With thousands of cruise guests left wondering why their itinerary was changed and San Juan no longer able to be visited as a port of call from Symphony of the Seas, the cruise port has reached out with clarification about the ongoing closure of Pier 3.
The pier, extended by various mooring dolphins to a longer length able to accommodate the Oasis-class vessel, has been unable to welcome Symphony of the Seas for several weeks. The ship’s November 17 and December 1 voyages have both been impacted thus far.
The update from San Juan Cruise Port does not offer extensive detail, but does note that it is one of those very mooring dolphins that allow the pier to accommodate Symphony of the Seas that is now the cause of the problem.
“As part of its ongoing commitment to passenger safety and efficient cruise operations, San Juan Cruise Port (SJCP) has been working diligently with regulatory agencies to restore service to Pier 3 West, following a recent incident involving a mooring dolphin,”the update reads.
The nature of the “incident” is not disclosed, but could likely be a collision from another vessel that damaged the mooring dolphin, a structure necessary for the ship to be securely tied off when docked. Depending on conditions, severe weather or even natural erosion could also damage a mooring dolphin.
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) noted on Wednesday, November 27, that the loss of the mooring dolphin actually happened in April, but does not describe how the loss occurred.
If the mooring dolphin is no longer sound, it would be unable to hold the ship safely as passengers and crew members are using gangways. Before the pier can be returned to service, appropriate repairs and safety inspections and tests must be completed and certified.
“San Juan Port’s Pier-3 West remains closed to cruise-ships until further notice pending requested satisfactory assessment studies followed by a Coast Guard on-site inspection of the facility,”the USCG explained.
San Juan Cruise Port does remain committed to ensuring the proper inspections are complete as soon as possible, though at this time those inspections have not yet been documented.
“Upon completion and approval of these evaluations, the pier will be cleared to resume receiving scheduled cruise ships,”the cruise port’s update confirmed.“SJCP, in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, continues to prioritize safety and reliability in the restoration efforts.”
Smaller vessels originally scheduled for Pier 3 may be able to be accommodated at other docks depending on berth availability, but the length of the pier is critical in securing a ship the size of Symphony of the Seas.
“San Juan’s Pier-3 West receives the largest cruise ships in the world. Since the loss of the facility’s mooring structure, Coast Guard Prevention personnel have been actively working with the San Juan Cruise Port and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority to determine if the structure remains sound for cruise ship operations,”said Captain Luis J. Rodriguez, Commander of USCG Sector San Juan and Captain of the Port – San Juan.
“We understand the inconvenience of this matter, however, it is critical we ensure the safety of the port, the cruise ships and the thousands of people who operate on or visit the island through this port facility.”
The 228,081-gross-ton Royal Caribbean ship measures 1,187 feet long and can welcome 5,518 travelers at double occupancy or up to 6,680 guests when fully booked.
When Will Symphony of the Seas Return to San Juan?
At this time, it is unknown when the repair work, inspections, and necessary certifications will be completed to permit Symphony of the Seas to return to Puerto Rico.
As a result of the pier closure, the ship’s Eastern Caribbean itineraries are impacted, with more than San Juan affected. Because the call in Puerto Rico is no longer possible at the moment, the cruises have also cancelled the next port of call – a visit to St. Maarten, which is even further east.
Instead, the ship has set sail for Jamaica and Labadee as alternative destinations on the 7-night sailings.
Royal Caribbean Ships Docked in San Juan (Photo Credit: Ritu Manoj Jethani)
Symphony of the Seas is currently homeported from Miami, offering a mix of Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean sailings. Every itinerary also calls on Royal Caribbean’s private Bahamian destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Most of the ship’s upcoming sailings are Eastern Caribbean itineraries, though not all of them include San Juan as a port of call. The next departure dates that might be impacted if the pier is not yet repaired are Symphony of the Seas‘ December 22, December 29, January 5, and January 12 departures.
Undoubtedly, Royal Caribbean is making itinerary changes one sailing at a time only if it is necessary for the ship to be rerouted. At any time, the pier could be reopened and port visits safely resumed.
In the meantime, booked guests are being notified of the changes as needed. While it may be disappointing for port visits to be changed on short notice, safety is always a top priority whether a ship is at sea or docked in port.
Princess Cruises is currently owned by Carnival Corporation & plc, one of the world’s largest leisure travel companies. In addition to Princess Cruises, Carnival owns and operates multiple other cruise lines and travel companies.
John Padgett acted as the president of Princess Cruises since October 2021. In this role, he oversaw the cruise line’s strategic operations, including everything guests experience to the company’s overall direction. However, in November 2024 it was announced that Gus Antorcha would become the new Princess Cruises president starting from December 2, 2024.
