On the heels of Barcelona’s Mayor Jaume Collboni and Valencia’s María José Catalá announcing measures to further limit cruise passengers from disembarking in the city to ease congestion and over-tourism, the mayor of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, has announced the city council will be seeking to do the same.
On May 29, 2024, Mayor Jaime Martinez unveiled a series of proposals aimed at mitigating the impact of mass tourism on Palma, the capital city of the Balearic Islands located on the island of Mallorca. Central to his plan is a partial ban on cruise ships to either limit the number of cruise ships or to allow only cruise ships who home port in Mallorca, situated in the Mediterranean Sea.
As reported by the Majorca Daily Bulletin, the mayor said the most important factor in easing over-tourism is to “regulate, limit, or prohibit the arrival of certain cruise ships, and permit only small and medium-sized ones.”
Palma de Majorca (Photo Credit: Pandora Pictures)
He went on to add, “We also propose limiting the number of cruise ships or allowing only those that have Palma as their home port.”
The mayor also suggested implementing two new taxes, similar to those recently underway in Venice, Italy, that would charge a tourism tax to cruise passengers. One would be an arrival fee into port and another would be a fee to enter the city, potentially double-taxing passengers on ships that call on Palma.
Additionally, Martinez emphasized the need for a revision of rubbish charges across all ports, limiting rental cars in the city, limiting or banning “party boats,” cracking down on illegal accommodation rentals and banning new rental places, and limiting the size of tourist groups and guided tours to reduce the strain on local infrastructure.
Mayor’s Proposal Faces Opposition
The mayor’s proposal follows the recent announcement from Palma that authorities are moving forward with a renewal of cruise restrictions in place since May 2022.
The current partial ban limits the number of visiting vessels to a daily cap of three, with only one ship allowed to carry over 5,000 passengers. The Committee on Tourism, Trade, Employment, Culture, and Sport submitted a proposal to the city council and the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) last week. If approved, the agreement will move discussions to the International Cruise Line Association (CLIA) for an extension.
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas (Photo Credit: Palephotography / Shutterstock)
However, Mayor Martinez’s proposal aims to further restrict cruise ships and passengers. Following his announcement, Spain’s far-right political party, Vox, and three additional opposing parties voted down the measures on May 30, claiming they were not consulted.
A spokesperson for Vox said the ban on mega-cruise ships is contrary to its policies. “We live from tourism,” the spokesperson told the Majorca Daily Bulletin. “Without it, the young people would emigrate. Before taking measures, we must be democratic. There must be consensus or there may be many repercussions.”
Although the proposed measures and details need to be addressed by multiple parties and organizations, Mayor Martinez said, “they will be carried out.”
Palma’s summer season is underway and between June and August, the port will welcome nearly 250 calls, many of them mega-cruises, including Royal Caribbean’s 5,602-passsenger Oasis of the Seas and Norwegian Cruise Line’s 4,270-passenger Norwegian Escape.
Currently AIDA Cruises’ AIDAcosma home ports in Palma de Mallorca and has 36 cruises scheduled between June and August. The ship has a capacity to hold 6,654 passengers and 1,500 crew members.
Going on an Eastern Caribbean cruise and wondering what each port of call has to offer? Or perhaps you’re booking a cruise vacation from Tampa, Miami, or Fort Lauderdale cruise ports and don’t know which cruise itinerary will suit you best. We’re here to help by giving you insight into the most ideal Eastern Caribbean ports of call (in our opinion!).
Eastern Caribbean cruises typically visit ports of call on the beautiful islands of Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the Greater Antilles, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, St Maarten, and St Kitts. The best time to visit these cool ports of call is in the winter season, from December to April.
Here’s our essential cruise guide covering these popular ports of call. We include terminal and pier info, which ports have tenders, popular attractions, and things to see and do independently if you don’t want to join an official cruise shore excursion.
Historic San Juan is the capital of the island of Puerto Rico and one of the busiest cruise ports in the Eastern Caribbean. As well as being a port of embarkation and disembarkation, many cruises include San Juan as a port of call.
Located in the heart of Old San Juan, the port has two cruise terminals. It is just a short stroll from the shops, cafes and historic fort in Old San Juan.
Photo Credit: NAPA / Shutterstock
Once ashore, explore the narrow streets and colonial architecture. Within the historic walled city, the 16th-century El Morro military fort presides over the town and can be visited independently or as part of a City Walking Tour with a local guide.
If you want to visit the Bacardi Rum Factory, take the ferry from Pier 2 to Catano, then catch the bus for the 10-minute ride to the factory. Upgrade to a mixologist course and create your own cocktail! Nature lovers can head inland on a tour to El Yunque and enjoy an amazing tropical rainforest experience.
Cruise lines visiting San Juan in 2024-25 include:
Princess Cruises
MSC Cruises
Carnival Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean International
Holland America
Celebrity Cruises
Viking Cruises
Seabourn
Azamara
Oceania Cruises
Disney Cruise Line
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Crystal Cruises
Virgin Voyages
Windstar Cruises
Philipsburg, St. Maarten
The Caribbean island of St. Maarten/St. Martin is divided between the two nations of France and the Netherlands. It provides the best of both cultures with French food and fashion in the north, and the quaint architecture and Dutch influences in the south.
The cruise port is in Philipsburg, capital of the Dutch area. Cruise ships typically dock at the A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility, which acts as the cruise terminal. The dock can accommodate several ships at once, including the largest and newest cruise vessels.
Cruise Ships Docked in St. Maarten, in the Caribbean. Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
There is a shopping village right at the cruise terminal area with duty-free shopping, restaurants, bars and souvenir stalls. There are also restrooms, WiFi, and an island information center. The main town of Philipsburg is a 20-minute walk from the pier. Buses run regularly to and from the cruise ships, and taxis are cheap and plentiful.
Visit the waterfront market and white-sand beaches around Philipsburg, browse the shops, relax at a beachfront café or visit the Sint Maarten Museum.
