Carnival Cruise Line’s onboard Piano Bars are outstanding venues that offer live music with talented pianists who not only play top songs and favorite hits, but do so with humor, energy, and panache. Guests are encouraged to sing along, and it can be a fun and engaging way to spend the evening.
Recent rumors, however, have Piano Bar fans confused and frustrated about what appears to be a shift in the hours for these venues, with some claims being made about fleetwide changes.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, has investigated the matter and spoken with the cruise line’s entertainment executives to clarify exactly what is being changed, and why.
“It is fair to say that Piano Bar fans are passionate and love the experience and the men and women who sit behind the piano,”he said.“Yesterday there was much speculation and many, many, many people asking me about the opening hours.”
To be clear, the typical opening hours for the Piano Bar have been 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. onboard most ships. This makes the venue a popular after-dinner gathering place for camaraderie and entertainment.
“Having spoken to the Entertainment beards I can tell you that we will be, on some ships, not all of them, moving to 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. performance times,”Heald confirmed.
It is important to note that this is not a fleetwide change, despite guest speculation. Some passengers have claimed to have the fleetwide notice “confirmed” by the piano players themselves, but it is unlikely that individual performers are notified of scheduling across all 27 ships in the Carnival fleet.
Heald also explains that the change may vary depending on individual itineraries as well as other entertainment options on different nights.
“What ships will depend on different variables as we know some itineraries are busier than others and experience more guests wanting to be [at the Piano Bar],”he said.“You may have noticed also that on some ships the Punchliner Late Night Adults Only Comedy Shows have been taking place in the main lounge at midnight. Those nights comedy is taking place, then piano bar will be open from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.”
To stay updated about the exact Piano Bar hours, guests should check the Carnival Hub app while sailing. This information will be updated with any changes in hours and other evening activity and entertainment times.
Should Piano Bar Entertainers Be Tipped?
A second issue Heald has addressed is the idea of whether or not the Piano Bar entertainers require tipping. While many guests do offer gratuities to these talented performers, it is not necessary.
“Why should we have to tip them to get a request?”a concerned guest asked.“I refuse to do that and [the piano player] says no tip no request!”
Heald noted that while the entertainers are able to accept tips, they are not, however, permitted to “require” tips for guests to request a specific song during the evening’s performance.
Carnival Paradise Piano Bar
“As for the tips, yes, we do allow them to take gratuities but it is not something you have to give in order to have a request made,”Heald confirmed.“If this ever happens please let me know and I will address [it], or indeed even better tell someone on board.”
Some guests do comment that in their experiences, requests accompanied by tips tend to get prioritized by the piano players, but this may simply be a perception rather than a deliberate effort.
It is also likely that some songs and aspects of the performance are more popular than others. It may seem that those requests get priority based on gratuities, but it could just be the players trying to ensure as many people as possible enjoy the evening’s entertainment.
Furthermore, the time the piano entertainers play is limited, and it isn’t always possible to get to every request every evening, regardless of whether those requests are accompanied by tips.
Do you enjoy spending time in the Piano Bar? Do you tip the piano player? Share your experiences on the Cruise Hive boards!
There are a handful of times when, yes, you should tip on a cruise. You can tip your room steward or butler (even while it’s not required, many cruisers say making this kind gesture leads to better overall service).
You can tip your bartender if gratuity is not already included in your drink bill. However, are there times when you should actually not tip on a cruise? Yes — here are 15 situations where tipping is unnecessary.
1. Don’t Tip When Gratuities Are Already Added Onto Your Bill
There are many times on a cruise ship when your gratuities are just bundled into the cost of your overall bill.
This helps make it easy for you to pay your bill while ensuring you’re also tipping the people who’re taking care of you, and simultaneously also nudging the people who normally wouldn’t tip to do so. It’s better for both cruisers and crew members.
However, since this isn’t often the way it’s done on shore, in restaurants or bars, you may forget this fact and start to leave behind a cash tip at the bar or as you leave your restaurant table.
Before you do so, stop, look at your bill, and make sure gratuity isn’t already included. You’ll find that most cruise lines automatically include gratuities when you’re buying a drink at a bar or dining at one of the cruise ship’s specialty restaurants.
Gratuities may also already be added onto your spa receipts. So, if you might normally tip 20% after getting a spa treatment at a spa on land, just be sure you check that receipt before doing so on your cruise.
2. Don’t Tip if You’re on a Luxury, All-Inclusive Cruise Line
Photo Courtesy: Regent Seven Seas
Along these lines, if you’re on a luxury, all-inclusive cruise line, chances are very likely that absolutely all gratuities are included in the cost of your cruise fare and it’s entirely not expected that you would tip certain members of the crew, even if you might tip those individuals on a “normal” cruise line.
