The 128,048-gross-ton, Dream class ship just completed a 35-day dry dock at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport. The new bow crest was just one refreshment for the 2011-built ship, with new features and amenities added for all ages to enjoy.
Teens will love that the ship’s Warehouse Video Arcade on Deck 4 (Mezzanine Deck), adjacent to the Club O2 teen space, has been refreshed, while adults will appreciate the new games and refreshment in the adult video arcade, aka the Hat Trick Casino, on Deck 5.
On Deck 12, the Spa & Sports Deck, the WaterWorks aqua park has been revitalized and the pools have been refreshed. A new miniature golf course has also been added midship on Deck 12 under the ropes course for all ages to enjoy.
Carnival Magic Dry Dock Upgrade
All new fitness equipment and updated wellness spaces have been added to the Cloud 9 Spa on Decks 12 and 14, providing guests with the best possible options to stay fit for every sailing and rejuvenate with the latest in wellness treatments.
For guests who look forward to different tastes and deliciousness for their cruise vacation, the Lido restaurant layout has been redesigned to create a more efficient flow and better seating. This will elevate the dining experience at the buffet, as the main dining restaurant has already been elevated.
As Cruise Hive has reported, Carnival Magic was the first ship to debut Carnival Cruise Line’s new dining room menus, which have been well-received by many guests and are currently being rolled out to the rest of the fleet.
Carnival Magic Dry Dock Upgrade
Guests who prefer retail therapy for their oceangoing getaway will enjoy that the Fun Shops on Deck 5, including the luxurious Effy Jewelry boutique, have all been refreshed as well.
Additional standard maintenance and refreshment was also performed on the ship, such as updating flooring, technical upgrades, hull repainting, and more to ensure the ship is ready to welcome up to 4,724 guests per cruise with an all-new look and brand-new feel.
Sailing on the Refreshed Carnival Magic
Carnival Magic entered dry dock on April 18 and has now resumed service from Miami. Her departure on Tuesday, May 26, is her first sailing, a unique 4-night Bahamas cruise visiting RelaxAway Half Moon Cay and Nassau before returning on May 30.
The ship will then resume her planned schedule of 6- and 8-night cruises, with both Eastern Caribbean and Southern Caribbean itineraries on offer.
Depending on the departure date and sailing length, the now-refreshed ship visits such top destinations as Celebration Key, Amber Cove, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Princess Cays, San Juan, St. Thomas, and more.
Carnival Magic is scheduled to remain homeported from Miami at least through March 2028. Itineraries past that date have not yet been released but should be announced in the coming months as new deployment plans are revealed across the fleet.
New dinner menus have already been rolled out to half the Carnival cruise ship fleet.
Additional ships will begin offering the new menus in the coming months, but complete dates are not yet announced.
Carnival Crew Favorites is a particularly popular and unique element of the refreshed menus.
Carnival Cruise Line has been rolling out refreshed, elevated menus for the Main Dining Restaurants across the fleet, with half of the line’s 29 ships either already offering the new menu or ready to begin doing so in the next few weeks.
The rollout has been confirmed by brand ambassador John Heald, who also shared a variety of the new menus during his recent FFS Cruise aboard Carnival Spirit in Alaska.
Guests first enjoyed the new menu when beta testing began on Carnival Magic in late January and Mardi Gras at the end of February. In March, three more ships began serving the new menu: Carnival Panorama, Carnival Sunshine, and Carnival Liberty.
Up next were Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Pride, Carnival Spirit, and Carnival Conquest, all of which debuted the new menu in April, followed by Carnival Vista and Carnival Miracle in May.
In fact, Carnival Miracle‘s current sailing that departed Seattle on May 21, 2026 for a 7-night Alaskan itinerary is the first cruise to offer the new menu onboard, much to the delight of the ship’s 2,124 guests.
Two more ships will begin offering the new menu in June. Carnival Celebration is scheduled to debut the new dining offerings beginning with the June 7 departure, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise to Nassau, Celebration Key, Amber Cove, and Grand Turk.
