Two cruise lines, MSC Cruises and sister brand Explora Journeys, are delivering higher quality foods and fresh produce to their guests, thanks to a new way of shipping food products from warehouses to their vessels.
The two cruise brands are both divisions of Italy-based MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company), the global container shipping firm. Using MSC’s “smart containers,” the cruise lines are assured of provisioning the freshest produce and foods available as their vessels operate voyages in virtually every region of the world.
In 2023, MSC Cruises began using smart containers to transport foods from a supply warehouse in Genoa, Italy, to its cruise ships and reported a higher level of food product quality versus 2022, when it was still using traditional food transport options by land and sea.
While both MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys, which is a luxury level line, source about 96% of their food products locally, they still need to transport some goods from a network of global warehouses. How that food is transported impacts its freshness, the cruise lines explained in an announcement on August 14, 2024.
MSC’s smart container option provides high-tech services controlled by internet devices. Each smart container is monitored by a central customer service center for position, temperature, and humidity.
The service center, located in Antwerp, Belgium, provides these services 24/7, so that in the event of a container falling open, for example, the customer receives an immediate alert so that the issue can be resolved. The smart container enables the cruise line clients to integrate data into their own IT systems with the ability to access that data at any time.
“The use of smart containers has made a significant positive impact on the supply of food, especially in markets where it is a challenge to source and acquire all of the products locally,” said Paolo Raja, managing director of MSC procurement and logistics.
“For example, for our ships in the Middle East the local production is limited, and some goods can take several weeks traveling from the warehouse to the vessel,” added Raja.
With 22 ships sailing global voyages, MSC Cruises provisions mind-boggling amounts of food to its vessels.
During the course of one year, the fleet receives some 5,500 food and beverage items, including 32 million eggs, 223,000 liters of olive oil, 170,000 oysters, 2 million tomatoes, and 1.9 million pounds of apples.
Each MSC Cruises ship will be provisioned with 50,000 pounds of fresh fruit, 44,000 pounds of fresh vegetables, 12,000 pounds of fish, 2,200 pounds of butter, and 7,000 pounds of rice for a 7-day cruise.
Second Explora Journeys Ship to Debut Soon
Luxe brand Explora Journeys is a new line that launched in 2023 and currently has one ship sailing, Explora I. Its second vessel, Explora II, is due to enter service in fall of 2024. Both ships have 18 dining venues onboard, including one recently added to Explora I.
Explora Journeys Cruise Ship
The fine dining option, called Anthology, debuted in June and offers fresh Italian cuisine. The menu is curated by Chef Franck Garanger, a former apprentice at the Michelin-starred Le Vert D’Eau in Angers, France. Anthology will be a venue onboard Explora II as well.
Offering the freshest available produce and food products is a priority for every cruise line. One pioneering effort is seen in Holland America Line’s popular Fresh Fish program, which began operating in late 2023.
The cruise line created a global network of seafood suppliers at dozens of ports around the world, guaranteeing that guests will dine on the freshest available fish and shellfish available.
Under the program, fresh seafood goes from port to plate within 48 hours. Celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto, the line’s Fresh Fish Ambassador, oversees the initiative.
The general rule of thumb is not to take anything home from your stateroom unless given permission by the crew members, with the exception of disposable toiletries like shampoo and conditioner.
However, one recent passenger may not have gotten the memo. A rather humorous photo of the woman, which shows her sitting in an airport while using one of Carnival’s suitcase mats as a blanket, has gone viral.
The reaction across social media has been full of laughter – with most good natured posters laughing with the cruiser and not at her. Instead, her cruising faux pas has actually inspired others to think of new ways to use the luggage mats – which can be found in every Carnival stateroom fleetwide.
Luggage Mat
As the photo went viral, keyboard comedians have responded with an outpouring of memes and funny pictures of their own showing new purposes for the bed protectors – including as pool towels, sun shades for cars, roller coaster riders, bedside rugs, cowboy chaps, and more.
Even John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, couldn’t resist reacting on his popular Facebook page.
“If you get a bit chilly at the airport, you can always wrap your legs in one of these lovely blankets. Oh FFS. And yes, we have charged this person for taking it,” Heald wrote above the popular picture.
The hilarity continued in the comments section of Heald’s post as well – which has earned more than 1,000 responses in less than a day and been shared nearly 100 times.
“How much does one cost? I might get chilly at the airport after my next cruise,” one Facebook user wrote in jest.
“Must’ve been in our room last week, because we didn’t have one on our bed when we arrived this week!,”joked someone else.
