Blog Page 23

Star Princess Delays Upcoming Departure Due to Port Challenges

Catie Kovelman
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Star Princess Delays Upcoming Departure Due to Port Challenges

Key Aspects:

  • Operational needs in the Port of Seattle have led to a minor itinerary change for Star Princess’s August 23 departure.
  • Instead of setting sail at 3 p.m., the ship will wait until 4 p.m. to begin her voyage.
  • Thankfully, the short delay will not lead to additional itinerary changes.

Thanks to operational changes at the Port of Seattle, at least one of Star Princess’s upcoming Alaska sailings will get off to a delayed start.

Cruise Hive has learned that Princess Cruises’ newest ship will be departing from her homeport one hour late on August 23, 2026. Instead of setting sail at 3 p.m. PDT, the 4,300-guest ship will depart at 4 p.m.

The voyage in question is a 7-night sailing to Alaska via the Inside Passage, which stretches from Washington State through British Columbia and up into the Alaska Panhandle.

“Please be advised that due to operational considerations, Star Princess will now depart Seattle, Washington at 4:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, rather than 3:00 PM as previously scheduled,” Princess Cruises wrote in a letter to booked passengers.

It’s also unclear if additional itineraries may be similarly tweaked. The 177,882-gross ton vessel is currently in the middle of her inaugural Alaska season and will be offering 7-night sailings to Alaska from Seattle through the end of September.

What Do Operational Challenges Entail?

Princess Cruises didn’t specify which operational considerations led them to move back Star Princess’s departure, but it could be anything from planned maintenance on port infrastructure to congestion in the harbor.

Port congestion seems like a plausible contender, as Seattle is experiencing its busiest Alaska season in history.

Star Princess Cruise Ship
Star Princess Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Mary Baratto)

On August 23, the popular port will be at capacity, with three cruise ships docked between its two main terminals. Star Princess will be joined by Holland America Line’s Noordam and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore.

Typically, cruise ship departures are staggered for safety reasons (e.g., avoiding collisions) and to prevent overcrowding in marine channels, and both Star Princess and Noordam were initially scheduled to depart at 3 p.m.

While not officially confirmed, there is a good chance the timing was modified to stagger their departures.

Itinerary is Otherwise Unchanged

Even with the short delay, the ports of call scheduled for the week-long voyage remain untouched.

Guests will still get to visit many of Alaska’s most popular destinations as planned, including Ketchikan, Juneau, Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier (scenic cruising), Skagway, and Victoria (British Columbia). 

Seattle is around 650 nautical miles from Ketchikan, the first port call, when sailing via the Inside Passage. This is a distance that Star Princess can cover in around 30 hours when cruising at top speeds (22 knots).

Thankfully, the young ship isn’t due in Ketchikan until 6 a.m. on August 25. Even with the new departure time, she has around 37 hours to cover that distance.

If the delay was more significant or lasted into the following day, it might have been a different story.

MSC Cruises Embraces July 4th With Special Activities, Food, and More

Melissa Mayntz
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MSC Cruises Embraces July 4th With Special Activities, Food, and More

Key Aspects:

  • MSC Cruises is offering special America-themed activities, food, and drinks for the July 4th holiday.
  • The themed itineraries are only available on ships sailing from US homeports: Galveston, Seattle, Port Canaveral, and Miami.
  • Alaska, Western Caribbean, and Bahamas cruises are all available with the patriotic parties.

With the US gearing up for the biggest celebration in its 250-year history, MSC Cruises is planning star-spangled fun onboard all ships sailing from US homeports during the July 4th holiday.

In an activities list provided to Cruise Hive, the line confirmed that unique celebrations and themed fun will spread across parties, photo ops, trivia games, and special menus for both beverages and main dining rooms, as well as commemorative treats.

An exclusive party onboard participating vessels will be a Red, White, and Blue event. Guests should be sure to dress in their patriotic finest for these festivities!

To capture every moment of the fun, photo ops will feature branded July 4th frames and there will be commemorative flag giveaways to show even more festive spirit.

