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.
For one passenger, their vacation was over just as quickly as it began.
On August 22, 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard was called in to evacuate a 56-year-old passenger who was experiencing a medical emergency onboard Carnival Venezia.
The Coast Guard was alerted to the situation at approximately 7:50 p.m. local time – just a few hours after the Vista-class ship embarked on a 5-night sailing to King’s Wharf, Bermuda, from thePort of Manhattan in New York City.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter was dispatched from the Atlantic City Coast Guard station, with the aircrew meeting up with the 5,263-guest vessel at approximately 10:30 p.m.
At the time, the ship was off the coast of Toms River, New Jersey – a township located on the Jersey Shore in Ocean County.
“Coast Guard Sector New York watchstanders received a report from the Venezia at approximately 7:50 p.m. Thursday evening of a passenger experiencing a medical emergency. The duty flight surgeon was consulted and recommended a medical evacuation to a higher level of care,” reads a press release from the U.S. Coast Guard.
The airlift was successful, and the unidentified female passenger was brought to a New Jersey hospital to receive treatment for her undisclosed condition.
“A Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin aircrew launched and arrived on-scene around 10:30 p.m. Thursday. The aircrew successfully hoisted and transported the patient to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in New Jersey. The condition of the patient is unknown,” continued the release.
The 135,225-gross ton cruise ship then continued sailing toward King’s Wharf, and is expected to arrive on time on August 24, 2024, for an overnight visit. The Bermuda destination is the only port of call included on the itinerary.
Another Rescue From Carnival Venezia
History sometimes has an interesting way of repeating itself – and this recent evacuation may sound familiar to avid cruise news readers.
Just over three months ago, another sector of the US armed forces was called in to evacuate a cruiser during a medical emergency. This time, the Air Force was called in to conduct a long range rescue for another guest onboard Carnival Venezia.
However, while the more recent evacuation was relatively straightforward, this mission was a bit more challenging – as the vessel was located over 350 nautical miles from the eastern coast of the United States.
Carnival Venezia had set sail from New York on April 26, 2024, for a 10-day cruise to the Bahamas and the Caribbean – an itinerary that featured calls on Nassau, Bahamas; Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; and Half Moon Cay, the cruise line’s private island destination.
Carnival Cruise Line Air Force Airlift (Photo Credit: 920th RQW)
The ship was en route to her homeport in New York City when the emergency unfolded on May 4, 2024.
But despite the more complicated situation, the 920th Rescue Wing (Air Force Reserve Command’s only combat search and rescue wing), was able to successfully airlift the unidentified passenger and deliver them to safety.
Also, earlier this year, a crew member had to be evacuated from one of Carnival’s 27 ships. This time, the incident took place on Carnival Sunshine instead of Carnival Venezia.
The employee, whose identity and condition have been kept private, became ill enough to require an airlift to the hospital on the afternoon of April 27, 2024, while the Sunshine-class vessel was in the middle of a 5-night sailing to the Bahamas.
And while three emergency airlifts from one cruise line may seem like a lot, there is no reason why the average, healthy traveler should worry about something like this happening to them.
Considering millions of people cruise every year and these events are few and far between, it’s safe to say that this is a rare occurrence and cruise ships are, in fact, quite safe.
Is your cruise leaving out of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida? It wouldn’t be surprising if that were the case. Located in south Florida, Port Everglades is one of the three busiest cruise homeports in the world.
Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or a seasoned cruiser just leaving from this port for the first time, here’s what you need to know about the Port Everglades terminals, for the easiest embarkation and most thorough cruise planning possible.
Welcoming nearly 4 million passengers passing through eight cruise terminals, Port Everglades works with 10 cruise lines and one ferry service.
The cruise port proudly touts a few marks of distinction, including that it’s the only seaport in the United States adjacent to an international airport and it was also the first cruise port in the United States to resume sailings after the Covid-19 pandemic-related shutdowns.
Cruisers find lots to love about Port Everglades, like the free Wi-Fi in all terminals, as well as the convenient location. There’s also the free cell phone waiting lots for pick-up, and efficient drop-off areas, as well as multiple parking garages. However, cruise lines have a lot to love, too.
Aerial View of Port Everglades (Photo Credit: Todamo)
That’s probably why Disney Cruise Line is now sailing year-round from Port Everglades, with a second seasonal ship on the docket for 2025, and with a completely revamped, Disney-fied Cruise Terminal 4.
Additionally, Crystal Cruises plans to homeport from Port Everglades with Crystal Serenity starting in November 2024, and Viking and the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection are likewise extending their seasons at the port.