While much of the response has been in good spirits, we are keeping the woman’s identity confidential to protect her peace and privacy.
Why are Luggage Mats so Important?
While they may also make a good blanket, the real purpose of these luggage mats is to protect the bedding in the thousands of staterooms aboard each Carnival ship.
They’ve been used for decades, with the blue design used in the photo the newest rendition – although its white-based predecessor is still often found on Carnival’s older ships.
The mats serve as protectors – saving the white bedding from dirt and debris that luggage may have picked up, as well as limiting wear and tear.
Carnival Cruise Line Cabin
If guests didn’t use the luggage mats (and they often do find other purposes for them within their staterooms as rugs or light blockers), the housekeeping staff would have a lot more laundry to do – and it would add up quickly!
To put things in perspective, Carnival Jubilee, the cruise line’s largest vessel, has 1,268 staterooms onboard to keep clean. However, even the smallest ship in the fleet, Carnival Paradise, still has 1,061 guest cabins to maintain.
Indeed, Carnival crew members take these luggage mats seriously, largely out of necessity, which is why the woman was charged for taking the bed protector as a souvenir – although it’s not known how much she was fined.
Carnival does place a hold on credit cards during the embarkation check-in process, which prevents any onboard expense account concerns during the sailing and protects the cruise line from any damages guests might cause onboard.
It’s also not clear why the guest in the photo took the luggage mat from her stateroom – although unconfirmed rumors circulating online suggest that she genuinely mistook it for a free gift or was told she could take it by crew members because it was in a mobility scooter she was using.
Do you think you know what cruising is all about, even though you’ve never been on a cruise? There are a lot of various myths and misconceptions surrounding the cruising industry — and if you believe in them all, you might be accidentally preventing yourself from having some truly spectacular cruise vacations.
So, what exactly is the truth? These are the 10 worst cruising myths and what you really need to know.
Sure, there are cruise lines where the average age typically trends upward. These include Viking and Holland America, among others.
These cruise lines are typically on the more expensive side, so they’re not as affordable foryounger people or families with children (some might not even allow children), and they might focus on activities (both on-board and in port) that are more geared toward older folks as well. Think on-board lectures and walking tours, rather than dance parties and beach bumming.
However, these cruise lines are hardly representative of the entire industry. Many cruise lines are built with younger cruisers in mind, including children.
Cruise Passenger in Jacuzzi (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, for example, are more affordable than the aforementioned cruise lines, and their ships are packed with amenities and activities for families and kids. They easily attract groups of young, non-family travelers (college age and up) as well, who’re looking for more of a party atmosphere.
There’s even a cruise line dedicated to younger couples and solo travelers, with a no-kids-allowed policy but a bevy of amenities that are pretty blatantly aimed at millennials: Virgin Voyages.
In short, cruising is not just for old people. Whatever your age group, no matter what type of traveler you are, you can find a cruise line for you.
Myth 2. Cruising is Too Expensive
Yes, just as there are cruises for old people, there are cruises that are expensive. Ultra-luxury cruise lines exist and they pull out all the stops to give ultra-discerning travelers everything and anything they could ever want or need.
These cruises come at a big price point, too. As an example, it’s not uncommon to spend over $10,000 for a cruise on luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas.
Regent Seven Seas Cruise Ship Deck
However, you don’t need to break the bank to go on an amazing cruise. You can literally find cruises that start at just a few hundred dollars per person. Carnival Cruise Line is one of the most affordable cruise lines in the industry, and you can find Carnival cruises that start at as little as around $300 per person.
And hold up before you think, “Yeah, I’ll only pay a few hundred dollars, but the experience will suck.” That’s not the case at all.
While you might be staying in a smaller room, many of Carnival’s newer ships offer very nice, comfortable interior staterooms, and you still get access to all the complimentary dining and fun activities that your heart could desire.
Myth 3. Cruise Ship Dining is all Stuffy and Formal
When you imagine dining on a cruise ship, you might think of something akin to the dinner scene in Titanic. However, you don’t need to break out your tux and formal gowns for dining on a cruise ship each evening.
The main dining room on a cruise ship is, yes, a little more formal than other places, like the buffet. You’ll get three courses and have dedicated, high-end service throughout the meal. However, the normal dress code for the main dining room is usually pretty relaxed.
For example, Norwegian Cruise Line’s dress code for most restaurants, including the main restaurant, is what’s considered “cruise casual,” which means you can wear summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops.
