Disney Cruise Line has confirmed that it will not be returning to Australia and New Zealand after the upcoming 2025/2026 season.
Disney Wonder will sail away with no planned return on February 2, 2026, after spending just three seasons exploring the region.
Disney Cruise Line will continue to make magic in new markets, and will debut Disney Adventure in Asia as soon as this December.
The rumors are true. Disney Cruise Line is permanently leaving Australia and New Zealand, at least for now.
Many DCL fans suspected as much as Disney Wonder, which is the Disney shipdeployed to the Land Down Under, was noticeably absent from port schedules for the 2026/2027 season.
And indeed, the 2025/2026 Australia cruise season, which will run from October 2025 to February 2026, will be the last for the 84,130-gross ton ship.
But now, the most magical cruise line at sea has confirmed the news in no uncertain terms that the Disney brand will be sailing elsewhere for the foreseeable future.
“We are currently going to be sailing in the Australia and New Zealand region up until February 2026. We will not return for the 2026/2027 season,” Tristan, a representative from Disney’s shoreside guest services leadership team, confirmed to Yahoo News.
Disney Wonder’s final round-trip voyage in the region will be a 3-day cruise to nowhere from Sydney, Australia, that embarks on January 30, 2026.
The 2,713-guest ship will then set sail on a 14-night one-way voyage from Sydney to Honolulu, Hawaii, on February 2, 2026.
Disney’s tenure in Australia was ultimately quite short. The brand only entered Australian waters for the first time ever at the end of 2023 when Disney Wonder embarked on her inaugural “Disney Magic at Sea” cruise.
The final itineraries show a good variety in length, ranging from 3-10 days and embarking fromMelbourne, Auckland, and Sydney.
While some feature ports of call, others are cruises to nowhere that allow guests to really embrace the entertainment onboard.
Why is Disney Leaving?
As much as inquiring minds would like to know, Disney Cruise Line has not released a reason for why the brand has decided to pull out of Australia and New Zealand.
That said, the powers that be are always keeping in mind supply and demand, as well as the company’s future goals.
When looking at our Cruise Hive booking feature, Disney Cruise Line’s sailings in the region are significantly more expensive than comparable sailings offered by brands like Carnival Cruise Line – which may be a contributing factor.
“We’re always looking at different destinations to explore with our guests, along with our crew members,” Tristan, the Disney representative, added.
“Sailings from Australia and New Zealand remain on our list for future consideration, however since future itineraries have not been released past the 2026/2027 season, we’re not able to make any comments on that regrettably,” he said.
Disney Wonder Docked in Sydney, Australia (Photo Credit: Stephen D. Gard)
As Disney has historically released new itineraries 15-18 months in advance, those sailings should be released really any time now.
DCL fans were not upset by the news, and were excited to explore new locations with Disney. Some hoped that Disney Wonder would be assigned to more domestic homeports.
“I feel ok if it means more San Diego sailings,”one cruiser said.
“I’m hoping at some point the Wonder makes its way to Galveston (or New Orleans if that resumes). We’re from Missouri and those are my closest home ports,” another chimed in.
Of course, the cruise line is also expanding to another brand new market this year with the debut of Disney Adventure in Singapore in December.
Parents can now track their children onboard Star of the Seas with a new feature called “Find My Kid” in the Royal Caribbean App.
Kids wear a tracking bracelet (called the Adventure Ocean WOW Band) that sends their real-time locations to their parents’ smartphones.
This feature is currently only available onboard the second Icon-class ship and for kids between the ages of three and 12.
For many kids, a cruise vacation offers their first taste of independence.
With surveillance, onboard security teams, and the sheer fact that kids are confined to the ship, many parents will allow their children to roam free at least some of the time.
But onboard the world’s largest cruise ships, such as Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas and the newly launched Star of the Seas, the idea of letting your child explore on their own can be a bit more intimidating.
Both of these giant mega-ships can accommodate a whopping 7,600 guests at maximum capacity across 18 passenger decks that are packed full of attractions, meaning it could be easy to lose track of your little humans in the mix.
Thanks to a new tracking feature called “Find My Kid” that has debuted onboard the new Star of the Seas, parents will now be able to track their child’s location in real time using the Royal Caribbean App and the Adventure Ocean WOW Band.
The WOW Band, which is both waterproof and colorful (just how kids like it!), acts as a tracker that parents can access from their smartphones.
