Norwegian Dawn’s upcoming 7-night Caribbean sailing, which embarks in Tampa on November 16, will have a different ending than initially expected.
The final port call of the cruise will now be Cozumel, Mexico, instead of Costa Maya, Mexico.
Norwegian Cruise Line did not provide a reason for the change, but some suspect it has to do with the construction of Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico on Costa Maya.
There’s still months to go before Norwegian Dawn will arrive in Tampa to spend the winter cruising the Caribbean, but Norwegian Cruise Line is already changing things up for her first sailing of the season.
The Dawn-class flagship’s first Tampa-based sailingof the winter will embark on November 16, 2025, but the itinerary won’t look the same as when guests first booked it.
Costa Maya was supposed to be the final port call of the cruise on November 21, sort of like the grand finale before disembarking in Tampa on November 23.
But for unspecified reasons, the powers that be have decided that the 2,340-guest ship will spend that day docked in Cozumel, Mexico, instead.
The 92,250-gross ton vessel will be docked from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time, giving cruisers ample time to enjoy the sunny beaches, picturesque coral reefs, and Mayan Ruins that Cozumel is famous for.
At this time, no other ports of call on the November 16 sailing have been adjusted, nor have Norwegian Dawn’s subsequent 7-night Caribbean itineraries.
Many of the following itineraries actually include stops at both Costa Maya and Cozumel, which as of the time of publication, are still going ahead as planned.
As embarkation dates get closer, the cruise lines are constantly monitoring and tweaking as updated information about factors like port availability is released.
In this case, port congestion likely isn’t the culprit, as cruise tracking data showsthat Norwegian Dawn was the only vessel scheduled to visit Costa Maya on November 21 – and the port can welcome four large ships at once.
But one port-related reason that cruise guests suspect could be behind the change is that Royal Caribbean’s highly anticipated private destination, Perfect Day Mexico, is currently under construction in Costa Maya.
“It was only a matter of time before this itinerary change came through. It’s probably for the best with all of the construction going on at Costa Maya,” one impacted passenger expressed.
As part of a $292 million deal, Royal Caribbean purchased the actual cruise port and 34 of the surrounding properties. The deal officially closed in July.
Notably, Royal Caribbean did confirm that the cruise port would remain open during construction and beyond to all cruise lines.
The only area that will be exclusive to Royal Caribbean guests is the future Perfect Day resort.
A cruise guest who just boarded Allure of the Seas on August 21 was upset to find that the Solarium Bistro buffet would be closed for most, if not all, of their sailing.
The popular dining venue is being utilized by Fresh Kosher Cruises, which requires kosher meals for the members of its current group cruise.
The disappointed cruiser felt prior notice of the closure should have been given, but Royal Caribbean is not required to do this.
When you’re looking forward to dining at a specific restaurant or craving a specific meal, few things are more disappointing than finding out it won’t happen.
Unfortunately, this was the unpleasant surprise waiting for passengers who boarded Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas in Rome, Italy, on August 21, 2025.
Guests who were looking forward to eating at the Solarium Bistro Deck 15 were disappointed to learn that the buffet-style restaurant would be closed for at least several days for a private group.
“Just boarded Allure of the Seas from Rome. The Solarium Bistro is closed for the entire cruise for a private function,”one of the up to 5,484 passengers vented on Reddit.
Allegedly, the Mediterranean-themed restaurant has been reserved by Fresh Kosher Cruises, which embarked on a group cruise on August 17 and will be onboard until the Oasis-class shipreturns to Barcelona, Spain, on August 24.
This is likely the cruise line’s way of accommodating the group’s strict dietary restrictions, because as the name suggests, the participants must keep kosher.
This means that in addition to using kosher ingredients, meals must be prepared in a kosher kitchen that only uses kosher utensils and appliances to avoid cross-contamination with non-kosher foods.
The ship is operating multiple itineraries simultaneously, so there is a good chance the restaurant will reopen for the second half of the poster’s sailing, which disembarks in Rome on August 28.
In the meantime, the guest will have to make do with more than two dozen restaurants onboard, many of which are included in the cruise fare.