The only items you can’t wear in the main dining rooms are tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips.
Many cruise lines do have one or two formal evenings in the main dining rooms, per cruise. Carnival, for example, calls these events its Carnival Elegant nights, wherein a slightly elevated dress code is expected for the main dining rooms. Many cruisers find these events to be a fun occasion and excuse to break out their formalwear.
However, if you don’t really have to get all that dressed up, if you want to attend. A sports coat and slacks are suitable for men; and a blouse and skirt is suitable for women.
That said, you don’t even have to attend these elegant evenings on your cruise at all, if you don’t want to. You can always eat dinner elsewhere, such as at the buffet or at one of the specialty restaurants aboard the ship. There are plenty of casual dining restaurants on each cruise ship, where you’re more than welcome to wear a t-shirt, shorts and sandals.
So, yes, while you can have a more elegant, formal dining experience if you want, that experience is totally optional!
Myth 4. Cruise Ships are Too Crowded
It can be easy to assume that cruise ships are over-crowded. After all, some of the biggest cruise ships in the world, like Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, can hold more than 7,000 passengers! That’s a lot of people!
However, as you’re contemplating how a cruise line goes about fitting 7,000 people on a ship, it’s important to realize just how big these ships are.
Additionally, just because you can find 7,000 people on a ship, that doesn’t mean that most sailings are going to include that many cruisers. Instead, the total number is going to be closer to the ship’s double occupancy (which is, for Icon of the Seas, closer to 5,500 people).
Royal Promenade on Icon of the Seas
Likewise, the actual design of a newer cruise ship, beyond the size, often takes crowds into consideration. Cruise lines don’t want you to have a horrible time on your cruise.
They want you to come back and buy another cruise, again and again! So, they’re going to design their ships in such a way to minimize crowds and make it possible to find some alone time.
As an example, reports have come in from cruisers onReddit who’ve sailed on Icon of the Seas, and they’ve reported that they’re “amazed by how little crowds they are!”
Another cruiser on the same thread linked above said, “We’re currently on it and have been happily surprised by how open and airy and often not crowded the promenade is. This ship is wonderful. There are so many pools to choose from and we never had an issue finding space.”
Myth 5. There’s Nothing to Do Aboard the Ship or During Sea Days
Okay, so this cruising myth is the one that may just leave us scratching our heads the most. Nothing to do? On a cruise ship??
While that might be the case, somewhat, on a smaller, older cruise ship (and, even then, not totally, as there’s still often at least one pool, a theater, a handful of restaurants and bars, etc.) on today’s modern ships, you’d be lucky if you get to experience everything there is to do on the cruise ship, before your cruise is over.
Carnival Cruise Line Ship (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz)
Beyond just the wealth of dining and drinking options, most cruise ships today now also feature multiple theaters and entertainment venues, casinos, multiple pools, waterslides, sports courts, spas, fitness centers, arcades, kids clubs, adults-only venues, shopping and more.
On some ships, you’ll also find laser tag, zip lines, ice skating rings, surfing simulators, sky diving simulators, go-karts and more. Really, you’ll have ample fun on a cruise ship, with plenty to do.
Myth 6. There’s Not Enough Time to Explore the Ports
Even with the wealth of fun things to do on a cruise ship, for many cruisers, the highlight of a cruise is stopping at the ports along your itinerary.
But do you really get all that much time in port? Or do you just stop by for a few hours, see the major tourist hubs and then leave?
Cruise Ships Docked in Grenada (Photo Credit: EWY Media)
While it might seem that way in some cases, that’s not really the truth across the board. While, yes, you’ll rarely be overnighting in port, most cruise ships stay in port at least a half-day, if not a full day, between five and nine hours.
That gives you plenty of time to get off the ship and take an excursion, visit a local restaurant for a meal, do some shopping and/or just head to the beach! If you manage your time well, you’ll have enough time in each port, plus time to spare.
Myth 7. I’ll be Seasick the Entire Time
If you frequently suffer from seasickness, that doesn’t mean that you have to forgo cruising for your entire life. Plenty of cruisers who deal with seasickness enjoy cruising. You just have to prepare accordingly.
Cruise Passenger With Motion Sickness (Photo Credit: GBALLGIGGSPHOTO)
It all starts with picking the right stateroom. You need a stateroom that is as close to the middle of the ship as possible, where you’ll feel less movement, and a stateroom that ideally has an ocean view or, even better, a balcony. Having a view of the horizon can help with queasiness, as can fresh ocean air.
