The land Down Under just got its first visit from new royalty — Cunard Line’s Queen Anne.
This is Cunard Line’s first new ship in 14 years — and on February 28, 2025, it made its grand debut in Australia.
Currently, Queen Anne is on its inaugural world cruise with a comprehensive 111-night itinerary. This voyage includes stops at 47 ports in 20 different countries — spanning across the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania.
To celebrate its arrival in Sydney, Australia, a British Garden Party was held onboard — with stunning backdrops including Sydney’s Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
The party also celebrated three special guests, all named Anne, who are exceptional everyday women each nominated by Australians for their dedication to serving others.
Additionally, there was a tug boat water salute — a ceremonial custom to welcome large vessels entering or exiting ports, which is not uncommon to commemorate inaugural voyages for new ships.
Cunard Line has been sailing to Australia for a century, so it was important that the country be included in the vessel’s maiden voyage.
“The maiden arrival of our magnificent new ship Queen Anne to Sydney Harbour builds on our rich Australian legacy and marks another historic moment for Cunard – one that started with our first World Voyage that included Australia in 1925,”boasted Cunard President Katie McAlister.
Queen Anne will be making additional stops in Australia including Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Yorkeys Knob, and Darwin before heading to the Philippines.
This all-new vessel exudes luxury cruising — featuring 13 spacious decks and 15 dining venues with dishes curated by 2-time Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux.
This 113,000 gross ton vessel is now the second largest in the Cunard Line fleet — with space for 2,996 guests and 1,225 crew.
The active fleet is made up of just four ships — Queen Anne, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2, and Queen Victoria.
From Laconia to Queen Anne
Cunard Line started doing world cruises on Laconia in 1922. While the company was not the first to offer world cruises, they were the first to complete one on a single vessel.
The 130-day voyage on Laconia stopped at only 22 ports and had 450 passengers for the entire world cruise.
In comparison, the Queen Anne, which entered service in May, 2024 — is stopping at more than 2-times as many ports and can accommodate 500% more guests on their world trip.
This inaugural world cruise on Queen Anne departed from Hamburg, Germany on January 7, 2025 — though passengers also boarded at the first stop in Southampton, England on January 9.
Prior to the ship heading to Australia for the first time, it made just a few stops — only 14! Following an 8-day transatlantic journey, the ship arrived in New York City on January 17.
Next, it visited Miami, Florida, and Cartagena, Colombia, before heading through the Panama Canal at the end of January. This leg concluded with stops in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Queen Anne Ship (Photo Credit: Martin Augustus)
In February, the first port of call was San Francisco, California. From there, the ship ventured into more tropical waters, stopping in Honolulu, Hawaii, before setting off on a long stretch of sea days.
After another 8 days of being on the ocean, stops were made in Apia, Western Samoa, and Nukualofa, Tonga. Both countries are located in Oceania, which is a small island nation off the coast of Australia.
Finally, before heading to Sydney, the ship visited several ports in New Zealand, including Auckland, Tauranga, and Bay of Islands.
As mentioned above, after departing Australia on March 11, the ship will head to Asia, visiting the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Finally, it will visit three ports in Africabefore returning to Europe, where it will visit three additional countries before disembarking in Germany on April 29.
Who wouldn’t want to live like royalty? Well, if you’re lucky enough to experience an epic world cruise like this one, what better way to live like a king—or in this case, a queen?
Nothing can make a cruise traveler more anxious on debarkation morning than road closures and traffic snarls on the way when leaving the port, especially if travelers must reach airports or train stations for onward travel.
Virgin Voyages has reached out to guests aboard Scarlet Lady to let them know about such potential delays that may impact their departure on Sunday, March 2.
March 2 is the date of the Life Time 305 Half Marathon and 5K, an energetic race that is sold out and anticipating more than 4,000 participants. The coastal course is a favorite for runners, but also can have a strong impact on morning cruise traffic with various road closures.
“The primary disruption will be on Highway 395, which will be fully closed from 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM, with only one eastbound lane open between 6:45 AM and 8:45 AM,”the notification letter delivered to sailors’ staterooms explained.
Highway 395 is the MacArthur Causeway that crosses over Jungle Island and connects to the Port Miami Tunnel. The race’s course starts and ends at Lummus Park in the historic South Beach Art Deco District, and also includes portions of Ocean Drive, Dade Boulevard, the Julia Tuttle Causeway, Bayshore Drive, and other major streets.
“Traffic delays are expected, especially for those using ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. We recommend planning your journey in advance to ensure a smooth departure,”the notification letter urged.
Such planning will be essential for travelers who may have earlier train or flight departures. If guests are driving home after their cruise, however, a more leisurely departure from the ship might be best, which would give more time for the road closures to end and traffic to clear.
Scarlet Lady is currently sailing an 8-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary that has visited the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, and Bimini. The cruise departed on Saturday, February 22.
The first of Virgin Voyages’ “ladyships” Scarlet Lady can welcome 2,700 guests for each cruise. She is currently homeported from Miami through early May, when she will move to Europe for the summer before returning to Miami at the end of October.
It should be noted that Sunday, March 2 will already be a busy day at PortMiami with eight cruise ships in port, all of which may be impacted by the morning road closures.
In addition to Scarlet Lady, Symphony of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Oceania Vista, Norwegian Encore, MSC Seaside, Carnival Magic, and Carnival Celebration will all be in port.