The main dining room, Park Cafe, Cafe Promenade, Dog House, Coastal Kitchen, El Loco Fresh, Sorrento’s, and the Windjammer Buffet are all free of charge.
Should Royal Caribbean Give Advance Notice?
This cruise guest wasn’t just upset that the restaurant was closed, but also that Royal Caribbean did not give advance notice when they surely knew of the reservation ahead of time.
Royal Caribbean welcomes Fresh Kosher Cruises onboard its ships several times each year, so this isn’t exactly a surprise from the cruise line’s perspective.
“I was hoping to have all breakfasts and dinners there as we are without our kids and wanted to avoid the Windjammer. Wish RC would have let us know in advance that the only adult only area was closed, as we would have picked a different sailing,”they complained.
As one point of clarification, the Solarium Bistro is actually family friendly. The guest is confusing the venue with the Solarium, which is an adults only indoor-outdoor retreat.
Solarium Bistro on Harmony of the Seas
That said, the Solarium Bistro is a smaller restaurant that is known for being quieter, less crowded, and for serving healthier options since it sticks to a more limited Mediterranean-inspired menu.
Other cruise fans largely agreed with the posting passenger that they would be upset to learn the Solarium Bistro was closed without advance notice, and sometimes even book sailings with the specific venue in mind.
“While I think that people with dietary restrictions deserve to cruise, removing a venue for an entire sailing should be disclosed. For my latest sailing, I specifically checked that the solarium bistro was available for reservations before final payment,” one cruiser said.
“Having a group rent out a venue for one evening or meal is one thing. Having a venue closed out for the entire sailing (especially a popular venue) would make me really annoyed,” another echoed.
However, Royal Caribbean is allowed to close portions of the ship without notice for a variety of reasons without giving prior notice, such as operational needs, mechanical issues, or safety.
This is one of the common terms and conditions that cruise guests agree to when they book their sailing, both with Royal Caribbean and the other mainstream brands.
With no shortage of other eateries onboard, it’s not like anyone will be going hungry either.
A viral photo of a Carnival luggage mat being used as a flag has piqued interest across the internet.
While the image appears to be photoshopped, it is a good reminder that luggage mats are not free gifts.
This isn’t the first time a guest has appropriated a luggage mat for another purpose.
Cruise fans show off their favorite cruise line in different ways, from t-shirts and hats to jewelry, decorations, and even tattoos.
One Carnival Cruise Line fan has even raised a “flag” to their favorite FUN cruise line. (Hint – it’s not a flag.)
A photo of their enthusiasm has been circulating online and has even come to the attention of brand ambassador John Heald.
So what’s the flag? A luggage mat. That’s right, one of the “Unpack and Choose FUN” luggage mats that cabin attendants spread out on guests’ beds on embarkation day.
The mats’ real purpose is to protect bedding from the dirt and grease that luggage might smear on white comforters, helping reduce laundry needs.
Apparently, however, the mats can also make very recognizable and eye-catching flags.
The guest has mounted a Carnival luggage mat as a flag in their yard. Yes, indeed, they literally ran it up the flagpole.
To keep the heavy vinyl mat “flying,” they appear to have rigged clips, while other guests examining the photo believe it to be a Photoshopped or AI tweak. The lack of shadows and perfectly straight top edge does support the fake photo conclusion.
Either way, Heald noted that the makeshift flag did serve a purpose.
“Taking off my Brand Ambassador hat for a moment I have to say that this is also a brilliant piece of advertising for the Fun Ships,”he quipped.
He does go on to admonish guests who might consider similar pranks, however. The luggage mats do belong to Carnival Cruise Line and are not swag for guests to keep.
“Please STOP STEALING THE LUGGAGE MATS FFS,”he urged.“You will be charged and perhaps face other consequences.”
Carnival Choose Fun Mat
Heald did delete the post and photo he’d shared shortly thereafter, perhaps to be sure other guests wouldn’t consider it an endorsement of the illicit activity.
This is not the first time a guest has allegedly heisted a luggage mat for a purpose other than safeguarding bedding.