This option applies to kids between the ages of three and twelve, who are often too young for cellphones to message or text their parents using Wi-Fi packages.
How to Use “Find My Kid”
While many cruisers like to plan in advance, nothing needs to be done before embarkation day to use the “Find My Kid” feature.
Once onboard, parents can register their children at the Adventure Ocean Kid’s Club on Deck 6. Adventure Ocean WOW Bands must be purchased for $14.99 if families don’t already own one.
Positively, these bands can be used on future cruises for no additional fee, and also come with additional benefits that make thema good value for the money.
WOW Bands are already used on several other Royal Caribbean ships, but the “Find My Kid” tracker is not as of the time of publication.
For example, kids can use their WOW Bands to unlock their cabin doors so they don’t necessarily have to carry around their SeaPass cards. They can also be used to make parent-authorized onboard purchases.
Find My Kid App Feature
At least for the bands purchased onboard Star of the Seas, the band will also show the child’s muster station, which is very helpful if the young cruiser is on their own during an unexpected emergency.
Once a WOW Band has been purchased, parents can then sign up for the “Find My Kid” feature.
In order to access the tracker in the app, parents just need to follow three simple steps. First, they must connect to the onboard Wi-Fi network.
Next, parents will open the Royal Caribbean app and select the “Find My Kid” icon in the app’s menu.
From there, parents will be shown a live view of their child’s location on the app’s deck maps.
At this time, the “Find My Kid” tracker is only available onboard Star of the Seas – but it would not be surprising to see it roll out to more ships in the fleetin the near future.
A version of the tracker, called “Kidfinder,” was already tested onboard Icon of the Seas in the summer of 2024.
Holland America Line’s largest ships are those in its Pinnacle class — MS Rotterdam, MS Nieuw Statendam and MS Koningsdam — while its smallest ship is the MS Volendam.
As is the case with so many cruise lines, Holland America’s largest vessels are its newest, and its smallest ships are its oldest, and so there’s a big difference between them, beyond mere size.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking of booking a cruise on any of the 11 Holland America cruise ships.
Holland America’s Rotterdam Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: StudioPortoSabbia)
Holland America Line’s three newest ships, all in the Pinnacle class, tie for being the largest ships in the fleet. The ships in the Pinnacle class overall are about 15% larger than the ships in the cruise line’s Signature class.
The Pinnacle class ships include MS Rotterdam, MS Nieuw Statendam and MS Koningsdam, with MS Rotterdam, which debuted in 2021, being the newest of the three.
However, don’t let this fact convince you that the Pinnacle-class ships are big by today’s standards. When you look at the cold, hard numbers, Holland America Line’s biggest ships are still less than half the size of the largest cruise ships in the world by gross tonnage, and about a third the size of the largest cruise ships in the world by passenger capacity.
You may view this as a pro or a con, depending on the type of cruiser you are. Some cruisers prefer smaller ships, with fewer people, even if it means giving up some amenities. Other cruisers, though, want as much fun as possible, and as many options as possible, and they don’t care about crowds.
MS Rotterdam features 14 dining options, six bars and lounges, and a two-deck Lido Pool with a retractable magro-dome roof.
Gross Tonnage: 99,863
Length: 975 feet
Width: 114.8 feet
Passenger Capacity: 2,668
Crew Capacity: 1,025
Entered Service: 2021
MS Nieuw Statendam
Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam (Photo Credit: iralgo74)
The middle Pinnacle-class ship, MS Nieuw Statendam is pretty much identical to MS Rotterdam. Beyond being the same size by GT, they have the same number staterooms (1,339). They have the same restaurants. They have the same theaters and Holland America’s signature entertainment venues.
The few places where they differ? Holland America reports that MS Nieuw Statendam can hold just a few more passengers than MS Rotterdam, despite the ships’ equal size and number of staterooms.
Additionally, while the two ships have the same number of bars and lounges, MS Nieuw Statendam has the Taste venue, whereas MS Rotterdam has the Half Moon Bar. Likewise, Nieuw Statendam has an art studio and MS Rotterdam does not.
Gross Tonnage: 99,863
Length: 975 feet
Width: 114.8 feet
Passenger Capacity: 2,692
Crew Capacity: 1,025
Entered Service: 2018
MS Koningsdam
Holland America Koningsdam (Photo Courtesy: Holland America Line)
The very first Pinnacle class ship, when MS Koningsdam initially debuted, it was a pretty big deal. After all, as mentioned, the Pinnacle class was significantly larger than any of the other Holland America Line ships to come before them. That means that these ships introduced new venues and experiences previously unseen on the cruise line.