From December 2, 2024, Gus Antorcha, previously president of sister line Holland America, will take over the role as the president of Princess Cruises. He is taking over from John Padgett, who is leaving the company in February 2025.
Gus Antorcha
American businessman John Padgett was the president when he assumed the role in early October of 2021 after taking over from the previous president, Jan Swartz.
In this role, he reports directly to Josh Weinstein, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Carnival Corporation & plc, the parent company of Princess Cruises. The role also involves regular contact with the other executive leadership team members and the company’s board of directors.
Prior to assuming the role, John Padgett gained recognition for his leadership experience and expertise in creating transformative experiences for cruise ship passengers by introducing new technologies.
John Padgett was promoted to the position of president from within. He previously led Carnival Corporation’s innovation team and had over 18 years of leadership experience from working with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
In his role with Carnival’s innovation team, he created and implemented a number of award-winning technologies and even produced a successful TV series highlighting vacation experiences guests could enjoy by traveling with the company.
John Padgett
Prior to being promoted to the role of president of one of Carnival Corporation’s largest and most recognizable cruise lines, Padgett held the position of Chief Experience and Innovation Officer, where he worked towards enhancing guest experiences by driving the creation of the “Ocean Medallion” wearable tech device.
This technology was introduced on Princess Cruises vessels to enhance cruise experiences for all guests by enabling a smooth transition from onboard entertainment to on-shore activities, excursions, and hotel services.
Today, guests aboard any ship in the Princess Cruises fleet will almost immediately notice John Padgett’s impact, and it seems the cruise line will continue to move in a positive direction under his leadership.
The History of Princess Cruises
Before we dive into the present day ownership of Princess Cruises, let’s take a look back and explore the history of the cruise line.
The Founder
Princess Cruises was founded in 1965 by Canadian-born businessman and former United States Navy Air Corps member Stanley McDonald. In the beginning, Stanley McDonald leased a single ship, the Princess Patricia, from Canadian Pacific Limited.
While the ship was originally used to provide passenger services from destinations along Canada’s West Coast to coastal towns in Alaska, McDonald had the idea to repurpose it to provide cruise-style voyages from Los Angeles, USA, to destinations along the Mexican Riviera.
The decision to become involved in the cruise industry originated from McDonald’s experiences during the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, where there was a lack of viable hotels for visitors.
Stanley McDonald envisioned docking a ship in the harbor that could provide comfortable transportation for those living along North America’s Western Coast and double as a luxury hotel while it was in the harbor.
This involved retrofitting the Princess Patricia for more luxurious travel and voyages in more tropical climates. From installing air-conditioning systems to renovating the cabins and introducing suits, this was a major project.
Growing Popularity and New Routes
However, starting with its first voyage from Los Angeles to Mexico, the newly formed Princess Cruises Cruise Line quickly gained popularity, becoming well-known along the western coastline of the United States for providing luxurious cruises to fun and exotic locations.
By the early 1970s, Princess Cruises had expanded its fleet and the types of routes its ships would run, including providing regular trips to and from Alaska.
Selling the Company to P&O
P&O Britannia Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Nandani Bridglal / Shutterstock)
Then, in 1974, the company was sold to a British shipping conglomerate, the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, or P&O, as it is more commonly known.
This represented a major ownership change for the brand, but it continued to operate and grow in popularity by building on Stanley McDonald’s original vision. Under the guidance and ownership of the passenger division of P&O, called P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises continued to grow, adding more ships to its fleet and expanding its global reach.
Becoming a Household Name
Photo Courtesy: Princess Cruises
In the 1980s, Princess Cruises became a household name throughout North America after one of its ships became the central focus of the internationally broadcast show The Love Boat.
Not only did the show feature the Princess Cruises brand and several of its ships, but it also brought cruising into the public eye, helping to make the cruise line synonymous with glamorous cruises, even to those who had never stepped foot on a cruise ship.
Growing the Fleet
Sapphire Princess Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Wojciech Wrzesien)
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Princess moved from operating repurposed vessels to incorporating purpose-built, modernized cruise ships into its fleet. The ‘90s saw the cruise line introduce its Sun-class vessels and later its Grand-class ships, which were both amongst the largest and most expensive cruise ships ever built when they were introduced.
In March 1998, the Grand Princess set sail as the largest passenger ship ever built. It was then joined by Golden Princess and Star Princess, which equaled their sister ship in size.
Despite Princess Cruises’ success, the ownership company’s shipping division was beginning to struggle financially at the turn of the century, which helped push their decision to form an independent company called P&O Princess Cruises.
