Carnival Cruise Line has notified guests booked on sailings visiting Panama about updated travel requirements and whether or not all passengers must carry passports.
While guests may be able to enjoy their cruise to Panama without a passport, they will not be permitted off the ship in the Central American country without that critical piece of travel documentation.
This is a noted change from previous guidelines about cruise travel documentation, where passports were not listed as necessary for visiting Panama unless the cruise started in one US homeport and ended in another, such as a full Panama Canal transit.
“This advisory requires your prompt review as we work to keep you informed about your cruise. We have received clarification on passport requirements for Panama,”the notification read.
“To comply with guidelines for going ashore, all guests (including infants) must carry a passport book that is valid for at least 6 months after the cruise ends. Guests will be permitted to sail with other acceptable travel documentation, but they must remain on board when the ship visits Panama.”
To be clear, if cruise passengers are using their birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID or any other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document, they will not be permitted off the ship in Panama. They can, however, enjoy the rest of the cruise without difficulty.
WHTI documents also include a state enhanced driver’s license, a certificate of US naturalization, or a Native American Indian card.
The letter also notes that travelers are responsible to ensure they have appropriate travel documentation for where their cruise will be visiting.
“While we will do our best to provide you with as much information as possible, you should always ensure that you follow all travel and documentation requirements for this cruise,”the letter read.
It can take several weeks to obtain a new or renewed passport, but expedited services are available for travelers with urgent documentation needs.
Anyone with a cruise booked visiting Panama in the coming weeks should be mindful of the need for the proper passport and make arrangements as soon as possible if necessary.
If guests will be sailing without passports but have already booked pre-paid Panama shore tours through Carnival Cruise Line, those tours will be refunded. Cruise passengers are never required to get off the ship in any port of call.
“If you will be remaining on board, our team will be ready to provide excellent service and keep you entertained with fun activities,”the letter clarified.
Carnival has several upcoming sailings visiting Panama. Carnival Miracle, for example, is offering a 10-night Panama Canal sailing roundtrip from Galveston with departures on November 15, December 27, February 7, and March 3.
Similarly, Carnival Legend is offering several 8-night cruises from Tampa visiting Costa Rica, Panama, and Grand Cayman. Departures for those sailings are on December 21, February 15, and April 12.
Carnival Liberty, Carnival Pride, and Carnival Venezia also have visits to Panama planned in the next few months.
Isn’t This an Old Requirement?
Many posts on social media and other unofficial sites have claimed that this documentation requirement is nothing new, but in fact, it is a subtle change.
Previously, passports were not required for cruises to Panama unless the ship was either visiting Colombia or else ending in a different US homeport than where it first embarked.
Because the majority of Panama cruises have been full canal transits while ships reposition to homeports, guests were already required to have passports.
Similarly, Panama was often included as a port visit on rare itineraries visiting Colombia, which also meant passports were already required.
Now, Carnival Cruise Line is adding more partial transit Panama Canal itineraries than ever, which are closed-loop voyages to and from the same US homeport.
While guests can enjoy those cruises without a passport, they will not be permitted to debark in Panama – even for a guided shore tour – if they do not have one.
Do you cruise with a passport? Why or why not? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive boards!
Everything Disney does – in both its theme parks and cruise ships – is about storytelling, and every little detail matters.
When the new Disney Treasure officially enters service with her maiden voyage on December 21, 2024, even her ship horn will help to immerse guests in her theme of “adventure” – which is inspired by Walt Disney’s own thirst for adventure.
Indeed, the ship horn – which is both the vessel’s calling card and an important method of communication – will be part of the story telling.
The original Disney ships, namely Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, only played “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinocchio.
But newer additions to the fleet, including Disney Wish and Disney Fantasy, have been able to play an assortment of Disney classics from their horns – and Disney Treasure is clearly no exception.
Nearby ships in the Atlantic Ocean may have heard notes of “Grim Grinning Ghosts,” which plays homage to the Haunted Mansion attraction in the Disney theme parks andthe Haunted Mansion Parlorthat will debut on the 4,000-passenger ship.
Next up was “A Whole New World” from Aladdin, which is the film that inspired the theme for the ship’s Grand Hall, and “Remember Me” from Coco, which ties into the new theatrical dining experience at Plaza de Coco.