For example, when sailing on Silversea, the cruise line specifically notes, when laying out its all-inclusive policy, that cruisers shouldn’t worry about tipping their butlers or other staff, as not worrying about tipping is one of the things that makes the Silversea experience even more relaxing and special.
3. Don’t Tip the Crew Management and Higher-Ups
You really appreciate everything that the cruise director does to make your trip all the more special. And you really appreciate the fact that your captain ferried you to all of your destinations safely and on time.
However, don’t tip these individuals. They’re not really in the roles where tipping is seen as permissible, and the gesture may be frowned upon. After all, after getting off a flight, you wouldn’t try to tip your airline captain, would you?
4. Don’t Tip the Maintenance Personnel
Maintenance Crew Member (Photo Credit: Ceri Breeze)
Likewise, don’t feel as if you need to tip the maintenance personnel, if you see them working in the cruise ship or if they come to your cabin specifically to fix something. These workers aren’t really in the service industry in the same way your bartender or waiter might be, so there’s no need to tip.
5. Don’t Tip the Kids Club Staff
You also don’t need to feel as if you should tip the kids club staff, either. While tipping a babysitter on land is pretty par for the course, the kids club fees are included in your basic cruise fare. The service is all covered and you don’t have to feel like you need to pay a penny more than you are, already.
6. Don’t Tip for Free Activities
Serenade of the Seas World Cruise TikTok (Photo Credit: Jeff Whyte)
Going with this theme, if you’re enjoying the free activities aboard your ship — say, climbing on the rock-climbing wall or trying your skills on the surfing simulator — you don’t need to tip the attendants watching over these activities.
They’re paid to be there to keep you safe and manage lines and equipment, but the costs of these activities are in your cruise fare. Tipping is unnecessary.
7. Don’t Tip if You Purchased a Certain Cruise Package
While not all cruise lines are all-inclusive, like Viking Cruises, some do offer all-inclusive (or, rather, more-inclusive) cruise packages that include your gratuities costs within the package. If you purchase one of these packages, that means you won’t need to pay gratuities throughout the ship, like some other cruisers might.
These packages are available on cruise lines such as Princess Cruises. Princess Cruises offers Plus and Premier Cruise Packages that include not just your gratuities but a bevy of other extras.
For example, the Princess Premier package is $90 per day per guest, and it covers the cost of all your gratuities, WiFi for four devices per guest, unlimited beverages, unlimited specialty meals and casual meals, unlimited professional photos, unlimited premium desserts, unlimited room service, free delivery of items elsewhere on the ship, unlimited fitness classes and reserved theater seating.
8. Don’t Tip for Extra, One-off Services
Cruise Ship Butler (Photo Credit: alexkich)
While cruise cabin stewards and butlers are some of the members of the crew that you’re most likely to tip, you don’t have to worry about tipping them every time they complete an extra one-off service or fulfill a request.
For example, say you’ve run out of towels in your cabin and you need some more. You don’t have to anticipate offering up a tip just because your steward brought you a few more towels.
Likewise, if you ask your butler to bring you a bucket of ice for a bottle of Champagne every night, you don’t have to tip them every single night for this courtesy.
If you do want to tip your steward or butler, just do it at the beginning or end of your cruise. No need to tip every time they help you out.
9. Don’t Tip the Performers
Cruise ships are filled with talented performers, from those who take to the theater stage to comics to magicians to musicians that fill the public spaces with lively tunes. You usually don’t have to worry about tipping these individuals, though.
The only time this might not be the case, and when tips might be welcome, is if there’s a very visible and apparent tip jar sitting out near live performers. In that case, go ahead and drop a few bills in — but don’t worry about bringing a stack of cash along with you, every time you go to a show.
10. Don’t Tip at the Coffee Shop
A barista at the Crow’s Nest coffee and cocktail bar (Photo Credit: Donna Tunney)
Many ships have coffee shops, either a small, cruise line-specific café or a Starbucks outpost, for example, which is what you’ll find on many Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line ships.
However, while you’re probably accustomed to dropping a few bucks into the tip jar when you pick up your mocha latte every day at your neighborhood Starbucks, there’s no need on the cruise ship.
In fact, these coffee shops probably don’t even have a tip jar out. Just look at your receipt and you’ll likely see that any gratuity expected is already in the cost of your coffee, just as the gratuity is added into your final total at specialty restaurants and at bars.
11. Don’t Tip the Medical Team
Like cruise ship officers, the medical team is just someone you shouldn’t tip, even if you’re grateful for their care. You wouldn’t tip your doctor at home, wouldn’t you?
When it doubt, it’s usually smart to just think of whether or not you’d tip this individual on land. If the answer is a clear “no,” don’t worry about tipping.
12. Don’t Tip the Security Team
Likewise, don’t tip the security team on the cruise ship. These are folks who are not in the service industry and are paid accordingly. Don’t worry about tipping them.