It is unclear whether or not that guest was eventually charged for removing the luggage mat from their stateroom. To be clear, luggage mats are not free gifts for guests to take home.
What Would Make a Good Carnival Flag?
Cruise ships use a variety of signal flags as well as fly flags to indicate their country of registry. But what would make a good, fun flag for the cruise line itself?
Meaningful symbolism for what the flag is representing.
Limited number of colors that contrast well.
No writing or seals of any kind.
Distinctive and easily recognized, or related to but not copying other flags.
So, would a luggage mat be a good flag for Carnival Cruise Line? The design is simple, but there is no symbolism other than the cruise line’s whale tail.
That whale tail is distinctive and easily recognized, and certainly isn’t copied from other flags. The red, white, and blue colors are also characteristic of Carnival and a good choice for a flag.
The luggage mat, however, is pretty much all writing, and therefore not a great flag design.
How would you design a fun flag for Carnival Cruise Line fans to fly? Share your creations on the Cruise Hive boards!
Harding+ CEO Chris Matthews went undercover as a passenger on Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line to observe the retail experience firsthand.
His findings highlighted the importance of customer service and the benefits of new technology.
Harding+ now operates more than 300 shops on more than 80 ships across 12 cruise lines.
Passengers aboard recent Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line sailings may have unknowingly shared their shopping experience with a retail CEO in disguise.
Chris Matthews, who leads cruise retailer Harding+, took an “undercover boss” approach, booking himself as a guest to see how onboard shopping really works when no one knows the boss is watching.
While he didn’t actually wear a disguise, Matthews sailed twice, deliberately avoiding name tags, meetings, or special treatment.
His goal was to observe everything from the first “hello” at the door to how crew run retail events. He also struck up conversations with guests to hear unfiltered feedback.
The trips revealed a lot, according to Matthews, who saw how new stock-tracking technology was freeing crew from the backroom to spend more time with customers.
Passengers consistently pointed to the friendliness of staff as a highlight of their cruise experience, he noted.
“You can’t steer a guest-led strategy from a spreadsheet,” Matthews said. “Any retail CEO will tell you that listening to guests and colleagues is critical.”
But he admitted it’s hard to do in cruise retail because one can’t just walk into a store unannounced.
“Going undercover gave me a raw, honest insight into what’s working and what we can make even better,” he said.
The undercover experiment followed the company’s 18-month program where Harding+ required office staff to spend a week at sea working onboard in shipboard stores.
Harding+ CEO Chris Matthews went undercover on two cruises.
The verdict? Harding said, “The signs we have got it right are strong across the business for our next stage of growth.”
He added that he was excited to see retail teams sailing with Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise line “delivering all that we stand for in the best ways for guests.”
The company now plans to send more executives on similar undercover missions across the fleets.
Harding+ Retail Presence
Harding+ has become one of the largest players in cruise retail, operating more than 300 shops across more than 80 ships across 12 cruise lines worldwide, including many of those under the Carnival Corporation umbrella.
The company took over all onboard retail on Princess Cruises in 2021, moving shop management away from the cruise line’s team to Harding+ in one of the largest transitions of retail operations at the time.
Today, the cruise line features a mix of fine jewelry counters, high-end watch boutiques, beauty and fragrance brands, and logo shops selling Princess Cruises merchandise.
Photo Credit: Harding
Stores also include duty-free liquor and tobacco, fashion accessories, and rotating popup events tied to new products.
Meanwhile, Carnival Cruise Line has become Harding+’s biggest partner. By 2023, the company was operating shops on more than half of the Carnival fleet, overseeing duty-free outlets and branded boutiques.
The cruise line’s ships feature familiar labels like Pandora, TAG Heur, and Swarovski, alongside Carnival Cruise Line-branded apparel and souvenirs and new limited-edition partnerships.
Harding+ also runs liquor and spirits shops, cosmetics and skincare counters, and event-led promotions.
Matthews did not reveal which ships he sailed with or the itineraries he enjoyed.
Disney Fantasy is the latest ship to change its itinerary ahead of Hurricane Erin, cancelling a call in Spain and substituting a visit to Belgium instead.
