One guest has complained about long PA announcements for sales and spending onboard Carnival ships.
John Heald offered insights into making the onboard announcements and why they are necessary.
Carnival Cruise Line is a business and onboard spending helps keep cruise fare prices affordable.
It’s unfortunate that poor behavior often makes headlines, and Carnival Cruise Line has acquired quite the reputation for poor behavior in recent months.
In fact, the behavior is encouraged, and it is Carnival cruise directors who are doing it: lengthy sales-job announcements.
Every guest has heard the reminders over the ship’s public address system about sales, jewelry specials, spa offers, pay-to-play games, and more. But not every guest appreciates the daily “just buy more” rundown.
One frustrated guest was so upset recently that they reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, about the practice.
“Our cruise director was really, really nickel and diming us on our sailing. Overhead announcements 3x a day at minimum. Loud and long, morning, noon, and night,”the guest described.
“He was basically saying Good Morning hope you having a awesome time on your cruise. Don’t forget to bring your wallet to bingo, the shops & art auction so you can donate!”
The guest noted that “every passenger” they spoke to said the same, that the announcements were too long and lost listeners’ attention.
“Why is this allowed?”they asked.
Heald spent many years of his Carnival career as a cruise director on various ships. He shared his insights while explaining why the announcements are the way they are, and why they won’t be stopping.
First, he noted that the volume of the intercom can be difficult to gauge. Some cruise directors might come across as overly loud when they don’t mean to be yelling.
“Nobody gives you any training in the use of the PA system and trust me, it’s harder to use than you might imagine,”he said.
“You can’t hear yourself so it’s hard to judge the volume and finding the right time to make announcements and, even more importantly, the right length is also very difficult.”
But what about the content of the announcements? The spiels for sales, buy this, buy that, spend here, just a few more dollars… Heald reminds the guest that Carnival Cruise Line is, after all, a business.
“How sodding dare we try and make money, what would our shareholders say?”he quipped.
“It is the Cruise Director’s responsibility to promote the revenue and it is that onboard revenue that has always been the foundation on which Carnival Cruise Line can keep the cost of your cruises the most affordable in the entire industry.”
(Photo Credit: Stephen Barnes)
To be fair, no Carnival guest is ever forced to spend more than they might wish, no matter what the announcements say.
Don’t want to pay for a formal night portrait? Take a selfie instead. Not interested in a bingo game or Deal Or No Deal? It’s free to watch. Don’t care for the art auction? You don’t have to go.
Cruise directors often try to inject their personality into announcements to make them funny and interesting.
Singing, catch phrases, or bad jokes can all be part of the announcements. Some of the most memorable Carnival cruise directors I have heard used exaggerated accents or stage whispers to keep guests listening.
More Ways to Get Announcements
Not every guest may appreciate the intercom announcements, but there are other ways to learn what is going on around a Carnival cruise ship.
Reading the paper copy of the FunTimes newsletter is one option. These copies are delivered to guests’ staterooms every evening, or they can be picked up at the Guest Services desk.
The Carnival Hub app also has each day’s activities, including special sales, deals, and offers for guests to consider.
Different members of the activities team, what Carnival calls the “Fun Squad,” may also give reminders about upcoming activities and events at trivia contests or other games.
Ultimately, what guests need to consider is that yes, Carnival Cruise Line is still a business. Overall, even 2-3 minutes of PA announcements several times a day is just a tiny percentage of the fun time guests can have onboard.
As someone who has been on more than a dozen cruises in recent years, one of my biggest problems is that my sailings start to blur together with time. After a while, the specific ports I visited slowly but surely became gray spots in my memory.
The Cruise Globe solves this problem. For the first time ever, cruisers can record every single one of their sailings in one digital online hub – making it fun and easy to relive and share their vacation memories.
Since its launch earlier this year, The Cruise Globe has become a major sensation among cruise fans and it’s easy to see why.
When The Cruise Globe Was Founded – and How It’s Grown
If you’re wondering why you haven’t heard about The Cruise Globe sooner, it’s because this digital platform is still brand new. The Cruise Globe only just launched on February 12, 2025.
But in just about six months, the platform has grown exponentially. As of August 25, 2025, The Cruise Globe has reached 58,000 users who come from more than 102 different countries (and counting!).
In just the first two weeks after launch, more than 57,000 cruises were logged in the platform – and that number has only grown in the months since.
Who Founded The Cruise Globe?
So, who are the masterminds behind The Cruise Globe? It is none other than Emma Le Teace, Matthew Jones, and Will Ellison.
You may already know Le Teace as an avid cruiser and the face of the Emma Cruises brand. Her YouTube channel has 405,000 followers as of the time of publication and she has hundreds of thousands of followers on her different social media platforms.
The Cruise Globe Founders: Emma Le Teace, Matthew Jones, and Will Ellison
Jones is in charge of all marketing and partnerships at The Cruise Globe, and its sister company, The Cruise Maps. He also has a background in cruising (both of his parents worked on Cunard Line ships), as well as publishing and geography.