13. Don’t Tip on Tipless Cruise Lines
Beyond cruise lines like Silversea, which are luxury, all-inclusive cruise lines that do not require tipping, there are also some cruise lines that have just chosen to go tipless — regardless of how “luxury” they are or not. This is the case on cruise lines like Azamara and Virgin Voyages.
Virgin Voyages, for example, is considered “almost all inclusive,” and no gratuities are necessary, as they’re factored into the cost of your cruise. Same goes for dining at 20-plus restaurants, WiFi and fitness classes.
Azamara is very similar, with food, entertainment and basic drinks, as well as daily gratuities, already factored into your cruise fare. There’s no gratuity necessary for housekeeping, dining or bar staff. The one rare instance where Azamara hasn’t forgone tips is at the spa.
You may need to visit the guest services team at some point during your cruise to get help with your cruise account, reservations or some other admin need. These folks are there to help you out and your overall cruise fare helps pay their wages. These are not crew members that you would need to tip.
15. Don’t Tip if you Truly Had an Issue with the Service
Lastly, there is one instance where you might not just forgo actively tipping during the course of your cruise, but you might actually also dispute the automatic gratuities that are charged to your cruise account near the end of your cruise: if you were truly dissatisfied with the service received.
Do be wary of doing this, though. Before you visit guest services and ask to remove the automatic gratuities from your charge, think. Was the poor service truly poor?
Was it consistent throughout the duration of your cruise or a one-off incident? Was the poor service the fault of a crew member or just poor circumstances? Can you provide several specific examples of the poor service?
Valid examples might include outright rude behavior, or an outright failure to perform services such as cleaning your cabin.
Regardless of why you might be dissatisfied, though, before opting to not tip at all, speak with guest services and see if there’s anything else they can do to try to remedy the situation.
A Note of Caution
Carnival Cruise Ship Crew Members (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules.
The best way to have a clear idea of whether or not you should tip in certain situations is to consider (a) if the person you’re considering tipping works in a service industry and they’re the type of worker you’d typically tip onshore, and (b) whether or not gratuities are already included in your bill. If the answer to (a) is “yes” and the answer to (b) is “no,” then you’re probably safe to tip.
However, while tipping is often very appreciated by a cruise ship’s hardworking crew members, never force a tip on a crew member, if it looks like your gesture is making them uncomfortable or awkward.
Additionally, many cruise lines include a daily gratuity fee, per person, per day, in the overall cost of your cruise. This fee is usually charged at the end of your cruise.
If this is the case on your cruise — if you’re sailing major cruise lines like, for example, Carnival Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean, it is — then don’t feel burdened to tip crew members like your room steward further.
That’s exactly what this fee is for! While you can tip extra if you want, in some cases, it’s not necessary and no one will think less of you for not doing so. What they will think less of you for, on the other hand?
Removing that daily gratuity fee from your bill at the end of the cruise. While it technically can be done if you talk to guest services, it’s not seen as very polite and usually should not be done unless you experienced specifically poor service.
I’ve been on multiple cruise lines, including Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Princess Cruises, but somehow never got around to trying out Carnival Cruise Line – at least not until September of 2024.
I married my husband in October, but before I could meet him at the altar, my girlfriends and I had to celebrate with my bachelorette party.
When my bridesmaids and I were looking for things to do, a Carnival cruise rose to the top as the best option. It only makes sense, considering my passion for cruise news!
So, my bachelorette party became a bachelorette weekend – with myself and five bridesmaids sailing onboard Carnival Radiance for a quick getaway cruise to Ensenada, Mexico, from September 27-30, 2024.
Not only did the dates work well for everyone, but a short cruise was shockingly affordableand all-inclusive.
Including the cruise fare, an excursion in Ensenada, and multiple meals in the fine dining venues onboard, our individual totals came out to less than $500 per person at the end of the long weekend.
Meanwhile, according to wedding authorities like The Knot, the average cost to attend a bachelorette party is $1,300 per person as of a 2023 study – and where we live in Los Angeles is easily on the higher end of that spectrum.
But while we all had a wonderful weekend at sea, I couldn’t help but take note of some good and bad surprises I wasn’t really expecting during my first Carnival cruise.
Embarkation and Debarkation Was Shockingly Easy
Carnival Radiance Docked in Long Beach, California (Photo Credit: Mariusz Lopusiewicz)
In the past, I remember arriving at different cruise ports at my scheduled arrival time, only to spend sometimes more than an hour waiting to get through the check-in process and board the ship.
I expected there to be a wait this time, too – as we didn’t choose the earliest arrival time when we completed the online check-in process, nor did we choose to invest in the Faster to the Fun package.
However, embarking at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal was quick and easy. It only took us around half an hour to go through security, verify our passports, and make it to the Lido deck. Our checked luggage even made it to our stateroom early.
