members.
Dangerous Waves Often Underestimated
This types of devastating incidents do occur occasionally, particularly when travelers may overestimate their own abilities or underestimate the power of rough seas near coastlines.
Just over one month ago, on November 8, a Dutch cruise passenger in Tenerife was swept away when a massive wave struck a pier where travelers were enjoying a shore excursion. Several others were injured in that incident.
Waves carries visitors in Tenerife to sea
In August 2025, two Greek cruise guests died in Greece after falling from rocks into the water during rough conditions. The married couple were attempting to take photos but drowned after being knocked into the water by strong winds.
Severe waves can occur without warning, causing not only dangerous conditions if anyone is struck by the wave, but also creating slippery conditions on rocky shores or piers. Strong undertows and other unknown coastal conditions can make it very hazardous for anyone in the water, even if they are good swimmers.
Should Cruise Lines Issue Warnings?
Such incidents raise the question of whether or not cruise lines should be obligated to issue warnings to guests about dangerous surf conditions or beaches known to be hazardous.
In August, a cruise family sued Norwegian Cruise Line more than a year after a drowning incident in Bermuda, alleging that the cruise line failed to properly notify guests about hazardous currents in the region.
Many beaches do post warnings on particularly extreme days, perhaps with signage or a flag system, but visitors may not be familiar with such warnings. Furthermore, cruise guests may not understand such warnings if they are not familiar with the system or do not speak the language.
It is always important for cruisers to be very aware of their surroundings and alert to sudden changes that could be dangerous no matter what the situation.
Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with the woman’s family members and friends at this tragic time.
Carnival Dream will remain longer in Nassau on Christmas Eve due to maintenance.
Guests onboard Carnival Dream will have a bit more time to enjoy Christmas Eve in Nassau, as the ship will now be remaining in port for three extra hours on that day.
“Wednesday, December 24, our engineers will be conducting maintenance work that will take some time to complete,”the captain notified guests.“As a result, we have made an adjustment and our departure from Nassau is now expected to be around 7:00 p.m.”
The ship was originally expected to be in port from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The arrival time has not changed, but now the all-aboard time will be 6:30 p.m.
This later departure gives guests an amazing opportunity to experience Nassau’s holiday decorations after dark, or even visit the unique Christmas Carnival at Fort Charlotte, just over a mile east of the cruise terminal. Other holiday displays and special events are sure to be happening that day as well.
If necessary, shore excursions purchased through Carnival Cruise Line will be adjusted and guests will be notified if their tours are impacted.
Carnival Dream departed Galveston, Texas on Friday, December 19 for the 8-night holiday Bahamas sailing. The ship will be visiting three ports in the Bahamas – Celebration Key, Half Moon Cay, and Nassau.
Following the now-extended stay in Nassau, the ship will have two full days at sea as she returns to the Lone Star State for debarkation on Saturday, December 27. This will provide plenty of time for slight speed adjustments to ensure there is no delay for Carnival Dream to reach Galveston as planned.
The 128,250-gross-ton Carnival Dream offers both Western Caribbean and Bahamas sailings from Texas, welcoming as many as 3,646 guests onboard for each voyage.
Onboard Amenities to Remain Closed
The slight delay in leaving Nassau does mean that some onboard amenities cannot be opened, which might impact guests’ enjoyment of Christmas Eve onboard.
“While we are docked in Nassau, the casino and shops will remain closed, but all other onboard activities and entertainment will continue as planned,”the letter confirmed.
It is standard procedure for the casino and onboard retail shops to remain closed while cruise ships are docked in Nassau. This is to comply with the regulations of the Bahamas, as well as most other ports of call, and applies to all cruise ships, not just Carnival Cruise Line.
This does not impact bars or specialty restaurants, however, and all dining and entertainment will be available to guests.
Because it is Christmas Eve, this means guests will be treated to special shows and other festive fun, and on Christmas Day, they will be able to feast on the cruise line’s special Christmas Gala Dinner.
Nature of Maintenance Not Disclosed
Carnival Cruise Line has not offered any further details about the nature of the maintenance that requires Carnival Dream to remain docked for a few extra hours in Nassau.
The maintenance could be related to the ship’s propulsion system, which typically requires the ship to be docked for any technical work.
Two Carnival ships have had propulsion-related mechanical issues in the past few weeks. Both Carnival Horizon and Carnival Conquest had difficulties that required itinerary adjustments in November 2025.