Cruise lines visiting Philipsburg in 2024-25 include:
Princess Cruises
Carnival Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean International
Holland America
Celebrity Cruises
P&O Cruises
Viking Cruises
Azamara
Oceania Cruises
Windstar Cruises
Amber Cove / Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Amber Cove cruise port is located on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, which is on the east side of the island of Hispaniola. It can accommodate up to two ships at a time. Ships dock directly at the L-shaped pier, allowing visitors to walk straight off the ship.
Developed by Carnival Corporation, the port Cruise Center has a currency exchange, Wi-Fi, restrooms and an information desk. There are several shops, restaurants, and modern facilities, along with a variety of craft stalls selling local jewelry and souvenirs. The Aqua Zone next to the Cruise Center is crammed with fun activities.
Carnival Cruise Ship at Amber Cove (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz)
Amber Cove is on the Bay of Maimon, close to the town of Puerto Plata, which also features its own cruise port. Puerto Plata caters to non-Carnival vessels, such as those from Norwegian Cruise Line and Virgin Voyages.
The coast is known for its beautiful sandy beaches, lush greenery, and tasty cuisine. Other popular activities for cruisers include visiting local rum distilleries, taking hikes as part of an eco-adventure in the rainforest, relaxing on the beach, swimming with dolphins, water sports, riding the cable car or walking along the promenade.
Cruise lines visiting Amber Cove/ Puerto Plata in 2024-25 include:
Princess Cruises
Royal Caribbean International
Carnival Cruise Line
Holland America
Costa Cruises
La Romana, Dominican Republic
Located on the southeastern side of the Dominican Republic, the port of La Romana is close to the town of the same name.
The dock is at the mouth of the Rio Dulco River, and two cruise ships can berth simultaneously, one on each side of the river. Larger cruise ships use the eastern quay, which has a pier for cruise ships up to 350m in length. The western quay accommodates smaller cruise ships up to 250m in length.
La Romana Cruise Port Area (Photo Credit: KaSiontour1217)
The open-air terminal is known as Sugar Breeze Cruise Terminal, and it has a few buildings and facilities that are just a short walk from the ship’s gangway. The port has fairly basic facilities, including restrooms, a bar, a coffee shop, taxis, a pharmacy, handicraft stalls, and information desks. There is a ChuChu train to downtown and a shuttle bus to Altos de Chavon.
La Romana is a popular cruise destination with beautiful beaches, clear Caribbean waters, watersports, local shops, bars and attractions.
Excursions from the port include attractions such as the 16th-century village of Altos de Chavin, snorkeling in the turquoise waters, scuba diving, river kayaking, ziplining, and trips to the paradise islands of Catalina and Saona.
Cruise lines visiting La Romana in 2024-25 include:
Carnival Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean International
Costa Cruises
Windstar Cruises
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Known as the Gateway to the US Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie Cruise Port is on the south side of the island of St. Thomas. Unusually, the port has two cruise ports.
Havensight Cruise Port has three docks east of the town of Charlotte Amalie. Crown Bay is two miles west of Charlotte Amalie and has one pier with two further docks.
Havensight cruise terminal consists of a one-km-long pier located a 20-minute walk or short taxi ride from the town. However, you might just want to stay at the terminal, which is a shopper’s paradise! It has a vast open-air mall with duty-free shops, jewelry shops, bars, and places to eat. Tour buses and taxis pick up passengers outside the terminal gates.
Cruise Ships in the US Virgin Islands (Photo Credit: Victor Maschek)
If your cruise ship docks in Crown Bay, the walk is difficult, and a taxi or shuttle bus (if available) is recommended. Onsight, the pier gates lead into a modern cruise terminal with excellent amenities.
Look out for the Windmill building that houses the Information Center! The Crown Bay Center is a large shopping mall just outside the pier gates with lots of duty-free shops, restrooms, ATMs, free Wi-Fi, restaurants, craft stalls, and souvenir shops.
Beyond the port, attractions on St. Thomas include the famous Skyride to Paradise Point, beautiful Magens Bay Beach, and a Butterfly Farm. Boat charters, catamaran trips, and lagoon kayaking trips can all be booked from your cruise excursion desk as part of your Eastern Caribbean cruise.
Cruise lines visiting St. Thomas in 2024-25 include:
Royal Caribbean International
Azamara
SeaDream
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
Cruise ships visit the beautiful Saint Croix dock at the newly renovated waterfront in Frederiksted. The 500m-long pier can accommodate two cruise ships simultaneously.
An electric trolley transports cruisers along the lengthy dock. There’s an information kiosk, restrooms and local shops. It’s easy to walk ashore and explore this quaint town with many historic buildings, including Fort Frederik.
Photo Courtesy: Virgin Islands Port Authority
St. Croix is a luxury playground with beautiful beaches, historic towns and duty-free shopping (up to $1600 allowed for US citizens). Local vendors line the waterfront with stalls selling crafts, jewelry, T-shirts and souvenirs.
Visit Whim Plantation, the Cruzan Rum Factory, St Geoge Botanical Gardens or explore part of the 72-mile Heritage Trail. A taxi can take you to the historic harbor town of Christiansted, with its quaint Danish architecture.
Cruise lines visiting St Croix in 2024-25 include:
Carnival Cruise Line
SeaDream
Royal Caribbean International
Norwegian Cruise Line
Holland America
Celebrity Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Virgin Voyages
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
St. John, US Virgin Islands
St. John is one of three main islands making up the US Virgin Islands, along with Saint Croix and St. Thomas. The main port is Cruz Bay, which has basic facilities. It is on the west side of the island and is mainly visited by smaller luxury cruise lines. Cruise ships have to anchor offshore and tender cruisers ashore.
St. John USVI (Photo Credit: Ramunas Bruzas)
Much of this tiny 50km² island is protected by the Virgin Islands National Park, which extends to include the coral reefs and shoreline. Beaches, watersports, and island hopping are the main attractions for cruisers.
Cruise lines visiting St John in 2024-25 include:
Azamara
SeaDream
Windstar Cruises
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Part of the British Virgin Islands, Tortola is a British Overseas Territory which consists of four islands: Tortola, Andgada, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke. Most larger cruise ships dock at Road Harbour in a sheltered bay on the south coast of Tortola.
