Blog Page 36

Royal Caribbean Ship Delayed Two Days for Urgent Maintenance

Calvin Musquez
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Royal Caribbean Ship Delayed Two Days for Urgent Maintenance

Key Aspects:

  • Royal Caribbean has delayed Serenade of the Seas’ August 30 Alaska cruise by two days for additional maintenance in Vancouver.
  • The shortened voyage will now depart September 1 and call only at Ketchikan and Prince Rupert before returning to Vancouver on September 6.
  • Guests can sail with onboard credit and future cruise credit or cancel for a full refund and a 25% future cruise credit.

Guests booked aboard Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas are facing a two-day delay after the cruise line determined the ship requires urgent maintenance in Vancouver.

The 90,090 gross-ton ship was originally meant to depart on a 7-night Alaska voyage from Vancouver on August 30, 2026. The sailing was scheduled to visit Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Prince Rupert, along with cruising through the Inside Passage and Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier.

In a letter, the cruise line informed guests that this sailing would be heavily altered to accommodate unplanned maintenance. 

“Due to necessary maintenance requiring additional time in Vancouver, British Columbia, we will now depart on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 9:00 PM,” the letter reads. “We’re sorry for this inconvenience and have worked on options available to you and an updated itinerary.”

The new 5-night itinerary departs from Vancouver two days later than planned on September 1. The shortened itinerary also sees the removal of some key destinations.

Visits to Sitka, Endicott Arm, Dawes Glacier, and Juneau have been cancelled. The cruise will now sail the Inside Passage, then visit Ketchikan and Prince Rupert, followed by a second day of Inside Passage cruising, before returning as scheduled on September 6.

The latest unexpected maintenance delay comes a little over a year after Serenade of the Seas experienced technical problems during its 2025 Alaska season. Cruise Hive reported at the time that a June 29 sailing was forced to operate at reduced speed and skip Icy Strait Point.

Serenade of the Seas Letter
Serenade of the Seas Letter

The following July 6 voyage then returned to Vancouver just hours after departure and ultimately sailed more than a day late. This delay also forced the cancellation of Sitka.

Royal Caribbean has not indicated that the current maintenance is related to those earlier technical issues. No reason for the current unplanned maintenance was provided in the letter to guests.

Guests Have A Few Options

Given the substantial itinerary changes, Royal Caribbean is offering guests two choices. They can continue the sailing with compensation or cancel their cruise.

Guests who choose to continue on the sailing will receive onboard credit equivalent to two days’ cruise fare per guest. Any unused credit will be refunded to the guest’s on-file payment method at the end of the sailing.

They will also receive an additional future cruise credit equivalent to two days’ cruise fare per guest. These can be used to book any future Royal Caribbean sailing. Prepaid packages and gratuities will get a prorated adjustment.

Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas
Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas (Photo Credit: Ceri Breeze)

The cruise line will also reimburse the additional two hotel days or airfare change fees. It will reimburse up to $300 per stateroom, per day for hotels or up to $200 per guest for domestic airfare. For international flight changes, Royal Caribbean will reimburse up to $400.

If guests do not want to change their travel plans, Royal Caribbean will allow guests to board Serenade of the Seas on August 30 or August 31 and use the ship as a hotel while it remains in Vancouver.

However, as the ship will be in port, shops and the onboard casino will be closed. Guests will not be allowed to go ashore after boarding due to immigration regulations. Some bars, lounges, and spa services will remain available, with details provided onboard.

More From Cruise Hive

Guests can also cancel this sailing. Those who cancel will receive a full refund as well as a 25% future cruise credit based on cruise fare paid. This future cruise credit can be applied to any Royal Caribbean sailing departing by September 1, 2027.

Prepaid purchases and gratuities will also be fully refunded. Royal Caribbean will reimburse airfare change fees up to $200 for domestic flights and $400 for international flights per guest. Hotel reimbursement is only available for those remaining on the cruise.