Throughout their sailings, each ship will have dedicated movies that showcase the American spirit and history, including titles such as “Top Gun,” “Forrest Gump,” and “Saving Private Ryan.” Various activities, such as trivia contests, will also have US and American themes.

Celebrate With Food and Beverage

Unique offerings and themed US menus will share a taste of America with all guests onboard. In the main dining rooms, entrees like southern-style fried chicken and slow-roasted prime rib are sure to be favorites, while the cruise line promises “a celebratory dessert with a commemorative header marking America’s 250th.”

MSC World America in Miami
MSC World America in Miami

There is no hint of what that special dessert may be. Baked Alaska? Florida key lime pie? New York cheesecake? Classic apple pie? Taste buds are sure to be tingling no matter what the choice.

A special all-American buffet will also be featured with selections that include hot honey fried chicken, beer brats, smoked pulled pork, and Chicago hot dogs. For dessert, guests will find Mississippi mud pie, New York cheesecake bites, and Kentucky bourbon bites, among others.

To raise a toast to the US, guests can enjoy five unique beverages crafted especially for the occasion. While the ingredients of the cocktails (and one mocktail) have not been released, they all offer unique tastes from the American Colada, Stars & Spritz, Star-garita, and Uncle Sam’s Sangria to the non-alcoholic Freedom Fizz.

Ships Offering Patriotic Tributes

The special patriotic activities, menu items, and drinks are only available aboard MSC Cruises ships sailing from US homeports.

While no timeline has been clarified for exactly which departure dates will have these unique offerings, 5 sailings include the Fourth of July holiday.

MSC Seascape‘s June 28 departure from Galveston is a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise visiting Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel, with the final day of the sailing a day at sea for July 4th.

Guests who want to explore the 49th US state should set sail on MSC Poesia‘s June 29 departure from Seattle. The 7-night Alaska sailing will call on Ketchikan, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, and Victoria, as well as enjoy scenic cruising for glacier viewing.

Cruise Hive had already reported that 2026 is MSC Cruises’ first year sailing in Alaska, so what a great way to mark the occasion!

For Caribbean explorations, MSC Seashore is sailing from Port Canaveral. Her Fourth of July sailing departs on June 28 for a 7-night itinerary that will include Nassau, Cozumel, and Costa Maya with a visit to MSC Ocean Cay on July 4th before returning to Florida the next day.

More From Cruise Hive

Two MSC Cruises ships are homeported from Miami for the summer holiday. For shorter cruises, MSC Seaside is offering 3- and 4-night Bahamas itineraries. The ship’s July 3 departure will spend the holiday in Nassau before continuing on to MSC Ocean Cay the next day.

MSC World America will be offering a departure actually on July 4 for a 7-night Western Caribbean sailing. With luck, guests may see fireworks as they sail away from Florida on the holiday, and they will enjoy visits to Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and MSC Ocean Cay before returning to the Sunshine State on July 11.

Norwegian Cruise Ship Propulsion Woes Hit Another Sailing

Catie Kovelman
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Norwegian Cruise Ship Propulsion Woes Hit Another Sailing

Key Aspects:

  • Norwegian Sun is still experiencing propulsion issues, which have now impacted a second voyage.
  • Three ports were dropped from the June 24 itinerary and the timing of the remaining calls has been adjusted.
  • Guests were given an onboard credit and a future cruise credit because of the inconvenience.

The propulsion issues that derailed Norwegian Sun’s June 15 sailing have now thrown a wrench into the subsequent 9-night sailing, which embarked in Helsinki, Finland, on June 24, 2026.

Less than 24 hours after boarding, the new round of guests were informed that the itinerary would have to be changed because the 78,309-gross ton vessel is unable to sail at its normal speed.

When all was said and done, Norwegian Cruise Line cut out three port calls, revised three other stops, and added a new destination to the schedule.

Nynashamn (Sweden) and Klaipeda were cancelled outright, while Gdynia was replaced with a visit to Ronne, Denmark.