The 400m-long pier is large enough to handle two smaller cruise ships (up to 180,000 GRT) at once, but not the larger vessels such as RCI Oasis class.
Cruise Ships Docked in Tortola, British Virgin Islands (Photo Credit: Khairil Azhar Junos)
The cruise terminal is right next to Tortola Pier Park, an 80,000 sq. ft—area with 50 shops and restaurants. From the terminal, you can rent bicycles to explore the island or book a taxi and head to one of the beautiful white sandy beaches. The closest beach is Cane Garden Bay, about five miles from the cruise port.
Luxury cruise lines and smaller ships may dock at the neighboring island of Jost Van Dyke. The New Horizon Fast Ferry transports travelers to Tortola in around 20 minutes. One must-do is sampling the Rum Cake that Tortola is famous for.
Cruise lines visiting Tortola in 2024-25 include:
Royal Caribbean International
Princess Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
Virgin Voyages
Seabourn Cruise Line
Crystal Cruises
Celebrity Cruises
Carnival Cruise Line
Windstar Cruises
Star Clippers
Labadee, Haiti
Labadee is the exclusive private resort developed and managed by Royal Caribbean for its cruise ships and those belonging to the sister cruise company Celebrity Cruises.
It is a gated enclave located on a peninsula on the north coast of the island of Haiti. The entire resort is no more than 800 meters long and 4000 meters wide.
Labadee has a 400-meter-long pier extending south into Buccaneer’s Bay. It can only accommodate one ship at a time. There is no terminal as such.
Royal Caribbean’s Labadee, Haiti (Photo Credit: fitzcrittle / Shutterstock)
Cruisers walk from the ship to the gated entrance to this private resort where there are private cabanas, restaurants, bars, waterslides, dining options and amenities that outshine even the best onboard activities.
Visit the Trading Post stalls, ride the awesome Dragons Breath Zip Line or book tours to go parasailing, jet skiing, deep-sea fishing, kayaking, snorkeling and sailing.
There is a free tender that takes passengers from the cruise dock to Columbus Cove, the farthest beach in Labadee, for a relaxing beach experience. There is also a free tram connecting the resort entrance with Columbus Cove Tram Station, stopping at Barefoot Tram Station and the Town Square along the way. Those with mobility issues can use beach wheelchairs provided by the resort.
Cruise lines visiting Labadee in 2024-25 include (note that the cruise lines have temporarily halted calls to the destination due to local unrest):
Royal Caribbean International
Celebrity Cruises
Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
Grand Turk is a 10-km-long island that is part of the Turks and Caicos. Although it is just 2km wide, it has plenty of attractions and things to do.
Cruise ships arriving at Grand Turk dock at the end of the pier, right next to a beautiful sandy beach on the southernmost tip of the island. The pier accommodates a maximum of two ships at one time.
Carnival Magic at Grand Turk (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
The open-air terminal has tour booths, a Margaritaville Bar, a restaurant, a pool, and Trading Post shops at the Cruise Center. The Flow Rider surfing attraction is a popular shore excursion booked through your cruise line.
Activities on Grand Turk include adrenaline-pumping activities such as 4×4 safaris, Dune Buggy Rides, horseback riding and catamaran cruises.
Cultural tours visit historic homes, the Old Town, the Lighthouse and the interesting National Museum. The island has many beaches close to the pier, or a short taxi ride away if you want to escape the crowds.
Cruise lines visiting Grand Turk in 2024-25 include:
Princess Cruises
Carnival Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean International
Holland America
Costa Cruises
Virgin Voyages
St. John’s, Antigua
Not to be confused with the tiny island of St. John, USVI, St. John’s is the largest town and main port on the larger island of Antigua. The cruise port is located on the northwest coast of the island. Cruise ships dock at Heritage Quay in the heart of this delightful town.
It can accommodate up to four cruise ships at a time, including larger Oasis-class cruise ships. Some cruise ships may dock at the adjacent Redcliffe Quay where old Georgian buildings house cafes and boutiques.
Antigua Cruise Port
Larger ships may dock at the Deepwater Harbour Terminal, about 1.5km from St. John’s. Smaller vessels may use English Harbour on the south side of the island.
Most attractions are an easy walk from Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay. Explore the magnificent St. John’s Cathedral and UNESCO-listed Nelson’s Dockyard or take a taxi to one of the 365 beaches on the island.
There are two indoor/outdoor malls for duty-free shopping just steps from the dock. Heritage Quay Mall is a shopper’s paradise on two floors. The weekend Farmer’s Market is a highlight on Fridays and Saturdays.
Cruise lines visiting St. John’s, Antigua in 2024-25 include:
Princess Cruises
MSC Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean International
Holland America
Celebrity Cruises
Viking Cruises
Seabourn
Cunard Line
Costa Cruises
Oceania Cruises
Virgin Voyages
Port Zante, Basseterre, St. Kitts
Basseterre is on the island of St. Kitts in the West Indies. It has two different piers to accommodate up to four large cruise ships at once, with additional ships docking at the cargo port or tendering passengers ashore in peak winter months. You can read our full guide on the St. Kitts cruise port here.
Located on the southeast coast of the island, the terminal area is known as Port Zante. It is the site of a welcome center, duty-free shopping, and a colorful produce market. The terminal also has restaurants, shops, and cafes where cruisers can step ashore and stretch their legs.
Cruise Ships Docked in St. Kitts (Photo Credit: Anthony Giarrusso)
Colorful red and yellow wooden fishing boats bob alongside the pier, making a great photo op! The waterfront Treasury Building harks back to the days when the island was an important sugar colony.
Downtown Basseterre is a 10-minute walk from the port. It is known locally as “The Circus”. It’s a lovely town to explore on foot as the streets are laid out in a grid.
The St. Kitts Scenic Railway is a great way to explore the island on a 3-hour sightseeing tour. Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site worth visiting by taxi or tour. The sister island of Nevis is a 45-minute ferry ride away.
