Disney Cruise Line (DCL) has informed passengers of an itinerary change for Disney Dream’s 7-night sailing starting September 1, 2024. Due to protests at the port in Amsterdam, there is a high likelihood the ship will be unable to pass through the city’s locks.
Consequently, the vessel will now spend an additional day in Zeebrugge, Belgium, and skip the planned call in Amsterdam.
“Due to issues outside of our control at the port in Amsterdam, there is a significant possibility that the ship will not be able to dock, resulting in a missed port day,”said DCL in a letter to passengers.
It continued, “Because of this, we have made the decision to modify your sailing and spend the additional day in Zeebrugge.”
The 4,000-passenger Disney Dream is set to depart on its roundtrip journey from Southampton, England on September 1. After a day at sea, the ship will arrive in Hamburg, Germany, on September 2 before three more sea days.
Scheduled to arrive in Amsterdam in the Netherlands on September 6 and Zeebrugge on September 7, the vessel will now arrive in Belgium a day early and enjoy two days at the port before returning to the U.K. on September 8.
In response to the change, Disney is offering each stateroom an onboard credit of $250 for shipboard services during the cruise.
Pre-reserved excursions in Amsterdam have automatically been cancelled and reimbursed to passengers’ original form of payment. Guests who booked their own excursions outside of the Port Adventures app will need to adjust their activities and get refunded on their own.
“We truly apologize for any disappointment with this change but know this revised itinerary will provide guests with the first-class experience they have come to know and expect from Disney Cruise Line,” the cruise line stated.
Ongoing Protests Lead to Port Disruptions
The decision to bypass Amsterdam comes amid ongoing disruptions at the port due to environmental activist protests. In recent weeks, activists from the group Extinction Rebellion have increasingly targeted cruise operations.
For instance, Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas was blocked by protestors in Amsterdam on August 18, 2024. The 2,100-passenger vessel cancelled a call in Bergen, Norway, to get ahead of possible protests and were delayed a full day until police were able to dismantle the blockade.
Earlier, on August 10, its sister ship, Jewel of the Seas, accommodating up to 2,500 passengers, was similarly blocked from entering Amsterdam and forced to divert to IJmuiden, 40 minutes away.
Additionally, on August 11, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 700-guest Seven Seas Mariner was delayed over four hours when Extinction Rebellion blocked the entrance to IJmuiden’s port.
As a result, some cruise lines have taken precautionary measures and are skipping Amsterdam altogether, including Ambassador Cruise Line. It diverted its 1,200-passenger Ambition to IJmuiden instead of Amsterdam when it learned of planned protests.
Extinction Rebellion’s direct-action tactics are driven by its claims that the cruise industry significantly harms the environment. This stance is supported by a 2022 report card from Friends of the Earth, an environmental organization addressing ecological issues.
In its report, Disney Dream was given an A- minus in reducing air pollution but a C for sewage treatment. Although the vessel’s final grade was a B-, the cruise line, in general, received a C for calling in cities without shoreside power and its use of fuel.
It did point out, however, that Disney does not utilize scrubbers on its fleet, earning it an A for water quality compliance.
The cruise line has received numerous accolades for its environmental and sustainability programs, and is targeting zero emissions across its fleet by 2030.
Princess Cruises announced its new MedallionNet Max, its high-performance onboard WiFi service set to debut on August 31, 2025, will be available to enhance connectivity for travelers on its four Epic Voyages categories during its 2025-2026 sailings.
“Today’s travelers are increasingly drawn to longer, more immersive experiences, often in remote or bucket-list destinations, without wanting to disconnect from their digital lives,” said Terry Thornton, chief commercial officer of Princess Cruises.
MedallionNet Max will be available on Princess Cruises’ 2026 World Cruises, which will cover up to 35,000 nautical miles in 26 segments. These cruises will take place on the 3,080-passenger Crown Princess, the 1,970-guest Coral Princess, and the 2,200-passenger Island Princess.
With cruises lasting up to 116 days as the ships visit destinations further afield, including calls across Africa and Australia, MedallionNet Max is hoping to accommodate guests who need to work remotely and stay connected.
Additionally, the service will be offered on the cruise line’s Journeys Far & Away voyages ranging from 11 to 33 days. These itineraries across seven ships, including Discovery Princess and Emerald Princess, will target remote destinations like Antarctica, Greenland, and the South Pacific, where Wi-Fi may be limited.