“Due to a technical issue requiring Norwegian Sun to operate at a reduced speed, which does not affect the safety of our guests or crew, our visits to Nynashamn (Stockholm), Sweden, and Klaipeda, Lithuania, have been replaced with sea days,” Norwegian Cruise Line wrote in a letter to guests, which was emailed to Cruise Hive by a current passenger.

“…and in place of Gdynia, Poland, we are pleased to introduce a visit to Ronne, Denmark,” the update continued.

As of the time of this writing on June 25, cruise tracking data shows the 2001-launched ship sailing away from Tallinn, Estonia, at a slow 8 knots. Tallinn was the planned port call for that day.

Norwegian Cruise Line has not publicly confirmed what is causing the technical difficulties and how long it may take to complete repairs.

The Revised Itinerary

The original itinerary called for stops at Tallinn, Estonia; Nynashamn, Sweden; Riga, Latvia; Klaipeda, Lithuania; Gdynia-Gdansk, Poland; Warnemunde, Germany; Kiel, Germany, and Copenhagen, Denmark (which is also the debarkation port).

Obviously, Nynashamn, Klaipeda, and Gdynia are gone, but the timing of the visits to Warnemunde and Kiel in Germany have also been adjusted.

Read Also: What You Should Know About Cruise Port Cancellations

The 1,878-guest ship will still visit Warnemunde on June 30, but will be in the port from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. instead of 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., giving guests an extra hour and a half to explore.

Norwegian Sun Cruise Ship
Norwegian Sun Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Tiffany Marie Green / Shutterstock)

On the other hand, the visit to Kiel, Germany, on July 1 will be shorter. The ship will be docked from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. instead of the originally planned 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Copenhagen will welcome the NCL ship the following day on July 2 for an overnight call and debarkation on July 3. However, Norwegian Sun will arrive at 10:30 a.m. instead of 9 a.m.

Compensation Provided to Cruise Guests

Norwegian Cruise Line realizes that this is not the itinerary guests booked and is trying to make things right.

Guests will be provided with a $100 stateroom credit, as well as a 25% discount off a future cruise in the form of a future cruise credit. The credit must be used in the next 12 months and can be put toward any sailing departing before December 31, 2027.

“We understand that itinerary adjustments can be disappointing, and we are truly grateful for your patience and flexibility,” the cruise line wrote.

Additionally, NCL shore excursions booked for the removed port calls will be automatically cancelled and refunded.

More From Cruise Hive

The cruise line will try to reschedule shore excursions to align with the new timing for visiting Kiel, Warnemunde, and Copenhagen, and will automatically cancel and refund tours where this is not possible.

Hopefully guests will still be able to make the most of their cruise vacation, and this will be the final sailing impacted by Norwegian Sun’s propulsion difficulties.

Marella Cruises Is Making One of Its Ships Permanently Adults-Only

Melissa Mayntz
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Marella Cruises Is Making One of Its Ships Permanently Adults-Only

Key Aspects:

  • Marella Discovery 2 will be converted to an adults-only ship beginning with the winter 2027 season.
  • Four new adults-only spaces are planned: a speakeasy, an escape room, a karaoke room, and an arts and crafts area.
  • The ship will offer Canary Island sailings from multiple homeports for winter 2027.

Cruisers looking for a getaway from younger crowds will be excited at Marella Cruises new announcement for Marella Discovery 2, which is set to become a permanent adults-only ship from winter 2027.

The previous kids-only spaces onboard the 1,836-guest ship will be renovated into new concept spaces with intriguing options for all travelers to enjoy.

“With demand for adults-only cruising continuing to grow, we’re investing in four new onboard concepts to enhance the experience even further,” said Chris Hackney, Marella Cruises CEO.

The new spaces will include a creatively-themed speakeasy, a challenging escape room, a dedicated karaoke room, and an arts and crafts area. Exact details of each location have not yet been revealed but are sure to be announced in the months to come as the renovations get underway.