This move was followed up by the introduction of two new classes in the Princess fleet, the Coral-class and the R-class, which were both optimized to travel through the Panama Canal, opening up new and exciting routes.
Carnival Corporation Acquires Princess Cruises
Photo Credit: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock
While Princess Cruises continued to have a significant presence in the cruise industry, its profitability reflected that the cruise line became part of the Carnival Corporation on April 17, 2003.
This move resulted from a major merger between P&O Princess Cruises plc and Carnival Corporation. This acquisition positioned Princess as one of Carnival Corporation’s premium cruise line brands, helping them expand their offerings to cruise passengers seeking luxury and a more personalized onboard experience.
As a result of this merger, the two former cruise rivals now had a combined net worth of $5.4 billion, making them the largest and most valuable cruise company on the planet.
From the perspective of Carnival Cruise Line, the acquisition of the internationally-known Princess Cruises brand helped them solidify their status as the world’s top cruise company.
Following this merger, Princess Cruises has continued to grow, significantly benefiting from the Carnival Corporation’s financial backing and global reach. That said, they remain a distinct identity within the portfolio, continuing to be known for luxury, exceptional customer service, and offering lengthy voyages and unique itineraries.
Today, they are one of the best-known names in the industry, and they offer cruises worldwide, including destinations that other cruise lines tend to neglect, like Alaska, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, South America, Europe, and Asia.
Today, Princess Cruises remains a significant brand within the portfolio of Carnival Corporation & plc. Given that the Carnival Corporation has an estimated net worth of nearly $28 billion, it is no surprise that Princess Cruises is an extremely valuable company.
In fact, in revenue alone, Princess Cruises reports an annual income of nearly $4 billion. The cruise line also has a fleet of 16 full-sized cruise ships, with another on the way in 2025, and a permanent staff of nearly 30,000 full-time employees.
While it is currently listed as a subsidiary of the Carnival Corporation, so knowing the brand’s exact net worth is somewhat difficult, financial experts estimate that it could be worth as much as $10 billion to the Carnival Corporation.
Despite the financial setbacks and challenges that Princess Cruises faced during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic, it recovered incredibly well, remaining one of the most valuable cruise lines in the entire industry.
Owning a Share of Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises Ship (Photo Credit: Ceri Breeze)
While you cannot own a share of Princess Cruises, as the Carnival Corporation owns the cruise line, you can invest in that parent company. If you decide to invest in Carnival Corporation & plc shares, you can purchase them on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker NYSE: CCL. Shares can also be purchased on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker LSE: CCL.
Carnival Corporation is a major company, but its stock price has not fully recovered to the heights of 2017, which was when it enjoyed its most valuable period. However, the stock price has continued to rise following the cruise line’s recovery after the COVID-19 Pandemic, so it could be a good purchase.
That said, we do not want to offer anyone any financial advice that does not pertain directly to booking and enjoying a cruise, so we would not want to influence your decision to purchase or sell Carnival Corporation stock.
Shareholders can sometimes benefit from perks like onboard credits when they sail with Princess Cruises or other Carnival brands, depending on the number of shares they hold.
For example, shareholders could receive an onboard credit of $250 if they book a stateroom on a voyage of 14 days or longer while traveling with one of Carnival’s North American brands, including Princess Cruises.
For a more detailed breakdown of shareholder benefits, Carnival Corporation & plc provides a page on “Carnival Stock Perks” and instructions on how to claim them through the Carnival App.
Princess Cruises’ Fleet of Ships
Docked Sun Princess Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Pedro H C Carvalho)
As mentioned, Princess Cruises currently operates a fleet of 16 modern cruise ships, with another (Star Princess) set to be put into service in early 2025. These ships sail to over 300 unique destinations around the world.
From the largest vessels, like the Sun Princess and Star Princess, which offer an extensive range of onboard amenities, to smaller cruise ships, like Coral Princess and Island Princess, which focus on visiting more niche destinations and smaller ports of call, the fleet is incredibly diverse, but every ship adheres to the brands focus on maintaining world-class passenger services.
This focus on offering the best services to their guests is reflected in their world-renowned “Princess Medallion Class” experience, which, as mentioned earlier, is a type of wearable technology that allows passengers aboard any Princess Cruises vessel to enjoy a highly personalized service.
From ordering food and drinks at the side of a pool to enjoying simplified keyless entry to cabins and suites, this system ensures guests enjoy a luxurious experience no matter where their Princess Cruises vacation leads them.
