Carnival Corporation & plc has announced that in less than a year, the P&O Cruises Australia brand will be dissolved and absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line, the largest line under the Carnival umbrella and the largest cruise line in the world.
This is a strategic move designed to further increase Carnival Cruise Line’s capacity in a faster, more efficient way when new build ships would be several years away. Carnival Cruise Line is the corporation’s highest returning brand in the global portfolio, making this a financially sound move that will continue to provide the cruise vacations guests desire most.
“Despite increasing Carnival Cruise Line’s capacity by almost 25% since 2019 including transferring three ships from Costa Cruises, guest demand remains incredibly strong so we’re leveraging our scale in an even more meaningful way by absorbing an entire brand into the world’s most popular cruise line,”said Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation & plc.
P&O and Carnival Cruise Line Ships
The three ships from Costa Cruises – Costa Luminosa, Costa Venezia, and Costa Firenze – were added to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet in 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively. Currently, P&O Cruises Australia encompasses just three ships – Pacific Explorer, Pacific Adventure, and Pacific Encounter.
After this restructuring, Carnival Cruise Line will have a total of 29 active ships, as well as two additional Excel-class ships on order with delivery dates expected in 2027 and 2028.
The oldest ship and smallest P&O Cruises Australia ship is Pacific Explorer, originally built in 1997. That vessel will now be retired in February 2025, and will not enter service with Carnival Cruise Line. The 77,499-gross-ton, Sun-class ship could be sold or scrapped, but those plans have not yet been announced.
Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter are both roughly 109,000 gross tons, and both are Grand-class ships. They will be rebranded and added to the Carnival fleet. The exact timeline has not yet been announced, but it is expected that both ships will return to service within 2025, remaining in the South Pacific region.
“We look forward to building on the history and heritage of P&O Cruises Australia by bringing some of our innovations to more cruise guests in the region,”said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
“While we plan to make some technology upgrades and other small changes to the two P&O Cruises Australia ships, they will continue to be geared to the unique Australian market with a familiar feel and much of the same experiences for P&O Cruises Australia guests.”
Photo Courtesy: P&O Cruises Australia
One of the large changes that will be made available on the ships as they join the fleet is the popular Carnival Hub app, permitting convenient dining and shore tour reservations, chat features, and other functionality. The Carnival Cruise Line VIFP loyalty program will also apply to the rebranded ships.
“Given the strategic reality of the South Pacific’s small population and significantly higher operating and regulatory costs, we’re adjusting our approach to give us the efficiencies we need to continue delivering an incredible cruise experience year-round to our guests in the region,” said Weinstein.
When both ships are converted and returned to service, Carnival Cruise Line will dominate the corporation’s cruise capacity while bringing the cruise line’s familiar features to eager travelers. In total, 18 ships under the Carnival Corporation umbrella will operate in the region, encompassing nearly 60% of the cruise market.
“In 2019, Carnival Cruise Line was 29% of our total capacity, and when we complete this move early next year, Carnival Cruise Line … will make up approximately 35% of our total global capacity,”said Weinstein.
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
Over the next few years, demand for Carnival Cruise Line is expected to grow by approximately 50% – phenomenal growth that highlights the popularity of the brand worldwide.
It must be noted that this announcement does not in any way impact P&O Cruises, which is a British-based cruise line and operates primarily for the UK and European market.
Celebrating P&O Cruises Australia
With this announcement being made nine months before the three ships will be removed from service, travel fans have plenty of time to set sail with their favorite vessels one last time.
“Over the coming months, we will find ways to celebrate and honor P&O Cruises Australia – a valued part of our legacy and an important contributor to the tourism industry in the South Pacific,”said Weinstein.
All three ships may have months of sailings cancelled, as itineraries have already been announced and made available for booking through early- to mid-2026.
It is possible that the original itineraries may be preserved for Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure, but with several weeks’ of sailings cancelled to make room for the rebranding renovations.
As yet, scheduling and itineraries for the expanded Carnival Cruise Line in Australia have not yet been confirmed, but those announcements are sure to be coming in the next few months. Booked guests will want to stay in touch with P&O Cruises Australia for further details.
Outbreaks on cruise ships aren’t overly common, but when they do happen, norovirus is usually to blame – and the gastrointestinal virus most recently struck on Celebrity Summit.
Celebrity Cruises reported that there was an outbreak on the Millennium-class vessel’s 7-night cruise from Vancouver, Canada, to Seward, Alaska, which embarked on May 24, 2024, and concluded on May 31, 2024.
