A high number of Diamond and Platinum VIFP guests will be onboard for Mardi Gras’ upcoming Transatlantic crossing, which sets sail on September 13, 2025.
As a result, loyalty benefits like priority embarkation and disembarkation and early stateroom access will not be available.
This is the latest example in which there have been too many elite cruisers onboard at once, which helps to justify the controversial overhaul to the current VIFP loyalty program.
Guests who are just days away from embarking on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras have learned that they won’t necessarily get the VIP experience onboard – or VIFP experience we should say – that they were expecting.
The voyage in question is a 14-night Transatlantic crossing from Port Canaveral, Florida, to Barcelona, Spain, that embarks on September 13, 2025.
Carnival has issued a letter confirming that too many elite members of the VIFP loyalty program will be onboard for this sailing, which makes it impossible to offer some of the perks that top-tier Diamond and Platinum members may be accustomed to.
“Due to the high number of Diamond and Platinum guests joining us on this voyage, we will not be able to provide the following benefits,” the letter begins.
In this case, priority embarkation and disembarkation will not be offered, including at any ports of call.
This would have been helpful when the Excel-class ship visits the new Celebration Keyin the Bahamas; Santa Cruise de Tenerife, Canary Islands; Cadiz, Spain; and Malaga, Spain.
Early stateroom access, even just to drop off luggage, will also not be allowed. Similarly, priority luggage delivery for checked suitcases will not be available either.
Next, it will not be possible for the guest services team to provide priority assistance to these elite cruisers by phone or at the desk onboard.
Last but not least, main dining room seating requests made by Diamond guests cannot be guaranteed due to capacity limitations.
But while this news may be disappointing, other perks like complimentary beverages, welcome treats that are available upon request, and the collectible VIFP pins will still be offered.
Missing Perks on Journeys Sailings
This isn’t the first time that Carnival has had to revoke loyalty benefits and it likely won’t be the last, at least until the revamped Rewards Program kicks innext summer.
Carnival Journeys sailings, which are longer voyages like Mardi Gras’ quickly approaching Transatlantic voyage, are more likely to welcome a greater number of elite VIFP passengers.
As a result, the ability to offer perks is more likely to become impractical on these extended cruises.
“These operational changes are consistent with other Carnival Journeys cruises where we have a very large number of Diamond and Platinum guests,” Carnival explained in the letter.
“We apologize for any disappointment and thank you for your understanding. We look forward to welcoming you aboard for a unique, fun, and memorable cruise.”
Most recently, Carnival Conquest’s unique adults-only sailing that embarked on August 22, 2025, was not able to offer these standard perks.
This was a longer 9-night southern Caribbean voyage that was marketed to top VIFP guests and members of the Carnival Players Club, so this news was not all that surprising.
However, guests booked on four normal family-friendly Carnival Journeys Sailings that were operated by Carnival Pride, Carnival Radiance, Carnival Dream, and Carnival Venezia at the beginning of this year would have received similar letters about saying goodbye to perks.
Although Carnival’s new Rewards Program has received a flood of criticism, these are all repeated examples of how the current VIFP program isn’t sustainableand doesn’t allow the cruise line to properly reward its most loyal passengers.
Loyalty status will reset every two years instead of being set for life, which is where much of the pushback is coming from. However, this is a necessary change to prevent situations where there are too many elite passengers onboard at once.
A Carnival guest made his room steward’s day by gifting the crew member a pair of Air Jordan sneakers.
As these crew members spend most of their time on their feet and working hard, this is an extremely generous and thoughtful gift.
If you would also like to give a gift to a crew member on your next cruise, make sure it is an item that they are allowed to accept and that it is given to them in the right way.
Cruise passengers most commonly make the news because they’ve done something bad, but it’s also important to highlight the good within the cruising community.
One recent guest of Carnival Cruise Line is certainly a good egg. He is making waves on social media for giving his room steward the gift of a lifetime.
Indeed, an unidentified passenger gifted the room steward his very own pair of Air Jordan sneakers. A sweet video captured their exchange.
