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Carnival Sunshine Heads to Texas as Spirit Sails Tampa in 2027 Shakeup

Melissa Mayntz
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Carnival Sunshine Heads to Texas as Spirit Sails Tampa in 2027 Shakeup

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival Cruise Line has changed deployments and will now bring Carnival Sunshine to Texas in 2027.
  • Carnival Spirit will now be homeporting from Tampa in 2027 with Western Caribbean sailings from 6-8 nights.
  • This ends rumors that Carnival Sunshine might be retired after leaving Norfolk in 2027.

Just weeks after announcing where Carnival Spirit would bring the fun in 2027 and 2028, Carnival Cruise Line has now revised those deployment plans and is sending the ship to Tampa instead of Galveston.

At the same time, the fate of Carnival Sunshine has been announced and the popular vessel will be moving to Texas after finishing her time in Norfolk.

“We’re excited to introduce Carnival Sunshine to Galveston for the first time and bring Carnival Spirit to Tampa,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “This move allows us to serve more guests in Galveston where we continue to see strong demand and introduce new, longer Caribbean itineraries for guests sailing from Tampa.”

Carnival Spirit Moving to Tampa

In early September 2025, Carnival announced that Carnival Spirit would sail from the Lone Star State for the first time ever, offering sailings from 4-10 nights. This deployment was to have begun in October 2027, after the ship’s season in Alaska.

While Carnival Spirit will still sail in the Last Frontier in the summer of 2027, she will now be going to Tampa after the Alaska season ends.

From the Sunshine State, Carnival Spirit will offer 6-, 7-, and 8-night sailings to top Western Caribbean destinations, including Belize, Roatan, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Mexico.

The ship will also offer several highly coveted 8-night Panama Canal sailings, and on January 30, 2028, she will set sail on a 13-night Carnival Journeys cruise to Grand Cayman, Panama, Aruba, Curacao, and Jamaica.

Carnival Sunshine in Texas

Cruising in Texas will be a little bit brighter with Carnival Sunshine now planned to homeport from the Lone Star State beginning in late 2027.

This keeps four Carnival cruise ships sailing from Galveston as planned, but brings even more guest capacity to the rapidly growing homeport.

For comparison, Carnival Spirit can welcome just 2,124 guests, while Carnival Sunshine is larger and can welcome 3,002 guests.

Carnival Sunshine in Norfolk
Carnival Sunshine in Norfolk (Photo Credit: Eli Wilson / Shutterstock)

From Texas, Carnival Sunshine will offer the 4-10 night itineraries previously planned for Carnival Spirit, plus eight new itineraries for even more cruising fun.

The 10-night sailings are expected to be especially popular with visits to Cozumel, Roatan, Jamaica, Belize, Panama, Costa Rica, and other destinations, depending on sailing date.

This will be a great relief for fans of Carnival Sunshine, now one of the oldest ships in the Carnival fleet. Some speculation had been growing that the ship might be retired after her time in Norfolk, as she would be the same age as Carnival Ecstasy was when that Fantasy-class ship was retired in 2022.

Bookings for both Carnival Spirit and Carnival Sunshine are now open and sure to be selling fast as eager cruisers take advantage of these new deployment plans.

What About Norfolk?

Carnival Cruise Line has already announced that Carnival Freedom will be moving to Norfolk, Virginia, in May 2027, following a special 15-night, one-way Carnival Journeys cruise from Port Canaveral.

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That unique sailing, departing Florida on May 8, 2027, will be visiting Aruba, Curacao, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas before arriving in the Old Dominion state on May 23.

This shakeup of deployment plans will bring more choices to the homeports Carnival guests love and gives travelers even more options for their future Fun Ship vacations.

Carnival Tests New Back-to-Back Procedure Not All Guests Like

Melissa Mayntz
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Carnival Tests New Back-to-Back Procedure Not All Guests Like

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival Cruise Line is streamlining back-to-back cruise procedures with facial recognition technology.
  • The new process is being tested onboard Carnival Conquest and Carnival Magic, but may be introduced fleetwide.
  • Not all guests are happy with the change, but they can opt out of the technology use if preferred.

A back-to-back cruise can be a great way to enjoy a longer cruise vacation without traveling between homeports, but guests sailing more than one voyage in a row still need to complete the appropriate paperwork.