There has been no such announcement of difficulties with Carnival Dream, and the maintenance may just be routine work that cannot be completed during the typical port visit.
Celebrity Equinox snapped her lines and drifted in Buenos Aires on Saturday, December 20.
The incident happened during embarkation for a 14-night sailing and guests were delayed 2-3 hours.
The ship remained overnight in Buenos Aires but departed on Sunday morning.
Celebrity Equinox‘s 14-night New Year’s cruise is off to a rocky start as the ship broke its mooring lines and drifted slightly. According to a post on Reddit, the cruise ship rubbed alongside a refueling tanker before colliding with a nearby pier.
The incident happened while the ship was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Saturday, December 20, 2025, as guests were embarking for that day’s departure.
At the time, Weather Underground notes that wind speeds suddenly increased to 20-25 miles per hour, with gusts measured as high as 37 miles per hour. Throughout the morning, winds had been no more than 10 miles per hour, though the weather had been stormy with ongoing rain.
Scratch on Side of Celebrity Equinox (Credit: Chauncemeister)
With the lines broken, Celebrity Equinox‘s bow swung out and away from the pier, causing the aft of the ship to contact the pier. The embarkation gangway broke loose from the pier and dropped into the water, but remained attached to the ship with the loose end submerged in the water.
“The gangway went off the pier and was hanging against the ship partially submerged. Crazy situation,”one guest noted.
As the bow swung around, the ship also contacted the pier on the other side. A refueling vessel’s bow also appeared to scrape along Celebrity Equinox‘s hull, leaving a long scratch that guests shared through social media posts.
Fortunately, the ship did not remain adrift for long. According to passengers onboard, tugboats were quickly dispatched to bring the 121,878-gross-ton, Solstice-class cruise ship back into docking alignment.
Celebrity Equinox Hits Pier After Moorings Break (Credits: The Cruise Vibe & David Fish)
As the incident happened during embarkation, boarding was naturally delayed for 2-3 hours. Guests were accommodated in the cruise terminal as the ship was resecured and a new gangway put into place.
No injuries to guests, crew members, or port personnel were reported.
Celebrity Equinox can welcome 2,850 guests aboard and is also home to more than 1,200 international crew members.
Departure Delayed
Because of the delay in embarkation and to ensure the safety and seaworthiness of the vessel, Celebrity Equinox did not leave Buenos Aires as scheduled on Saturday evening.
Instead, the ship remained docked overnight. Satellite tracking confirmed the ship ultimately departed before 11 a.m. local time on Sunday. Guests onboard report that the first port visit, to Montevideo, Uruguay, is also delayed but not cancelled.
Celebrity Equinox was to have been in Montevideo from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 21. Buenos Aires and Montevideo are just 125 miles apart across the Rio de la Plata estuary.
Celebrity Equinox Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
There are no further confirmed changes to the ship’s Patagonia and Antarctica itinerary, which includes visits to the Falkland Islands, Cape Horn, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Puerto Madryn, and Punta del Este.
While this particular voyage does not cross the infamous Drake Passage, it is sure to be a memorable one for guests nonetheless.
The ship will return to Buenos Aires on January 3, 2026 and she remains homeported from the capital of Argentina through March 2026.
At that point, she will return to Europe to homeport from Barcelona and Civitavecchia for the summer in the Mediterranean, before returning to South America in December 2026.
Mooring Line Incidents Not Rare
While uncommon, it is not unheard of for cruise ships to break their mooring lines, particularly during blustery wind conditions when sudden gusts can put too much strain on the already tense ropes.
Furthermore, such incidents are not unique to Buenos Aires and can happen wherever strong winds might occur.
As with Celebrity Equinox, MSC Seascape‘s gangway dropped into the water and both embarkation and debarkation were temporarily halted until the ship could be resecured.
Similarly, MSC Sinfonia broke free of her mooring lines in early January 2024 when gale force winds impacted the ship in Syracuse, Italy. Fortunately, the vessel was out of service at the time for maintenance and no guest operations were therefore impacted.
In August 2023, Queen Mary 2 broke free of her moorings in Civitavecchia with both forward and aft gangways collapsing, and in July 2023, Norwegian Prima snapped her lines in Zeebrugge, Belgium with the gangways also falling into the water.
