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TUI Cruises Names Second inTUItion Class Cruise Ship

TUI Cruises News

Melissa Mayntz

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Oct 27, 2024

TUI Cruises Names Second inTUItion Class Cruise Ship

TUI Cruises has announced the name of what will become the ninth ship in their growing fleet, and the second new-build mega-ship in the innovative inTUItion class.

Following the precedent of the lead ship in the class, Mein Schiff Relax, the new vessel will not be numbered as has been traditional with the TUI Cruises’ fleet, but instead will have a distinct name – Mein Schiff Flow.

The new ship is planned to enter service in 2026 and will bring her own unique vibe to encourage travelers to “go with the flow” and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere onboard for a refreshing getaway.

“We are delighted that we can meet the increasing demand for cruises with the Mein Schiff Flow. Our ninth new build is based on the Mein Schiff Relax, which also belongs to the InTUItion class,” explained Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises. “The eponymous ‘Flow’ is reflected in the entire design of the ship, as well as in the special atmosphere on board, and makes it easy to let go, relax and slow down.”

Mein Schiff Flow will have a deliberately airy design throughout not only public areas, but carrying that theme into staterooms and suites.

While few details on the upcoming vessel have been released as yet, this “flow” of relaxation and a slower pace will surely be reflected in the ship’s architecture, color palette, lighting, artistry, and other design details.

Furthermore, as the second in the new class of ships, Mein Schiff Flow is likely to have very similar features to her sister ship. For example, details aboard Mein Schiff Relax that would be ideal aboard Mein Schiff Flow as well include the atrium’s panoramic windows, the terraced sun landscape, ample lounging spaces, and much more.

Of special interest and perfect for the airy “flow” of the ship will be the shadow roof, a unique design with an arched, open wicker-like style to promote air flow, coolness, and dappled sunlight.

“The iconic roof, which seems like a light-flooded grotto, will not only be visible from afar, it also offers guests a very special retreat. A unique place that probably doesn’t exist on any other ship,” said Björn Asmussen, architect at 3Deluxe, who helped design the roof for Mein Schiff Relax.

Mein Schiff Flow is currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, alongside Mein Schiff Relax, which just successfully completed her first round of sea trials.

Fleet Growing Responsibly

With the two 161,000-gross ton inTUItion-class vessels debuting in 2025 and 2026, TUI Cruises is growing quickly. The new vessels dwarf the rest of the fleet, of which Mein Schiff 7 is the largest at just 112,982 gross tons.

Furthermore, the new ships will be able to welcome many more eager travelers with an expected capacity of 3,984 guests. In comparison, the rest of the fleet can only welcome approximately 2,500 passengers per vessel.

Mein Schiff Relax at Monfalcone Shipyard (Photo Credit: TUI Cruises)

“This will increase the capacity of the fleet by almost 60 percent,” explains Wybcke Meier. “This constant and sustainable expansion is part of our long-term strategy, in particular to serve the growing demand for experience-oriented cruises. The expansion of the fleet not only creates more capacity, but also enables us to reach different target groups and open up new markets.”

At the same time, TUI Cruises is mindful of the need for sustainable expansion and responsible cruising that meets environmental expectations.

Both new ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will have shore power connections to minimize local impacts to port communities.

Other onboard steps are sure to be taken to ensure each ship is as environmentally conscious as possible, guaranteeing a long service life that can adapt to changing conditions and new environmental needs as necessary.

While Mein Schiff Flow‘s maiden voyage has not yet been announced, Mein Schiff Relax will welcome her first guests in mid-March 2025 and will be officially christened in Malaga on April 9, 2025.

First in Class New Ship for TUI Cruises Aces Sea Trials

TUI Cruises News

Melissa Mayntz

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Oct 27, 2024

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First in Class New Ship for TUI Cruises Aces Sea Trials

The upcoming Mein Schiff Relax from TUI Cruises has successfully completed her first round of sea trials, performing exceptionally well for maneuverability in the Adriatic Sea.

The 161,000-gross-ton vessel, largest ever built for TUI Cruises and first of the new and highly innovative inTUItion class ships, completed various maneuvers during her first round of sea trials.