Immersive Itineraries, lasting 17 to 31 days in areas like Alaska, the Mediterranean, and Northern Europe, and Ocean Crossings’ 13- to 24-day transatlantic and transpacific routes, will also benefit from MedallionNet Max.
Immersive voyages will take place on 11 Princess Cruises vessels, including the new Sphere-Class ships like Sun Princess and the brand-new 175,500-gross-ton Star Princess, debuting in September 2025. Meanwhile, nine ships, including Caribbean Princess and Regal Princess, will travel across oceans on 26 different itineraries.
“MedallionNet Max ensures that connectivity is never an issue,” Thornton added. “And when combined with the Princess Premier package, which offers unlimited beverages and specialty dining, it makes longer voyages not only feasible but incredibly rewarding.”
New Satellite Technology Will Enhance 2025-2026 Voyages
MedallionNet, first introduced in 2018, utilized a combination of Medium Earth Orbit and Geostationary Earth Orbit satellites. It is capable of exceeding 100 Mbps for downloads and 60 Mbps for uploads and set a new benchmark when it achieved 2.25 gigabits per second bandwidth on Regal Princess.
Now, utilizing Starlink’s advancements in satellite technology through the Space X internet constellation, MedallionNet Max will provide even faster bandwidth.
“Just like we did when we launched MedallionNet Classic almost seven years ago, Princess continues to ensure guests have access to highest performing connectivity available at industry leading value,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises.
MedallionNet Max will be included in the Princess Plus and Princess Premier bundles. The Princess Plus package, priced at $60 per day, also includes unlimited beverages, casual dining, desserts, complimentary room service, fitness classes, and crew gratuities.
For those seeking a more luxurious experience, the Princess Premier package, available for $80 per day, expands on the Princess Plus offerings. In addition, this package includes premium beverages, specialty dining, and additional perks like spa discounts and exclusive events.
Guests using the standard Princess vacation package will still have the option to purchase MedallionNet Classic for $24.99 per day for a single device or $44.99 per day for a multi-device.
MedallionNet Max will not service just extended journeys. The improved service will be accessible across the Princess Cruises fleet of 16 ships on all sailings during the 2025-2026 winter season and beyond.
Disney Cruise Line (DCL) has revealed its new ship, Disney Destiny, will embark on its maiden voyage on November 20, 2025, from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The ship will join Disney Dream and Disney Magic in departures from the cruise line’s “Finding Nemo”-themed terminal.
The initial 4-night cruise will include stops at the cruise line’s private destinations in the Bahamas, Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Disney Destiny will then begin to offer a series of 4- and 5-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Western Caribbean. Depending on the length of the cruise, itineraries may visit both DCL private destinations, Castaway Cay or Lookout Cay, and, at minimum, one or the other.
Additional itinerary calls include Nassau, Bahamas, and Cozumel, Mexico. Again, longer voyages will visit both ports.
Among the ship’s highlights will be the Cask and Cannon pub, inspired by the “Pirates of the Caribbean” theme. In new details revealed about the pub, the venue will feature an extensive selection of rare and specialty rums and custom-brewed beers straight from the barrel.
Surrounded by pirate-themed “artifacts” as décor, guests can expect unique treats, such as libations served from a treasure chest.
The pirate pub coincides with the ship’s Heroes and Villains theme, which will create an immersive experience throughout the ship, from staterooms to dining venues to entertainment offerings.
Disney Destiny Pirates Pub
“The Disney Destiny will celebrate our most legendary Disney stories and characters, bringing them to life in new and exciting ways exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests,”said Sharon Siskie, senior vice president and general manager, Disney Cruise Line.
General bookings for the inaugural season will open on September 12, 2024. Members of DCL’s loyalty Castaway Club will have access to early booking beginning September 6, 2024.
Destiny’s Heroes and Villains Theme
Disney Destiny, a Triton-class vessel that recently completed its float out at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, will span approximately 140,000 gross tons and accommodate around 4,000 passengers at maximum capacity.
The ship will debut a range of new shows and experiences, including “Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King.” This distinctive dining experience will blend dining with theatrical elements to bring Disney’s “The Lion King” to life with live performances of music from the beloved film.
The ship will also feature “Disney Hercules,” a Broadway-style production that reimagines the animated film.
In addition to the Cask and Cannon Pub, guests will be able to imbibe in the stylish De Vil’s piano lounge and The Sanctum lounge. Themed around Disney’s Cruella de Vil and Marvel’s Doctor Strange, respectively, the spaces will feature themed cocktails and an atmosphere representing the popular movies.