New Princess Cruises Fee Increase Hits Guests Ordering Medallions

Melissa Mayntz
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New Princess Cruises Fee Increase Hits Guests Ordering Medallions

Key Aspects:

  • Shipping fees for Princess Cruises’ Medallions have increased by $2 for guests in the US and Canada.
  • The shipping rate increase is effective from Thursday, August 20, 2026 for all new orders.
  • Guests may still pick up their Medallions for free during embarkation check-in at the cruise terminal.

Princess Cruises’ guests eager to get their Medallions ahead of embarkation so they are ready for smooth sailing onboard will now have to pay a bit more for the privilege.

In a communication sent to travel agents and shared widely online, the Medallion shipping fee for new orders is increased by $2 (USD) as of Thursday, August 20, 2026.

For guests in the US, this means the shipping fee is increasing from $20 to $22, while in Canada, the fee is increasing from $25 to $27. Not all guests will need to pay this fee, however.

The change only applies to new orders placed on or after August 20. If guests have previously ordered a Medallion ahead of an upcoming, already booked Princess sailing, the shipping fee is not changed for that purchase, regardless of when the Medallion is scheduled to be shipped.

Read Also: Princess Cruises Reducing MedallionPay Cash Back

Medallions can still be picked up for free at the cruise terminal during embarkation. Not only can this be a savings, but it also ensures Medallions are not lost in the mail or delayed due to postal congestion. It does mean, however, that guests must take the extra time on embarkation day to pick it up as they check in at the cruise terminal.

Princess Cruises Medallions
Princess Cruises Medallions (Photo Credit: EWY Media)

The shipping cost covers all Medallions shipped under one order to the same mailing address. If guests ship to multiple addresses or place orders separately, however, shipping fees apply each time even if the cruise reservations may be linked.

Second Price Increase in 2026

This is the second price increase for Princess Cruises’ Medallion shipping in 2026. Cruise Hive reported in early March that shipping was increased from $10 to $20 for US addresses, and from $15 to $25 for guests in Canada.

“While we have made every effort to maintain affordable shipping rates for our guests, this adjustment is necessary to align pricing and ensure continued high-quality, reliable shipping services,” the cruise line stated at the time of that first increase.

At the same time as the first increase, free shipping for booked guests with the Plus or Premier amenities packages was also discontinued and all guests began to pay for the full shipping cost.

For context, the US Postal Service increased various postal rates effective July 12, 2026. While the rate for a first-class letter up to one ounce increased by just $.04 (from $.78 to $.82), other shipping prices increased on periodicals, flat rate postage for packages, and marketing mail.

This follows previous postal service time-limited rate increases on retail and commercial domestic shipping that went into effect on April 26, 2026. That change increased domestic packages by roughly 8% per package through mid-January 2027.

In comparison, the increase on Medallion shipping is a 10% increase for US addresses and an 8% increase for Canadian addresses, though Princess Cruises has not cited increased postal fees as a reason for the increase in the Medallion shipping fees.

The Medallion fulfills all the functions of a ship card onboard Princess Cruises’ ships: stateroom key, boarding and services identification, and onboard payment method. It can also connect to the Princess app for further customization and preference management throughout a cruise.

Search for Missing Ambition Passenger Ends With Body Recovered

Melissa Mayntz
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Search for Missing Ambition Passenger Ends With Body Recovered

Key Aspects:

  • A man’s body has been recovered following a missing guest report from Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition on August 21, 2026.
  • The man’s family has been informed, but no further identification details or circumstances of the overboard have been released.
  • Ambition’s debarkation in Dundee, Scotland, and subsequent embarkation later that day were briefly delayed for an onboard search.

Just hours after Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition reported a missing guest and completed an intensive onboard search in an attempt to locate the individual, a man’s body was recovered off the east coast of Scotland and his family has now been notified.

Cruise Hive previously reported the ship’s search for the guest and the slight delay in debarkation and subsequent embarkation for the next sailing on Friday, August 21, 2026 in Dundee, Scotland.

Further details about the incident have now emerged. According to the BBC, a local Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed search operations and when the alert was raised.