Cruise lines visiting St. Kitts in 2024-25 include:
Princess Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean International
Holland America
Celebrity Cruises
Viking Cruises
Seabourn
Cunard Line
Crystal Cruises
Star Clippers
Windstar Cruises
We’ll See You on an Eastern Caribbean Cruise!
Armed with all this information, it’s easy to book your next cruise based on these ideal ports of call across the Eastern Caribbean. You can also check ports that you might visit while sailing in the Western Caribbean!
Princess Cruises has unveiled its new “Love Line Premium Liquors” collection, developed in collaboration with celebrities Pitbull, Jason Aldean, and Romero Britto. The exclusive selection of wines and spirits is set to enhance the experience for guests sailing on the Love Boat ships, beginning with the new Sphere-class Sun Princess.
“The Love Line Collection is a natural extension of the elegance and sophistication found throughout our Princess ships and makes every sip a journey worth savoring,”said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises.
Sun Princess Cruise Ship
He went on to add that Princess Cruises is proud to introduce “an exceptional selection of spirits that reflect the diverse tastes and preferences of our guests.”
Currently offered on the 175,000-gross-ton Sun Princess, which debuted on February 28, 2024, the Love Line Premium Liquors collection is currently being rolled out across the entire fleet for their summer voyages.
Guests booked on a Princess Premier package, which includes premium drinks as well as two specialty meals per sailing, unlimited casual meals and desserts, fee-waived OceanNow delivery, unlimited room service delivery, reserved theater seating, fitness classes, and Wi-Fi, will have these premium spirits as part of their beverage collection.
Princess Collaborates with Pitbull, Romero Britto and Jason Aldean
The Love Line Collection includes the unique contributions of each celebrity partner, highlighting their individual tastes and styles. For instance, globally renowned Miami-based musician Pitbull, also known as Mr. 305, lent his hand to the creation of the Voli 305 Vodka.
Meant to embody the vibrant energy of Miami nightlife, the vodka is distilled in Miami and features regionally sourced Florida sweet corn to create a distinctive vodka with a smooth finish.
For an equally distinctive liquor, Brazilian artist Romero Britto, founder of the Happy Art Movement, teamed up with Venetian winemaker Villa Sandi to create Love Prosecco. The renowned prosecco maker has been creating Champagne-inspired sparkling wine since 1622.
Voli 305 Vodka by Pitbull
Britto’s Love Prosecco is noted for its refreshing taste with flavors of melon, lemon, mineral, and white peach. Britto also designed the bottle to mirror the unique artwork and design of the Love by Britto restaurant found on Princess Cruises, which showcases art meant to inspire fun, love, and optimism.
Love Prosecco will be a feature of the dining experience at Love by Britto on Sun Princess and will also be available across the Princess fleet.
Also, a part of the Love Line Collection is three wines created by legendary country singer Jason Aldean, along with his sister Kai Wicks and country artist Chuck Wicks. The Melorosa Sauvignon Blanc offers a crisp and dry wine, with hints of herbs and grasses, while the Melorosa Cabernet Sauvignon features rich dark fruit notes, with flavors of blueberry and blackberry, and hints of mocha and cedar.
Love Prosecco by Britto (Photo Courtesy: Princess Cruises)
The Love Line Collection also includes a Red Blend wine, with all three wines developed in California.
Sun Princess is currently sailing a 21-night Mediterranean voyage that launched in Barcelona, Spain, on May 11. The roundtrip cruise is visiting iconic ports, including Gibraltar; Marseille, France; Rome (Civitavecchia); Istanbul, Turkey; and Mykonos, Greece.
Princess Cruises, which is owned by Carnival Corporation, operates a fleet of 15 ships, all currently sailing. Caribbean Princess, Sky Princess, and Regal Princess are sailing in Europe, with roundtrip voyage from Southampton to Northern Europe, while Diamond Princess is homeported in Yokohama, Japan, for the summer.
Seven ships are in Alaska this summer, including Royal Princess, Grand Princess,Discovery Princess, Sapphire Princess, Crown Princess, Majestic Princess, and Ruby Princess, all of which began sailing from Vancouver earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Emerald Princess,Island Princess, and Enchanted Princess will spend the summer in the Caribbean, sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.
Coral Princess, which will wrap up a world cruise in Sydney, Australia on August 19, will spend its summer months in Europe after it arrives in the Canary Islands on June 2.
Carnival Legend has left dry dock and is ready to welcome guests in Barcelona, Spain for her first post-renovation sailing, departing Thursday, May 30, 2024. The ship now boasts a range of upgrades and enhancements, including the rebranding of popular spaces and the addition of Carnival Cruise Line favorites.
One of the biggest additions to the 22-year-old ship is a new Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge on Deck 2 (Promenade Deck), formerly the Dreamteam Sports Bar. This patriotically-themed venue is now available on 13 Carnival ships, having first debuted on Carnival Panorama in 2019. The lounge pays tribute to both active-duty military personnel and veterans of all service branches.
Carnival Legend Heroes Bar
Red-white-and-blue décor is highlighted with authentic military momentos for an extra-special touch. On Carnival Legend, the boots of Deshauna Barber, godmother of Carnival Vista and a captain in the United States Army Reserve, have a special place of honor.
Other new venues now open on Carnival Legend are the Dreams Studio for professional portrait sessions, the Carnival Adventures desk to book amazing shore tours, an expanded casino, and a new miniature golf course.
The ship also now has a dedicated Chef’s Table space on Deck 1 (Riviera Deck), which was formerly the lower level of the Medusa’s Lair Dance Club. Part of that club space was renovated for the wildly popular Chef’s Table, while the rest was converted into additional staterooms, including accessible staterooms.
Several other spaces onboard have been rebranded and updated. The steakhouse has been refreshed to become Fahrenheit 555, and the spa is rebranded as the Cloud 9 Spa and Fitness Center – both popular and familiar brands across the Carnival fleet.
Retail shops have been refreshed, as well as youth spaces updated for both Circle C and Camp Ocean. Other public areas have been similarly refreshed with new flooring, upholstery, and lighting as needed, and the ship has undergone other technical behind-the-scenes updates, as well as hull cleaning and general maintenance.