Though the exact same gross tonnage, length and width as its Pinnacle class sister ships, MS Koningsdam does carry fewer passengers, at 2,650 people, and it has just a handful fewer staterooms (1,331 to the other ships’ 1,339). Still, MS Koningsdam has a handful more crew members (1,036 to the other ships’ 1,025).
These differences, however, are so minute that you won’t notice them.
Gross Tonnage: 99,863
Length: 975 feet
Width: 114.8 feet
Passenger Capacity: 2,650
Crew Capacity: 1,036
Entered Service: 2016
MS Nieuw Amsterdam
Photo Credit: Wangkun Jia / Shutterstock
The fourth Signature-class ship, MS Nieuw Amsterdam is approximately 15% smaller than the Pinnacle class ships, give or take. As such, it can hold about 500 fewer passengers and a couple of hundred fewer crew members.
The ship debuted in 2010 and received refurbishments in 2023. This refurbishment only really added one new space, but it’s one that you won’t find anywhere else, on any other ship in the Holland America Line fleet: Morimoto by Sea, a restaurant crafted in partnership with celebrity Chef Masaharu Morimoto.
Otherwise, the refurbishment focused on updating aspects of a ship that get a lot of wear and tear, such as carpeting and curtains.
Gross Tonnage: 86,700
Length: 936 feet
Width: 105.8 feet
Passenger Capacity: 2,106
Crew Capacity: 874
Entered Service: 2010
MS Eurodam
Holland America Line Cruise Ship
MS Eurodam is only very slightly smaller than MS Nieuw Amsterdam, at 86,273 gross tons, so about 400 GT less. The two otherwise are very similar, as they’re the only two ships in the Signature class.
MS Eurodam was refurbished and updated in the 2010s, so not long at all after it debuted. This refurbishment added a Gallery Bar, and made updates to cosmetic features like carpet and furniture, as needed.
Gross Tonnage: 86,273
Length: 936 feet
Width: 105.8 feet
Passenger Capacity: 2,104
Crew Capacity: 876
Entered Service: 2008
MS Noordam
Holland America Noordam Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: twabian)
Just a bit smaller, MS Noordam is a member of the Vista class. The Vista class was the Signature class’s predecessor, and there aren’t a huge amount of differences between the two classes, except for size.
MS Noordam is considered quite small by modern cruise ship standards, but the ship still features six restaurants, five bars and lounges, six entertainment venues and public spaces such as a casino and pickleball courts.
Gross Tonnage: 82,318
Length: 936 feet
Width: 105.8 feet
Passenger Capacity: 1,924
Crew Capacity: 811
Entered Service: 2006
MS Westerdam
Westerdam in Alaska (Photo Credit: Effy Jewelry)
Another member of the Vista class, MS Westerdam continues the trend of being just ever-so-slightly smaller than its newer sister ships. It weighs in at about 13 GT less than MS Noordam — such a small amount that you won’t even be able to tell. The ship also carries about eight fewer passengers, technically.
Interestingly enough, MS Westerdam does offer two dining experiences that MS Noordam does not: Tamarind and the Morimoto by Sea pop-up (not to be confused with the Morimoto by Sea restaurant that can only be found on Nieuw Amsterdam). It also features the Gallery Bar, which is not on MS Noordam.
Gross Tonnage: 82,305
Length: 936 feet
Width: 105.8 feet
Passenger Capacity: 1,916
Crew Capacity: 812
Entered Service: 2004
MS Oosterdam
Holland America line Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Atakan Divitlioglu / Shutterstock)
MS Oosterdam entered service just a year before MS Westerdam, and the two sister ships are pretty similar. In fact, MS Oosterdam, MS Westerdam, and the older MS Zuiderdam all tie for size, with the same gross tonnage.
MS Oosterdam underwent a dry dock in April 2025. Refurbishments focused in on making the ship more accessible per ADA standards. The spa was overhauled.
The casino was expanded, as was seating around the Lido Pool (removing the ship’s taco bar in the process). Many other spaces also received cosmetic enhancements through decisions like replacing carpeting.