“Around 8:55 a.m. on Friday, 21 August, 2026, we received a report that a man had gone overboard from a cruise ship in the North Sea,” the police spokesperson said. “A search and rescue operation, carried out by police and partner agencies, has been ongoing and a body has been recovered.”

At the time of the overboard report, the 1,200-guest Ambition was making her way back to Dundee at the conclusion of a 14-day solar eclipse cruise that included port visits in Iceland, Scotland, and the Faroe Islands. Her last port prior to debarkation was Lerwick, Shetland, on Wednesday, August 19, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Local resources launched a search and rescue operation as the cruise ship approached Dundee for docking. This included an HM Coastguard helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft, a commercial SAR helicopter, Coastguard Rescue Teams from Dundee, Arbroath and St Andrews, the two lifeboats, and nearby vessels.

Crew members onboard the ship conducted a thorough search but were unable to locate the missing guest. His luggage remained onboard the vessel but his bed appeared not to have been slept in.

No further identifying details about the man have been released. This is common in order to protect the privacy of family members, friends, and traveling companions at a very difficult time.

Ship Operations Briefly Delayed

To facilitate the search, Ambition‘s debarkation was delayed. Typically, debarkation would begin less than an hour after the ship had docked, allowing enough time for the vessel to receive customs clearance for guests to leave.

Because of the onboard search, however, guests were not permitted to begin debarking Ambition until approximately 11:30 a.m. Consequently, embarkation for the next sailing was also pushed back, but guests were advised to still arrive at the cruise terminal according to the original embarkation schedule.

Read Also: What Happens When Someone Goes Overboard on a Cruise Ship?

Ambition has already departed Dundee on her next sailing, a one-way repositioning cruise to Newcastle upon Tyne, where she is expected to arrive by 8 a.m. on Saturday morning, August 22.

The ship will remain homeported from Newcastle for five departures, ranging from 5-13 days. Depending on the cruise length and sailing date, she will be visiting ports in the UK, the Netherlands, Norway, France, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany during the very diverse series.

On September 22, the ship will depart Newcastle to move to Bristol and begin another short series, before moving to London-Tilbury in November.

Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with the man’s family members, friends, and all the guests and crew members aboard Ambition impacted by this sad incident.

11 Cruise Ship Crew Members Arrested When Ships Docked in Boston

Melissa Mayntz
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11 Cruise Ship Crew Members Arrested When Ships Docked in Boston

Key Aspects:

  • US Customs and Border Protection arrested 11 foreign national crew members at the Port of Boston on allegations of child exploitation crimes.
  • The crew members were aboard Holland America Line’s Volendam as well as Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Breakaway.
  • All arrested crew members will likely be returned to their home countries: 9 to the Philippines, 1 to Nicaragua, and 1 to Indonesia.

A total of 11 foreign nationals have been arrested by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as part of “Operation Tidal Wave” for crimes against children, including receiving and distributing child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

The operation took place from August 14-16, 2026, with the actual arrest at the Port of Boston. In addition to CBP, the operation was coordinated with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Boston, HSI Fort Lauderdale, and the CBP Fort Lauderdale Human Trafficking Unit.

The crew members were arrested onboard their ships when the vessels docked in Boston: Holland America Line’s Volendam and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Breakaway.

Volendam is currently offering departures from both Montreal and Boston. The 1,837-guest ship was in Boston on August 15 after an 8-day itinerary that departed Montreal on August 8 and included multiple port visits in Canada as well as a stop in Portland, Maine.

Norwegian Breakaway was in Boston on August 16 following an 8-day roundtrip voyage to Halifax, Nova Scotia and King’s Wharf, Bermuda. The 3,903-guest ship is homeported from Boston through early November 2026.

Worth Reading: Passengers Face Tent Check-In as Boston Cruise Terminal Undergoes Upgrades

There is no indication that cruise ship operations were impacted in any way by the arrests and there were no delays to the ships’ next sailings.

No breakdown has been provided about how many crew members were arrested from which ship. Of the arrested individuals, nine are citizens of the Philippines, one is a citizen of Nicaragua, and one is a citizen of Indonesia. No names or other information has been disclosed, including their positions onboard either ship.