This includes customs and immigration paperwork, which is typically taken care of through passport checks and inspections in between cruises. Carnival Cruise Line is now testing how to make this process faster and smoother for their back-to-back guests.

Standard procedure on Carnival ships is that back-to-back guests need to debark their ship, speak with appropriate agents in the cruise terminal and present their identification, then reboard the ship.

Now, the cruise line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, has announced a new procedure is being put in place onboard two ships to smooth out the back-to-back process.

“Here on the Carnival Magic and Carnival Conquest we are testing something for our back to back cruisers. Working with United States Customs and Border Protection we been able to have the inspectors come onto the ship rather than these back to back guests have to walk into the terminal,” he explained.

“On board guests will use the facial recognition scanners or have a manual check with the officers and that’s it, all done.”

This will greatly speed up the procedure for back-to-back guests to switch between ships, causing less interruption to their cruise experience and letting them get back to the fun right away for their next sailing.

Read Also: Do I Need a Passport to Go on a Cruise? – Full Guide

Heald notes this new procedure is just in a test phase but may yet be rolled out to other homeports.

Carnival Magic is currently homeported from Miami, offering 6-8-night Eastern and Southern Caribbean voyages. Carnival Conquest is also homeported from Miami, but offers primarily 3-4 night Bahamas itineraries.

On both ships, eager cruisers can combine the alternating itineraries for outstanding back-to-back voyages.

Not All Guests Are Happy With the Change

Within minutes of Heald’s announcement, however, at least one unhappy guest reached out to note they would prefer not to consent to the use of facial recognition technology.

“I read about the B2Bs having facial recognition on board. I am on the Conquest. Do I have the right to not use the facial recognition,” the guest asked. “It is a 4th amendment right not to. This is a breach of the US Data Laws and Protection. Why does Carnival need this?”

Heald’s initial announcement did say that “guests will use the facial recognition scanners or have a manual check with the officers.” This seems to indicate that travelers will be able to choose if they’d rather not use facial recognition for their customs clearance.

Carnival Cruise Ships in Miami, Florida
Carnival Cruise Ships in Miami, Florida (Photo Credit: Grindstone Media Group)

When the technology was first introduced to the Port of Jacksonville in 2023, US Customs and Border Protection verified that guests can choose not to use it.

“U.S. travelers and select foreign nationals may opt out of the facial biometric process and can request a manual document check from a CBP Officer, consistent with existing requirements for admission into the United States,” they stated.

Heald does respond to the guest’s concern, noting that not all guests will be using the facial recognition even on back-to-back sailings.

“This facial recognition technology to clear USCBP is only for those guests that have a passport,” he said.

As to the amendment rights and data laws and protections, guests could consult a legal expert for those concerns. The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution, however, only discusses against “unreasonable searches and seizures” but has no bearing on identification processes.

Nevertheless, Heald suggests “you should discuss this with the USCBP inspector who I am sure will help you accordingly.”

Does Facial Recognition Really Help Cruisers?

As facial recognition scanners have been added to different cruise homeports, both the cruise check-in and debarkation processes have been greatly sped up.

It might take 20-40 minutes to check in for a cruise, even with priority line access. Similarly, debarking and passing through customs after a cruise might take 15-20 minutes. Now, the scanners take just seconds to verify guests’ identities and keep the line moving.

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This new process will undoubtedly be welcomed by most back-to-back cruisers, giving them even more time to enjoy their vacations without interruption.

Pier Runner Shows No Shame Reboarding Cruise Ship in Mexico

Catie Kovelman
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Pier Runner Shows No Shame Reboarding Cruise Ship in Mexico

Key Aspects:

  • A cruise guest was approximately 20 minutes late returning to her ship in Ensenada, Mexico.
  • Instead of showing remorse for her tardiness, she gave onlookers the middle finger.
  • She’s now been slammed on social media, with many saying she should have been barred from boarding because of her rudeness.

While there are many key etiquette rules that cruise guests can (and often do) break, one of the biggest sins in cruising is pier running.

If you haven’t heard of pier runners before, these are the cruise guests who return to their ship at the very last minute or even after the “all aboard” time at the end of a port call.

Punctual cruise guests often get a kick out of heckling pier runners for their tardiness, who are often already in a panic in their rush back to the ship.