Gross Tonnage: 82,305
Length: 936 feet
Width: 105.8 feet
Passenger Capacity: 1,964
Crew Capacity: 812
Entered Service: 2003
MS Zuiderdam
Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock
As mentioned, MS Zuiderdam is equal in size to sister ships MS Oosterdam and MS Westerdam. MS Zuiderdam was the first ship in the Vista class. It’s been refurbished throughout its lifetime and is known in part for its large ratio of ocean view and balcony staterooms to interior rooms.
MS Zuiderdam’s last refurbishment was in 2017, but since MS Oosterdam underwent a dry dock much more recently, there’s hope that perhaps MS Zuiderdam will be brought up to current standards soon as well.
Gross Tonnage: 82,305
Length: 936 feet
Width: 105.8 feet
Passenger Capacity: 1,988
Crew Capacity: 812
Entered Service: 2002
MS Zaandam
Holland America Zaandam Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Wayleebird / Shutterstock)
When looking at Rotterdam-class member MS Zaandam, and contrasting the ship against MS Zuiderdam, there’s a stark difference in size. MS Zaandam is about 20,000 GT smaller and about 150 feet shorter, and carries about 500 fewer people and 200 fewer crew members.
MS Zaandam has eight dining experiences, five bars and lounges, three entertainment venues, a casino, game room, kids club, pickleball courts and more.
Gross Tonnage: 61,396
Length: 781 feet
Width: 105.8 feet
Passenger Capacity: 1,432
Crew Capacity: 604
Entered Service: 2000
MS Volendam
Holland America Line Volendam (Photo Credit: Wangkun Jia)
MS Voldendam is both the smallest and the oldest ship in the current Holland America fleet. It’s pretty close in size to MS Zaandam, but it’s still clenched the honor of “smallest ship” by weighing in at a few hundred GT less.
When you compare this smallest ship to the largest ship in the fleet, MS Rotterdam, the difference equates to approximately a 40% reduction in size.
Still, for only fitting around 1,400 people at max, this ship manages to give you lots of options, including eight restaurants, five bars and lounges, a casino, pool, spa and pickleball courts.
The highly anticipated Disney Destiny officially floated out at Germany’s Meyer Werft Shipyard on August 9, 2025.
The important construction milestone was celebrated with fireworks, an appearance by “Hero” Minnie Mouse, and the debut of the ship’s new theme song.
In the coming months, the Wish-class vessel will see her interior completed, will undergo her sea trials, and will make her way to Port Everglades, Florida, for her maiden voyage in November.
It’s been an exciting day at the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Germany, where crowds gathered to witness the moment where Disney Destiny floated out of Hall 6 for the very first time.
This important construction milestone, which took place on August 9, 2025, marks the moment where the newly constructed cruise ship transitions from dry dock to a wet dock for the very first time.
The float out ceremony is often celebrated as the first time a new-build touches the water, but technically the Wish-class ship was “floated up” in March to allow construction crews to start testing the engines and other essential onboard systems.
However, it is the first time she has floated on her own in open water, which is a huge accomplishment in its own right.
Naturally, Disney Cruise Line couldn’t let this momentous occasion go by without a big celebration.
As the 144,000-gross ton ship floated into the sun, colorful fireworks were fired into the sky – which is fitting considering Disney is currently the only cruise line to offer fireworks at sea.
Just like its older sister Disney Treasure, the 4,000-passenger vessel is also getting its very own signature theme song, which was played for the first time during the float out celebration.
“Here’s the Disney Destiny’s float out celebration moment at MEYER WERFT, complete with a first listen to the ship’s new anthem,”Scott Gustin, who attended the event, posted on X.
Disney Destiny Floats Out
While the name of the catchy tune has not been announced, we can confirm that repeated upbeat lyrics like “This is your Destiny! Seize the moment, it’s your time” certainly fit the Disney brand and the “Heroes and Villains” theming of this ship.
Onlookers also got to hear the ship’s horn play out “When You Wish Upon a Star” (from Pinocchio) for the first time, which is the nostalgic horn song that serves as the cruise line’s famous calling card.
The First Real Look at Disney Destiny
The float out ceremony is always exciting because it marks the completion of the exterior of the cruise ship.
While Disney has released sneak peaks of what to expect along the way, this is the first time that cruise fans have really been able to see everything finished and put together on the LNG-fueled masterpiece.
The ship inched out of the construction hall with the stern (back) revealed first, with the mounted Spiderman and his famous Spider-Bots immediately drawing attention.
Minnie Mouse was also on site to greet DCL’s new addition, debuting a special hero outfit that matches the heroic artwork of Minnie on the bow(or the front) of the ship.