According to the (CDC), norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea in the US. While this stomach bug is highly contagious, it typically only lasts for one to three days and resolves on its own without medical intervention.
Photo Credit: Carlos Yudica / Shutterstock.com
Throughout the sailing, 68 of the 2,264 passengers on board and five of the 943 crew members experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, which were subsequently diagnosed as norovirus.
This equates to only 3% of the guests and less than 1% of the crew. Still, cruise ships are required to report potential outbreaks – even minor ones – to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) when the ship carries more than 100 passengers, the voyage duration is longer than three days. At least 3% of passengers are symptomatic.
But the majority of passengers onboard Celebrity Summit may not have even known about the outbreak – and were able to enjoy the calls on Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, and Ketchikan in Alaska worry-free.
While the major cruise lines have sanitation measures in place on every voyage to prevent outbreaks, passengers can take steps to further protect themselves from illness. For example, frequent hand washing, especially before meals or after touching high-contact surfaces, can go a long way.
Celebrity Crew Members Effectively Handle The Outbreak
While the goal is for an outbreak to never occur, protocols are in place to quickly address them when outbreaks do happen in a way that limits the spread of disease as much as possible.
Celebrity Summit, which weighs in at 91,003-gross tons, acted appropriately by seeking urgent advice from the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation program (VSP) – and the crew’s quick action likely contributed to the fact less than 100 people fell ill.
Measures taken onboard included increased sanitation of common areas, such as the buffets, and isolating all sick passengers and crew members.
At the conclusion of the Alaska voyage, crew members utilized a staggered disembarkation process to keep contagious guests separate from healthy cruisers, and implemented increased sanitation protocols at the cruise terminal in Seward, Alaska.
Aside from some extra cleaning required at the start of the next sailing, the subsequent week-long sailing to Alaska has not been impacted.
The next voyage, which is currently in progress after embarking from Seward on May 31, 2024, has already visited Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, and Skagway, and is still scheduled to call on Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan, Alaska, before disembarking in Vancouver on June 7.
Celebrity Summit, will continue sailing between Seward and Vancouver for the remainder of the Alaska season, which concludes in mid-September for this 2001-built ship – hopefully without any future outbreaks.
That said, outbreaks are relatively uncommon on cruise ships. According to Statista, an estimated 35.7 million people go on a cruise annually across hundreds if not thousands of sailings – and that number is growing as cruises become increasingly more popular.
But according to the VSP, the outbreak on Celebrity Summit is only the seventh of 2024 – and the year is just about half over.
The numbers also were low in previous years – with 14 outbreaks reported in 2023 and four in 2022. Looking back to 2019 before Covid-19 halted travel, only 10 outbreaks occurred.
Two cruise ships were stranded in Elliott Bay outside of Seattle on the morning of June 3, 2024, due to high winds. Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas and Hurtigruten Expeditions’ ms Roald Amundsen could not make port and were stranded waiting for tugboats to assist.
As Quantum of the Seas approached its berth at the Port of Seattle for its 6 a.m. arrival, strong winds forced the ship to wait until more tugboats could assist. Typically, two tugboats are used to bring in cruise ships, but with strong winds, the ship required extra caution to dock at Pier 91 and chose to anchor in Elliott Bay as it waited.
— Seattle Weather Blog (@KSeattleWeather) June 3, 2024
Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier said to Cruise Hive: “The high winds affecting the Seattle area did impact 1 cruise ship today. The pilot aboard the Royal Caribbean ‘Quantum of the Seas’ requested an anchorage spot in Elliott Bay to wait for tugs to assist them into their berth at Pier 91. A small craft advisory exists for the entire Puget Sound area.“
“Two tugs from the Foss corporation were able to assist the cruise ship around noon on Monday to get to Pier 91,” Strohmaier added.
A spokesperson for Royal Caribbeantoldlocal news, “Due to high winds, Quantum of the Seas is delayed in returning to port. We’re closely monitoring the weather and are communicating updates directly to our guests.”
The ship, which holds over 4,900 passengers and measures more than 1,100 feet long, is homeported in Seattle for the summer, taking passengers on week-long trips to Alaska. Quantum of the Seas was returning from a voyage that departed Seattle on May 27 and journeyed to Ketchikan, Sitka, Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm, and Juneau, Alaska, along with Victoria, British Columbia.
On the same day, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a wind advisory for western Washington, including Elliott Bay, forecasting gusts up to 40 miles per hour until 11 a.m. June 4.
Norwegian expedition cruise line Hurtigruten Expeditions’ 1,018-passenger ms Roald Amundsen, which is only 460 feet long, was also stranded in the sound, requiring additional tugs. The ship is also currently spending the summer exploring Alaska.