Ellison is a naval architect with over 15 years of experience working with AIS satellite data, which is used to track cruise ships.
The three co-founders and friends have combined their experience to fill the gap in the cruise industry with the introduction of The Cruise Globe.
Revolutionizing Cruise Ship Tracking
What makes The Cruise Globe really special is that cruise fans are able to revisit their sailings as far back as 2015, free of charge. No other cruise trackers offer this feature.
“For years, I’ve felt as though the cruise industry has been left behind when it comes to technology. I’ve always kept a written list of my cruises, but I knew that there had to be a better way,”Co-Founder Emma Le Teace told Cruise Hive.
“The response to The Cruise Globe so far has been phenomenal. It’s clear that I wasn’t the only person who wanted a way to track and relive my cruises, keeping everything together in one place. This is just the start and I am so excited about the future,” Le Teace added.
Using AIS tracking data, the platform can pull the exact route a cruise ship took during a specific sailing in virtually no time at all.
The Cruise Globe Map
This can then be explored using 3D maps and detailed satellite views of ports of call, allowing cruise lovers to relive their favorite experiences and show off to friends and family at home.
One of my personal favorite features is the Cruise Replay option, which plays your cruise route in a 3D video exactly as it happened during your sailing.
While guests often know the ports of call, they may not know the exact course that their ship charted (and how close to major landmarks they may have been), so it’s also an opportunity to learn something new about your travels potentially years later.
You can also view digital cruise cards of your voyage, which are easy to download or share on social media, that show the dates of your sailing, where you embarked and disembarked, and how many nautical miles you traveled.
What I found even more fun is that I could look at my entire cruise history collectively in my Globe Passport.
The Cruise Globe Passport
Based on the four sailings I entered into my account, I have sailed 3,625 nautical miles, spent 22 days at sea, and visited 16 cruise ports across six countries and two continents. How cool is that!
Of course, The Cruise Globe does offer live 3D tracking of cruise ships’ current locations.
All you have to do is search for a specific ship to find out everything you could possibly want to know about where it is, where it’s been, where it’s heading, and how fast it’s sailing.
It also shares useful stats about the ship’s size, when it launched, and how long the vessel is.
For easy access, you can also favorite specific ships – which I know will be useful for people like me who like to track my ships in the weeks and days leading up to my next sailing.
How to Use The Cruise Globe
The Cruise Globe is very innovative, but it’s not complicated to use at all, even for someone who isn’t particularly tech savvy like me.
To start, all you have to do is make a free account using your email address. If you have one, you can even use your existing Apple or Google account to make the process quicker and easier. The sign-up process takes minutes, if that.
Then, all you have to do to start logging your cruises is go to “My Cruises” and select “Add a Cruise” on the left hand side of your computer screen.
The Cruise Globe
You’ll be prompted to fill in your ship’s name, the dates of your sailing, and your embarkation and disembarkation ports.
After that, all you have to do is click submit and your exact cruise route populates in a matter of seconds.
The platform is very intuitive and easy to use. Once you add your cruise, simply select your sailing and click on buttons that say “cruise card” and “cruise replay” to explore your voyage in new ways.
Turning Memories Into Keepsakes
Again, The Cruise Globe platform is entirely free to use.
But for extra special sailings, cruisers might want to opt to have their voyage map printed and framed – which makes a great gift for birthdays or for the holiday season.
In The Cruise Globe, you will have the option to select “Buy This Map” on the bottom right hand corner of your screen when a specific sailing is selected.
The Cruise Maps
This will take you to The Cruise Maps, which is The Cruise Globe’s sister website that launched in 2024, where you can have your custom map printed for as little as $67.
Starting the process in The Cruise Globe allows you to preview your cruise map before printing, and then autopopulates the cruise information fields (i.e., sailing dates) for you.
There are a variety of options in terms of map types (satellite or classic), layout (landscape or portrait), sizes, and frame options to choose from.
As another unique keepsake, you can also have the cruise cards that The Cruise Globe generates sent to The Cruise Maps for printing.
Cruise Cards
Pricing starts at $20 per card, but discounts are given as more cards are added to your order.
The cards can be printed individually, or you can upgrade to a custom cruise card album that holds up to 60 cruise cards and is entirely handcrafted by professional bookbinders in the UK. This upgrade costs $97 as of the time of publication.
What’s Coming Next For The Cruise Globe?
It’s only up from here! The team behind The Cruise Globe has many plans to continue to improve the experience.
By early September, an IOS and Android App that allows cruise fans to access The Cruise Globe from their smartphones will be available in the App Store.
Additionally, the team is working hard on adding a new feature called “Cruise Discovery,” which will allow users to explore possible future cruises on the map interface as they think about where they want to sail to next.