Marathon Miami Route
Will the Next Cruise Be Delayed?
Scarlet Lady‘s next sailing is a 6-night Western Caribbean itinerary that is planned to visit Costa Maya, Roatan, and Bimini.
At this time, there is no impact expected to the ship’s departure, though incoming travelers may experience some residual traffic flow slowdowns.
Because the race is expected to conclude well before 11 a.m., guests arriving at the cruise port will not experience the same road closures as guests leaving the port after their cruises end on Sunday morning.
It can still take some time, however, for the race course to be fully cleared and vendors, volunteers, media, and participants to leave the area.
Arriving travelers will want to ensure they have plenty of time to reach the cruise port for their selected arrival times. This will ensure a smooth, efficient embarkation without delays and frustration.
This is not the first time a race event has impacted cruise travelers in Miami. Just one month ago – February 2, 2025 – the Miami Marathon created similar road closures and traffic concerns for cruisers.
Antigua’s cruise tourism is poised for transformation following the groundbreaking of its brand-new cruise terminal.
The new build promises to elevate travel to the island nation by offering a more welcoming entry to the Lesser Antilles hotspot in the Caribbean.
The sophisticated new hub, a collaboration between Antigua Cruise Port and Global Ports Holding (GPH), the titan behind the world’s largest cruise port operations, kicked off with a ceremonial sod-turning ceremony, held on February 10, 2025.
In a who’s who of dignitaries, including Antigua’s Governor Sir Rodney Williams, Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne, and Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation & Investment, Hon. Charles Fernandez, the event felt like a red-carpet event, amping up the excitement for the new space.
During the ceremony, Fernandez praised the joint venture, saying,“This magnificent expansion project will put Antigua and Barbuda at the top of the list, in my opinion, for best cruise port in the region.”
Also on hand at the event were GPH Chairman and CEO Mehmet Kutman and Gasper George, general manager at Antigua Cruise Port, who said the terminal, part of the “Upland Development Project,” has been five years in the making.
The new St. John’s terminal, located at the port’s fifth berth, will sit on four acres in the capital city and span 1.6-million square feet. Construction is expected to continue through June 2026, with reports the new facility will cost $40 million to complete.
“This undertaking represents a massive economic boost for our community with a substantial multi-million-dollar investment being undertake by GPH,”said George.“We remain committed to ‘unlocking quay opportunities’ for the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
Antigua Port groundbreaking (Photo Credit: Global Ports Holding)
Day Club and Local Bazaar to Entice Nearly 1 Million Guests
Antigua plans to open its stylish new terminal in the summer of 2026, promising a state-of-the-art facility that will cater to passengers with a variety of retail shops.
A highlight will be a new Bazaar, providing a local marketplace experience with crafts, arts, and goods that reflect the culture of the island nation.
Another key feature of the terminal will be the exciting new Antigua Day Club, which will provide passengers a place to chill within steps of cruise ships without having to leave the terminal.
The club will provide cruise passengers with a relaxing island oasis complete with a swimming pool, restaurant, and bar.
Additionally, passengers will find several food and beverage outlets, including an ice cream parlor that will be located within a green space they can enjoy when disembarking from their voyages.
The new terminal in St. Johns is part of GBH’s plans to entice more cruise line homeportings after the fifth berth became home to its largest vessel to call Antigua home, P&O Cruises’ 5,200-passenger Arvia, in January 2023.
The ship remains a staple on the port’s cruise schedule and is joined by calls from other major cruise lines such as Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Silversea, MSC Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line, not to mention sister P&O Cruises vessels.
Antigua has witnessed tremendous cruise growth since recovering from the devastating impacts of 2017’s Category 5 Hurricane and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, its cruise port welcomed a record-breaking 580 cruise ship calls that brought 825,526 passengers to its shores – reflecting a 27 percent growth in ship visits and 23 percent growth in guests over the previous year, respectively.
Antigua and Barbuda are expected to receive 900,000 cruise passengers in 2025.
Guy’s Burger Joint is a must-visit eatery for many Carnival cruisers. Now, guests have one more reason to head up for a freshly grilled smash burger, as Carnival Cruise Line and Guy Fieri have introduced a special “featured burger” in celebration of none other than Celebration Key.
The new BBQ Rum Runner burger has been added to the menu of every Guy’s Burger Joint in the fleet, bringing a new tropical twist for guests to enjoy.
“Here is that brilliant new burger from the Burger King himself, Guy Fieri,”John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, announced.
The burger starts with the classic beef patty topped with the signature “S.M.C.” – super melty cheese. The layers of the new burger are tangy jalapeno-pineapple salsa, sweetly savory rum barbecue pulled pork, a cooling blast of coleslaw, a crunch of shaved onion, a juicy layer of pickle, and the flavorful finish of “Donkey sauce.”
Donkey sauce, by the way, is a smooth blend of mayonnaise, roasted garlic, yellow mustard, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. A smear of this brings extra seasoning and distinction to every Guy’s Burger – though you can certainly order your burgers without the sauce, if preferred. (I’m a Plain Jane girl myself.)
The new BBQ Rum Runner burger has all the tropical flair of the Caribbean and is the perfect bite to fuel up before hitting Celebration Key, which is how the new menu item is being featured. The introduction sign of the new burger also highlights Celebration Key’s colorful logo – another hint of tropical flair.
