On June 11, 2025, Carnival Valor embarked passengers for the first time since finishing a fairly comprehensive dry dock on June 10.
While welcoming guests in Barcelona, the vessel was dry-docked at the Navantia shipyard in Cádiz, where it had been since May 10, 2025.
During the dry dock, the 21-year-old Carnival Valor was upgraded to enhance passenger comfort and add new features, such as the new Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge as well as the WaterWorks aqua park.
Having first debuted on Carnival Panorama in 2019, the addition of the Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge to Carnival Valor marks the 16th ship in the Carnival fleet to have the military hero-focused venue.
“Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge is a heartfelt salute to the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our country – and it’s fitting to have this popular venue now featured on Carnival Valor, a ship named in honor of our heroes,”said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line.
Duffy also noted that Carnival is honored that more military families choose to sail with them compared to any other cruise line. The new Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge is located on deck 5 of this particular vessel.
Carnival Valor WaterWorks
Carnival Valor is also now the 24th Carnival vessel to feature the WaterWorks aqua park, which features the several-hundred-foot-long Twister Waterslide.
Beyond the lounge and water park upgrades, the vessel was also refurbished to upgrade public areas and prioritize accessibility by enhancing pathways and improving facilities. Staterooms also received upgrades such as better lighting and newly added USB outlets.
The onboard casino was expanded and refreshed to improve the layout and offer more gaming options.
Passengers will find that the gym and spa facilities have now been rebranded as the Cloud 9 Spa, which emphasizes a revitalized environment for relaxing treatments and fitness routines.
But wait, there is more! A Dream Studio was added on deck 3 to allow passengers to have personalized photo sessions, and Carnival Adventures on deck 5 will be available for guests interested in learning about or booking shore excursions.
Of course, Carnival did not forget about the kiddos. Younger passengers will also get to experience some refreshed areas with tailored amenities according to their interests and age groups.
Camp Ocean LED Screen
This includes Camp Ocean’s fleet-first LED feature wall, which offers multi-player video gaming and engaging programming.
For older children and teens, Circle “C” and Club 02 will both have new karaoke and gaming experiences.
Finally, the last few adjustments made on Carnival Valor included upgrading the carpets and refurbishing all public areas — truly capturing the cruise line’s commitment to continuous improvement.
Where is Carnival Valor Off to?
As mentioned above, Carnival Valor embarked passengers in Barcelona, Spain, on June 11, 2025.
The ship is set to sail a 15-night one-way repositioning voyage, but is first stopping in Malaga and Cádiz in Spain, as well as Ponta Delgada in Portugal, before heading across the pond.
From June of 2025 through April of 2027, there will only be two sailings longer than five nights, and they are both happening this year.
Departing on June 30, 2025, the ship will be sailing a 7-night itinerary that includes stops in Roatan in Honduras, Belize City, and Cozumel in Mexico, before disembarking guests on July 7 in New Orleans.
The only other slightly longer sailing is the 6-night round-trip voyage departing November 24, 2025, which will call on Cozumel, Belize City, and Costa Maya.
With hundreds of upcoming voyages available, cruisers seeking to experience Carnival Valor’s upgrades will have plenty of opportunities to do so.
When Regent Seven Seas Cruises revealed it would introduce a new suite category on its new-build Seven Seas Prestige, who could have imagined the accommodation would span a whopping 8,800 square feet and have a per-night rate starting at $25,000?
The ultra-luxury line has unveiled exactly that in a June 11, 2025 announcement detailing the wildly opulent and all-inclusive Skyview Regent Suite, the first of its kind for the brand.
The ship, under construction at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, Italy, is due to launch in December 2026. She recently celebrated her keel-laying ceremony, a maritime tradition and construction milestone.
In tandem with the big reveal about the top suite, the cruise line also confirmed that Seven Seas Prestige will split her inaugural season between the Caribbean and Europe, offering two transatlantic crossings. Bookings for all voyages open on June 25, 2025.
Among destinations that will be featured during the 822-guest ship’s maiden season are Belize, the British Virgin Islands, England, Portugal, and France, in addition to two transits of the Panama Canal.
The Skyview Regent Suite, one of a dozen suite categories the ship will offer, is being designed as a two-level living space with a total of 8,794-square-feet. A wraparound balcony will offer 3,700 square feet of outdoor space.