The kind gesture initially left the Carnival employee speechless, but his wide eyes and huge smile made his joy abundantly clear.
He even points to the shoes excitedly to show someone off camera and holds them as if they are his baby.
As he regains his composure, the room steward hugs the generous gentleman and the woman recording, who is presumably the gifter’s wife or girlfriend, while thanking them over and over again.
The cruise community has celebrated this guest’s good deed, and the crew member’s joy is contagious.
“His happiness makes me so happy!!! Whoever gave those to him rules,” one person responded.
A second exclaimed: “You made his whole life, they don’t make much. This was a true blessing to him!!!”
These popular shoes, which are endorsed by famous Basketball Player Michael Jordan, are no small gift either. Nike sells them for $130 to upwards of $255, depending on the model.
While very generous, the gift is also thoughtful and appropriate. On average, room stewards spend 10 to 16 hours a day on their feet cleaning cruise cabins, taking out the trash, making beds, scrubbing toilets, and more.
A supportive and stylish pair of sneakers is likely the perfect pick-me-up to motivate the hard-working room steward and to make his job a little bit more fun and comfortable.
Giving Gifts to Crew Members
Others also enjoy giving gifts beyond standard tips, either to give crew members some extra joy and/or to make sure they are stocked on essentials.
“I go to Walmart the day before my cruise and buy large bottles of soaps, lotions, tooth paste etc. and I leave it all in my room along with a tip and let my attendant know what I left is for you,” one cruiser said.
“They send everything they have back home to their families and they treat customers so well. I love this,” she continued.
“I be given out my hats when I go out of the country and when I go on cruises. I’ll do shoes next go around,” another person chimed in.
Of course, cruise guests are not required to give crew members extra gifts or big tips if they do not want to or are not able to, as everyone’s financial situation is different.
Although adding the pre-paid gratuities to your Carnival booking is recommended, even those are not required. They currently run at $16 per person, per day for standard staterooms and $18 per person, per day for suites.
If guests are planning to bring an extra gift for the crew members, they should first confirm that it is something that they are allowed to accept.
For example, crew members cannot accept food items unless they are factory sealed in the original packet or box for safety reasons.
Additionally, it’s important to note that crew members must be handed gifts directly, as they may not be able to accept items that are left behind by guests in their staterooms.
And when in doubt, cash is always king and a bigger tip is always gladly accepted.
Stay on top of the major cruise developments with this week’s exciting edition of Cruise Hive’s Cruise News Update.
This recap features stories about Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship starting her sea trials, Royal Caribbean charging a no-show fee to guests who book a specialty restaurant reservation but never arrive, and Celebrity River Cruises revealing the first design details of its new ships.
Don’t miss a thing! Stay informed about the big cruise headlines each day by signing up for Cruise Hive’s Daily Update.
Missed Call to Nassau Angers Carnival Cruise Line Guest
Some cruise passengers take itinerary changes in stride, and others don’t.
One guest who recently sailed on a Carnival Cruise Line ship was infuriated by a port call change that brought guests to the line’s private destination, Celebration Key, rather than the originally planned Nassau, Bahamas.
He reached out to Brand Ambassador John Heald on social media, demanding to know why the switch was made and offering his own opinion.
Since the cruise line offered no explanation as to why the ship’s itinerary was changed, the angry guest charged that Carnival’s move was a money grab, hoping that guests would spend at the private destination.
The guest said he was entitled to a full refund, since he had chosen the voyage specifically for its scheduled port calls.
Not so fast, Heald responded, pointing the guest to the cruise line’s ticket contract, which states that the brand has the right to alter itineraries at any time and for any reason, and that no compensation is necessary when changes are made.
Disney Adventure Takes to the Ocean For Sea Trials
Disney Adventure Departing (Photo Credit: @RickyGTS)
Disney Cruise Line’s new Disney Adventure is nearing completion at her shipyard in Germany, and on September 1, 2025 began a set of required sea trials.
The ship, which will accommodate up to 6,000 guests when she enters service in December 2025, is the largest ever built for the cruise line.