The burger has already been unveiled onboard various ships, including Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Magic, and Carnival Venezia. It is getting rave reviews from guests who note that not only is it tasty and unique, but also quite filling and a great new addition to the menu.
The BBQ Rum Runner will be available onboard all Carnival ships that have a Guy’s Burger Joint restaurant. At the moment, this includes all vessels except for Carnival Luminosa.
While the two former P&O Cruises Australia ships, Adventure and Encounter, are being renovated as Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter, it is not yet confirmed whether or not they will have Guy’s Burger Joint added to their eatery lineups.
Can You Get the New Burger at Celebration Key?
Ironically, even though the burger has been announced as the “Featured Burger” of Celebration Key, it is unlikely that the tasty tidbit (okay, more than a tidbit) will be found ashore at the new destination on Grand Bahama island.
Four full-service restaurants, nine food trucks, five “snack shacks” for quick bites, and two counter-service food kiosks are all part of the lineup.
New Celebration Key Burger
“Great food and beverage options are essential to the Carnival experience,” said Christine Duffy, Carnival Cruise Line President. “We’ve designed Celebration Key with an array of dining opportunities, whether our guests want a casual snack, a quick meal, or a full dining experience.”
Bahamian classics like fried fish and conch fritters will be available at Mingo’s Tropical Bar & Kitchen, while Surf ‘N Sauce BBQ & Brews will feature slow-cooked meats and local craft beers.
For guests craving a burger, several venues will offer the grab-and-go beach fare, including Mingo’s Express food truck and the Captain’s Galley Food Hall.
Of course, Guy’s Burger Joint onboard each Carnival ship visiting Celebration Key will still likely be open for lunch hours even while the ship is in port. Guests can still grab a BBQ Rum Rummer before heading out to explore the destination or after getting back from an early visit to the beach.
Celebration Key will welcome its first ship, Carnival Vista, on the ship’s July 12, 2025 departure, an 8-night Southern Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral. The ship will arrive at Celebration Key on Saturday, July 19.
Bookings to Celebration Key are now open from multiple US homeports with more than a dozen ships planning to pay visits to the new, fun-themed private destination.
When you go on vacation, the last thing you likely want to be doing is chores you would normally be doing at home – such as laundry.
However, sometimes a trip to the laundry room is inevitable – especially for longer itineraries and families sailing with young kids.
But when you make that dreaded trip to the laundromat at sea, what is the proper protocol to be respectful of your fellow passengers? That is something one cruiser took to Reddit to find out.
The unidentified cruise guest specifically wanted to know if she was in the wrong for removing another passenger’s clothes from the washer after their load had finished.
“AITAH for removing someone’s stuff from a completed washer cycle after waiting at least 10 minutes for them to remove their own stuff? (Placed it into a basket.),” she began.
“Or are they the AH for not setting a timer on their phone to remind them when their wash cycle is ending?,”her inquiry continued.
Considering that vacation time is limited, and therefore valuable, it feels acceptable that the cruiser removed the clean clothes so she could use the machine herself after a brief wait.
On most ships, 10 minutes is more than enough time to make it to your destination, especially for someone who knew when theirlaundry would be ready for the next cycle.
“I say that 10 min is an eternity when you need to start a load and can’t. If people leave the area, they should have the courtesy to come back to check repeatedly. It’s not rocket science,”another Redditor replied.
The original poster was also commended because she was respectful and placed the clean clothing in a basket. She likely would have been met with a different response if she left them on the dirty floor.
“It’s a ship, not a private residence, and laundry is a shared resource. As long as you didn’t chuck it on the floor there’s no reason why you shouldn’t remove it after a few minutes,”someone else concurred.
Laundry machines are not only a shared resource, but they are also limited. There are likely thousands of passengers onboard who may need to share a handful of machines, so proper etiquette is to practice mindfulness when it’s your turn.
Pivoting Away From Self Service Laundry
Brands like Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, and Oceania Cruises still allow guests to do their own laundry, but many cruise lines have pivoted to only offering laundry packages.
This means guests send their laundry to be handled by crew members for a fee – usually by means of putting their clothes in dedicated bags that are collected by cabin stewards.
The package they select will determine how their clothes are cleaned (i.e. a normal wash and dry or dry cleaning) and how quickly their items will be returned.
“I remember when I was a kid this was a popular thing, but it seems to be less common now. All of the recent ships I have cruised on don’t have self-service laundry machines anymore. I enjoyed having this option, particularly for extremely soiled clothing,”one cruise fan observed on the Cruise Hive Discussion Boards.
Carnival Cruise Line Laundry Room (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
MSC Cruises, for example, does not currently offer self service laundry – and the packages can come at a premium.
One YouTuber, who was recently onboard MSC Grandiosa, was surprised to find that the cost to wash a single T-shirt started at $6 – which can certainly add up if you have a lot to wash.
Of course, this is only one example – as the exact packages and pricing varies across the cruise lines.
In addition to the price, the inability to complete and supervise their own laundry also makes some guests nervous because they have to give up control of some of their more intimate possessions.
But while it’s true that laundry does get completed in bigger batches – or else it would be impossible for the crew members to finish – each guest’s order (so to speak) is protected and secured in its own mesh bag.
If your cruise ship doesn’t offer a self service option, and you can’t get behind letting the crew members handle the laundry for you,there is also another option: hand washing.
