It’s been another busy week for cruise news, and Cruise Hive has it all covered. In our recap this week, we have stories from Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, and Norwegian Cruise Line.
In This Article:
Cruise News Update
Let’s delve into the big cruise industry headlines of the past week, including stories about a social media post that shows off a drinks hack; Utopia of the Seas altering a Bahamas itinerary; a new stateroom nightlight in Carnival Cruise Line ships that is causing problems for some; a gala christening event for Utopia of the Seas; Norwegian Jewel sailing seasonal cruises from Philadelphia; and Carnival Cruise Line changing its free drink perk.
Cruise Hack Fails
Revealing a secret on TikTok, or any social media platform, might not be the best idea, it turns out. That was the case for one cruiser who posted a video showing how to smuggle alcohol onto a cruise ship.
The guest showed how he replaced the contents of soda cans with alcohol, then resealed the multipack with glue to make it appear untouched. But cruise security staffers are on the lookout for social media hacks, and discovered this one.
Cruise security teams have altered inspections to include tricks like this one, and at one terminal, they did uncover the soda can hoodwink. In another maneuver posted by the same trickster, his video shows how to open a wine bottle, replace its contents with liquor, then put back the cork and seal it up as good as new — or almost as good as new.
Some viewers on TikTok criticized the action, suggesting that cruise lines could respond by not allowing any wine to be brought on board. Currently, most cruise lines do allow guests to bring limited amounts of wine onboard at the start of a cruise.
Other viewers suggested that the soda can and wine bottle trickster purchase a beverage package rather than risk being caught by security staff. Virtually every cruise line offers a package. Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package costs between $63 and $89 per person per day, for instance, while Norwegian Cruise Line’s Premium Beverage Package costs $99 per person per day.
New Ship to Call Twice at Perfect Day at CocoCay
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas has just entered service following a gala christening event on July 15, 2024, and already the cruise line is advising about an itinerary change.
The ship sails 3- and 4-night Bahamas cruises from Port Canaveral, with two port calls — one at Nassau, Bahamas, and one at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island. However, on the February 3, 2025 departure of a 4-night sailing, the ship will visit Perfect Day twice.
Originally, the sailing was to call first at Nassau, followed by a day at sea before arriving at Perfect Day. But the cruise line moved the Nassau port call to Day 3 of the sailing, and added a second call at the private island.
Utopia of the Seas’ new itinerary visits Perfect Day on February 4 and 6. On both days, the ship will be docked at the private island from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The visit to Nassau is now scheduled for February 5, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
No reason was given for the change. Itinerary data shows that Royal Caribbean’s 3,800-guest Adventure of the Seas also will call at Perfect Day on February 6, and the line’s 3,600-guest Liberty of the Seas will call on February 4, meaning that on both of Utopia of the Seas’ visits to the private island, a second ship will be there as well.
Perhaps the line added the second visit so that guests would be sure to have enough time to experience all that the private island has to offer since they will be sharing the destination with thousands of other cruisers.
Nightlight Too Bright For Some Carnival Cruise Line Guests
It’s hard to please all of the people all of the time, Carnival Cruise Line is finding out, now that its new, motion-sensor bathroom nightlight has prompted complaints from some guests.
The stateroom enhancement, which had often been requested by guests, apparently is too bright for some. The nightlight that has been added to some ships, including Carnival Legend, was featured in a video on Brand Ambassador John Heald’s Facebook page after a guest complained about its level of brightness.
“It was like a prison searchlight. My husband tried stuffing towels along the crack so if one of us needed to use the bathroom, it would not disturb the other,” the guest wrote.
Heald noted that the cruise line will be adding the nightlight to more ships and that it is meant to be a safety measure, to prevent guests tripping or falling in the dark on the way to the bathroom. However, even though the light shuts off automatically after 30 seconds, its brightness causes a temporary glare in the stateroom, guests said.
Some commenters suggested that the nightlights be adjustable, with a dimmer capability each guest can control, or that changing the color of the glow to blue would result in a less harsh glare. Heald did not indicate whether the line will consider either of those solutions.