Carnival Venezia will also begin serving the new dinner menus from her June 18 departure, a 5-night Canada getaway sailing from New York and visiting Saint John and Halifax.
In July, Carnival Dream will switch to the new menu from her July 5 sailing. Guests on that 6-night Western Caribbean sailing from Galveston to Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel will enjoy the new offerings, from appetizers to entrees to desserts.
The remaining ships in the Carnival fleet will debut the new menu at later dates that have not yet been announced. Exactly when each ship switches to the new menu may depend on a variety of factors, such as when ships can be supplied with the appropriate ingredients and when the culinary teams can be trained on the new recipes, preparation techniques, and plating designs.
Guests currently onboard Carnival Legend have reported the new menu already being served, but the full rollout to that ship may not yet be in place. Carnival Legend departed Miami on May 24 for her 14-night transatlantic cruise to Dover to begin her European summer season.
What Is On the New Menus?
The new menus include both classic favorites that have been popular with Carnival guests for years, as well as new selections offering different tastes for everyone to try.
Carnival “classics” on the new menu are highlighted with the iconic whale tail and include items such as shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, chicken parmigiana, penne mariscos, lasagna bolognese, slow-roasted prime rib, roast beef strip loin, and of course, the incomparable warm chocolate melting cake.
Appetizers are clearly listed as either hot or cold selections, and each dinner menu highlights “Our Chef’s Favorite Pick” as well as Emeril selections.
A new feature on the menus are the “Carnival Crew Favorites” which are inspired by the diversity of the cruise line’s crew members.
“This dish captures the global flavors that bring our family at sea together,”the menu describes these items.
Carnival Crew Favorites include such unique entree selections as kung pao chicken, butter chicken, lomo saltado, beef borguignon, sausage and gravy, and chicken satay.
Heald does note that the menus may yet be tweaked following guest feedback and the onboard popularity of new menu items.
“Remember please that it is still very much in the test phase as the Food Beards see what you have enjoyed and if they need to make any changes or additions,”he said.
While the different menus may still be adjusted, each one offers a wide selection of choices to tempt guests’ taste buds and ensure memorable meals onboard every voyage.
The January 10, 2027 Allure of the Seas sailing has been shortened from a 5-night to a 4-night cruise.
To accommodate the change, the ship will no longer be visiting Nassau but will still sail to Cozumel.
Booked guests have been offered four options for adjusting their travel plans due to the itinerary adjustment.
Just days after a May 2027 sailing was adjusted to a one-day-shorter cruise, another Allure of the Seas sailing has suffered the same cut. The impacted cruise is the ship’s January 10, 2027 departure, which was to have been a 5-night itinerary visiting Cozumel and Nassau.
Guests have now been informed that their sailing will be a 4-night cruise instead, with the port visit to Nassau cancelled. Allure of the Seas will only be visiting Cozumel on the now-shorter getaway.
“As part of our ongoing itinerary planning process – which sometimes requires flexibility due to scheduling, port agreements, or operational needs, your January 10, 2027, Allure of the Seas sailing has been modified,”the email notification confirmed.
No further details are provided about why this 5-night cruise must now be a 4-night sailing. In the case of the earlier adjustment to the ship’s May 1, 2027 departure, the ship is scheduled to reposition from Miami to Fort Lauderdale at that time.
For this itinerary adjustment, however, Allure of the Seas is still homeported in Miami and there is no obvious explanation for the change.
Berth availability and port scheduling can often impact cruise ship schedules. In Miami on January 15, when the 6,780-guest Allure of the Seas was to have been docking, there are just three other ships scheduled in port: Wonder of the Seas, Norwegian Joy, and MSC Seaside.
Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas (Photo Credit: Just dance)
On January 14, 2026, when Allure of the Seas will now be docking, there are already five other ships planned for PortMiami: Freedom of the Seas, Azamara Journey, Scarlet Lady, Norwegian Jewel, and MSC Poesia.
Other needs at the port, including cargo traffic and terminal construction, may be impacting Allure of the Seas instead, making it necessary to adjust the ship’s return to her Sunshine State homeport.