Weather-Related Delays Disrupts Travel Plans
Quantum of the Seas arrived in Elliott Bay shortly after 5 a.m., according to cruise tracking data, and did not dock until after 1 p.m. Pacific Time (PT). The delay had significant implications for passengers with early morning or afternoon flights as they missed their connections. Those with flights later in the day were still at risk as disembarkation on mega ships as large as Quantum of the Seas can take up to four hours to complete.
Quantum of the Seas was also scheduled to embark on another Alaskan voyage at 4 p.m. (PT).
Passengers waiting to board that 7-night roundtrip adventure, which also included trips to Sitka, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Juneau, and Victoria, were expected to experience delays in embarkation and departure due to the late arrival.
Cruise Ships in Seattle
Following disembarkation, the ship’s crew needs time to clean and prepare the ship between the sailings, further delaying the process. High winds are expected to continue until the following day, which could potentially require additional tugboat assistance leaving the cruise terminal.
At press time, Royal Caribbean had not released a statement regarding further delays or possible compensation offered to either itinerary’s passengers who were inconvenienced.
Royal Caribbean is likely to face the challenge of coordinating with passengers to adjust their travel schedules. However, weather-related delays do not warrant compensation from cruise lines. Cruise lines also warn passengers not to book early morning flights to allow time for potential arrival delays. Any additional fees incurred for missing a flight will likely be at the expense of the passenger.
The predicament highlights the advantages of having travel insurance, which typically covers unforeseen events such as trip delays, cancellations, and interruptions. In the case of Quantum of the Seas, passengers with travel insurance may be able to claim expenses for rebooking flights, accommodations, and meals.
Local businesses have once again petitioned the Maine District Court to prevent the town of Bar Harbor, Maine, from enforcing a new regulation that limits cruise ship passengers allowed to disembark to 1,000 per day.
The petition follows a decision by the United States First Circuit Court to allow the ban to remain in effect during ongoing litigation.
The injunction request, filed on May 30, aims to stop Bar Harbor from using the ordinance to deny cruise ship reservations while the nearly two-year legal dispute continues to unfold.
Photo Credit: Eric Jeremiah photos / Shutterstock
The ordinance follows a November 2022 vote, where 58% of Bar Harbor residents approved the new law in an effort to prevent overcrowding and to promote sustainability in the area, which is home to Acadia National Park.
A month after the vote, local businesses challenged the ordinance, claiming it violated the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution by interfering with interstate commerce. The case went to trial in July 2023 and on March 1, 2024, Judge Lance E. Walker, ruled in favor of Bar Harbor, upholding the passenger limit.
The Association to Preserve and Protect Local Livelihoods (APPLL), representing the local business owners, appealed the decision to the First Circuit Court in late March. They also sought an injunction to stop Bar Harbor from enforcing the limit while the appeal is pending.
However, on May 24, the court denied the motion “without prejudice,” allowing the plaintiffs to seek a similar injunction in District Court, which they did on May 30.
As the cruise season to the destination launched with the May 2 arrival of the 2,394-passenger Norwegian Gem, the first of many visits by a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel, APPLL is requesting an expedited process, with a 12-day window for briefs before a judge issues a ruling in hopes of preventing the city from enforcing the ordinance as other cruise lines are scheduled to call through October.
The Town Council voted to hold a public hearing on the ordinance on June 18, directing the Town Manager to gather input. The outcome of the hearing will determine if the town moves ahead with the daily passenger cap.
Implications for the 2024 Cruise Season
As the race between Bar Harbor and local businesses intensifies, cruise lines are left waiting in the wings.
If the Town Council begins enforcing the ban, cruise ships like Holland America’s ms Volendam, scheduled to arrive five times in June alone with 1,432 passengers and 647 crew members, will have to limit the number of disembarkments, potentially disappointing many cruisegoers and crew, and forcing cancelations of shore excursions.
However, ahead of the 2024 cruise season, other cruise lines made the decision to skip Bar Harbor and avoid the confusion altogether. For instance, Royal Caribbean’s 2,514-passenger Vision of the Seas and 3,634-passenger Liberty of the Seas, along with Celebrity Cruises’ 2,850-passenger Celebrity Eclipse, are now calling on Portland, Maine.
Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock
Also adding to the legal woes is a challenge initiated by Charles Sidman, who led the 2022 citizens’ call for the partial ban. Sidman points out that the Town Council has allowed ships with more than 1,000 passengers to dock if booked before the November 2022 vote. He says the decision contradicts the town’s code, which required the limit to apply to all permit applications pending or filed after March 17, 2022.