Cruise Hive will be eagerly watching as The Cruise Globe continues to innovate and grow.
Cruise directors can make anywhere from around $50,000 per year to over $80,000 per year, with a $67,651 median salary. However, how much one makes depends on quite a few factors, including level of expertise, the cruise line and location.
Here’s everything you need to know about how much you can make as a cruise director and how to become one.
According toSalary.com, cruise directors from the United States make a median salary of $67,651. Some, though, make much less than this, while others make much more. The bottom 10% base salary can hover at around $56,000 per year, while the top earners can make as much as $80,450 per year.
There are a lot of factors that influence how much cruise directors make.
How Cruise Director Salaries Differ According to Geography
Cruise directors make more when they’re based out of certain cities. According to Salary.com, directors in the following cities all make more than $75,000 per year, putting them above the median salary.
San Jose, California
San Francisco, California
Oakland, California
New York City, New York
Queens, New York
Parasmus, New Jersey
Passaic, New Jersey
Bergenfield, New Jersey
Stamford, Connecticut
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Not unsurprisingly, a lot of these top-paying cities both are situated near cruise hubs, and are also cities with high costs of living.
How Cruise Director Salaries Differ According to Cruise Line
According to Columbia, the cruise line you work with will impact your salary as well. The more luxurious the cruise line, the more likely that they’ll pay you more.
The university estimates that luxury cruise lines will pay salaries around $80,000–$120,000; mid-range cruise lines will pay salaries around $50,000–$90,000; and budget cruise lines will pay salaries around $40,000–$70,000.
How Cruise Director Salaries Differ According to Ship Size
Additionally, Columbia noted, cruise directors will often make more on larger ships.
Large and Small Cruise Ships (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
This makes a lot of sense, as a cruise line’s biggest ships are often newer or flag ships that thousands of people will look forward to sailing on — so a cruise line will put a cruise director with a higher experience level at the helm. The large amount of experience required plus the high level of responsibility results in larger paychecks for cruise directors.
Columbia estimates that cruise directors on large ships make around $80,000–$120,000; cruise directors on mid-size ships make around $50,000–$90,000; and cruise directors on small ships make around $40,000–$70,000.
What Does a Cruise Director Do?
A cruise director is, in essence, the face of the cruise, or the face of fun, if you will. They’re interacting with guests and making sure they have the best possible time. This sounds like an easy job if you love cruising, but it’s actually a lot of hard work!
Cruise Director Jake (Photo Credit: Jake Miller)
On a day-to-day basis, cruise directors might:
Organize social events and activities
Manage staff related to social events and activities
Welcome guests to the ship
Provide guests with recommendations for what to do, both on the ship and in port
Ensure guests are behaving appropriately
Provide customer support to cruise guests when necessary
Provide support in the event of a cruise ship emergency
Make daily cruise ship announcements
Source and scheduling cruise ship entertainment
Host their own entertainment, such as game shows
Gather cruise passengers’ feedback and adjusting the experience accordingly
It’s also worth noting that a cruise director job isn’t one that you can just leave at the end of the day. Cruise directors are contracted to work on the ship for a certain amount of time — such as six months or so — and they often work all day long. As such, it’s important to have a true passion for the job.
Perks of Being a Cruise Director
There are many benefits to becoming a cruise director, starting with, obviously, the ability to spend every day, all day cruising around the globe, exploring different cultures.
However, for those who love to entertain, be around people and provide memorable moments for those around them, a role as a cruise director can be exceptionally fulfilling.
How to Become a Cruise Director
Pursue the Right Education
If you’re interested in becoming a cruise director, you’ll want to start with pursuing the right education, such as a degree in hospitality, communication, tourism, business administration or entertainment (like theater).
If you don’t have a degree in one of these fields, you may be able to make up for that with enough years’ relevant job experience.
Cruise Director on Royal Caribbean
It can also be very helpful to be fluent in a foreign language (or a few foreign languages!). Then, a cruise line could assign you to cruise routes that travel to countries wherein that language is spoken, making it easier for you to work with locals. Likewise, this skill can help you better accommodate international cruisers.
You may also want to pursue additional certifications, such as those offered by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). This type of continual education can boost job prospects throughout the entirety of your career as a cruise director (resulting in a higher salary!).
Develop the Right Soft Skills
Beyond education, though, many cruise lines are also looking at applicants’ soft skills. Successful cruise directors are excellent communicators, leaders and problem solvers.
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
They’re able to think on their feet, remain calm in a crisis and adapt as necessary. They also typically have very entertaining, funny and charming personalities.
Get Some Prior Job Experience
Most cruise directors do not go straight from getting a degree in hospitality to a cruise director role. Many start out in lower positions on a cruise ship and then work their way up, as cruise lines appreciate applicants with prior experience living and working on a cruise ship.