Simply pack a small amount of soap or detergent (and maybe a small clothesline), wash your clothes in your stateroom’s sink, and hang them up to dry.
Indeed, these skilled first responders sprung into action to rescue an ailing 72-year-old man onboard Holland America Line’s Koningsdam– which is in the middle of a 35-day sailing to destinations throughout Hawaii and French Polynesia.
The Coast Guard received word on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 26, 2025, that the guest had experienced multiple stroke episodes while the 2,650-guest ship was sailing 300 miles off the coast of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
By the next morning, first responders had met the ship and were ready to render aid – which was now 57 miles south of Honolulu.
“At 9 a.m. Thursday, an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point rendezvoused with the Koningsdam about 57 miles south of Honolulu,”the US Coast Guard said in a press release.
Thanks to the teamwork and quick action of the first responders, the man was successfully transferred to the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where he is receiving treatment and his condition is listed as stable.
According to current passengers who have allegedly interacted with the man’s wife, he is expected to make a full recovery.
“By combining the skills of our crews and the specialized capabilities of our aircraft, we are able to respond to emergencies across the vast Pacific region,”said Lt. Cmdr. John Stockton, HC-130 Hercules aircraft commander, Air Station Barbers Point.
“Teamwork is critically important for medevacs, which are among the most time-sensitive and high-stakes missions we take on,” Stockton continued.
This also isn’t the first time that US Coast Guard members have had the chance to put their skills to the test while assisting the 2014-launched vessel.
The successful rescue took place in December of 2024 on the final sea day of a Baja Peninsula cruise.
Impact on the Itinerary
The Holland America ship embarked from San Diegoon February 15, 2025 – and still has quite a lot of ground (or sea?) to cover before she returns to the California port on March 22, 2025.
The Hawaiian portion of the itinerary, which included calls on ports like Honolulu, Kailua-Kona, Kahului (Maui), and Kauai Island, was unaffected by the surprise evacuation.
In fact, the 99,863-gross ton ship would have just started sailing on to French Polynesia when the man began to deteriorate.
However, tracking data shows that the cruise ship doubled back to meet the US Coast Guard, which has led to the need to skip the next port of call on the itinerary – which was a visit to Fanning Island, Kiribati, on March 1, 2025.
Photo Credit: StudioPortoSabbia / Shutterstock
“We headed back to Hawaii yesterday for a medical emergency. We met a Coast Guard helicopter and they transferred the person to fly him back to Honolulu,”a current guest shared on February 27.
“We have now turned around and are headed to Tahiti but the Captain just announced we will be skipping Fanning Island. A safe flight and godspeed to the Coast Guard and the patient!,” she continued.
But while the other passengers could have been annoyed by the change in plans, the majority have been wishing the guest well and thinking of his spouse.
His wife remained onboard Koningsdam, likely due to the urgency of the situation and/or the capacity on the helicopter, and will have to fly back to Honolulu to be with her husband from one of the upcoming ports of call.
“I hope they recover. I feel bad for their spouse who is still on the ship and will have to disembark at the next port and fly to meet them,” the current passenger added, with others echoing her sentiment.
The remaining French Polynesian ports, including destinations like Raiatea; Papeete, Tahiti; Moorea; Fakarava; and Nuku Hiva, remain unaffected.
Stay on top of cruise industry news with Cruise Hive’s weekly recap. This week’s edition features coverage on Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Princess Cruises.
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Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald tackles all kinds of topics and controversies on his popular Facebook page, where one disgruntled guest recently questioned why the cruise line won’t allow passengers to bring their own coffeemaker onboard.
After their Mr. Coffee machine was confiscated as a banned item while boarding a recent Carnival Radiance cruise, the guests declared their cruise was ruined. The angry guests are Diamond-level loyalty club members and suggested that, as such, they ought to be allowed to bring a coffee pot onboard.
They also complained that room service coffee was disappointing. Heald confirmed that, yes, appliances with heating elements are banned from being brought onboard Carnival Cruise Line ships for safety reasons.
But he noted that the guests could have ordered a new room service coffee delivery, asking specifically for it to be stronger, warmer, or made however they prefer it. Or, they could have paid for specialty coffees from the ship’s Java Blue Cafe.
Captain Kate McCue to Depart Celebrity Cruises
Captain Kate McCue Says Farewell (Credit: Kate McCue)
Celebrity Cruises is losing one of its top celebrities. Captain Kate McCue, the first American woman at the helm of a major cruise ship, announced she will soon leave Celebrity Cruises.
McCue most recently served as captain of Celebrity Beyond, but began her career as captain aboard Celebrity Summit in 2015. She also captained two other of the line’s ships — Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Edge.
She confirmed her plan to depart Celebrity Cruises on Instagram, where she has some 1 million followers. Captain McCue did not reveal where she is headed next, but indicated that her sailing days are not over, saying she has too much salt in her veins to leave the sea behind.
Her Instagram announcement included a video showing some of her top career moments, such as christening ships and interacting with crew members. Celebrity Cruises added a comment to the post, offering her their best wishes.
Before Celebrity Cruises, McCue was a third mate on Disney Cruise Line and a second officer with Royal Caribbean.