It is very fortunate that no injuries were reported from any of these incidents. Crew members overseeing embarkation and debarkation watch weather conditions very carefully and will halt guest movements if there appear to be any safety risks.
Carnival Cruise Line has shared the Christmas Dinner menu for crew members.
A global variety of dishes is offered, as well as classic and familiar favorites.
Guests are happy the crew has so many options and wouldn’t mind trying a few themselves.
Food is a tremendous part of holiday celebrations in many different cultures and countries. Carnival Cruise Line tries to honor the most delicious holiday traditions with gala menus for special occasions, but what about crew members onboard?
Carnival Cruise Line crew members have dedicated dining rooms not open to guests. These crew mess halls have to cater to global tastes and widely varied diets, including on the holidays.
“I also thought it would be nice to share the Christmas menu for the crew,”said John Heald, Carnival’s brand ambassador.“It is designed by a fabulous executive Chef Roshan to include all the different tastes that come [with] having 50 or more national represented on board.”
The incredibly diverse Team Dining Christmas Dinner includes dishes from many different countries and regions, including Thailand, Russia, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Zimbabwe, the Philippines, Indonesia, Poland, Colombia, and more.
Carnival Crew Christmas Menu
Crew members may start their delicious dining with a “Charcutier Platter” with cured meats, cheeses, and other gourmet nibbles; som tam with dried shrimp and green papaya; festive seafood soup in a warm tomato wine broth; or a mimosa salad with cheese, eggs, tuna, and mayonnaise.
For entrees, just a few of the amazing selections include sea bass roasted with herbs, olive oil, and lemon as well as beef stew slow cooked in a peanut sauce or a crispy pork sauteed with chili. Other options include a goat curry in a spiced broth, traditional cheese pierogi, and roast beef tenderloin.
Carnival Crew Member Christmas Dinner Menu
Crew members may also enjoy the traditional tom turkey carving station accompanied with stuffing, gravy, and cranberry relish.
A make-your-own salad bar is available, as well as pizza with a customizable selection of toppings.
Side dishes that can be ordered along with the entrees include simmered lentils with aromatic spices, traditional African maize meal, steamed vegetables, white rice, French fries, and mashed potatoes.
The crew menu also includes “Always Available” selections. Even on holidays, crew members can enjoy veggie burgers, hot dogs, or a grilled chicken breast.
Of course, no holiday meal is complete without dessert. On the crew menu are treats such as warm toffee pudding, gingerbread financier, and a deconstructed cheesecake. A selection of ice cream as well as fresh fruits are also available.
For guests curious about the different dishes or new crew members who may be unfamiliar with so many diverse options, the crew menu is clearly labeled for options that are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, contain pork or nuts, or are extra spicy.
This will help crew members be sure their dietary preferences are met while allowing them to enjoy a wide range of dishes from different cultures and countries.
Guests React to Crew Menu
Many guests were surprised (and pleased!) at the diversity of Carnival’s crew holiday menu, noting that the cruise line does a great job at offering dishes from different parts of the world.
“I’m very happy to see the chefs make such an effort to bring such a wide variety for the crew that’s away from home,”one guest said.
“Catering to all crew nationalities, thumbs up!”another added.
More experienced guests reminisced that the menu brought back memories of their own world travels, and even requested that Carnival considering adding some of these dishes to guests’ menus as special options, particularly on longer and more immersive Journeys cruises.
One guest was especially happy to see the crew menu as the holiday approaches.
“It’s my daughter’s first Christmas as crew, I don’t need to worry she is missing out after seeing this choice,”the guest commented.
Crew Meals Not Quite as Leisurely
While Carnival’s crew members will enjoy the special treats offered on the holiday dinner menu, they won’t have quite as much time to indulge in the deliciousness as guests onboard.
After all, crew members do work seven days a week on different shifts and rotations to ensure everyone aboard has a phenomenal vacation, regardless of whether it is a holiday or not.
“While you will all be enjoying a leisurely Christmas dinner, our crew will be walking down I-95 to the crew or staff or officers mess to enjoy this food but perhaps not in such a leisurely way as they have to get back to serving and entertaining you,”Heald said.
While it can be difficult to be far from family and friends at this time of year, crew members form their own bonds as the Carnival family and find their own ways to celebrate on board, happy to share wonderful experiences together and bring happiness and cheer to every guest.