Designed to ensure the ship can pivot, turn, and correct course properly, these maneuvers include a zig-zag course, a 360-degree circle turn in a tight radius, “crash stop” stopping distance test, and a Williamson Turn, a specific type of 180-degree, reciprocal course turn used in overboard situations.

“That is a very special situation,” said Moritz Schaefer, Chief Deck Officer. “Hopefully this will be the last man-overboard maneuver this vessel has to sail, ever.”

Mein Schiff Relax completed all these maneuvers well at at top speed, thoroughly demonstrating her abilities and responsiveness – something that was not necessarily guaranteed. New ship designs often have difficulties and challenges that aren’t revealed until these types of sea trials.

“This is not a given for a prototype with many technical innovations and a highly modern and innovative bridge,” TUI Cruises said. “The successful sea trial shows that the first ship in the Mein Schiff fleet to be equipped with two Azipods drives confidently and safely.”

“It is very important to do these tests as early as possible so that we have some time until delivery,” said Georgios Vagiannis, Newbuild Director for TUI Cruises. “To ensure that everything is working well.”

It should be noted that the ship’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) drive was not tested during this first round of sea trials, but will be put through its own rigorous operational testing during another round in a few weeks.

It is normal for new cruise ships to undergo several rounds of sea trials, each one focusing on different systems and actions. Safety, navigation, propulsion, maneuverability, emergency responses, and other features are all thoroughly tested in different scenarios to ensure the vessel’s complete operation.

While many tests and safety checks are performed throughout the ship’s construction, sea trials are necessary because some systems cannot be fully tested unless the ship is at sea.

“The behavior of the vessel is put through its paces on a test drive, you could say,” explained the ship’s start-up captain, Tom Roth. “That is also extremely exciting for us. We’re really learning how our vessel behaves. How it maneuvers. Everything is tested down to the smallest detail.”

Other systems tested during this first round include the davit system for lowering rescue boats, emergency horn signals, and other related functions.

“The maneuverability of our new Mein Schiff Relax, what it has proven, what it can do, has exceeded our expectations by far,” said Roth.

All the ship’s officers, cruise line executives, and shipyard authorities onboard for the sea trials note how emotional and exciting the results are as the ship moves to her next phase of construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

“We usually compare the sea trial to a school test: If you have studied, you can aim for a good result.” said Massimo Canesin, Vice President of Production for Fincantieri. “I can say that we have studied, because we completed the sea trial with a good result. The behavior of the vessel is something that is unbelievable.”

Mein Schiff Relax Debut

While the new ship has aced her first sea trials, a great deal of work remains to be done before Mein Schiff Relax is ready for delivery and welcoming guests.

The ship’s interior, while framed in and recognizable in different spaces, has not yet been outfitted and all interior design work is yet to be completed. Carpeting, artwork, seating, and other final details are still missing, but the ship remains on schedule at this time.

It is normal to conduct sea trials early, while outfitting work will be done once the ship’s critical systems are confirmed fully operational and appropriately certified.

The ship floated out in November 2023, and further detailed work will now be completed, as well as additional sea trials.

Mein Schiff Relax is scheduled for her maiden voyage to depart on March 16, 2025 from Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The 7-night sailing will include port visits in Italy and Spain.

The ship’s official christening is planned to be in Malaga, Spain, on April 9, 2025. Further details about what is sure to be a memorable event are yet to be released.

Read Also: How Do Cruise Ships Float?

The vessel will remain homeported from Palma de Mallorca through October 2025, offering a diverse range of 7- to 10-night itineraries visiting top destinations such as Las Spezia, Marseille, Barcelona, Valencia, Cadiz, Lisbon, Rome, Naples, Palermo, and much more.

Up to 3,984 travelers will be able to enjoy Mein Schiff Relax on every sailing, with approximately 1,100 international crew members onboard to ensure that everyone has the most relaxing cruise vacation possible.

Princess Cruises’ Sailing Cancelled Two Days Before Embarkation

Princess Cruises News

Catie Kovelman

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Oct 26, 2024

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Princess Cruises’ Sailing Cancelled Two Days Before Embarkation

Cruisers preparing to embark on Regal Princess’s next cruise received the bad news that their voyage had been cancelled – just two short days before they were due to set sail.

