Are you caught up on all of the major cruise news events from the past week? You will be if you read on. This week’s Cruise News Update from Cruise Hive has the latest developments from Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, and Mexico.
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In This Article:
- Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels 35 More Voyages
- Major Water Leak Impacts Oasis-Class Ship
- Mexico Postpones Charging Cruise Guests a Fee
- Small Fire Is Confirmed on MSC Seashore
- New Name, Upgrades for Half Moon Cay Private Retreat
- Confiscation of Confetti Confounds Carnival Guest
- First Royal Beach Club to Open in December 2025
- More Cruise Headlines
Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels 35 More Voyages
Many guests booked on Norwegian Cruise Line ships received disappointing news about cancelled sailings. It was the latest in a spate of cancellations that has impacted ships across the fleet in recent weeks.
The latest round of cancellations — 35 in all — affects Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Encore, and Norwegian Joy. Guests will receive a full refund and a 10% discount on a future voyage in the form of a future cruise credit.
On Norwegian Bliss, 9 cruises were nixed: November 30, December 5, 20 and 27, 2025; and January 3 and 10, February 1 and 16, and March 3, 2026.
Norwegian Breakaway has 10 cruises cancelled between January 6 and February 6, 2026.
Norwegian Encore has 7 cancelled sailings between November 29, 2025 and January 16, 2026.
Norwegian Joy has 9 voyages cancelled, including November 29; December 13, 20, and 27; January 17; February 21 and 26; March 3; and April 11.
The cruise line, which just weeks ago cancelled 38 cruises on three other ships, offered no explanation for the changes other than citing fleet redeployments.
Major Water Leak Impacts Oasis-Class Ship
Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas is scheduled for a dry dock overhaul in February 2025, and perhaps it can’t come too soon.
The ship experienced a major pipe leak during a 3-night Bahamas cruise that departed PortMiami on December 6, 2024, causing significant flooding to an unknown number of staterooms and corridors.
Some guests posted photos of flooded hallways onboard the 5,500-guest ship, which is 15 years old. It was the cruise line’s second Oasis-class ship, and entered service in 2009.
Social media videos also showed water pouring from ceilings and overhead lights, forcing many guests to be assigned to new cabins. The flood did not impact the ship’s itinerary, and she continued on to Nassau, Bahamas, and to Perfect Day at CocoCay, the line’s private island destination, as planned.
Allure of the Seas had been slated for dry dock renovations in 2020, but that was delayed. Starting in February 2025 the ship will undergo a two-month-long refit.
Mexico Postpones Charging Cruise Guests a Fee
The cruise industry will have more time to try to convince Mexico that its proposed $42 fee charged to cruise passengers calling at the nation’s ports is a bad idea. The country’s non-resident fee has been in place for years but was not charged to cruise arrivals.
The Mexican government surprised the cruise industry when it approved expanding the fee to cruise guests starting in January 2025. Following a backlash from cruise lines, government officials agreed to delay implementation until July 1, 2025.
The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) believes the tax will cause a 15 percent drop in cruise calls, since cruise lines will change some itineraries to avoid Mexico. The fee would total $168 for a family of four cruising together and visiting even one Mexico destination.
Cruise passengers were exempt from paying the fee because they were “in transit” tourists, but new legislation removes the exemption. With 10 million cruise guests expected to call at Mexico ports in 2025, the fee would raise significant revenue for the country.
The FCCA plans to work with Mexico toward a solution.
Small Fire Is Confirmed on MSC Seashore
One thing you don’t want to see or smell on a cruise ship is smoke, but that is exactly what guests onboard MSC Cruises’ MSC Seashore experienced on the first night of their voyage from Port Canaveral.
It was the evening of December 8, 2024 when some guests took to social media to post reports of smoke on the 170,412-gross-ton ship. One post on Reddit came from a cruiser who heard two loud bangs and then a sizzling sound, followed by smoke that smelled like an electrical fire.