But if one recent Carnival guest felt any remorse for her tardiness while returning late to her cruise ship in Ensenada, Mexico, she certainly didn’t show it.

Passengers onboard captured a video of an unidentified woman who arrived late to the ship slowly walking to the gangway and rudely flipping off the guests watching from the decks and their private balconies.

“This lady was the last to board in Ensenada and spent even more time flipping everyone off,” the recent guest posted on Reddit.

They went on to say that two other guests had also arrived at the last minute shortly before the final woman, but shouted their apologies and were forgiven with applause.

“This last one was just trashy. At least we were entertained,” the guest continued.

Another guest who witnessed the stunt made an appearance in the comments section and confirmed that the woman arrived approximately 20 minutes late and she wasn’t alone.

Late Cruise Passengers in Ensenada
Late Cruise Passengers in Ensenada (Credit: OpinionatedMinion)

“I was here booing them…It was a group of 4, the first two ran so we started cheering them and these two (her man isn’t in this video) were flipping us off and getting booed. Think it was about 20 minutes past the time we were supposed to depart,” the fellow passenger shared.

Read Also: Top 6 Videos Of Cruise Passengers Missing The Ship

It’s not confirmed which Carnival ship this spectacle unfolded on, but judging by the Redditor’s description of the itinerary, it was most likely Carnival Firenze.

The Venice-class ship disembarked a 5-day sailing to the Mexican Riviera in Long Beach, California, on November 18, 2025.

This now-completed sailing included a call to Ensenada on November 17.

Pier Running is Rude & Risky

All I can say is that this pier runner was acting awfully entitled after inconveniencing the thousands of other guests and crew members onboard and putting her own cruise vacation at risk.

Others on Reddit were even harsher than me, and suggested that the woman shouldn’t have even been welcomed back onboard after her rude gesture.

Worth Reading: Pier Runner Pauses for Selfie After Missing Cruise Ship

“I wonder if she is drunk? If I was security I would be kicking her off the ship for doing that and making the ship wait on her. I swear people are entitled when it comes to cruises,” one commenter wrote.

“The way I would have raced her to put the ramp up,” another joked.

Carnival does have a Code of Conduct policy that guests are required to follow, which can result in a $500 fine or other penalties if broken, but it’s unclear if any punishments were levied in response to the offensive gesture.

And in reality, this woman is simply lucky to have not missed her cruise ship.

With rare exceptions, cruise ships will not wait for latecomers because it is inconsiderate to the thousands of other timely guests onboard and they often have to adhere to strict schedules to keep the itinerary on track.

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Additionally, staying late in port can also result in additional fees for the cruise line.

If latecomers do miss their ship, they are typically not compensated for any lost cruising time and are responsible for handling their own travel arrangements to reunite with the ship or make their way home.

Princess Cruises Retires its Standard Vacation Protection

Lissa Poirot
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Princess Cruises Retires its Standard Vacation Protection

Key Aspects:

  • Princess Cruises will retire its Standard Princess Vacation Protection plan on December 9, 2025.
  • Platinum PVP will be the only trip-protection option available for all new bookings.
  • The removal of Standard PVP also ends the loyalty perk and coincides with a rebranding of the At-Ease Waiver as Cancellation Protection.

Passengers booking future Princess Cruises sailings will see fewer insurance choices at the end of 2025. The cruise line is overhauling its travel-protection offerings beginning December 9, 2025, and retiring its Standard Princess Vacation Protection (PVP) plan.

This means passengers making new reservations on or after that date will only be able to purchase Platinum PVP, the higher-tier version that will become Princess’ single coverage option going forward.

The cost of Platinum PVP varies according to fare and has historically been more expensive than Standard PVP. A 2024-2026 North American General Policies listed Standard PVP at 9 percent of the cruise cost with Platinum PVP at 12 percent.

Platinum PVP combines two components, an insurance policy underwritten by an outside insurer and a Princess-issued cancellation waiver.

The insurance portion typically covers trip interruption, trip delay, lost or delayed baggage, medical expenses, and emergency evacuation when incidents occur during a cruise.

The waiver portion gives travelers the option to cancel for non-covered reasons and still receive a refund from Princess Cruises, minus the cost of the program.