Multiple Options for Booked Guests
Royal Caribbean is offering booked guests four different options for their travel plans. First, they can be automatically moved to the new 4-night cruise with their fare adjusted to the new rate or prorated for the shorter duration, whichever is the best deal.
A second option is to move to one of two available alternative 4-night cruises, the January 25 or February 1, 2027 departures. Both of those cruises are visiting Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, giving guests the opportunity to enjoy the Bahamas, which is no longer on the original itinerary.
If guests choose either of those Bahamas rebooking options, they will be moved to a like-for-like stateroom. This means it will be in the same stateroom category but may not be the exact same stateroom assignment, depending on other guests’ reservations.
Guests rebooking on these 4-night sailings will also be reimbursed up to $200 (USD) for domestic transportation change fees or up to $400 for international changes as applicable.
The third option is for guests to rebook on any other Royal Caribbean itinerary (any ship, any length) at the prevailing rate and any monies already paid for the altered cruise will be moved to the new booking. Guests will still need to pay non-refundable deposit change fees as well as any difference in overall fare pricing.
Finally, if guests prefer not to rebook at all, they can cancel for a full refund, including non-refundable deposits.
All travelers must contact Royal Caribbean or their travel agent no later than June 4, 2026 to confirm their choice. The only exception is if guests accept the first choice, staying on the adjusted January 10 departure, in which case there is no action necessary.
A recent Carnival guest demanded that a comedian should be fired due to the offensive nature of their performance.
The unnamed comedian was performing during an R-rated show at the Punchliner Comedy Club, which is uncensored.
Brand Ambassador John Heald encouraged passengers to skip adults-only shows if they may find the content to be too offensive.
At least once a year, Carnival Cruise Line seems to have to issue a reminder that the 18+ comedy shows in the Punchliner Comedy Club are not meant for everybody, as they can be vulgar or profane.
In July of 2025, Cruise Hive reported that Brand Ambassador John Heald told guests who were offended or thought they might be offended to not attend the adults-only comedy performances.
He gave the same advice in 2024, asserting that people who do not like the fact that “an R-rated show is R-rated” simply should not attend.
And apparently, it’s that time of year again. In a recent video posted to his Facebook page, Heald responded to a complaint that a comedian should be fired because his content was inappropriate.
“The adult comedy shows are uncensored and if you are in any doubt, don’t go. Please don’t go. We’ve said this 247 times…,” Heald advised.
“If you don’t like a joke a comedian says [at] the Punchliner, please don’t write to me and say that you demand that they be fired. It’s just silly,” he continued.
Heald encouraged the angry guest and others like him to simply accept they have a different sense of humor and to just “walk on by” and go do something else they will enjoy.
The cruise personality also expressed his respect for the difficulty that comes with the comedy profession, especially in 2026 and in the era of “cancel culture.”
He acknowledged that most jokes come at somebody else’s expense, even referencing the comedic structure of classics like Laurel and Hardy and the “Tom and Jerry” cartoons. But if guests find jokes to be offensive, they don’t need to listen.
R-Rated Comedy Isn’t a Surprise
One could argue that guests who are offended by the 18+ comedy shows only have themselves to blame.
The uncensored nature of the performances is emphasized in signage, notations in the Fun Times program and in the Hub App, and in announcements made before the show. If guests are still shocked by the nature of the comedy, they likely weren’t paying attention.
“Looks like you’ll need to begin having interviews for people attending the comedy shows. Use lots of foul language. If they laugh, they’re in. If it looks like they’re head will explode, they’re out,”one cruiser joked.
John Heald at Punchliner Comedy Club
As an alternative for guests who are unsure about the late-night comedy, it’s okay to listen for a few minutes and then politely excuse themselves from the theater if they realize they don’t mesh with the comedian.
However, cruise ship etiquette dictates that these guests should sit at the end of the row and/or toward the back of the theater to avoid disturbing other passengers who are enjoying the set.
A Mix of Cruisers Deserves a Mix of Comedy
As a family-friendly cruise line, Carnival does offer plenty of PG entertainment options that some guests may prefer more, including family comedy shows in the Punchliner Comedy Club during the day and early evening hours.