Sidman filed a lawsuit with the Hancock County Superior Court to stop the town from honoring reservations by cruise ships that violate the passenger limit.
The town dismissed his case on May 2, and he is now asking the Bar Harbor Board of Appeals to override the Council. The Board will be reviewing his request on June 11.
The newest Queen in the Cunard Line fleet has been officially named, with a symbolic godparent no one was expecting. Rather than a single godmother or godfather – widely speculated to be a member of the British Royal Family – the iconic cruise line chose the whole historic City of Liverpool as Queen Anne‘s official godparent.
Five women – all hailing from the amazing city with its rich maritime history – were selected, each representing the unique and diverse culture of the city.
“These distinguished women, who embody the heart and future of Liverpool, just as Queen Anne does for Cunard, have been chosen for their significant contributions to culture at a local, national or international level,”Cunard Line stated.
Queen Anne In Liverpool (Credit: Cunard Line)
The iconic women are Spice Girl and author Melanie C (Sporty Spice), broadcaster and community leader Ngunan Adamu, local restaurant entrepreneur Natalie Haywood, Liverpool punk music and cultural legend Jayne Casey, and British Olympian track-and-field heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thomson. Each attended the ship’s official christening to add their own blessings and good fortune to the vessel.
“All [these women] remarkable in their own right, they have inspired generations and collectively capture the essence of the city that has shaped global culture,”said Katie McAlister, President of Cunard.
While the choice of the entire City of Liverpool and these five representative women was a shock for Cunard Line fans, the city itself has a long-standing maritime history, from trade routes to emigration to modern tourism. Liverpool is also notable for its iconic music scene and cultural arts, and is the fourth largest port in the UK.
“Liverpool is the spiritual home of Cunard, and we are therefore delighted and feel it very fitting that the City of Liverpool is the godparent to Queen Anne,” said McAlister. “It’s testament to the enduring relationship that connects Cunard and the city in which it was founded to the present day when we officially named our new ship on the Liverpool Waterfront, in front of the Cunard Building.”
“It’s an incredible honour for the City of Liverpool to be chosen as the Godparent of Queen Anne,” said Andrew Lewis, Chief Executive of the Liverpool City Council. “This city shares a treasured bond with Cunard dating back to 1839 when we were the original home of the world-famous line.”
While Cunard Line is now headquartered in Southampton, the cruise line still shares interests with Liverpool with occasional visits by the different Queens. Queen Mary 2, for example, will spend a day in the city in September. The 113,000-gross-ton, Pinnacle-class Queen Anne has several additional visits to Liverpool planned for 2025, on different itineraries.
Mixed Reactions
Reactions have been mixed to the announcement of Liverpool and its iconic women being named as the new ship’s official godparents. While this is a departure from tradition, it does show the cruise line’s adaptability and acknowledgment of a new era in diversity and community connection.
Some less enthusiastic reactions had hoped for a British Royal to name the new ship, as has been tradition for the other three Cunard Queens currently in service.
Cunard Queen Anne Arrives in South Queensferry (Photo Courtesy: Cunard Line)
The late Queen Elizabeth II christened Queen Mary 2 in 2004, and when Queen Victoria joined the fleet in 2007, she was christened by Camilla Rosemary, now Queen Camilla. Queen Elizabeth II also christened the next youngest of the cruise line’s ships, Queen Elizabeth, in 2010.
Several royal candidates were heavily favored for the honors, including the Princess Royal, Anne Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise, or Catherine, Princess of Wales. It was also believed that Queen Camilla might reprise her ceremonial role for the new ship.
The confused and disappointed reactions are similar to the reaction when Gwen Stephani was named godmother of Carnival Jubilee. Carnival Cruise Line had spent months hyping the new ship’s connection to Texas and her homeport of Galveston. Despite her accolades in the music industry, however, Stefani has no personal connection to the Lone Star State.
Queen Anne, the much anticipated new ship from Cunard Line and the first new Queen to join the fleet in 14 years, has arrived in Liverpool ahead of her official christening. But who will do the honors to name the new ship? The closely guarded secret will be revealed today.
The new ship is currently in the midst of a 14-night British Isles sailing that departed Southampton on Friday, May 24. She has visited Edinburgh, Kirkwall, Belfast, and other ports, but the stop in Liverpool is the most sought-after of the voyage, as this is where Queen Anne will be officially blessed and named as part of the fleet.