Princess Cruises’ cancellation waiver has its own pricing structure, which is separate from the insurance policy. The waiver costs 10 percent of the net cruise fare for trips up to $5,000 per person and 8 percent for cruise fares above that amount, and these rates remain in place under the updated program.

Worth Reading: Princess Cruises Withdraws Planned Visits to Historic US Town

Princess Cruises said the move is intended to reduce confusion about available coverage.

“Starting December 9, 2025, we’re making enhancements to our Princess Vacation Protection Programs,” said the cruise line. “These changes are designed to simplify choices and expand coverage where it matters most.”

Sky Princess
Sky Princess (Photo Credit: Mateus Andre)

Passengers who already have bookings will retain access to both Standard and Platinum PVP until the final payment deadline, and the same applies to anyone who books before December 9, 2025.

Any passenger who has already purchased protection on an earlier booking will keep their exact plan with no changes. Those protections remain “grandfathered” regardless of when the sailing takes place.

Loyalty Perk Ends Too

Getting rid of Standard PVP also triggers the end of a long-running loyalty perk for frequent Princess Cruises guests. Under the current system, Ruby, Platinum, and Elite Captain’s Circle members can purchase Platinum PVP for the price of Standard PVP.

Because Standard PVP will no longer be offered for new bookings made on or after December 9, this discount will no longer apply for future reservations. The benefit continues only for bookings created before the transition date where Standard PVP remains available.

Another change taking effect that day is the renaming of the At-Ease Waiver. After December 9, it will be known as Cancellation Protection, though its function remains the same.

The program allows guests to receive a refund, minus the cost of the protection, if they cancel at least 72 hours before the first part of their Princess-arranged trip.

This may be a Princess EZair flight, a hotel included in a Cruise Plus package, or a cruisetour segment rather than the cruise embarkation itself.

The process for adding Cancellation Protection stays consistent with existing rules and it must be purchased before final payment.

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If a booking is made after the final payment window has passed, the protection must be added immediately at the time of booking.

Cancellation Protection will be available for passengers around the world except for those in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Those will continue using existing region-specific structures.

Royal Caribbean’s Massive New Mega-Ship Fires Up Its First Engine

Lissa Poirot
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0
Royal Caribbean’s Massive New Mega-Ship Fires Up Its First Engine

Key Aspects:

  • Legend of the Seas’ first main engine was successfully started on November 19, 2025.
  • Each of the six Wärtsilä next-generation engines will be powered up and tested within the next week.
  • The engines are designed to reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions while capturing waste heat and recovering energy for reuse.

If you’ve been watching the rise of Royal Caribbean’s next big ship, there’s some movement happening deep inside the hull. Shipbuilder Meyer Turku just shared that Legend of the Seas has powered up its very first main engine.

As the shipbuilder works to bring the 248,663-gross-ton vessel to life, the first of the ship’s six Wärtilä next-generation engines was started for the first time on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

The new engines use a two-stage turbocharging system that’s designed to reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions compared to the previous generation of marine engines.

Together, the six engines will deliver more than 85 megawatts of power once all are online.

Meyer Turku noted that the engines do more than propel the ship. Waste heat from the cooling water and motor oil will be captured and reused in onboard systems such as the laundry, cutting down on the amount of additional fuel needed to power day-to-day functions.

The shipyard shared the news in a social media post, stating, “Legend has a total of six main engines, all of which will be running early next year. Legend runs on Wäetsilä’s next-generation, two-stage turbocharged engines. The combined power of all six engines reaches over 85 megawatts.”

Legend of the Seas first engine roars to life
Legend of the Seas’ first engine roars to life (Photo Credit: Meyer Turku)

For now, the first engine start provides a visible sign of progress on a ship that has spent months in dry dock as its steel, cabins, and interior blocks have come together. 

Read Also: Royal Caribbean Ships By Age: Newest to Oldest

With the construction schedule moving into a more technical phase, Meyer Turku says all engines should be operational early in the new year, a key requirement before trials begin.

Legend of the Seas Coming Along

Legend of the Seas, the third Icon Class vessel in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, has moved quickly through several major construction phases since work began at Meyer Turku.

Having learned from the construction of Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, the build officially started on January 12, 2024, when the first steel plate was cut.