Even the muster drill was simple and took less than 10 minutes. All we had to do was find our muster location when we got onboard, check in with a crew member who gave some safety information, and watch a brief video.
Debarkation was similarly easy. We chose our departure time in our Carnival HUB app during our sailing, which only took a moment, and essentially walked right off the ship when we were ready.
Even though we chose to sail on the Fun ships, which are known to host a party-loving crowd, my friends and I are not big partiers.
However, we discovered the adults-only Serenity Retreat shortly after embarkation – and it instantly became our favorite spot onboard.
It was quiet, peaceful, and not crowded. We never had an issue finding enough lounge chairs for all of us.
In fact, we spent almost our entire first night and sea day in the Serenity Retreat – playing cards, reading, lounging, chatting, and even ordering drinks and room service directly to our loungers.
Other Passengers Were Very Kind
Carnival has a bit of a reputation for fights breaking out onboard, which in my opinion, is not deserved. I didn’t see a single fight, but saw many acts of kindness.
While I did encounter more intoxicated passengers onboard than I noticed on my previous cruises with other brands, everyone I met was friendly. Other passengers were always quick to say hello, smile in the hallways, or hold a door open for another guest.
I honestly wasn’t sure how a non-luxury cruise ship would compare to my previous fine dining experiences on land or on luxury cruise ships. But the petite filet I enjoyed was arguably one of the best I’ve ever had. It was perfectly cooked, juicy, and so tender you could cut it with a butter knife.
After dinner, the waiters brought out a special cheesecake for dessert and wrote a congratulatory message out of chocolate sauce, which was a special added touch.
We enjoyed our meal so much that we decided to dine at Cucina del Capitano the next night, which is another specialty dining venue that serves gourmet Italian cuisine, and had an equally amazing experience.
Food Allergies and Safety Were Always a Top Priority
Carnival Radiance Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Felipe Sanchez / Shutterstock)
One of my bridesmaids has Celiac disease – meaning she can’t eat anything with gluten, nor can she risk any cross contamination with something that has touched gluten.
We were worried that the crew members would not be as careful as they were or that she would be exposed to gluten by accident. But in the end, we were pleasantly surprised by how seriously everyone took her allergy.
Not only were we greeted by name at every sit-down meal, but the waiters listened to her carefully about her allergies at each and every sitting.
Her meals were always brought out separately from the rest of ours and prepared in a separate location within the kitchen.
She even got her own butter and butter knife to go with her gluten free bread so there would be no cross contamination from sharing butter with the rest of us.
Because we knew we wouldn’t be spending much time in our staterooms, we decided not to splurge – opting for side-by-side interior cabins with three of us in each room.
The layout of the rooms themselves were fine – albeit a bit cramped – with two twin beds and a rollaway bed that certainly worked for our purposes for a weekend.
The issues we had were due to cleanliness and necessary features in our cabin simply not working.
To start, when we first entered our cabin on Day 1, we had a stranger’s dirty sock in one of our beds. Thankfully, we told a cabin steward who removed it quickly and provided us with fresh bedding.
Then, our toilet wouldn’t work. The first night, it wouldn’t flush. The second night, it wouldn’t stop flushing. Finally, sort of like a grand finale, our bathroom started to flood on the last night of our sailing.
Of course, as the icing on the malfunctioning cake, our room phone wasn’t working and wouldn’t let us call guest services for help.
That said, we eventually found a member of the housekeeping team in the corridors who called a plumber – but it took a long time for him to arrive and even longer to make the necessary repairs.
Meanwhile, in the room next door to mine, my bridesmaids kept finding mysterious screws every morning in the same spot. We never figured out where they came from.
And in both cabins, the air conditioning did not always work – and it was sometimes too hot to sleep comfortably.
While all we packed our bathing suits, we never really got a chance to use them. In our entire weekend onboard Carnival Radiance, we never made it into a pool or jacuzzi because they were always very crowded.
That said, I can now say from personal experience that the crew members do enforce the anti-chair saving policythey cracked down on earlier this year.
I saw several notices about no chair saving on reserved seats and crew members even asked us if people were coming back when someone would leave to use the restroom or get a snack.
The Wi-Fi Didn’t Always Work
We pre-purchased Carnival Wi-Fi packages in advance – but were only somewhat satisfied with what we bought.
When the Wi-Fi worked, it was great – and was arguably the best internet service I’ve ever had at sea. I could text, use social media, and stream my favorite Netflix shows at night with no issue.
However, we encountered problems with the Wi-Fi going in and out during the sailing. We also had issues activating our WI-FI packages in the first place – with the HUB app not wanting to recognize that we had made it onboard on embarkation day.
When we tried to message on Carnival’s app during periods when the Wi-Fi wasn’t working, we discovered the messaging feature was an extra $5 per person.