As a Disney fan myself (and a former cast member), seeing the freshly finished navy hull, classic red funnels, and gold accents is something that will never get old.
Disney Destiny is now well on her way to completion, with another key milestone met for the first time during her float out. Indeed, the vessel also docked for the first time.
“The Disney Destiny has been successfully docked.Today the Disney Destiny has left our building dock and is now on the equipment pile,”reads a translated social media post from the Meyer Werft Shipyard.
The post continues: “A big thank you to the entire team for their precise and dedicated work!”
Workers will now put the finishing touches on the interior of the ship, before sending her off on her sea trials in the coming months.
She’ll then make her way to Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida, in time for her maiden voyage, which embarks on November 20, 2025, and sails to both of Disney’s private islands in the Bahamas.
Disney Adventure, the largest cruise ship to ever join Disney’s fleet, also floated out in the very same shipyard on April 19, 2025. She will debut in Asia in December.
Star of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, arrived at Port Canaveral for the first time on August 9, 2025.
The 248,663-gross-ton vessel will host multiple preview sailings for media, travel advisors, and select guests before its public debut.
Diana Ross will serve as godmother during the ship’s naming ceremony later this month.
The wait is nearly over! The world’s largest cruise ship sailed into the Florida Space Coast’s Port Canaveral for the very first time on August 9, 2025.
The 248,663-gross-ton Icon Class ship sailed past Jetty Park escorted by a water cannon tugboat before docking at the port’s recently renovated Cruise Terminal 1.
“She’s here!” Port Canaveral shared on its social media channels, along with arrival photos of the Royal Caribbean’s newest ship.
Star of the Seas, which was delivered to Royal Caribbean on July 10, 2025, from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Turku, Finland, began her journey across the Atlantic later that month.
Arriving in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on August 4, 2025, Royal Caribbean is now conducting a full-on preview blitz, beginning with a special media and influencers preview sailing that departed Ponce on August 6 to Port Canaveral.
Sailing well below the vessel’s full 7,600-guest capacity, the 3-night cruise staggered venues and experiences to give lucky insiders an unavailable preview.
Travel advisors are the next group to get a taste of the ship from August 9 to 13, followed by one last media preview from August 13 to 16, building the excitement for regular-Joe guests who will finally get to see the ship for themselves for yet another “showcase” cruise.
That special August 16 “Star”-studded celebration will feature Star of the Seas’ official naming ceremony, led by the “Queen of Motown” Diana Ross.
Royal Caribbean will take passengers on a 4-night journey that features the cruise line’s private island destination, Perfect Day at Coco Cay in the Bahamas.
There will be a 3-night departure on August 20, and 4-day option on August 23 and August 27 before the first “real” cruise: a 7-night Western Caribbean voyage beginning August 31 that will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Coco Cay, a feature of every Star of the Seas’ sailing.
What’s Ahead for Star of the Seas
The reason for so many preview sailings? Thank the shipbuilders, Meyer Turku in Finland, for its speedy early delivery of Star of the Seas on July 10, 2025.
Meyer Turku, which previously completed sister ship Icon of the Seas, learned Icon class’ tricks and breezed through steel cutting in February 2023, keel laying in December 2023, the float out in October 2024, and sea trials in May 2025.
Star of the Seas in Port Canaveral
Once Star of the Seas catches up to her original schedule, she will alternate between the Western and Eastern Caribbean, with the latter visiting St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.
That first itinerary sailing will take place on September 7, 2025.
Meanwhile, as Star of the Seas’ homeport, Port Canaveral is offering a free “sailabration” event to coincide with the vessel’s onboard naming party.
Locals and visitors are invited to Jetty Park, where food trucks, themed giveaways, music, and more will be offered as the ship sails away.
Festivities for the event at the port begin at 3:30 p.m. and requires parking passes that can be purchased in advance through the port’s website.
An unidentified man made a report that he had an explosive device while in the parking lot that serves Southampton’s Mayflower Cruise Ferry Terminal on August 9.
Out of an abundance of caution, the cruise terminal and P&O Cruises’ Ventura were evacuated.
Thankfully, the bomb threat was proven to be a hoax, and there was no significant delay to Ventura’s itinerary, aside from departing Southampton slightly late.
For thousands of cruise guests sailing out of Southampton in the UK, their vacations got off to a frightening start thanks to a bomb hoax.