AquaDome Installation on Legend of the Seas at Meyer Turku
AquaDome Installation on Legend of the Seas at Meyer Turku

After months of block production and early assembly, the ship reached its next major milestone with the keel-laying on October 7, 2024. Between late 2024 and mid-2025, crews at Meyer Turku continued to assemble the hull, with mechanical outfitting continuing throughout early 2025.

As anticipation builds with every new milestone, including the August 29, 2025 float out, Royal Caribbean fans cannot wait for Legend of the Seas to welcome its 5,600 guests. 

With the vessel now powered by its first running engines, the shipyard will move into propulsion and navigation testing, with sea trials expected to take place in the Baltic Sea in early 2026.

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Once trials are complete, the ship will be handed over to Royal Caribbean in mid-2026. Legend of the Seas is scheduled to begin its inaugural sailing on July 11, 2026, weeks earlier than originally scheduled.

That sailing will kick off the ship’s Mediterranean season before it repositions to Fort Lauderdale in October 2026 for a winter in the Caribbean.

Carnival Pushes Back Launch of New Loyalty Rewards Program

Melissa Mayntz
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Carnival Pushes Back Launch of New Loyalty Rewards Program

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival Cruise Line has pushed the start date for the Carnival Rewards Program to September 1, 2026.
  • More details have been revealed about how stars and points are both earned and redeemed.
  • Loyalty stars must be re-earned every two years, but rewards points will never expire so long as guests either earn or redeem some points every three years.

The wait isn’t quite over yet for the new Carnival Rewards program, as Carnival Cruise Line announced today that the start date of the program will now be September 1, 2026, rather than June 1, 2026 as previously planned.

While the program is still changing over to the new model, this does give loyal Carnival guests more time to up their status before the program begins.

“To give you extra time — and to let your Summer 2026 cruises count toward your final VIFP Club® status — we are moving the launch of Carnival Rewards to September 1, 2026,” an email sent to Carnival guests confirmed.

“All your cruise activity through August 31, 2026 will count toward your final VIFP status, which will become your starting status in Carnival Rewards.”

Many cruisers who have found themselves close to the next loyalty level have sought to “chase” that upgrade before the new program begins. This has been particularly true for high-level Platinum VIFP guests who are close to the Diamond tier.

That coveted Diamond tier will be the only lifetime status once the new program begins, a concession the cruise line announced in mid-September, two months after the program was first revealed.

With the extra time during the busy summer months to gain loyalty in the older VIFP program, more cruisers may be able to advance to the Diamond level before September 1.

In recent months, Carnival Cruise Line has been offering special bonuses on select sailings where travelers can earn twice or even three times the VIFP points, helping them raise their status even more quickly. It is possible that those offers will continue through the summer months to entice more guests to chase the next tier.

Two-Year Reward Cycle Confirmed

With the announcement of pushing back the start of the Carnival Rewards program, some new details have also been revealed.

The “status earning” period will be a two-year cycle, from January 1 through December 31. The very first status-earning period, however, will actually begin on August 31, 2026, and will continue through December 31, 2028.

In those 28 months, guests will be accruing status that will determine their loyalty level for the next period (January 1, 2029, through December 31, 2031).

Carnival guests will earn “stars” that count toward status based on their spending as follows:

  • 3 stars for every $1 spent on Carnival cruise fare
  • 3 stars for every $1 spent on onboard purchases during a Carnival cruise
  • 1 star for every casino point earned

If guests use the Carnival Rewards Mastercard, they will earn a 4 stars (instead of 3) for cruise fare and onboard purchases, though there is no change in casino point earnings.

Carnival Rewards Loyalty Program
Carnival Rewards Loyalty Program (Credits: Carnival & Melissa Mayntz)

Every two years, the total number of stars a guest has earned will determine their loyalty status for the next two-year cycle. Gold loyalty starts at 10,000 stars; Platinum at 50,000 stars, and Diamond at 100,000 stars.

Each level has different perks such as complimentary drinks, collectible pins, free wash and fold laundry, and priority boarding and debarkation.

Read Also: Which Cruise Lines Match Loyalty Programs?

The key difference between the Carnival Rewards program and the VIFP program is that one’s loyalty status must be re-earned with more stars every two years.

The exception is for Diamond-level guests, who will retain that status for life (hence the “chasing Diamond” frenzy in the months leading up to the changeover).