The rest of the musical selections – including a special composition for this year’s holiday season – are being kept as a surprise until the maiden voyage, which will be a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing.
Musical Innovation: The Disney Treasure Theme Song
Not only will Disney Treasure set sail with one of the most magical horns at sea, but she is the first Disney cruise ship to get her own theme song.
In summer of 2024, Disney Cruise Line helped to build the hype by releasing the original song, titled “Live the Adventure,” which is supposed to capture the feeling of fun and adventure families will feel once onboard.
The signature song was written by Dewain Whitmore, Jr. and Chantry Johnson and performed by Jordan Sparks, a singer-songwriter and the youngest ever winner of “American Idol.”
“I really like ‘Live the Adventure’ because it’s happy – it automatically makes you feel like it’s going to be a great day,”Sparks said at the time. “It’s saying we can discover the treasure of what the day is going to bring.”
Disney Treasure River Ems Conveyance
Cruise fans can already listen to the song on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Youtube Music, and Deezer – and it will certainly be played onboard, too.
While this is unconfirmed, some DCL fans are speculating that the theme song might be one of the yet-to-be-revealed ship horns.
Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to thousands of booked guests to alert them to embarkation changes for nearly 200 upcoming sailings on two vessels. Carnival Pride and Carnival Spirit are both impacted by this round of adjustments, which effects sailings as early as next month and as far in the future as spring 2027.
Carnival Pride is homeported year-round from Baltimore, Maryland, offering Bahamas, Bermuda, Panama Canal, Eastern Caribbean, Southern Caribbean, and Greenland itineraries. The ship’s departure time for a wide range of departures is now moved 30 minutes earlier.
“We have revised departure time for your cruise and now plan to sail from Baltimore at 4:30 PM (instead of 5:00 PM) eastern time,”the notification read.
While a 30-minute time change may not be significant to most travelers, it may have an impact over the next few sailings. The adjustment includes all of Carnival Pride‘s December 2024 sailings, and those passengers may already have made plans to reach the cruise terminal.
Sailings through 2025, 2026, and into spring 2027 are also impacted. In total, 103 Carnival Pride cruises are now featuring this embarkation adjustment. This includes every 7-night sailing the ship is making from December 1, 2024 through and including April 25, 2027, regardless of destination.
Similar changes are also being made to itineraries aboard Carnival Pride’s sister ship, Carnival Spirit, sailing from Mobile, Alabama as well as her summer 2025 Alaska season from Seattle, Washington.
The departure change is the same – 30 minutes earlier – but the ship will now depart at 3:30 p.m. instead of 4 p.m.
As with Carnival Pride, Carnival Spirit‘s itineraries are now shifted from December 1, 2024 through March 2027. While not all of the ship’s itineraries are fully published for that time frame, more than 50 departure dates are confirmed on the revision list. It is likely that altogether, roughly 100 cruises will now have the new, earlier departure time.
The ship’s longer sailings, such as her March 16, 2025 transatlantic cruise departure from Barcelona following an extensive dry dock, are not impacted by the departure change.
For all impacted dates, all passengers must still be onboard the 86,000-gross-ton, Spirit class ships by the final boarding times printed on their respective boarding passes. Furthermore, there are no anticipated changes to any of the impacted itineraries’ ports of call.
Carnival Pride Docked in Baltimore (Photo Credit: Port of Baltimore)
As sister ships, Carnival Pride and Carnival Spirit are similar in size, layout, and amenities. Carnival Spirit joined the Fun Ship fleet as the lead in her class in 2001, followed in 2002 by Carnival Pride.
Both vessels can welcome 2,124 guests at double occupancy and are also home to 930 international crew members who stand ready to ensure all guests have a brilliant cruise, no matter what time the ships set sail.
Why So Many Changes?
Carnival Cruise Line has not explained why Carnival Pride and Carnival Spirit both have so many departure time shifts. It is possible it could be related to port operations at Baltimore, Mobile, and Seattle, or may be an effort to improve fuel efficiency by adjusting sailing speeds.
The earlier time shift could also be a result of improved embarkation processing. This could be related to the implementation of facial recognition technology which helps all guests be onboard the ship sooner, permitting an earlier overall departure.