On October 25, 2024, Princess Cruisers reached out to impacted passengers to inform them that the October 27 Western Caribbean sailing onboard the Royal-class vessel would not be going ahead due to unspecified technical difficulties.

“We deeply regret to inform you that due to unforeseen technical work needed for Regal Princess, we must cancel your upcoming voyage…we appreciate your understanding and regret any disappointment this causes,” reads a notification from the cruise line.

The 3,560-guest ship is currently en route to Galveston, Texas, which will be her homeport for the winter, from Southampton, UK. The now scratched voyage would have been the first of many Western Caribbean sailings offered from the Texas port.

This particular 7-night cruise would have called on Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico.

Naturally, many of the impacted passengers are quite upset about the unfortunate turn of events and have taken to social media to express their frustration – even though Princess Cruises has offered compensation to make things right.

“You cancelled our cruise less than two days prior. 10 of us had this planned for over a year. You think 25% cruise credit covers this?!?”, one frustrated cruiser posted on X.

Indeed, all guests will receive a full refund of all money paid to Princess for this cruise and will get a 25% future cruise credit that is calculated from the total base cruise fare paid.

The credit can then be applied to any sailing made by May 31, 2025, that sets sail on or before May 31, 2026.

The cruise line will also cover nonrefundable airfare change fees of up to $200 per person.

Rocky Seas for Regal Princess

While the cruise line did not specify what exactly is wrong with Regal Princess, the 141,000-gross ton’s current voyage has not exactly gone smoothly.

While it hasn’t been confirmed by the cruise line, it’s possible that the issues that plagued the in-progress cruise are at least partially responsible for the current technical difficulties.

The current sailing, which is a Transatlantic crossing from Southampton, England, to Galveston, Texas, was offered as both a 33-night cruise embarking on September 24, 2024, and a 21-night cruise embarking on October 6, 2024.

No matter which embarkation date guests chose, all are due to disembark in Galveston on October 27 – when the now cancelled voyage would have set sail.

Regal Princess at Port of Galveston (Photo Courtesy: Princess Cruises)

However, a couple big things have gone wrong throughout the duration of the voyage.

First, on September 30, 2024, there was a fire in the 2014-launched ship’s engine room – which was thankfully put out quickly.

“Just had an emergency announcement on the Regal Princess that there was a fire in the engine room. It was followed by a raucous shuddering,” a current passenger shared on Facebook.

“Finally the captain shared that there had been a fire, but it had been extinguished and we could all go back to having a wonderful evening. I don’t know about you, but ‘fire in the engine room’ doesn’t usually precede ‘wonderful evening!’”, continued the guest.

The extent of any possible damage from the fire is unclear – with the captain and key officers likely keeping this information on a need-to-know basis to prevent panic onboard.

More recently, current passengers reported that there was a power outage onboard as the ship left George Town, Grand Cayman, on October 24, 2024 – which was the final port call of the voyage.

“There was an electrical fire a few weeks ago…Yesterday, the whole ship lost power as we were leaving Grand Cayman. I don’t know if the two are connected, but the ship definitely has issues to fix,” a current passenger commented.

Others alleged that this wasn’t the only power failure during the sailing and claimed that the ship has been operating on backup generators since the fire, although this has not been confirmed by the cruise line.

In any case, without knowing the extent of the ship’s technical difficulties and what repairs are required, it’s unclear how long she will be out of service.

However, the following voyage – which is another 7-night Western Caribbean cruise that is supposed to embark on November 3, 2024 – is still scheduled to sail as planned.

Plans Change for America’s Flagship in Preparing to Become a Reef

Cruise News

Melissa Mayntz

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Oct 26, 2024

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Plans Change for America’s Flagship in Preparing to Become a Reef

As the final fate of the SS United States draws closer, interim plans to prepare the ship for scuttling on her way to become the world’s largest artificial coral reef have changed.

Initially, the intention was for the aging ship to be towed from her berth at Pier 82 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Norfolk, Virgina to be prepared for intentional sinking. This prep work would involve the removal of key components as well as ensuring the vessel meets environmental restrictions before being permanently scuttled.