Additionally, taking anti-motion sickness medication starting a few days ahead of your cruise, and then throughout your cruise, can work wonders.
Myth 8. Cruise Ships are Claustrophobic
Unless you book the tiniest interior stateroom and then proceed to stay there for the entirety of your cruise, you’re not going to feel claustrophobic while you’re on the cruise ship. Again, cruise ships are designed to make the most of their space, so you’ll find lots of large and airy spots.
For example, on many Royal Caribbean ships, interior neighborhoods like Central Park and The Royal Promenade are designed to feel large, open and spacious, with soaring ceilings that stretch multiple decks.
Royal Promenade on Spectrum of the Seas (Photo Credit: EnthusiasticPhotographers)
Additionally, most ships feature lots of outdoor space, beyond just the pool deck, with outdoor dining, outdoor bars, outdoor entertainment venues and more.
And if you’re still really worried about feeling claustrophobic in your stateroom, consider booking a room with an exterior wall that lowers, giving you direct access to your balcony and more overall indoor-outdoor living space. This is an option on some Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships.
Myth 9. Cruise Ships Aren’t Safe
While you may occasionally see stories in the news about cruise ship passengers falling overboard and disappearing, or of cruise ships being filled with ill passengers after a virus outbreak, rest assured that cruising is an extremely safe way to travel. In fact, one estimate is that the odds of dying on a cruise ship are 1 in 6.25 million!
Cruise Ship CCTV
Often, the greatest threat to your safety during a cruise is simply yourself. If you don’t pay attention to safety warnings and break safety rules, like going where you’re not supposed to on the ship or hanging over your balcony railing, you’re more likely to get hurt or worse.
Likewise, if you don’t follow general travel safety best practices, like “don’t go into dark spaces with strangers” or “don’t become so inebriated that you can’t get around on your own,” then you’re more likely to find yourself in sticky situations.
Myth 10. Cruising Requires a Strict Schedule
Really, the only thing that requires you to stick to a strict schedule when cruising? Making sure that you’re back to the ship before it leaves the port. Otherwise, you really don’t have to stick to a strict schedule.
Cruise Passengers On Ship During Port Day (Photo Credit: Emrys Thakkar)
Most cruise lines now allow you to dine when and where you want (though reservations can make things easier, they’re not always required). If you don’t want to dine at the main dining room at set times, every day, you can go somewhere else.
You can usually find dining options that are available 24/7, too, such as room service. For the most part, though, you can move about the ship as you please, and fill your day with whatever activities you want!
In addition to the itinerary modification for Carnival Pride, Carnival Magic has now been affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto and will be missing a port of call on her current sailing.
Both ships have made these changes with safety as the top priority, not just for the passengers and crew members aboard, but also to keep ports safe and able to focus on emergency operations rather than a ship visit.
The changes come as a result of storm monitoring from Carnival Cruise Line’s Fleet Operations Center in Miami, as well as consultation with other authorities and resources.
“As the safety of our guests and crew is our priority, we will continue to watch the storm and factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard and the local port authorities to provide timely updates as more information becomes available,”Carnival Cruise Line confirmed.
Carnival Pride Itinerary Shift
The 86,071-gross-ton, Spirit-class Carnival Pride is currently visiting Bermuda on a 7-night roundtrip sailing from Baltimore, Maryland. While the ship is still able to maintain the port of call, the time of the visit was shifted forward to ensure Carnival Pride can remain well out of the storm’s path.
Instead of calling on Kings Wharf, Bermuda beginning at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, August 14, the ship accelerated her arrival to Bermuda to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13. This will still permit a full 48 hours in port, but now leaving at 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 15.
Tropical Storm Ernesto – likely to be Hurricane Ernesto when he arrives in Bermuda – will be nearing the British Overseas Territory on Saturday, August 17.
By leaving on Thursday rather than Friday, Carnival Pride has much more time to move away from the storm’s area of impact. The ship’s return to Baltimore on Sunday, August 18, will not be affected.
Carnival Magic Itinerary Change
Carnival Magic is also impacted by Tropical Storm Ernesto, but roughly 950 miles south of Carnival Pride‘s changes. Carnival Magic is sailing a 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary that departed Miami, Florida on Sunday, August 11.
The ship was to have called on San Juan, Puerto Rico on Wednesday, August 14, but that it exactly when the storm is expected to be closest to the US territory. Tropical storm warnings are already in effect for all of Puerto Rico.