For a sweet touch, passengers can also visit Edna Á La Mode Steers for a selection of confectioneries inspired by Pixar’s “The Incredibles.”
Disney Destiny Verandah Stateroom (Photo Credit: Disney Cruise Line)
Additionally, Disney Destiny will offer a range of Heroes and Villains-inspired staterooms. The new accommodations will feature custom artwork and décor inspired by characters and stories, including Mickey Mouse and Disney Princesses.
The ship will also offer luxurious suites, such as the Superhero Suite, with décor inspired by Marvel superheroes like Black Panther and Spider-Man. For those preferring a more dramatic aesthetic, villain-inspired rooms will feature darker color schemes and décor elements.
Disney Destiny will follow DCL’s Disney Treasure as the cruise line continues to expand from six vessels to nine by the end of 2025. Also being built at Meyer Werft, Disney Treasure is set to launch in December 2024, from Port Canaveral, Florida.
The 208,000-gross-ton Disney Adventure will round out the trio of themed ships when it launches in Singapore in 2025.
A recent critique from a Carnival Cruise Line passenger has drawn attention to the frequency and content of daily announcements made by cruise directors.
The passenger questioned the necessity of multiple daily announcements, which often detail event schedules and promotions already available through the ship’s app and printed materials.
In the question posed to Carnival’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, the guest said,“Do we really need the cruise director coming over the loudspeaker 3 or 4 times each day to READ to us the daily schedule of events?
“Less than 5 percent of the ship listens. We find [the announcements] particularly annoying. [The cruise director] is more of a shill for the shops than a cruise director.”
Heald responded to the criticism, acknowledging that while not all guests find the announcements beneficial, they serve a purpose in engaging passengers and promoting onboard activities.
“Let me step back into my cruise director shoes and chat with you a while about this,” Heald began in his response.
He then clarified that announcements are typically made inside staterooms only for essential information affecting the entire ship. However, with announcements in guest corridors, he acknowledged the challenge of potentially disturbing passengers.
“With speakers in the guest corridors, you may disturb someone who is still asleep at 10:30 a.m. or disturb someone having a nap in the sun, or simply disturb someone who was seeking a little peace and quiet,” he said.
But Heald underscored the role of cruise directors in promoting onboard revenue, which, he argued, is essential for maintaining affordable cruise fares.
“It is the cruise directors’ responsibility to promote the revenue, and it is the onboard revenue that has always been the reason on which Carnival Cruise Line can keep the cost of your cruises the most affordable,” he highlighted.
He also stressed that despite the challenges, it is crucial to disseminate information effectively to keep guests informed about daily activities and offers. He concluded by expressing gratitude to cruise directors for their efforts, remarking, “Thanks then to all our brilliant cruise directors for their announcements and for all they do to bring you so much fun.”
Announcements serve a vital role in keeping passengers informed about various aspects of their voyage. Daily program announcements, which include updates on scheduled events, dining options, and entertainment, are typically broadcasted over the public address (PA) system.
Cruise directors use these announcements to keep passengers informed about the day’s activities around the ship. Additionally, they promote various departments, such as shops, the spa, dining venues, and the casino, when special events or promotions are underway.
Carnival Cruise Line Cruise Director (Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line)
General updates on weather conditions, itinerary changes, or other important ship-wide notices are also routinely provide via the PA.
When alterations occur, such as changes to the schedule or critical updates about port arrivals and excursion changes, the announcements may be made inside cabins to keep all passengers informed.
With safety a top priority on cruise ships, announcements regarding emergency procedures, muster drills, severe weather alerts, and safety incidents are crucial. These announcements, included inside guest cabins, ensure passengers are informed about necessary safety protocols and immediate actions required.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Splendor has just completed her nearly three-week dry dock at Sembcorp Marine’s Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore, and she’s sailing not only refreshed and refurbished, but with a whole new look.
As the ship has left the shipyard, she’s revealed her brand new red-white-and-blue hull livery. That new color scheme first debuted with Mardi Gras in 2021, and has been rolled out to the entire fleet as different ships have gradually undergone dry dock refurbishments.
Carnival Splendor‘s last dry dock was in 2019, before the new livery was introduced. Therefore, her just-completed dry dock renovation on August 5-23, 2024, was the first opportunity to repaint the classic white hull with a more colorful pattern.
It isn’t just the colors that have been added to the 113,573-gross-ton Carnival Splendor, however. As she sailed out of dry dock, the ship revealed a new and one-of-a-kind feature on her midship hull – a stylized swoop with stars, an interpretation of the Southern Cross.