The uncensored performances are saved for the late night, typically occurring between 9 p.m. and midnight, when kids should be in bed.
But when expanding the discussion to Heald’s followers on Facebook, it is immediately clear that different cruisers have different senses of humor. It’s only fair to offer different comedy options for everyone.
“Most of the time I prefer the family friendly and find them more entertaining. The 18+ tend to keep using the same vulgar reference over and over. I’ll attend either and I won’t complain to crew about the jokes, it just gets old when it’s the same stale material,”one avid cruiser shared.
“I have attended both, but prefer the Adult Only Rated R shows,” another cruiser, with the opposite preference, chimed in.
Outside of comedy, there is also no shortage of production shows, live musical entertainment, and trivia and live game shows that are all family friendly.
During Valiant Lady’s dry dock visit, one crew member allegedly sexually assaulted another female crew member.
The two employees involved in the altercation were in a relationship and had been sharing a cabin.
There is no safety risk to cruise guests, and the male crew member has been fired and sent home.
During Valiant Lady’s recent visit to dry dock in Fincantieri Palermo, routine maintenance and new upgrades were not the only things to take place onboard.
According to PalermoToday, a romance between two crew members turned dangerous. A 26-year-old female crew member from Peru accused her partner, a 32-year-old man from Peru, of sexual assault.
The couple, who had been together for three years, shared a cabin with the permission of Virgin Voyages. The adults-only brand permits crew members who are in a relationship to live together, subject to rank and cabin availability.
On the night of Wednesday, May 20, 2026, going into Thursday, May 21, 2026, the boyfriend allegedly groped his girlfriend without consent and tried to hold her down in an unwanted attempt to have sexual intercourse in their shared cabin.
She managed to break away and seek refuge among some flight attendants, who helped the terrified crew member notify the police.
The Maritime Border Police, who activated “red code” protocols, interviewed the woman in a protected environment and videotaped her accusations. During the interview, she tearfully showed investigators marks on her arms that were caused by the violence.
Cruise Hive also learned that the woman was examined by a local hospital to corroborate her story and to determine what medical treatment may be necessary. It’s unclear if she has rejoined the cruise ship or has stayed on land to recover.
Offending Crew Member Removed From the Ship
Following the investigation, the male crew member was removed from the Lady ship and his employment was terminated.
He was escorted off Valiant Lady by the security team and placed on the first flight back to Peru through a coordinated effort between ship staff and Manfredi Borsellino, the Chief of Police. It’s unclear if criminal charges may still follow.
While Virgin Voyages has not commented publicly on this situation, the cruise line has a zero tolerance policy against violence and any other actions that could jeopardize the safety of its guests or crew members.
In its code of conduct, Virgin Voyages makes it clear that there will be consequences from the cruise line and local law enforcement agents will be contacted in response to any violence or potential crimes.
“Any criminal acts or allegations of such acts, including but not limited to the following, will be addressed on board through de-escalation or acting to end the apparent criminal act, and will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency,” the policy states.
Valiant Lady Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Rosemarie Mosteller)
In the following examples, uninvited physical contact, sexual misconduct, and violence or threats of violence are listed as being strictly forbidden.
The male crew member may have also broken another important rule. His female partner claimed that the assault came after a night of drinking and that he had previously behaved aggressively after drinking too much.
Virgin Voyages’ crew members are not allowed to consume alcohol within four hours prior to going on shift and their blood alcohol content must be below 0.05% at all times.
This is because crew members must be able to respond appropriately if an unexpected emergency occurs, which they cannot do if they are too intoxicated.
No Threat to Cruise Guests
While what this woman endured is awful, there was thankfully no risk to cruise guests. In this situation, the offense occurred during dry dock, when no paying passengers would be onboard. It also appears to be a conflict that did not broaden beyond the specific couple.
The 2,770-guest Valiant Lady is now leaving this situation behind her in Palermo as she resumes cruising on May 25, 2026. She was out of service for 15 days, starting on May 9.
During her time off, she gained the brand’s first Indian restaurant, Ariya, a redesigned On The Rocks bar, and upgraded outdoor spaces for guests to enjoy.