Skyview Regent Suite Main Bedroom
The new accommodation will have two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, a spacious living room, and a stone stairway to the second level. But guests won’t have to ascend the stairs if they don’t want to — there will be an in-suite elevator.
Along with a private gym and sauna, an in-suite dining area will feature a glass-enclosed bar. The suite will have access to a venue called The Study, which is a private dining room accommodating up to 12 guests and situated between two of the ship’s restaurants, Prime 7 and Chartreuse.
Seven Seas Prestige is the first of two ships that will comprise the line’s new Prestige class.
“At Regent, we are committed to setting new standards in ultra-luxury travel, and the Skyview Regent Suite is a true embodiment of that promise,” said Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
“At nearly 9,000 square feet, this breathtaking two-level suite delivers the most exclusive and elevated experience at sea, complete with every imaginable luxury included in the voyage fare,” Montague added.
Miami-based Studio DADO created the Skyview Regent Suite design, which is described as having clean architectural lines and a neutral color palette. Skylights will ensure plenty of natural light, and the suite’s bar area offers ocean views.
The suite’s upper level hosts the main suite, including a bedroom, sitting area, and bathroom with a hand-carved tub, walk-in shower, and sauna. The private gym will have training equipment and a dedicated massage room.
Adding to the ultra-luxe experience, guests booking the new suite will enjoy the services of a private car and driver in every port call.
Luxury Ship’s Maiden Voyage Is a 2026 Holiday Cruise
The 77,000-gross ton Seven Seas Prestige is scheduled to sail her maiden voyage on December 13, 2026, a 14-night transatlantic crossing from Barcelona to PortMiami.
The cruise includes the Christmas holiday, and guests can look forward to port calls at Málaga, Spain; Madeira, Portugal; and Tortola, British Virgin Islands before arriving in Florida.
Once homeported for the winter season in Miami, the ship will sail 10- to 12-night voyages across the Caribbean, including two transits of the Panama Canal.
In April 2027, the ship will sail a 14-night “Emerald East Coast” voyage from Miami to New York, and then operate an eastbound transatlantic crossing — a 14-night “Gilded Crossing” — to Barcelona in advance of summer itineraries in Europe.
A full-charter fitness-themed cruise has scuttled the vacation plans of guests booked on a now-cancelled 10-night TUI Cruises’ voyage in 2026.
However, in an unusual twist, the charter cruise is much shorter than the scheduled sailing, and that has enabled the cruise line to offer booked guests a similar itinerary that departs just a few days later than the original voyage.
Guests booked to sail on the 2,500-guest Mein Schiff 4, roundtrip from Palma de Mallorca, Spain on October 21, 2026, were advised of the charter by letter on June 3, 2025 and told that all reservations were being automatically cancelled.
TUI Cruises, which caters mainly to the German market and is 50% owned by Royal Caribbean Group, announced that fitness company HYROX had chartered the ship for a four-night sailing.
HYROX is a German company that holds indoor fitness competitions. Bookings for the fitness charter can be made only through HYROX.
The shorter length of the fitness cruise, from October 21 to 25, 2026, allowed TUI Cruises to add a voyage on Mein Schiff 4 — a 7-night Mediterranean sailing roundtrip from Palma de Mallorca departing on October 25, 2026.
The cruise line offered a right-of-first-refusal to all guests who had been booked on the cancelled sailing, but those who wanted to switch to the new, shorter cruise were told to make their intention known by June 10, 2025.
“Your booked cruise from October 21 to November 1, 2026, unfortunately, cannot take place as planned. The reason for this is that the Mein Schiff 4 has been booked as a full charter for a 4-day cruise starting October 21, 2026, by the well-known fitness provider HYROX,” the letter from TUI Cruises stated.
“We will automatically cancel your travel booking free of charge in the next few days. We understand that this is a disappointment for you and apologize for the inconvenience,” the letter added.
TUI Offers Impacted Guests a Discount on New Bookings
TUI Cruises’ announcement noted that full charters are common and often lead to the cancellation of published sailings that are already booked.
Indeed, many cruise lines cancel sailings in favor of lucrative charter deals, and since this Mein Schiff 4 voyage is nearly 18 months away disappointed guests have ample time to arrange for another trip.
Those who wish to rebook with TUI Cruises will receive a 10% discount on a new reservation. The discount will be based on the amount paid so far toward the cancelled cruise.