Sea trials will test the ship’s major systems, including navigation, propulsion, and safety. Once completed, the ship will receive her final outfitting at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Wismar, Germany, before being delivered to Disney Cruise Line.
The 208,000-gross-ton Disney Adventure will serve the Asia market and be homeported in Singapore on a year-round basis. The ship will sail 3- to 5-night cruises to nowhere.
Disney Cruise Line bought the vessel, formerly called Global Dream, in 2022 from Genting Cruise Lines. The ship was partially constructed at that time and was sold when Genting’s parent company, Genting Hong Kong, went bankrupt.
Disney Cruise Line has since transformed the ship to include the iconic spaces and experiences that define the Disney brand.
Cruise Line Stands By Its No-Gambling Rule
Carnival Cruise Passengers on Deck (Photo Credit: Ritu Manoj Jethani)
One Carnival Cruise Line guest was recently reminded that no gambling of any kind is allowed outside the casinos on its ships, not even dice or card games where small amounts of money are wagered among friends.
It happened onboard a recent cruise, when a crew member approached a group of guests he saw betting with cash while playing the dice game Left Center Right. The crew member informed the group that they needed to stop playing the game.
One of the guests described the crew member’s reminder as very rude.
The guest complained to Brand Ambassador John Heald. Writing on his popular Facebook page, the cruiser told Heald that he and his friends were making small bets, topping out at $20 total.
However, under Carnival Cruise Line rules, even a bet of one cent is not permitted outside the casino.
Heald confirmed that no gambling is allowed in other spaces at all, ever. Dice and card games are not prohibited, only the cash wagers are.
Medical Evacuation Delays Ship on Bermuda Voyage
Carnival Sunshine Airlift (Credit: Dan Flood)
Sometimes a medical emergency can disrupt a cruise ship’s schedule, and one did just that onboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Sunshine early on September 1, 2025.
It was around 4:30 a.m. when a guest needed emergency medical treatment and had to be airlifted from the ship, which was sailing a 6-night Bermuda cruise roundtrip from Norfolk, Virginia.
The ship departed from Norfolk on August 31, 2025 and was due to arrive at Bermuda’s King’s Wharf on September 2, 2025. However, due to the delay caused by the US Coast Guard’s helicopter evacuation of the ill guest, the ship was not expected to arrive in Bermuda until September 3, 2025, guests reported.
Bermuda cruises typically feature an overnight stay. In this case, Carnival Sunshine was scheduled to provide the overnight, which it did, giving guests close to 30 hours in the destination before returning to Norfolk.
In addition to Bermuda cruises, the 3,000-guest ship also sails 6-night Bahamas cruises and 8-night Eastern Caribbean voyages from Norfolk.
Royal Caribbean Takes Hard Line on Dining No-Shows
Lincoln Park Supper Club on Star of the Seas
Specialty dining venues are wildly popular across the cruise industry, with virtually every cruise line now offering multiple themed spaces serving global cuisines. However, space is limited and it can be hard to score a dining reservation.
Royal Caribbean is hoping to ease the situation by charging a fee to guests who book a reservation at a specialty venue but then don’t show up. The cruise line’s action indicates that no-shows are a growing problem.
The cruise line notified travel agents of its plan to charge no-shows in a recent communication.
The cruise line already charges cancellation fees, in some cases. On Royal Caribbean’s website, a specialty dining FAQ page states that specialty dining reservation cancellations must be made at least 24 hours before the arrival time.
Cancellations within 24 hours of the reservation will incur at least a $25 per person fee, and no-shows will also be charged, although the no-show amount is not stated.
The specialty venues have different cancellation fees; top-of-the-line venues like Empire Supper Club and Chef’s Table, for instance, will charge a $50 per person fee.
Celebrity Reveals Design Plans For New River Ships
Celebrity Cruises River Ship
Celebrity River Cruises offered a glimpse into what its new river vessels will look like when the first two debut in 2027, and the designs reflect unique elements.
For one thing, the river brand revealed that its ships will have open decks — something not seen on traditional river vessels, and that the top decks of the new-builds will have an al fresco dining venue and infinity pool.