Before the arrest, the crew members’ quarters and electronic devices were thoroughly searched. The US Attorney’s Office was also consulted, and ultimately, all 11 crew members were processed for removal from the US under the Immigration and Nationality Act for “crimes involving moral turpitude.” They will be deported from the US, likely back to their home countries.

View of Boston Cruise Port
View of Boston Cruise Port (Photo Credit: Wangkun Jia)

“Protecting children from exploitation is among our highest priorities, and this operation demonstrates the critical role CBP officers play in identifying and stopping individuals who pose a threat to public safety,” said Julio Caravia, Acting Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Boston Field Office. 

“HSI is proud to stand with our colleagues at CBP to reaffirm our message: Anyone who possesses or transports child sexual abuse material is not welcome in the United States and will face serious consequences,” said HSI New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. “Together, we leverage our unique authorities to seek justice for children victimized and exploited across the globe.”

Multiple Arrests at Different Cruise Homeports

Operation Tidal Wave is an ongoing, multiagency initiative headed by the CBP and HSI agents of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The operation is targeted at cruise ship crew members and any association with possession, use, obtaining, producing, or distributing materials related to child sexual exploitation or abuse.

Two previous phases of the operation earlier in 2026 have resulted in charges and arrests for more than 40 crew members from nine different ships.

Phase 1 was in San Diego in April 2026, when 27 crew members were arrested from six different ships. They were all returned to their home countries. Cruise Hive reported on part of that phase of the operation as guests witnessed crew members arrested from Disney Magic.

The second phase of the operation was in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in June and July, when 14 crew members were removed from three ships, and one crew member was arrested for federal prosecution.

Guest Reported Missing From Cruise Ship, Homeport Turnaround Delayed

Melissa Mayntz
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Guest Reported Missing From Cruise Ship, Homeport Turnaround Delayed

Key Aspects:

  • A guest was reported missing from Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition on Friday morning, August 21, 2026.
  • No overboard alert was raised at the time, but a full ship-wide search was conducted when the ship docked in Dundee, Scotland.
  • Turnaround operations were briefly delayed, as was embarkation for the next cruise, but no itinerary change is expected.

A guest has been reported missing from Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition on the morning of Friday, August 21, 2026 and the investigation is now ongoing in an attempt to locate the missing individual.

The cruise line has shared an update on the incident on Facebook, noting that the search operation has slightly delayed the ship’s homeport turnaround in Dundee, Scotland.

The ship has just completed a 14-day roundtrip sailing that originally departed Dundee on August 8. The voyage included port visits in the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Scotland, as well as viewing of the solar eclipse on August 12.

“We can confirm that the Captain of Ambition reported a missing person incident earlier this morning,” the cruise line stated. “The ship, which is now berthed in Dundee, was on passage from Lerwick to Dundee when the alarm was raised after it was found that a guest was not where they were expected to be.”

A thorough onboard search was completed once the ship arrived in Dundee. It is not clear exactly when the alarm was raised, but without evidence of an exact time and location for a potential overboard situation, it would not be possible for the ship to turn around and search in the water.

While the search was ongoing, guests were asked to remain onboard rather than begin debarkation. This caused a minimal delay to debarkation, but after the search was complete, guests were cleared to leave the ship.

“Ambassador follows stringent search and rescue protocols in line with international maritime safety standards. We continue to work in close collaboration with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, HM Coastguard and Police Scotland as the investigation continues,” the cruise line explained.

At this time, because the police investigation into the missing guest is ongoing, the cruise line will not comment further on the situation.

No details about the identity of the missing guest have been disclosed. This is standard practice to protect the privacy of their loved ones and traveling companions.

Ambassador Ambition Cruise Ship
Ambassador Ambition Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Dmitry Rukhlenko)

Guests debarking today have been very positive in their praise for the crew in this challenging situation.

“We were on board Ambition today, and can only say how professionally and calmly the crew handled this terrible situation,” one guest wrote in reaction to the cruise line’s statement.