The line is automatically creating a discount credit for all booked guests, and it can be accessed and redeemed through the Mein Schiff website.
The newly scheduled 7-night voyage aboard Mein Schiff 4 will call at Palermo, Sicily; Salerno and Rome, Italy; and Ajaccio, Corsica. The voyage also will feature one day at sea.
In its letter to guests, TUI Cruises highlighted several other voyages that might tempt the disappointed cruisers. It is showcasing, for example, a 10-night sailing on Mein Schiff 4 that immediately precedes the HYROX cruise.
The cruise departs on October 11, 2026 and sails from Trieste, Italy, to Palma de Mallorca. Cruisers looking to check out another ship can choose a 7-night cruise aboard Mein Schiff 7 that departs on October 22, 2026 and sails roundtrip from Palma de Mallorca.
TUI Cruises currently operates an 8-ship fleet and has one new-build, Mein Schiff Flow, under construction. That vessel is due to be delivered by the Fincantieri shipyard in 2026.
The ship recently held her float-out ceremony, signaling the start of the ship’s interior design.
For most cruisers, their stateroom is their private sanctuary to take a break from the exciting activities onboard and unwind in the peace and quiet.
While some may opt to listen to their own music or podcasts, passengers control what may be on the radio – that is, until there is a glitch and a “hidden speaker” develops a mind of its own.
“First time on independence of the seas, we’ve been on three other royal ships, and never seen anything like this before,”the anonymous cruiser shared on Reddit.
Based on the timing of his post, it appears that the guest is currently onboard the 4,375-guest ship for a 9-night sailing throughout Spain and Portugal – which embarked from Southampton, UK, on June 9, 2025.
“We’re in a junior suite, and there’s a speaker hidden under the vanity unit that’s quietly playing music like what you would hear out in the corridors. It seemed to stop at night, but we can’t seem to figure out how to get it to stop again,” they continued, before asking if anyone had experienced something similar.
Royal Caribbean fans were quick to advise that there is a volume knob near the vanity to turn the sound down or off, but unfortunately, this feature seemed to be broken.
The cruiser updated in the comments section: “There is [a knob] but it doesn’t seem to work, and the attendant couldn’t get it to work either, maintenance are coming round at some point to help sort it out.”
While the cruise lines try not to disturb guests or make announcements late at night, cruise cabins are almost always equipped with speakers in case urgent updates need to be given during an emergency.
Randomly playing music is not common – although it did happen to me while onboard the new MSC World Americaduring her inaugural voyage from April 9 to April 12, 2025.
Some jazzy tunes suddenly started playing through the speaker in the ceiling of my cruise cabin – as well as in several other staterooms – lasting for several hours before the glitch was resolved.
Cracking Down on Speakers
Ironically, Royal Caribbean has been cracking down on the use of speakers onboard while this guest is bothered by music coming directly from the cruise ship.
In March of this year, the cruise line banned personal and Bluetooth speakers from Perfect Day at CocoCay – Royal Caribbean’s private destination in the Bahamas.
Cruisers are still welcomed to listen to their own music or podcasts with headphones, but this policy ensures that other guests do not need to hear it while enjoying the island – which features its own music and ambiance.
Bluetooth Speaker and Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay (Photo Credits: Hunter82 & Mary Baratto)
There have already been reports of crew members confiscating speakers from inconsiderate passengers while visiting the exclusive cruise port.
While Royal Caribbean has not officially added speakers to their Prohibited Items list as of the time of publication, which means the devices can still be used onboard, the cruise line does continue to advise guests to use headphones in public spaces and keep the volume low.
However, many in the cruise community suspect that banning these devices from CocoCay is just the precursor to officially banning them onboard – which would follow in the footsteps of some of the cruise brand’s biggest competitors.
At the end of 2024, for example, Carnival enacted a fleet-wide ban of Bluetooth speakers – citing the enjoyment of all guests and safety reasons as the cause.
Hopefully, the cruiser who experienced the surprise music in his junior suite won’t be bothered by unwanted tunes for much longer – whether that is from other guests or directly from the Freedom-class cruise ship.
P&O Cruises is in the middle of celebrating the 10th anniversary of its flagship, Britannia, but one guest is no longer onboard to take part in the festivities.