Her first cruise back is a 6-night, one-way sailing from Rome, Italy, to Barcelona, Spain. She will then homeport in Barcelona through the end of July, from where she will offer sailings to destinations throughout Italy, France, and Spain.
Early statistics for 2026 show cruise tourism is once again on the rise in Mexico.
An estimated 4.8 cruise guests across 1,425 ship calls have visited the country during the first four months of the year.
This marks a 14.8% increase in the number of passengers and a 10% increase in ship calls compared to 2025.
Mid-year statistics suggest another record-breaking year for cruising in Mexico, speaking to the strength of Mexico’s cruise ports as international tourist destinations and heralding an era of great economic prosperity.
4.8 million cruise guests have visited the country during just January to April of 2026, marking a 14.8% increase over the same time period in 2025.
During the first four months of the year, the passengers came from 1,425 cruise ship calls, which marks a 10% increase over the previous year.
Mexican authorities are celebrating the continued growth of cruise tourism as the local economies at its major ports thrive.
“The arrival of cruise ships generates direct benefits for the receiving communities, by boosting consumption in restaurants, shops, tourist services, transport and recreational activities, in addition to contributing to the generation of employment in the ports and tourist destinations,” The Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, stated in a translated press release.
For context, Cruise Hive reported that 5.6 million guests visited Mexico between January and June of 2025, which 2026 is very much on track to beat. The four-month stats are only around 800,000 behind what 2025 did in six months.
Mexico’s Pacific Region Drives the Growth
These impressive numbers aren’t just coming from one specific port, but rather several key destinations within Mexico.
The Pacific region, which includes Baja and the Mexican Riviera, showed especially high increases in cruise tourism year-over-year.
Based on tourism data and information from the Secretariat of the Navy (SEMAR), Mexico’s Pacific region welcomed 1,708,341 passengers from January to April, which is a 39.9% increase compared to 2025.
Cruise Ships Docked in Cozumel, Mexico (Photo Credit: WroxyM)
The guests came on 540 ship calls, which is another impressive increase of 22.4% compared to the same time period in the previous year.
Puerto Chiapas, Chiapas, stood out as one of the fastest-growing ports within the Pacific region. The destination, which is in the southernmost part of Mexico, experienced an 83.3% uptick in ship arrivals and an 80.5% increase in passengers.
Mexico’s Gulf-Caribbean Region Also Flourishes
In addition to the Pacific region, Mexico’s Gulf-Caribbean region showed an impressive turnout, with 3.1 million passengers and 885 ship calls reported for the first four months of 2026.
This marks an increase of 4.6% for the total number of passengers year-over-year, as well as a 3.5% rise in cruise ship arrivals for this specific portion of the country.
For context, this region is home to major ports like Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Progreso. Located primarily on the Yucatán Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo, they are well positioned for Western Caribbean itineraries.
Speaking of Cozumel, this port alone welcomed a whopping 1,987,695 passengers during the beginning of the year, which is an increase of 7.1% compared to 2025. They came from 571 ship calls, which is another increase of 5.2%.
Cozumel was also largely responsible for Quintana Roo’s record-breaking year in 2025. Last year, the region as a whole welcomed 7.4 million cruisers, 4.62 million of whom were received by Cozumel.
More growth is surely on the horizon for the remainder of 2026 and years to come. Major cruise lines, such as Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Disney Cruise Line, sail to Mexico year round from Southern California, Texas, and Florida.
Arvia and Iona are P&O Cruises’ largest ships, both very similar in size and sister ships in the Excel class.
Aurora is the smallest, oldest ship in the P&O fleet, debuting in 2000.
Britannia remains P&O Cruises’ flagship, with its classic British style and modest size.
With its fleet of just seven ships, P&O Cruises may be small, but this British cruise line (considered to be one of the oldest such brands in the world, with its history traced back to the early 1800s) hardly deserves to be overlooked.
From its largest ship, Arvia, to its smallest and oldest ship, Aurora, P&O Cruises delights travelers with its UK stylings, value and fun for both adults-only cruisers and traveling families.