Breakdown of Ships in the Princess Cruises Fleet
To help you gain an appreciation for just how impressive the Princess Cruises fleet is, here’s a basic breakdown of their existing vessels:
Now under the ownership umbrella of Carnival Corporation & plc, Princess Cruises is one of the largest and most recognizable cruise lines in the industry. With Gus Antorcha taking over as president, the brand continues to innovate and expand its ever-growing fleet of luxurious cruise ships.
From its humble beginnings as a small company consisting of a single retrofitted Alaskan passenger ferry, Princess Cruises has become one of the world leaders in offering luxurious and memorable cruise voyages.
Stanley McDonald’s original vision of creating a luxury cruise line that could provide guests with comfortable accommodations, entertaining amenities, and thrilling voyages to exciting destinations has been fully realized, but Princess Cruises is showing no signs of slowing down.
Many cruise lines offer a variety of perks and benefits to their most loyal guests, travelers who set sail with them over and over. While some perks are more popular than others, one of Carnival Cruise Line’s most coveted perks is its priority debarkation process.
This benefit is provided to Platinum and Diamond level guests in the cruise line’s Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) program, and permits those guests to debark the ship first at the end of a cruise.
This can be very beneficial indeed, as travelers can get on their post-cruise way ahead of crowds and can even make earlier flights or be well on their way home before other passengers have even made it down the gangway.
The perk can be confusing when compared to self-assist luggage debarkation, however. One cruiser brought up the comparison to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, who provided clarification on the overall process.
“What is the intent of self-assist?”the guest asked.“Why are self-assisters called to depart before VIP Diamonds who are waiting for luggage to be taken to the carousel? Other cruise lines do not have self-assist.”
Self-assist debarkation is when guests carry off all their luggage by themselves, with no bags removed the night before and placed in the cruise terminal for collection. Travelers must be able to handle all bags on their own – hence, “self” assist – as there will be no assistance from crew members or porters from the ship to the cruise terminal.
Heald noted that self-assist is essential for today’s ships, as larger vessels carry thousands of passengers and it would be impossible for all bags to be handled by crew members. The original poster had claimed to have sailed twice aboard Carnival Jubilee recently, which can welcome 6,631 guests if fully booked.
“We must have self assist,”Heald confirmed.“Without it the debarkation of 6,000 guests on your ship would take many more hours which would result in a very late embarkation [for the next cruise].”
Heald also notes that US Customs and Border Protection also has a say in managing cruise ship debarkation and timing, and would have input on whether or not self-assist processes were manageable and effective.
How Self-Assist Debarkation Impacts VIFPs
While the original poster does not appear to understand what self-assist debarkation is, they certainly don’t seem to want their perks interrupted regardless of efficiency.
“If you do this then let the perk of being first off the ship happen,”they insisted.“We were not off the ship until 8:15 [a.m.].”
Heald explains the overall order of how self-assist travelers as well as Diamond and Platinum VIFP guests are managed for debarkation.
“We do take Diamond and Platinum and Faster to the Fun and Suite guests who have all their own bags with them off the ship first, before anyone else,”he confirmed.
Passengers Heading for Cruise (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
These travelers are the VIFP and purchased benefit travelers who are also electing to use self-assist debarkation. This is the very first group of passengers who are permitted off the ship, as soon as the vessel is cleared for debarkation.
“Then once your tag 1 and tag 2 bags have been placed ashore by the port authority stevedores we will call guests ashore,”Heald explained.“While we wait for those bags to be placed ashore then yes, we do allow other guests on self-assist to leave.”
This is where the commenter’s confusion may come from. Diamond and Platinum guests who are not using self-assist debarkation are automatically assigned luggage tags in Zone 1 and Zone 2, the first bags that will be unloaded from the ship and placed in the terminal for collection.
However, it does take time for those bags to be moved to the terminal and ready for debarking guests to claim. In that short interval after the vessel is cleared for passengers to leave and before all Zone 1 and Zone 2 bags are ready for guests, other self-assist debarkation passengers are allowed to debark, even if they are not Diamond or Platinum level VIFPs.
This ensures that debarkation is moving along as efficiently as possible, without delays or breaks waiting for luggage to be offloaded and placed in the terminal.
“I should also say that having you off the ship by 8:15 a.m. is, well, not too bad I think,”Heald concluded.
As for the original poster’s claim that “other cruise lines do not have self-assist” – this is untrue. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Disney Cruise Line, among others, all offer self-assist debarkation options – this writer has used it every time, on every line.
Other commenters also note that self-assist is a common option with all cruise lines, and that being off such a large cruise ship by 8:15 a.m. is indeed efficient when one does not carry their own bags.
Some cruise passengers simply prefer the convenience of having larger bags taken off by crew members so they are waiting in the terminal, while other passengers are more interested in ensuring a faster, earlier debarkation and therefore, tote their bags themselves.