“We know many of us now face rearranging our onward journeys, but our thoughts are entirely with the missing passenger’s loved ones at this awful time. It feels such a sad and poignant end to what was otherwise an absolutely wonderful cruise.”

Next Embarkation Delayed

Due to the onboard search, the ship’s turnaround operation to be prepared for incoming guests has been slightly delayed. The cruise line has asked that guests still make their way to the port according to the embarkation schedule as originally planned, so the delay should not be significant.

The 1,200-guest ship is set to begin a one-night repositioning voyage to Newcastle upon Tyne, arriving on Saturday, August 22. From her new homeport, Ambition will offer a short series of five departures visiting destinations in northern Europe and Scandinavia, with sailings ranging from 5- to 13-days.

More From Cruise Hive

Because the ship’s repositioning sailing is so short and the two ports are only about 130 miles apart, there should be no difficulty for Ambition to arrive on schedule, and the next cruise is not likely to be impacted.

Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with the crew members and all guests onboard Ambition as well as the family members and friends of the missing guest at this difficult time.

MSC World Europa Pulled From Middle East in Deployment Shake-Up

Calvin Musquez
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MSC World Europa Pulled From Middle East in Deployment Shake-Up

Key Aspects:

  • MSC Cruises is making major changes to its winter 2027-2028 deployments, affecting three ships.
  • The cruise line has shifted MSC World Europa to the Western Mediterranean instead of the planned Middle East deployment.
  • Meanwhile, MSC World Asia will move from the Mediterranean to the Southern Caribbean, while MSC Meraviglia is now listed for South America.

MSC Cruises has announced updates for its 2027-2028 winter deployments. The cruise line has reshuffled the itineraries of three ships: MSC World Europa, MSC Meraviglia, and the soon-to-debut MSC World Asia.

The 215,863 gross-ton MSC World Europa was previously scheduled to sail the Middle East. The ship was set to visit ports throughout the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain on 7-night sailings, with embarkation available from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha.

Instead, MSC has moved MSC World Europa to the Mediterranean. The ship will sail 7-night itineraries from a variety of Western Mediterranean ports and visit locations such as Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Civitavecchia, Messina, and Valletta.

This is now the second consecutive winter for which MSC has moved World Europa away from the Middle East. Cruise Hive previously reported on MSC’s cancellation of World Europa’s 2026-27 Middle East deployment amid escalating tensions in the region, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

This marks two years in a row with no Middle-East season from MSC Cruises. The cruise line did not provide a reason for the latest change. It’s unclear presently whether the continuing conflict in the region played a role in the decision.

Guests who are already booked on MSC World Europa’s 2027-2028 Middle East itineraries will be contacted by the cruise line with options. Guests will be able to transfer to another sailing or receive a full refund.

MSC World Asia Moves To The Southern Caribbean

As MSC World Europa moves to the Mediterranean, MSC’s newest ship, MSC World Asia, will also be redeployed. Set to debut in December 2026, MSC World Asia was originally planned to sail the Mediterranean in winter 2027-2028. 

However, the reshuffle has shifted the 215,863 gross-ton vessel to the Southern Caribbean. The redeployment will see World Asia sailing 7- and 14-night itineraries from Fort-de-France, Pointe-à-Pitre, and Bridgetown.

MSC World Asia Cruise Ship
MSC World Asia Cruise Ship (Image Courtesy: MSC Cruises)

Ports of call include Castries, St. George’s, Philipsburg, St. John’s, Basseterre, Roseau, and Kingstown. Guests already booked on the cancelled Mediterranean sailings will also be contacted by MSC Cruises and their bookings will be updated.

By winter 2027, MSC Cruises’ fourth World-class ship, MSC World Atlantic, is also slated to sail in the Caribbean. No changes have been reported for World Atlantic’s deployment.

MSC Meraviglia Shifts to South America

The deployment change also affects guests booked aboard MSC Meraviglia, which had been scheduled to sail in the Southern Caribbean. As MSC World Asia takes over that spot, the deployment of Meraviglia is also shifting regions.