Let’s take a look at P&O cruise ships by size, from largest to smallest (measured by gross tonnage), so you can decide which of the fleet is your perfect pick for an upcoming voyage.
Arvia
P&O Arvia Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Chris Hyde)
Arvia is the newest ship in the P&O Cruises fleet, and it’s technically the biggest P&O cruise ship, though the average person isn’t going to really notice that much of a difference between Arvia and her sister ship Iona. Both are in the line’s Excel class.
Designed for fun-in-the-sun Caribbean and Mediterranean itineraries, the ship is also the largest ever built specifically for the British market. That said, it’s hardly the largest in the world, with a more modest size as compared to, say, that of the ships in the mammothRoyal Caribbean Icon class.
The family-friendly ship features more than 2,600 cabins across its 16 decks, four pools (including an infinity pool) and more than 30 food and beverage options.
Gross Tonnage: 185,581 GT
Length: 345 meters/1,131 feet
Passenger Capacity: 5,200
Crew Capacity: 1,800
Entered Service: 2022
Iona
P&O Iona Docked in Southampton (Photo Credit: Kev Gregory)
At the time of this Excel-class vessel’s debut, it was the largest ever built for P&O Cruises. It’s extremely similar to sister ship Arvia, but is just slightly smaller in terms of gross tons and length. However, it boasts the same number of guest cabins and houses the same number of cruisers and crew members.
The LNG-powered, family-friendly ship is ideal for its scenic European itineraries, with its three-deck atrium with panoramic views; glass dome-covered pool area; 18 hot tubs; and more than 15 restaurants, as well as myriad watering holes.
Gross Tonnage: 184,700 GT
Length: 344 meters/1,128 feet
Passenger Capacity: 5,200
Crew Capacity: 1,800
Entered Service: 2021
Britannia
P&O Britannia Cruise Ship in Curacao (Photo Credit: Wangkun Jia)
At 143,000 GT, Britannia is quite a bit smaller than Iona. However, that doesn’t mean that this ship doesn’t still offer plenty to love. It proudly claims one of the largest outdoor promenades in the P&O Cruises fleet. There are still four pools (though only four whirlpools). There are more than a dozen restaurants and half a dozen bars and lounges.
As the name suggests, this ship delivers British goodness in spades (and, as it was christened by Elizabeth II herself, it ought to!), from the British-style breakfasts to the UK-sourced liquor selection. It makes sense then, that Britannia remains the P&O Cruises flagship, despite newer, bigger ships coming along. It embodies the line’s vibe and caters to its core audience with gusto.
Gross Tonnage: 143,000 GT
Length: 330 meters/1,082 feet
Passenger Capacity: 3,647
Crew Capacity: 1,350
Entered Service: 2015
Ventura
P&O Ventura Cruise Ship in Southampton (Photo Credit: P.Cartwright)
In terms of P&O ship sizes, Venturalands fully in the middle of the pack. This ship holds about 3,000 or so passengers, so it’s definitely not overwhelmingly big, but it still offers plenty of variety for families and couples alike — and on that note, it’s worth mentioning that Ventura is definitely a family-focused ship (although a handful of solo cabins are available).
The ship features a lot of the spaces and venues that are considered P&O Cruises staples. For example, there’s The Glass House (a wine bar and restaurant developed by Olly Smith) and Sindhu (developed by a Michelin-starred chef and a favorite for its Indian fare), as well as the adults-only Retreat terrace. The Reefs Kids Club also earns high marks.
Azura is very, very similar to Ventura, but just slightly smaller. Cruisers have reported noticing minimal differences between the two, though some think that Azura is the overall nicer ship (but, of course, as with all cruise ships, others disagree — you’ll need to try both and make up your own mind!). Any feelings, though, of Azura being nicer, could be thanks to some very recent changes.
While it did enter service in 2010, the ship was heavily refurbished in 2025, bringing the vessel up to modern standards. The line particularly paid attention to updating the ship’s bars and restaurants, such as the brand-favorite Sindhu, Glass House, Epicurean and Oriental Restaurant. Likewise, the cabins were given new carpets, curtains and upholstery, as well as new lighting and USB chargers in some.