Instead, Carnival Magic will enjoy a day at sea on Wednesday, but will now have a port visit to Nassau, Bahamas on Friday, August 16. On the original itinerary, Friday was planned as a visit to Grand Turk, which has been cancelled as well in the interest of keeping the ship well away from the storm’s impact.
The 128,048-gross-ton, Dream-class Carnival Magic will return to Miami on Sunday, August 18 as planned.
Tropical Storm Update
As of the early Tuesday afternoon intermediate advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Tropical Storm Ernesto is located roughly 85 miles east of St. Croix and 175 miles east-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The storm is moving west-northwest at 18 miles per hour.
Maximum sustained winds are recorded at 60 miles per hour and Air Force Reserve hurricane hunters have confirmed the storm is continuing to strengthen. It will likely become an official hurricane no later than early Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Ernesto Latest
“On the forecast track, the center of Ernesto should pass near or over the Virgin Islands this evening, and then pass just to the northeast and north of Puerto Rico tonight and on Wednesday,”the notes from NHC Forecaster Berg explained.
After that point, the storm is expected to continue moving north and gradually east, reaching Bermuda on Saturday, August 17. As that is still several days away, however, the track or timing could both be adjusted in the meantime.
All cruise guests should stay alert to weather patterns and tropical development when they may be sailing during hurricane season, which stretches from June 1 through November 30.
In the Atlantic, the peak of the storm season is historically from mid-August through mid-September, when more storms form and may be at their strongest.
Seven Seas Mariner, a luxury cruise ship owned by Regent Seven Seas Cruises, experienced significant delays entering IJmuiden, Netherlands, due to a blockade by environmental activists at the port’s locks.
The unexpected halt just 19 miles from Amsterdam disrupted the travel plans of up to 700 passengers and 445 crew members who were concluding a 20-night Northern Europe segment of the ship’s 83-night “Grand Arctic Adventure.”
The blockade occurred on August 11, 2024, when eight members of the group Extinction Rebellion, targeting the environmental impact of cruise operations, chained themselves to the lock gates.
Passengers aboard the Seven Seas Mariner faced several hours of delays as local authorities worked to clear the activists and reopen the pathway.
The environmental “rebels” claim the 12-deck cruise ship is “an example of unprecedented luxury that seems to be reserved only for the richest in the world,” and “ships like the Seven Seas Mariner exacerbate the crisis we are in the middle of.”
Despite the ship’s high environmental ratings and efforts through its “Sail & Sustain” initiative, protestors argue it is not enough.
“In 2022, the Seven Seas Mariner at Friends of the Earth received a B rating, which means ‘satisfactory,’”the group said. “But this ‘satisfactory’ is a comparison with other cruise ships and therefore says nothing about how polluting they are, compared to other ways of holidaying.”
No arrests were made, and the ship arrived in Amsterdam at 10 p.m., more than four hours behind schedule. The ship is currently in Bruges, Belgium, and will conclude its tour in Barcelona on August 24, 2024.
The blockade came a day after the protestors had successfully stopped Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas from entering port in Amsterdam. Instead, the cruise ship was diverted to IJmuiden and was forced to hire buses to transport passengers between IJmuiden and Amsterdam.
Cruise Industry Advances Towards Sustainability
Friends of the Earth, an environmental advocacy group that conducts rigorous evaluations of industries impacting the environment, including the cruise sector, gave Regent Seven Seas Cruises a “C+” report card when it reviewed the company in 2022.
While the entire report featured mixed reviews and noted efforts in sewage treatment while pointing out deficiencies in air pollution control, Seven Seas Mariner specifically received a “B” with an A in water quality compliance, a B- in air pollution reduction, and a C in sewage treatment.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ “Sail & Sustain” program focuses on reducing the cruise line’s ecological impact. The program emphasizes compliance with international environmental regulations, such as the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, and standards set by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Additionally, the cruise line utilizes technology like Advanced Wastewater Purification systems and energy-efficient practices to minimize its footprint.
The cruise industry is committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions across the globe by 2050. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)’s goals align with the Paris Agreement and the International Maritime Organization’s strategy for greenhouse gas reduction.
CLIA projects that 98 percent of new ships will be equipped with shoreside electricity capacity by 2028 and that 61 percent of new builds are expected to use liquified natural gas (LNG) as a primary fuel.
Additionally, over 79 percent of the global fleet now uses Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS), and 78 percent of the current fleet capacity is equipped with advanced wastewater treatment systems.