While some guests in the first few impacted cruises may need to adjust their travel plans to the cruise port to ensure they arrive on time for the earlier departure, most passengers will not need to make significant adaptations as they head for their cruises.
Due to poor weather conditions and a freak incident with a rogue wave, Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas will have to delay its arrival in Miami, Florida, at the end of its current Transatlantic voyage.
The Voyager-class vessel, which is in the middle of what was supposed to be a 12-night one-way cruise from Barcelona, Spain, embarked on November 2, 2024.
She was supposed to disembark in PortMiami on November 14 and officially begin her Caribbean season the same day – but now won’t arrive in port until three days later than anticipated on November 17.
“Due to our previous sailing’s delay in arriving at PortMiami, our sailing will now take place on Sunday, November 17, 2024. Please know, our return to PortMiami is fluid, and once our times are finalized, we’ll send you an email with your updated check-in times,”Royal Caribbean wrote to impacted guests.
The Southern Caribbean Cruise was supposed to be 10 nights long and call on Labadee, Haiti; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Castries, St Lucia; St. Johns, Antigua; and Basseterre, St. Kitts.
However, due to the delay, the itinerary has had to be altered – Philipsburg, Castries, and St. Johns have been eliminated entirely.
Basseterre, San Juan, and Labadee are still on the agenda – but the dates in which the port calls will take place have changed and the order of the visits has shifted.
For example, Labadee was the first port callon the itinerary and the visit was originally scheduled for November 16. However, this stop is now the final port call of the sailing, with the visit not occurring until November 22.
In some cases, the time that will be spent in port has also changed. The most extreme example of this was the ship was supposed to be in the port of San Juan from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time on November 17, but now the visit will take place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on November 21.
Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas (Photo Credit: Merrillie Redden)
Royal Caribbean is compensating guests for the inconvenience by providing a prorated refund for the three cancelled days, plus an extra day as a show of goodwill, in the form of an onboard credit.
At the end of the sailing, any refundable amounts not used will be returned to the credit card on file within 14 business days.
What Went Wrong?
The current voyage being operated by Explorer of the Seas has not exactly been smooth sailing – and Mother Nature is the culprit.
First, poor weather conditions around Spain resulted in the 4,290-guest ship sailing an altered itinerary.
The ship missed its scheduled port call in Valencia, Spain, on November 3 – which is still recovering from recent severe flooding. This port was replaced by a day in Cartagena, Spain.
Then, weather conditions required the ports of Malaga and Ponta Delgada to be switched out with Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
But the bigger delay came when the 137,308-gross ton ship ran into an expected squall on November 7, 2024 – and was hit by a rogue wave and intense winds thatcaused the vessel to tilt dramatically onto her side.
Initial reports suggested that there were no major injuries onboard, but it has since come to light that someone onboard needed medical attention that warranted turning the ship around.
“The captain and the crew did a great job, keeping everyone calm and safe. But someone needs medical assistance so now we are heading back to the Canary Islands and will be 3 days delayed into Miami,”a current passenger shared on Facebook.
Current cruise tracking data shows that the vessel turned around early on November 8 and is heading in the direction of Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
If you’re planning a romantic getaway, there are few better options than a cruise. With a cruise, all you have to do is pack your bags, show up and all the romance is waiting for you, right on the ship.
While cruise ships may, for some, be more synonymous with family fun than romance, don’t make the mistake of overlooking all the loving feelings a cruise vacation can spark. Want to plan the most romantic cruise vacation possible? Here are our top tips.
First things first, while it is possible to have a romantic cruise on most cruise lines, if you want to really go as romantic as possible, it’s important to pick the right cruise line.
For example, you might want to go with an adults-only cruise line — because, let’s face it, nothing ruins the romance faster than screaming kiddos in a restaurant.
For the younger set, Virgin Voyages is a good option with a vibrant atmosphere and lots of adult-centric amenities and entertainment. For the older crew, something a bit more laid back and luxury-focused could be a good fit, like what you’ll find on Viking Ocean Cruises.
Even if you don’t go for a fully adults-only cruise line like these two, you’ll find that if you book a more luxurious cruise line, then naturally there will be fewer families and children onboard the ship. This is the case with lines such as Silversea Cruises and Regent Seven Seas.