At the moment, the ship’s planned itineraries are available through mid-October 2027 and there is no gap for a dry dock for renovations. The most recent dry dock was in the fall of 2024.

The new adults-only ship is sure to be welcome for many travelers, particularly for the all-inclusive nature of Marella Cruises. When complete, Marella Discovery 2 will be the second adults-only ship in the Marella Cruises fleet, joining Marella Explorer 2.

Marella Discovery 2 Cruise Ship
Marella Discovery 2 Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: GEORGE STAMATIS / Shutterstock)

Cruise Hive has reported on the rapidly growing interest in adults-only sailings, from the popularity of Virgin Voyages as a complete adults-only cruise line to Carnival Cruise Line’s select SEA (Sailings Exclusive for Adults) offerings.

The UK-based Marella Cruises (a division of the TUI Group) is the third-largest cruise line in the UK. As a matter of fun interest, Marella Discovery 2 was formerly Royal Caribbean’s original Legend of the Seas from 1995-2017, when she was sold to the TUI Group.

Sailing on Marella Discovery 2

Following her adults-only conversion, the 69,472-gross-ton Marella Discovery 2 will offer three homeport options during the winter 2027 season.

From November 2027 through March 2028 the ship will be offering departures from Tenerife and Gran Canaria, then she will move on to Malaga in March and April 2028.

Read Also: Top 12 Best Cruise Lines for Adults

Itineraries range from 5-8 nights, including a brand-new 7-night “Atlantic Fusion” schedule with visits to top destinations in the Canary Islands and Morocco. Other port visits include Gibraltar, Funchal, and more, depending on the exact sailing date and itinerary length.

For more adults-only options, Marella Explorer 2 will be homeported from Barbados with Caribbean itineraries.

Marella Cruises is also extending its “Cruise & Stay” offerings with new hotel options for guests to choose from for a complete vacation package, including flights from 12 regional UK airports.

More From Cruise Hive

“With brand-new itineraries, festive overnight stays, repositional cruises, transatlantic cruises and an expansion of 39 hotels for our cruise and stay offering, we’re continuing to evolve our holidays to give customers more ways to cruise with Marella Cruises,” said Hackney.

All winter sailings, including aboard the soon-to-be adults-only Marella Discovery 2, will be on sale from July 2, 2026, giving travelers plenty of time to make their vacation plans.

FBI Reminds Cruisers to Immediately Report Crimes at Sea

Catie Kovelman
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FBI Reminds Cruisers to Immediately Report Crimes at Sea

Key Aspects:

  • The Houston FBI issued a reminder to make sure cruisers stay safe while sailing during summer vacation.
  • If passengers witness a crime at sea, they should report it to both the onboard security team and the FBI.
  • Crime on cruise ships is rare, but reporting suspicious activity early can help keep everyone safe.

With summer in full swing, it’s officially one of the most popular times of the year for families to embark on cruise vacations. But with an influx of passengers onboard, FBI Houston wants to make sure everyone stays safe at sea.

While cruises are generally considered to be one of the safest forms of travel, guests who witness a crime or become a victim are encouraged to immediately report the offense to the FBI, along with the onboard security team.

Guests will never be penalized for making a report in good faith, even if the investigation shows that the alleged crime was a non-issue all along.

“As summer vacations begin, the FBI reminds you that if you have been a victim of assault with serious bodily injury, kidnapping, sexual assault aboard a cruise ship, report it to security staff immediately,” FBI Houston posted on X.

If guests are not able to report the crime while onboard, they are encouraged to contact their local police and the FBI as soon as possible.

For reference, the FBI typically handles serious crimes that occur at sea, as the open ocean is outside the jurisdiction of any individual state. Should an incident occur, FBI agents will meet the ship at its next US port call to begin its investigation.

How Common is Cruise Ship Crime?

The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) of 2010 requires all cruise ships that embark and disembark at US ports to report criminal activity to the FBI.

The investigations into these incidents are then publicly shared by the US Department of Transportation on a quarterly basis. 