While $5 certainly isn’t a hefty sum, it struck us the wrong way after the Wi-Fi we already paid for wasn’t working.
It Was Always Loud – Even Late at Night
Evening on the Carnival Radiance (Photo Credit: Catie Kovelman)
While we knew Carnival was the party ship, we were surprised at how loud it always was – even inside our staterooms at night.
During the day, the DJs were blasting music by the pool and keeping the party going inside – sometimes even playing music in the dining rooms.
But late at night, themed parties were hosted in the main atrium of the ship – and the sound carried all the way into our staterooms.
Other guests would then come back to their stateroomslate at night or early in the morning, yelling and hollering, with seemingly little regard for other guests who might be trying to sleep.
Thankfully, this annoyance was nothing a good pair of earplugs couldn’t solve for us.
The Main Dining Room Was Hit or Miss
While Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald always posts tasty looking menus on his public Facebook page, we discovered that our meals in the main dining room left something to be desired.
While some of the entrees were good, others were bland and the portion sizes were quite small. On our first night, the chicken I ordered was rubbery and unseasoned – leading to me going for a second dinner on the Lido deck.
The other dining venues onboard, and especially the nicer restaurants that aren’t included in the cruise fare, were much more appetizing to us.
Would I Cruise With Carnival Again?
Catie Kovelman on Carnival Radiance
While we did encounter some unexpected snafus, we ultimately had a great long weekend sailing with Carnival.
Especially as a group trying to take a vacation on a budget, Carnival was a great value for the money and we made memories that will last for a lifetime.
While I might plan a couple of things differently or splurge for a nicer stateroom because of my experience, I would be open to trying out other ships within the fleet – such as the more recently launched Carnival Jubilee or Carnival Firenze.
But ultimately, I do believe your cruise vacation is what you make of it. We set out to have a good time and laughed it off when things didn’t go to plan – and we had a wonderful voyage because of it.
There are many amazing sights and splendid vistas to capture on a Carnival cruise, from ocean sunsets to deck parties to selfies all over the ship. Travelers should not, however, be attempting to capture some of the most unique moments of all – Coast Guard airlifts.
Carnival Cruise Line has asked guests to be mindful of emergency operations and not use camera flashes or video lights while helicopters are maneuvering near the ship. This is a safety issue for the outstanding emergency crews and could further endanger the lives of those requiring medical evacuations.
The cruise line’s official Brand Ambassador, John Heald, does acknowledge how awesome a sight it can be to watch such operations, but he reiterates the plea not to irresponsibly or inadvertently interfere with the emergency crews.
“You never get too old to enjoy the sight of a low flying helicopter, especially if it’s a US Coast Guard one taking a guest or a crew member off the ship for urgent medical attention,”Heald said.
Indeed, when a helicopter evacuation is called for, the aircraft often hover over the ship and it can be amazing to witness such heroic efforts.
Because the majority of cruises sail without such incidents, this is something most cruise guests may never see – I’ve been on 40 cruises and never had a helicopter evacuation on any of them. If an evacuation does occur, it can be tempting to capture such a unique moment.
While onboard announcements often implore travelers not to take photos or film the rescue operation, it is the style of filming that can be most dangerous and interfere with emergency personnel.
“The Cruise Director and Captain should not have to keep repeating not to turn the flashes of your phones and cameras,”Heald said.“One can only imagine how dangerous that could be for the pilots.”
Flashes or video lights could potentially cause vision disruptions for emergency personnel as they are implementing delicate maneuvers necessary to reach the ship, lower a basket, secure the guest or crew member requiring care, or otherwise completing their duties.
Furthermore, as the helicopter approaches the cruise ship, flashes or extra lights could cause confusion with navigational lights or indicators for where the aircraft needs to be for such precise work.
Carnival Celebration Airlift
For example, Carnival Venezia had a long-distance emergency airlift in May 2024. With the ship more than 350 nautical miles from shore, the aircraft’s maneuvers required very careful operations to ensure there was adequate fuel for the airlift.
Medical evacuations in poor weather conditions can also cause additional difficulties, and the extra challenges of unwanted flashes or lights can make those operations even more hazardous.
What’s It Like Onboard During an Airlift Evacuation?
Guests who have witnessed emergency evacuations from their cruises have chimed in with their experiences, noting that it would be best if no one videoed or photographed such situations at all.
“It’s definitely not a time for videoing that situation. Have some decency about it. Lend a hand, help that family by following rules. What if it was your family?”
“I can’t imagine even wanting a photo of someone else’s misfortune. I get these helicopters are cool to see, but what’s happening at the moment is frightening and tragic.”
“There’s a great deal of people that have never experienced the ordeal and might be still learning to use their phone. Some people don’t realize their settings can make a big difference.”
During such an incident onboard, crew members will typically close off all or part of the outer decks of the ship, clearing space for the emergency crew to work and for the impacted guest or crew member to be moved where they need to be for the evacuation.