The SS United States Conservancy has announced, however, that the move to Norfolk will not be possible after all, and instead, the 990-foot, 53,229-gross-ton vessel will be moved to Mobile, Alabama for the preparation work.

“Due to the amount of space and availability (only 2 to 4 months) in Norfolk, Virginia, Okaloosa County has decided to move the SS United States to a dock in Mobile, Alabama, that has recently become available,” Okaloosa County explained. “We understand that this is a huge shift in plans and this decision will be disappointing to many supporters of the ship in the Norfolk area.”

While the ship was in Norfolk, many ocean liner fans, Conservancy supporters, and general cruise ship aficionados would likely have made the effort to get a glimpse of the vessel and see her progression as she was prepared for her next phase. Now, the ship will completely bypass Norfolk on her way to Mobile.

The SS United States Conservancy, while it did lose its bid to preserve the ship in her entirety, is dedicated to ensuring everyone can enjoy the vessel as much as possible during this time as she prepares for and will make her final journey.

“We will endeavor to provide updates as soon as we have them,” the Conservancy confirmed. “We realize that many people are interested in seeing the ship off in person or watch online and we will work to provide as much notice as possible to help supporters plan effectively.”

At this time, there is no departure date yet confirmed for the ocean liner to leave Philadelphia. In addition to appropriate berth space for scuttling preparation, other factors such as towing ability, weather conditions, appropriate documentation, environmental safety, and other marine traffic must also be taken into consideration before the ship is moved.

“Okaloosa County maintains a robust and healthy relationship with the SS United States Conservancy and will be updating the organization on updates to the ship that include the date of the move,” the county said.

Why the Port Change?

While facilities at both Norfolk and Mobile are capable of doing the work on the SS United States to properly prepare the ship for her next phase, there are many reasons why, ultimately, the decision was made to do the work in Alabama rather than Virginia.

The “space and availability” in Norfolk could have made it challenging to complete the project in the allotted time, especially if new difficulties are discovered once the work begins. In Mobile, however, there is a greater window of time for the work to be done by the same contractor.

SS United States Ocean Liner (Photo Credit: PTS Aerial Services)

Costs are also “significantly less expensive” in Mobile, though Okaloosa County has not disclosed those costs at this time. Nevertheless, expenses are always a factor in such extensive work.

The distance the ship will need to be moved a second time – from being reconditioned for scuttling to her destination off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach – is also a factor.

“While the initial tow will be significant, its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico will allow for a much more streamlined operation leading to the artificial reef deployment,” Okaloosa County said.

For comparison, the distance to move the ship from Norfolk to off the coast of Destin/Fort Walton is approximately 1,600 miles, whereas the distance from Mobile to the Destin/Fort Walton area is just 150 miles.

While the ship will be stabilized for such a move, a shorter distance undoubtedly presents fewer technical challenges.

Both the SS United States Conservancy and Okaloosa County remain committed to providing updates about the process and ensuring all interested parties are fully aware of all developments as the final plans for the ship are confirmed and put into action.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Delayed Due to Technical Issue in Mexico

Royal Caribbean News

Emrys Thakkar

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Oct 25, 2024

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Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Delayed Due to Technical Issue in Mexico

When you plan that dream Caribbean cruise, one of the last things you expect is to be impacted by a technical issue, but unfortunately, these situations happen occasionally. And that is the case with Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas, which remained stuck in Mexico overnight.

Guests onboard the Brilliance of the Seas on October 19, sailing out of New Orleans, were informed that the ship was experiencing technical issues impacting its propulsion systems. The issue came to light while the vessel was docked in Progreso, Mexico, on October 24.

The 2,142-passenger ship was originally scheduled to depart the port at 5:00 PM on October 24 but remained overnight so engineers could resolve the issues.

The vessel eventually departed the following day, on October 25, at approximately 3:00 PM. According to passengers onboard, the issues were fixed, and the ship is heading back home. Guests have also been kept updated by public announcements by the ship’s captain.

The Radiance-class ship is coming to the end of a 7-night western Caribbean voyage, which also included visits to Cozumel in Mexico on October 21 and George Town in Grand Cayman on October 22.