Guests Allege Poor Treatment After Balcony Fire
Carnival Glory Cabin Fire (Photo Credit: Tatianna Chuitian)
A small fire erupted on the balcony of a cabin on Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Glory during a 3-night Bahamas cruise from Port Canaveral. While the fire damaged a chair on the veranda, it was quickly discovered and extinguished, and no one was injured.
However, the three young women who were staying in the stateroom have complained they were badly treated by ship’s crew after the emergency. The fire happened on February 22, 2025 following a port call at Nassau, Bahamas.
Guest Tatianna Chuitian and two unidentified friends say they were not held accountable for the fire but were taken to the ship’s medical center and were required to take pregnancy tests. The guests said they also had to provide written statements about the incident but were not allowed to photograph those statements.
Moreover, the guests said they were intimidated by crew members and pressured to sign waivers. In a statement, Carnival Cruise Line acknowledged that a minor fire broke out onboard the 2,980-guest ship, but offered no response to the guests’ allegations.
Icon of the Seas Nixes Calls to San Juan
Icon of the Seas in Florida (Photo Credit: Ceri Breeze)
When will it be business as usual at San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Pier 3? Cruise lines are beginning to wonder.
Ever since MSC Cruises’ MSC Meraviglia accidentally damaged a mooring dolphin at Pier 3 in April 2024, the dock has been unable to accommodate ships. Pier 3 is the port’s only berth big enough to host Royal Caribbean’s largest ships.
The line’s Symphony of the Seas, an Oasis-class mega-ship, has been altering itineraries to avoid the port since November 2024, and now, the even bigger Icon of the Seas, an Icon-class ship, is skipping scheduled calls to the port as well.
Impacted cruises are the May 3, June 7, June 21, and July 19 sailings — all 7-night Eastern Caribbean voyages from Icon’s homeport of Miami.
While repairs are under way at the San Juan port, Icon of the Seas’ July 19 cruise will swap the port with a call at St. Maarten. Her other three affected cruises will still visit Puerto Rico but will call at Ponce rather than San Juan.
Symphony of the Seas’ itineraries have been adjusted, too, and guests have been notified.
Strong Winds Cause Ship to List off New Zealand
Minor Damage on Crown Princess After Tilting (Credit: Kerry Burchett)
Thirteen guests and three crew members sustained minor injuries aboard Princess Cruises’ Crown Princess when the ship listed about 14 degrees due to strong winds in Milford Sound, New Zealand on February 24, 2025.
The listing was enough to cause a pool to flood a dining area and to knock items off tables and shelves. There was no structural damage to the ship but the incident caused panic among some guests.
The cruise line later confirmed that Crown Princess encountered strong winds during a course change, and that crew members responded immediately, cleaning up any broken items and dealing with the pool overflow.
The 3,080-passenger Crown Princess is operating a 14-night sailing roundtrip from Sydney. The sailing concludes on March 8, 2025.
This was not the ship’s first experience with a significant tilt. Back in 2006, the ship’s automatic steering was mistakenly disengaged, causing a 24-degree list as Crown Princess sailed off Port Canaveral.
Cruiser Jumps Off Mexico Pier to Retrieve a Hat
Carnival Valor Passenger In Water (Cfedit: Laci Lugones)
A pair of honeymooners got more than they bargained for at the port of Progreso, Mexico, when the wind blew the wife’s hat into the harbor. Apparently the hat was a special one — a memento from their wedding, and husband Micah Lugones jumped into the water to retrieve it.
Lugones and his wife, Laci, were sailing on their first cruise, a 5-night Caribbean voyage aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Valor from New Orleans. The ship had departed the Big Easy on February 17, 2025 and called at Progreso on February 20, 2025.
Lugones, who was able to grab the hat and climb out of the water safely, was cheered by those who watched from the ship and the pier, but such action is not recommended.
It can be dangerous to be in the water in an active port like Progreso. Cruise and cargo ships, and other vessels, are coming and going, and wind and currents can make swimming difficult, even hazardous. In this case, all’s well that ended well.
Oasis-Class Ship Nearly Fails CDC Inspection
Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas in Miami (Photo Credit: Nicholas Lamontanaro)
Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, an Oasis-class ship carrying up to 5,500 guests in double occupancy, almost failed her most recent inspection by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Inspectors boarded the ship on February 9, 2025 and found 44 line-item violations, giving the ship a final score of 86, out of 100. A score of 85 or below means the ship failed its inspection.
The most serious violations were related to improper reporting of illnesses affecting several young guests sailing on the ship, and those guests not being isolated from others. Additional offenses involved plumbing leaks, improper food storage, broken hand washing stations, and lighting issues in some galleys.
The ship has a record of better CDC scores. In November 2023, the ship received a score of 97, and in October 2022, a perfect score of 100.
The 228,081-gross-ton ship is based at PortMiami and sails 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.
More Cruise Headlines
Let’s keep going with even more cruise news from Cruise Hive. Check out additional stories about Holland America Line revealing new itineraries to Hawaii and the Panama Canal; Disney Cruise Line altering a Disney Treasure itinerary to the Caribbean; Ketchikan deciding to reinstate a local tax on shipboard purchases while vessels are docked; a Royal Caribbean ship making a rescue off the coast of Mexico; and Costa Cruises adding another embarkation port in the Caribbean.
As the sailing date approaches, every cruise traveler knows that giddy countdown feeling and is happily planning for shore excursions, beach days, and onboard fun. But what happens when a highly anticipated port visit is swapped for another destination just a month before departure?