Based on these reports, an average of 150 to 180 crimes are committed on cruise ships annually, which means there are less than 200 offenders out of 37.2 million people who go on cruises each year (and that’s not including crew members).

For additional context, the FBI reported that there were more than 14 million crimes committed in the US on land in 2024. The data for 2025 is not publicly available, but it’s likely also in the millions.

Cruise Hive confirmed that a total of 182 crimes by cruisers were reported to the FBI in 2025, which is on the higher side of normal.

So far, 43 cruise ship crimes were reported for the first quarter of 2026 (January through March).

Cruise Ships Strive to Keep Guests Safe

The cruise lines take action to keep guests safe well before they are onboard, including verifying identities during the pre-check-in process before guests even make it to their departure port.

If guests’ have active warrants or have been placed on a no-sail list for previous bad behavior, they may be removed from the sailing at this time.

For example, Cruise Hive recently reported on a man who was temporarily booted from his Carnival cruise due to a case of mistaken identity. The cruise line chose to remove the passenger from his reservation until the issue could be clarified instead of risking a potential offender making it onboard.

Once at the cruise port, employees will reconfirm guests’ identities (often by checking passports and/or using biometric technology) and will screen their belongings for prohibited items, including weapons and potential fire hazards.

Security screenings are then conducted at every cruise port to ensure no prohibited items have been acquired while exploring, and this process is in place for a reason.

As recently as December 2025, a cruising granny was not only removed from her sailing, but arrested in Nassau after getting caught with a gun. The grandmother allegedly forgot that the weapon was in her purse.

While at sea, cruise ships are protected by surveillance footage and round-the-clock security teams.

Carnival Guests Notified of Itinerary Changes on Two Tampa Cruises

Melissa Mayntz
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Carnival Guests Notified of Itinerary Changes on Two Tampa Cruises

Key Aspects:

  • Small changes have been made to one sailing each for Carnival Paradise and Carnival Legend in the coming weeks.
  • The July 6 sailing of Carnival Paradise has shifted her visit time in Belize.
  • Carnival Legend will depart Tampa one hour later for the November 16 sailing.

Guests on two different Carnival cruises have now received notification of minor adjustments to their respective upcoming itineraries. The impacted ships are Carnival Paradise and Carnival Legend, both sailing from Tampa, Florida, and the change to one ship is fairly significant, while the other is just a minor tweak.

Carnival Paradise Itinerary Change

The July 6, 2026 departure of Carnival Paradise has a relatively large change. While the Fantasy-class ship will still be sailing her 6-night Western Caribbean itinerary out of Tampa to Belize, Roatan, and Cozumel, the time in Belize has been heavily shifted.

Originally, the 2,124-guest ship was to have visited Belize City, Belize, for a full day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, as the first port of call on the sailing. The day has not changed, but now Carnival Paradise will be in port from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This is loss of a full hour of port time and the much later arrival may impact shore tours for many guests. If guests have booked any excursions through the cruise line, those tours with be changed accordingly.

“Where applicable, pre-purchased Carnival shore excursions will be automatically adjusted prior to sailing,” the notification confirmed.

Guests with independent tour arrangements will need to contact their tour operators for options to reschedule or cancel as necessary.

No explanation has been given for the change, but there is no indication of any mechanical trouble with Carnival Paradise that would require a slower sailing speed or other adjustments. Port schedules, berth availability, and other factors can all impact when a ship may visit a port of call.

Cruise Hive just reported days ago of a port cancellation for a harbor pilot shortage on Carnival Splendor, another type of situation that can create an itinerary change.

Carnival Paradise Docked in Cozumel, Mexico
Carnival Paradise Docked in Cozumel, Mexico (Photo Credit: denbaim)

Only the stop in Belize is impacted by this change. Carnival Paradise will still visit Roatan, Honduras on July 9 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., followed by Cozumel, Mexico on July 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The ship’s departure and return to Tampa are also unaffected.