As Carnival’s brand ambassador, John Heald is typically the expert on all things related to the cruise line and its 27 ships. He puts his vast knowledge to good use by answering questions day in and day out on his popular Facebook page.
However, Heald currently has an opportunity to do some in-person reconnaissance on behalf of his many followers, as he is currently onboard Carnival Mardi Grasfor a 6-day Eastern Caribbean sailing.
The cruise is roundtrip out of Port Canaveral, Florida, and features calls at Nassau, Bahamas; Puerto Plata / Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; and Grand Turk Island, Turks and Caicos.
While he’s onboard, Heald’s Facebook followershave been asking what the experience is really like onboard – particularly at the Excel-class vessel’s Serenity Retreat, which is located on Deck 18.
This adult-space is available fleet-wide, and is meant to be a peaceful place for guests over 21 to take a dip in the pool, soak in the sun, or sip on a drink at the nearby bar.
But according to some on Facebook, the Serenity space isn’t always as serene as the name suggests.
“John go check on something as you are on the ship I am going on. Is the Serenity Deck on the Carnival Mardi Gras totally quiet or is there noise for people or the pool deck and music there,” requested an unidentified future cruiser.
“Debating taking my dad on Mardi Gras as a gift and I didn’t use Serenity last time I was there. He can have fun at night, but during the day likes a shaded chair where there is zero noisy people. No music. Just quiet for him to read. This is what it should be John. If not why not,” continued the potential passenger.
Heald didn’t have an immediate answer for the curious guest – but promised he’d find out before his sailing disembarks in Port Canaveral on August 17, 2024.
The Serenity Retreat is All About Peace and Quiet
While Heald didn’t have a response just yet, the over 1,000 people who commented on his post in less than 24 hours certainly had something to say about their less-than-peaceful experiences across multiple Carnival ships.
“Most serenity decks I have encountered aren’t quiet when it gets full. Hundreds of people having conversations it’s not quiet – But supposed to be no children. It’s not always enforced though,”commented one Facebook user.
“Last couple times we cruised, Serenity deck was noisier than the main pool. Grownups get a little ornery when their kids are being taken care of,”added another.
“Serenity=serene=quiet with a low sound background noise. Twice I have been on a Carnival Ship, on Serenity, and people have brought bluetooth speakers to play their own music on. It is very disruptive to the ones that want Serenity/Serene/Quiet,”replied a third.
Adults-Only Serenity Area (Photo Credit: Ihor Koptilin / Shutterstock)
But despite some recent experiences that weren’t quite so peaceful, the commenters overwhelmingly agreed that they wanted the space to be quiet, calm, and relaxing.
This is part of the reason this adult-only spot caused debate on John Heald’s Facebook page earlier this summer – this time regarding if exceptions should be made to allow infants in the Serenity Retreat.
At the end of June, an anonymous poster reached out to Heald via Facebook to complain that a breastfeeding mother brought her infant into the Serenity Retreat.
The issue wasn’t that the mother was breastfeeding her child – and Carnival’s policy states that women have the right to breastfeed in public or private spaces onboard – but the fact that she took her child into a place designated for guests over 21 years of age.
At the time, commenters on Facebook noted that there were plenty of other quiet and comfortable spaces to breastfeed onboard that didn’t violate the rules of the adult-only space, with some saying a screaming baby would take away from their peace and relaxation.
Guests aboard Carnival Pride en route to Bermuda have been notified that their itinerary has been shifted ahead of likely poor weather from Tropical Storm Ernesto.
While the ship will still be enjoying her Bermuda visit, the times in port will be a day earlier than originally planned just to stay safely ahead of the storm.
Carnival Pride departed Baltimore, Maryland on Sunday, August 11, 2024 for a 7-night roundtrip Bermuda sailing. The original itinerary had the ship enjoying two full days at sea before arriving at Kings Wharf, Bermuda at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, August 14, for a lengthy stay until noon on Friday, August 16.
Letters delivered to guests’ staterooms have informed everyone of a change in that schedule, however.
“In partnership with our Fleet Operations Center in Miami, we are actively monitoring a tropical depression which is moving in a north-westerly direction towards the Caribbean. Later this week, it is set to turn and travel upwards in the Atlantic, possibly impacting weather in Bermuda,”the letter explained.“To stay ahead of the storm, we have revised our plans for visiting the island.”
Carnival Pride will now arrive in Bermuda at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13, and depart at 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 15. While this shortens the ship’s time in port by four hours, it does still provide passengers with a substantial visit to explore the unique destination.