On the morning of August 9, 2025, a bomb threat was reported at Southampton’s Mayflower Cruise Ferry Terminal, where P&O Cruises’ Ventura had just begun the embarkation process for a 14-night sailing to Spain, Portugal, and the Canary Islands.
By 11:46 a.m. local time, police were on the scene to investigate after an unidentified man claimed to have an explosive device.
A 200 meter (656 feet) perimeter was established while experts searched a motor truck belonging to the suspect and the surrounding area. Thankfully, the threat was not credible and no bombs were found.
“We are satisfied that there is no risk to the public, and the cordon will now be lifted,”said a spokesperson for the Hampshire Constabulary.
During the search, the cruise terminal and the 3,192-guest Ventura had to be evacuated out of an abundance of caution because they would have been within the range of a potential explosion.
“The captain made an announcement that we were in the bomb zone and we had to get out,” an unidentified 28-year-old cruise guest told The Daily Echo.
P&O Cruises later confirmed that an evacuation order was issued in an official statement.
“Due to an earlier police incident and in an abundance of caution, we made the decision to evacuate Ventura and the passenger terminal. This incident has now been resolved and normal embarkation operations have resumed,” said a P&O Cruises spokesperson.
“The safety of our guests, crew and port staff is our highest priority and we are grateful for the co-operation of the authorities,” the Carnival-owned brand continued.
Princess Cruises’ Sky Princess, P&O Cruises’ Iona, and MSC Cruises’ MSC Virtuosa were also in the busy UK port during the incident, but were far enough away to not be directly impacted.
Because of the delayed embarkation and evacuation efforts, current passengers were told to expect a delayed departure.
“We are on Ventura and leaving late, hopefully about 6:15pm now,”one guest reported.
As of 6:30 p.m. local time when I checked, cruise tracking data confirmed that the 116,017-gross ton ship was in the process of making her way out of the harbor.
Luckily, there should be no impact to the itinerary, with the ship still expected to make its first port call on Funchal (Madeira Island), Portugal, on August 13 as planned.
The other cruise ships in the port have reportedly set sail on time.
P&O Ventura Docked in Southampton (Photo Credit: Sail Away Media)
A road closure at Dock 10 that was also put in place during the incident, which temporarily caused increased traffic within the port, has now also ended.
However, the suspect who called in the fraudulent bomb threat will likely find his life is put on a continual delay.
Witnesses from onboard Ventura watched from the decks above as the man was taken into custody in the parking lot below.
Andy Palmer told The Mirror that he was enjoying an early lunch when he saw “a guy being dragged out of his car by six armed policemen.”
Depending on the charges, the perpetrator could face penalties from a fine to potentially years in prison if he is found guilty.
Bomb threats are always taken seriously. But because of the misuse of resources and the inherent danger that comes with a bomb hoax, the people behind them are often slapped with severe punishments.
Norwegian Escape‘s January 11, 2026 departure has every port changed to different days and times.
Costa Maya has been removed from the itinerary completely due to port availability.
The ship’s departure from New Orleans, Louisiana, has also been moved up by 90 minutes.
Experienced cruisers plan for months as their sail away date approaches to be sure everything goes smoothly, from packing to reaching the homeport to embarkation to that first bit of relaxation onboard.
Of course, even the most carefully laid plans can be disrupted, but REALLY experienced cruisers will even have a backup plan for that.
Guests booked on the January 11, 2026 departure of Norwegian Escape just might need to activate that backup plan based on the itinerary changes the cruise line has made to their sailing.
Norwegian Cruise Line reached out to booked guests and travel agents with the update, alerting them to some rather extensive changes for their 7-night Western Caribbean voyage.
In fact, only the two planned days at sea and the ship’s return to New Orleans are unchanged. Even embarkation has been dramatically shifted, which could impact some guests’ plans for arriving at the cruise terminal.
“We want to let you know that due to updated port availability, our visit to Costa Maya, Mexico, has been canceled,”the email notification explained.“We’ve also made a few small adjustments to our timing of your scheduled stops in Harvest Caye, Belize, Roatan, Bay Islands, and Cozumel, Mexico.”
I’m not sure who thinks completely changing the days of every single port visit as well as every port time amount to “small adjustments” but the overall impact on the itinerary is significant.
The new itinerary is as follows:
Sunday, January 11, 2026 – Depart New Orleans at 4 p.m. (formerly 5:30 p.m.)