Use Points to Purchase Rewards

In addition to earning loyalty-status stars, Carnival guests will simultaneously earn “points” with every purchase in the same manner:

  • 3 points per $1 spent on cruise fare and onboard purchases
  • 1 point per casino point
  • Extra points when using the Carnival Rewards Mastercard on everyday purchases, including grocery stores, restaurants, etc.

Those points can then be redeemed for onboard rewards, such as drinks, specialty dining, spa treatments, photos, and shore excursions.

Carnival Cruise Line has not yet provided a complete list of what rewards cost how many points, but they have noted that 100 points will be worth roughly $1 in value. Those values, however, will vary based on demand.

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While a guest’s loyalty stars will expire and must be re-earned every two years, the reward points will never expire if guests either earn or redeem points at least once every three years.

This would permit guests to slowly accrue a great number of points – regardless of their star status – and redeem them for a fabulous vacation, no matter what their loyalty level.

Big Splash Sparks Overboard Scare on Carnival Radiance

Catie Kovelman
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Big Splash Sparks Overboard Scare on Carnival Radiance

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Radiance launched search and rescue efforts following a suspected man overboard.
  • The ship returned to the scene of the splash off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico, to search for the possible victim.
  • But after searching and counting all passengers and crew onboard, the overboard was determined to be a false alarm.

On November 20, 2025, the alarm was sounded onboard Carnival Radiance due to a suspected man overboard while sailing off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico.

Passengers of the Carnival ship reported hearing a big splash, which some thought was made from another guest who had allegedly fallen into the Pacific Ocean while looking for dolphins.

“Onboard witnesses report the passenger was watching dolphins near the back of the boat when they went overboard,” one cruise fan shared.

In reality, it wasn’t actually a human that made the splash – but it took a little while for the crew members to realize this.

In the meantime, the approximately 1,108 crew members launched an urgent search and rescue operation.

@dizzeelizzee

Man Overboard 🛟 on Carnival 🛳️Radiance 11/20/25 #Cruise #manoverboard #why #mentalhealthmatters

♬ original sound – Erin Lizzee

The 101,509-gross ton vessel circled back to where the splash was seen to search for the possible victim. This is confirmed by cruise ship tracking data.

“It’s been an exciting day on the Carnival Radiance today. First there was a man overboard announcement. The ship turned around and we’ve been slowly cruising back over the area,” a current passenger said.

“There’s a person overboard on Carnival cruise (Radiance) coming back from Ensenada to Long Beach. They have circled back to look for the person,” another cruiser verified.

Read Also: What Happens If You Jump Off a Cruise Ship?

However, this victim was nonexistent as nobody even fell overboard in the first place.

A Scary False Alarm

As is the best case scenario in a man overboard incident, the scary situation was determined to be a false alarm and the Destiny-class ship is back to cruising normally.

Especially as the cruise line is still reeling following the recent death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner onboard Carnival Horizon, another tragedy at sea would be truly horrific.

@serenaaaavv

man fell overboard on the carnival radiance cruise… #overboard #carvival #cruise

♬ original sound – serena

During the search and rescue efforts, crew members sent guests to their cruise cabins, as is standard protocol.

The guests were confined to their staterooms for more than 40 minutes while designated crew members checked to make sure that every passenger and crew member was accounted for, which thankfully was the case here.

“The Carnival Radiance crew responded to a potential overboard alert off the coast north of Ensenada, Mexico when some guests reported hearing a splash in the water. The ship returned to the area where there was a potential sighting of an individual to conduct a rescue operation,” a Carnival spokesperson told Cruise Hive in a statement.

“In the meantime, the crew completed a full guest and crew headcount as is our standard safety protocol and all guests and crew have been accounted for,” they continued.

More likely than not, the splash that worried the guests was actually an accidental prank from a whale.

Carnival Radiance Cruise Ship
Carnival Radiance Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: jejim)

Mexico’s coast, and especially the Baja Peninsula where Ensenada is located, is known as a major whale watching destination.

Gray whales and humpbacks are commonly spotted during the winter months, with other species like blue whales and sperm whales occasionally making appearances.

“The splash could have very well been a whale but there is no way to confirm that. In any case, all on board are accounted for and the ship will resume its itinerary,” the spokesperson concluded.

And even though this situation ended as a false alarm, it’s always better to air on the side of caution and say something if you see (or hear) something.