While Hurricane Erin has weakened significantly, her huge size could still have impacts on cruise ships for several more days in the northern Atlantic.
A total of 22 ships have now had itinerary changes for this first official hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season.
Yet another cruise ship has now altered its itinerary to avoid Hurricane Erin. This time, however, the change is not in the Eastern Caribbean, the Bahamas, or Bermuda. Instead, it’s in Spain.
As Hurricane Erin has moved through the eastern Atlantic, she has forced itinerary changes for more than 20 cruise ships. Disney Fantasy is the latest to be impacted, as the ship’s August 25 voyage will not be able to set sail as planned.
The 130,000-gross-ton ship is currently homeported from Southampton, UK. Her August 25 departure was to have been a 4-night sailing to Spain with a visit to Bilbao on Wednesday, August 27.
The storm’s current track, however, will undoubtedly bring very rough water, strong winds, and high swells to the Bay of Biscay between northern Spain and southwestern France.
Disney Cruise Line has reached out to booked guests to notify them of the necessary change. Instead of visiting Spain, Disney Fantasy will now head for Belgium with a port stop in Zeebrugge.
The ship’s departure from Southampton, her days at sea, and her return to the UK are unchanged. Only her direction of travel and the port visit have been changed.
While this may certainly be disappointing to booked guests who were eagerly anticipating la magia instead of magie (magic in Spanish and Dutch in case you’re wondering), safety is always the foremost concern.
The Bay of Biscay may be especially vulnerable to very strong effects from Hurricane Erin. There is no land mass to protect the bay from incoming poor weather.
Furthermore, Hurricane Erin will be closest to Disney Fantasy‘s route on Monday and Tuesday, just when the ship would be sailing by and most impacted by strong wind and waves.
Guests who have pre-paid for Disney Port Adventures in Bilbao will have those tours automatically cancelled and refunded. Tours for Zeebrugge will be available to book onboard either by visiting the Port Adventures Desk or through the Navigator app.
Hurricane Erin – Still a Possible Threat to Cruises
Hurricane Erin has significantly weakened from her height as a Category 5 storm. As of the Friday morning update from the National Hurricane Center, the maximum sustained winds are now 90 miles per hour, making her a Category 1 storm.
Erin’s size, however, remains impressive with hurricane-strength winds extending 140 miles from the center. Tropical-storm-strength winds extend out for 435 miles.
This means the storm’s full diameter is now more than 850 miles, and strong winds are possible even outside those official distances.
In comparison, Bilbao and Southampton are only 525 miles apart as the wind blows. Even if Erin is several hundred miles away from the cruise ship’s route, the waters are still likely to be less-than-magical.
Disney Fantasy is now the second Disney ship and twenty-second ship overall to be impacted by this first official hurricane of the 2025 season.
Disney Fantasy’s change is more than a week later and over 4,000 miles away. With the size and strength of Hurricane Erin, this may not be the last itinerary change to report either.
Additional cruises sailing near Greenland, Iceland, the UK, and the west coasts of France and Spain may still see impact from the storm in the coming days.
Any travelers with cruises in those regions over the next week should stay alert to possible changes to their itineraries.
With fast-moving news across the cruise industry, it’s important to stay well informed, and a great way to do that is right here with Cruise Hive’s weekly recap.
Some of the stories we’re highlighting in this edition include Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas officially entering service, a dry dock delay forcing Carnival Cruise Line to nix four cruises, and the president of a major cruise brand surprising the industry by stepping down from his post.
Get the big cruise news stories delivered to your inbox each day by signing up for Cruise Hive’s Daily Update — it’s a don’t-miss opportunity!
Two Drownings Reported at Carnival’s Celebration Key
Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration Key, the private destination on Grand Bahama Island that opened just weeks ago, was the scene of not one but two tragic deaths on Friday, August 15, 2025.
Two guests, both elderly Americans, both drowned, one in a lagoon and one in the ocean. The cruise line confirmed that lifeguards and medical personnel responded to two separate incidents and that neither of the guests survived their ordeal.