The Southern Cross is an iconic constellation in the southern sky, located at the southern end of the visible portion of the Milky Way. Five bright stars form the cross pattern – Acrux, Mimosa, Gacrux, Imai, and Ginan – which as been instrumental in guiding Australian sailors for centuries.
“Carnival Splendor has departed Singapore following dry dock and we’re thrilled to reveal her stunning new livery!”announced Carnival Cruise Line Australia on social media.
“She now proudly sports the red, white, and blue hull introduced by Carnival in 2021, along with a special Southern Cross design—a nod to our deep connection to Australia. The Southern Cross constellation has guided sailors to Australia for centuries, and now Carnival Splendor shares this symbolic artwork with her soon-to-be sister ships, Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter.”
The two P&O Cruises Australia ships, Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter, have a very similar star pattern on their bows but, for the moment, lack the rest of the hull coloration that now characterizes the Carnival fleet.
No confirmation has been made of whether or not the two ships may receive new hull livery when they are converted to Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter before joining the Carnival fleet in March 2025, though such updating does seem likely.
As a special note, the Southern Cross is also featured prominently on Australia’s national flag and is a well-recognized symbol of the proud and distinctive nation.
Carnival Splendor is homeported year-round from Sydney, offering a range of Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and South Pacific itineraries. She can welcome 3,012 guests per sailing at double occupancy, and is also home to more than 1,100 international crew members.
The ship is currently sailing a 16-night itinerary calling on ports in Indonesian and Australia as she travels back to Sydney for her arrival on September 9.
More Unique Carnival Hulls
For many years, Carnival Cruise Line’s ships sported simple plain white hulls with the ship’s names and no other adornments. Instead, the cruise line used the classic “whale tail” funnel that debuted with Tropicale in 1982, the first new-build for the young cruise line, as its iconic structural statement.
With the debut of Mardi Gras, however, the cruise line opted for the more colorful hull but still kept the red-white-and-blue coloration so closely associated with “America’s Cruise Line.”
Only one other ship in the Carnival fleet has a unique hull feature, however. When she first floated out during construction in July 2023, Carnival Jubileerevealed the Texas Lone Star on her bow, symbolizing her connection to the Lone Star State and her Galveston homeport.
As many cruise ships shift homeports multiple times throughout their decades of sailing, it is somewhat unusual to put a distinctive icon on the hull that connects to a single homeport.
Of course, hulls can be repainted if necessary, and just because a ship has unique hull iconography does not mean she’ll never move to a different sailing region.
While Carnival Cruise Line has not announced any plans to further customize other ships in the fleet, it will be fun to see if more vessels get unique designs in the years to come.
Four Pride of America cruises scheduled for May 2025 have been cancelled by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) due to dry dock. The affected cruises, set to sail between May 3 and May 24, 2025, featured 7-night roundtrip itineraries from Honolulu, Hawaii.
In a statement sent to booked guests, NCL said,“As part of our commitment to continuously offer extraordinary vacation experiences around the world for our guests, and to uphold a consistent world-class product across our fleet, the Pride of America will be undergoing routine maintenance in May 2025.”
The cruise line is offering a full refund to affected passengers, automatically reissued to the original form of payment. For guests who booked with a Future Cruise Credit (FCC), 100 percent of the amount will be reapplied to their Latitudes account as a new FCC.
Norwegian is also offering guests a 20 percent discount in the form of an FCC for a future voyage as means of apology for the cancellation. The credits may be applied for Pride of America sailings taking place April 5 through April 26, 2025, and May 31 through June 21, 2025.
In addition, the cruise line is also providing a 10 percent discount in the form of an FCC for any sailings on NCL vessels through December 31, 2025. However, the two FCC cannot be combined.
“As a company, we are committed to providing exceptional vacation experiences, both aboard our ships and at the many destinations we cruise to worldwide,” said NCL. “While we share your disappointment, we look forward to the opportunity to rebook your dream cruise vacation and to welcome you aboard soon.”
Reimbursed funds will be processed within 30 business days and FCC’s will be available for use beginning September 3, 2024.
Pride of America’s Inter-Island Sailings in Hawaii
The four inter-island cruises cancelled by Norwegian Cruise Line were part of the vessel’s weekly inter-island journeys around Hawaii. Departing from Honolulu in Oahu, the voyages visit Kahului in Maui; Nawiliwili in Kauai; and Hilo and Kailua Kona in Hawaii’s Big Island.
