It’s time to jump into Cruise Hive’s recap of the week’s biggest developments in the cruise industry. We have stories this week from Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises.
In This Article:
- Cruise News Update
- $100 Million Refit on Horizon For Allure of the Seas
- Carnival Guest Says She Was Harassed For Shoe Choice
- Odyssey of the Seas Rescues 77 Refugees Off Greece
- Disney Treasure Marks Construction Milestone
- Princess Cruises Unveils Faster Internet Service
- ‘Flying Scotsman’ Announces Retirement From Carnival Cruise Line
- More Cruise Headlines
Cruise News Update
It’s been another lively week of global cruise news and Cruise Hive has it all covered, with stories about Allure of the Seas getting a major makeover; a Carnival Cruise Line guest saying she was bullied about her shoe choice; a Royal Caribbean ship rescuing 77 refugees; Disney Treasure marking her float-out in Germany; Princess Cruises unveiling a faster WiFi plan; and a popular fleet cruise director announcing his retirement from Carnival Cruise Line.
$100 Million Refit on Horizon For Allure of the Seas
Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, the second ship in the line’s pioneering Oasis class, will enter dry dock and receive a massive renovation, to the tune of $100 million, before starting her European deployment in April 2025.
The 225,282-gross ton ship, which entered service in 2010, will feature new dining venues and bars, including Pesky Parrot, the tiki bar that debuted on Utopia of the Seas; Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade; and The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar, serving comfort food and featuring live country music.
Thrill seekers can indulge in the Ultimate Abyss, the 10-story dry slide, and enjoy the challenges of a new escape room called Apollo 18: Lunar Landing, where guests will solve clues to safely land Apollo 18 on the moon.
A new accommodation category, Ultimate Panoramic Suites, also will be introduced, offering wide ocean views from their location directly above the ship’s bridge.
Allure of the Seas’ dry dock, lasting roughly six weeks, will begin following her transatlantic cruise from Miami on February 10, 2025 and conclude in Barcelona on February 22, 2025.
The ship will be in dry dock until her first Mediterranean cruise on April 11, 2025, when she sails a 4-night getaway from Barcelona to Marseille, France, and Palma De Mallorca, Spain.
Carnival Guest Says She Was Harassed For Shoe Choice
A Carnival Cruise Line guest sparked some controversy on Brand Ambassador John Heald’s Facebook page when she described being harassed by fellow cruisers due to the choice of shoes she wore during dinner on a formal night.
Formal nights are not what they used to be — tuxes and floor-length gowns are rarely seen anymore, but the dinner designation still means that most guests do a bit of sprucing up.
In this case, the distressed guest described how she was mocked by fellow cruisers for wearing a fancy flip-flop to dinner in the main dining room.
It was due to a medical condition, she explained to Heald. But some guests called her crude names such as “trash,” she recounted.
Heald responded that the guest should wear what she likes. Feet are under the table after all, and, as he put it “…Who cares, really?”
Many commenters agreed with him, with the hot topic drawing some 1,700 remarks in less than a day.
However, when the subject turned to wearing Croc Sandals in the dining room, a new controversy erupted. Some posted that Crocs are too casual and unattractive to be worn in a dining venue, while others said cruisers should mind their own business.
One commenter took a different approach, posting: “How about we just don’t judge each other. What anyone else wears has no effect on me or my cruise.”
Odyssey of the Seas Rescues 77 Refugees Off Greece
A lengthy rescue mission that saved 77 refugees stranded in the Ionian Sea was carried out by the crew of Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas during the overnight hours of August 5 to 6, 2024.
The time-consuming effort resulted in the ship having to miss a scheduled port call to Santorini on August 6, 2024. The 7-day Greek Isles cruise was operating roundtrip from Rome when Greek officials contacted the ship to request its assistance.
Media outlets reported that the ship altered her route to find the overcrowded sailboat, which was in distress about 130 miles off Pylos, on mainland Greece. The crew of the 4,200-guest Odyssey of the Seas lowered a lifeboat and retrieved all of the refugees on the sailboat.
Once onboard, the refugees were provided with food, water, and medical care, and transported to Kalamata, Greece, where Greek officials took over their care.