Monday, January 12 – Day at Sea
Tuesday, January 13 – Day at Sea (formerly Cozumel, Mexico)
Wednesday, January 14 – Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras (formerly Harvest Caye, Belize)
Thursday, January 15 – Harvest Caye, Belize (formerly Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras)
Friday, January 16 – Cozumel, Mexico (formerly Costa Maya, Mexico)
Saturday, January 17 – Day at Sea
Sunday, January 18 – Arrive New Orleans at 8 a.m.
With the loss of Costa Maya as a port of call, the time has indeed been extended at two other destinations. Guests will now have one extra hour in Roatan and one extra hour in Belize.
The overall port time in Cozumel remains the same at 10 hours, but the time has shifted from originally 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will now be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Guests will especially want to note that Norwegian Escape will now be leaving New Orleans 90 minutes earlier than initially scheduled.
This can cause problems for any travelers arriving at the port later in the day, as they must be sure to make the now earlier all-aboard time or they could miss their cruise.
Why Such Dramatic Changes?
No detailed explanation has been offered for why Norwegian Escape‘s itinerary has been adjusted so drastically, other than “updated port availability” that impacts Costa Maya.
Interestingly, Norwegian Escape was the only ship scheduled for Costa Maya on her original visit date of Friday, January 16, 2026.
The other ports of call, however, have substantially more traffic. On Tuesday, January 13, a whopping 10 different ships were scheduled for Cozumel. In comparison, Friday, January 16 has just seven ships other than Norwegian Escape.
To be clear, Cozumel has multiple piers and can accommodate a higher number of ships. The more ships that visit on the same day, however, the more crowded tours can become and it will be a less pleasant visit for all guests.
Norwegian Escape in New York (Photo Credit: Mariusz Lopusiewicz / Shutterstock)
On Thursday, January 15, just four ships were scheduled for Roatan. On the day before, when Norwegian Escape will now visit, there will still be four total ships.
At Harvest Caye on Wednesday, January 14, Norwegian Escape would have been visiting along with Norwegian Dawn. Now on Thursday, January 15, Norwegian Escape will be the only ship.
Liberty of the Seas is the next Royal Caribbean ship to get Coca-Cola freestyle machines added onboard.
These high-tech soda fountains feature a greater variety of drink types and flavors, but some worry that they don’t work as well as they should.
Guests will need to purchase at least a basic drink package in order to enjoy drinks from the freestyle machines.
Soda lovers have something to celebrate! Another Royal Caribbean ship is getting a thirst-quenching upgrade with the addition of Coca-Cola freestyle machines.
Indeed, a recent guest onboard Liberty of the Seas saw the installation in progress in the Windjammer Buffet and outside of Sorrento’s Pizza, and confirmed what they were seeing with a crew member.
“Saw some work done in the windjammer near the station with the ice waters/juices/lemonade. I asked the worker what it was for and he said they were going to install the freestyle machines but no indication when this work would be complete,” the guest shared.
“Also saw one of these machines outside Sorrento’s so they’re probably getting added there too,” they inferred.
The freestyle machines offer smarter technology, such as easy-to-use touch screens and touchless drink pouring using a smartphone app.
Perhaps more important, these modern soda fountains offer a much wider selection of flavors and have the ability to dispense more than 100 different varieties of sodas, waters, and other drinks.
This is pretty amazing considering more standard soda fountains usually offer less than 10 main selections.
However, it’s unclear how many machines will be introduced onboard and when they will officially be ready for action. But it will likely be soon, as these machines can be installed in as little as a few hours on land.
Once the installation is complete, Liberty of the Seas will join the ranks of the 17 other Royal Caribbean shipsthat already feature the coveted freestyle drink machines.
It’s unclear when and if these higher-tech machines will be rolled out onboard the remaining ships in the fleet.
New Machine Gets Mixed Reactions
Somewhat surprisingly, the freestyle machines are rather divisive among cruise fans, who were either delighted by the news or very apprehensive.
Among the excited crowd, many celebrated the greater variety in beverage selections and felt that this addition was a long time coming.
“We have a bunch of zero cal/zero caffeine people in my family — the Freestyle machines add a lottt of variety for them. Glad to see this addition,”one cruise fan responded.
“Finally. A lot of people have been upset over the years because the soda package says freestyle machines and the ship didn’t have them,” another Royal Caribbean cruiser said.