In an actual emergency, promptly speaking up could save a life, and guests who make reports in good faith will never be penalized.

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Plus, all’s well that ends well. There is no impact to the 4-night Baja-bound sailing’s itinerary, which embarked in Long Beach, California, on November 17, 2025.

The 2,984-guest ship has already completed both of her scheduled port calls and is expected to return to Long Beach on time for disembarkation on November 21.

Freedom of the Seas to Replace Cozumel for Multiple Itineraries

Catie Kovelman
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0
Freedom of the Seas to Replace Cozumel for Multiple Itineraries

Key Aspects:

  • Royal Caribbean has altered several Western Caribbean itineraries for Freedom of the Seas.
  • Instead of calling to Cozumel, Mexico, impacted voyages will visit Nassau, Bahamas.
  • The embarkations on February 2, 2026, February 16, 2026, and March 2, 2026, have been impacted thus far, but more changes could be coming.

Much to the chagrin of impacted passengers, Royal Caribbean has swapped out a key port for multiple itineraries that will be operated by Freedom of the Seas next year.

Instead of calling to Cozumel, Mexico, the impacted sailings will visit Nassau, Bahamas.

“As part of our ongoing itinerary planning process, we’ve modified our upcoming sailing. On Day 5, we’ll now visit Nassau, Bahamas, in the place of the previously scheduled stop on Day 4,” the letters from the cruise line read.

“We’re excited to bring you this refreshed experience and appreciate your understanding, as itinerary planning is an ongoing process that requires cruises to have a certain level of flexibility, modifications can occur at any time,” Royal Caribbean continued.

Read Also: What You Should Know About Cruise Port Cancellations

The change has been met with a fair amount of frustration, with many feeling disappointed that they wouldn’t get to explore somewhere new and/or because Nassau doesn’t exactly have the best reputation as a safe and fun cruise port.

In fact, it is actually one of the more dangerous cruise ports and is under a “Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution” travel advisory by the US government.

No additional compensation has been provided to ease the blow, aside from automatic refunds for Cozumel shore excursions that were booked through the cruise line.

Which Itineraries are Impacted?

So far, Cruise Hive has obtained letters confirming that Freedom of the Seas’ embarkations on February 2, 2026, and March 2, 2026, have been impacted.

Guests booked on the February 16, 2026, sailing have also expressed outrage on social media over their cruise being altered in the same way.

“Feb 16 sailing was changed too. Absolute bs. Chose that one to avoid Nassau,” one future passenger posted.

“Our Feb 16 sailing also got changed from the same way. Very disappointed,” another confirmed.

All of these sailings are 5-night voyages to the Western Caribbean that are based in Miami, Florida.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship in the US Virgin Islands
Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship in the US Virgin Islands (Photo Credit: GagliardiPhotography / Shutterstock)

In addition to the now replaced stop in Cozumel, Mexico, these itineraries also call for visits to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. This call remains unaffected.

Moving forward, it’s also possible that more changes are coming for additional voyages.

Just to name a few voyages that are setting sail in the near vicinity of the affected sailings, this same itinerary is also being offered by the Freedom-class flagship on January 19, 2026, March 16, 2026, and March 30, 2026.

However, this itinerary is offered well into the summer months and beyond.

Guests booked on Cozumel-bound sailings should keep an eye out for potential updates from Royal Caribbean.

The Reason Behind the Change

Royal Caribbean did not explicitly confirm why the itinerary swap needed to be made, but did vaguely touch on possible causes for changes.

“Sometimes, these changes are the result of a weather impact or issue avoidance, speed restrictions, berth or scheduling conflicts, and agreements we have with the ports we visit,” Royal Caribbean explained.

“While these itinerary changes are occasionally necessary, please know they’re made thoughtfully, with your experience and enjoyment in mind,” the cruise line continued.

Among the cruising community, some are theorizing that the brand is trying to direct more guests to the brand new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island that is opening in Nassau on December 23, 2025.

“I’m pissed. Seems like they just want to make sales to their new Royal beach club since there’s not much else to do in Nassau,” one impacted passenger reacted.

“The last place I want to go is Nassau, especially after two seas days. Oh and they recommend that we visit their new beach club that costs $170 to get into,” another guest complained.

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It’s also possible that Royal Caribbean needed to steer guests away from Cozumel to aid in the construction process for Royal Beach Club Cozumel, which is expected to debut at the end of 2026.