Affected guests can rebook the same itineraries on four cruises available between April 5 and April 26, 2025, at a 20 percent discount, as well as a May 31, 2025, departure and three additional June voyages from June 7 through June 28, 2025.
An additional June 28, 2025, itinerary is available and the itinerary continues to be offered through the remainder of the year with the last departure taking place December 27, 2025, and sailing into the New Year. These options are available to passengers at 10 percent off.
Pride of America Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: A. Michael Brown / Shutterstock)
Although the ship, which homeports year-round in Honolulu, is offering the same schedule prior to April 5’s departure, passengers electing an earlier voyage will have to utilize the 10 percent discount option.
Ships typically undergo dry docking every 2 to 5 years, depending on the vessel’s regulatory requirements, age and type. Pride of America, a 80,439-gross-ton, 2,186-passenger, America-Class ship last dry docked in April 2024, following a technical issue that led to the cancellation of two scheduled port visits in Hilo and Kona in mid-April.
During that 3-day weekend inspection, the ship made a rare visit to the Pearl Harbor dry dock. Although Navy ships take precedence at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, a brief window allowed Pride of America to undergo its inspection in its homeport rather than traveling to the U.S. West Coast.
Princess Cruises has quietly raised gratuity rates across the fleet with higher daily charges for all guests, regardless of stateroom category. While the price increase is not tremendous, it may signal a trend for further cruise lines to make similar increases to their crew service charges.
The “crew appreciation” or “crew incentive” from Princess Cruises is a daily gratuity amount added to each guests’ onboard account in recognition of the hard-working crew members and the services they provide.
The amount varies based on the type of stateroom, as suites and special classes of staterooms typically have more services, larger spaces, and upgraded amenities.
The new crew appreciation rate is $19 (USD) per person, per day for guests staying in suites, and $18 per person, per day for mini suites, cabanas, and club class staterooms. Guests in all other stateroom types – balconies, ocean views, and interiors – will pay $17 per person, per day.
The increase on each level is just $1 per person, per day regardless of stateroom type. This may seem a very small amount, but consider a family of four on a 7-night sailing – their gratuities would now be $28 higher than just one week ago, when the lower charges applied.
It should be noted that if travelers booked on upcoming cruises have purchased the Princess Plus or Princess Premier packages, which already include gratuities as part of the fare, there will be no additional charges added to their totals despite the increase.
Princess Cruises has not made an official announcement of the crew appreciation increase, but that is not uncommon with smaller increases on different cruise lines. Their official website, however, has the new rate listed as effective immediately, with no indication of any delayed start date.
Cruises that are already sailing do not typically have gratuity rates increase mid-cruise, but would most likely implement the new rate with the ship’s next departure.
Guests do have the option to adjust the crew appreciation amount if they chose to, but any such changes must be made onboard the ship during the cruise.
“Guests have complete discretion to adjust these crew appreciation while onboard; however, crew appreciation may only be adjusted prior to disembarking the ship and not refundable post cruise,”the website explains.
Additional service charges onboard all Princess ships range from 17-18% added to different services, including specialty dining, drink packages and other drink purchases, and spa services.
Gratuities on Other Carnival-Owned Lines
As Princess Cruises is owned by Carnival Corporation & plc, it is interesting to compare this most recent gratuity rate increase with comparable charges from other lines in the family.
Carnival Cruise Line, the largest of the lines in the corporation, currently charges $16 per person, per day for standard staterooms and $18 per person, per day for suites.
Holland America Line just raised gratuity rates in February 2024 and now charges $17 per person, per day for standard staterooms and $19 per person, per day for suites.
This means Carnival Cruise Line is currently the least expensive when it comes to gratuity charges, and it is possible that an increase may be coming in the next few weeks or months to bring those rates closer to what other lines are charging.
While Carnival Corporation & plc operates several other cruise lines, they are European-based and luxury lines that have much different gratuity structures.
Outside the Carnival family of cruise lines, rates also vary. Royal Caribbean International’s service gratuities, for example, are somewhat higher at $18 per person, per day for most stateroom categories and $20.50 per person, per day for suites. This rate was instituted in November 2023.
Meanwhile, Norwegian Cruise Line is even higher at $20 per person, per day for all staterooms at the Club Balcony Suite level and below, and $25 per person, per day for suites and all staterooms in The Haven.
Most cruise lines offer a pre-paid gratuity option when travelers book their cruise, which is a great way to lock in the current rate and not worry about potential increases as one’s sailing date approaches.