When parent brand Celebrity Cruises announced it was entering the river space in early 2025, it promised that the river ships would borrow some popular spaces from its Edge-class ocean ships. One of those spaces is called Magic Edge, which is inspired by the Magic Carpet venue found on the blue-water ships.
Like Magic Carpet, Magic Edge will be a cantilevered platform that will float above the water alongside the ships. On the river vessels, Magic Edge will serve as a dining venue.
The river cruise brand also announced the names of its first two ships, both of which will enter service in 2027: Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker. The two vessels will sail 7-night itineraries along the Rhine and Danube. Bookings are expected to open in 2026.
Carnival Adds New CHEERS! Zero Proof Package
New Carnival Drink Package
Virtually every type of non-alcoholic beverage is included in a new zero-proof package that Carnival Cruise Line has started to offer on cruises departing on and after September 15, 2025.
The new drinks package, called CHEERS! Zero Proof, was created as a result of guest feedback, which indicated that many cruisers want a comprehensive package offering spirit-free beverages.
If purchased in advance of departure, the package costs $29.99 per person, per day. The price rises to $34.99 for guests who buy the plan onboard their ship.
On all of the line’s beverage packages, including this one, an 18% automatic gratuity is added to each drink purchase.
Beverages covered by the package include coffees and teas, mocktails, alcohol-free beer and wine, bottled water, soda, juices, smoothies, milkshakes and protein shakes, energy drinks, and frozen drinks.
Not covered by the plan are beverages sold in souvenir glasses, room service and mini-bar drinks, and drinks sold at a ship’s gangway in advance of shore excursions.
Carnival Cruise Line’s other beverage plans include Bottomless Bubbles, covering just soda and juices, and its CHEERS! all-inclusive alcoholic drink package.
More Cruise Headlines
Let’s keep going with more cruise news! Check out our coverage of a Cunard ship missing an Alaska port call due to the recent landslide near Tracy Arm, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Firenze altering her itinerary to avoid a tropical storm brewing near the Mexican Riviera, and rough weather prompting an Ambassador Cruise Line ship to remain in a Norwegian port.
Also, a Holland America Line ship rescues two sailors from a sinking ship off the coast of Maine, and some guests are questioning whether Carnival Cruise Line’s adult-only Serenity space is really serene enough.
Police say a Pittsburgh-area resident raised more than $40,000 on GoFundMe for her injured cousin but instead used over $37,000 for personal use.
Investigators found a $6,200 charge tied to a Carnival Cruise Line voyage.
The woman now faces charges of theft by deception and receiving stolen property.
When a cousin was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area resident Vanessa Lewis had good intentions of helping. In August 2024, she set up a GoFundMe campaign to support his recovery, drawing in more than $40,000 in donations.
But investigators allege that the money was never used for medical care. Instead, they say Lewis spent the funds on herself, including a cruise.
The investigation began when the injured man’s father saw photos of Lewis posted on social media while she was on a cruise. He soon discovered the account’s funds had dwindled and contacted the police.
The police report revealed the account had over $40,000 in August 2024, but by March 24, 2025, it had been reduced to just over $3,000.
Authorities say Lewis allegedly withdrew or transferred more than $37,000 from the account.
One of the largest expenses they uncovered was a $6,200 payment tied to a Carnival Cruise Line ship sailing out of Miami.
While media reports the ship is “Carnival Parade” it may have been Carnival Paradise, which sailed from Tampa in 2024, or then-Miami-based ships like Carnival Horizon, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Magic, Carnival Conquest, or Carnival Celebration.
Police also found evidence of a wire transfer of more than $21,000 to another account.
Meanwhile, the injured man’s family said they never received any help from the fundraiser.
Cruise Ships in Miami, Florida (Photo Credit: MikeDotta)
Lewis, 29, is now facing charges of theft by deception and receiving stolen property and was released on $10,000 bail. Her first hearing will take place on September 16, 2025.
According to Pennsylvania law, theft by deception if a felony of the third degree is the value is more than $2,000. If found guilty, the penalty is up to 7 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
The penalty for receiving stolen property is also a felony of the third degree with the same prison time and fine applicable.