A cruiser onboard Koningsdam has been dealing with a malfunctioning toilet for at least half of their voyage.
Despite attempts at repairs, the toilet wouldn’t flush for at least six of their 11 mornings onboard.
Malfunctioning toilets aren’t common onboard, but these situations do occur from time to time for a variety of reasons.
One cruise guest has been having a rather crappy time (pun intended) during their sailing onboard Holland America Line’s Koningsdam.
For reference, the 2,650-guest ship is currently operating two 11-night and 18-night Caribbean sailings simultaneously, both of which embarked from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 9, 2025.
Unfortunately for this guest, their cabin’s private bathroom has been experiencing an issue where the toilet will not flush in the mornings – despite multiple attempts to fix it.
This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as a problem with the vacuum system, a blockage fromguests flushing things they shouldn’t, or a faulty sensor/button on the toilet.
“We are currently in the middle of a 11 day cruise on the Koningsdam. We have had a persistent problem with the toilet in our veranda room #11009. Every morning but one, the toilet will not flush,”the frustrated guest shared on Reddit.
The post was made on December 14, which would have been the sixth day of the sailing if you count embarkation day.
“Every time, we call guest services or our cabin attendant and report it and they send someone to “fix” it. It is getting very old, very quickly. In order to “fix” it, they have to flush it several times which is loud and annoying,” the passenger continued.
After six mornings of no flushing, the guests were hoping for advice on how to receive compensation and potentially a new stateroom for the inconvenience.
Moving Up the Ladder
These guests already did the right thing by going to guest services to resolve their issue while onboard.
Too often, guests wait until they are home to voice their concerns, when it’s too late for crew members to try to make things right.
As many cruise fans in the comments suggested, the passengers moved up the chain to seek help from the hotel director, who is in charge of overseeing departments like guest services, housekeeping, and stateroom operations.
Cabin Toilet on a Cruise (Photo Credit: Solarisys / Shutterstock)
“We talked to Katarina, the hotel manager and she has apologized profusely and understands how upsetting this can be on a vacation,” the guest wrote in an update.
“She told us that there was a cabin on the same deck opening up and we can move to it if the problem persists. She seems to think that it will be fixed this time,” they continued.
What happened next is a mystery. The guest left off by saying they would wait to see if the latest repair held before deciding what to do next and has yet to return with another update.
Are Broken Toilets Common?
Koningsdam is not known for flooding or broken toilets, and is still a fairly young ship at only about 9-years-old.
Even so, some guests have noticed similar issues while sailing onboard the 99,863-gross ton ship.
“I’ll be darned! I didn’t really think anything of it at the time, but my wife and I were on the Koningsdam a few weeks ago and there were two or three mornings when the toilet wouldn’t flush,”one recent guest responded to the post.
“We were always able to get it to flush again within 15 to 30 minutes; so it never became a big issue. Nonetheless, the unsettling thought of possibly having to call maintenance to fix your unflushed toilet was just that: unsettling,” they continued.
But as frustrating as this situation is, keep in mind that cruise ships are fully operational 365 days a year with rare exceptions (such as dry dock).
Despite constant maintenance and upkeep from the diligent crew members, things can still break or end up out of whack.
Many times, the issue is actually caused by misbehaving guests who are flushing products that don’t belong in the toilet.
Carnival Cruise Line, which is owned by the same parent company as Holland America Line, has struggled to prevent guests from flushing wet wipes – which can easily cause clogs and backups. And that’s just one example!
Pleas are rapidly spreading across social media for any information about a guest missing from AIDAluna as her family and friends seek to find her. The female guest is a Chinese citizen last seen on Friday, December 12, 2025, when the ship was visiting Marseille, France.
The woman, Qin Dong, boarded AIDAluna on December 10 in Palma de Mallorca for a 5-night Mediterranean cruise visiting Marseille, Palamos, and Barcelona. The ship returned to Palma de Mallorca on Monday, December 15, but Dong was no longer aboard.
Cruise officials have confirmed that she did board the ship in Palma de Mallorca shortly before noon, and never officially disembarked from the ship thereafter.
Thursday, December 11 was a day at sea, and the 69,200-gross-ton ship arrived in Marseille at roughly 8 a.m. on Friday, December 12.
Onboard records indicate that Dong did not officially disembark the ship in Marseille, but friends were texting her at nearly 8 p.m., two hours after the ship departed Marseille.