The cruise ship only just embarked on a special 14-night British Isles sailingfrom Southampton, UK, on June 6, 2025, to celebrate 10 years of service for the 143,730-gross ton ship – which first entered service on March 14, 2015.
But on the evening of June 8, 2025, one of the up to 3,600 passengers onboard had to make an unexpected departure due to a medical emergency – although the cruiser’s identity and the nature of their condition has not been disclosed for privacy reasons.
In fact, cruise tracking data showsthat the ship actually altered course and made an unplanned port call at the Port of Nigg in the Scottish Highlands to transfer the guest to the Scottish Ambulance service for further care.
When the situation unfolded, the ship was only on its way to the first port of call on the itinerary, which was on Invergordan, Scotland, on June 9, 2025.
Because of the adjusted route, the vessel sailed into the Cromarty Firth early – which is an inlet in the narrow Moray Firth in northern Scotland that ships must sail through to reach Invergordon – and also docked in Invergordon ahead of schedule.
“I can confirm that Britannia arrived early into Invergordon to ensure that a guest received appropriate, necessary medical care,”a P&O spokesperson told The Inverness Courier, a local news outlet.
“Britannia is on a 14 night British Isles cruise which left Southampton on Friday,” they continued.
It’s unclear if the remaining guests onboard were allowed to go ashore early in the Scottish destination – and the rest of the itinerary was unaffected by the surprise disembarkation.
Before returning to Southampton on June 20, 2025, Britannia will visit Kirkwall (Orkney Island), Scotland; Stornoway (Isle of Lewis and Harris), Scotland; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Liverpool, England; and Cobh-Cork, Ireland.
Why Was There Not an Airlift Rescue?
In critical situations at sea when time is of the essence, the most efficient way to rescue an ailing guest is often by coordinating an airlift with the local coast guard.
While sailing around Scotland, the aid would come from members of His Majesty’s Coast Guard – which is responsible for responding to maritime emergencies throughout the entirety of the United Kingdom.
However, the coast guard may not respond if the ship is too far out at sea, inclement weather conditions, and availability of resources to complete the rescue.
P&O Britannia Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Nandani Bridglal / Shutterstock)
As the cruise ship was able to make it into the Port of Nigg pretty quickly, it’s also possible that simply making an unplanned stop was actually faster than waiting to rendezvous with a coast guard helicopter.
The approximately 1,400 crew members onboard P&O Cruises’ Britannia are also highly trained in emergency protocols – which they practice in mandatory routine drills – and have played a big part in rescue efforts in the past.
In March of 2023, the crew acted as heroes while sailing off the coast of St. Kitt’s as part of a repositioning sailing to England. The ship stopped to aid an overcrowded, sinking vessel – saving 16 lives in the process.
However, the most recent airlift in Europe actually unfolded just about a month ago on May 14, 2025, onboard Disney Fantasy.
While Brooklyn Cruise Terminal — sometimes also called Red Hook Terminal, as it’s in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn, NY — isn’t as large as some of the other New York City cruise ports, it still does offer plenty in the way of cruise ship itineraries.
The terminal has only one pier, but serves multiple cruise lines offering cruises to Bermuda, New England and the Caribbean. Here’s what you need to know if you’re on one of them in the near future.
While, if you Google “Brooklyn Cruise Terminal,” you’ll get the address 210 Clinton Wharf, you’ll want to input 72 Bowne St., Brooklyn, into your GPS.
As mentioned, the cruise port is in the borough’s Red Hook neighborhood, which is known for its dining, museums, and local shops and galleries. It’s also close, obviously, to the waterfront. Directly across from the cruise terminal is Governors Island and, beyond that, the Statue of Liberty.
Terminal Facilities, Amenities and Services
Brooklyn Terminal Entrance (Photo Credit: lev radin)
Built in 2006, Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is still relatively new, and it has received several awards over the course of its lifetime for its state-of-the-art facilities.
The 200,000-square-foot terminal features separate embarkation and debarkation areas, modern gangways, on-site and ample parking and the very first shore power system for cruise ships on the US East Coast.
When you arrive at the terminal, you may want to drop your luggage at the curb with a member of your party, while the rest of the party finds parking, as there’s no luggage storage. However, there are porters that can help out with your luggage during embarkation and disembarkation.