Any shore excursions booked through Carnival Cruise Line for the ship’s time in Bermuda will be automatically revised to fit the new schedule, and guests will be notified of those adjustments.
At the new time of Carnival Pride‘s visit to Bermuda, Tropical Storm Ernesto should still be well away from the island, as it is not forecast to reach Bermuda until Saturday.
Because the wind fields of such storms can often extend well away from the center, however, it is wise for Carnival Cruise Line to accelerate the ship’s itinerary to stay well outside any potential rough weather.
“In the event we encounter any added movement to the ship, our highly trained and experienced officers and I will do everything possible to minimize any discomfort,”the letter, signed by the ship’s master Captain Renato Bendinelli, continued.
Guests are urged to take extra precautions when moving around the ship, including using handrails. If the weather worsens, crew members will also secure outside deck furniture and the outer deck areas will be closed. Nevertheless, all onboard activities and entertainment remain fully operational.
At this time, there is no delay anticipated for Carnival Pride to return to Baltimore as planned on Sunday, August 18. Likewise, there is no deviation for the ship’s next sailing, a 14-night Greenland sailing, though that itinerary may be impacted if the tropical storm continues north once it passes Bermuda.
The 86,071-gross-ton, Spirit-class Carnival Pride can host 2,680 travelers at double occupancy, and is also home to just over 900 international crew members.
Tropical Storm Update
The tropical depression officially strengthened into Tropical Storm Ernesto on Monday afternoon, according to the latest updates from the National Hurricane Center, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour.
The center of the storm is located approximately 530 miles east-southeast of Puerto Rico and moving west at 28 miles per hour.
Tropical Storm Ernesto
Tropical storm warnings are already in effect throughout the eastern Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. The storm is expected to gradually turn to the north over the next few days, well east of the Bahamas, but eastern Caribbean cruise itineraries are already being impacted.
As the storm shifts north, it will most likely strengthen into a hurricane, though the maximum strength is yet unpredictable. The storm is expected to gradually turn back to the east late in the week, and may come very close to or even directly impact Bermuda over the coming weekend, depending on the exact track and speed.
Any cruise traveler with a Bermuda itinerary over the next few days should stay in close contact with their cruise line about updates and remain flexible with their expectations as weather-related changes are never within the cruise line’s control.
Every cruise line does, however, keep safety as the top priority and work to ensure travelers remain as comfortable as possible.
As of 5 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time on August 12, 2024, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has upgraded the Atlantic weather disturbance to Tropical Storm Ernesto.
In response, the U.S. Coast Guard has issued warnings to maritime traffic and ports in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“The disturbance is forecast to pass over parts of the Leeward islands late tonight or Tuesday and move toward the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by Tuesday evening,”the NHC reported.
With winds expected to exceed 39 miles per hour, the Coast Guard has declared Port Condition X-Ray. This condition indicates gale-force winds are expected within 48 hours. While ports remain open for now, maritime and port facilities are advised to implement precautionary measures.
“We urge the maritime community to not underestimate the impacts of this storm,” said Captain Luis Rodriguez, the sector San Juan commander. “We are working closely with the maritime industry in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to take the necessary actions to protect our port infrastructure and facilities for the storm’s arrival.”
A tropical storm warning has been issued for St. Kitts, Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Martin, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Nevis, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Vieques, and Culebra, indicating conditions are expected to deteriorate within 36 hours.
Should gale-force winds be forecasted to reach Puerto Rico and the USVI within 24 hours, the Coast Guard will escalate to Port Condition Yankee. At this time, ports will be closed to inbound traffic and any ocean-going vessels greater than 500 gross tons will have to depart.
If the situation worsens within 12 hours of the impending storm, Port Condition Yankee will be fully activated, suspending all port operations.
Cruise Lines Alter Eastern Caribbean Itineraries
The tropical storm is causing cruise lines to alter Caribbean routes in precaution of worsening weather conditions and to provide a safer voyage to passengers.
Currently, only Royal Caribbean International’s 78,491-gross-ton Rhapsody of the Seas homeports in the affected U.S. territories. On a 7-night voyage that departed from San Juan on August 11, the ship was scheduled to call in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on August 12, but rescheduled the call for August 17.
It also rescheduled its stop in St. Maarten. Originally scheduled for August 13, the ship will instead visit on August 16, indicating the ship may have reversed its course to start in Barbados and get behind the storm, although its current route has yet to be confirmed and its additional calls are all positioned in the storm’s path.