One of the smallest and oldest ships in the Carnival fleet, the 71,925-gross-ton Carnival Paradise offers 4-, 5-, and 6-night sailings from Tampa year-round and is a favorite among many cruise guests who prefer the smaller, more intimate ship.

Carnival Legend Itinerary Change

The tweak to Carnival Legend is even simpler than the port adjustment for Carnival Paradise. For the 88,500-gross-ton ship, the only change is to her departure from Tampa for the November 16, 2026 sailing.

Now, the ship will set sail from the Sunshine State one hour later at 4:30 p.m. instead of 3:30 p.m. as previously scheduled.

No other changes have been announced for the 5-night Western Caribbean cruise, which will be visiting Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Likewise, the ship’s return to Tampa is not impacted and remains unchanged, which will be a relief to the 2,124 guests that may be aboard.

Carnival Cruise Line frequently makes these sorts of simple adjustments to various itineraries as port schedules and sailing routes are refined. Recently, Cruise Hive shared Celebration Key time changes for 50 sailings of Carnival Elation from Jacksonville.

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Similarly, more than 90 sailings of Carnival Panorama out of Long Beach have also been adjusted in recent weeks.

Any booked guests (from any line, not just Carnival!) should always stay in close contact with their cruise line in case of itinerary changes, port swaps, departure updates, or other changes that may impact their vacation plans.

Crew Member’s Body Recovered After Cruise Ship Overboard Near Oban

Melissa Mayntz
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Crew Member’s Body Recovered After Cruise Ship Overboard Near Oban

Key Aspects:

  • The body of a crew member overboard from Hebridean Princess has been found near Oban, Scotland.
  • The overboard occurred on Tuesday, June 16, just after 8 p.m. in the evening.
  • No details of the crew member’s identity or position have been made available, but the incident is not considered suspicious.

There is now an unfortunate and tragic conclusion to an overboard incident from the luxury ship Hebridean Princess last week. On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, a crew member was reported to have fallen from the 48-guest small ship in the Sound of Mull, near Oban in western Scotland.

At the time of the incident, just 38 guests were aboard. The ship is also home to just over 30 crew members. While the local coastguard rescue team responded and search efforts commenced shortly after 8 p.m., the search was initially unsuccessful.

Now, however, the male crew member’s body has been located near Corran Esplanade, roughly a half mile north of the docking areas in Oban.

“The individual’s next of kin have been informed, and our thoughts are with their family, friends, and colleagues,” a spokesperson for Hebridean Island Cruises told the BBC.

No further details about the crew member, such as name, age, or position, have been released. This is standard procedure to protect the individual’s privacy and the privacy of their family members, friends, and colleagues.

Local authorities are conducting a complete investigation and the cruise line is fully cooperating.

“We are supporting the relevant authorities in their inquiries,” Hebridean Island Cruises confirmed.

A Police Scotland spokesperson did note that the death is not being treated as suspicious. Full investigations are normal under these circumstances.

Hebridean Princess is one of just two vessels operated by Hebridean Island Cruises, offering intimate explorations around Scotland to ports larger ships cannot visit.

Read Also: What Happens When Someone Goes Overboard on a Cruise Ship?

Prior to the incident, the ship had most recently visited Barra, the Isle of Harris, the Shiant Isles, Stornoway, and other unique destinations. Hikes, museum visits, local foods, church visits, and other activities are favorites in ports of call.

At the time of the overboard, the 2,112-gross-ton ship had just finished a 7-night “Footloose Over the Western Isles” itinerary that originally departed Oban on June 9. Because the incident happened late in the evening, however, it is possible it was the first night of the next sailing, also a 7-night cruise.

Crew Member Overboards Rare

It is a sad truth that crew member overboards do happen and are not confined to a specific type of cruise, ship size, or sailing region.

Cruise Hive has reported on different incidents, including a crew member overboard from Norwegian Viva in April 2026 while the ship was near Costa Maya, Mexico. Later that same month, another crew member went overboard from Norwegian Breakaway near Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Crew overboards have been reported in recent years from AIDA Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, and other lines.