There’s also no free WiFi at the terminal, but you’ll find facilities, amenities and services including plenty of restrooms, including accessible restrooms, as well as a boarding lounge with plenty of seating.
Cruise Lines That Visit the Cruise Port
Cruise lines that visit Brooklyn Cruise Terminal include MSC Cruises, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises and Regent Seven Seas.
Parking at the Cruise Terminal
Embarkation at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal (Photo Credit: Leonard Zhukovsky)
As mentioned, there’s on-site parking at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, which is practically a luxury in New York City! That said, the terminal does advise cruise passengers to take public transportation to and from the terminal, which you can find more information on below.
If you do bring your own car to the terminal, though, the on-site parking is available at an outdoor lot with security.
Reservations are not needed to park on-site and the overnight parking rates are $45 per night, inclusive of tax with no upcharge for larger vehicles.
You can pay the rate when you arrive, via cash or credit card. However, you can also make a reservation for your parking if you’d prefer. Handicap spaces are available.
After dropping your car off, you’ll receive a ticket that you’ll need to keep with you, in order to retrieve your car after you get back from your cruise.
The parking lot is located on the south side of the terminal entrance and it gives you a nice view of the Statue of Liberty. On-site parking and porters are available starting at 9 a.m. on your departure day, with most spaces freeing up from leaving passengers around 10 or 10:30 a.m.
Traveling to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal from Nearby Airports
Flight Over New York (Photo Credit: torib925)
If you’re coming from Brooklyn Cruise Terminal from a nearby airport, chances are likely that you flew into Newark, JFK or La Guardia Airport (LGA). If you have a choice of which airport you fly into, go with La Guardia, as it’s closer to the cruise terminal than the other two.
Regardless of which airport you fly into, you can take a taxi or rideshare service from the airport to the cruise terminal. Some cruise lines will additionally offer a shuttle service to bring you from the airport, to the terminal, but make sure you confirm this with your individual cruise line before deciding to rely on it.
The one-way cost of a traditional taxi from one of the three airports to the terminal will range from about $30 (at La Guardia) to up to $100 (from Newark).
If you are flying into New York City ahead of a cruise that leaves from Brooklyn Terminal Airport, I just, as always, recommend that you plan to arrive, at latest, the day before your cruise embarks. This can make sure that you actually arrive at cruise ship before it departs.
I’ve seen far too many cruisers miss their cruises because they think they can arrive in the port city the same morning their cruise leaves, and just go straight from the plane to the ship.
Unfortunately, often, airlines and/or the weather have other plans, and unexpected delays can mean missing your cruise entirely.
How to Get to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal
Brooklyn Cruise Terminal Sign (Photo Credit: Leonard Zhukovsky)
You have a handful of options for getting to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, depending on how you’re traveling.
As mentioned, if you’re flying into New York City or Newark, New Jersey, you can simply grab a shuttle, taxi or rideshare service from the airport and have your driver bring you to the terminal. That’s going to be your easiest option.
That said, the city has plenty of public transit options to get you to the terminal, in case you, for example, wanted to stay in New York City for a few days and explore before heading out on your cruise.
Ferry
New York Ferry (Photo Credit: Xackery Irving)
The NYC South Brooklyn Ferry, for example, serves the Red Hook neighborhood, and travels to other spots around the city such as Governors Island, Brooklyn Bridge Park and neighborhoods in Manhattan.
As such, if you really wanted to, you could take the ferry to Red Hook and then make your way to the terminal on foot from there.
Subway
If you want to take the subway, you’ll have to mix your subway journey with a short stint on a bus.
If you’re coming from Midtown, you can take the F train toward Coney Island from the 42nd Street/Bryant Park station, then get off at the Smith/9th Street station. From there, you’ll get on the B77 bus and take it to Conover and Dikeman, at which point you’ll get off and walk to the terminal.
You can also take the 2, 3, 4, 5 N or R subway to Borough Hall, at which point you’d get off the subway and get on the B61 bus, which would take you to Pioneer Street and Van Brunt Street, then you can walk to the terminal from there.
Bus
If you don’t want to split your journey up at all, and you just want to take the bus, the closest stop to the cruise terminal is that stop at Pioneer and Van Brunt Streets, so plan your bus route accordingly.
Train
Unfortunately, it’s not very easy to get to the terminal via train. Both of the closest train stations are in Manhattan, and they’re Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal. If you take a train into one of these two, you can, from there, get to the terminal via taxi, ride share, subway or bus.