You might get a role as a cabin steward or activity director, for example, or a role as a cruise ship entertainer. Many Carnival Cruise Line cruise directors start out as a member of the Carnival Fun Squad before being promoted to cruise director status.
Examples of Real Life Cruise Director Backgrounds
Fleet Cruise Director, Lee Mason (Photo Credit: Lee Mason)
You can look at the resumes of prominent cruise directors working in the industry today, to see their career paths and what led them to becoming cruise directors. This will give you an idea of what you might need to similarly do.
For example, popular cruise director Leon Smith (who we’ll discuss more momentarily) has a degree in theater and music education, and held roles as a Chuck E. Cheese cast member and Nickelodeon resort activity host before becoming a cruise director.
Similarly, cruise director Lee Mason has a degree in musical theater, and held roles as an entertainment manager, performance host, radio presenter and assistant cruise director, before becoming a cruise director at Carnival Cruise Line.
Examples of Cruise Director Job Listings from Real Cruise Lines
At least three years in the entertainment industry
Cruise ship experience
On-mic experience
Experience managing budgets
At least three years of management experience (preferably)
Additionally, the cruise line notes it’s looking for cruise directors that are charming, engaging and able to train and mentor other staff.
On Princess Cruises, meanwhile, cruise director applicants are required to have at least five years of experience hosting events, activities, shows or theatrical performances.
MSC Virtuosa, Le Grand Theater
Princess Cruises likewise looks for applicants with charismatic, funny and lovable personalities. Applicants are also required to submit a head shot, as well as an unedited, unscripted video that includes a summary of the applicant’s life story, a recounting of a funny life moment, a welcome speech to cruise guests and other details that give hirers an idea of one’s stage presence.
At MSC Cruises, the cruise directors lead teams of hundreds of other individuals, so the cruise line is looking for applicants with leadership experience, as well as experience having worked with a cruise line, and in entertainment or presentation.
Applicants should all be knowledgeable of the cruising industry in general, and MSC Cruises likes cruise directors to be fluent in at least two European languages.
Career Path for Cruise Directors
While a cruise director job in general can seem like a great opportunity for someone who loves cruising, the opportunities don’t stop there. Once you become a cruise director, you have many more career paths ahead of you.
Fleet Cruise Director
Leon Smith Fleet Cruise Director Announced
For example, some cruise directors are promoted to what’s known as a fleet cruise director. A fleet cruise director is a leadership position overseeing other cruise directors for a cruise line. A cruise line can have multiple fleet cruise directors.
Often, cruise directors are awarded this role after they’ve spent many years with a cruise line and proven that they can deliver a superior cruiser experience, with every cruise.
For instance, in early 2025, Carnival Cruise Line promoted cruise director Leon Smith to fleet cruise director. Smith has been with Carnival Cruise Line since 2015 and is one of the line’s most beloved cruise directors with avid cruisers. He’s also worked on more than a dozen of the cruise line’s ships, as well as received many awards, such as Cruise Director of the Year.
Another opportunity for cruise directors? Many now take their effervescent personalities into the online realm, by posting about their journeys to social media, basically becoming influencers, which comes with its own career opportunities.
It’s nothing new for avid cruisers to quickly come to know who their favorite cruise directors are, and to specifically book cruises where that cruise director is in charge.
With so many cruise directors taking to social media in a broader way now, though, it gives cruisers yet another way to connect with these individuals vital to their cruising experience.
Popular cruise directors-turned-influencers include Christine Kesteloo, a former cruise director with 141k-plus followers on Instagram and 1 million-plus followers on TikTok, and who currently sails with her husband, who works as an engineer on Holland America ships.
There’s also John Heald, a UK-based senior cruise director for Carnival Cruise Line, who became a cruise director in 1990 and now has a following of more than 600k on Facebook.
Kyndall Fire, similarly, has 165k followers on Facebook, and currently works as a cruise director for Carnival Cruise Line, recently wrapping up a contract on Carnival Jubilee.
Other, more “micro” influencers include Carnival Cruise Line fleet cruise director Lee Mason, with 30k followers on Facebook; and Mark Walker, a Royal Caribbean cruise director with 53k followers on Facebook.
Is Becoming a Cruise Director Right for You?
So is becoming a cruise director right for you? It all depends on your career goals and whether or not you feel you have the right personality and mindset for this very unique role. It’s definitely not a job that’s for everyone, or even for everyone who loves cruising.
You’ll need to be comfortable staying at sea for months at a time, and love entertaining, being around lots of people and putting your cruisers’ needs first.
If, though, that sounds right up your alley, then becoming a cruise director can be an enjoyable career that comes with a very comfortable salary.
A glass panel on Deck 15 of Royal Caribbean’s brand new Star of the Seas suddenly shattered on the morning of August 26, 2025.
Crew members took appropriate actions to block off the area and no injuries have been reported.
The incident occurred during a preview sailing for the new ship, with her official maiden voyage quickly approaching on August 31, 2025.