2. Time Your Trip
Special Welcome for Virgin Voyages passengers (Photo Courtesy: Virgin Voyages)
If you don’t pick one of these cruise lines that are typically all adults, all the time, then take care to time your trip appropriately. Maybe you bypass the busiest cruising times.
Around spring break is notoriously bad, such as in March and April, when you’ll find groups of partiers take to the more budget-friendly cruise lines. Similarly, if you want to avoid hordes of vacationing families, you might want to avoid summer break season, as well as around the holidays.
Ideally, for fewer crowds, go for the winter after the holidays have concluded, or the fall.
Additionally, if you’re on a cruise ship that welcomes cruisers of all ages and types, make good use of the adults-only spaces. Just about every cruise ship has them and they’re typically an oasis of calm and tranquility away from the hubbub.
For example, Carnival Cruise Line has its Serenity space, where cruisers ages 21 and up can enjoy a small pool, hot tubs, great deck views and a bar. Norwegian Cruise Line actually has a few different adults-only spaces, including Posh, Vibe and Spice H20.
These spaces often serve a beach club-like atmosphere during the day, that’s more relaxed, before transforming into a more club-like atmosphere after dark.
Do note that some adults-only spaces will be free to enter, included in your cruise fare, while others will require an additional fee (as is the case with Norwegian Cruise Line’s Posh and Vibe spaces).
4. Pick a Good Itinerary
Cruise Ships Docked in Civitavecchia (Photo Credit: Zigmunds Dizgalvis)
Some itineraries are more geared toward romance than others, when you take a look at the shore excursions offered and the destinations featured on your itinerary.
Some itineraries are all about taking you to busy islands in the Caribbean, where the main attractions are your standard tourist fare, like scuba diving or ATV tours in places like the Bahamas, Jamaica or Puerto Rico. On expedition cruises, the focus is on extreme adventure, all the time, so you might find yourself climbing up a glacier or heading off on safari.
For a classically romantic cruise, consider itineraries that take you to quieter destinations that offer you and your sweetheart a chance to connect. Maybe that means lounging on a less-crowded beach on a less-crowded island, with a visit to a Caribbean island like St. Lucia. Or, maybe it means heading off to a European locale, where you can stroll historic streets and get lost in museums and romantic restaurants.
Of course, every couple is different, so that classically romantic vibe might not be your cup of tea. You and your honey may very well bond over expedition excursions!
Whatever the case may be, though, think about how you and your partner best like to spend time together, and how you both define a romantic time, and then pick an itinerary that caters to that.
5. Invest in an Upgrade
Stateroom on Carnival Cruise Ship (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
If you’re planning a romantic trip, now’s the time to splurge on an upgrade. Spring for a cruise on the newer cruise ship with all the fancy bells and whistles and the plethora of luxury, brand-new amenities and venues.
Then, spring for a nicer stateroom or suite. While, sure, an interior stateroom definitely will keep you cozy, it might not keep you all that comfortable.
The last thing you want during a romantic getaway is to start getting all huffy at your partner because you keep tripping over their shoes or suitcase that they’ve left in the middle of the room, taking up valuable floorspace.
So, go for the really lovely suite — maybe even one that you don’t even want to leave, because you’re just having that much in it. Need a little inspiration?
Consider the Regent Seven Seas Regent Suite, which clocks in at over 4,000 square feet and comes with unlimited, in-room spa treatments. The suite has its own treatment area, a sauna, heated loungers, a multi-jet shower and more. Oh, and it comes with free first-class airfare. No biggie.
That suite, though, can be a little out of reach for some of us on more modest budgets. In that case, consider a general suite with cruise lines like Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean, where staying in a suite on some ships gets you access to a VIP area.
These areas are limited to suite guests only and often come with their own restaurants, pools, sun decks, lounges and more.
If you’re staying in a general stateroom, you’ll have the help of a steward. If you’re staying in a suite, depending on the cruise line, you may have access to a butler. Whatever the case, enlist this valuable contact to help you make your trip all the more romantic.
A butler can help you arrange for breakfast in bed for two, or a delivery of Champagne to be waiting on you in your stateroom when you get back from dinner.