Gala Christening Event Held For Utopia of the Seas
Superstar singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor declared it was a “dream come true” to perform onboard Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas after serving as godmother to the new ship — the world’s second-largest behind the line’s Icon of the Seas.
A three-day gala celebration was held, including the naming ceremony on July 15, 2024 and nonstop parties onboard the 236,680-gross-ton ship as well as at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.
The star-studded event also featured the performers Reverend Run from Run DMC and DJ Ruckus. Trainor’s performance on the ship was held in the outdoor AquaTheater.
The 5,668-passenger Utopia of the Seas, homeporting at Port Canaveral, was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France and was delivered to Royal Caribbean ahead of schedule, on June 13, 2024.
Following her transatlantic journey from France that began on June 23, the ship arrived at her Florida port on July 11, 2024. Utopia of the Seas operates 3- and 4-night getaway cruises to the Bahamas, with all itineraries calling at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas.
Guests have many entertainment choices onboard the ship, which features live music venues, stage shows, multiple pools, and a water park with thrill rides such as the twin FlowRider surf simulators and the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest dry slide at sea spanning multiple decks.
Norwegian Jewel to Deploy to Philadelphia in 2026
Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2,376-guest Norwegian Jewel will sail Bermuda and Canada/New England cruises from Philadelphia in 2026, adding another mega-ship to the busy and populous mid-Atlantic region. No cruise ship currently homeports or calls at Philadelphia, a city home to some 1.6 million people.
The ship will sail 7- to 9-night Bermuda cruises starting on April 16, 2026, with overnights at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda, and a port call to historic Charleston, South Carolina.
Norwegian Jewel will also operate two fall foliage Canada and New England sailings from Philadelphia to Quebec City, departing on September 5 and 26, 2026. The 11-night cruises will call at Boston; Bar Harbor, Main; Saint John, New Brunswick; Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; and other ports.
The Port of Philadelphia is delighted with the development, since cruisers will likely spend time sightseeing in the City of Brotherly Love before or after their vacation at sea, bringing added revenue to the city and the region.
The 93,502-gross-ton Norwegian Jewel is currently offering Alaska itineraries from Vancouver, Seward, and Seattle. The ship will transition to Tampa to spend the winter of 2024-2025 in the Caribbean.
The summer of 2025 will see her homeported at Boston. The ship will return to Tampa for winter and spring 2025 before her arrival in Philadelphia.
Cruise Line Makes ‘Free Drink’ Perk More Flexible
Following feedback from guests, Carnival Cruise Line lifted most of the restrictions it had traditionally placed on its free drink perk given to loyalty club members.
For years, a free drink has been a bonus offered to Gold, Platinum, and Diamond members of the cruise line’s Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) loyalty program. But there were conditions.
Gold passengers could order the free drink only on sailings of five nights or longer, and the perk could only enjoyed after 5 p.m. on the last night of the cruise.
For Platinum and Diamond guests, the itinerary length did not matter, but the drink could only be redeemed during the Sea Day Brunch in the Main Dining Room, or at breakfast or lunch if no brunch event was scheduled.
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald announced big changes to those restrictions, saying the new policies, effective on July 20, 2024, are much more flexible.
“Gold members will be able to redeem their appreciation drink on 5+ day cruises at any of the bars, at any time. Platinum and Diamond members can also order their complimentary cocktail at any time at any bar,” Heald posted on his Facebook page.
The brand ambassador also revealed that major updates to the line’s loyalty program are in the works and are expected to be announced in the coming months.
More Cruise Headlines
Cruise Hive, your go-to source for cruise news, has many more articles you won’t want to miss. Check out our articles about Celebrity Cruises setting the date for its 2025 President’s Cruise; Virgin Voyages rolling out a promotion offering free cruises; Crystal Cruises adding two wellness sailings; a UK cruise port celebrating a big boost in cruise arrivals; and Celebrity Cruises adjusting its casino loyalty program.