The brand new Star of the Seas hasn’t yet set sail on her official maiden voyage, but there has already been some unwanted excitement onboard the second Icon-class ship.
At approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning, August 26, 2025, a glass panel on Deck 15 suddenly shattered, startling guests who were relaxing and tanning nearby.
The panel is one of many that run along the outside of the deck to form an aesthetic safety barrier.
A TikTok user, who goes by Asphalt Mafia on the platform, captured the aftermath of the incident on video as a crew member worked to block off the area.
The poster was one of up to 5,610 guests onboard for Star of the Seas’ second to last preview cruise, which is a 4-night sailing to Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas that embarked from Port Canaveral on August 23, 2025.
“Day three on Star Of The Seas while sitting on deck 15 I heard a pop. Like a tire popped. It was tempered glass that shattered,” the cruiser captioned the TikTok.
#shatteredwindowcruising#staroftheseasship#trending#glass#viral Day three on Star Of The Sea while sitting on deck 15 I heard a pop. Like a tire popped. It was tempered glass that shattered. It’s only 85 degrees and 1030 am est. is this a new phenomenon while cruising. Safety is priceless. Did Royal Carribean Order Faulty Glass.
The open area has now been blocked off with what looks like a white tarp and a crowd control barrier as a temporary solution.
There are thankfully no reports of any injuries to guests or crew members.
Hopefully, repairs can be completed ahead of the 248,663-gross ton vessel’s maiden voyage, which is a 7-night sailing to the Western Caribbean that embarks in just a few days on August 31.
Lots of Broken Glass
There is a common saying about “breaking the ice” when meeting someone new, but lately Royal Caribbean ships have been breaking the glass instead.
Indeed, there have been multiple incidents of glass breaking onboard Symphony of the Seas. The third incident of the year just unfolded earlier this month when atempered glass panel broke on Deck 16near the onboard zip line.
Thankfully, the panel cracked, but did not rain glass shards onto the busy Boardwalk area on Deck 6 below the panel.
Crew Member Checking Shattered Glass (Photo Credit: wild_n_free)
And at the beginning of June, a window in the Coastal Kitchen restaurant shattered, with passengers getting out of the way of the debris just in time thanks to crew member Nitin Kumar’s heroic efforts.
Icon of the Seas, which is Star of the Seas’ older sister, has also had some glass-related trouble of its own in the Category 6 Waterpark.
The attraction, which features the biggest drop at sea at 46 feet tall, has been closed onboard both Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas until an investigation into what happened is completed.
In all of these situations, it’s unclear what caused the glass to break. It could be anything from incorrect installation, manufacturing defects, changing weather conditions, an unexpected impact, or something else entirely.
But what is clear is that Royal Caribbean always has the safety of its guests and crew members as the top priority, and the cruise line will do everything in its power to investigate the causes and make appropriate repairs.
Extinction Rebellion activists blocked P&O Cruises’ Ventura from docking in Rotterdam on Sunday, August 24.
The ship was delayed for about 30 minutes before local police broke up the protest and arrested two protesters.
This is the group’s second protest in recent weeks, the earlier one being against Celebrity Eclipse in Amsterdam.
Protests against cruise ships aren’t a new phenomenon, whether with signs and billboards or, in the case of a recent protest in Rotterdam, kayaks and oars.
A small group of Extinction Rebellion activists staged a floating protest on the Maas River as P&O Cruises’ Ventura was visiting the second-largest city in the Netherlands.
Using canoes and kayaks, about 15 protestors attempted to stop the ship’s arrival on Sunday, August 24, 2025 by clogging the water near the pier. This prevented the ship from docking on schedule.
Police officers forced the protesters to move to accommodate the ship. Ultimately, two protesters were arrested, but it is not known what charges they may face.
Local media reports note that Ventura was only delayed for about 30 minutes. Overall, the “protest” did not have a significant impact on the ship’s visit or schedule.
Cruisegigant Ventura in Rotterdam geblokkeerd door dappere rebellen 🪧 Kijk live mee via xrtv.nl
The protesters offered a different view of what otherwise appears to be a failed effort, considering the ship did ultimately dock after only the briefest of delays.
“If politicians still don’t ban cruises… we’ll stop them ourselves!”Extinction Rebellion declared in a social media post.
“We blocked the Maas River so that the cruise ship couldn’t dock. Rebels also stood on the quayside to protest and proclaim our demand: Ban cruise ships and close the cruise terminal!”
It’s a bold statement from a very vocal group, but ultimately, has very little impact on the cruise line or port operations in Rotterdam.
Ventura visited Rotterdam as the only port of call on a 4-night sailing from Southampton that departed on Saturday, August 23. The ship is homeported year-round from the UK, offering a diverse selection of itineraries from 4-14 nights.