What all travelers do tend to agree on, however, is that the entitlement of some guests – of any loyalty level – is far more ridiculous than any debarkation confusion.
While all of Carnival’s specialty restaurants offer a top-notch, gourmet experience, none are quite as exclusive as The Chef’s Table.
The Chef’s Table is a multicourse, gourmet dinner for a select group of 12-16 guests – with the evening hosted by the master executive chef.
The price ($106 – $140 depending on the sailing) also includes a champagne toast, hors d’oeuvres, and a comprehensive tour of the galley.
The recommended attire for the experience is cruise casual or elegant – which suggests that this would be a more formal affair.
But after one cruiser had the opposite experience, she wrote to Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald on his Facebook page to complain about the lack of formality.
“Yesterday I received a negative comment about the Chef’s Table. Actually it was a two pronged complaint featuring a comment about the dress code or lack of it with the lady thinking it should be ‘a formal affair,’”Heald summarized for his followers.
But ultimately, Heald wasn’t too worried about the possible lack of adherence to the dress code.
“I know that I have said many times that I don’t understand why what someone else is wearing will ever affect the taste of the food or the fun that you’re having,”Head said in a follow-up post.
What the brand ambassador was more worried about is the guest claimed to have heard the crew members swearing in the kitchen – which would count as inappropriate behavior.
“The second comment was that during the galley tour portion of this brilliant event she had overheard ‘swearing and bad language’ from the staff. Now obviously if that is correct and she did then we should apologise, so I did,”Heald said.
While it’s not confirmed that foul language was actually used, Heald reminded his followers that working in a busy cruise ship kitchen can be a very high pressure situation – and asked that guests have grace for stressed-out crew members.
Dress Code is a Hot Button Issue
While something as simple as following a dress code sounds like it shouldn’t be controversial, dress code faux pas on Carnival ships are frequently up for debate on Heald’s Facebook page.
Regarding the woman’s experience at The Chef’s Table, Heald’s followers were largely on her side – seeing the lack of formality as a sign of disrespect.
“The Chef’s table is lovely and fun. I would see it as disrespectful for someone to show up in shorts and flip flops. You don’t have to be formal, but a level of class and effort would be nice,” one former cruise guest replied.
“I dress appropriately for the occasion. The Chef’s Table has always been a ‘special’ occasion, so with respect for the Chef and others who went to a lot of effort to create delicious food in an elegant setting, I dress accordingly. It seems disrespectful, to me, to dress any differently,” added another past passenger.
But while the Chef’s Table requires some extra effort as a unique and VIP experience, even what guests wear to the main dining room has caused controversy.
Some recent drama started after Heald (and most of his responding followers) sympathized with a guest who was cyberbullied for wearing sandals to dinner in the main dining room – which she did for medical reasons.
But in the comments section, Heald’s followers were quick to turn on each other after some cruisers thought it would be okay to wear Crocs to dinner – which is apparently where many draw the line.
“On your shoe post there are people saying they wear Crocs on formal night. IMHO, crocs are just too ugly to wear unless you’re under the age of ten, or have foot problems that make wearing any other shoes extremely uncomfortable. Just saying,”one person wrote at the time.
The dress code for Carnival’s main dining room does call for cruise elegant attire – meaning men should wear nicer jeans or slacks with collared or dress shirts while women should wear pantsuits, semi-formal or sun dresses, and elegant skirts.
Being one of Carnival’s most loyal cruisers certainly comes with benefits – some of which are priority embarkation and early access to cruise cabins to drop off belongings.
These exclusive benefits are only available to elite Diamond and Platinum members of Carnival’s VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club or guests who purchase the Faster to the Fun (FTTF) package.
These elite loyalty members also typically get priority to leave and re-board the ship within ports of call.
However, two upcoming sailings will not be able to accommodate these perks because there are simply too many elite loyalty guests booked on the voyages.
“Due to the high number of Diamond and Platinum guests joining us on this voyage, we will not be able to provide priority embarkation or debarkation (including at any of the ports of call).” read a letter from Colleen Oliverio, Vice President of Guest Services.
Additionally, Diamond guests will not be guaranteed their usual main dining room seating requests for dinner due to the anticipated number of guests onboard.
The removal of these perks is fairly common for Carnival Journeys sailings – which both of the impacted voyages are – due to a larger number of VIFP guests that choose these voyages. Even so, the change is likely still frustrating.
“These operational changes are consistent with other Carnival Journeys cruises where we have a very large number of Diamond and Platinum guests. We apologize for any disappointment and thank you for your understanding,”continued the letter.