Misusing Funds for Cruises
Using stolen funds to pay for cruises might sound like the plot of a bad movie, but it happens more often than one would think.
Just last year in Florida, investigators charged 51-year-old Melissa English, the former church financial secretary of Amelia Baptist Church, with embezzling more than half a million dollars from her congregation between 2019 and 2024.
Some of that money, prosecutors say, went toward cruise tickets, along with Airbnb rentals and concert tickets.
In Virginia, Shannel Peoples-Hilliard, who served as business manager at a private school in Richmond, admitted to misusing nearly a quarter-million dollars of school funds from 2021 through mid-2024. Among her personal charges? A Royal Caribbean cruise.
She just pleaded guilty in the case on September 4, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
In June 2025, a 64-year-old woman embarking on a Norwegian Cruise Line Alaska cruise was also arrested for allegedly embezzling thousands from a church in Wyoming.
Royal Caribbean has extended the cancellation of visits to Labadee, Haiti for another six months.
Eight different Royal Caribbean ships will have dozens of itineraries adjusted for the port’s continued closure.
Various alternative ports are being arranged for impacted sailings wherever possible.
Private destinations can be a highlight of a cruise vacation, providing exclusive experiences in unique locations for social-media-worthy cruise memories. Guests booked on a number of upcoming Royal Caribbean cruises, however, will not be visiting Labadee as planned.
The cruise line has reached out to travel agents and begun contacting booked guests with the cancellation news. All visits to Labadee, Haiti continue to be suspended at least through April 2026.
This means it will be a full six months before Royal Caribbean might reconsider port visits to the private destination on Haiti’s north shore.
Depending on the exact ship and sailing date, cruisers are being notified of different changes to their itineraries.
For example, the November 1, 2025 Freedom of the Seas sailing is a 5-night Eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami that originally planned to visit Labadee and Nassau. With Labadee cancelled, other plans had to be arranged.
“We have added a new port of call to our itinerary! We’ll now visit the beautiful Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, instead of our visit to Labadee,”the cruise line announced.
The November 15, 2025 sailing for the same ship, however, will be visiting Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic instead of Labadee. The December 22, 2025 sailing will go to Falmouth, Jamaica.
Other ships that will now be changing destinations and no longer visiting Labadee include:
Adventure of the Seas
Allure of the Seas
Explorer of the Seas
Independence of the Seas
Jewel of the Seas
Liberty of the Seas
Oasis of the Seas
Symphony of the Seas
The exact number of port visits each ship will have adjusted depends on their original itinerary schedules. In some cases, it may be necessary to rearrange other ports or shift port visit times to accommodate the changes.
In addition to visits to Grand Turk, Puerto Plata, and Falmouth, other alternative destinations include Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Nassau, and Royal Caribbean’s private Bahamian island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Any pre-paid Labadee shore excursions booked through Royal Caribbean will be automatically cancelled and refunded to the original form of payment. If possible, tours will be rescheduled for the ships’ new plans.
As a last resort, the Labadee cancellation may become an extra day at sea if no alternative ports are available. Port schedules, berth availability, and sailing distance can all be factors in this shuffling of ships.
Why So Many More Labadee Cancellations?
All of these itinerary changes impacting eight different ships – more than one-quarter of the Royal Caribbean fleet – are being made “out of an abundance of caution” due to violence in Haiti.
Much of the gang-related violence is centered around Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, which is more than 80 miles south of Labadee. To drive between the two would take roughly six hours due to winding roads and mountain ranges.
Cruise Passengers in Labadee, Haiti (Photo Credit: Mary Baratto)
Nevertheless, the possibility of tourists being targeted for crimes such as mugging, carjacking, sexual assault, and kidnapping makes it a wise decision to cancel the port visits.
All of Haiti has been under a state of emergency since March 2024, and Royal Caribbean has canceled hundreds of ship visits to the destination. The US Department of State currently has a Level 4: Do Not Travel warning posted for Haiti.
This is the longest single extension the cruise line has made for the cancellations. This could reflect the continued increase in Haitian instability as well as the need to make alternative port plans further in advance during the busy Caribbean winter sailing season.