Working on a cruise ship can be a very stressful career involving long hours, heavy workloads, and being away from family members and friends for months at a time.

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While Hebridean Princess is a small ship with just three dozen or so crew members, larger vessels often have hundreds or thousands of crew members onboard each sailing.

Cruise lines do provide support for struggling crew members, as well as counseling services as needed when tragic situations unfold.

Cruise Hive’s thoughts and condolences are with the family members, friends, and co-workers of the crew member during this troubling time.

Berthing Conflicts Force Celebrity Summit to Drop Two Ports

Lissa Poirot
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Berthing Conflicts Force Celebrity Summit to Drop Two Ports

Key Aspects:

  • Celebrity Cruises removed Key West from Celebrity Summit’s November 1, 2026, sailing, and replaced it with a port call in Cozumel, Mexico.
  • The ship has also removed Costa Maya, Mexico, from its November 22, 2026, voyage, replacing it with a stop in George Town, Grand Cayman.
  • November 8’s sailing has also been modified, but is keeping all original scheduled port calls.

For Celebrity Cruises passengers looking forward to strolling along Duval Street, visiting the Southernmost Point in the US, or sampling the food and drinks at Sloppy Joe’s, an itinerary update may come as disappointing news.

The cruise line has informed guests sailing aboard Celebrity Summit on November 1, 2026, that the ship’s planned call in Key West has been removed from the itinerary and replaced with a visit to Cozumel, Mexico.

“Due to berthing availability in Key West, Florida, we’ve replaced this stop with a visit to Cozumel from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Day 3,” Celebrity Cruises said in a letter sent to booked guests.

The revised schedule now calls for the 91,003-gross-ton Celebrity Summit to visit Cozumel on November 3, followed by Bimini on November 5, and Nassau on November 6 before returning to Tampa, Florida, on November 8.

Worth Reading: Berth Shortage Triggers Itinerary Change for Norwegian Prima Sailing

The 7-night voyage, which had previously been marketed as a “Key West & Bahamas” cruise departing roundtrip from Tampa, now includes a sea day on November 4, replacing what had originally been the Key West port call.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and have no doubt your time with us will be nothing short of amazing,” the cruise line said.

Celebrity Summit Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Carlos Yudica / Shutterstock.com

Celebrity Cruises said guests who pre-purchased shore excursions through the cruise line for Key West will automatically receive refunds to their original form of payment. Passengers who booked shore excursions separately are advised to reach out for cancellations and refunds.

Read Also: Cozumel Cruise Port: Terminals, Piers, and Getting Around

Guests interested in booking activities in Cozumel will be able to browse available shore excursions through the Celebrity Cruises app and website. However, the company also warned that bookings may be temporarily unavailable for up to 10 business days while the itinerary updates are finalized.

Additional Celebrity Summit Itinerary Changes

The November 1 departure is not the only upcoming Celebrity Summit sailing to undergo changes. Celebrity Cruises has also notified guests booked on the ship’s November 8 and November 22, 2026, departures of itinerary adjustments affecting ports in Mexico, Belize, and the Cayman Islands.

For the November 8 sailing, the cruise line cited another berthing conflict as the reason for modifying the itinerary to “ensure your experience remains seamless and enjoyable.”

The 2,218-passenger ship’s sea day has now been moved up to November 10, with calls scheduled for Belize City on November 11, Cozumel on November 12, and Costa Maya, Mexico, on November 13.

Shore excursions booked through the cruise line are automatically being updated to align with the revised schedule, but passengers who booked their own activities are advised to reschedule to match the itinerary.

Celebrity Summit has also removed Costa Maya entirely from its November 22 departure after reviewing port operations at the Mexican destination.

More From Cruise Hive

To replace the cancelled stop, Celebrity Cruises added George Town, Grand Cayman, on November 27. The ship will spend the previous day at sea before arriving in the Cayman Islands from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

“While our itinerary has been adjusted, the incredible experience of your journey remains unchanged,” said the cruise line. “These updates allow us to uphold the integrity of our itinerary and ensure smooth operations.”