Car
Vehicles Arriving at Brooklyn for a Cruise (Photo Credit: Leonard Zhukovsky)
If you’re driving yourself to the terminal, here’s how to quickly navigate from any direction.
If you’re coming from Manhattan or the North, take the Battery Tunnel (I-478-E) into Brooklyn, continuing onto the westbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278-W) and taking the first exit on the right: Exit 26 – Hamilton Avenue.
Stay to the left, make a U-turn at Clinton Street/9th Street, and continue west on the Hamilton Avenue service road until you get to Van Brunt Street. Turn left, drive two blocks, turn right onto Bowne Street and you’ll be at the terminal.
If you’re coming from Long Island or the East, take the Long Island Expressway, or Interstate 495, to the westbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278-W). Take Exit 26 – Hamilton Avenue.
Stay to the left, make a U-turn at Clinton Street/9th Street, and continue west on the Hamilton Avenue service road until you get to Van Brunt Street. Turn left, drive two blocks, turn right onto Bowne Street and you’ll be at the terminal.
Lastly, if you’re coming from New Jersey or anywhere to the South or West, take the NJ Turnpike South to Exit 13. Cross the Goethals Bridge to I-278, Staten Island Expressway and cross Verrazano Bridge into Brooklyn.
Continue north on Gowanus/the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Take Exit 26 – Hamilton Avenue. Follow the ramp and take a left turn on Van Brunt Street, drive two blocks, turn right onto Bowne Street and you’ll be at the terminal.
Whichever of these routes you take, be prepared to pay some tolls along the way.
Dining Near Brooklyn Cruise Terminal
Red Book Lobster Pound, Brooklyn (Photo Credit: Leonard Zhukovsky)
If you have a little time to kill before your cruise and you’re feeling a bit peckish, you can find a few good dining options within the near vicinity.
A three-minute walk away, Red Hook Lobster Pound serves up fresh, imported lobster from Maine. Try the famous lobster rolls as well as other seafood delights. It’s especially the perfect way to kick-off a cruise to New England or Canada.
A four-minute walk away, Red Hook Tavern offers a classic tavern setting and American menu alongside classic cocktails.
If you’re up for a bit of a longer walk, Strong Rope Brewery is about a 10-minute walk away from the terminal. The waterfront, dog-friendly taproom and brewery offers flights of craft beers and food trucks serve up a mix of cuisine. The views of the Statue of Liberty are just a bonus.
Shopping Near Brooklyn Cruise Terminal
Stores Near the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal (Photo Credit: Alexandra Adele)
You’re not going to find a ton of large shopping options near Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Your best bet if you want to stay on foot is to simply wander the Red Hook neighborhood and see what local, small shops you come across.
As you walk to, for example, some of the above-suggested dining options, you shouldn’t be surprised to find vintage stores, record shops, clothing boutiques, and more.
If, though, you want a more traditional mall-type shopping experience (and if time allows), you can take a rideshare service to other spots throughout Brooklyn, such as Atlantic Terminal Mall, Empire Stores or City Point BKLYN.
When is the Best Time to Travel Through Brooklyn?
Queen Mary 2 Docked in Brooklyn (Photo Credit: Sahara Prince)
Brooklyn can get pretty frigid in the winter, so you may not want to take a cruise out of Brooklyn during the peak winter months.
However, temperatures are a little milder in the spring and fall, so if you’re going on a springtime Caribbean cruise or a fall foliage New England or Canadian Maritime Provinces cruise, then consider sticking around and exploring Brooklyn for a few days pre- or post-cruise.
Summer, of course, is a great time to visit New York City in general, including Brooklyn, as well as to take a cruise, so you can’t go wrong by picking a summer itinerary that leaves from Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.
On June 8, 2025, Symphony of the Seas crew member Nitin Kumar noticed cracks in a restaurant’s glass wall, getting passengers in the lounge area below to move with seconds to spare.
Following on from Cruise Hive’s report on June 9, Kumar’s actions helped prevent guests from getting hurt as they had just enough time to get out of the way of the glass before it shattered.
As a way of recognizing Kumar’s quick thinking, Royal Caribbean has awarded him the Royal Way Hero Award.