The first impacted sailing is a cruise to Hawaii that will be operated by Carnival Radiance – which will embark from Long Beach, California, on December 1, 2024.
The 14-night cruise calls for stops at Hilo, Hawaii; Kahului (Maui), Hawaii; Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii; Nawiliwili (Kauai), Hawaii; and Ensenada, Mexico.
The second impacted sailing will be the December 6, 2024, embarkation for Carnival Venezia.
The 12-day one-way sailing will embark from New York – calling on St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; and Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos.
Lately, many Carnival guests have noticed that their sailings have felt extra crowded – and it will likely only get worse through the holiday season.
December is a popular month to travel, as people find their jobs slow down for the holidays and kids go on school vacation.
Perhaps more so because of the crowds, Carnival’s most elite VIFP members will likely be displeased by the lack of perks – especially after all the money they would have given the cruise line.
For context, Platinum guests have to be on a Carnival ship for 75-199 cruise days and Diamond guests have to sail with Carnival for 200+ cruise days to reach their status.
But while the loss of perks is annoying, what will likely be the biggest issue is the reminder that staterooms are only available for a brief visit upon boarding and won’t immediately be ready for guests to settle in.
“Staterooms will be ready after 1:30 PM. Once on board, please feel free to drop off any carry-on luggage in your stateroom before heading to lunch,”wrote Oliverio.
As is the norm, this perk is meant to add convenience by allowing guests to drop off their belongings and then clear out until the cruise cabins are officially available. However, this often isn’t good enough for many guests.
Indeed, the drop-off perk is frequently a hot button topic on Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald’s Facebook page, as many guests want immediate full access to their staterooms.
After a 14 hour drive to the cruise port, all the passenger wanted to do was take a nap – but was furious when they realized they weren’t able to stay in their cabin just yet.
Paired with the loss of perks, bringing up the cabin access rules may add more fuel to the fire for guests who don’t agree with the policy.
The very first “Love Boat” ever to set sail from Port Canaveral has arrived with festive fanfare at her new homeport. This represents great expansion in the port’s popularity as well as more diversity of sailings available for Princess Cruises fans.
Caribbean Princess sailed into the central Florida homeport early Wednesday morning, November 27, 2024 following her transatlantic cruise from Rome at the end of her European season.
Now, the 112,894-gross-ton, modified Grand class ship will be offering diverse Caribbean itineraries as befits her name. She will remain sailing from Port Canaveral through mid-April 2025, at which time she will relocate for the Alaska sailing season.
“We’re proud to welcome home Caribbean Princess, as she is a perfect addition to this market providing cruise guests with even more attractive and varied cruise options departing from Port Canaveral,”said Captain John Murray, Port Canaveral’s CEO.
As is maritime tradition, the ship was welcomed with key Port Canaveral executives as well as Princess Cruises’ leadership executives on hand for the historic arrival and a momentous plaque exchange between Canaveral Port Authority Commissioner Kevin Markey and Caribbean Princess’s master, Captain Vincenzo Lubrano Lobianco.
“We’re very excited to homeport Caribbean Princess in Port Canaveral,”said Terry Thornton, chief commercial officer for Princess Cruises.“Port Canaveral has earned its well-deserved reputation as one of the premier ports in cruising and we’re proud and honored to be a part of the Space Coast community.”
Thornton also noted the convenience of Port Canaveral for both fly-in and drive-in travelers, as well as the cruise port’s excellent cruise terminal facilities that make it one of the top-rated cruise homeports by experienced cruisers.
In further celebration of the occasion, as well as to support the local community that Princess Cruises is now joining, the cruise line donated two pallets of food to the South Brevard Sharing Center, a local food pantry and community resource center.
This donation is especially welcome the day before Thanksgiving, as it will help ensure more families can be provided with food during uncertain times.
Sailing from Central Florida Aboard Caribbean Princess
The inaugural sailing of Caribbean Princess from her new homeport is a 4-night Thanksgiving getaway to Grand Turk, where the ship will be visiting on Friday, November 29 before returning to Port Canaveral on Sunday, December 1.
Caribbean Princess will be offering a diverse selection of Caribbean cruises during her season at Port Canaveral, with both Eastern and Western routes on her schedule.
Caribbean Princess in Port Canaveral (Photo Courtesy: Port Canaveral)
Depending on the sailing date and itinerary length, the ship will be visiting such top ports as St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan, Amber Cove, Grand Turk, Freeport, Roatan, Belize City, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and more.
Sailings range from 6- and 8-night voyages to combined cruises for 14 full days aboard the outstanding vessel, giving travelers every opportunity to enjoy all of her features, amenities, and hospitality. Onboard, guests will also find the innovative Medallion class technology for digitized convenience and a seamless experience.