The Port of Seattle, along with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, has been impacted by internet and web systems outages that may indicate a possible cyberattack.
This could have significant travel consequences for cruise travelers, both those who have debarked vessels on Saturday, August 24, 2024, as well as those traveling to the homeport for sailings over the next few days.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) posted on X about the technical problems with a traveler alert early Saturday afternoon.
“The Port of Seattle, including SEA Airport, is experiencing an internet and web systems outage, which is impacting some systems at the airport. Passengers are encouraged to check with their airlines for the latest information for their flights,”the post read.
Subsequent details noted further information about the incident, as well as the Port’s response to protect its systems.
“Earlier this morning the Port of Seattle experienced certain system outages indicating a possible cyberattack. The Port isolated critical systems and is in the process of working to restore full service,”the update read.
“We are working closely with appropriate authorities and partners to help travelers who may be impacted. If you are traveling today, please check with our airline partners for travel information and allow extra time to get to SEA and to your gate.”
Travelers are urged to have their mobile boarding passes ready on their devices as they reach the airport and to check their baggage through airline apps for the fastest service.
With no estimated time on when full service may be restored, travelers flying in to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport over the next couple of days will want to stay in close communication with their airline about possible delays and other disruptions.
How Cruise Ships May Be Impacted
Multiple cruise ships are sailing from the Port of Seattle this weekend and over the next few days, as the busy Alaska season is still at its peak.
On Saturday, August 24 when the disruption began, Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Bliss, and Holland America Line’s Eurodam were all in port.
Sunday, August 25 is an equally busy day, with Majestic Princess, Norwegian Encore, and Westerdam scheduled for the Port of Seattle. On Monday, Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas is the only ship planned for the port.
Travelers to and from any of these ships may be impacted by airport difficulties if they are flying in for their cruise or have post-cruise flights.
Cruise Ships in Seattle
It should be noted that the Port of Seattle is not reporting any significant difficulty with processing travelers for cruises at this time, according to a statement released by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
“TSA is aware of the outage to the Port of Seattle’s internet service and is working with its partners at the Port. There is no impact to TSA’s operations at the security checkpoint and TSA continues to screen passengers using its robust procedures,”the statement read.
It is possible that if parts of the overall system must be rebooted or reinstalled to correct any infiltrations, that could have a temporary impact on the port’s security operations.
At this time, there is no indication that this may be necessary, but travelers should nevertheless consider planning extra time for their cruise terminal processing.
If cruise lines are severely impacted, they may also reach out to guests booked on upcoming voyages to alert them to delays or arrival appointment adjustments. All travelers should stay in close communication with their cruise line as well as their airline, if applicable, for any such announcements.
Cruise Hive has reached out to Holland America Line and Princess Cruises for any information about impacts to their operations, as both cruise lines are headquartered in the Pacific region. Holland America Line is based in Seattle, while Princess Cruises is based in Santa Clarita, California.
Furthermore, guests should be aware that flight delays could extend through several days as the problems are corrected and delayed passengers are accommodated on new flights.
This could lead to knock-on effects and additional delays for upcoming flights, and travelers should be flexible with their plans as much as possible in the next few days.
Carnival Corporation is, in actuality, a huge cruise operator and is known as the world’s largest travel leisure company. Altogether, Carnival Corporation owns nine different cruise lines, with a collection of more than 100 cruise ships.
So, what cruise lines does Carnival own? And who owns the overarching Carnival brand? How did Carnival even manage to amass such a huge collection of cruise lines?
We’re here to answer all of your questions about Carnival Corporation and all the cruise lines owned by Carnival.
First up, the brand that started it all. If you’re asking yourself ‘who owns Carnival cruise line,’ then look no further, because the answer is right in front of you.
Carnival Cruise Line was the very start of Carnival Corporation. Established in 1972, the company targeted a younger cruising market looking for a fun vibe, something that the line is still known for today.
The first ship was Mardi Gras, launched in 1972 as well, and recreated today in Carnival Cruise Line’s new Mardi Gras ship. Carnival Cruise Line continued to expand its fleet throughout the 1970s and 1980s, until, it was decided the company should go public on Wall Street, in 1987.
Almost immediately after going public on the New York Stock Exchange, Carnival Cruise Line started acquiring other cruise lines and, in 1993, management decided to change the overarching company’s name to Carnival Corporation, leaving Carnival Cruise Line as the name for the cruise line that started it all only.