Carnival Legend Spa Upgrade
Overall, the dry dock lasted a full month, as Carnival Legend first left service at the end of April. The work was completed in Marseille, France, and the ship is now better-than-new and ready to welcome eager travelers for truly legendary cruise vacations.
The 88,500-gross-ton, Spirit-class Carnival Legend can welcome 2,124 guests at double occupancy, and is also home to just over 900 international crew members.
Ready to Sail in Europe
Carnival Legend‘s first post-dry-dock sailing is an 8-night roundtrip cruise from Barcelona, with visits to Malta, Sicily, Naples, Rome, Livorno, and Toulon before returning to Barcelona on Friday, June 7. This is the ship’s only roundtrip offering from Barcelona, as her next sailing is a one-way repositioning to Dover, UK.
From Dover, Carnival Legend will offer 6 roundtrip cruises to outstanding destinations in Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, depending on departure date. On August 18, the ship will then move to Rome to offer a further 6 departures for Mediterranean and Greek Isles ports of call.
Carnival Legend Dry Dock
On October 26, the refreshed ship will conclude her European season and leave Rome for a 15-night transatlantic cruise to her new homeport of Tampa, Florida. Along the way, Carnival Legend will visit Spain, Portugal, the Azores, and the Bahamas, before arriving in the Sunshine State on November 10.
From Tampa, the ship will offer a winter season of Caribbean itineraries, before moving to San Francisco to offer alternating Alaska and Mexico sailings for summer 2025. Following that season, Carnival Legend will be homeported in Galveston with a variety of Western Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, and Panama Canal cruise options.
With so much diversity coming up in Carnival Legend‘s sailing schedule, guests will have many options to enjoy the refreshed ship no matter where they set sail.
In an industry first, Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of three major cruise brands, created a Loyalty Status Match program that allows guests to apply their existing loyalty club tier level — earned on any of the brands — to all three cruise lines.
The change takes effect on cruises departing on and after June 5, 2024 on bookings with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.
Royal Caribbean Group announced the pioneering reward program on May 30, 2024 as part of an effort to enhance the guest experience for cruisers who are members of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society, Celebrity Cruises’ Captain’s Club, and Silversea’s Venetian Society.
Royal Caribbean-Owned Cruise Ships
All three loyalty programs provide popular perks, free amenities, and service bonuses to frequent guests, such as early check-in, priority reservations for restaurants and entertainment, early booking access to new itineraries; private parties; and free laundry services, for example.
Frequent guests earn points for each night they sail, accumulating many points over time and attaining various benefit tier levels. Prior to the new match program, the points and/or tiers were not reciprocal between the brands.
“We strive to provide guests with experiences within our portfolio of brands that meet them for all of life’s moments. Each of our differentiated brands have passionate fans who take pride in the status they’ve achieved through repeat sailings,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group.
Loyalty Plans Operate on Point-Based Systems
Royal Caribbean Group’s various loyalty programs operate in similar ways, using a point system to indicate the level of benefits each line offers.
With Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Club, guests earn 1 point for each night they spend on one of the line’s ships and 2 points if they book a suite. The lowest level is Gold, for anyone who has sailed at least three nights.
On Silversea Cruises, the group’s luxury brand, the line’s Venetian Society has 5 milestone tiers, including 1 day; 100 days; 250 days; 350 days; and 500-plus days.
Venetian Society members who have sailed 100 days receive an invitation to a private onboard party for Venetian Society members, and free laundry service, for example, while those who have sailed 350 days receive a free 7-day voyage.
Celebrity Cruises’ Captain’s Club also has 5 tiers: Classic (2 to 149 points), Select (150 to 299 points), Elite (300 to 749 points), Elite Plus (750 to 2,999 points), and Zenith (3,000-plus points). With this brand, points are based on stateroom category.
Inside and ocean view cabins earn 2 points per night of sailing, up to 8 points for Sky Suite bookings, 18 points for Edge Villa, Penthouse, and Reflection suites, and at the top end, 24 points for guests staying in an Iconic Suite.
After enrolling in the new program, guests will be eligible to take advantage of point-for-point matches among the three brands, allowing them to receive all onboard perks tied to their tier status.
Cruisers who are already signed up for more than one of the group’s loyalty programs will automatically be matched to the status level they are entitled to.
Royal Caribbean Group’s three brands operate a total of 66 ships on global itineraries. The group also owns a 50% stake in a joint venture that operates TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. The shared loyalty program does not apply to those cruise lines.
Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests booked on two upcoming sailings of Carnival Splendor with notification of dramatic itinerary changes.
One cruise is having all ports of call changed and adding extra sea days where replacements aren’t possible, and the second sailing is only keeping a single port of call from the original itinerary.
The impacted sailings are the June 11 and June 24 sailings, both departing from Sydney, Australia. These are South Pacific itineraries and both had scheduled visits to Noumea, New Caledonia, which is currently experiencing significant unrest, protests, and even rioting over controversial election reform laws.
Carnival Splendor In Vanuatu (Photo Credit: A.Flassig)
Due to the violence, the island’s international airport has been closed, a nationwide curfew is in effect, and a state of emergency has been declared. The Australian government is urging travelers to “reconsider your need to travel” to New Caledonia, while the US Department of State likewise lists New Caledonia as a Level 3 travel advisory, “Reconsider Travel.”
Carnival Cruise Line has opted to avoid all ports of call in New Caledonia for Carnival Splendor‘s two upcoming cruises, which means multiple ports missed for eager guests.
“As a result of civil unrest in Noumea, it is necessary to revise our itinerary,”the notification emails read.“Everyone’s safety is our priority, and we really have no choice other than to make these changes. We know you were looking forward to the original itinerary we had planned and share your disappointment for this unexpected change.”
The June 11 sailing is a 9-night cruise that had planned to visit Noumea for two stops, which would have given travelers extra time to enjoy the capital city of New Caledonia. Also on the itinerary was Mystery Island in Vanuatu as well as a stop at Lifou Island, New Caledonia.