They can help schedule spa treatments or even special shore excursions that aren’t normally offered by the cruise line. They really can be your go-to coordinator for your romantic cruise.
While a general room steward can’t help you with quite such an extensive list of special tasks, they can still help you out by providing general information and tips for how to make the most of your romantic cruise.
7. Head to the Spa
The Spa on Celebrity Edge
Even if you’re not normally a spa person, consider heading to the spa for a romantic spa treatment experience for two, during your cruise. It can be a really special experience and something you end up replicating on cruises and vacations to come.
And don’t make the mistake of just thinking that these are your general massages and facials. You can book multi-hour spa experiences that completely rejuvenate you and leave you feeling your best for the rest of your cruise.
8. Indulge in Fine Dining — No Matter Your Budget!
Carnival Cruise Line Steakhouse (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz)
Make sure to make reservations at one of your cruise ships’ fine dining restaurants during your cruise (or, if you can, before you even board, so that’s not even something to worry about).
Whether you prefer a classic steakhouse experience, an Italian eatery or French fine dining, there’s something on every cruise ship that’s date night-worthy, and usually a few different choices.
However, fine dining on a cruise ship can be costly and if you’re trying to stick to a budget even while you kindle the romance, those experiences can feel a bit unnecessary. No worries if that’s the case, though! You can enjoy fine dining during your cruise’s formal nights.
Most cruise lines (Carnival Cruise Line is one of them) offer a formal night at least once during a cruise, in the ship’s main dining rooms.
During this formal night, the dining room’s dress code is typically elevated slightly. So, instead of wearing cruise ship casual, you might be asked to wear at least a dress for the ladies and slacks for the men.
That said, some cruisers really go all out and break out their floor-length dresses and suits. You’ll see a mix. It can be an excellent time to enjoy a bit of a dressier, more formal, special experience — but without spending even a single dime more.
9. Order Flowers or Special Gifts From the Cruise Line’s Shops
Virgin Voyages Shops
Ahead of your cruise (or during it), you can usually purchase special gifts and packages from the cruise line, to make your trip a little more meaningful, romantic and celebratory.
For example, Royal Caribbean has its Royal Shop. It offers flowers and small gifts, and, as far as celebration packages goes, it provides the option to buy room décor and romance packages, specifically.
Romance packages can include room decor celebrating a honeymoon or anniversary, Champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, photo frames and more. You can also order a range of alcoholic beverages, as well as special treats like a box of macarons or gourmet cupcakes.
Consider surprising your partner with one of these fun touches! (Don’t want to pay the cruise line’s sometimes higher fee for flowers and the like?
You can usually bring onboard one or two bottles of wine or Champagne, for free, and you can order flowers to the ship, but they must be delivered via florist, directly to the ship on embarkation day.)
10. Make Time to Watch the Sunset (or sunrise!)
Carnival Cruise Ship Deck During Sunset (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
Sometimes, being romantic can seem costly. There’s paying for the extra-special dinners, flowers, gifts, excursions, spa treatments, etc. While all of these can be well worth the cost, though, don’t overlook the special moments that are available to you on a cruise, entirely for free.
For example, have you ever stood on a cruise ship deck and just watched the sun set or rise over the ocean? If you’ve managed to find a quiet spot (and, really, at sunrise, you won’t have to look far), it can be an incredibly touching and beautiful moment with your special someone.
So, don’t think that you have to pay big bucks for romantic moments during your cruise. You can easily find quiet, intimate moments with your partner during your cruise, if you just know where and when to look.
11. If You’re Traveling With the Kids, Make Use of the Cruise Line’s Children’s Services
Adventure Ocean
While some of the above suggestions (like picking a cruise line that’s adults-only) are more geared toward those traveling without kids, we also understand that sometimes that’s not an option. Where you go, the kids go. Maybe you even want to have the kids with you on vacation…but you’d also like a little privacy, too.
If that sounds like you and your partner, consider, firstly, booking a stateroom or suite that allows for privacy. You don’t necessarily need a suite for this. For example, Royal Caribbean offers some family-specific staterooms that have small, separate bunk rooms for the kids, leaving the main cabin area free for the parents.