Spectators gathered to watch the ship sail into the historic port on this historic occasion, and the facilities are decked out for the celebration with a waterfront stage and special areas ready for guests, VIPs, media, and more.
The naming ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. local time, and is sure to include a variety of remarks from local dignitaries as well as cruise line executives. Live music, solemn blessings, and entertainment are generally part of cruise ship naming ceremonies, as well as the traditional breaking of a champagne bottle on the ship’s hull. The full ceremony will take approximately one hour.
Queen Anne‘s naming ceremony will include one-of-a-kind performances from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, and local DJ Lauren Lo Sung. As the ship sails away to continue her voyage at 8:30 p.m., fireworks will send her off in brilliant style.
From Liverpool, the ship will head to Cobh as her last port of call on this sailing. The 113,000-gross-ton, Pinnacle-class ship is offering a diverse selection of European itineraries for the remainder of 2024, and she will begin her Maiden World Voyage on January 7, 2025.
Who Will Do the Honors?
Cunard Line has closely guarded the secret of who will christen the new ship. Most cruise lines announce each vessel’s ceremonial godmother or godfather well in advance of the ceremony.
Celebrities, military veterans, and other notable personalities are often named as ship godmothers. Some of the select individuals have connections to the cruise line or other godparents.
Each of the other three active Queen ships has had an illustrious grandmother worthy of the honor and the association with more than 180 years of ocean liner history.
Queen Anne Ship Sea Trials (Credit: Cunard Line)
Queen Elizabeth II christened Queen Mary 2 in 2004, as well as Queen Elizabeth in 2010. When Queen Victoria entered service in 2007, she was christened by Camilla Rosemary, now Queen Camilla.
Speculation is high that the Princess Royal, Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise, second child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, may do the honors for the ship that bears her name. Another top contender for the honors is Catherine, Princess of Wales, or Queen Camilla may christen the new vessel.
Cunard Line has given no hint of who will do the honors for the new ship, but now crowds are gathered, champagne is chilled, and the moment is near at hand to officially welcome the cruise line’s 249th ship in a time honored ceremony for a truly historic moment.
There’s nothing that’ll ruin a vacation faster than an injury, illness, or similar disaster — and while cruise ships look like pure fun and games, they come with their fair share of potential hazards. All that water, a rocking boat, endless drinks and partying… Well, you’ve probably heard the occasional tragic stories.
That said, many cruise ship-set tragedies are avoidable, with a few safety precautions. Don’t let a few rookie mistakes ruin your time on the water. Here are some of our top tips for how to stay safe and enjoy your cruise vacation to the fullest.
Staying safe during your cruise starts before you even make it to the cruise ship. Before you embark on your cruise vacation, take a little time to do some homework. Do a bit of research into your cruise ship, as well as the various destinations that you’ll be visiting.
For example, do you know on which deck the cruise ship you’re sailing on stores its lifeboats and life rafts? Have you even just looked at a deck plan, and identified where your stateroom is, so that you know the various escape routes you can potentially take in the instance of an emergency? Do you know where the ship’s first aid station is? What about fire exits?
Laptop on Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: SvetikovaV)
When it comes to researching your destinations that lie along your cruise ship itinerary, check sites like the U.S. Department of State’s travel advisories page, where you can look up your destination and see if there are any particular threats that you might need to watch out for.
Sometimes these threats aren’t necessarily crime or terrorism-related, like you might expect, either. For example, popular cruise destination Antarctica has a Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution warning due to “environmental hazards posed by extreme and unpredictable weather” and “limited emergency services.”
Pay Attention During the Muster Drill
Luckily, you will get a little bit of emergency training before your ship sets sail. All passenger ships are required to do what’s called a muster drill before embarking (though, now, a lot of ships do a more convenient, faster process called the e-muster process).
During this muster drill, passengers are briefed on basic safety information; during the e-muster, you get access to online safety content that’s available to watch.
On Carnival Cruise Line, for example, the current muster drill process requires that, during embarkation, you visit an assigned muster drill station (the location of which you can find on your boarding pass), check in with a team member there, and then watch a life jacket demonstration.
Every single passenger must check-in for this process before the ship is allowed to leave, but thanks to the upgraded processes, it only takes a few minutes.
Don’t take this demonstration lightly, though. Just as is the case when a flight attendant goes over the safety information before a flight, you never know when this demonstration could mean the difference between life and death.
Know (and follow!) the Cruise Ship Rules
Cruise ships are not free-for-all floating resorts where you can do whatever your heart desires. While there’s plenty of fun to be had and you’ll have lots of freedom to explore the bulk of the ship, there are still places you can’t go and thing you shouldn’t do.