After spending the 2025 summer season sailing in Alaska, Caribbean Princess will offer winter sailings from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale before returning to Port Canaveral for the summer 2026 season, when she will offer 7-night itineraries through October 2026.
Caribbean Princess can welcome 3,140 passengers aboard and is also home to approximately 1,200 international crew members who are eager to welcome all travelers to their new homeport.
As millions of travelers take to the skies, highways, and railroads this Thanksgiving season, a surging number also will board cruise ships, which are going all out to create a festive holiday atmosphere for guests.
For the 2024 season, AAA predicts that just under 80 million people will travel at least 50 miles from their homes during the Thanksgiving weekend, which counts as November 26 to December 2, 2024.
The number includes all forms of travel, by air, car, bus, train, and cruise ship. Overall, AAA finds that 1.7 million more people will travel this Thanksgiving weekend versus in 2023.
Breaking down the figures, 71.4 million will drive, 5.8 million will fly, and 2.2 million will use some other form of transport, including cruise ships, buses, and trains.
Many cruisers who booked Thanksgiving vacations at sea will use multiple forms of transport, since virtually all will fly or drive to their embarkation ports before boarding their ships.
Diving deeper into the “other” transport options, AAA found an overall spike of close to 9% compared to 2023, but cruising is seeing a much bigger increase, with domestic and international cruise bookings up 20% versus Thanksgiving 2023.
“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel.
“Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations,” added Barber.
Some of the biggest drive-to ports in the US are PortMiami, Port Canaveral, and the Port of Galveston, Texas. In fact, Galveston is in the process of expanding its parking facilities.
According to the port, more than 30 million people live within a 300-mile radius of the port, making it a top drive-to cruise embarkation site for major metro areas like Houston, Austin, and Dallas, Texas.
No doubt many of the 5.8 million travelers who will fly to their destinations for the Thanksgiving holiday will be cruisers bound for embarkation ports, since holiday cruises are extremely popular.
Cruise lines offer special onboard events such as parties and holiday menus. Carnival Cruise Line in early November 2024, revealed details of its Thanksgiving feast being prepared for guests across the fleet.
Passengers Passing Other Docked Cruise Ships in Miami (Photo Credit: gary yim)
Special three-course meals will feature traditional Thanksgiving favorites, including roast turkey with all of the trimmings, plus tasty treats like pumpkin soup. Guests can also choose a honey-glazed ham entree as an alternative to turkey, and a vegetarian dish, Cauliflower, and Gruyere Cheese Soufflé will be offered as well.
Cruisers Can Book Black Friday Deals for 2025-26
Even those who are not cruising during the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday can still get in on the action for next year, since most of the major cruise lines have rolled out their Black Friday booking promotions.
Many of these special discounts and value-added perks are offered in 2025 and 2026, depending on the cruise line.
Virgin Voyages, for instance, is offering cruise fare discounts combined with bar tab credits on all sailings with departures through 2026. Bookings must be made by December 3, 2024. The bar tab credits are based on the cruise length.
Upscale boutique line Oceania Cruises has a Black Friday offer that combines a cabin upgrade with a choice of three other perks — a drink package, an onboard credit up to $1,000, or free or reduced air fare.
Other cruise lines are tempting future guests with discounted fares for the third and fourth guest in a cabin, reduced deposits, and free cruise fare for children, among other benefits. Read the fine print, though, since some cruise lines will exclude holiday sailings from these discounts.
With the busy holiday travel season underway, it is a popular time for families to gather together to share the spirit of the season. When some family members need mobility assistance, however, there are extra challenges to ensure they can travel safely and efficiently, including documenting their assistive scooters.
Passengers on Carnival Cruise Line need to be aware that they must fill in the Mobility Questionnaire, which includes detailing their scooter’s dimensions and noting any other accessibility requirements they may have.
This issue was recently addressed by the cruise line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, in response to guest concerns about whether or not the form must be printed.
“I’ve been with Carnival since 2000. Mom and I take scooters with us. In the last 8 yrs I’ve never had an issue until now. I don’t have a printer or desk computer. I usually just call and let them know it’s the right size, that they come apart, that we don’t need help etc.,”the guest explained.
The commenter goes on to explain that they have now been told the form must be sent in and cannot be confirmed verbally with a phone call.
“I don’t want to spend money buying a printer,”they said.“With limited mobility getting to the library, waiting for a computer to open up and paying to print something that should be done on my phone, possibly in the app, or by call is just not a good thing.”
With so many businesses now having gone digital and paperless, it does seem unusual that Carnival Cruise Line would require a printed form.