“Mrs. Dong has not officially disembarked from the ship since 10 December, as verified,”AIDA Cruises confirmed.
Therefore, Dong was not left behind in the popular French Riviera port, but appears to have gone missing while onboard the ship that evening.
No Overboard Alert Noted
Onboard records have indicated that Dong only had a single drink charged to her account while onboard AIDAluna, and that was simply an orange juice and not an alcoholic beverage.
It is unknown whether or not Dong may have gone overboard the vessel, but there are no reports of any emergency alerts or search operations.
Friends and family members have been using social media to try and locate Dong and seek out any additional information of her whereabouts, whether anyone saw or interacted with her in any way, particularly near the Marseille port area.
“Even the smallest clue or memory could be crucial!”the social media pleas have read.
Missing AIDAluna Cruise Passenger
Three nations are now involved in the case. French authorities have been alerted because Dong went missing while in France, Chinese authorities have been notified because of her citizenship, and German authorities have begun a case because AIDA Cruises is a German cruise line and Dong was living in Germany.
While Dong does have a Chinese passport, she is a German resident and was cruising solo aboard AIDAluna.
There has been no reported delay or adjustment to AIDAluna‘s itinerary and the ship continued on as planned. The Sphinx-class ship can welcome 2,100 guests per sailing and is also home to approximately 600 crew members.
AIDAluna is currently homeported from Palma de Mallorca, offering itineraries through the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands, depending on departure date.
Recent Missing Guests Not Actually Missing
Dong is not the first woman to have vanished from a cruise ship in recent months.
In November 2025, Amy Evans disappeared while on a shore tour in St. Maarten from Holland America Line’s Rotterdam, while in September 2025, Jessica Collins disappeared in Bonaire while cruising aboard Carnival Horizon.
Both women failed to return to the ship after debarking, but were later located. No foul play appears to have been involved in either case, but the women did not wish to be contacted. Their reasons for departing their respective ships without notice have not been disclosed.
While there are some similarities to these other recent cases without emergency overboard operations, there is one crucial difference.
For both Evans and Collins, no family members or friends appeared to come forward immediately or urgently seeking to find them, whereas there is a strong search effort to locate Dong.
Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with those worried family members and friends and hopes that Dong is safely located.
Disney Destiny has received an itinerary change for her upcoming Christmas cruise.
No port calls will be skipped, but a visit to Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point has been moved due to weather.
Guests will now get to spend Christmas Day at DCL’s newest private island instead of at sea.
Hurricane season may be over, but that doesn’t mean that the Bahamas can’t experience poor weather.
Unfortunately, some inclement weather will impact Disney Destiny’s very first Christmas at sea.
Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship will be embarking on a 5-night sailing to the Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida, on December 21, 2025.
But due to the weather forecast, the itinerary has been adjusted.
“We have been closely monitoring an approaching weather system that will present challenging wind and sea conditions in The Bahamas early this coming week,” Disney Cruise Line wrote to booked guests.
Although cruise ships like the newest Wish-class vessel are perfectly capable of handling rough seas, docking can become difficult or impossible in windy conditions.
It’s also safer and more comfortable for all onboard to stay where the skies are blue and seas are calm.
How Did the Itinerary Change?
Thankfully, the up to 4,000 guests booked on this holiday cruise won’t be skipping any ports. They will simply be delaying the second and final port call for their sailing.
The itinerary only calls to Disney’s private islands in the Bahamas, which are Castaway Cay and the new Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Originally, the Disney ship would have visited Castaway Cay on Monday, December 22, and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on Tuesday, December 23.
Disney Destiny Arrives in Port Canaveral
But because of the weather, Tuesday will become a sea day and the 144,000-gross ton ship will call to Disney Lookout Cay on Christmas Day instead – and what a way to celebrate the holiday!
“Given the anticipated strong winds and adverse sea conditions, we have revised the itinerary and will visit Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on Thursday, instead of Tuesday as originally scheduled,”Disney confirmed.
The 25th was originally supposed to be a sea day, which means the call to Castaway Cay can be left untouched and there are no other ports to impact.
Should Guests be Worried About the Weather?
While phrasing like “strong winds and adverse sea conditions” can sound scary, guests and crew members will be perfectly safe onboard.
Not only is the young ship equipped to handle rough seas, but the captain and his bridge team are constantly tracking weather patterns to chart the smoothest possible course.