Then, secondly, make use of the cruise line’s children’s programming. Again, with Royal Caribbean, while the cruise line no longer offers in-room babysitting, it still provides group babysitting via the Adventure Ocean program.
Children between the ages of 3 and 11 can be babysat between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., so you two can enjoy hitting up the shows, bars, and other late-night fun during your cruise. During the day, though, the kids can just enjoy the regular Adventure Ocean fun.
Parents need to drop off younger kiddos and then come check them out, but while they’re there, you can rest assured your crew will be having tons of fun, while you and your sweetie have plenty of romance.
Guests booked on a 2025 Asia cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Spirit were informed of several itinerary changes, including a new embarkation port, that render the voyage virtually unrecognizable from its original route.
The 1,966-guest Norwegian Spirit’s 11-night cruise was to sail from Keelung, Taiwan, on September 24, 2025 but will now embark passengers in Seoul, South Korea. It means a likely change in air arrangements for many guests, however, with the voyage nearly a year away, guests have plenty of time to rebook tickets.
The cruise concludes as scheduled in Yokohama (Tokyo) Japan, on October 5, 2025, but much of the rest of the journey is different from the original itinerary. The original cruise was to provide two days at sea, but the new routing has no days at sea.
In a notice to guests and travel agent partners, the line detailed the changes but did not offer any specific reason why the itinerary was altered.
“At Norwegian Cruise Line, we strive to create extraordinary vacation experiences that delight our guests. Occasionally, scheduled itineraries may need to be altered, allowing us the opportunity to enhance the original voyage to accommodate strong guest demand, and provide a more immersive experience,” Norwegian Cruise Line said in its notice to guests.
The cruise line apologized to booked guests, but indicated that the modifications were made with “optimal guest experience top of mind.”
Popular port calls, including to Hong Kong, and Kobe, Japan, for instance, were removed from the itinerary, as were Kaohsiung and Hualien, Taiwan; and Hirara (Miyakojima) and Naha, Japan.
The revised itinerary shows port calls now scheduled to Jeju (Jeju Island), South Korea; and Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Hiroshima, Kochi, Himejl, Osaka, and Nagoya, Japan.
Also, the ship will extend its port call at Shimizu, Japan, gateway to Mount Fuji. Originally the ship was to call from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. but now will visit from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., providing guests with an additional two hours in port.
The ship will depart Seoul on September 24, 2025 at 4 p.m., the same time she was to depart from Keelung.
Revised Voyage Is Part of Line’s Expansion Across Asia
Norwegian Spirit is one of three ships the cruise line has deployed to Asia in a major expansion of offerings in the region. Between September 2024 and March 2026, the 1,944-guest Norwegian Sky and the 1,976-guest Norwegian Sun will join Norwegian Spirit in operating a series of sailings.
The three ships together will sail from 15 departure ports and feature itineraries of 9 to 19 days to some 60 destinations.
Norwegian Spirit Cruise Ship in Japan
Itinerary changes are common across the cruise industry, but Norwegian Spirit has been in the news recently with route changes on other voyages, too.
In early October 2024, guests booked on a November 2024 Japan voyage were told that their itinerary had been altered. One overnight in port was nixed and arrival and departure times in five other ports were changed.
These revisions impacted some shore excursions, and deprived guests from enjoying an overnight in Osaka. Changes to the 11-day cruise from Incheon, South Korea, to Tokyo were revealed just weeks before departure.
In that case, the cruise line provided a $100 onboard credit to guests and was automatically revising booked shore excursions as needed. In the new itinerary change for the 2025 sailing, no onboard credit has been announced.
After avoiding Labadee, Haiti, due to safety reasons for much of 2024, Royal Caribbean has officially returned to its second private island destination with the arrival of Adventure of the Season October 8, 2024.
Normally, there are dozens of shore excursions to choose from while visiting the peninsula, which is located in the north coast of Haiti in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea.
A quick glance on Royal Caribbean’s website shows options for things like zip lining, kayak adventures, jet ski tours, speed boat tours, historic walking tours, snorkeling, water slides, and even riding the famous Dragon’s Tail roller coaster.
However, guests from various sailings are getting emails from Royal Caribbean stating that their booked shore excursions have been cancelled and they have been refunded.