The 90,090 gross ton vessel is still set to return home on the same day but much later than originally scheduled, resulting in delayed passenger disembarkation. This will mainly impact those who had earlier flights booked.

Following Sailing Impacted

As expected, the following October 26 departure out of New Orleans has been impacted, and the cruise line has already sent a communication to booked guests. Rather than departing at the normal 4:00 PM, Brilliance of the Seas is now scheduled to depart at 11:30 PM.

Royal Caribbean said, “Due to a brief technical issue with one of our propulsion systems during our previous sailing, Brilliance of the Seas will have to delay its arrival into New Orleans.“

“As a result, we will now depart later than originally planned at 11:30 PM. Due to our delayed departure, we will have to adjust our itinerary. Kindly note, while we will still visit the same ports of call, our times in each port will differ,” the cruise line added.

It will mainly mean guests will have to hang out in New Orleans a little longer and could even be a chance to enjoy more of the city. When guests usually arrive at the terminal for embarkation, they will have time slots. This will be the same case, but the time will now be much later.

Guests who were originally set to arrive at 11:30 AM and noon will now have to arrive at 9:00 PM. For those at 12:30 PM, the new arrival time is 9:30 PM. For 1:00 PM, the time is now 10:00 PM, and for guests originally set for 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM, the new time is 10:30 PM.

Royal Caribbean has also said that it will still stop passengers from arriving earlier than their set time. Guests could be turned away at the terminal, leading to further disruption for the day.

The October 26 Western Caribbean cruise will still be calling at Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Progreso as normal. The voyage will end back in New Orleans as scheduled on November 2, 2024.

It’s not the first time Brilliance of the Seas has suffered technical issues. Back in Spring 2025, the March 19 sailing out of Sydney, Australia, suffered a technical problem. It also led to the cancellation of Nouma during the 11-night voyage.

The ship’s following March 30 sailing had to be completely cancelled, to give the crew time to fix the problem, but for guests, it meant the 5-night Tasmania voyage could not go ahead.

Brilliance of the Seas is not the oldest ship in the fleet, as it entered service in 2002 after being constructed at the popular Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The ship does have a scheduled dry dock for Spring 2025, where, hopefully, the ongoing issues can be fully resolved.

Carnival Updates Christmas Schedule After Guest Requests

Carnival Cruise News

Melissa Mayntz

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Oct 25, 2024

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Carnival Updates Christmas Schedule After Guest Requests

Following a number of travelers expressing disappointment and confusion about the 2024 holiday decorating schedule, Carnival Cruise Line has updated that schedule with some significant changes.

In late September, Carnival released its ship decorating schedule for 2024 Christmas cruises, and guests were surprised at the dates. For some sailings, dates published on Carnival’s website did not match those released in the updated schedule.

This meant that some travelers would miss out on holiday sailings because certain ships were now planned to be decorated later than originally estimated. For example, the Excel-class Mardi Gras had been expected to be decorated for her November 30, 2024 departure.

The schedule released in September, however, noted that Mardi Gras would not be festively outfitted until her December 7 departure, causing frustration for many booked guests.

In response to that confusion, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, took guest concerns to the cruise line’s executives.

“The other day, I posted a schedule of the Christmas decorating dates for the ship. I received a few comments from people who were not happy and so I have deleted that and asked my colleagues within the entertainment department to speak with our professional decorators to see if it is possible to make a few changes,” Heald explained.

“I’m afraid I can’t promise anything but we are going to do our best. As soon as the new schedule is ready, I will post it.”

Now, the revised schedule has been confirmed. Carnival’s 27 cruise ships will be decorated and ready to celebrate the holiday season from these departure dates:

November 24: Carnival Luminosa
November 25: Carnival Miracle, Carnival Splendor
November 29: Carnival Conquest, Carnival Firenze, Carnival Glory
November 30: Carnival Dream, Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Magic, Mardi Gras, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Valor, Carnival Vista
December 1: Carnival Celebration, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Legend, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Pride, Carnival Radiance, Carnival Spirit
December 2: Carnival Breeze, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Sunshine
December 5: Carnival Elation, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Sunrise
December 6: Carnival Venezia

While most of the ships remain on the now-deleted decorating schedule that Heald initially shared, there are some notable changes.