Now, that cruise will not be able to visit any of the original four planned ports. Instead, the ship will visit Vila, Vanuatu on Saturday, June 15 and Santo, Vanuatu on Sunday, June 16. All the rest of the days will be days at sea.
The June 24 cruise is a 10-night sailing that had likewise planned two stops in Noumea as well as Mystery Island and Lifou Island. That voyage will still be visiting Mystery Island on Friday, June 28 (instead of Saturday, June 29 as originally scheduled), but the other port calls have been dropped. Instead, guests will visit Vila on Saturday, June 29 and Santo on Sunday, June 30. All other days are sea days.
Any shore tours purchased through Carnival Cruise Line for the now-cancelled ports will be automatically refunded back to the original form of payment. New ports will have tour options available for purchase online or while onboard from the Carnival Adventures desk, portside on Deck 3 in the Splendor Lobby.
Carnival Cruise Line is also permitting guests to cancel their cruise altogether without fees or penalties if they prefer, and they will receive a 100% future cruise credit. All pre-purchased items – drink packages, spa treatments, specialty dining, etc. – would be fully refunded.
The 113,573-gross-ton Carnival Splendor can welcome 3,012 passengers, and is also home to just over 1,100 international crew members.
Will More Cruises Be Impacted?
At this time, only the two sailings – June 11 and June 24 – are impacted by these changes. Because Carnival Splendor is homeported year-round from Sydney, however, it is possible that additional South Pacific sailings may be similarly adjusted.
Whether or not more cruises have visits to New Caledonia removed will depend on if the violence subsides and the destination is deemed safe for tourists once more. Guests booked on upcoming sailings should stay in close contact with Carnival Cruise Line in case of further updates or itinerary changes.
Cruise lines always keep the safety of guests and crew members as the first priority, and it is not unheard of for port visits to be cancelled due to local instability.
Similarly, many cruise lines have adjusted itineraries through the Red Sea due to widespread regional violence that makes sailing through the Suez Canal inadvisable at this time. This caused Virgin Voyages to cancel the entire Australia season for Resilient Lady, as there is no practical way for the ship to reach the region with the Red Sea not a safe option.
It should be noted that cruise lines are able to change itineraries for such reasons with no obligation to provide compensation to guests. Most lines, however, will offer some remuneration for dramatic alterations as a gesture of goodwill for guests’ disappointment.
MSC Cruises is growing rapidly and expanding its presence into the US, and now it seems the popular European cruise line may also be expanding its fleet according to gross tonnage. The cruise line is reportedly in talks with Meyer Turku about new construction projects that could be in excess of 200,000 gross tons.
Any new large ships for MSC Cruises would be several years or even up to a decade away, depending on the terms of agreements, design processes, shipyard scheduling, labor availability, financing arrangements, and more.
According to Shipping Italy, MSC Cruises currently has “well-established discussions” with Meyer Turku, the first time the cruise line has explored such projects with the Meyer Werft group. Previously, MSC Cruises has worked with Fincantieri and Chantiers de l’Atlantique for their new vessel construction.
MSC World Europa Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Wayleebird)
It is possible that the change in shipyard considerations may not be due to size at all, but rather could be a scheduling issue. With cruising popularity sailing far past pre-pandemic levels, many cruise lines have new vessels already under construction or on order.
Fincantieri is currently building vessels for Virgin Voyages, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises. Meanwhile, Chantiers de l’Atlantique is building ships for Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, among others.
MSC Cruises’ MSC World America coming in 2025 and the third as-yet-unnamed World-class ship with delivery scheduled for 2027 are also contracted to Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
If MSC Cruises is interested in bigger-than-ever ships, only a few shipyards in Europe are capable of that type of construction. This further narrows the selection of where such ships could be built, which could add more time to any construction schedule as shipbuilder calendars are already quite tightly booked.
How Big Could the New Ships Be?
While no firm numbers have been released about what size of project MSC Cruises may be considering, current speculation is that the new vessels would be in excess of 200,000 gross tons. Exact numbers are often hard to confirm until construction on a new vessel is nearly complete, particularly for premier projects or first-in-class designs.
It is possible that the project could eclipse the current largest ships in the world – Royal Caribbean International’s Icon class. Icon of the Seas debuted in January 2024, and the second ship in the class, Star of the Seas, is scheduled to set sail in August 2025. The Icon-class ships measure 248,663 gross tons and can welcome 5,610 guests at double occupancy (7,600 passengers if fully booked!).
MSC World Europa Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Solarisys)
MSC Cruises is already well represented for large cruise ships, claiming 8 of the top 25 slots in the world according to gross tonnage. MSC World Europa is the cruise line’s largest ship at 215,863 gross tons, the seventh largest active ship in the world – behind Icon of the Seas and every Oasis-class ship, all in the Royal Caribbean fleet.
MSC Euribia ranks at #12 (184,011 gross tons), followed by MSC Grandiosa and MSC Virtuosa tied at the #17 spot (181,541 gross tons). MSC Meraviglia and MSC Bellissima both come in at #21 (171,598 gross tons), and MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape also rank in the top 25, coming in at #23 (169,400 gross tons).
Bigger ships offer new and unique features for guests to enjoy, as well as more innovation and distinction. From thrill rides to transformative spaces to technological wonders, bigger ships have a lot of bells and whistles that aren’t possible on smaller ships.
Undoubtedly, MSC Cruises may have spectacular things in mind as new and larger ships are considered, but only time will tell what will be possible and when such new ships may come to be.
Considering booking a luxury cruise with one of the world’s ultra-luxury cruise lines, like Regent Seven Sea or Seabourn? Or maybe you’re just planning to book a luxurious suite with one of the more budget-friendly cruise lines out there, like Celebrity Cruises or Norwegian Cruise Line.
Whatever the case, if you’re booking any cruise experience that could be described as “luxury,” it’s likely you’ll enjoy one key and amazing amenity: butler service.
Cruise ship butlers and their services differ from cruise line to cruise line, but their goal is always the same — to ensure you have the most enjoyable experience possible, with everything you could need for a superb sailing.