Guests who pre-purchased shore excursions in Costa maya will receive automatic refunds to their original form of payment. It will be opening shore excursions for George Town in the next 10 days.

Norwegian Sun Sailing Gets Late Adjustment Due to Propulsion Issues

Catie Kovelman
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Norwegian Sun Sailing Gets Late Adjustment Due to Propulsion Issues

Key Aspects:

  • Norwegian Sun experienced a loss of propulsion during its current 9-night sailing from Denmark to Finland.
  • The NCL ship was forced to skip its visit to Stockholm, Sweden, on June 22, but did make its visit to Tallinn, Estonia, on June 23.
  • At this time, the technical difficulties are not expected to impact the following voyage, which embarks on June 24.

Norwegian Sun’s current 9-night Baltic sailing is ending on a low note due to technical difficulties impacting the ship’s propulsion.

Reports have surfaced on social media indicating that the planned visit to Nynashamn, Sweden, which provides access to Stockholm, was cancelled on June 22, 2026, due to propulsion issues.

“Currently on NCL Sun and will be missing our port call in Sweden today due to lack of propulsion. Trip had been going great until now. Weather is gorgeous here too which adds to the sting,” one of the up to 1,878 guests onboard posted on Reddit on June 22.

“Looking out the window now and it seems we are dead in the water as we make our way to Estonia,” the current guest continued.

The news was also confirmed by another current passenger on Facebook.

Prior to the cancelled call in Stockholm, the 78,309-gross ton vessel successfully visited Oslo, Norway; Warnemunde-Rostock, Germany; Gdynia-Gdansk, Poland; Klaipeda, Lithuania; and Riga, Latvia.

According to cruise tracking data, the NCL ship was also able to make its final call on the itinerary as planned to Tallinn, Estonia, on June 23.

At the end of her visit, she departed on time at 8 p.m. As of the time of this writing, the cruise ship is sailing toward Helsinki, Finland, at speeds of 7 knots.

But while this seems slow, Helsinki is quite close to Tallinn with only around 40 nautical miles between the destinations. The ship should arrive in Helsinki on time for disembarkation on the morning of June 24.

Will the Next Itinerary Be Impacted?

At this time, there is no known impact to the next cruise, which is the reverse of the sailing the Sun-class flagship will have just completed.

The June 24 cruise will sail from Helsinki back to Copenhagen, Denmark, which is where the current June 15 voyage embarked, over the course of nine days.

Norwegian Sun Cruise Ship
Norwegian Sun Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Felipe Sanchez)

At this time, there have been no public announcements indicating that itinerary changes will be necessary or that repairs will need to be completed in port before heading back out to sea. It’s also not known what caused the propulsion issues in the first place.

Sometimes the onboard engineers can fix the problem mid-voyage, while more complicated issues may require the ship to stay in port to finish the work.

Cruise Hive reached out to Norwegian Cruise Line for more information about the situation, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Are Propulsion Problems Common?

Propulsion issues aren’t exactly common, but they do happen from time to time. With ships essentially operating 24/7, 365 days per year, sometimes onboard systems simply get out of whack.

But with several propulsion issues recently making the news, it can feel like this is a situation that is getting more common. 

For example, Cruise Hive has covered propulsion issues for Norwegian Bliss, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, and Holland America Line’s Zaandam in the past month alone.

“Is it just me or is ‘loss of propulsion’ becoming a more common issue? Or is this just something to be expected on older ships,” the Reddit user inquired.

It’s important to acknowledge that there are hundreds (if not thousands) of sailings that don’t become headlines because everything is operating normally.

And to Norwegian’s credit, the cruise company does its best to maintain its fleet. Even though Norwegian Sun is an older ship with a 2001 launch year, she visits dry dock routinely and was most recently refurbished in 2024.

In her decades at sea, the ship has only ever experienced propulsion or power issues in 2011 and 2023, so technical difficulties are clearly few and far between.

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