Of greatest concern to many guests has been Mardi Gras, which will now be decorated for the holidays for her November 30 departure, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary from Port Canaveral with visits to Nassau, Amber Cove, and Grand Turk.

Other ships that have changed their decorating schedule are: Carnival Miracle (now 11/25 instead of 12/6), Carnival Glory (now 11/29 instead of 12/6), Carnival Dream (now 11/30 instead of 12/8), Carnival Jubilee (now 11/30 instead of 12/8), Carnival Vista (now 11/30 instead of 12/8), Carnival Celebration (now 12/1 instead of 12/8), Carnival Pride (now 12/1 instead of 12/8), and Carnival Spirit (now 12/1 instead of 12/7).

One Ship to Be Decorated Later

Only one ship – Carnival Paradise – has had her holiday decorating schedule delayed. Originally, the Fantasy-class Carnival Paradise was to set sail into the holiday season from November 30, but now the ship will not be decorated until her December 5 departure. That first Christmas cruise is a 4-night Western Caribbean sailing visiting Cozumel.

Overall, the new schedule ensures extra holiday sailings, as all Carnival ships will be decorated for the season no later than Friday, December 6, 2024. Previously, the last ships would not have been decorated until Sunday, December 8.

Christmas Decorations on Carnival Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz)

In general, most booked guests are pleased with the changes and happy they will be able to enjoy all of Carnival Cruise Line’s holiday spirit on their upcoming sailings.

“Woohoo!! Christmas décor for our December 1 sailing on the Spirit!”

“Thank you! Excited to see the Horizon decorated for the December 1st cruise.

“Thank you so much for getting the decorations up on the Mardi Gras 11/30. I know everyone on our sailing appreciates the changes you all made to make this happen!”

For the past three weeks, Heald has fielded many questions and requests for the holiday decorating schedule. Each time, he has noted that any changes would have to be arranged through the professional decorators who are hired to add festive touches to the fleet.

Now, many travelers are sure to be in the holiday spirit as they set sail!

Virgin Voyages is Planning a First-of-Its-Kind Mystery Cruise

Virgin Voyages News

Donna Tunney

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Oct 25, 2024

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Virgin Voyages is Planning a First-of-Its-Kind Mystery Cruise

The September 2025 launch of Brilliant Lady, the fourth ship in the Virgin Voyages fleet, promises to be a reality TV spectacle that cruisers won’t soon forget. Dubbed “Mystery Voyage,” the show will bring a whodunnit story to the ship, with guests trying to help solve a murder mystery plot.

Brilliant Lady, a 2,700-guest ship under construction at a Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, will be the site of a fictional murder plot with suspects, jewelry heists, kidnappings, and other happenings that advance the story on a weekly basis.

No specific dates have been announced for cruises that will feature the “Mystery Voyage” events, nor has it been revealed where the show will be broadcast. However, the casting of characters and the planning of the show are under way by SuperBloom and Purveyors of Pop, two well-known and creative production companies.

Purveyors of Pop-produced reality franchises, including “Real Housewives,” “Ex on The Beach,” and “Married To Medicine.”

“I’ve always loved solving problems and puzzles, and have been known to be up for a game of chess. Solving a good mystery is much like that, and with our beautiful Lady Ships as the film set, we’re bringing that romantic, mysterious, Hollywood feel to the high-seas,” said Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, parent company of Virgin Voyages.

Brilliant Lady is due to enter service with a series of cruises from New York in September 2025, followed by a repositioning to Port Miami in October 2025. The “Mystery Voyage” show will be filmed on the ship, and off-ship sets are planned for Mykonos and Santorini, Greece, and Bodrum, Turkey.

Like other guests, the show’s so-called mystery sleuths will enjoy all public areas of the ship as they look for clues to solve the plot.

“Afternoon tea at Sip, mud baths at the mermaid-inspired Redemption Spa, PJ soirees under the stars, and epic Scarlet Night parties might just be the place the contestants find their next leads,” explained Virgin Voyages.

Meanwhile, scores of viewers will gain insights into the unique vacation-at-sea product that Virgin Voyages offers. The cruise line differentiates itself from other premium lines by cutting out main dining room venues, for instance, and instead offering all specialty restaurants that are included in the cruise fare.