Announcements over the ship’s loudspeakers will also advise those onboard not to interfere and to refrain from such videos and photographs.
It is important to remember that medical evacuations are extreme emergencies for those involved. It is best to stay well away from emergency personnel, including crew members assisting the evacuation, so the operation can be accomplished as smoothly and safely as possible.
Cruise Hive’s great thanks and admiration go out to all emergency personnel who take such risks with evacuations to ensure injured or ill parties get the help they need.
Disney Treasure hasn’t even entered service yet, but the Disney cruise ship is already saving lives.
While en route to her first ever homeport, Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, the second of the Triton-class vessels rescued four people from a sinking catamaran in the early afternoon on November 10, 2024.
The 50-foot catamaran, which is named Serenity, began taking on water while about 230 miles off the coast of Bermuda due to a gasket failure in the escape hatch.
The passengers contacted the US Coast Guard for emergency assistance, which prompted the US Coast Guard to reach out to other ships in the area to render aid.
In this case, Disney Treasure was among the closest – at only 80 miles (or about 70 nautical miles) away.
The crew that had already joined the 144,256-gross ton vessel acted quickly and deployed one of the onboard lifeboats to the sinking vessel. Thankfully, all four individuals were rescued and no injuries were reported.
“We are pleased that the Disney Treasure was able to provide aid to the boat passengers in peril,” Disney Treasure Captain Marco Nogara said in a statement to ABC News.
“Our crew members worked together on the rescue, skillfully demonstrating their training and commitment to safety,” continued Captain Nogara.
The identities of the rescued individuals have thus far been kept confidential to protect their privacy.
It’s unclear where Disney’s newest addition will drop off their new companions – but usually cruise ships will transfer the rescued individuals to local authorities, such as the US Coast Guard, or will allow them to remain onboard until they reach a suitable disembarkation point.
But of course, the first step is to render any necessary medical aid and to provide the individuals with food and water.
According to cruise tracking data, the Disney ship is getting close to Florida – cruising along in the North West Atlantic Ocean at speeds of 17 knots per hour.
Once she arrives, all attention will turn to getting ready for her maiden voyage – which is scheduled to embark on December 21, 2024.
The historic, 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing will call on Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, and Castaway Cay, the cruise line’s original private island destination in the Bahamas.
She will then spend her inaugural winter season alternating between Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.
After she makes her debut in Port Canaveral, the next month will be spent preparing for the first passengers.
For example, the crew members who have not yet joined the ship will make their way to the Orlando-based port. By the time she enters service, approximately 1,555 crew members will be onboard to cultivate a magical experience for guests.
Additionally, the creative team will continue testing and tweaking all the little details to make sure every single thing is perfect for the maiden voyage.
And in one last big opportunity to build up the wave of excitement for the new ship, a special float – named “Magic Meets the Seas” – will pay homage to Disney Treasure in the 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Carnival Cruise Line has notified guests booked on sailings visiting Panama about updated travel requirements and whether or not all passengers must carry passports.
While guests may be able to enjoy their cruise to Panama without a passport, they will not be permitted off the ship in the Central American country without that critical piece of travel documentation.
This is a noted change from previous guidelines about cruise travel documentation, where passports were not listed as necessary for visiting Panama unless the cruise started in one US homeport and ended in another, such as a full Panama Canal transit.
“This advisory requires your prompt review as we work to keep you informed about your cruise. We have received clarification on passport requirements for Panama,”the notification read.
“To comply with guidelines for going ashore, all guests (including infants) must carry a passport book that is valid for at least 6 months after the cruise ends. Guests will be permitted to sail with other acceptable travel documentation, but they must remain on board when the ship visits Panama.”
To be clear, if cruise passengers are using their birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID or any other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document, they will not be permitted off the ship in Panama. They can, however, enjoy the rest of the cruise without difficulty.
WHTI documents also include a state enhanced driver’s license, a certificate of US naturalization, or a Native American Indian card.
The letter also notes that travelers are responsible to ensure they have appropriate travel documentation for where their cruise will be visiting.
“While we will do our best to provide you with as much information as possible, you should always ensure that you follow all travel and documentation requirements for this cruise,”the letter read.
It can take several weeks to obtain a new or renewed passport, but expedited services are available for travelers with urgent documentation needs.
Anyone with a cruise booked visiting Panama in the coming weeks should be mindful of the need for the proper passport and make arrangements as soon as possible if necessary.
If guests will be sailing without passports but have already booked pre-paid Panama shore tours through Carnival Cruise Line, those tours will be refunded. Cruise passengers are never required to get off the ship in any port of call.
“If you will be remaining on board, our team will be ready to provide excellent service and keep you entertained with fun activities,”the letter clarified.