Today, Carnival Cruise Line encompasses 27 ships across its fleet, with the most recent being the third Excel-class cruise ship, Carnival Jubilee. The large vessel joined the fleet at the end of 2023 and became the 26th vessel in the fleet.
Carnival received the Carnival Firenze from its sister line, Costa Cruises, which makes the fleet size 27. That will increase to 28 when a fourth Excel class ship arrives from the Meyer Werft shipyard in 2027.
Holland America Line
Photo Credit: JL IMAGES / Shutterstock.com
Holland America Line was one of Carnival’s first acquisitions and one of Carnival’s cruise lines with the longest history. Holland America Line was formed in the late 19th century, in 1873.
The Dutch company operated not only passenger ships, but also shipping routes, ferrying passengers and goods between Europe and the Americas. In 1895, though, Holland America Line branched out into vacation cruises, and one of its first leisure cruises was from New York to Palestine.
Of course, like many lines during the two World Wars, Holland America Line pitched in to transport military personnel throughout the 1930s and 1940s.
However, as transatlantic air travel became more popular, Holland America Line ceased its transportation services and focused on its cargo shipping, until that aspect of the business was sold in the 1970s. Leisure travel was all that remained and Carnival Corporation came in and scooped up the line in 1989.
Today, Carnival uses Holland America Line to offer upper-class cruising experiences both in Europe and across the Atlantic. The line is made up of 11 cruise ships, with one of the most recent being the MS Rotterdam.
Seabourn
Photo Courtesy: Seabourn
Seabourn is another cruise line that was one of the first that Carnival Corporation purchased after going public. However, unlike Holland America Line, Seabourn doesn’t boast hardly as long a history. Instead, Seabourn was founded only a few years before Carnival’s acquisition, as the first Seabourn ship entered service in 1988.
The Norwegian-owned line didn’t see success early on as, by 1990, future ships were being delayed due to financial constraints, and assets were being sold off.
Carnival Corporation swooped in at that time and purchased a 25% stake in the company, followed by a 50% stake in 1996. The result was growing success for the brand, which was beginning to be known as a luxury cruise line. In 1998, Carnival went ahead and purchased the remaining 50% of the company.
A smaller line, Seabourn’s fleet currently only consists of five ships, with two ships under construction, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit.
Today, Seabourn is still known as an ultra-luxury, small-ship cruise line and consistently receives accolades from travel publications such as Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure.
Costa Cruises
Photo Credit: Riccardo Arata / Shutterstock.com
Another quick acquisition during Carnival Corporation’s early days, Costa Cruises was acquired in 2000. However, much like Holland America, Costa boasts a rich history stretching back to the 1800s. In fact, Costa is even older than Holland America, founded in 1854.
Founded in Italy, Costa Cruises originally focused only on cargo shipping, primarily olives and textiles. It wasn’t until the mid-1900s that Costa introduced passenger services between Europe and South America.
A decade after passenger services began, Costa delved into the cruising market, with leisure trips offered throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean. By the time that Carnival purchased 50% of the line, in 1997, Costa was the leading cruise line in Europe. Carnival would go on to acquire the line fully in 2000.
Today, the Costa Cruises line still primarily services the European market. There are a dozen ships in Costa’s fleet, with one other in the works, Costa Toscana.
Cunard Line
Photo Credit: LecartPhotos / Shutterstock.com
But Cunard is even older than Costa Cruises, making it Carnival’s second-oldest cruise line with one of the richest histories.
Founded by Samuel Cunard in 1839, Cunard Line got its start when Samuel received a contract to transport mail for Britain across the Atlantic. Together, with partners from Glasgow, he expanded his services to transport mail between Liverpool, Halifax and Boston.
Eventually, Cunard broke into passenger travel, at which point it built some of its most famous ships, such as the Lusitania, which was tragically sunk by a German U-Boat in 1915, at the start of World War I.
In the 1930s, Cunard built the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, making use of government loans awarded on the condition that Cunard would merge with the British White Star Line.
But as transatlantic passenger ship travel declined, Cunard attempted to better meet market needs by creating an airline (that was unsuccessful). It then turned its attention to cruising and launched Queen Elizabeth 2 to supplement the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. In 1998, Carnival purchased 62% of the line, purchasing the remaining percentage in 1999.
Carnival quickly began to rebuild Cunard’s brand as a luxury transatlantic curse line. Today, Cunard’s fleet is still small and still serving transatlantic cruise passengers, with the Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2.
