We’re back with another edition of Cruise Hive’s weekly Cruise News Update, a must-read for industry watchers. Top stories in this recap include Carnival Cruise Line’s plans to create a private destination in Ensenada, Mexico; Royal Caribbean facing a lawsuit after the death of a guest who became intoxicated; and how several containers of bananas prevented a cruise ship from leaving Southampton.
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Cruise Line Revises Island Visits on Hawaii Voyages
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America is the only cruise ship that offers weeklong inter-island sailings in Hawaii, all roundtrip from Honolulu.
Starting in October 2026 and continuing through March 2027, the line has altered the order of port calls the 2,200-guest ship will make.
None are cancelled, and the cruise line has noted that the changes will provide a more immersive journey. In three ports, guests will have more time to spend exploring on land.
The revised order of visits provides an extra hour in Maui and Kauai, and an extra half-hour in Kona.
Pride of America’s itinerary during these months will be: Honolulu, Maui, Hilo, Kona, Kauai, Honolulu. The ship will overnight in Maui and Kauai.
More than two dozen cruises are impacted during the October to March timeframe. Excursions booked through Norwegian Cruise Line will be automatically adjusted to reflect the new schedule.
Cargo Incident Delays Cruise Ship’s Departure
This story is really bananas!
P&O Cruises’ 5,200-guest Iona was due to depart from Southampton, UK, on the evening of December 6, 2025, on a 14-night Spain, Portugal, and Canary Islands cruise.
But her schedule went haywire after some 16 containers of fruit, mostly bananas, fell off the Baltic Klipper cargo ship, which was sailing near the Isle of Wight, some 20 miles away. The accident forced the cruise ship to remain in Southampton harbor.
The delay turned into a 24-hour ordeal, as guests waited for authorities to retrieve the containers. It was a safety issue, since the 184,089-gross-ton ship could have collided with the containers or hampered the work of those trying to clear the waterway.
The containers were carrying bananas, plantains, and avocados, and several others were empty, Coast Guard officials said.
Finally, on the evening of December 7, 2025, the ship was able to depart on her voyage. No changes to her itinerary were expected, since her first port call, at Funchal, Portugal, was not scheduled until December 10, 2025, enabling the ship to make up for some of the lost time.
Iona will make several calls in the Canary Islands, followed by Cadiz, Spain, and Lisbon, before returning to Southampton on December 20, 2025.
Carnival Cruise Line Unveils Ensenada Bay Village
Carnival Cruise Line is looking to Ensenada, on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, as the site of a new private destination its cruise ships will begin visiting a few years from now.
The line revealed its plans for the $26 million Ensenada Bay Village – Treasures of Baja, described as a resort and entertainment space with an adventure park, an adult-only beach and other attractions.
Cruise line president Christine Duffy was on hand to make the announcement in Ensenada as Carnival Panorama called at the destination. The ship sails 6- and 8-night Mexican Riviera cruises from her Los Angeles homeport.
Ensenada is typically included on itineraries that also visit Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, La Paz, and Cabo San Lucas.
Carnival Legend is also scheduled to sail Mexico cruises from Los Angeles in 2027 and 2028.
Renderings of the planned village show it will feature 18th-century Mexican and Californian architecture, while the adventure park will offer activities such as zip lines, boat rides, river tours, and plenty more.
A firm opening date was not announced.
Royal Caribbean Hit With Wrongful Death Suit
Royal Caribbean is being targeted in a wrongful death lawsuit that claims it enabled a guest to drink 33 alcoholic beverages in a few hours’ time onboard Navigator of the Seas, an action that allegedly contributed to the man’s death.
The case unfolded at the start of a 3-night cruise from Los Angeles in December 2024, when the guest, Michael Virgil, 35, was over-served and became intoxicated, the suit states.
It charges that an altercation between Virgil and the ship’s security team members led to his death.
The altercation, which was filmed by another guest, shows Virgil being subdued by security staff. He was later given a sedative by the ship’s medical staff, an action that the lawsuit says also contributed to his death.
Virgil’s fiancée, Connie Aguilar, filed the suit. She was onboard the ship with Virgil and their 7-year-old son.
Virgil apparently started to drink alcoholic beverages while waiting for their stateroom to become available. The interaction with security staff began when the guest could not locate his cabin and became angry.
Politics Prompt Ship to Drop Japan Port Calls
It seems politics is interfering with a cruise ship’s itineraries in East Asia.
Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas is cancelling calls to Japan on several itineraries planned for winter and spring cruises in 2026.
The ship is based in Shanghai, China, caters to the Chinese market, and sails voyages that feature several Japanese destinations.
But due to recent statements that Japan’s prime minister made in reference to Taiwan, China has advised its citizens to avoid travel to Japan. That prompted Royal Caribbean to drop port calls such as Okinawa, replacing them with visits to Jeju and Busan, South Korea.
The 4,246-guest ship will sail roundtrip from Shanghai between January 28, 2026 and November 1, 2026. Cruises affected by the change in Japan visits include those departing on February 1, 14, 18, and 27; March 8; and April 14.
Additional departures are likely to be impacted as well. Other destinations in Japan that Spectrum of the Seas is scheduled to visit include Kumamoto, Kagoshima, and Nagasaki.
Guest Throws a Punch at Ship’s Crew Member
Experienced cruisers know how hard a ship’s crew members work, from cabin stewards to cruise directors and everyone in between, so it’s particularly regrettable when one of them is badly treated.
That’s what happened onboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas recently, when an argument between a guest and a crew member, who appeared to be a lifeguard, ended when the guest punched the staff member and knocked him down.
The altercation happened after the guest began arguing with the guard. The scene was captured on video and posted on social media.
After throwing his punch, the guest was wrestled to the ground by a second crew member. The guest then got up, made an obscene gesture, and walked away, but was followed by other crew members.
It isn’t clear what ultimately happened to the guest, but the cruise line has a strict policy against any type of violent behavior.
The ship was sailing a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise that departed from PortMiami on December 6, 2025.
Cruise Line Reveals 2027-28 Caribbean Voyages
Royal Caribbean has disclosed its 2027-28 ship deployments in the Caribbean, offering departures from five US ports, plus San Juan, Puerto Rico, Cartagena, Colombia, and Colon, Panama.
Ships will sail from all three Florida ports. Adventure of the Seas will deploy to Port Canaveral, while Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas will homeport at Miami.
Ships sailing from Port Everglades will include Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, and Explorer of the Seas. Other US departure ports are Tampa and New Orleans.
Itineraries will feature the cruise line’s private destination — Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, Royal Beach Club Cozumel, and Perfect Day Mexico.
The announcement also discloses plans for the line’s new-build, Legend of the Seas, which is due to enter service in summer 2026. Following the ship’s debut in the Mediterranean, she will be based at Port Everglades starting in November 2026 and remain in the Caribbean into 2028.
Legend of the Seas, an Icon-class ship that accommodates 5,610 guests, will operate 6- and 8-night itineraries to Southern and Western Caribbean destinations.
More Cruise Headlines
Want even more news? Of course you do! So let’s keep going with more coverage about Virgin Voyages launching a new loyalty match program, sales opening for MSC Cruises’ new-build MSC World Atlantic, and Norwegian Cruise Line getting a new president.
Also, it’s time once again to cast your votes in the annual Cruise Hive Awards, and hey, what are the emerging cruise travel trends for 2026? Click here to find out.