Brilliant Lady Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: UrAvgPhoto)

“Not only will this cast of characters have the first chance to set sail aboard our new flagship vessel, but soon after, travelers around the world will be able embark on more than 30 new itineraries and understand why she’s Brilliant,” said Nathan Rosenberg, chief brand officer for Virgin Voyages.

Sailing from New York, Brilliant Lady will offer 5-, 8-, and 10-day Bermuda and Canada/New England itineraries, and from Port Miami she will offer a range of 7- to 12-day Caribbean voyages. The ship will deploy to Los Angeles in April 2026.

Cruise Community Embraces Reality-Style Shows

Virgin Voyages’ “Mystery Voyage” show will take branded TV shows to a new height, but it isn’t the first reality-style production to emerge in the industry.

Royal Caribbean’s “Ultimate World Cruise” became a TikTok sensation when the 274-night voyage got under way in December 2023.

Through its conclusion in September 2024, the digital reality show followed world cruisers, many of them known social media influencers, as they chronicled their experiences onboard the 2,100-guest Serenade of the Seas. The show garnered hundreds of millions of views on TikTok.

The launch of Brilliant Lady is some 18 months behind her originally-planned introduction. The cruise line in September 2023 announced that the ship would not debut in December 2023 as intended, but was indefinitely postponed. Supply chain and staffing issues were said to be the cause. The new September 2025 debut is on schedule.

Carnival Prohibits Pool Item That May Be Needed for Safety

Carnival Cruise News

Melissa Mayntz

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Oct 25, 2024

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Carnival Prohibits Pool Item That May Be Needed for Safety

Safety is important on every cruise ship and savvy travelers know to be careful at all times, such as using hand railings on stairs and being aware of slippery decks.

Carnival Cruise Line, however, will not permit passengers to use one common, easy item that could help prevent slipping and falling, particularly in and around pools and hot tubs that are always busy spaces onboard.

A concerned guest reached out to John Heald, the cruise line’s Brand Ambassador, bringing the situation to his attention.

“My elderly husband now wears water sandals on the pool deck and in the water for safety (after slipping getting out of the pool, requiring five stitches),” the guest explained.

“Today a lifeguard informed him he could not wear water shoes in the pool. Nowhere in the Carnival pool and safety information does it state water shoes are not allowed. We’re disappointed and concerned about safety and further injuries.”

While the guest does not clarify which Carnival cruise ship they were sailing on, the cruise line’s pool safety policies are the same fleetwide. Heald responded and explained the reasoning for not permitting water shoes.

“We don’t allow water shoes in the pool. The reason is because they may have picked up some kind of germ or even a piece of glass or dirt that may go into the swimming pool,” Heald said. “That’s why we don’t allow them.”

Worth Reading: Carnival Explains Requirements for Prohibited Item to Be Permitted

The cruise line’s reasoning is sound, because a guest might wear water shoes all over the ship – possibly stepping on spilled food in the Lido buffet or walking on public bathroom floors, for example. Similarly, the same guest may wear those shoes off the ship in port, which could mean walking on all types of dirt, sand, or rocks.

If that material gets into the ship’s pool, it can contaminate the water and may clog or damage filters. This would mean the pool needs to be closed and would be unavailable to any guests.

It should be noted, however, that what the original commenter said – “Nowhere in the Carnival pool and safety information does it state water shoes are not allowed,” – is true.

Main Pool on Carnival Cruise Line (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)

Carnival Cruise Line’s Pool Safety does note that no diapers are permitted in the pool, but there is no specific restriction stated about pool shoes, or even regular shoes for that matter.

The majority of the Pool Safety discussion covers swim life vests, crew water safety training, and some other basic guidelines, such as “use pool at your own risk” “showers are required prior to use” and “use ladder and handrails to enter and exit the pool.”

Other commenters have noted that the unwritten policy of no swimming shoes isn’t always fully enforced.

“That’s odd since I regularly wear water shoes in the pools,” another guest confirmed.

Aren’t Bare Feet Dirty?

The restriction against pool shoes may seem odd when bare feet can also be dirty. The difference, however, is that the decks of a cruise ship can get very hot, and most people do not go barefoot all over the ship.