Princess Cruises
Grand Princess Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Brave Behind the Lenz)
Princess Cruises, which was the second-largest cruise line by net revenue as of a few years ago, is much younger than the above cruise lines. Founded in 1965 to serve the Mexican Riviera, Princess Cruises soon expanded to offering Alaskan cruises.
However, Princess Cruises was acquired less than a decade after its formation, in 1974 — but not by Carnival. Instead, Princess Cruises’ first new owner was the British-based P&O, which grew the brand by leaps and bounds.
P&O Cruises and P&O Australia
Photo Via: Meyer Werft
Well, P&O was another long-standing cruise line. P&O is definitely Carnival’s oldest cruise line, formed in 1822. Founded as a shipping and logistics company, it started offering passenger services and luxury cruises as early as 1844, sailing from Southampton to the Mediterranean, and then on to even more exotic locations, such as Alexandria and Constantinople.
Over the course of its long life, the brand absorbed and acquired a number of other similar businesses, including Princess Cruises. Eventually, in 2000, P&O would form P&O Princess Cruises, and then that would be what Carnival would merge with in 2003, forming Carnival Corporation & plc.
At the time of that merger, Carnival Corporation also absorbed P&O Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia and AIDA Cruises. All told, this merger and acquisition pushed Carnival Corporation to become the largest cruise company in the world.
Today, Princess Cruises has more than a dozen cruise ships and three cruise ships in the works. P&O Cruises currently consists of six ships, with the P&O Iona and P&O Arvia set to debut soon.
P&O Cruises Australia operates three ships, all of which were previously Princess Cruises ships and all of which are on the older side, with the newest dating back to 2002.
AIDA Cruises
Photo: Aida Cruises
Lastly, but certainly not least, as P&O was making its way across the world, picking up cruise lines, it stopped in Germany to pick up AIDA Cruises, a line founded in the 1960s, much like Princess Cruises.
Marketed toward young party-centric travelers, AIDA Cruises was a good fit for its portfolio and then an even better fit for Carnival’s portfolio later.
P&O acquired AIDA relatively close to its merger with Carnival, purchasing 51% of AIDA in 2000 and then purchasing the remaining 49% in 2001. Just two years later, in 2003, Carnival’s merger with P&O led to AIDA becoming yet another Carnival cruise line.
Today, AIDA operates more than a dozen cruise ships, with AIDAcosma being the most recent.
Other Carnival Acquisitions
Photo Credit: Roman Jasiek / Shutterstock.com
But while the above cruise lines are those that Carnival owns currently, the corporation has put aside a good bit of money toward acquiring other cruise lines over its history as well, cruise lines that it didn’t hold on to for good.
For example, Carnival acquired Windstar Sail Cruises, the small luxury yacht line, at the same time that it acquired Windstar’s parent company of the moment, Holland America Line, in 1989.
However, in 2007, Carnival sold the cruise line to Ambassadors International (an educational travel company that no longer exists, as it filed for bankruptcy in 2011) for $100 million. A subsidiary private holding company now owns Windstar.
Carnival has also sold off or liquidated some of P&O Princess’s brands over the years, following the big merger. These include A’Rosa Cruises, a German river cruise brand that Carnival sold in 2003; Ocean Village, liquidated in 2010; and Swan Hellenic, which specialized in cultural and historical cruises, liquidated in 2007.
Carnival’s also founded and abandoned some of its cruise lines over the last 50 years. Carnival Corporation, for example, established Fathom, a social impact cruise line, in 2015, only to end service in 2018.
Fiesta Marina Cruises was a cruise line geared toward the Spanish-speaking market, only to be liquidated a year after its founding in the early 1990s. Ibero Cruises was similarly marketed toward Spanish speakers, only this time out of Madrid, though it lasted a little longer than Fiesta Marina, about 11 years before liquidation.
What Does This Mean for You?
Basically, for you, this means that Carnival has a lot of experience in the cruising industry, so no matter which of the above cruise lines you end up cruising with, you should feel safe and secure sailing with them. Additionally, it means if you’re not terribly keen on how Carnival works, then you might steer clear from the above.
Whatever your cruising preferences, though, one thing’s for sure: As Carnival Corporation goes into its 50th year of business, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be going anywhere soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cruise lines does Carnival own?
Carnival Corporation owns Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.
What’s the largest Carnival-owned cruise line?
With 27 ships in its fleet, the Carnival Cruise Line is the largest Carnival Corporation line.
Where is Carnival Corporation based?
Carnival Corporation is based in Miami, with several regional headquarters around the globe.