Other posts cited a lack of power to elevators and stated that internet access was limited. MSC Cruises confirmed that a small fire had erupted in the emergency generator room but was quickly dealt with. No injuries were reported.
The fire did not cause any itinerary change to the 7-night voyage, and the ship sailed as planned to her first port call, the line’s private Ocean Cay resort in the Bahamas.
Any needed repairs were made while the ship was visiting Ocean Cay, and the vessel is continuing on her way to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, before returning to Port Canaveral on December 15, 2024.
New Name, Upgrades for Half Moon Cay Private Retreat
Half Moon Cay, the private island destination in the Bahamas used by sister lines Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line, was renamed RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, and is set to receive several new enhancements.
The new name is meant to point up the island’s calming influence and natural attractions.
Plans call for the addition of two welcome areas, a beach club, enhanced dining venues, a tram service, and lounge areas with private cabanas that can be rented for the day.
The redo of the retreat came after an announcement in summer 2024 confirming that a new pier will be built, large enough to enable Carnival Cruise Line’s Excel-class ships to call. These include Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee.
Starting with 2026 itineraries, ships from both cruise lines will begin calling at the upgraded destination. The first of the Excel-class ships to visit is likely to be Carnival Jubilee. The ship is slated to sail from Galveston, Texas, on an 8-night Bahamas cruise on September 19, 2026.
The itinerary shows ports of call at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay as well as Celebration Key, another private destination set to open in summer 2025 on Grand Bahama Island.
Confiscation of Confetti Confounds Carnival Guest
Confetti cannons, those party items you pull the top off of to release a stream of confetti, might be the next product added to Carnival Cruise Line’s prohibited list.
A guest on a recent Carnival Breeze sailing wrote to brand ambassador John Heald and complained that confetti cannons brought onboard by her daughter to be part of a gender reveal party were confiscated by staff.
She wanted to know why. Heald, responding to the query on his popular Facebook page, noted that the item is not officially on the line’s prohibited list.
However, since the guests were using the cannons at an outdoor space, staff likely confiscated them because any confetti that went overboard into the ocean could put the line at odds with environmental rules.
There are regulations regarding the discharge of items that could contaminate the ocean or marine life. Heald indicated he would follow up with cruise line executives to have the cannons added to the prohibited items list.
Carnival Cruise Line recently expanded that list to include Bluetooth speakers, because they could represent a safety threat. If speakers are playing loudly, guests and crew might not be able to hear safety announcements made over a ship’s public address system.
First Royal Beach Club to Open in December 2025
Royal Caribbean guests will be able to experience the line’s Royal Beach Club Paradise Island starting in December 2025. The cruise line announced the planned opening and revealed more details about the destination’s amenities.
Guest sailing on itineraries that call at the private, resort-style retreat can start booking their day passes in spring 2025, although the cost of the pass has not yet been disclosed.
Highlights of the beach club include the world’s largest swim-up bar, and a new, 2-story Ultimate Family Cabana loaded with bells and whistles such as a water slide and frozen drink maker.
The Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, situated a short water taxi ride away from the cruise terminals at the Port of Nassau, will have three distinct zones: Family Beach, Chill Beach, and Party Cove.
The family cabana will be located in the Family Beach area, along with a pool and games for kids. At Chill Beach, guests will find a quieter atmosphere with a pool and beachfront sunbathing areas.
Party Cove will be where the action is, featuring a party vibe, a DJ spinning music, and the big swim-up bar.
Besides the spacious family cabana, other cabanas will be available to rent. No rental rates have been announced yet but are expected soon.
More Cruise Headlines
Cruise Hive has much more coverage about cruise industry news you won’t want to miss. Check out our coverage on St. Lucia receiving a record-high number of cruise ships in one day; MSC Cruises capping drink packages at 15 drinks per day; a small yacht crashing into a mega-ship in the Bahamas; Oceania Cruises rolling out a New Year sale; and a Greek island celebrating a record-breaking cruise season.