Know which terminal your cruise is departing from? Then here’s what you’ll need to know about the experience you can expect.
Terminal 2
Updated in 2017 thanks to a multimillion-dollar investment from Princess’ parent company Carnival Corp., now, cruise passengers enjoy Ocean Medallion service both before and after their cruise, right from the terminal. The service’s capabilities can help speed up the embarkation and ship loading process.
Other new features added to the terminal in 2017 include Carnival’s MedallionNet WiFi access. The terminal also houses an OceanView cinema, which plays Carnival-produced travel programming, and the terminal’s second floor offers views of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway. Amenities include a VIP area and vending machines.
To reach the terminal, drive to 1801 SE 20th Street, Fort Lauderdale, for drop off, or park in the Heron Parking Garage and then head to the fifth floor, where you’ll find an elevated passenger bridge that will take you into the terminal.
Primary Cruise Lines: Princess Cruises
Total square footage: 85,504 square feet
Elevators/Escalators: 5 total
Check-in stations: 30
Terminal 4
The terminal, which Disney Cruise Line operates, just opened in 2023 and boasts a colorful “Finding Nemo” theme, with character murals and under-the-sea vibes.
The new-build terminal is also LEED Silver certified and, over the two stories, offers seating for more than 500 cruisers and a VIP experience on the second floor.
Disney Cruise Line Terminal in Fort Lauderdale (Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks)
Other amenities include free WiFi, vending machines, and three sets of restrooms, including four family restrooms.
Located at 1800 SE 20th Street, Fort Lauderdale, there’s a covered drop-off area for those passengers not parking. For those who are, park in the port’s Heron Parking Garage.
Primary Cruise Lines: Disney Cruise Line
Total square footage: 104,162 square feet
Elevators/Escalators: 4 total
Check-in stations: 28
Terminal 18
Royal Caribbean exclusively uses Terminal 18. Terminal 18 is quite massive, with nearly a hundred check-in stations. Terminal 18 was expanded in 2009, to accommodate Oasis of the Seas and the following Oasis-class ships.
Before that, the terminal was just 67,500 square feet. At the time of completion, it was the largest cruise terminal in the world built to serve a single ship at a time.
What are some of the standout features of this terminal when it first opened, beyond its size? For starters, the 4,000-square-foot skylight in the ceiling.
Terminal 18 (Photo Credit: Feng Cheng)
Then, of course, there’s what the skylight illuminates: a 3,000-square-foot work of art inlaid into the terminal’s floor. Amenities here include free WiFi and vending machines.
Located at 1901 SE 32nd St., Hollywood, Florida, parking for Terminal 18 can be found in the port’s Parking Lot #18 and Parking Lot #19.
Total square footage: 259,370 square feet
Elevators/Escalators: 13 total
Check-in stations: 90
Terminal 19
While there’s not much to say about Terminal 19 at the moment apart from it caters to Holland America Line, there are big plans in the works for this terminal.
As part of the Port Everglades 20-Year Master/Vision Plan, released in 2018, a new finger pier at the port’s Berth 19 will be created, which will lead to the redevelopment of Cruise Terminal 19.
Terminal 19 (Photo Credit: Angela N Perryman)
The redevelopment will expand the terminal so it can serve two ships on the new pier. A new parking structure to serve the terminal will also be built. This construction project is scheduled to take place between 2028 and 2038. For now, though, amenities include a VIP area, free WiFi and vending machines.
The terminal is located at 2019 Eller Drive, Fort Lauderdale. If you need parking, you can find it in Parking Lot #19, as well as the port’s Palm Parking Garage.
Primary Cruise Lines: Holland America Line
Total square footage: 95,00 square feet
Elevators/Escalators: 4 total
Check-in Stations: 50
Terminal 21
Terminal 21 is currently used by both Holland American Line and Princess Cruises (so, if you’re sailing with either one of these cruise lines, be sure to double-check your itinerary, so you know if you should go to Terminal 21 or one of the other terminals that these two cruise lines use). On a smaller scale, Balearia Caribbean also uses the terminal.
While nothing has been announced just yet, in early 2024, a spokesperson for the port said that they were in talks with Princess to revamp Terminal 21, creating larger, world-class facilities.
Terminal 21 (Photo Credit: Solarisys)
While currently, the cruise line can bring any of its vessels to the terminal, an upgraded terminal is required to fit larger ships. Currently, amenities in the terminal include free WiFi, a VIP area and vending machines.
The terminal is located at 2021 Eller Dr., Hollywood, Florida, and parking can be found right next door at the Palm Parking Garage.