Additionally, Disney is likely shifting the itinerary out of an abundance of caution.
This is not an out-of-season hurricane, and the National Hurricane Center (NOAA) does not even have any reports of minor storm activity on its website for this time period.
Local weather reports for South Eleuthera – where Disney Lookout Cay is located – do call for evening rain showers on the night of December 22 and winds of up to 30 miles per hour the following morning.
These winds would be strong enough to make docking risky, but ultimately pose no real danger to a large vessel at sea.
Assuming the forecast stays the same, guests can expect low winds and partly cloudy skies when they finally arrive at the private destination on Christmas morning.
Did you miss any of the big cruise news stories this week? No worries, Cruise Hive has you covered with our weekly recap. Some of the top developments we covered this week included the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Royal Caribbean’s new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, a four-ship order from MSC Cruises, and Carnival Cruise Line detailing its 2026 adult-only cruises.
Stay up to date on the major cruise news stories with Cruise Hive’s Daily Update, a must-read for industry insiders. Sign up here and have the news delivered to your inbox each morning.
Guest Rants About Lack of Netflix on Carnival Ship
Some cruisers unplug during their holiday-at-sea and spend time outdoors in nature rather than watching a screen, like a TV, phone or iPad. But not everyone.
One Carnival Cruise Line guest who is booked to sail on Carnival Panorama’s holiday voyage to the Mexican Riviera is angry that he won’t be able to watch the final episodes of the Netflix hit “Stranger Things,” since the ship doesn’t offer access to that network.
The 8-night cruise begins on December 20 and continues to December 28, 2025. The next four episodes of season five will debut on Christmas Day, and the two-hour series finale will be shown on New Year’s Eve.
Carnival Cabin and Netflix (Credits: Tigarto & Cruise Hive)
The guest reached out to cruise line brand ambassador John Heald on his Facebook page, fuming about the situation and claiming that the line was ruining Christmas.
Heald had a good answer: While the ship does not provide access to Netflix, the guest can buy a Premium Internet plan just for Christmas Day and stream the show on their phone or iPad. Or, he noted, the cruiser can wait until he returns home to view the episodes.
MSC Cruises Orders Ships For New Frontier Class
MSC Cruises isn’t letting any grass grow under its feet. The cruise line, which currently has several World-class ships in the construction pipeline, announced it has ordered four more ships that will form another class, called New Frontier.
All of the new-builds will be constructed by Meyer Werft in Germany. The announcement came on December 15, 2025 at an event in Berlin.
The order includes options for two additional ships, bringing the total of the new class to as many as six.
Under Construction MSC Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Emrys Thakkar / Cruise Hive)
The new ships will be roughly 180,000 gross tons — not as large as the World-class vessels, which are around 216,000 gross tons. The New Frontier ships will have capacity for about 5,400 guests, about the same as Carnival Cruise Line’s Excel-class, for comparison’s sake.
MSC Cruises noted that the new class will feature next-generation environmental technologies, helping the line reach its net-zero 2050 commitment. The new-builds will begin to enter service in 2030.
Disney Adventure Officially Joins Disney Fleet
It’s the largest ship in the fleet and now it has been delivered to Disney Cruise Line. We’re talking about Disney Adventure, of course, which will operate roundtrip from Singapore for at least the next five years.
Set to begin sailing in March 2026, the ship can accommodate up to 6,700 guests at full capacity. Her deployment to Singapore represents the cruise line’s first major commitment to the Asia market.
Apparently, the cruise line believes there are scores of Disney fans in and around Singapore, since all of the 3- and 4-night getaway voyages are cruises to nowhere — the ship is the star of the show.
Disney Adventure Cruise Ship
Disney Adventure offers seven themed areas: Disney Imagination Garden, Disney Discovery Reef, San Fransokyo Street, Wayfinder Bay, Town Square, Marvel Landing, and Toy Story Place. The ship has 20-plus dining venues and lounges, and a wide range of cabin categories.
Set to deploy to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre, Disney Adventure began life as Global Dream, a ship ordered by Dream Cruises before its parent firm, Genting Hong Kong, failed in 2022.
Disney Cruise Line bought the partially built vessel and completed her construction at a Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.