The 171,598 gross-ton ship was originally slated for 7- to 14-night cruises in the Southern Caribbean. MSC says those reservations will be updated and affected guests contacted. The cruise line did not detail the ship’s revised winter deployment in its announcement.

More From Cruise Hive

However, the MSC Cruises website now lists the ship as sailing in South America for the winter 2027-28 season. The specific itineraries for this South America redeployment have not yet been revealed. Further details will be important for guests whose existing Southern Caribbean reservations are now being updated.

Viking Orders Two More Cruise Ships for 2032 Delivery

Melissa Mayntz
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Viking Orders Two More Cruise Ships for 2032 Delivery

Key Aspects:

  • Viking and Fincantieri have signed a contract for two new cruise ship builds for delivery in 2032.
  • The two ships will be built at the Ancona shipyard in Italy, each with a gross tonnage of 54,300 and a passenger capacity of 998.
  • Modern safety systems and the best environmental and navigational technology will be part of the new ships.

Viking and Fincantieri signed the contract for two new cruise ships on August 20, 2026, with the vessels to be delivered in 2032.

The new ships are the options of a previous contract signed in April 2025 when Viking announced its first hydrogen-powered vessels, Viking Libra and Viking Astrea. Viking Libra is scheduled to debut in November 2026, followed by Viking Astrea in June 2027.

Two additional ships were also ordered at the same time, with a further option for two more vessels. Those fifth and sixth ships are the ones that the companies have now signed a contract to deliver, and they will be built at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard on the Adriatic Sea in eastern Italy.

“Today’s agreement marks another milestone in our long-standing partnership with Viking and serves as a powerful testament to the excellence and industrial expertise of our Ancona shipyard,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Fincantieri.

“Over the years, Ancona has proven to be an indispensable production hub for our Group, delivering highly sophisticated cruise ships that set the benchmark for technology, luxury and efficiency. Assigning these new builds to Ancona reinforces the strategic role of the site, supports high-value local employment and ensures long-term industrial continuity for our supply chain as we continue to shape the future of sustainable cruising.”

Under Construction Viking Cruises Ship
Under Construction Viking Cruises Ship (Photo Credit: GEORGE STAMATIS)

Including these new builds, Fincantieri has or will soon have built a total of 28 vessels for Viking. No pricing for the new ships has been confirmed, but Fincantieri considers the agreement a “large” contract, which represents a value between 500 million and 1 billion euros (approximately $584 million to $1.17 billion USD).

What We Know About the New Ships

Only a few details have been released about the newly ordered ships. They are intended to be part of the small cruise ship market, with a gross tonnage of roughly 54,300 gross tons and a passenger capacity of 998.

These are the same stats as for Viking Vesta and Viking Mira, as well as the forthcoming Viking Libra and Viking Astrea. While each ship has its own distinctiveness and subtle differences, they are likely to be similar in layout and amenities for luxury cruising.

Both ships will be built to comply with the latest environmental rules and navigation requirements, ensuring safe and smooth cruising in different marine environments. This is often a consideration for ships that will venture to more isolated ports and pristine destinations in order to protect vulnerable and delicate ecosystems.

The most modern safety systems will also be part of both ships. This is of special concern to many cruisers following different safety issues in recent months, such as the Middle East war that kept multiple ships stranded for months in a dangerous region when the Strait of Hormuz was closed.

Similarly, the small ship Fiji Princess of Blue Lagoon Cruises ran aground on a coral reef near Monuriki Island in Fiji in April 2026, a situation that could be frightening for expedition cruising or port visits far from more metropolitan areas.

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With advanced safety systems, cruise ships in remote areas would be well-equipped to handle various emergency situations while safeguarding all guests and crew members. No itinerary details for the new ships have yet been announced, however.

The contract for the two new ships is subject to financing approval as well as other standard terms and conditions for such agreements in the cruise industry.

Cruise Passenger Wrongly Arrested on Ship Now Seeks Compensation

Catie Kovelman
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Cruise Passenger Wrongly Arrested on Ship Now Seeks Compensation

Key Aspects:

  • A Costa Cruises guest was mistaken for a man who was wanted on drug charges during a Mediterranean cruise.
  • The passenger was arrested and held in custody for seven hours before his identity was verified.
  • He is seeking compensation from Costa Cruises for the trauma that he and his family endured because of the mistake.