Guests aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas are dealing with just such a situation, as they’ve now been notified that their March 29, 2025 sailing will not be visiting St. Thomas as planned.
While the ship will still be enjoying an 8-night Eastern Caribbean voyage roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, that one key port of call has been changed.
“To provide you with the best experience during your journey, we’ve made some adjustments,”the notification read.“We’ll skip our visit to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, and we’ll sepnd a full day in St. Johns, Antigua, instead. ‘Knot’ to worry, while it’s not the original itinerary we planned, we’re excited to explore this new port with you!”
Freedom of the Seas will depart Port Everglades as planned on Saturday, March 29, and spend the first two full days of the cruise at sea. Tuesday, April 1 (no foolin’!) the ship will visit St. Maarten from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The visit to St. Thomas was to have been from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2. That day will now be spent at Antigua, for the same time frame. Charlotte Amalie and St. Johns are approximately 220 miles apart. Philipsburg, St. Maarten is almost exactly halfway between the two ports.
After Antigua, Freedom of the Seas will spend Thursday, April 3 in Basseterre, St. Kitts. Two more leisurely days at sea will follow as the ship heads back to Fort Lauderdale for debarkation on Sunday, April 6.
Any shore tours guests had already booked for the now cancelled visit to St. Thomas will be automatically refunded back to travelers’ original form of payment.
Additional excursion opportunities for Antigua are being made available for booking online. Guests will also be able to book tours for any of the ship’s port visits onboard by visiting the Shore Excursions desk on Deck 5, starboard side, near the Guest Services Desk.
Why the Port Change?
Royal Caribbean has not offered any details beyond “to provide you with the best experience” as explanation for the port change just a month before setting sail. Cruise itineraries are typically set two years or more in advance, and cruise lines do try to maintain those original itineraries whenever possible.
It is likely this port swap is part of a knock-on effect from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Because of continuing difficulties with pier construction and safety certifications that have kept larger Royal Caribbean ships from docking there for months, those larger ships – Symphony of the Seas and now Icon of the Seas – have been rerouted to other destinations.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship in the US Virgin Islands (Photo Credit: GagliardiPhotography / Shutterstock)
One of those destinations is St. Thomas, which can better handle the larger ships, depending on their overall itinerary. This does mean, however, that Freedom of the Seas has had to change her schedule as well.
Trying to balance which ships are visiting which ports on which days is a complex logistical operation. Not only does berth space need to be available to accommodate each vessel, but Royal Caribbean is undoubtedly working to ensure as little overcrowding as possible so everyone enjoys their time in port.
The availability of port workers and tour operators will also factor in to such decisions, as well as sailing speeds, time spent in port, and how an individual destination best works into the other parts of a ship’s planned itinerary.
While some guests will undoubtedly be disappointed to no longer be visiting St. Thomas, the opportunity to explore Antigua can be very exciting for travelers.
With stunning beaches, outstanding architecture, vibrant marketplaces, and more, the port will surely be a memorable one for everyone aboard Freedom of the Seas.
When booking a cruise, you have a lot of important decisions to make — starting with, which cruise line do you want to cruise with? Making the right choice is about more than just picking a ship that’s going to where you want to go, for the price you want to pay.
You need to pick a cruise line that will give you the amenities you want, the experience you’d most prefer and fellow cruisers you’ll enjoy being around. To help you out, here are some of the key differences you’ll notice between 11 major cruise lines.
Key Differences Between Major Cruise Lines
Cruise Line
Fleet Size
Market Share
Largest Class
Carnival Cruise Line
27
15.8%
Excel Class
Royal Caribbean
29
17.2%
Icon Class
MSC Cruises
22
12.3%
World Class
Norwegian Cruise Line
19
7.6%
Breakaway Plus Class
Princess Cruises
17
5.6%
Sphere Class
Costa Cruises
9
4.7%
Excellence Class
Celebrity Cruises
16
4.4%
Edge Class
Holland America Line
11
2.6%
Pinnacle Class
Disney Cruise Line
6
1.6%
Wish Class
Virgin Voyages
3
N/A
N/A
P&O Cruises
7
2.5%
Excellence Class
Carnival Cruise Line
Easily one of the most recognizable cruise lines on the oceans, Carnival Cruise Line, based in Miami and owned by Carnival Corporation & PLC, claims a big chunk of the market share.
With nearly 30 ships, too, and cruises all over the globe, you’ll not be left wanting for options if you decide to vacation with Carnival Cruise Line.
So what makes Carnival Cruise Line so popular? One of the big things is affordability. Budget-friendly cruises are the name of the game here.
As such, you’ll often find these cruises are packed with travelers looking for a deal — think busy or big families, groups of friends on a bachelor or bachelorette party and even college kids on spring break.
As such, you can expect a bit of a party crowd on many Carnival cruises, and plenty of opportunities to let your hair down. From night clubs and karaoke, to a plethora of bars, the ships give you everything you need to have a good time, without even setting foot in port.
When you do set foot in port, though, you’ll find that the cruise line visits an array of the top cruising destinations in the world, on itineraries both long and short. If you only have three days, you can take a Carnival cruise.
Carnival Cruise Line Ships in Nassau (Photo Credit: MatGar)
One cool thing to note? Carnival Cruise Line frequently partners with well-known celebrities to launch certain venues, such as the line’s various restaurants created in partnership with celebrity chef Guy Fieri, as well as the newer chicken restaurant launched alongside Shaquille O’Neal.