This means travelers are more likely to be wearing flip-flops, sandals, or shoes around the ship as they head for the pool. Once they get a lounge chair (without saving the chairs for too long!), they would then remove their footwear just before entering the pool or hot tub.

Furthermore, since guests are required to rinse off in the nearby showers before getting in the pool, that would help rinse off any dirt or debris – this would rinse off easier from bare feet than from shoes with firmer soles.

Unfortunately, just as with the policy about water shoes, pre-pool showers are not always fully enforced and not all travelers rinse off before entering a pool or hot tub.

Virgin Voyages Cancels Multiple Sailings for Private Charters

Virgin Voyages News

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Oct 25, 2024

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Virgin Voyages Cancels Multiple Sailings for Private Charters

Not one, not two, but four cruises onboard Valiant Lady have been cancelled in favor of private charters that have booked out the entire cruise ship.

Impacted passengers, which were scheduled for May and October of 2025, were contacted by the adults-only cruise line to notify them of the cancellations and their options – and many weren’t happy about it.

The first impacted cruise would have embarked on March 23, 2025, from Miami, Florida, and called for stops at Cozumel, Mexico, and Bimini Islands, Bahamas, over the course of five fun-filled days.

“Unfortunately, Valiant Lady’s sailing scheduled for May 23, 2025 has been cancelled due to a private charter. We sincerely apologize for this disruption to your plans,” Virgin Voyages emailed impacted guests.

But what’s even more unusual is that the 2,770-passenger vessel’s following sailing also seems to have been cancelled due to another private charter.

“Got [an] email today cancelling our May 28th VL cruise due to the cruise getting privately chartered,” an impacted guest shared online, although the cruise line has not directly confirmed this information just yet.

This sailing was another 5-night Miami-based itinerary that called for stops at Puerto Plata / Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, and Bimini Islands, Bahamas.

The final two impacted sailings will be embarking from Miami on October 10 and 15, 2025, and are a 5-night and 4-night sailing, respectively.

It’s unclear if all the sailings were chartered by the same private company or group, or what the theme of these voyages may be.

Worth Reading: Virgin Voyages Sailing Cancelled in Favor of Charter Opportunity

Naturally, many passengers who had been looking forward to their upcoming vacations were disappointed by the news.

“Cancelling due to weather or ship maintenance is one thing, but cancelling due to a private charter? Not going to lie, this is pretty infuriating,” one cruiser shared on Reddit.

However, impacted guests were given multiple options to choose from to make things right, including a full refund, a future cruise credit, or to rebook a similar cruise at no extra cost with a $100 onboard credit thrown in for the inconvenience.

Why Do Cruise Lines Prioritize Charter Cruises?

In many circumstances, charter cruises – and especially full-ship charter cruises – are a good deal for the cruise lines that make it worth choosing these private groups or companies over already-booked passengers.

In a full-ship charter, an organization rents out the entire ship to celebrate a theme, cause, or activity. Some examples of recent chartered sailings to make headlines are themed around Star Trek, Taylor Swift, and Comic-Con – which is a first-of-its-kind celebration at sea taking place in 2025.

But in order to host these sailings, the organizers typically pay as if the ship was at maximum capacity with double occupancy in each stateroom.

Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady Cruise Ship — Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Felix Mizioznikov)

They may also be paying the cruise lines extra fees for things like facilitating special events onboard and administration fees for organizing the private sailing.

Considering most cruises aren’t at maximum capacity and at least a few cabins remain unsold, the cruise lines ultimately profit more when they accept the charter – even after refunding already booked guests.

Other mainstream cruise lines have also cancelled upcoming sailings in order to prioritize private charters – including an October 2025 voyage onboard Carnival Liberty and two Bahamas sailings onboard Norwegian Getaway in August of 2026.

This is also not the first time that Virgin Voyages has upset its guests with cancellations.

Earlier this year, there was an uproar online after the cruise line removed the ports of Toulon, France, and Marseille, France, from Scarlet Lady’s European “Irresistible Med” and “French Daze & Ibiza Cruises.”

Likely in response to the outcry, the cruise line quickly added the ports back onto the itinerary.