While details are scarce and the identities of the guests unknown, it was determined that a 79-year-old man died while snorkeling off the beach while a 74-year-old woman drowned in one of the destination’s lagoons — either the Starfish Lagoon or the adult-only Oasis Lagoon.
Carnival’s Mardi Gras and Carnival Elation were calling at the destination on August 15, 2025, and the cruise line confirmed that one guest had been sailing on each vessel. It did not state which guest was on which ship.
Carnival Elation is homeported in Jacksonville, Florida, while Mardi Gras is based at Port Canaveral.
Star of the Seas Enters Service With Preview Cruise
Star of the Seas Departing Port Canaveral (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)
Royal Caribbean’s new Star of the Seas departed on the first of four preview voyages on August 16, 2025.
It was a gala “sailabration” event at Port Canaveral, the 5,600-guest ship’s homeport, as hundreds of onlookers helped mark the occasion.
Officials from the port and the cruise line attended the launch, along with a DJ who entertained the crowds. Food trucks were on hand and children enjoyed a bubble machine as the second ship in the Icon class headed out to sea.
The 248,700-gross-ton ship called at Perfect Day at CocoCay and had two days at sea before returning to the port on August 20, 2025 — the day of her naming ceremony.
The ship’s honorary godmother, astronaut Kellie Gerardi, christened the vessel, standing in at the last minute for music icon Diana Ross, who had agreed to serve as godmother but cancelled unexpectedly.
The 5,600-guest ship will sail her first revenue cruise, a 7-night Western Caribbean voyage, on August 31, 2025. Star of the Seas will sail alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral.
Dry Dock Delay Prompts Cancellation of Four Voyages
Carnival Cruise Line has cancelled four Bahamas cruises slated to operate aboard Carnival Conquest in February 2026 due to a change in the ship’s dry dock schedule.
The 3,000-guest ship, based at PortMiami, was set to enter dry dock in January 2026, but the move was postponed one month, forcing the cancellation of two 3-night and two 4-night cruises. The affected sailings were due to depart on February 6 and 13, 2026, and February 9 and 16, 2026, respectively.
No reason was given for the change, but the line is offering compensation for guests’ disappointment.
Those who rebook on a comparable cruise will receive up to $100 in onboard credits if they make their new reservation by September 1, 2025. Full refunds are being offered to those who choose not to rebook.
Carnival Cruise Line will reimburse guests for non-refundable airfares and airline change fees, up to $200, if the guests provide proper documentation.
Carnival Conquest, which entered service in 2002, was last dry-docked in 2022. The ship’s 2026 dry dock had already been rescheduled once, before this latest change.
Residential Cruise Brand Sets New Rates Based on Age
Golden Passport for Unlimited Cruises
In an industry first, a residential cruise brand is offering accommodation rates based on the ages of guests.
Villa Vie Residences unveiled a new lifetime cabin rental option called Golden Passport, with costs tied to eight specific age ranges. The older a guest is the less he or she will pay for the privilege of sailing continuous world voyages aboard Villa Vie Odyssey.
The lowest cost, $99,999 per person, applies to guests aged 90 and older who choose the least expensive stateroom category, which is a porthole cabin on Deck 2. Rates for oceanview cabins on higher decks cost more.
The residential cruise brand is currently operating its first 3.5-year world voyage aboard Villa Vie Odyssey, which is a 32-year-old ship that most recently sailed under the name Braemar for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.
Under the new age-tiered rate plan, the cost of the porthole cabin rises as guests’ ages decrease. For instance, guests aged 55 to 59 pay $299,999 per person, falling to $129,999 for those aged 85 to 89.
In the oceanview category, guests aged 55 to 59 pay $399,999 per person, while a guest over age 90 would pay $199,999, for example.
Golden Passport is one of several lifetime, seasonal, and try-before-you-buy plans offered by the cruise line.
Norwegian Cruise Line President Unexpectedly Steps Down
David Herrera Exits Norwegian Cruise Line
It isn’t everyday that a cruise line president steps down after serving in the post for just over two years — it takes longer than that just to build a cruise ship — but that’s what has unfolded at Norwegian Cruise Line.