German federal police board the Disney Adventure during a refueling stop as it undergoes sea trials.
The police arrested two workers with outstanding warrants.
Despite the disruption, the ship continues sea trials and remains on schedule for delivery to Disney Cruise Line.
Just when passengers were starting to get excited about the debut of Disney Adventure, drama has already unfolded for Disney Cruise Line, which is renowned for its family-friendly atmosphere.
The 6,000-guest vessel had just left its German shipbuilder, Meyer Werft, on September 1, 2025, to conduct sea trials. While stopping at the Sassnitz-Mukran ferry port in Wismar on September 3, 2025, to refuel, German federal police made a dramatic entrance.
Turns out they were there to arrest two shipyard workers who were aboard the ship, in connection with two separate cases.
A spokesperson for the federal police told local media that they had executed a targeted operation to arrest workers with outstanding warrants.
One man detained, according to the media, was a 44-year-old from Croatia who has been wanted by the Augsburg, Germany, police in Bavaria for a 2022 drunk-driving offense.
The second man was a 24-year-old man from Slovenia who was wanted in Munich for fraud.
The first worker was allowed to remain with the cruise ship after paying a fine while the second was removed and taken to a correctional facility in Germany. Names of those arrested were not released.
While the police sting raised concerns, the 208,000-gross-ton Disney Adventure was able to continue on its maiden test run and sea trials.
Sea Trials Continue
Disney Adventure, now the largest ship ever built for Disney Cruise Line, officially began its sea trials on September 1. These are a series of rigorous testing of the vessel’s propulsion systems, navigation, safety systems, and overall seaworthiness to ready her for passengers.
The trials, which take place in open water, have the vessel in the Baltic and North Seas to expose it to any technical or mechanical issues while still under construction at the shipyard.
Disney Adventure Departing (Photo Credit: @RickyGTS)
Currently, the ship has over 1,400 workers onboard to conduct these trials and once complete, Disney Adventure will undergo final outfitting of its exterior and interior and ready for delivery, including furniture installation, themed spaces, and entertainment venues.
The road to this milestone began all the way back in 2018 as Genting Hong Kong’s Global Dream, with steel cutting in March and keel laying in September of that year.
While part of the vessel was floated to the ship builder in 2019 for assembly, work stalled due to Genting Hong Kong’s bankruptcy, and Disney Cruise Line swooped in to buy the unfinished vessel in 2022.
With tweaks to transform the ship into a Disney vessel, she completed her float out in April 2025 and is expected to be delivered to the cruise line by late September 2025.
Following delivery, Disney Adventure will embark on a voyage to Singapore with planned stops at New York City; Nassau, Bahamas; and Port Canaveral, Florida, to provide a first look at the massive ship.
Her highly anticipated maiden voyage is scheduled for December 15, 2025, offering 3- and 4-night cruises to “nowhere” from the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore. She will remain home-based in Asia.
MV Gemini collided with the pier in Piraeus, Greece on the morning of Friday, September 5, 2025.
The ship’s hull has been significantly punctured and will likely need repairs before the vessel can resume sailing.
Cruise ship vs. pier impacts aren’t frequent, but they’re also not uncommon and many factors can contribute to such incidents.
Maneuvering a cruise ship while docking is a tricky situation. For MV Gemini of Miray Cruises, docking in Piraeus, Greece on Friday, September 5 was too challenging, and the ship has been significantly damaged from impact with the pier.
Insider reports to Crew Center verify the damage, which appears to be above the ship’s waterline. Nevertheless, a substantial and lengthy gash down the hull may impact MV Gemini‘s seaworthiness.
A brief video of the ship shows the damage on the port aft corner of the ship, which remains tied up in Piraeus.
The ship will need to be carefully assessed to determine the extent of the repairs. Undoubtedly, MV Gemini will be unable to depart until fully repaired and thoroughly inspected.
It is unknown how the impact could have occurred, including whether or not any wind gusts or wave swells might have caused unexpected motion just as the ship was docking. Such sudden forces could have contributed to the impact.