For example, crew-only areas are seriously crew-only areas. You shouldn’t go there, even if a member of the crew invites you (note that this member of the crew could be fired for this!). These areas include not only crew living spaces, but also mechanical areas, navigation bridges and other behind-the-scenes spots.
Carnival Crew-Only Area (Photo Credit: Ihor Koptilin)
These areas will be marked with signage and you should be able to avoid them, if you pay attention. If you don’t, you may not only put yourself in danger, but you could be subject to legal action.
Other rules that are important to follow? Smoking policies, for one. All cruise ships allow smoking to a degree, but there are areas where you can and cannot smoke.
On Costa Cruises, for example, you can smoke on your private balconies, but not inside your cabin. Carnival Cruise Line allows you to smoke in the casino, but Norwegian Cruise Line does not.
If you’re a smoker, you’ll want to pay attention to these rules — again, not just because you could face fines or legal repercussions if you don’t, but because there are safety implications (if you accidentally catch something on fire, while smoking, you don’t want it to be while you’re on a cruise ship).
Other rules to keep in mind include the ship’s safety-related rules that are usually posted around the pool areas or near the ship’s waterslides and similar features.
The ship may also have rules regarding disembarkation and embarkation at ports; paying attention to these will ensure you can leave and come back to the ship with ease.
Don’t Bring All Your Valuables
When you travel anywhere in the world, cruise ship or not, it’s just a smart idea to not bring too many valuables. Even when you’re on a luxury cruise ship, flashing your jewels at the pool can make you a target for potential thieves.
So, leave the fancy stuff at home and, if you do bring any valuables, like jewelry, tech, etc., leave it in your stateroom safe, any time you’re not with the items.
P&O Britannia Passengers (Photo Credit: Quirky Badger / Shutterstock)
You especially want to be aware of this tip when you’re visiting a port. In crowded tourist destinations like cruise ports, it can be extremely easy for pick-pockets and similar thieves to swipe your wallet or purse, while you’re completely unsuspecting.
In general, you also won’t need a ton of cash during a cruise, so don’t bring a lot with you. Keep some minimal cash for shore excursions (and even then, you might not need it) and put it in your safe otherwise.
Stay Safe at Night
Similarly, just like you would when visiting any tourist destination, when you’re on the cruise ship, avoid dark spots and shady corners. If something looks suspicious, don’t go check it out; instead, inform a crew member.
Especially at night, take a buddy with you, wherever you happen to go. The buddy system is just an easy safety precaution that can help keep you away from opportunistic individuals who are looking to get into some trouble.
Watch Your Alcohol Intake
Yes, yes, we know. You purchased the drinks packages so that you could drink as much as you want. It’s certainly not uncommon for cruisers to wake up and order mimosas while enjoying breakfast in bed, then spend the day at the pool and enjoy a few drinks there, then head to dinner, where there are more drinks, and then the bar or nightclub, for even more drinks… Before you know it, you’ve racked up quite the count for the day.
The key is, though, to really be aware of how much you’re drinking and your own tolerance levels. Just because your friends ordered rounds of tequila shots, that doesn’t mean you need them, if you’re already feeling a little woozy. Alcohol just on its own can, obviously, cause safety issues, but on a cruise ship, alcohol can make those existing cruise ship hazards even more dangerous.
In fact, one researcher, commenting on one individual’s experience going overboard (don’t worry; he survived), on Carnival Valor, in late 2022, told Business Insider that a major common thread among individuals going overboard during cruises is intoxication.
Additionally, he noted that alcohol is a factor in more than 50% of sexual assaults that occur on cruise ships, as well as a factor in many physical assaults.
The point: Know your limits and respect them.
See Something, Say Something
It’s true anywhere. If you see something suspicious occurring on the cruise ship, say something. Not only could it help keep you safe, but you might just be doing some other cruiser a great favor, keeping them safe in the instances of some of those aforementioned falls and assaults.
Prep Your Immune System
Just like doing your homework before your cruise ship leaves is a good idea, so is prepping your immune system in the weeks and days leading up to your cruise. Illness outbreaks are no laughing matter and, unfortunately, they’re not uncommon on cruise ships.
With all of those people, crammed into one spot, sharing pools, spas, restaurants and bars, it just makes sense that illness would spread. You can look at the news and find frequent instances of outbreaks all the time, like the widely reported early 2024 illness outbreak on the Cunard Queen Victoria cruise ship that affected more than 150 people.