Besides Santorini, Odyssey of the Seas’ itinerary featured calls at Kusadasi, Turkey; Mykonos, Greece; and Naples, Italy, before returning to Rome on August 11, 2024.
The ship will remain based in Italy through October, and then reposition to Cape Liberty, New Jersey, for a winter series of Bahamas and Caribbean cruises. In April 2025, the ship will return to Rome for her summer schedule in the Mediterranean.
Disney Treasure Marks Construction Milestone
Disney Cruise Line’s highly-anticipated Disney Treasure celebrated a milestone when she was floated out of her construction bay at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The event drew a crowd in Papenburg, on the banks of the River Ems, as the 4,000-guest ship touched water for the first time.
Disney music filled the air, Minnie Mouse made an appearance, and a fireworks display capped off the festive event as the ship sounded her horn to the tune of “When You Wish Upon a Star.”
The float-out means that most of the exterior construction is finished (smokestacks still need to be installed, for instance), and workers are set to begin the ship’s interior design. Once the outside and inside work is completed, the ship will sail the River Ems to open water, where sea trials will be held.
At that point, the ship’s navigation, propulsion, safety, and other systems are evaluated before Disney Treasure is delivered to the cruise line. The ship will homeport at Port Canaveral, Florida, and her maiden sailing is set for December 21, 2024.
The 7-night voyage will call at Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; and Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s private island in the Bahamas.
Another new-build, Disney Destiny, also is under construction at the Meyer Werft yard. She is slated to launch in December 2025.
Princess Cruises Unveils Faster Internet Service
Princess Cruises announced a new and faster internet service, called MedallionNet Max, that will debut across the fleet in 2025 for guests who buy the Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages.
The service, which will roll out on August 31, 2025, will utilize SpaceX’s Starlink satellite Internet constellation, offering users speeds from 50 to 150 Mbps.
The Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages provide a range of amenities and services such as drinks, specialty restaurant meals, fitness events, reserved seating in ship theaters, and other perks.
The MedallionNet Max service for one device will be added to Princess Plus packages, which cost $60 per person, per day, while service for four devices will be added to Princess Premier plans, which cost $80 per person, per day.
Currently, Princess Cruises offers a MedallionNet Classic WiFi plan to guests at an a la carte price of $24.99 per day for a single device and $44.99 per day for multiple devices. These services will continue to be provided to guests who do not book the Princess Plus or Princess Premier plans.
Princess Cruises on August 7, 2024 set up a demonstration of the speed and strength of MedallionNet Max in the form of a UGC (User Generated Content) competition onboard Enchanted Princess.
A group of well-known UGC players, such as Shubble, Krinios, and Fruitberries, competed to escape a digital labyrinth. Other players competed remotely.
‘Flying Scotsman’ Announces Retirement From Carnival Cruise Line
One of Carnival Cruise Line’s well-known and popular fleet cruise directors, Chris “The Flying Scotsman” Williams, is retiring from his post effective on August 10, 2024 to spend more time with his family.
The 40-year-old entertainer and performer joined the Fun Ship line 13 years ago as a singer. He later became a performer and then cruise director before a promotion in November 2023 to fleet cruise director.
Williams, who worked on several ships during his years with the line, including Mardi Gras, Carnival Sunrise, and Carnival Dream, made his announcement in a social media video.
It was at his recent birthday party, Williams explained, when he reflected on the time he is able to spend with his 5-year-old daughter. Fleet cruise directors frequently travel from ship to ship, training staff and handling various administrative tasks.
The decision to spend more time with his family prompted his resignation from the cruise line. Many coworkers and Fun Ship guests responded to Williams’ video with warm wishes for his future life.
Cruise director Lee Mason wrote: “A huge congrats on all your incredible achievements, but more importantly, hats off for following your heart and prioritizing your family and friends. It’s been an absolute honor to work with you.”
There has been no word from Carnival Cruise Line about whether Williams will be replaced.
More Cruise Headlines
And that’s not all! Cruise Hive has even more news you won’t want to miss. Check out our coverage on MSC Cruises unveiling a new tool to help its ships reduce emissions; P&O Cruises signing a promotional pact with a UK football club; Norwegian Cruise Line expanding its military benefits to Canadians; Oceania Cruises revealing its 2025 Europe cruises; and an expansion of Port Canaveral hitting some possible roadblocks.