Effective on August 20, 2025, David J. Herrera is out as president and Harry Sommer, former president and now CEO and president of parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is in, at least on an interim basis.
Herrera was a dedicated member of the leadership team, Sommer said in a statement, but an executive search team is already on the case to find a replacement.
Herrera, in fact, had been employed by Norwegian since 2012 and held several top posts in finance and strategy for both the brand and the parent company.
The change in leadership comes as the launch of Norwegian Luna nears and as the company’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay, is poised for a major expansion — both happening in 2026.
Will a new president be onboard by then? Keep checking Cruise Hive to find out!
Crew Member Overboard Sun Princess
Sun Princess Overboard (Credits: GEORGE STAMATIS & sw0wse)
Tragedy struck Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess on August 20, 2025, when a crew member went overboard from the 4,300-passenger ship as it sailed toward Istanbul.
Although the ship began search operations and coordinated with local maritime officials, the crew member was not located.
No information about the crew member was released, but the cruise line’s family assistance team is providing support to family members.
Sun Princess, a Sphere-class ship that launched in 2024, is operating a 14-night Mediterranean with Greek Isles, France & Turkey cruise that departed Barcelona on August 9, 2025 and will conclude in Athens on August 23, 2025.
During the search, local officials asked that Sun Princess remain anchored off Tekrdag, a city in northwest Turkey about 90 miles from Istanbul, while the investigation continued.
That delay forced the cancellation of the ship’s port call to Mykonos, set for noon to 9 p.m. on August 22, 2025, and altered her port call arrival and departure times in Istanbul on August 21, 2025.
Before the overboard emergency, the ship had already called at Gibraltar, UK, Marseille, France, Genoa, La Spezia, Rome, and Naples, Italy, and Chania, Crete.
Storm Rocks Carnival Panorama on Mexican Riviera
Carnival Panorama Hit By Bad Weather (Credits: @queens_roost & Ritu Manoj Jethani)
The Gulf of California conjures images of clear blue skies against deep blue ocean, but the region can surprise with sudden and violent storms.
That was the case on August 20, 2025, when Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Panorama ran into such a storm during her 8-night Mexican Riviera itinerary that departed from Long Beach, California.
The 4,000-guest ship was sailing between Mazatlan and La Paz, Mexico, when the storm hit, causing damage in several areas and some flooding on the vessel.
It was around 8:15 p.m. when a gust of wind estimated at 60 mph caused the ship to list for about 30 seconds, guests wrote on social media.
Video posted by guests showed broken glass, flooding, and water leaks, and various other types of damage. There were no major injuries reported, although several passengers sought assistance from the ship’s medical team.
There were two passengers scheduled to be transported to a local hospital in the next port of call of La Paz on August 21, 2025.
The ship’s itinerary was not impacted. Carnival Panorama is slated to return as planned to Long Beach on August 24, 2025.
More Cruise Headlines
And there is more! Cruise Hive has plenty more news stories you should know about, such as Celebrity River Cruises offering Priority Booking Access for its first set of river cruises in Europe, Florida’s Port Canaveral mulling a big hike in parking fees, and Virgin Voyages making its app available for both iPhones and Androids.
Carnival cruise director MarQ Anthony has added a small twist to St. Jude fundraising efforts with a fun shirt size choice.
Cruise directors often go above and beyond to encourage donations for the fundraisers held on every sailing.
More than $33 million has already been raised for St. Jude through various events, with a goal of $50 million by 2030.
Carnival Cruise Line has been a charitable partner for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since 2009. Enthusiasm for supporting the charity has only grown, and Carnival’s cruise directors are leading on-the-deck efforts to encourage bigger and crazier donations.
One of the fleet’s most popular cruise directors, Marq “MarQ” Anthony, recently went in the opposite direction, however. Instead of bigger, he went smaller.
For a shirt size, that is!
During the onboard “Groove for St. Jude” events held on every Carnival sailing, guests donate to the charity and receive a t-shirt for their participation. In general, larger shirt sizes are often the most popular.
Currently the cruise director for Carnival Vista, MarQ honored a challenge for the smallest possible shirts following a $2,000 guest donation, and even took photographic evidence to prove it.