The ships range from the pretty old and outdated, to the brand-new and big. If you’re not seeing what you like when checking out a particular Carnival Cruise Line ship, you can probably find another that catches your fancy if you just look to another one of the line’s many ship classes.
There are eight Carnival Classes in total, with the biggest and most ground-breaking class being the Excel class, with its multiple ships that have debuted in recent years including Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee. Of course, you’ll find the most amenities and greatest variety of cabins on these biggest ships.
That said, I don’t like to advise that you only cruise on the biggest, newer ships in any fleet. I find that there’s often plenty to love about smaller ships as well, particularly if you don’t like huge crowds or get overwhelmed when you have a lot of options. So, pick the ship that’s best for you, not necessarily the newest.
Royal Caribbean
Brilliance of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas (Photo Credit: Eric Glenn)
Also based in Miami, Royal Caribbean likewise prioritizes fun, but there’s less of a party crowd on these ships, compared to Carnival Cruise Line.
Additionally, Royal Caribbean really puts the focus on families, while still delivering lots for the adults to do, too. This is a cruise line that really tries to offer something for everyone.
Additionally, Royal Caribbean is known for having some of the biggest and best ships in the business, across its six ship classes. The cruise line is constantly setting records for its massive ships and first-at-sea features.
For example, on the cruise line’s most noteworthy and talked-about ship in recent history, Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean introduced the largest waterpark at sea, along with the tallest drop slide at sea, the first open free-fall slide at sea, the first mat-racing duo slide at sea and the first family raft slide at sea.
Most Royal Caribbean ships are split into neighborhoods, with each neighborhood themed around a certain experience. For example, one neighborhood might be themed around the spa and wellness activities, while another might be all about nightlife, while yet another might be geared 100% toward family fun.
While not the most budget-friendly line out there, Royal Caribbean gives you a great bang for your buck, and you’ll find plenty of different cruise itineraries to choose from, all over the world.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruise Ships (Photo Credit: Gabriel S Fernandes)
MSC Cruisesmay not be as popular in the United States as Royal Caribbean or Carnival Cruise Line, with a much smaller market share, but MSC Cruises still holds its own in other parts of the world. According to the brand, it’s currently the leading cruise line in Europe, South America, the Middle East and Southern Africa.
MSC Cruises tries to offer a somewhat more premium experience than what you might get on, say, Carnival Cruise Line, but still manages to pack in a lot of fun, via waterparks and bowling alleys, and similar amenities.
The cruise line additionally manages to be relatively budget-friendly, compared to some of the other cruise lines on this list, and it attracts a broad mix of families, singles and couples.
MSC Cruises’ newest class of ships (out of six total classes) is the World Class, and these are some pretty mammoth ships. MSC World America and MSC World Europa offer a huge number of dining and drinking venues, and record-setting features such as the longest dry slide at sea.
While MSC Cruises may not visit every single big port of call, it does sail to many unique destinations, particularly in those regions of the world where it dominates, like the Middle East and Southern Africa. MSC Cruises is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with offices in Italian port cities.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line Ships in Miami (Photo Credit: Just dance)
Like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line manages to be very family friendly, while also offering something for cruisers of all ages to love. As such, you’ll find a good mix of different types of cruisers on these ships.
In addition to providing a wealth of entertainment and dining options on its ships, and plenty of stateroom and suite options, too, Norwegian Cruise Line takes the power of choice even further, by implementing a “freestyle” approach to cruising.
Rather than relying on pre-chosen reservations and schedules for your cruising days, you can dine when you want, with open seating in the dining rooms, for example.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships are spread over nine classes, and the ships range in size from huge mega ships like Norwegian Encore to smaller ships like Norwegian Spirit, so you can take your pick depending on your size preferences.
Also like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line consistently adds “first at sea” features to its new ships to attract avid cruisers, such as the first go-kart track at sea on Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima, and the first hybrid roller coaster and waterslide at sea on Norwegian Aqua.
Norwegian Cruise Line visits major cruise destinations all over the world, from Asia to the Caribbean, Alaska to Europe. The cruise line is based out of Miami.
For more luxurious experiences, you might look to Princess Cruises, based out of Santa Clarita, California. On the somewhat pricier side, Princess Cruises attracts an older crowd that can afford the higher fares.
Along these lines, Princess Cruises’s vessels also offer activities and entertainment that appeal to that older demographic. Think educational lectures and sun lounging versus go-kart tracks and waterparks.
Princess Cruises also does not have some of the biggest ships in the world, but you’ll notice that the ships aren’t as crowded and that you’ll typically get a nicer stateroom or suite on Princess. In general, the cruises are a bit more relaxed and low-key.
Princess Cruises ships are spread across four classes, with the new Sphere Class taking center stage. The first in the class, Sun Princess is the line’s newest ship, and carries just over 4,000 passengers. If you want something smaller, opt for the line’s Coral Class ships, which hold just 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.
Princess Cruises travels to more than a hundred countries throughout every major cruising region in the world.
Costa Cruises
Costa Cruise Ships (Photo Credit: ODIN Daniel)
Like MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises may not be all that familiar to North Americans, but you’ll find that this Italian line has a huge presence in Europe, so if you plan on taking a Mediterranean cruise in the near future, Costa Cruises will be one of your options.