A dream family cruise turned into a nightmare after an innocent father was arrested by Italian authorities due to a case of mistaken identity. He is now demanding compensation from Costa Cruises.

According to French outlet La Dépêche du Midi, Amir, a 44-year-old man from Toulouse, was arrested during a Mediterranean sailing to Tunisia onboard a Costa Cruises ship because he was mistaken for a suspected drug trafficker.

Amir boarded the cruise ship on March 1, 2026, in Marseille, France, with his wife, their three young kids, and 13 other relatives to celebrate a family birthday.

Based on the itinerary and cruise tracking data, it appears that the family were passengers onboard Costa Smeralda. However, this has not been officially confirmed.

Cruise Hive previously reported that the 5,224-guest ship was forced to skip its visit to La Goulette, Tunisia, on March 4, 2026, due to strong winds and headed straight to Italy. It was in Palermo (Sicily) when Amir was searched and arrested on March 5, 2026.

According to media reports, Amir was mistaken for a French-Tunisian man who had a European arrest warrant that was issued in 2019 on drug trafficking charges. Both men had the same first name, last name, and date of birth, which is what led to the confusion.

The cruiser told the media that he tried to clarify the situation by presenting identifying documents and explaining that he was a different nationality than the suspect.

However, his explanations weren’t good enough and the language barrier between Amir and Italian authorities didn’t help. Reports show that Amir endured seven hours in police custody before his fingerprints confirmed that the cruise guest wasn’t the wanted suspect.

He was returned to the cruise ship before it left Palermo and was allowed to complete the voyage with the rest of his family, but the damage was done.

Cruiser Seeks Compensation

Per La Dépêche, Amir is demanding compensation for the trauma that he and his family endured because of the mistake and wants Costa Cruises to be held accountable.

During his arrest, Amir’s cruise cabin was searched, he was subjected to what he says was a particularly invasive body search, and he was escorted to the port police station in front of hundreds of other cruise guests and crew members.

While in custody, Amir was allegedly told that he could face up to 18 months in prison and/or be forced to pay a fine of €1,800 ($2,102.14 USD), which terrified him.

Costa Smeralda Cruise Ship
Costa Smeralda Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Solarisys)

The cruise guest told La Dépêche that the stress of his ordeal caused his narcolepsy to flare up to the point that he required hospitalization after his return to France.

Additionally, the family says that Amir’s father-in-law had a heart attack after the arrest. They say he was removed from the ship in a wheelchair and was hospitalized in a cardiology unit upon their return to Toulouse.

La Dépêche reports that Amir contacted the Monferran et Associés law firm, which decided to pursue legal action against the cruise line. According to Monferran, Costa Cruises had all of Amir’s identifying information and allegedly failed to take the necessary steps to clear up the confusion and prevent his arrest.

The lawyer told the French publication that he believes that a compensation offer should be made before any formal legal proceedings are initiated.

Per La Dépêche, Costa Cruises has not responded to the legal complaint. However, the cruise line did tell the French outlet in a letter dated April 8, 2026, that it rejected all responsibility and that the crew members had simply complied with orders from Italian authorities.

Amir is not pursuing legal action against the Italian authorities because his lawyer believes that they acted upon the information that was available to them.

Not The First Case of Mistaken Identity

Cases of mistaken identity are rare in the cruise world, but they do occur from time to time.

Cruise Hive previously reported that ICE agents burst into a stateroom occupied by Jose Martinez in January 2026 onboard a Carnival ship and wrongfully detained the passenger because of confusion surrounding his name. Martinez is not only a lawful US citizen, but also a veteran of the US Coast Guard.

In May 2026, a cruise guest was mistakenly banned by P&O Cruises because of an incident that occurred during a previous sailing. The problem was that the passenger had never sailed on a P&O cruise ship before and was trying to book his first cruise with the Carnival-owned brand.