Gross Tonnage: 115,055 GT
Length: 290 meters/951 feet
Passenger Capacity: 3,100
Crew Capacity: 1,250
Entered Service: 2010
Arcadia
Photo Credit: P.Cartwright / Shutterstock
While definitely small, Arcadia is unique among the P&O Cruises ships we’ve discussed thus far, because it’s an adult-only ship. That’s right. Whereas some cruise lines develop all their ships with cruisers of all ages in mind, and others build their brands around being exclusive for the over-18 set, P&O Cruises blends the best of both worlds with some ships in its fleet for all, and some for adults only.
The ship has a low-key, calm and relaxed atmosphere, with the average age trending upward. As of 2024, it received a refurbishment, with new upholstery and furnishings in the cabins and suites, as well as new bathrooms in some. Bars and restaurants likewise received an upgrade, as did carpets and upholstery throughout the ship’s other public spaces.
Fun fact: According to P&O Cruises, out of all its fleet, Arcadia covers the most nautical miles each year.
Last, but certainly not least, Aurora is the oldest and smallest ship in the fleet, and it’s also just for adults (well, at least most of the time — as of December 2026, it will allow children on select, but not all, itineraries).
Ideal for an intimate and classic cruise experience, Aurora has grown an ardent fanbase of return cruisers who enjoy the ship’s simple deck plan, accessibility and style, though many acknowledge that, given the ship’s age, it will continue to show wear and tear, no matter how many refits it receives.
The AquaMouse waterslide on Disney Treasure has been closed for maintenance but should reopen Monday, May 25.
A crane and scaffolding were onboard the ship in Port Canaveral on Saturday to assist with repairs.
No injuries or damage have been reported with the AquaMouse, but some guests have reported leaks below the slide.
The famed AquaMouse waterslide is an iconic feature aboard Disney Treasure, so much fun for all 4,000 guests on the ship that it can have an hour wait or longer on the busiest days.
Guests onboard the May 23, 2026 sailing of the 144,256-gross-ton ship, however, do not have as many opportunities to brave the AquaMouse as they may like. The slide has been closed for the first two days of the sailing due to maintenance.
Notifications have been sent through the Disney Cruise Line app to alert guests to the slide’s closure.
“During this sailing, our maintenance team will be performing some necessary maintenance on the AquaMouse,”the message read.“As a result, the AquaMouse attraction will be unavailable until the necessary work can be completed.”
In fact, the ship was delayed departing from Port Canaveral on Saturday while some of that maintenance was performed, with a scaffolding and crane making an appearance on deck to work on the waterslide. While that may not be the only reason the ship was delayed for more than three hours departing her homeport, it did seem to be a contributing factor.
Disney Treasure was scheduled to depart for her 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise at 3:45 p.m. but did not end up leaving Port Canaveral until roughly 7:30 p.m.
Fortunately, no port calls were impacted by the delayed departure. The ship has two full days at sea to begin the sailing (sea days are always busiest for the 760-foot AquaMouse) before she visits St. Thomas on Tuesday and Tortola on Wednesday. Thursday is another day at sea, followed by a day at Castaway Cay on Friday before returning to the Sunshine State on Saturday, May 30.
Disney Treasure Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: MartinLueke)
There are no reports that the AquaMouse on other Disney ships (Disney Wish and Disney Destiny) is undergoing any similar maintenance or repairs, though all waterslides do occasionally need such routine work.
When Will the AquaMouse Reopen?
Guests currently on the ship have asked lifeguards and other crew members and have been told the AquaMouse should open for rides on Monday, May 25. Of course, that will be subject to the successful completion of the maintenance and any necessary safety testing after the work is finished.
Past guests have noted that the attraction seems to be closed frequently. Disney Cruise Line has not commented on such closures, though high winds or poor weather can cause any deck attractions to be closed temporarily.
Other guests have noted that the slide appeared to have a leak in one section, just where the crane and scaffolding were focused for repairs.