Signed and stamped by Captain Rob Hempstead, the framed certificate was given to the Coastal Kitchen waiter on June 10, 2025.
“In recognition of your exemplary display of safety, honesty, and bravery in the workplace,” the award reads.“Your courageous actions have made a significant impact in the lives of our guests and crew, showcasing a commitment to excellence and integrity.”
“Thank you for your remarkable contribution and for being a true hero in our shipboard community,”it continues.
The Hero Award acknowledges crew members who have gone above and beyond to keep guests and fellow crew members safe, therefore exemplifying the highest standards put in place by Royal Caribbean.
Since the accident, passengers have done nothing but sing praises about Kumar’s actions, with many not being surprised about the award given the crew member’s friendly and helpful disposition.
Nitin Kumar Award (Credit: Kathy Crisolo Sandoval)
“Wonderful to hear. On a previous cruise, Nitin was our assistant waiter, and he was fabulous, not surprised that he rose to the occasion to assist the passengers!” one cruiser said.
“Congratulations, Nitin! I sailed with him last week; he is an awesome crew member. No surprise that he stepped in and took charge!” another added.
There is no one more deserving of the Hero Award in this situation than Kumar, who was in the right place at the right time to help his guests.
What Happened During this Uncommon Incident?
Kumar’s heroic actions took place while the 230,000 gross-ton Symphony of the Seas was docking in Port Canaveral, Florida, its very first stop on a 7-night voyage.
The ship was executing a turn before docking when Kumar noticed cracks beginning to form in a large glass window at Coastal Kitchen on deck 17, where he works as a waiter.
After noticing the cracks, he sprinted to the pool deck and told guests in the lounge chairs below the glass to move. It was reported that the glass then shattered about 15 seconds after this, giving passengers just enough time to get to safety.
Most guests were unaware of the situation entirely until the glass began breaking and loudly came crashing down to the deck below.
Glass Window Falls on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas (Photo Credit: WHPIJack)
One passenger who was just a few windows away when the window began to break commended Kumar for getting to the pool deck as fast as he did, as it saved many from being injured.
The tempered glass shattered into small pieces that covered part of the pool deck, and while it was not a quiet incident, no injuries were reported.
Crew members were quick to close off the lounge area to guests to allow them to begin cleaning. The pool was also closed down and drained to ensure all of the glass was properly removed.
Cleaning also happened inside Coastal Kitchen, and its window was replaced quickly.
Guests onboard during the incident reported that the restaurant and pool deck were cleaned and fully reopened just a few hours later, and the cruise went on as scheduled.
Glass shattering on cruise ships is quite rare, but those on Symphony of the Seas were lucky enough to be warned by Kumar, giving them enough time to move.
Truly, he is the hero in this situation — so, of course, receiving the Hero Award was only fitting.
Anyone who has vacationed on a cruise ship knows that the amount of food prepared by onboard chefs and kitchen staff can seem mind-boggling, considering the vast buffet areas, huge dining rooms, and variety of specialty venues.
Many have likely wondered: How do they know how much food to prepare and what happens to all of the leftover food?
Thanks to an ambitious multi-pronged effort, Carnival Corporation announced on June 10, 2025, that it has exceeded its own goal to substantially reduce food waste across its global cruise brands as part of its “Less Left Over” policy.
The conglomerate that operates major cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, and Seabourn, among others, vowed a 40% cut in food waste by 2025 but actually realized a reduction of 44% in 2024 compared to 2019.
Who knew, for example, that the company was turning used cooking oil into a biofuel for its excursion tour buses in Alaska, or that used coffee grounds are being up-cycled into vegan soap?
Those are innovative projects, for sure, but the company and its cruise brands are utilizing multiple onboard programs to cut down on waste and make sure that prepared meal portions are “just right.”
So far, the company has dodged paying some $250 million in the cost of food it estimates it would have spent without the “Less Left Over” initiative. Going forward, more gains are expected in the next five years.
“Our Less Left Over strategy is powered by dozens of large and small programs and technologies across our cruise lines to cut food waste by 50% by 2030,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation.
“But more than that, it’s also a global rallying cry that is turning everyday actions into lasting impact by nurturing a shared mindset among our 160,000 talented team members – a mindset that values creativity in delivering amazing meals for our guests and crew while getting the most out of our resources,” added Weinstein.