Amsterdam and Rotterdam are both frequent calls for Ventura‘s short sailings, as they are a convenient distance for a quick getaway. Amsterdam is 300 miles from Southampton as the ship sails, while Rotterdam is just a bit further at 320 miles away.
In that incident, about 30 protestors formed a barrier and blocked the ship for about two hours. As Celebrity Eclipse was debarking in Amsterdam, the disruption was far more problematic.
Many different cruise lines visit both ports, including Holland America Line, AIDA Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Virgin Voyages, and more.
How Can Small Boats Block a Much Bigger Ship?
It seems completely silly that something as small as a meager flotilla of kayaks can stop a massive cruise ship.
After all, Ventura measures 116,017 gross tons and has a maximum passenger capacity of 3,597 guests. A typical 2-person kayak weighs just about 85 pounds and has a passenger capacity of, well, two.
Comparing the ship to the kayaks, it would take 1,799 kayaks to equal the cruise ship’s passenger capacity. In other words, a lot more than the 15 kayaks the “protestors” managed to line up.
Extinction Rebellion and Stop Croisières Block Cruise Ships in Marseille (Photo Credit: Stop Croisières)
In comparing overall size, it would take 220,000 kayaks to equal the cruise ship – a LOT more than 15.
Nevertheless, blocking the cruise ship can be an effective, if very short-term, strategy. The ship certainly will not simply sail over kayakers (that would be a much bigger news story).
Ultimately, however, it isn’t blocking an individual cruise ship that such protest groups want. Raising awareness of the controversy ships can cause with overcrowding, pollution, and other concerns can be a far more effective protest weapon.
If cruise ships are significantly delayed or ultimately cancel port visits due to even small protests, that can have a knock-on effect with unhappy guests, disrupted port operations, and schedule changes.
All of these factors might, in fact, cause cruise lines to reconsider whether or not they will continue to visit cities with frequent protests.
Repairs are now in progress for the Frightening Bolt waterslide onboard Icon of the Seas, from which a glass panel shattered while a guest was riding it earlier this month.
The acrylic glass panel is being replaced with the same solid tubing that is used on the rest of the attraction.
It’s unclear when the repaired slide will actually be back in business onboard Icon of the Seas, or when the identical slide onboard the newly launched Star of the Seas will open.
Few in the cruise community will ever forget the day that the Frightening Bolt waterslide broke open on Icon of the Seas, but Royal Caribbean is one step closer to putting the saga in the past.
While the man thankfully did not fall through the slide, which would have been bad, as Frightening Bolt is the tallest at waterslide at sea at 46 feet tall, he did receive significant skin lacerations.
For Royal Caribbean’s part, the cruise line offered the passenger prompt medical care and closed the attraction on both Icon of the Seas and the brand new Star of the Seas until a thorough investigation could be completed.
But while the cause of the break hasn’t been publicly released, a determination must have been made as current guests onboard the Icon-class flagship have noticed that repairs are now in progress.
Icon of the Seas Waterslide Repairs (Photo Credit: thugsbunny808)
Instead of installing a new acrylic glass panel, crew members appear to be replacing the broken part with a solid piece that is similar to the tubing that is used for the rest of the slide.
“It looks like the slide is currently being fixed. They are replacing the clear plexiglass with a solid piece,”one cruiser shared, along with pictures of a crane and a construction team at work.
“They’re replacing the broken clear section with a piece similar to the rest of the slide,” another current guest verified.
It’s unclear when the Frightening Bolt waterslide will finally reopen. Once repairs are completed, the slide still has to pass inspections and testing to ensure its safety.
Will Star of the Seas Get the Same Fix?
At this time, the identical attraction in the Category 6 Waterpark onboard Star of the Seas remains closed.
“Currently on star and it’s not operational as of yet. We dock tomorrow,”said one cruiser, who is onboard for the 4-night preview voyage that embarked on August 23.
Depending on what Royal Caribbean uncovered in the investigation, it’s possible that the brand new cruise ship will need to undergo the same fix.
“I assume Star will need the same acrylic section replaced on its trap door slide before that reopens,” one cruise fan theorized.
Icon of the Seas Waterslide Breaking Moment (Credit: @pendopopolis)
It’s unclear if the slide will reopen before the 5,610-guest mega-ship embarks on her official maiden voyage on August 31, 2025, in Port Canaveral.
Among the cruise community, the majority have been impressed by the quality of Royal Caribbean’s fix, and the speed at which repairs are being completed.
“This is no surprise to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if the thermal difference between fiberglass (normal slide construction) and acrylic (clear slide construction) contributed to the issue. This is a good fix,”one person reacted.
“Honestly, I expected this slide to be out of action for months. Amazed they’ve moved so fast,” another cruiser chimed in.
As the repairs are completed, safety will no doubt continue to be top of mind for the cruise line.
Royal Caribbean prides itself on often going above and beyond the standards that have been established by Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the US Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA).
An overboard situation from Disney Wish at around 8 p.m. on August 26, 2025, turned out to be a false alarm.