“After making a donation of $2,000, we decided to take on the challenge to squeeze into the smallest shirts possible… How did we do?!”he asked.
Posing on the Lido Deck, MarQ and the guest are styling shirt sizes I probably haven’t worn since middle school, if I’m being generous (and those shirts certainly aren’t generous).
What is big about the photo, however, is the smiles and the fun, which is what Groove for St. Jude is all about. Not only is the event intended as a good time for guests, but it is also to bring smiles and fun to children battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
At St. Jude, no family is ever turned away due to financial considerations, and families never receive bills for treatment, travel, housing, or food.
The research hospital operates primarily through such generous donations, including through compassionate corporations like Carnival Cruise Line.
To help reach that goal, there are regular “big ticket” fundraisers. For example, a pair of custom cowboy boots was auctioned off for Carnival Jubilee‘s inauguration in Texas in February 2024, ultimately raising $50,000.
Another notable fundraiser was when Carnival Cruise Line’s president, Christine Duffy, took on the challenge to skydive over Tampa Bay in October 2024. More than $85,000 was raised for that special event.
Some sentimental events have also encouraged fundraising. When Carnival Ecstasy retired in October 2023, onboard memorabilia was auctioned and raised more than $39,000.
To date, Carnival has already raised $33 million toward the overall $50 million donation goal.
Cruise Directors’ Best St. Jude Fundraisers
While headline-grabbing fundraisers can raise big bucks, it is the cruise line’s individual cruise directors who are truly making outstanding efforts to increase contributions to St. Jude.
Different cruise directors have taken extra special steps for their own Groove for St. Jude fundraisers, and guests step in to help beyond just their own donations.
On the August 8, 2025 Carnival Jubilee sailing, the combination of a donated John Heald-shaped duck and a Jubilee sea turtle, along with dozens of participating guests, raised more than $10,000.
Alex Siegler Shaves Chest for Charity (Credit: Alex Siegler)
Many guests also donate blinged-out ducks, custom tumblers, and other unique souvenirs to encourage even higher fundraising totals. Whether the items are accepted is often at the discretion of the cruise director.
Few cruise directors have gone so far as Alex Siegler aboard Carnival Spirit, however.
Three months later, Siegler upped his dedication to supporting St. Jude by offering to wax his chest hair if guests raised $10,000. As before, the goal wasn’t quite reached, but because the $8,000 total was still so outstanding, he went through with the painful promise.
Have you joined in St. Jude fundraisers onboard? What unique twists have you seen? Share your experiences on the Cruise Hive boards!
Carnival Conquest embarked on the first of four adults-only cruises that are targeting avid casino players on August 22, 2025.
Because of the high number of elite Diamond and Platinum guests onboard for this unique sailing, many of the usual perks offered to these guests are unavailable.
In this case, priority embarkation and disembarkation, early stateroom access, priority luggage delivery, and priority assistance from guest services will not be available.
Carnival Cruise Line is trying something new to celebrate its most VIP guests, but the special experience will not include some key loyalty perks for the voyage that just embarked on August 22, 2025.
Originally, Carnival Conquest was supposed to be undergoing refurbishments in dry dock from August 22 to September 20, 2025.
While the Carnival Players Club is separate from the Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) program, there is understandably a lot of crossover here.
This means that many of the perks elite Diamond and Platinum VIFP members are accustomed to will not be available on the current 9-night Southern Caribbean cruise, which is sailing round trip out of Miami, Florida.
“Due to the high number of Diamond and Platinum guests joining us on this voyage, we will not be able to provide the following benefits,”the cruise line wrote in a letter.
The benefits that won’t be available include priority embarkation and disembarkation (including at ports of call), early stateroom access, priority luggage delivery, and priority line and phone assistance from the onboard guest services team.
Additionally, main dining room seating requests for Diamond level guests also cannot be guaranteed.
Carnival Conquest is operating three more of these unique sailings on August 31, September 12, and September 21, and it’s possible that these voyages may also miss out on some perks given the status of the passengers.
Although it has been met with a lot of criticism, this is an example of why Carnival is doing away with the current VIFP system.