If you’ve never enjoyed butler service on a ship or at a hotel, though, you might not realize all that a butler can do for you. They’re not just hanging around to take your coat, ferry your luggage and open the door.
One of the first things that your cruise ship butler will likely do is meet you upon check-in and then whisk you away to your suite. Along the way, they’ll point out things of interest, ask you questions about your journey thus far, and more or less make sure your trip starts out on the right foot.
Sometimes, they might greet you with a welcome drink as well, so you can sip away while they ensure your suitcase will make it to the right suite.
Once you arrive at the suite, the butler will show you around and point out special amenities, show you how to work any tech features in the room, etc.
Unpack Your Bags
Once at your suite, the butler can unpack your bags for you (if you so wish). They’ll tidily put away your toiletries and hang up your evening wear, ensuring that every piece of clothing is ready when you are.
Photo By: Melissa Mayntz
Did you notice that, as your butler was unpacking, you left some important accessory, clothing item or cosmetic at home? Tell your butler. They can likely find you a suitable replacement, elsewhere on the ship.
Specially Outfit Your Suite
Once you’ve arrived in your suite, if you find it nearly perfect, but only nearly, let your butler know. They can tweak the suite’s furnishings and even décor, to ensure that every element is just to your liking.
Towel Animals in Cruise Ship Cabin (Photo Credit: EWY Media / Shutterstock)
For example, don’t prefer the pillows on the bed? They’ll get you some new ones, as is the case with Cunard Line, where butlers will allow you to choose your pillows from a nine-option pillow menu. Need to get some work done during your stay? Ask for a desk.
Arrange Your Reservations
While, often, the concierge is your go-to professional for securing reservations at this or that restaurant aboard the cruise ship, or for snagging reservations to a show, in some cases, the butler may assist with this as well. They’ll help you get seats at all the specialty restaurants, book your spa treatments and more.
Serve Your Meals
This is not your average room service experience. Suite passengers can simply ask their butler for meals, snacks and drinks, and then your butler will ensure that your food is served as elegantly as if you were dining in the cruise ship’s finest restaurant. Whether it’s setting out breakfast in bed or setting out a late-night snack on the veranda, they have you covered.
Photo Credit: CathyRL / Shutterstock
Even better, on many cruise lines, including Azamara Club Cruises and Celebrity Cruises, when you do order a meal to your suite, it likely won’t just come, all at once, on a bunch of cloche-covered trays. Instead, if it’s a multi-course meal, your butler will serve you each course individually, so each course remains hot until you’re ready to enjoy it.
Serve Your Bottle of Wine (and other drinks)
Don’t struggle with a corkscrew as you attempt to open that bottle of wine you purchased in the duty-free shop. Your butler can help. They’ll not only open, present and pour your wine. They’ll also make recommendations as to what to pair the wine with, or other bottles you might enjoy.
Not really a wine drinker? If you’d prefer some other beverage, like a cocktail, your butler can prepare it on the spot. Some cruises even offer in-suite afternoon tea, which your butler can serve, alongside small snacks (as is the case on Celebrity). The point is, if you’re thirsty at all, or peckish for a snack, your butler can likely help.
Plan a Special Occasion
If you want to make your cruise a little extra-special, such as by popping the question to your partner or throwing a little impromptu cocktail party in your suite, your butler can help.
Just let them know what exactly you have in mind, and they’ll do their best to accommodate any special requests for any special occasion, from anniversaries to birthdays.
As an example, one cruiser on Celebrity said their butler helped set up a sail away party in their cabin, as well as a birthday party. The butler decorated and brought a cake.
Keep Your Suite Stocked
There’s nothing more annoying than running out of those much-needed items in your suite, mid-cruise (think your favorite drinks and snacks in the mini bar or, worse yet, toilet paper in the restroom).
Your butler will keep your suite stocked with all the necessary items without you even needing to think about it. It’s just one of the many unspoken, somewhat unseen tasks they complete that make your trip all the more enjoyable.
Royal Family Suite with Balcony
In fact, some butlers will even go out of their way to pay attention to the items you use in your suite, and then adjust their offerings accordingly.
For example, one cruiser who recounted their experience with Norwegian’s butlers, on Reddit, said that they only ate red and blue gummy bears out of a bag of gummy bears and, so, moving forward, the butler removed all the other gummy bears, so that they only served the cruiser their favorite red and blue gummies.
Plan Your Schedule
From restaurant reservations to special occasions, to on-shore excursions, your butler can help you keep your entire cruise itinerary straight.
From reminding you of your plans for the day as they serve you coffee on your balcony, to contacting the right crew members to make it all happen, they’ll take care of all the planning, so you can focus on having fun.
Do Your Laundry
Getting ready for dinner and realized that your dress shirt is a bit wrinkly? Spilled a bit of wine on your favorite dress? Call your butler.
They can whisk your items away for dry-cleaning, pressing and all the rest, so your items look good as new, the next time you’re ready to wear them. They’ll even shine your shoes!
Provide Insider Knowledge of the Ship
Sometimes, you just want to know if a certain restaurant is really worth the hype, or if a particular shore excursion will be crowded, or maybe the best time to go to the pool. Whatever the case, a butler can answer all of your questions. Consider them your insider expert to all things cruising. No question is too weird.
Photo Credit: ShaunWilkinson / Shutterstock
As they get to know your tastes and preferences, they’ll even be able to provide personalized recommendations and tips, elevating your cruising experience further.
Draw You a Bath
If you fancy a bubble bath after a long day of off-ship exploring and shore excursions, your butler can draw you one. In some cases, the butler may even be able to fine-tune the bath to your needs, with a bath menu, as is the case on Norwegian, if you have a Haven spa cabin, which comes with a selection of products and drinks on its specialty bath menu.
Handle Dietary Needs
Do you have allergies or food sensitivities that you take seriously? If so, you’ve probably already attempted to let the cruise line know, ahead of your trip, but tell your butler as well.
They’ll go the extra mile to communicate with the ship’s culinary teams to ensure that not a single potentially irritating or even dangerous food makes its way to your plate or into your suite.