The Disney cruise ship turned around and launched a search and rescue mission.
Cruise Hive will update when more is known about the status of the rescue and any potential changes to the 4-night Bahamas itinerary.
UPDATE:
Since the original report, it has now been confirmed that the overboard was a false alarm. A full rescue operation was launched, including the ship’s rescue boats, following a sighting of a large piece of debris in the water. As a precaution, the ship’s captain initiated a mandatory count of all passengers and crew. Thankfully, everyone was accounted for.
ORIGINAL:
The second man overboard situation of the summer is currently unfolding for Disney Cruise Line.
Tonight, on August 26, 2025, the man overboard alarm has been sounded once again – this time onboard Disney Wish.
The 4,000-guest ship was en route from Nassau, Bahamas, to Castaway Cay (which is Disney’s original private island) when the man overboard announcement was made at approximately 8 p.m. ship time.
“Departed Nassau around 5:30 pm heading towards Castaway Cay. MOB called just before 8 pm. We have turned around. It is dark, so not much to see,”one guest reported.
“We’re on the Wish now, about an hour after leaving Nassau they sounded the man overboard alarm and started throwing life preservers over the port side and started turning around,” another current passenger verified.
This is still a developing situation, and it is currently unknown who went overboard and what circumstances may have led to their fall.
Cruise Hive has reached out to Disney Cruise Line for comment and will update our readers when more information is known.
The Search is On
The 1,555 crew members working onboard Disney Wish quickly launched emergency protocols, likely following a similar process as what unfolded onboard Disney Dream and allowed for the successful rescue of the father and daughter earlier this summer.
As reported by current passengers, life preservers were thrown overboard, presumably in the area where the person landed.
This helps the person stay afloat until the cruise ship can turn around and come back for them, and also can make them easier to find again.
Per witnesses, at least two rescue boats have been launched, while pictures show a spotlight scanning the water from overhead.
Disney Wish Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
“Two boats were launched, the smaller boat was just recovered with just the crew. The second boat, a life boat, is still in the water. Water is fairly smooth,” one guest updated just before 9 p.m. EST.
At around 9:45 p.m. EST, another passenger informed the cruising community that guests have been called to their muster stations for a headcount and likely to check if any witnesses may have useful information for the search.
“Update: they are calling a mandatory meeting at assembly stations to account for all guests on board,” the cruiser shared.
We can only hope that the person who went overboard will be found and rescued safely, and Disney Cruise Line is surely doing everything in its power to achieve that outcome.
Disney’s crew members will most likely continue searching until they find the missing person, or until first responders from the US Coast Guard take over.
At this time, it’s unclear how the remainder of the current 4-night Bahamas cruise, which embarked from Port Canaveral on August 25, may be impacted.
The second and final port call of the voyage is on Castaway Cay and is scheduled for tomorrow, August 27.
The DCL ship is only around 60 nautical miles from Castaway Cay, which is a pretty short distance for a cruise ship sailing at normal speeds, but all will depend on how long it takes for this unfortunate situation to resolve.
Norwegian Aqua completed her first sailing from Manhattan to Bermuda, marking the start of a season of roundtrip cruises to the island through October.
Tri-state area passengers can enjoy one- or two-night overnight visits at the Royal Naval Dockyard.
The ship will reposition to Miami in early October for a winter season in the Caribbean.
It’s not often that cruisers in the tri-state area get to enjoy a brand-new ship for an entire season, with cruise lines often just making a one-time preview visit, but now they have something to celebrate.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest ship, Norwegian Aqua, has just completed her first of several voyages from Manhattan to Bermuda.
The ship, which made her maiden voyage in March 2025, will operate from New York through October 2025, offering roundtrip 5- and 7-night cruises to the Royal Naval Dockyard.
“We’re thrilled to have had Norwegian Aqua kick off her voyages from New York City this past week,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
He said New York is an important market to the company and that the cruise operator that also operates Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises is “excited to showcase our newest ship” from the region.
“We look forward to our guests enjoying all the onboard experiences Norwegian Aqua has to offer with their loved ones before relaxing on the pink sandy beaches and dipping into the clear blue waters of Bermuda,” he added.
Not only do guests get to enjoy a new ship, but they also get to enjoy the cruise line’s newest features, including the Aqua Slidecoaster, the first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide at sea, and Glow Court, a digital sports complex.
Norwegian Aqua’s first successful voyage from the city that never sleeps launched on August 22, 2025, and enjoyed an overnight call in Bermuda, arriving at 8 a.m. on August 24 and not departing again until 3 p.m. on August 25.
The second voyage kicks off later today, August 27, for another 5-day itinerary, now that the ship’s inaugural sailing has returned.
Longer 7-night options spend two nights in Bermuda for an even extended visit to the British island.