Other travelers who use scooters were quick to chime in, however, noting that the form is a .pdf file that can be filled out on a phone, saved, and emailed back to the cruise line’s Guest Access team – no printing needed.
“I forgot we did this,”apologized Heald.“So I see the wonderful [commenter] has given you some great advice which I hope you can use.”
The original poster does express further frustration as “a technically challenged elderly person” unfamiliar with how to edit the .pdf or return it as needed. Other guests have offered assistance to help walk the poster through how to manage the document so it can be used for multiple sailings with ease.
Some commenters do wonder, however, how the original poster would print luggage tags and boarding passes if they don’t have a printer and don’t want to use the public library.
Of course, luggage tags are not necessary if travelers carry all their bags on to the ship themselves, and boarding passes can be shown to check-in personnel via the Carnival Hub app, no printing required.
It would, of course, be a good addition to the app if Carnival Cruise Line were to add the Mobility Questionnaire to its features, making it even easier for travelers to present all proper documentation in one convenient place.
Why Do Scooters Need to Be Documented?
Carnival Cruise Line has been cracking down on mobility scooters over the past year to ensure that all travelers abide by onboard requirements and policies for the assistive vehicles.
The exact dimensions of a scooter that can be accommodated depend on the type of stateroom a guest has booked. In a standard stateroom, the scooter must fit through the 22″ doorway, while fully accessible staterooms can accommodate scooters up to 32″ wide.
“Scooters that do not fit in the stateroom will not be allowed on board,”the cruise line’s policy reads.“Should a guest be unable to make alternate arrangements to rent a smaller scooter or travel without it, he/she will be denied boarding and no compensation will be provided.”
Furthermore, foldable or collapsible scooters are necessary so they can be stored in the stateroom. No scooters or wheelchairs may be stored in corridors or public areas except for short-term, temporary storage if a guest is attending an event – such as parking a scooter outside the theater to enjoy a production show.
By requiring travelers booked in accessible staterooms or traveling with mobility devices to fill out the questionnaire, Carnival Cruise Line is working to ensure that everyone is aware of the policies and there can be no misunderstandings before or during a cruise so everyone can enjoy their getaway safely and comfortably.
Cruise lines have made cruising much more convenient in recent years with the widespread adoption of apps that keep track of guests’ plans and let them know what is going on around the ship.
However, the apps cannot be used to find a potential love match for single cruisers – and that is not changing anytime soon for Carnival Cruise Line, likely to the dismay of a single mom looking to meet the love of her life at sea.
The cruiser, who is a more elite member of Carnival’s loyalty programwith Platinum status, reached out to Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald to ask if a feature could be added to the HUB App to allow single cruisers onboard to meet – sort of like how dating apps work on land.
The guest introduced herself in a message on Heald’s public Facebook page:“I am 45, an independent Californian single mom of two teens with a great job.”
“When I do cruise on my own I always think that this would make me a real catch but it seems it’s the opposite. Internet dating is time-consuming and I hardly have time to go out. My question is please can Carnival have an addition to their app that will give the opportunity for single cruisers to meet?,” she continued.
According to Heald, there are no plans in place to introduce any dating app-type features to the HUB – although he sympathized with the struggles of modern dating.
At the current time, the HUB App only allows guests to message and share plans with their immediate travel party members.
How to Meet New People on Cruises
Although Heald couldn’t definitively say that Carnival would ever consider adding a singles chat feature to the HUB App, he was open to hearing feedback on the idea.
“I am not sure if we would ever have a “singles meet” on the app…Seriously though I would like your opinion on this. There would be some concerns for sure but generally, what do you think about this?,”Heald wrote in reply to the single mother’s message.
In the over 1,000 comments, the majority expressed that they would rather take part in an in person meet-up during their sailing than stick to messaging potential love interests on the App.
Carnival Hub App
“They have single mixers on the cruises and people do meet on cruise ships and start long term relationships. I met my wife on a Carnival Cruise back in 2009. Married and have three kids together,”one person replied, who fell in love during a mid-cruise meet-up.
As Heald’s cruise community mentioned, there are usually several different meet-ups per sailing to allow like minded individuals to get to know each other and make new friends.
According to Carnival’s website, most – if not all – sailings do feature singles mixers. They are often divided by age (over or under 40 years old) and have a meet-and-greet specifically for guests between the ages of 18 and 20.
Most sailings also include LGBTQI mixers, Narcotics Anonymous meetings, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, meet-and-greets for card player aficionados, and military appreciation gatherings.
There may also be opportunities to mingle at other events, such as themed parties, cooking classes, dance classes, ice carving demonstrations, and art auctions.