Norwegian Sun to Spend Two Overnights in Port for Unplanned Repairs

Melissa Mayntz
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Norwegian Sun to Spend Two Overnights in Port for Unplanned Repairs

Key Aspects:

  • Norwegian Sun will remain in Copenhagen for two extra nights for required maintenance during her September 23, 2026 sailing.
  • The ship’s safety is not impacted but it is not confirmed if this maintenance is related to propulsion repairs a few weeks earlier.
  • The visit to Oslo and a sea day are now changed to accommodate the extended Copenhagen stay, but no other ports are impacted.

Guests booked on the September 23, 2026 departure of Norwegian Sun will be getting a prolonged stay in the departure port of Copenhagen, Denmark, while the ship remains docked for maintenance. Norwegian Cruise Line has sent email notifications of the change and how the rest of the 10-day itinerary is impacted.

“To support required maintenance, which does not affect the safety of our ship or that of our guests and crew, our highest priority, our visit to Oslo, Norway, and one scheduled day at sea have been replaced with two overnight stays in Copenhagen, Denmark,” the email explained.

Embarkation will still take place as scheduled on Wednesday, September 23. The cruise line is firmly reminding guests that they must still adhere to their pre-selected arrival time window, even though the ship will not be departing Copenhagen that evening as originally planned.

“Although the ship will remain in Copenhagen overnight, guests are still required to arrive at the terminal during the designated arrival window selected during Online Check-In,” the email stated. “To help ensure a smooth embarkation experience for all guests, pre-selected arrival times will be strictly enforced.”

Because the 1,976-guest ship will remain docked in Copenhagen until Friday, September 25, the visit that was planned for Oslo, Norway on Thursday, September 24 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. is now cancelled. Likewise, Friday will no longer be the day at sea that was originally scheduled.

Norwegian Sun Letter
Norwegian Sun Letter

Instead, Norwegian Sun will depart Copenhagen at 5 p.m. on Friday and make for Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany. Because the two ports are just over 100 miles apart, the ship should be able to reach Warnemunde easily for the planned visit from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, September 26.

The rest of the itinerary is not changed at this time. Norwegian Sun will visit Gdynia, Poland from 1:30-9:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 27; Klaipeda, Lithuania from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 28; Riga, Latvia from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29; Nynashamn, Sweden from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30; and Tallinn, Estonia from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 1.

Norwegian Sun will arrive in Helsinki, Finland for debarkation at 7 a.m. on Friday morning, October 2.

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Guests booked on the now-adjusted journey will receive a $100 non-refundable onboard credit, which will be split between the first two guests booked in each stateroom. Norwegian Cruise Line is providing this credit in appreciation for guests’ understanding of the change.

Regular Maintenance Not Explained

While the email notification cites “required maintenance” as the reason for the change, no further details have been provided about which system needs the work. The cruise line does note that Norwegian Sun‘s safety is not impacted in any way.

This is not, however, the first time recently that Norwegian Sun has required an extended stay in Copenhagen. Just a few weeks ago, Cruise Hive reported that two Baltic itineraries were disrupted due to the need for propulsion repairs that were carried out during unplanned extended stays in Copenhagen.

Norwegian Cruise Line has not stated whether the new need for maintenance is related to the prior propulsion repairs.

Because cruise ships are complex machines that are running 24 hours a day, every day, ongoing maintenance is critical to keep every system functioning smoothly.

Every ship has technicians and engineering teams constantly working to keep the ship at its best, but some systems need more intensive repairs that can only be done while the ship is docked or even in dry dock.

Norwegian Sun is finishing her service with Norwegian Cruise Line over the next year. Cruise Hive reported in April 2025 how the ship, along with her fleetmate Norwegian Sky, has been chartered long-term to Cordelia Cruises and will join that line permanently in late 2027.

Before she leaves the NCL fleet, Norwegian Sun will finish her northern European season in mid-October 2026, then move to Miami to spend winter in the Caribbean. In April 2027, she will return to Europe for a final Mediterranean season with departures from Ravenna and Civitavecchia (Rome) until early September.

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