Typically, bumpers are in place for a ship to “rub” a pier without actually making impact. It is also possible that such bumpers may have failed or otherwise been out of alignment during the ship’s docking maneuvers.
A full investigation will determine what factors played a part in the incident and who, if anyone, may have been at fault to cause the collision.
Mv Gemini in Athens, Greece (Photo Credit: GEORGE STAMATIS)
There are no reports of any injuries among either guests or crew members onboard.
MV Gemini first launched in May 1991 with the now-defunct Crown Cruise Line. The 19,093-gross-ton ship has had a varied past, having served with six different cruise lines during her lengthy service life, including Cunard Line and Celestyal Cruises.
Since 2019, the yacht-like vessel has belonged to Miray Cruises. Though plans for a residential three-year cruise were eventually scrapped, the ship has sailed on with short Greek Islands cruises.
The ship can accommodate 1,074 guests per sailing.
Pier Collisions Not Uncommon
While they are rare, pier collisions between docks and cruise ships aren’t actually uncommon. These incidents can happen with both large and small ships from any cruise line and at any port.
In early July 2023, Ruby Princess collided with the pier at her then-homeport of San Francisco following a 10-night Alaskan cruise. A significant dent and hull scrapes had to be repaired, causing her next sailing to be abbreviated while that work was finished.
Later that same month, Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady contacted a mooring dolphin at PortMiami, denting and perforating the starboard aft hull. Fortunately, repairs could be completed quickly and the ship set sail again after just more than a six-hour delay.
In February 2024, Carnival Magic was pushed by winds and swells into the pier while visiting Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The ship was forced to depart early due to rough weather, but was able to return later to collect passengers who were ashore.
Prospective cruisers who might be concerned about whether or not their ship might be involved in a similar accident should rest easy. Every day in ports around the world, hundreds of cruise ships dock safely and smoothly, with no damage to piers or hulls.
A 57-year-old female cruise passenger passed away after a freak vehicle accident in Ketchikan, Alaska on Thursday, September 4, 2025.
The vehicle crashed through a fence and ended up in nearby Ketchikan Creek. Bystanders intervened to rescue the driver.
Five cruise ships were in port on Thursday but no cruise line has released a statement to confirm which vessel the guest was sailing on.
What should have been an enjoyable day exploring the Last Frontier turned into tragedy for a cruise traveler who lost her life in a traffic accident in Ketchikan.
On Thursday, September 4, 2025, a 57-year-old woman from Auburn, Indiana was killed in what appears to have been a freak accident.
According to KTUU Alaska’s News Source, the incident happened at approximately 8:40 a.m. in downtown Ketchikan near Creek Street. A parked vehicle suddenly accelerated, broke through a nearby fence, and landed in Ketchikan Creek.
Several pedestrians were hit while bystanders (local residents and tourists) jumped into the creek to rescue the driver from the rapidly submerging car. One bystander, Dylan Self, used a rock to break the car’s window to extract the driver and performed CPR until emergency personnel could take over.
“I pulled her out and placed her on top of the roof of the car,”Self said.“I started doing CPR and that’s when a little bit of water came out and she started trying to get the water out herself.”
The swift-water rescue team from the Ketchikan Fire Department pulled people from the creek and crews later removed the vehicle and began repairs.
Two victims were transported to the PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center in critical condition, and the Indiana woman was later pronounced deceased at the medical center.
Five cruise ships from three different cruise lines were visiting Ketchikan on Thursday. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Bliss was in port, as well as Holland America Line’s Eurodam and Koningsdam, along with Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess and Sapphire Princess.
As many as 16,000 cruise guests may have been visiting Ketchikan on Thursday, depending on close to full capacity each ship was booked.
It has not been confirmed which ship the deceased guest was sailing on. Based on the timing of the ships’ arrivals, however, it could not have been either Koningsdam or Sapphire Princess, both of which arrived in Ketchikan after the accident.
Ketchikan Cruise Port (Photo Credit: sljones)
No cruise line has made a statement about the incident. This will help safeguard the woman’s privacy and that of her traveling companions, family members, and friends at this very upsetting time.