Primary Cruise Lines: Holland America Line, Princess Cruises
Total square footage: 138,700 square feet
Elevators/Escalators: 8 total
Check-in Stations: 50
Terminal 25
Terminal 25 is exclusively used by Celebrity Cruises.
Originally built in 1992, in 2017, the port announced that it would invest $100 million-plus to renovate Terminal 25 as part of an agreement with Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity Cruises’ parent company. When the terminal reopened in 2018, it marked the port’s largest single investment in a cruise terminal to date.
Part of the reason why the port wanted to make this investment? So it could cater to newer, larger cruise ships, such as Celebrity Edge, which homeported at Port Everglades starting in late 2018. Royal Caribbean cruise brands enjoy preferential berthing rights until Sept. 2026.
Terminal 25 at Port Everglades (Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks)
Today, the cruise terminal still retains a lot of its modern feel, so it’s not nearly as outdated as some of the other terminals at the port. Amenities include free WiFi and a special VIP area for suite guests, where you’ll enjoy a lounge with refreshments as you wait to embark.
The terminal is located at 2025 Eller Dr., Hollywood, Florida, and parking is available at the Palm Parking Garage.
Primary Cruise Lines: Celebrity Cruises
Total square footage: 157,800 square feet
Elevators/Escalators: 10 total
Check-in Stations: 48
Terminal 26
The terminal, which is mainly used by Holland America Line, was last renovated in the early 2010s, when a handful of terminals — 2, 19, 21 and 26 — were all being renovated as part of a $54 million project.
The changes included new capabilities for simultaneous embarkation and debarkation, larger luggage halls, covered outdoor waiting areas and aesthetic upgrades.
Terminal 26 (Photo Credit: Solarisys)
However, a lot can happen in a decade and, now, this terminal is a little lackluster. Still, amenities include vending machines, free WiFi and a VIP area.
The terminal is located at 2026 Eller Drive, Fort Lauderdale, and parking is available at the Palm Parking Garage.
Total square footage: 115,581 square feet
Elevators/Escalators: 8 total
Check-in Stations: 25
Terminal 29
As of late 2023, the port noted that it was in preliminary discussions with Royal Caribbean to renovate Terminal 29 for Celebrity Cruises sailings.
Terminal 29 (Photo Credit: meunierd)
If those renovations were to occur, they would include a parking garage next door and a new office building for port staff. As of now, amenities include free WiFi and vending machines.
The terminal is located at 2200 SE 35th Street, Fort Lauderdale, and parking is available at the Palm Parking Garage. Free shuttle service is provided between the garage and the cruise terminal.
Primary Cruise Lines: Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean
Celestyal Cruises has cancelled several of its upcoming itineraries, citing continued geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea.
The cancellations include two 14-night repositioning cruises aboard the 55,877-gross-ton Celestyal Journey that were scheduled to depart on October 26, 2024, and March 8, 2025.
The cruises were set to sail on an “Ancient Athens to Dazzling Doha” and its counterpart, “Dazzling Doha to Ancient Athens.” The voyages would take guests to Ephesus, Turkey; Port Said, Sharm Ek Sheikh, and the Suez Canal in Egypt; Muscat, Oman; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Instead, the cruise line will undertake a 34-night non-commercial repositioning cruise to and from Doha, Qatar. This decision has also led to the cancellation of the first three scheduled “Desert Days” itineraries, which were set to depart from Doha on November 9, 16, and 23, 2024.
Those itineraries included calls in Khalifa Bin Salman, Bahrain; Dubai; Khasab, Oman; Sir Bani Yas and Abu Dhabi, and the United Arab Emirates.
To accommodate the extended repositioning, Celestyal Cruises has also cancelled the first three “Heavenly Adriatic” itineraries planned for 2025, originally set to depart on March 22, 29, and April 5.
These voyages, departing from Athens, Greece, included stops in Kefallinia, Corfu, and Olympia, Greece; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro; and Bari, Italy.
“We recently announced our full cruise program through to March 2027 to build simplicity and assurance into our offerings.
In light of the current geopolitical climate in our original path of passage to this year’s winter season, we have decided to operate longer non-commercial repositioning sailings to and from Qatar,”the cruise line said in a statement.
It also went on to say it “will continue to proudly homeport in Doha from November 2024 for the next three winter seasons.”
Celestyal Journey’s maiden voyage in the Arabian Gulf, a 7-night “Desert Days & Qatar Grand Prix” cruise, will now depart from Doha on November 30, 2024. Its inaugural season includes nine of these itineraries, with passengers given the option to embark in Doha, Abu Dhabi, or Dubai.