“We are on the Grandeur leaving on Nov 15th. I just got a refund to my account for our reservations to Amiga Island…Looks like they took it off of the excursions page also,”one future cruiser posted on Reddit.
Amiga Island is a popular choice for visitors and can be accessed quickly and easily from Labadee via a short boat ride – which was offered through the cruise line in the past.
In the comments of the post, another soon-to-be-guest shared a letter they received from Royal Caribbean after their own Labadee excursion was cancelled.
“As we return to visiting Labadee, we’re phasing the rollout of some of our tours and temporarily adjusting our tour offerings. As a result, we’ve cancelled your excursion and issued a full refund to your original form of payment,”the letter stated.
The cruise line has not offered specifics about which tours have been cancelled and how long it will take to resume full operations.
Is Labadee Safe to Visit?
The cruise lines always operate with the safety of their guests and crew as the top priority, and Royal Caribbean is no exception. So, if the family-friendly brand has decided to return to Labadee, it is very likely safe to do so.
Labadee is also generally considered to be safer than other Haitian hot spots – as it is monitored closely and operated by Royal Caribbean.
However, some are speculating that excursions are being cancelled due to continued unrest in the Caribbean country – especially for tours that take place outside of the immediate area surrounding the cruise port.
Royal Caribbean’s Labadee Destination (Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock)
Haiti as a whole remains under a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory from the US Government – which is the highest warning available.
“Venturing a guess, but that island [Amiga] may be far enough outside the protected resort of Labadee that Royal has been advised to remove travel there,” one person mused on Reddit.
Thus far, Royal Caribbean has not confirmed or denied this theory. That said, it isn’t outside of the realm of possibility considering the cruise brand stopped sailing to its 260-acre resort destination in the first place due to safety concerns.
On Sunday, March 3, 2024, the government of Haiti declared a state of emergency after a massive prison break saw the escape of around 4,000 prisoners.
The escaped prisoners had been put in jail for serious crimes, including kidnapping, murder, and other violent offenses.
In response to the prison break, as well as rising gang violence and civil unrest, Royal Caribbean initially opted to cancel select shore excursions for cruise ships calling on Labadee.
But the very next day after making this announcement, on March 14, 2024, the cruise line announced a total suspension from visiting the peninsula – which ultimately lasted for months.
Despite having reassured guests just days ago that their cruise would be able to proceed as scheduled, Princess Cruises has now announced the cancellation of the November 10, 2024 sailing of Regal Princess.
The sailing was to have been a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary departing Galveston, Texas and visiting Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Roatan. Regal Princess is currently homeported from the Lone Star State, offering Western Caribbean sailings ranging from 6-11 nights.
“Princess Cruises regretfully has had to make the difficult decision to cancel the November 10 sailing of Regal Princess from Galveston, following the cancellations of the October 27 and November 3 sailings,”Princess Cruises said in a statement to Cruise Hive.
The new cancellation was unexpected and due to a second issue that occurred on the ship.
“Our team has been working to address a major technical issue involving one of the power generators, which has now been successfully repaired,”the statement explained.“As the ship was preparing for the next sailing, a second generator experienced a technical failure. This new and unforeseen development means additional time out of service is needed to ensure the ship is fully operational and safe.”
It is unclear whether the failure of two different power generators may be related or simply coincidental. Undoubtedly, the engineering team will fully investigate the issue and ensure all repairs are complete and the ship is certified to set sail again.
Regal Princess first had difficulties on her transatlantic cruise from Southampton, UK as she moved to Texas. A small engine room fire was reported during that sailing, followed by some relatively minor power outages later in the cruise.
This latest cancellation is sure to be equally disappointing to travelers who would surely have been looking forward to their oceangoing getaway, especially after the earlier reassurances that the voyage would go ahead as planned.
“Repairs on Regal Princess are progressing as planned in preparation for her scheduled November 10 departure from Galveston,”the cruise line said just last week.“Our team remains focused on ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience, and we look forward to welcoming guests aboard.”
The 142-229-gross-ton, Royal class Regal Princess can welcome 3,560 guests for each sailing. Also onboard are roughly 1,300 international crew members who work diligently to ensure everyone has an amazing vacation.
Compensation Offered
All guests on the now-cancelled cruise are receiving full, 100% refunds of their cruise fare and any pre-paid onboard purchases, as is standard practice when a sailing must be cancelled.