Carnival has several upcoming sailings visiting Panama. Carnival Miracle, for example, is offering a 10-night Panama Canal sailing roundtrip from Galveston with departures on November 15, December 27, February 7, and March 3.
Similarly, Carnival Legend is offering several 8-night cruises from Tampa visiting Costa Rica, Panama, and Grand Cayman. Departures for those sailings are on December 21, February 15, and April 12.
Carnival Liberty, Carnival Pride, and Carnival Venezia also have visits to Panama planned in the next few months.
Isn’t This an Old Requirement?
Many posts on social media and other unofficial sites have claimed that this documentation requirement is nothing new, but in fact, it is a subtle change.
Previously, passports were not required for cruises to Panama unless the ship was either visiting Colombia or else ending in a different US homeport than where it first embarked.
Because the majority of Panama cruises have been full canal transits while ships reposition to homeports, guests were already required to have passports.
Similarly, Panama was often included as a port visit on rare itineraries visiting Colombia, which also meant passports were already required.
Now, Carnival Cruise Line is adding more partial transit Panama Canal itineraries than ever, which are closed-loop voyages to and from the same US homeport.
While guests can enjoy those cruises without a passport, they will not be permitted to debark in Panama – even for a guided shore tour – if they do not have one.
Do you cruise with a passport? Why or why not? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive boards!
Everything Disney does – in both its theme parks and cruise ships – is about storytelling, and every little detail matters.
When the new Disney Treasure officially enters service with her maiden voyage on December 21, 2024, even her ship horn will help to immerse guests in her theme of “adventure” – which is inspired by Walt Disney’s own thirst for adventure.
Indeed, the ship horn – which is both the vessel’s calling card and an important method of communication – will be part of the story telling.
The original Disney ships, namely Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, only played “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinocchio.
But newer additions to the fleet, including Disney Wish and Disney Fantasy, have been able to play an assortment of Disney classics from their horns – and Disney Treasure is clearly no exception.
Nearby ships in the Atlantic Ocean may have heard notes of “Grim Grinning Ghosts,” which plays homage to the Haunted Mansion attraction in the Disney theme parks andthe Haunted Mansion Parlorthat will debut on the 4,000-passenger ship.
Next up was “A Whole New World” from Aladdin, which is the film that inspired the theme for the ship’s Grand Hall, and “Remember Me” from Coco, which ties into the new theatrical dining experience at Plaza de Coco.
The rest of the musical selections – including a special composition for this year’s holiday season – are being kept as a surprise until the maiden voyage, which will be a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing.
Musical Innovation: The Disney Treasure Theme Song
Not only will Disney Treasure set sail with one of the most magical horns at sea, but she is the first Disney cruise ship to get her own theme song.
In summer of 2024, Disney Cruise Line helped to build the hype by releasing the original song, titled “Live the Adventure,” which is supposed to capture the feeling of fun and adventure families will feel once onboard.
The signature song was written by Dewain Whitmore, Jr. and Chantry Johnson and performed by Jordan Sparks, a singer-songwriter and the youngest ever winner of “American Idol.”
“I really like ‘Live the Adventure’ because it’s happy – it automatically makes you feel like it’s going to be a great day,”Sparks said at the time. “It’s saying we can discover the treasure of what the day is going to bring.”
Disney Treasure River Ems Conveyance
Cruise fans can already listen to the song on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Youtube Music, and Deezer – and it will certainly be played onboard, too.
While this is unconfirmed, some DCL fans are speculating that the theme song might be one of the yet-to-be-revealed ship horns.
Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to thousands of booked guests to alert them to embarkation changes for nearly 200 upcoming sailings on two vessels. Carnival Pride and Carnival Spirit are both impacted by this round of adjustments, which effects sailings as early as next month and as far in the future as spring 2027.
Carnival Pride is homeported year-round from Baltimore, Maryland, offering Bahamas, Bermuda, Panama Canal, Eastern Caribbean, Southern Caribbean, and Greenland itineraries. The ship’s departure time for a wide range of departures is now moved 30 minutes earlier.
“We have revised departure time for your cruise and now plan to sail from Baltimore at 4:30 PM (instead of 5:00 PM) eastern time,”the notification read.
While a 30-minute time change may not be significant to most travelers, it may have an impact over the next few sailings. The adjustment includes all of Carnival Pride‘s December 2024 sailings, and those passengers may already have made plans to reach the cruise terminal.
Sailings through 2025, 2026, and into spring 2027 are also impacted. In total, 103 Carnival Pride cruises are now featuring this embarkation adjustment. This includes every 7-night sailing the ship is making from December 1, 2024 through and including April 25, 2027, regardless of destination.
Similar changes are also being made to itineraries aboard Carnival Pride’s sister ship, Carnival Spirit, sailing from Mobile, Alabama as well as her summer 2025 Alaska season from Seattle, Washington.