But as frustrating as itinerary changes may be, cruisers can rest assured that Royal Caribbean wouldn’t rock the boat unless it was absolutely necessary to do so.

Celebrity Equinox Remains in Lisbon as Port Strike Hits

Melissa Mayntz
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Celebrity Equinox Remains in Lisbon as Port Strike Hits

Key Aspects:

  • Celebrity Equinox will not be leaving Lisbon on schedule due to a planned labor strike at the port.
  • Instead, the ship will remain in the city for two extra nights and her call to Tenerife is cancelled.
  • The remainder of the ship’s transatlantic cruise to South America is not impacted.

Lisbon is a beautiful city, rich with history, culture, art, and much more for visitors to explore. Guests boarding the 121,900-gross-ton Celebrity Equinox in that stunning city on Friday, November 21, 2025 will now have two extra nights to enjoy Lisbon, but not for any reason from Celebrity Cruises.

A labor strike from Port Authority Staff in Portugal is impacting all operations, including servicing cruise ships, and Celebrity Equinox will now remain docked until the early morning hours of Sunday, November 23.

Celebrity Cruises has reached out to her up to 2,850 guests booked on the November 21 sailing to alert them to the change, as well as how it will impact the overall itinerary.

“We want to keep you informed about an important update: a confirmed strike in Lisbon, Portugal – something outside of our control – is affecting our scheduled departure,” the email explained.

“We care about your time with us, and to ensure your experience remains exceptional, we have made some thoughtful adjustments to our itinerary.”

While Celebrity Equinox will remain docked in Lisbon until 1 a.m. on Sunday morning, guests will still be able to move on and off the ship to enjoy local attractions and amenities.

Worth reading: MSC Cruises Alerts Guests to Potential Disruptions From Italian Strike

Because of the late departure from Lisbon, the ship will no longer be able to make her scheduled visit to Tenerife in the Canary Islands on Sunday, November 23. That was to have been the first port visit on the 15-night transatlantic cruise to Buenos Aires, but instead, Celebrity Equinox will now be at sea on that day.

Any pre-booked shore excursions arranged through Celebrity Cruises for Tenerife will be automatically cancelled and refunded.

In the meantime, additional shore tours for Lisbon are being made available and can be booked via the Celebrity Cruises app, on the cruise line’s website, or at the Shore Excursions desk onboard on Deck 3.

Rest of the Itinerary Remains Intact

Despite the issues impacting Celebrity Equinox‘s departure from Lisbon, the rest of the repositioning sailing remains unaffected.

The ship will arrive in Brazil after seven days at sea with a visit to Salvador de Bahai on Sunday, November 30, followed by Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, December 2.

Celebrity Equinox Cruise Ship
Celebrity Equinox cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Brookgardener / Shutterstock)

The last port visit on the itinerary is Montevideo, Uruguay on Friday, December 5, before Celebrity Equinox arrives in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Saturday, December 6 for debarkation.

“Please know that we are closely monitoring the situation and working hand-in-hand with local authorities and partners to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible,” the email notes. “If there are any further updates to our itinerary, we will share them with you right away.”

How Is the Strike Impacting Cruises?

The strike affecting Celebrity Equinox is not confined to cruise ships or even just the Port of Lisbon. The labor dispute is between the government of Portugal and the National Union of Port Administration Workers of Portugal (SNTAP).

In general, pay and working conditions are the major points of contention. Several slowdowns of operations are part of the overall strike response.

According to global shipping company Beckchoice, port impacts will include longer waits for berthing or departures, slower handling of containers and supplies for reprovisioning, and similar disruptions.

Guests aboard Celebrity Equinox should know that the strike in no way impacts onboard services or operations beyond standard in-port procedures.

Other cruise ships that may be impacted by this weekend’s strike in Lisbon include Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience, P&O Cruises’ Ventura, Azamara Cruises’ Azamara Journey, and Fred Olsens’ Borealis.

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Each cruise line will reach out to its impacted guests with updated information and changes in plans as needed.

Additional strike dates are planned for November 25-26; November 28-29, December 2-4, December 9, and December 12-13. Should the labor negotiations be successful, not all these dates may be affected, but if the dispute is further protracted, additional strike dates may be added.

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