Queen Victoria Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: ATGImages)
So, get your immune system ready. Take that Vitamin C and D. Before and during the cruise, practice good hygiene. Wash your hands and pack some hand sanitizer. Avoid other cruisers that look ill. Being sick on a cruise ship is extremely un-fun.
Stay Inside During Bad Weather
If you’re lucky enough not to be affected by seasickness, you may think that a ship running through a few rough waves and windstorms is pretty fun, and at least you get some good fodder for your social media feeds. However, resist the temptation to go check out the pool deck during bad weather.
Wet Cruise Ship Deck (Photo Credit: Fsendek)
The cruise line likely won’t shut off outside areas unless the weather is really bad, but the pitching and unpredictable movement can still make it likely that you might fall or an object might slide and hit you.
Notice the Hazards in Your Surroundings
On that note, take a moment to look around you, wherever you are on your cruise ship, and really think about the potential hazards that exist in your near vicinity. Is the deck slippery due to recent bad weather or rain?
It’s not a good time to let the kids go running down the deck, trying to get to the pool. Have you had a few drinks? Even if you trust that you’re not completely inebriated, don’t lean over the railing or over the side of your balcony, to look at the water or the stars.
Keep Your Cabin Secure
When you’re in your cabin, keep the door locked and, when you leave your cabin, make sure that the door closes and locks behind you. Don’t loudly advertise your cabin number to other cruisers and don’t answer the door without asking who’s there or looking through the peephole.
These are basic safety precautions you’d take when in your own home, so take them when you’re traveling as well. While you might want to think that the cruise ship is filled with fun-loving, well-meaning travelers just like you, remember that a cruise ship is like any small city, and every city has its mix of good and bad people.
Additionally, close and lock your balcony door both when you’re asleep and when you’re leaving the cabin, especially if you’re in port. While it’s not easy (and certainly not safe for them), opportunistic folks can crawl into your cabin through the balcony.
But, Really — Don’t Worry
Don’t read all of the above and worry that booking a cruise is a bad idea. Yes, there are hazards, but then there are always hazards when you travel. Cruising is, all in all, pretty safe.
To give you an idea of just how safe it is, let’s look at the data. According to a study from Bowling Green State University, from 2000 to 2019, there were only 623 reported deaths, both for crew and cruisers, across 78 ocean and river lines worldwide.
That may seem like a lot of people at first, but do you know how many people cruise per year? In 2024, 35.7 million people were expected to take a cruise, according to Reuters.
In short, you have a very low chance of dying on a cruise ship. However, you should still take precautions and put safety first, not just so that you avoid injury or death, but also so that you have the best cruising experience possible. Cruising can be amazingly fun, so make sure it stays that way by keeping your safety in mind.
The new Margaritaville at Sea Islander has arrived in the Sunshine State, but hasn’t quite reached her homeport. The ship, fresh from an extensive dry dock renovation, arrived in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, June 2, where she will take on additional supplies before moving around the Florida peninsula to her new home, Port Tampa Bay.
The ship left the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Sunday, May 19, and has been making her way across the Atlantic. No guests are currently onboard, but each day has undoubtedly been filled with ongoing finishing work to ensure the tropically-themed ship is at her best when her first passengers arrive.
“The Margaritaville at Sea Islander has officially arrived in Port Everglades, where she’ll be loading up with everything we’ll need to ensure relaxation and revelry on June 14. Next stop: Port Tampa Bay!”Margaritaville at Sea announced on social media on June 2.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander
The 85,619-gross-ton, Spirit-class Margaritaville at Sea Islander will more than double the passenger capacity of the boutique cruise line, joining Margaritaville at Sea Paradise.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander can welcome 2,114 guests at double occupancy or up to 2,680 travelers when fully booked, compared to Margaritaville at Sea Paradise‘s 1,308 guests (double occupancy) or 1,680 travelers at full capacity.
The ship is also home to nearly 900 international team members, many of whom are likely to board the ship in Fort Lauderdale to help with final preparations and to familiarize themselves with the vessel’s layout and details.
Undoubtedly, similar enthusiastic reactions will greet the ship when she arrives in Tampa in the coming days, ahead of her official debut. Up next will be her official naming ceremony, which has not yet been announced.
The cruise line did reveal that Savannah Buffett, eldest daughter of the late singer, songwriter, and sailor Jimmy Buffet, will be the ship’s official godmother.
“I’m beyond excited to be named Godmother of Margaritaville at Sea Islander and look forward to rendering the right concoction of love and luck so she may plow the seas amidst smooth, untroubled waters in search of that one particular harbor,”said Savannah of her symbolic role.