Undoubtedly, the accident will be thoroughly investigated. It is possible that a medical incident or a mechanical problem could have contributed to the car’s erratic behavior and caused the accident.
The incident has not impacted Friday’s cruise visits to Ketchikan, though the boardwalk area where the accident occurred remains closed as repairs continue.
Accidents Can Happen in Any Port of Call
Unfortunate accidents can and do happen in different ports of call for a variety of different reasons.
Just one year ago, in September 2024, a tour bus in Skagway, Alaska overturned and injured 12 cruise guest passengers. In that accident, the bus driver suffered a medical episode.
An elderly woman unfortunately passed away following an electric wheelchair malfunction in December 2024 while she was visiting St. Maarten on a cruise.
Vehicle accidents, including on scooters and motorcycles, are frequent causes of crashes. Cruise lines often warn guests not to rent such vehicles to use in port due to unknown or inconsistent safety regulations.
While thousands of cruise guests so happily and safely visit ports of call all over the world, travelers should always remain vigilant in unfamiliar places.
Carnival Firenze is adjusting her September 4, 2025 departure to remain well north of Tropical Storm Lorena.
All port visits are preserved, but the days and times for both Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas have changed.
Tropical Storm Lorena is expected to weaken through Friday and into Saturday before dissipating completely.
As the Atlantic hurricane season nears its peak, historically around September 10, it can be easy to forget that tropical storms and hurricanes also form in the Pacific Ocean.
Guests boarding Carnival Firenze on Thursday, September 4, 2025 won’t easily forget, however, as their entire itinerary has been adjusted and reversed to avoid Tropical Storm Lorena.
Carnival Cruise Line notified guests of the change the day before embarkation, when the storm was still a hurricane.
“Our Fleet Operations Center is actively monitoring Hurricane Lorena that has developed in the Eastern Pacific,”the email explained.“Based on current forecasts, and to remain a safe distance from storm conditions and offer a better experience ashore, it is necessary to revise our itinerary.”
Carnival Firenze is sailing a 5-night Mexican Riviera itinerary. To make the most of the sailing, preserve all the port visits, and stay safely away from the storm, nearly every day on the schedule has been adjusted.
Friday, September 5: Ensenada, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (previously at sea)
Saturday, September 6: Fun Day at Sea (previously Cabo San Lucas)
Sunday, September 7: Cabo San Lucas, 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (previously at sea)
Monday, September 8: Fun Day at Sea (previously Ensenada)
Tuesday, September 9: Return to Long Beach
Only the ship’s departure and return to Long Beach is unaffected. This dramatic change, however, does permit Carnival to preserve all the planned port visits, rather than completely cancelling any stops during the sailing.
Any pre-paid excursions booked through Carnival Cruise Line for either Ensenada or Cabo San Lucas will be automatically adjusted to the new days and visit times. Guests will be notified if their excursions can no longer be accommodated.
“We apologize for this weather-related change and trust you understand this decision was made with everyone’s safety in mind,”the cruise line explained.
No matter what the condition of a tropical storm or hurricane, the severe weather can be unpredictable. It is best to make changes close to the sailing in the hopes of preserving as much of the originally planned itinerary as possible.
Tropical Storm Lorena Update
As of Thursday afternoon, just a couple of hours before Carnival Firenze is departing Long Beach, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that Lorena’s maximum sustained winds had decreased to 50 miles per hour.
Stronger wind gusts remain possible, however, and tropical-storm-force winds extend as far as 60 miles from the center.
Heavy rain is likely from the storm, with some areas forecast to get eight inches or more of rain. Because that can cause shore tour cancellations and possible mudslides, it is a wise precaution for Carnival Cruise Line to reroute Carnival Firenze.
Though Tropical Storm Lorena is not forecast to make landfall, she is just 160 miles offshore of the Baja Peninsula. Because swells and high winds can be felt so far from the center, Carnival Firenze would have been in for rough sailing on the original itinerary.
Instead, the ship will now stay much further north of the storm until late Saturday. By that time, the tropical storm is expected to have largely dissipated and Carnival Firenze should enjoy smooth sailing.