“We sailed at the end of April and that section was leaking a good bit,”one previous guest noted.“We assumed it was normal but I guess not.”
Other guests had a similar experience with intermittent sprays and leaks from the impacted section, which appears to be midway through the ride where a solid part of the slide transitions to a clear section.
There have been no reports of injuries from the AquaMouse and the closure has been minimal. Cruise Hive has previously reported on waterslide problems with other cruise lines, including the weeks-long closures of multiple slides on both of Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class ships, Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas.
Hopefully, the repairs to the AquaMouse will proceed as expected and the 2-seater, themed raft slide will be open again for all guests to enjoy in the coming days.
Costa Cruises has implemented an unusual rule, in which guests are not allowed to remove food from the buffets or onboard restaurants.
If guests break this rule, they could be hit with a €60 (or $70 USD) cleaning fee.
Room service is still available, but meals must be delivered and retrieved by trained crew members.
Cruise Hive has seen plenty of guests complain about dirty dishes being left all over their ships, and apparently, Costa Cruises isn’t a fan of this either.
The cruise line is cracking down on removing food from the buffets and other restaurants onboard due to cleanliness concerns. Guests who try to dine outside of designated areas could be slapped with a €60 (about $70 USD) fee.
“For reasons of health and hygiene, we wish to inform you that it is strictly forbidden to take food from the buffet areas and restaurants for consumption in the public areas of the ship, the pool zones, in cabins, or in other interior areas,” Costa Cruises wrote in a translated letter, which is circulating on social media.
“Please note that failure to comply with this regulation may result in a charge of €60 for cleaning operations,” the letter continued.
The purpose of this unusual policy is to help avoid potential food contamination, maintain high cleanliness standards onboard, and to prevent issues with potential pests.
For the record, Costa Cruises is not known to have significant cleanliness or sanitation issues. The ships in the fleet that operate in US ports routinely score highly in inspections from the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program.
Room Service Gets Stricter
Costa Cruises will continue to offer 24-hour room service, though additional charges may apply for using this service. Per the Costa Cruises website, room service is only included for guests staying in suites and premium cabins.
To get around this, some guests like to grab their own food at the buffet and then bring it into their cabins to eat in peace and quiet or enjoy the views from their balconies.
Cruise Crew Member Cleaning Dishes (Photo Credit: Mundofoto)
But under the new policy, this will not be allowed and is a finable offense. Only trained crew members will be permitted to deliver and retrieve room service meals.
“Only Room Service staff, appropriately trained on hygiene-sanitary procedures, are authorized to transport and deliver food to guests’ cabins, upon request of the service,”Costa Cruises confirmed.
This is in stark contrast to policies like the one in place from Carnival Cruise Line, where guests can order room service and/or pick up their own snacks and are instructed to leave their plates and cutlery outside their doors when they are done.
For both cruise lines, room stewards regularly walk the corridors to pick up trash or used cutlery so the remnants of passenger meals aren’t just sitting out for hours.
Cruise Guests React
Essentially any time a cruise line implements a new rule or cracks down on a behavior, it’s going to be met with a mixed response.
Some cruise guests have welcomed the policy with open arms, saying that passengers have lost the privilege of taking their food on the road because of their own unhygienic behaviors.
“It was time… I’ve seen people leave their garbage on the stairs. I think it’s right, especially on the Adriatic mini cruises, vandals rise. Let’s hope someone checks seriously…”one cruise fan reacted.
Others didn’t like the idea because room service comes with a charge and the buffet wouldn’t stay open 24/7 as a free alternative. They liked the reassurance of being able to take snacks to go if they got hungry later and some needed access to food for certain medical conditions.
“I think it’s an inappropriate measure !!!! In that case the buffet should always stay open like at MSC!!!!,”another cruiser exclaimed.
Additional concerns about not being able to find seating in the buffet during peak dining hours bubbled to the surface as well.
Also interesting, the Carnival-owned brand is the only cruise line under the Carnival Corporation that is known to enforce this policy as of the time of this publication.
Sister companies like Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line still seem to allow more flexibility on where guests choose to eat, though it’s possible that this policy could be rolled out to more brands in the future.