Setting Sail on Margaritaville at Sea Islander
When Margaritaville at Sea Islander sets sail with her first guests on Friday, June 14, the ship will also begin a new era for the cruise line as the first of their ships to offer departures from Port Tampa Bay.
She will feature mostly 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean itineraries to Cozumel, Key West, and Progreso, depending on the exact departure date and cruise length.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander Departs for Florida (Photo Credit: Margaritaville at Sea)
In 2025, even longer 6- and 7-night sailings will begin to all three ports, as well as extra destinations such as Belize, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman.
Regardless of the sailing, guests onboard will be able to enjoy the new ship’s tropical theming following her extensive refit and rebranding, which began in January and progressed to dry dock in mid-March.
From the new colorful hull artwork to themed Margaritaville touches throughout the public spaces and guest cabins, the refreshed ship has a unique vibe Parrotheads and cruise lovers of all types will be able to appreciate.
Guests will be able to fuel up at the Port of Indecision Buffet, stay in shape at the Fins Up Fitness Center, relax at the 5 O’Clock Somewhere Pool, take a selfie at the Flip Flop Atrium, and much more.
A United Airlines flight from Vancouver, Canada to Houston, Texas on Friday, May 31 had an unexpected illness outbreak onboard with 25-30 passengers having nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea during the flight.
A quick investigation revealed that all the sick flyers had been part of a larger group cruise, indicating a potential norovirus outbreak onboard the ship.
Because of the extensive illness onboard, the Boeing 737 MAX-8 aircraft was met by local emergency responders in Houston to evaluate several ill passengers. The aircraft was then removed from service for deep cleaning, which caused three different flight cancellations.
“United Airlines is actively coordinating with health authorities to address the situation. As a precautionary measure, the aircraft will be removed from service and go through a deep cleaning before returning to service. Ensuring the health and safety of our passengers and crew remains our top priority,”a statement from United Airlines read.
United Airlines Flight in Houston (Photo Credit: John McAdorey)
None of the ill flight passengers required hospitalization. In total, there were 163 passengers and six United Airlines crew members on the impacted flight, while the Boeing 737 Max 8 has a capacity of 189-210, depending on its exact configuration. Of those onboard the aircraft, 75 had been on a cruise prior to their return flight to Texas.
While the cruise line and ship the group had sailed with has not been confirmed, Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas is the only vessel to have docked in Vancouver on Friday, May 31. The 90,090-gross-ton ship is offering alternating northbound and southbound Alaska cruises between Seward and Vancouver.
It is possible, however, that the cruise passengers could have been from another recent ship, if the group had spent several days enjoying Vancouver after their cruise, and was only incidentally headed home on May 31.
It is interesting to note, however, that Radiance of the Seas had reported another recent norovirus outbreak. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated a confirmed norovirus outbreak on the ship’s 14-night repositioning cruise from Tampa to Los Angeles from April 8-22.
On that cruise, as the ship began moving into position for the Alaska season, 67 passengers and 2 crew members reported diarrhea and vomiting. Testing confirmed norovirus and protective measures were taken, including isolating ill individuals and enhanced cleaning.
Radiance of the Seas In Vancouver (Photo Credit: Macklin Holloway / Shutterstock)
No sailings of Radiance of the Seas were adjusted either for the earlier outbreak or the most recent sailing. The ship has already departed on her next voyage, a northbound sailing that is scheduled to visit Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, and Skagway, as well as enjoy scenic cruising near Hubbard Glacier, before arriving in Seward on June 7.
To be clear, it is not confirmed that the travelers on the United Airlines flight were from Radiance of the Seas, only that they were recent cruise passengers.
Norovirus on Cruise Ships
Norovirus is one of the most common viruses responsible for gastrointestinal symptoms, including stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, fever, headache, lethargy, and body aches. The illness is commonly called a “stomach bug” or the “stomach flu” and is highly contagious, easily spread through contaminated surfaces, contaminated water, or poor hygiene.
Someone who has contracted norovirus typically develops symptoms within 12-48 hours of exposure. Most individuals overcome the illness within 1-3 days, but could remain contagious for up to two weeks even after feeling recovered.
It should be noted that in cruise ship CDC reports of norovirus infections, the numbers reported are for the total cruise, not how many guests may have been ill on the same day. For the earlier outbreak on Radiance of the Seas, for example, the 69 reported cases were over the entire two weeks of the cruise.
Proper and frequent handwashing with warm water and soap, liberal use of hand sanitizer, and minimizing touching high contact surfaces – hand railings, elevator buttons, serving utensils, etc. – can help cruise travelers avoid contracting norovirus when they set sail.