That mindset comes from using real-time data and AI systems to track dining patterns, cutting food waste in the ways that meals are plated, training staff in precision techniques when provisioning and preparing ingredients, and serving what the company calls “just right” portion sizes.
Also, the cruise brands donate extra meals and ingredients to food bank networks in destinations where food scarcity is a problem.
Biodigesters Help Lines Dispose of Leftover Foods
No matter how hard the cruise brands try to get portions just right and order only the precise amount of food believed necessary for any particular voyage, there will always be leftover food. That’s why Carnival Corporation began installing hundreds of so-called biodigesters on its ships three years ago.
Garbage Disposal Area on Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Mohd Syis Zulkipli / Shutterstock)
By the end of 2024, it had 630 biodigesters installed across the brands. They are known as metallic stomachs, with technology that enables natural bacteria to liquify leftover foods, making them easier to discard.
The California-based company Power Knot Ocean provided the biodigesters to Carnival; its most recent investment came in 2024, when the company received orders for additional machines plus spare parts and other related services.
The Carnival brands also have more than 90 dehydrators and dryers that remove excess water from more challenging food items, reducing so-called hard waste by about 90%. The leftover dried material can eventually be used as organic mulch and compost.
Cruisers who are members of Carnival Cruise Line’s loyalty club programs enjoy a wide range of valuable services and amenities, but if things go awry with those perks, some guests can become seriously disgruntled.
That was the case recently when a Platinum-level guest was charged for drinking a bottle of water that had been left in their stateroom. As a Platinum cruiser, he was entitled to one complimentary 1.5-liter bottle of water.
The infuriated guest contacted the cruise line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, who interacts with current, former, and prospective guests on his popular Facebook page. Heald called the message scathing. In fact, so angry was the guest that he threatened to withhold the payment of crew gratuities.
Heald posted a recap of the interaction on his social media page, saying he thought it was “despicable to threaten to remove gratuities over a bottle of water.” He did not disclose which ship the angry guest was sailing on.
The cruise line recommends that guests in standard staterooms pay $16 per person, per day in crew gratuities and $18 for those in suites. The gratuities are shared among all of the cabin stewards, wait staff, and others.
The free water is a perk for Red, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond-level loyalty club members, and is redeemable at any of the ship’s bars and restaurants, and in the staterooms.
Heald immediately asked staffers on the guest’s ship to refund the charge — “for the sake of the crew, so that they would receive their gratuities.” The refund diffused the situation but raised other thorny issues.
For instance, according to some of the reaction comments posted to Heald’s description of this episode, there seems to be some confusion about where to obtain the free 1.5-liter bottle of water, which, by the way, costs $5.31 for those who have not achieved the required loyalty club level or who have not purchased the line’s “Cheers!” beverage package.
Cruisers Cite Confusion About Which Bottle of Water Is Free
Guests should not assume that a bottle of water they find in their cabin is the complimentary one. Rather, guests typically retrieve their free bottle from a bar or restaurant after showing their Carnival Cruise Line loyalty pin, which shows staff they have reached a loyalty club level that entitles them to the water.
As Heald noted in his explanation: “I understand that having to collect the free bottle of water is not the best scenario for some but this is how we are currently doing it and I wanted to make sure I mention this again in case there is any confusion.”
Carnival Cruise Line Atrium Bar (Photo Credit: Ritu Manoj Jethani)
That does not sit well with some cruise guests, who would rather not have to go and claim their free bottle of water.
One elderly cruiser took issue with having to carry the bottle back to his cabin.
“I am 78 years old and it is really hard for me to carry the heavy bottle of water back to my stateroom . . . . You just keep taking my free perks away and make me walk all over the ship to pick them up,” the guest wrote.
Another guest lamented the apparent change in policy, writing: “I think it lies in the fact that it USED to be placed in the room with a nice welcome back greeting. When I cruised in March, I thought they forgot my bottles and was disappointed. I let it slide and realized after my cruise that I had to go to the bar to request it.”
Several other former Carnival Cruise Line guests posted similar comments, and one noted that, after being mistakenly charged for his bottle of water, he waited in a long line at Guest Services to get his refund. Now, he said, he just buys his own water.
Guests sailing with the line can purchase a 12-pack of bottled water (16.9 ounces each) for $17.64, or an 8-pack of larger bottles (50.72 ounces) for $29.44.