One cruiser with a butler on Norwegian says they went so far as to request that their butler not bring any snacks into their room that had even come into contact with any surfaces that had been used to cut or clean raw mushrooms, as they had an allergy.
Even if you don’t have an allergy or similar serious dietary need, if you just have certain preferences (like, say, you hate onions and you never want them to appear in your meals), then your butler may be able to talk to the culinary team and let them know, as is the case on Silversea Cruises.
In some instances, the butler can request the culinary team even prepare you a totally off-menu meal, just because you don’t like what’s being offered on the regular menu.
Print Your Local Newspaper
Do you have a strict morning schedule that includes reading your local newspaper? If so, you might want to sail on MSC Cruises, where butlers who serve MSC Yacht Club passengers will happily print out your favorite source of news, so you can enjoy it as you sip on your butler-provided coffee.
Escort You Around the Ship
If you’re on a rather large ship and aren’t quite sure where you’re going, your butler won’t just tell you how to get there — they’ll actually show you. Ask for them to escort you to an event or a particular restaurant and they’ll get you there on time, with ease.
Find Your Way Around a Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: vbertiany / Shutterstock)
Arrange Exclusive Experiences
A butler can help arrange a ton of exclusive experiences that you wouldn’t be able to arrange on your own. For example, stories from cruisers abound of butlers who’ve been able to bend the rules a bit and get non-suite guests into suite-only restaurants, just because they were the suite guests’ friends, or butlers who’ve arranged for special shore excursions, like exclusive tours and meet-and-greats with famous faces.
Be Available to You 24/7
While your butler will perform most of their services from within your suite, that doesn’t mean you have to wait until your butler checks in, in order to ask a question or request a service.
Cruise Ship Butler (Photo Credit: alexkich)
On many cruise lines, including Norwegian, butlers carry pagers or phones on them at all times (yes, even at night), so you can always reach out, any time you need even the tiniest thing.
Be Available to You Whenever, Wherever
In addition to being available to you 24/7, your butler will also be available to you wherever you might be on the ship. Decide that you really need some sparkling wine as you sit in one of the ship’s hot tubs? Or really need some canapes as you sit on the sun deck? Your butler can help.
Pack Your Bags
At the very end of your cruise, your butler will pack up your bags and get you ready to head back to shore. You’ll very likely wish that you could take your cruise ship butler with you, but don’t worry — you can always come back and see them again, during your next luxurious cruise.
Cruise travelers will have more options than ever before, with MSC Cruises dramatically expanding its offerings from US homeports for the winter 2025-2026 season.
Already the top cruise line throughout Europe, MSC Cruises is bringing more ships to the US and offering a wide variety of departures, itineraries, and sailing regions for eager travelers to explore.
In total, seven MSC Cruises ships will be setting sail from four different US homeports – Miami, Port Canaveral, New York, and Galveston. All the sailings are now available for booking, and are sure to sell out fast with eager travelers excited about new options and experiences.
MSC Seaside in Port Canaveral (Photo Courtesy: Port Canaveral)
“The Winter 2025-2026 season will mark our largest presence in the U.S. to date, with seven ships sailing from U.S. homeports,” confirmed Rubén A. Rodríguez, President of MSC Cruises USA.“We are delighted to provide our guests more choices than ever before when it comes to embarkation ports, ships, itineraries and destinations, making it easy to find the perfect cruise.”
One of the most exciting options is MSC Grandiosa debuting from Port Canaveral, the first time one of the cruise line’s ginormous Meraviglia-plus class ships has been homeported in the US. The 181,541-gross-ton ship will offer 7-night sailings, alternating between Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.
MSC Grandiosa can welcome 4,842 guests at double occupancy, or up to 6,334 travelers when fully booked. Guests will enjoy the top destinations on the ship’s itineraries, including Nassau, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Belize.
A second ship, MSC Seashore, will also be homeported from Port Canaveral, offering 3- and 4-night cruises to Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the cruise line’s award-winning private island destination.
Slightly smaller than her fleetmate, the 170-412-gross-ton, Seaside EVO-class ship can host 4,540 guests at double occupancy, or as many as 5,877 passengers when fully booked.
Also of special note for the 2025-2026 winter season is the debut of MSC Cruises from Galveston with MSC Seascape offering 7-night Western Caribbean itineraries that will call on Roatan in Honduras as well as Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico. MSC Seascape is a sister ship to MSC Seashore and will offer a brand new cruise opportunity from the Lone Star State.
Meanwhile, MSC Meraviglia will offer 7-night Florida and Bahamas itineraries from New York, visiting Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. Lead ship in the Meraviglia class, the 171,598-gross-ton ship can entertain 4,428 guests at double occupancy, or up to 5,642 travelers when fully booked with all berths filled.
Finally, multiple ships will be offering diverse itineraries from PortMiami, ranging from 3-11 nights long. MSC Seaside will offer 3-, 4-, and 7-night sailings, while MSC Divina will offer longer options of 7-, 10-, and 11-nights, including Southern Caribbean explorations to the famed ABC Islands – Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. Between the two ships, guests will also visit Mexico, Grand Cayman, Colombia, Panama, and more.
Altogether, these diverse offerings from MSC Cruises are sure to enchant cruise travelers, especially those looking for new experiences.
“We look forward to introducing MSC Grandiosa to Port Canaveral, launching MSC Seascape from Galveston and offering a new world of cruising aboard MSC World America for our guests embarking in Miami,”said Rodríguez. “Combining world-class entertainment, dining and amenities onboard with the fantastic updates coming to Ocean Cay makes for an incredibly exciting future, which is perfect for everyone from first-time cruisers to our most devoted fans.”
Biggest in the Fleet
Of special note from South Florida is the debut of MSC World America in April of 2025. The 215,863-gross-ton ship – sister ship to MSC World Europa – will bring outstanding experiences to travelers, including the all-new Cliffhanger over-water swing thrill ride along with themed districts, decadent dining, world-class entertainment, and much more.
MSC World America will be homeported from Miami year-round, offering alternating 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings. The largest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, she can welcome 6,762 travelers at each sailing, and is also home to more than 2,100 crew members.
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