Tropical Storm Ernesto
Norwegian Cruise Line’s 145,655-gross-ton Norwegian Breakaway and Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas, the largest ship in the world at 248,663 gross tons, each shifted this week’s Eastern Caribbean itineraries to the Western Caribbean instead.
Norwegian Breakaway, which began a 7-day voyage from Miami on August 11, cancelled its calls to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas.
Icon of the Seas, which also departed from Miami on August 10, cancelled its calls to Basseterre, St. Kitts, and St. Thomas.
Both ships elected to travel to Roatan, Honduras, and Costa Maya, Mexico, with Norwegian Breakaway also visiting Cozumel, Mexico, and its other private destination Harvest Caye in Belize. Icon of the Seas is also visiting Royal Caribbean’s private destination Perfect Day at CocoCay.
As the storm continues to develop and move, the Coast Guard and ports will provide additional updates.
Virgin Voyages has announced the launch of its first Eclipse Voyages as part of its new Marvelous Voyages series, set to debut in 2026. The cruises, inspired by the growing interest in astrotourism, will feature itineraries designed to give travelers the opportunity to experience a total solar eclipse at sea.
Taking place on August 12, 2026, the total solar eclipse will appear across the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal, and northern Spain. As a result, the cruise line will offer 12- and 15-night sailings that align with the path of totality
Destinations on Virgin Voyage itineraries include Dublin, Ireland; Glasgow, Scotland; and Reykjavik, Iceland, aboard the Valiant Lady, as well as the Amalfi Coast of Italy; Mallorca, Spain; and Cannes, France, on the Scarlet Lady. Each 110,000-gross-ton ship accommodates up to 2,770 passengers.
The new voyages will include special onboard events and expert appearances with the upper decks equipped with telescopes and binoculars for optimal viewing. Astronomers will be available to guide passengers through the celestial event.
Additional programing includes new moon ceremonies, star-themed live orchestral music performances, yoga under the stars, and unique culinary offerings like Milky Way milkshakes and traditional moonpies. Solar eclipse glasses and a commemorative guide will also be offered.
Longer, Expanded Offerings for 2026
The Eclipse Voyages are part of Virgin Voyages’ broader Marvelous Voyages series, which features a total of seven sailings between March and August 2026. These voyages range from 8 to 16 nights and cover a wide geographical area, from Iceland to Istanbul and the British Isles to the Baltics.
During these itineraries, Virgin Voyages will introduce 12 new ports of call, including destinations such as Salerno on the Amalfi Coast; Edinburgh, Scotland; Stockholm, Sweden; Hamburg, Germany; Oslo, Norway; Tangier, Morocco; and Greenland.
2026 Solar Eclipse Path (Credit: National Solar Observatory)
The new itineraries represent a shift from its earlier offerings, which primarily focused on shorter Caribbean cruises. The new journeys will allow for more in-depth exploration of various regions.
“We already sail to more than 100 international ports, but our itineraries are ever-evolving based on what our Sailors and travel partners are asking for,”said Michelle Bentubo, chief operating officer at Virgin Voyages.
She continued, “Our Marvelous Voyages, paired with Brilliant Lady’sepic itineraries across all four corners of the U.S., just shows the growth and strength of this monumental brand and the choice we are committed to offering.”
Virgin’s Scarlet Lady will complete her 2025-2026 winter in the Caribbean on April 19, 2026, in Miami, before crossing the Atlantic. Her 12-night Total Eclipse journey will depart from Barcelona, Spain, on August 10, and spend the 12th in Ibiza, which will experience 100 percent totality.
The itinerary, which concludes in Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, on August 22, will also call on Palma de Mallorca; Cannes and Ajaccio, France; and La Spezia, Salerno, and Catania, Italy.
Valiant Lady, which is also scheduled to winter in the Caribbean through early 2026 from a homeport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, will launch her “Eclipse in the Land of Fire and Ice” cruise from Portsmouth, England, on August 5, 2026.
Traveling to Dublin; Glasgow and Stornoway, Scotland; and Akureyri, Siglufjörour, Isafjördur, and Reykavik, Iceland, on a 15-night voyage, the cruise will end in Edinburgh on August 20. The path of totality will be 98 percent over Iceland during the journey.
Sister ship Brilliant Lady will also be offering longer journeys in 2026, including a 16-night adventure from Miami to Los Angeles passing through the Panama Canal, and an 8-night voyage from Los Angeles to Vancouver.
The new cruises will accept bookings beginning August 21, 2024. Loyalty members have early booking options beginning August 14.