But among cruisers on the fence, there were concerns about the drinks not tasting quite right, long lines to use the machines, and that the new additions might not work at all.
`Photo Credit: shorex.koss / Shutterstock
“Now everyone gets to stand and wait while Jayden fills up a cup with 30 flavors,”one person quipped.
“Hope they work well! Cruised on Harmony in May and they were terrible. Only 4 on the ship, 1 was inoperable, 1 couldn’t do any diet soda, and 1 had an ice issue that blocked the sensor,” a recent guest explained.
“I wish they had old single flavor soda fountains. The freestyle machine makes the sodas taste bad, there’s always a hint of flavor from the last person’s drink,” another cruiser lamented.
If you’re interested in trying out one of these Coca-Cola freestyle machines for yourself, you will need to invest in a drink package. Soda is not included in the standard cruise fare on Royal Caribbean cruises.
The most basic drink packageis the Classic Soft Drinks package, which includes the freestyle drinks, standard fountain drinks and refills, and a Coca-Cola souvenir cup.
Though prices vary based on the length of the voyage, this bottom-tier package usually costs between $12 and $15 per person, per day.
Guests looking to also add in juices and alcoholic beverages to their cruise experience may also want to consider the middle-tier Refreshment Package or the top-tier Deluxe Beverage package.
The Refreshment Package usually comes with a price tag of $29 to $42 per person, per day, while the daily fee for the premium Deluxe package usually ranges between $56 to $105.
Sister ships Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas met up for the first time on Friday, August 8 at CocoCay.
Icon of the Seas was on a regular sailing, but Star of the Seas only stopped for a photo visit.
Star of the Seas will make her first official visit to CocoCay on Sunday, August 17, on her first showcase sailing.
It was an iconic meeting of stars in the Bahamas on Friday, August 8, 2025 as the two largest cruise ships in the world met for the first time.
Sister ships Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas both visited Perfect Day at CocoCay, a first meeting for the two 250,000-gross ton vessels.
Granted, Star of the Seas is not “officially” sailing as she has not welcomed her first paying guests, but that doesn’t mean the ship is empty.
Not only are her more than 2,300 crew members aboard, but she is also hosting hundreds of content creators and influencers who are discovering just how much of a star she is.
Icon of the Seas, on the other hand, is on a regular 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary that departed Miami on Saturday, August 2. CocoCay is her last port visit on this sailing, and she will return to Florida on August 9.
If both ships were sailing fully booked, together they could have brought more than 15,000 guests to the island at once!
What a sight it must have been for both vessels to be docked side-by-side. Even as far away as Great Stirrup Cay, about one mile east of CocoCay, the Icon-class ships can truly dwarf the Bahamian island.
Star of the Seas stopped by for the meetup only as a photo opportunity, rather than spending a full day at the private destination. Her first official visit will be on Sunday, August 17 as the only port visit on her initial showcase sailing.
Final Steps Before Star of the Seas Joins the Fleet
Star of the Seas will embark her first “official” guests on Saturday, August 16 at her homeport of Port Canaveral. That maiden voyage will be accompanied by a fun “sailabration” as hundreds of onlookers wave the ship out of the port with a spectacular sendoff.
Until the end of the month, the new ship is offering a series of shorter showcase cruises – 3- and 4-night voyages that were made possible because of her early delivery to Royal Caribbean last month.
Beginning Sunday, August 31, Star of the Seas will offer 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean sailings, just as Icon of the Seas offers from PortMiami.
In the meantime, the ship has had very momentous occasions in the past few days. She completed her first transatlantic sailing and stopped in Ponce, Puerto Rico to take on additional supplies and crew members ahead of entering service.
Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas (Photo Credit: Jouni Niskakoski)
One of those crew members is her most famous officer, Sailor, the Chief Dog Officer of the ship. Royal Caribbean fans have eagerly watched the famous golden retriever pup since she was born in February. She will undoubtedly be (and probably already is!) one of the most photographed members of the ship’s crew.
The next few weeks will be filled with plenty of fantastic firsts for the new ship as she makes inaugural visits to different ports of call.
For those special visits, port authorities often exchange plaques or other mementos with the vessel to commemorate each occasion.
Those souvenirs are typically displayed onboard, and over the years become a timeline of a cruise ship’s world travels.
The next few months will certainly be filled with celebratory firsts, including the ship’s naming ceremony, holiday sailings, special performances, port visits, and much more that thousands of guests will enjoy.