The departure change is the same – 30 minutes earlier – but the ship will now depart at 3:30 p.m. instead of 4 p.m.
As with Carnival Pride, Carnival Spirit‘s itineraries are now shifted from December 1, 2024 through March 2027. While not all of the ship’s itineraries are fully published for that time frame, more than 50 departure dates are confirmed on the revision list. It is likely that altogether, roughly 100 cruises will now have the new, earlier departure time.
The ship’s longer sailings, such as her March 16, 2025 transatlantic cruise departure from Barcelona following an extensive dry dock, are not impacted by the departure change.
For all impacted dates, all passengers must still be onboard the 86,000-gross-ton, Spirit class ships by the final boarding times printed on their respective boarding passes. Furthermore, there are no anticipated changes to any of the impacted itineraries’ ports of call.
Carnival Pride Docked in Baltimore (Photo Credit: Port of Baltimore)
As sister ships, Carnival Pride and Carnival Spirit are similar in size, layout, and amenities. Carnival Spirit joined the Fun Ship fleet as the lead in her class in 2001, followed in 2002 by Carnival Pride.
Both vessels can welcome 2,124 guests at double occupancy and are also home to 930 international crew members who stand ready to ensure all guests have a brilliant cruise, no matter what time the ships set sail.
Why So Many Changes?
Carnival Cruise Line has not explained why Carnival Pride and Carnival Spirit both have so many departure time shifts. It is possible it could be related to port operations at Baltimore, Mobile, and Seattle, or may be an effort to improve fuel efficiency by adjusting sailing speeds.
The earlier time shift could also be a result of improved embarkation processing. This could be related to the implementation of facial recognition technology which helps all guests be onboard the ship sooner, permitting an earlier overall departure.
While some guests in the first few impacted cruises may need to adjust their travel plans to the cruise port to ensure they arrive on time for the earlier departure, most passengers will not need to make significant adaptations as they head for their cruises.
Due to poor weather conditions and a freak incident with a rogue wave, Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas will have to delay its arrival in Miami, Florida, at the end of its current Transatlantic voyage.
The Voyager-class vessel, which is in the middle of what was supposed to be a 12-night one-way cruise from Barcelona, Spain, embarked on November 2, 2024.
She was supposed to disembark in PortMiami on November 14 and officially begin her Caribbean season the same day – but now won’t arrive in port until three days later than anticipated on November 17.
“Due to our previous sailing’s delay in arriving at PortMiami, our sailing will now take place on Sunday, November 17, 2024. Please know, our return to PortMiami is fluid, and once our times are finalized, we’ll send you an email with your updated check-in times,”Royal Caribbean wrote to impacted guests.
The Southern Caribbean Cruise was supposed to be 10 nights long and call on Labadee, Haiti; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Castries, St Lucia; St. Johns, Antigua; and Basseterre, St. Kitts.
However, due to the delay, the itinerary has had to be altered – Philipsburg, Castries, and St. Johns have been eliminated entirely.
Basseterre, San Juan, and Labadee are still on the agenda – but the dates in which the port calls will take place have changed and the order of the visits has shifted.
For example, Labadee was the first port callon the itinerary and the visit was originally scheduled for November 16. However, this stop is now the final port call of the sailing, with the visit not occurring until November 22.
In some cases, the time that will be spent in port has also changed. The most extreme example of this was the ship was supposed to be in the port of San Juan from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time on November 17, but now the visit will take place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on November 21.
Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas (Photo Credit: Merrillie Redden)
Royal Caribbean is compensating guests for the inconvenience by providing a prorated refund for the three cancelled days, plus an extra day as a show of goodwill, in the form of an onboard credit.
At the end of the sailing, any refundable amounts not used will be returned to the credit card on file within 14 business days.
What Went Wrong?
The current voyage being operated by Explorer of the Seas has not exactly been smooth sailing – and Mother Nature is the culprit.
First, poor weather conditions around Spain resulted in the 4,290-guest ship sailing an altered itinerary.
The ship missed its scheduled port call in Valencia, Spain, on November 3 – which is still recovering from recent severe flooding. This port was replaced by a day in Cartagena, Spain.
Then, weather conditions required the ports of Malaga and Ponta Delgada to be switched out with Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
But the bigger delay came when the 137,308-gross ton ship ran into an expected squall on November 7, 2024 – and was hit by a rogue wave and intense winds thatcaused the vessel to tilt dramatically onto her side.
Initial reports suggested that there were no major injuries onboard, but it has since come to light that someone onboard needed medical attention that warranted turning the ship around.
“The captain and the crew did a great job, keeping everyone calm and safe. But someone needs medical assistance so now we are heading back to the Canary Islands and will be 3 days delayed into Miami,”a current passenger shared on Facebook.
Current cruise tracking data shows that the vessel turned around early on November 8 and is heading in the direction of Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