Carnival Cruise Line Details More Adult-Only Sailings
Carnival Cruise Line’s adult-only cruises, which were introduced in mid-2025, apparently are a big hit. The line has revealed details for 2026 SEA voyages — Sailings Exclusively for Adults, that include some transatlantic repositioning cruises.
These are ideal for the SEA experience, since transatlantics don’t typically attract many families with kids anyway. But there are others, too.
For instance, Carnival Paradise will sail a SEA voyage from Tampa, Florida, on April 13, 2026, with calls to Key West, Grand Turk, Amber Cove, Montego Bay, and Grand Cayman.
Carnival Dream Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: NAN728)
The transatlantic crossings are Carnival Dream’s cruise leaving from Galveston on February 16, 2026, and Carnival Glory’s March 10, 2026 cruise from Port Canaveral. Both are 15-night sailings that conclude in Barcelona.
All of the 2026 SEA cruises are expected to be in high demand. Guests can sign up for email alerts as new voyages are added to the line-up. SEA cruises are offered to passengers aged 21 and older.
Ship Leaves Port a Day Late Due to IT Glitch
Departure day for Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Firenze on December 15, 2025, turned out to be a frustrating one for guests and crew, thanks to a massive computer meltdown that caused the ship to remain in port for a full day.
It happened as guests were embarking the ship at Long Beach, California, for a 6-night Mexican Riviera cruise. Somehow, the technology glitch caused all booking information and other key data to be temporarily lost.
Carnival Firenze Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Felipe Sanchez)
The IT problem eventually was fixed, and Carnival Firenze, one of the line’s two Fun Italian-Style ships, finally left port around 1:30 p.m. on December 16, 2025. The delay caused the itinerary to be revised, with the cancellation of a port call at Ensenada.
The 4,232-guest ship was to call there after spending an overnight at Cabo San Lucas. In the end, the ship only visited Cabo for the overnight call, then returned to Long Beach. Each stateroom received a $100 onboard credit to ease guests’ disappointment.
Some guests criticized the line in social media posts, but some commenters noted that they weren’t missing much in Ensenada anyway.
First Royal Beach Club Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
As promised, Royal Caribbean Group held ribbon-cutting ceremonies at its Royal Beach Club Paradise Island on December 13, 2025, and will begin to welcome cruise guests to the Bahamas destination on December 23, 2025.
More than 100 local government officials, Royal Caribbean Group representatives, and other VIPs attended the event. Construction began in April 2024, with input and collaboration with Bahamian artists and other local people.
Royal Beach Club Ribbon Cutting (Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean)
The 17-acre exclusive destination just minutes from the Port of Nassau offers a shoreside experience featuring two beaches, three restaurants, multiple pools, a massive swim-up bar, private cabanas, and live music entertainment.
It will, however, cost you, as admission for kids and adults is not included in the cruise fare. Day passes start at about $170 per adult and rise to $250-plus, based on the amenities the guest chooses. Daybeds and cabana rentals cost extra.
Children under age 3 pay no admission.
Radiance of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas will call at Nassau on opening day, so passengers on those ships will be the first to officially visit the destination.
‘Flying Scotsman’ Returning to Cruise Industry
Back in August 2024, Chris “The Flying Scotsman” Williams announced his retirement from Carnival Cruise Line, where he served as a cruise director and then a fleet cruise director. Plenty of folks were sad to hear he was leaving, since he was a longtime favorite onboard various ships.
But now, he’s coming back — not as a cruise director but as a musical entertainer. Williams recently began mentioning his plans on his YouTube channel and Facebook page, saying that, while he loves spending more time with his family, he is now a fly-on entertainer for various cruise lines, including Carnival.
Former Cruise Director Return (Credits: Darryl Brooks & Chris Williams)
He will, for instance, join Carnival Legend’s cruises in June and August, as the ship sails in Europe. He is definitely booked for June 7 to 10 and August 9 to 13, 2026, and there may be more performances coming.
Williams is not limiting himself to Carnival Cruise Line ships. He will also perform on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Balmoral in January 2026, and will appear on Ambassador Cruise Lines as well.
So, welcome back to “The Flying Scotsman!”
More Cruise Headlines
OK, you’re all caught up with the top stories, but let’s keep going with even more cruise news, such as Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva launching cruises from Galveston, Texas, Royal Caribbean Group joining a redevelopment plan for a St. Thomas cruise port, and MSC Cruises’ unveiling its 2028 World Cruise.