New Ship, New Fun
Norwegian Aqua’s Bermuda itineraries, designed to provide up to 3,571 passengers with more time ashore, also allow for plenty of time to experience the new ship and discover its amenities.
Families and groups will find a new Aqua Game Zone venue with arcade and virtual reality games, while adults can head to the expanded pool deck or the adults-only Vibe Beach Club retreat, complete with cabanas and hot tubs.
Entertainment onboard includes two major productions. “Revolution: A Celebration of Prince” pats tribute to the late music icon with a theatrical experience, while “Elements: The World Expanded” builds on one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s most popular shows.
Guests can also choose from 17 dining venues and multiple nightlife options.
The last roundtrip sailing to Bermuda will conclude on October 4, 2025, and then the 156,300-gross-ton vessel will reposition to Miami to launch a winter program of Caribbean and Bahama cruises on October 7 through April 2026.
These itineraries range from 4 to 7 days and include calls at the cruise line’s private destination, Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas, currently undergoing a multi-phase expansion.
The destination will debut a new multi-ship pier, a 28,000-square-foot heated pool, and a kids’ splash pad by late 2025. A waterpark is also scheduled to open in summer in 2026.
Norwegian Aqua will return to New York for passengers who miss this inaugural season, with further roundtrip sailings through October 2026.
Margaritaville at Sea introduced 3-night getaway cruises from Florida’s Port of Palm Beach aboard the 1,680-guest Margaritaville Paradise.
The new weekend itineraries, called “Bahamas Duos,” will call at two popular ports in the Bahamas, Nassau and Freeport, Grand Bahama.
At the same time, the cruise line unveiled a Labor Day Flash Sale through September 8, 2025, offering 80% cruise fare discounts on the second, third, and fourth guests sharing a stateroom.
A quick getaway cruise featuring two port call destinations in the Bahamas is the latest offering from Margaritaville at Sea, the Jimmy Buffett-inspired cruise brand that evokes a laid-back Caribbean party vibe.
For the first time, a 3-night voyage aboard Margaritaville Paradise will operate from the Port of Palm Beach, Florida, visiting Nassau, Bahamas, and Freeport, Grand Bahama Island.
While unveiling the new itinerary, the cruise line also announced a time-limited Labor Day Flash Sale that offers steep cruise fare discounts for the second, third, and fourth guests sharing the same stateroom.
First, let’s look closer at the new 3-night getaway sailing. The 1,680-guest Paradise will sail five departures of the “Bahamas Duos” cruise. All are weekend trips starting on Fridays and returning to Palm Beach on Monday mornings.
Departure dates are October 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, 2025. The last departure happens on Halloween, but all of the ship’s cruises in October will feature the cruise line’s “Sail the Haunted Seas” Halloween theme.
“With these new 3-night itineraries, guests don’t have to choose between an off-the-beaten-path adventure or sun-soaked, white sand beaches – they can have both,” a statement from Margaritaville at Sea said.
Sister ship Margaritaville Islander will also sport the spooky theme as she sails September and October cruises from the Port of Tampa.
Onboard Paradise, costume parties and Halloween trivia contests will be part of the fun, and some venues will be transformed. For instance, the Hemisphere Dancer bar will become the Hemis-Fear Dancer bar.
Guests who move quickly to book one of the new “Bahamas Duos” cruises can take advantage of the Labor Day sale. Reservations booked between August 25, 2025 and September 8, 2025 are eligible for a whopping 80% discount off the fares for the second, third, and fourth guests sharing a cabin.
Paradise Cruise Ship (Photo Courtesy: Port of West Palm Beach)
Fares for inside staterooms start at $229 per person for all departures except the October 31, 2025 sailing; that one starts at $269. Prices rise based on stateroom and departure date selected, ranging from ocean-view cabins at $239 per person to suites that cost up to $699 per person.
Stateroom selection is free except for suites. The Labor Day sale is valid on all Paradise sailings through December 30, 2026 and on Islander cruises through April 24, 2027.
In addition to the new Bahamas cruises aboard Paradise, the ship sails 2-night “Nassau Getaway” cruises that call at Nassau and 2- and 3-night “Grand Bahama Getaway” voyages, both calling at Freeport.
Cruise Brand Set to Expand With Third Ship
Margaritaville at Sea’s two-ship fleet is soon to become a three-ship fleet, with the cruise line’s planned purchase of a third vessel from Costa Cruises. The ship, the 3,450-guest Costa Fortuna, will be renamed Margaritaville Beachcomber after the vessel joins the fleet in September 2026.
Both Paradise and Islander are former Costa Cruises’ ships — Costa Classica and Costa Atlantica, respectively.
Meanwhile, Margaritaville at Sea recently announced it is relaunching its two-tiered Paradise Pass, which rewards frequent cruisers with the opportunity to lock in prices on future cruises for an upfront price.
The Silver Pass is valid on 2- and 3-night cruises, while the Ultimate Gold Pass is for 4- to 7-night voyages.