Especially for the longer Carnival Journeys sailings, there have been multiple cases where there are too many elite loyalty members onboard – making it so that nobody can take advantage of the perks.
“These operational changes are consistent with other voyages where we have a very large number of Diamond and Platinum guests. We apologize for any disappointment and thank you for your understanding,” Carnival wrote.
Carnival Glory Cruise Ship int he Bahamas (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
The VIFP program will officially be replaced by Carnival Rewards on June 1, 2026, so guests still have just over a year to prepare for the change.
Under the new plan, guests will earn stars based on not only how often they cruise, but also how much money they spend onboard, casino play, and even non-cruise purchases made with the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.
The amount of “stars” earned will determine guests’ loyalty tiers, which will remain in place for two years. The “lifetime” status that guests earn under the current VIFP program is being eliminated.
“I really just want to reassure people that it is not our intention at all for people not to maintain their status, just lifetime status is not feasible given the number of people and the growth in the highest tiers,”Carnival President Christine Duffy clarified soon after Carnival Rewards was announced.
The “lifetime” status will phase out slowly, with all current VIFP members maintaining their status until May 31, 2028.
Top-tier Diamond members get an even longer buffer and will maintain their status until May 31, 2032.
Guests boarding Carnival Panorama on Sunday, August 24 must delay their cruise terminal arrival by 30 minutes.
The ship’s departure from Long Beach has not been changed and Carnival Panorama will still set sail at 4 p.m. for the 6-night cruise.
The cause of the change has not been disclosed but may be related to parking shortages impacting the same sailing.
When you’ve been looking forward to a cruise for weeks, months, or even years, embarkation can’t come soon enough. For some Carnival Panorama guests, however, their embarkation has to wait a little longer.
Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests booked on the Sunday, August 24, 2025 sailing to alert them that their embarkation is now delayed.
While the delay isn’t significant, just 30 minutes, it can put a damper on the first day of the 6-night Mexican Riviera cruise.
“Embarkation for your cruise has been revised. We must allow debarking guests to leave before we can accommodate your arrival,”the email notification advised.
Guests are now asked to arrive a half hour later than their original terminal arrival appointments. For example, guests who selected 12-12:30 p.m. should now arrive from 12:30-1 p.m. instead.
The cruise line is very clear that guests must follow the adjusted embarkation times.
“It is very important that you adhere to this revised plan,”the email explains.“Guests who arrive earlier than their newly assigned time will be asked to return later.”
On the revised schedule, the latest terminal arrival appointment is now 2:30-3 p.m. All guests must be onboard Carnival Panorama no later than 3:30 p.m. for the ship’s 4 p.m. departure.
There is no change to the ship’s itinerary. Carnival Panorama will still spend a double (overnight) call in Cabo San Lucas on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 26-27, followed by a visit to Ensenada on Friday, August 29.
Likewise, the ship’s return to Long Beach for debarkation on Saturday, August 30, is not impacted.
Fortunately, the delay is not for several hours and guests should have no difficulty with the adjustment.
Why Such a Slight Change?
Carnival Cruise Line has not indicated why there must be a 30-minute embarkation delay, other than to note that “we must allow debarking guests to leave before we can accommodate your arrival.”
There is no suggestion of any problem with Carnival Panorama and the ship is well within her operational guidelines.
It is possible that a higher than typical number of guests on the current sailing may require assistance or be using mobility scooters, which can slightly delay debarkation. This could create a backlog in the terminal that must be cleared before embarking guests can be processed.
Cruise terminal staffing or maintenance, upgrades, or local construction could also be contributing to the delay.
Guests on the August 24 departure have already been warned of parking difficulties and the need for offsite parking, which could also cause the embarkation delay.
This ship departure time shift has not changed, despite the slight embarkation delay.
To be clear, the cruise terminal arrival time for guests is now 30 minutes later than originally planned. Meanwhile, the ship’s departure from her Long Beach homeport is 30 minutes earlier than the original itinerary.
These two time shifts do not cancel each other out. Guests are getting onboard the Vista-class ship slightly later than planned, but they will still be setting sail earlier.