Regal Princess Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Karolis Kavolelis)
Furthermore, Princess Cruises is offering a 50% future cruise credit for any future sailing as a “gesture of goodwill” for the inconvenience of the last-minute cancellation.
Regal Princess, part of the Carnival Corporation of cruise brands, is not the only ship recently experiencing technical difficulties that lead to cruise cancellations.
Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas, currently sailing in Asia, has had “technical concerns” that required repairs in Yokohama, delaying the vessel’s return to her homeport of Shanghai. This has mandated the cancellation of the ship’s next sailing, what was to have been a 4-night cruise.
Cruise lines never hope to cancel sailings, but it is occasionally necessary depending on the nature of a ship’s technical problems and how long repairs may take. Sometimes cruises can be shortened instead of cancelled, but when the next cruise is a shorter voyage or repairs may take several days, cancellation can be the preferred result.
Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas is currently experiencing technical difficulties that have forced the cancellation of the ship’s next sailing, her November 9, 2024 departure. The ship is homeported from Shanghai and the now-cancelled voyage was to have been a 4-night cruise with visits to Jeju and Nagasaki.
Guests booked on the upcoming cruise were notified of the cancellation and offered compensation for the disappointment.
“Unfortunately, due to a technical concern on our current sailing, we will be delaying our return to Shanghai (Baoshan), China. As a result, we will need to cancel our sailing altogether,”the notification read.“We know how much time and effort go into planning your cruise, and we’re truly sorry for this disappointing news.”
In the meantime, the ship remained at the Yokohama Daikoku Pier for repair work during her current 7-night cruise, meaning her return to Shanghai is significantly delayed. The weeklong cruise departed Shanghai on Saturday, November 2, with visits to Kyoto and Yokohama.
Guests have remained onboard the ship throughout the repairs, but were unable to debark for explorations ashore. The ship’s international crew members, however, have offered additional activities and worked hard to ensure everyone is enjoying their cruise despite the difficulties.
Now, the 169,379-gross-ton, Quantum Ultra class ship seems to have finished the repair work and is making her way back to Shanghai, but will not arrive until late Sunday, November 10 or early on Monday, November 11.
The nature of the “technical concern” has not been disclosed. As the ship is currently moving at her top speed of 22 knots (25 miles per hour), the propulsion system is either not involved or has been successfully repaired.
As cruise ships are incredibly complex engineering projects, any number of systems – navigation, air conditioning, safety, restaurant operations, etc. – could have required repairs that were unable to be completed at sea.
Spectrum of the Seas is homeported from Shanghai through early December, at which time the ship will move to Hong Kong to offer a series of Japan itineraries, including overnight calls to Okinawa and visits to other top ports.
Of special interest is the ship’s January 3, 2025 departure, which is a 4-night sailing to Nha Trang, Vietnam.
In mid-January, Spectrum of the Seas will return to Shanghai and will remain homeported there through November 2025. The ship can welcome 4,246 travelers at double occupancy, or up to 4,905 passengers when fully booked.
Refunds and Credit Offered
It can be incredibly disappointing for travelers to have their cruise cancelled, especially at such short notice. Royal Caribbean is providing significant compensation for the inconvenience, however.
All passengers will receive a 100% refund of their cruise fare and all associated taxes, fees, and pre-paid packages such as drinks, dining, or gratuities. Any flights or transfers purchased through Royal Caribbean as well as travel protection through the cruise line will also be fully refunded.
Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: mokjc)
Refunds will be processed back to the original form of payment within 14 days of the end of the now-cancelled cruise. Travelers should note, however, that some financial institutions may take longer to make refunds available.
In addition, all travelers will also receive a 50% future cruise credit for a future Royal Caribbean sailing. The new cruise must be booked by November 9, 2025, and the credit can be applied toward any available sailing on any ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet.
If guests booked independent airfare, the cruise line will consider reimbursement of travel change fees up to $200 (USD) for domestic travel and $400 for international travel. Receipts must be submitted for review to be considered for reimbursement.
Hopefully, the repairs are successful and Spectrum of the Seas will continue sailing full speed ahead to welcome guests without difficulties on her upcoming sailings.