Affected passengers have been offered the opportunity to transfer their booking to another Celestyal cruise, either within the same region or to a different destination. Passengers can also elect to rebook on one of the alternative itineraries still available.
Additionally, impacted guests can opt for a future credit that can be applied to any Celestyal voyage through March 2027. For those who do not wish to rebook, full reimbursement of the original booking cost is being offered.
Guests will receive the refund to their original booking method. They will also directly receive refunds for cancelled excursions, although passengers who booked their own activities will be required to work with providers for cancellations and refunds.
Cruise Lines Avoid Red Sea in 2024
The Red Sea region has been experiencing heightened geopolitical tensions since the start of 2024, particularly due to ongoing conflicts and territorial disputes in surround areas.
The strategic significance of the Red Sea as a major maritime corridor connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal has led to increased military presence and occasional clashes with rebels mainly targeting cargo ships.
Cruise lines like Celestyal operating in or near the Red Sea have opted to reroute or cancel itineraries to avoid potential dangers, such as MSC Cruises’ MSC Virtuosa, which was the first to avoid the area in January 2024.
Its Grand Voyage segment from Dubai to Southampton, England, was rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope.
Other ships, such as Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Dawn and Costa Cruises’ Costa Toscana, chose to avoid the Suez Canal passage, opting instead for extended stays in the Arabian Guld and the Mediterranean.
Carnival Cruise Line has announced that it will broadcast NFL and college football games on board its ships during the 2024-2025 season. The broadcasts will include games shown on ESPN as part of the NFL Syndication and Sunday Ticket package.
The games will be available in several public venues across the ships, including sports bars, casino bars, pubs, and breweries. However, Carnival has confirmed that the games will not be available in guest cabins.
While some games will be featured on the ships’ big screens, the cruise line noted that not all games will be shown this way due to an already planned Dive-In Movie schedule.
However, the Super Bowl, taking place in Inglewood, California, February 9, 2025, will be broadcast on the big screens at Lido and in the main theater. This is good news for guests of the 22 Carnival ships scheduled to sail from U.S. homeports during the Big Game.
“For those who love football, we have you covered,” said John Heald, brand ambassador for Carnival Cruise Line, who jokingly added, “You will enjoy the game on board and, of course, the many commercials between each play for people with indigestion, terrible gas, and hemorrhoids.”
For college football fans, Carnival Cruise Line has an agreement to show 12 games per week during the 14-week season. These games will be selected based on the cruise line’s U.S. itineraries, focusing on the home ports.
The company currently operates 3-—to 8-day cruises from 14 U.S. homeports, including Baltimore, Charleston, South Carolina, Galveston, Texas, Jacksonville, Florida, Long Beach (Los Angeles), California, Miami, Mobile, Alabama, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Virginia, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tampa, Florida.
This means priority will be given to college teams in Maryland, South Carolina, Texas, Florida, California, Alabama, Louisiana, New York, Virginia, and Washington.
The news was met with phrase from those commenting on Heald’s Facebook page. “We watched the Super Bowl onJubilee this year in the Main Theater, and it was the most fun we’re ever had watching the game,” said one guest.
Demand for Live Sports Driven by Connectivity
The trend of airing major sporting events on cruise ships has been gaining traction in recent years as cruise lines seek to enhance the onboard experience for guests.
For example, MSC Cruises has been actively broadcasting popular FIFA World Cup and Union of European Football Association (UEFA) Champions League tournaments.
British cruise line Fred Olsen Cruise Line has also been airing UEFA matches, as well as the Wimbledon Championships, and the 2024 Summer XXXIII Olympics this year.
Carnival Cruise Line Bar (Photo Credit: Ritu Manoj Jethani)
A key enabler of this trend is the improved internet connectivity on cruise ships, particularly with the adoption of Starlink technology.
Starlink, developed by SpaceX, is a satellite internet constellation that provides high-speed, low-latency internet access, which has been a game-changer for cruise ships.
Carnival Cruise Line has outfitted 100 percent of its fleet of 27 ships with Starklink, including its newest addition, Carnival Jubilee.
Launched in December 2023 and homeported in Galveston, the 4,085-passenger, 182,015-gross-ton ship was the first in the fleet to offer 5G coverage to passengers.
In October 2023, the cruise line began a multi-year partnership with the NFL’s New York Jets, appearing as a “proud sponsor” in advertisements and showcasing Jets games in the SkyBox Sports Bar onboard its ships. Undoubtedly, the games shown during the 2024-25 NFL season will feature the team.