That said, the Italian-headquartered Costa Cruises doesn’t stick to European itineraries only. The line’s handful of ships sail all over the world.
There are five Costa Cruises cruise ship classes, but some of these classes only contain one or two ships. Most of the line’s ships are in the Concordia class, though the line’s biggest ships are its two Excellence-class ships: Costa Tuscana and Costa Smeralda.
Much like Norwegian Cruise Line, Costa Cruises offers a variety of activities, amenities and entertainment for all ages, at a reasonable price point, so expect to see a mix of cruisers on these ships. You’ll find touches of Italian and Mediterranean-inspired designs throughout each ship.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Edge Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Dans Destinations)
Based in Miami, Celebrity Cruises offers a higher end, adults-focused and modern type of cruising experience, but without dipping into the luxury cruise lines category. Thus, if you want a cruise that feels a bit fancy, but you can’t afford one of the luxury lines, consider Celebrity Cruises.
Celebrity Cruises boasts a good handful of newer ships among its fleet, and those new ships offer high-end dining from celebrity chefs, unique stateroom and suite options (like the special balcony Infinite Veranda staterooms), The Retreat area for a VIP ship-within-a-ship experience and cool venues like the Lawn Club, with its real grass on one of the upper decks. Expect equally unique entertainment, too, from glass-blowing workshops to off-Broadway shows.
The Edge Class, encompassing Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent, is the newest and most innovative class of Celebrity Cruises ships.
Beyond the large, standard cruise ships, Celebrity Cruises also operates a few smaller, expedition cruising ships that will take you to in-demand locales like the Galapagos.
Holland America Line
Holland America Cruise Ships (Photo Credit: Ute Sonja Medley)
Based out of Seattle, Washington, Holland America Line is a very traditional cruise line that attracts an older demographic of guests. Don’t expect a lot of high-thrill, adrenaline-pumping entertainment on the top deck.
Instead, you’ll find slower activities that are more suited to the curious traveler seeking an enriching trip. Think wine tastings or cooking classes.
Holland America travels to a variety of destinations all over the globe and provides plenty of similarly enriching shore excursions for its cruisers.
Holland America ships are split into four classes, but all ships are pretty similar and, like Princess Cruises, the line puts an emphasis on lack of crowding. The Pinnacle Class offers the biggest and newest ships in the line’s fleet.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Dream Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: P.Cartwright)
One of the smaller major cruise lines, Disney Cruise Line, based in Celebration, Florida, gives you exactly what you’d expect: a cruise that’s 100% geared toward Disney fans, both young and old. Families are the primary demographic here, but you’ll see a fair share of Disney adults, too.
Disney Cruise Line has experienced more rapid growth over the last decade. Founded in the 1990s,the oldest Disney cruise ship, Disney Magic, set sail for the first time in 1998.
The line operated just two ships until 2011, with the four remaining ships joining the fleet in 2012, 2022 and 2024. A handful of other ships are planned to join the fleet in the coming years.
Everything is themed around Disney franchises and characters, but don’t worry — it’s done so elegantly that you’ll never feel like you’ve been plopped into the middle of a theme park.
Disney doesn’t forget the adults all the while, with luxurious fine dining and adults-only areas that make it possible for parents to get away for a bit on their own.
Because Disney Cruise Line only has a handful of ships, its destinations are a bit more limited, but it still heads to some of the major cruising regions, stopping throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska and beyond.
Additionally, due to only having a few ships, the line has relatively few classes. Ships are split between Wish Class, Dream Class and Magic Class. Wish Class is the newest.
Virgin Voyages
(Photo Credit: Virgin Voyages)
An even newer and smaller cruise line, Virgin Voyages, whose first ship launched in 2020, is an adults-only cruise line that currently only has a three ships in its fleet.
Those ships offer a fun environment that appeals to younger cruisers, but not necessarily the college crowd that frequently heads to Carnival Cruise Line (likely due to the higher cruise fares you’ll find with Virgin Voyages).
Expect a high emphasis on trendy experiences, from the dining to the drinks, staterooms and suites to the gym and fitness classes. One great perk? There are a lot of freebies within the line’s nearly all inclusive fare, such as all gratuities and Wi-Fi.
Virgin Voyages primarily sails in the Caribbean, Mexico and Mediterranean. The cruise line’s headquarters is in Plantation, Florida.
While the ship’s current fleet is limited to Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady, plans are in the works for fourth ship to join them in the latter half of 2025. All ships are on the smaller side, holding fewer than 3,000 passengers each.
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruise Ships (Photo Credit: Kirk Fisher)
This British cruise line based in Southampton, England may not be as familiar to the American cruising market, much like Costa Cruises, but it certainly offers a lot to love, and if you’re cruising in Europe, you’ll definitely have it as an option.
In addition to sailing the Caribbean, South America, Mediterranean and South Pacific, P&O Cruises also operates some river ships. Of P&O Cruises’ seven ships, the two Excellence-class ships, Iona and Arvia, are the largest and newest, both debuted within the last five years.
Additionally, like Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises is likewise suitable for all ages, and you’ll find a mix of families, younger and older couples on this cruise line.
There’s a nice blend of amenities, with all your basic venues and entertainment, including various dining options, bars, a spa, gym and multiple pools on most ships.
