MSC Group will convert part of the Grand Lucayan Resort into a new 20-acre MSC Beach Club for cruise guests.
Construction is set to begin on April 12, 2026.
The project is tied to a broader $450 million cruise port development planned for Freeport Harbor.
A long-idle portion of one of Grand Bahama’s largest resorts could soon become a new cruise destination for MSC Cruises passengers.
MSC Group announced that its infrastructure arm, CTL Maritime, has reached an agreement with the government of The Bahamas to acquire and redevelop a portion of the Grand Lucayan complex in Freeport.
The project will convert a 20-acre section of the property, currently operated by the former Reef Village area, into the MSC Beach Club. This new beach destination would be for guests sailing with MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys.
Prime Minister Philip Davis of The Bahamas described the agreement as an important milestone for the island’s redevelopment efforts.
“This agreement represents a defining moment for Grand Bahamas and the future of our island,” Davis said in the announcement. “The redevelopment of the Grand Lucayan Resort has long been a national priority, and this step forward speaks to our commitment to restoring Grand Bahama as a leading tourism and investment destination.”
Construction is expected to begin on April 12, 2026, pending environmental approvals and other permits.
The strategy follows similar efforts by other cruise companies developing their own shore destinations to control the guest experience and capture more spending while ships are in port.
Lucayan beach (Photo Credit: Izodron)
Royal Caribbean recently debuted a similar beach club concept in Nassau, the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, in December 2025. The club features private beaches, pools, cabanas, dining venues, and the world’s largest swim-up bar, creating a resort-style destination reserved for Royal Caribbean guests.
Carnival Cruise Line has similarly expanded in The Bahamas, opening its new private cruise destination on Grand Bahama, Celebration Key, in July 2025.
Norwegian Cruise Line is also undergoing massive renovations to its private destination in the area, Great Stirrup Cay, including new piers and expanded guest facilities.
Project Tied to Wider Investments
The planned MSC Beach Club is only one part of a broader effort by MSC Group to reshape cruise tourism on Grand Bahama.
The Bahamian government revealed to Cruise Hive that MSC Group intends to invest about $450 million in a new cruise development centered on Billy Cay, a man-made island in Freeport Harbour.
Roughly $400 million would go toward building a new cruise terminal complex, including cruise berths, a welcome plaza, retail shops, restaurants, and transportation facilities.
Another $50 million is earmarked for upgrades to the existing harbor area, including improvements.
The port plans also include entertainment areas, food and beverage outlets, and transportation staging to connect cruise passengers with excursions across the island. Officials say the new cruise port is designed as a multi-user facility, meaning it will be open to all cruise lines.
CTL Maritime President Gianluca Suprani said the company sees The Bahamas as a long-term strategic partner.
“This project marks the next phase of our long-term investment strategy in The Bahamas and as a family-owned company, we take a long-term view and when we commit to projects of this nature, we do so with the intention and capability to deliver, focused on creating lasting value for Bahamian communities.”
Together with the beach club development and enhancements at MSC’s private island destination, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the combined projects represent nearly $1.5 billion in investment in The Bahamas. The developments are projected to create more than 1,000 jobs.
CLT Maritime specializes in cruise port development and tourism infrastructure projects and operates as a separate entity within MSC Group.
Symphony of the Seas will not be sailing from Galveston in 2027 as planned.
Instead, the ship will be moved to Fort Lauderdale to offer 6- and 8-night Caribbean cruises.
Icon of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas will remain sailing from Texas as scheduled.
Royal Caribbean is shaking up its 2027 deployment plans with a significant change for Symphony of the Seas. Rather than sailing from Galveston, Texas, as originally planned, the ship will now be sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
To be clear, the Oasis Class ship is not being taken out of service, but simply moved to another homeport to offer Caribbean itineraries. Guests booked on impacted voyages will be contacted with further details as they pertain to their individual sailings.
“Starting in 2027, Symphony of the Seas will reposition from Galveston, Texas, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offering 6- and 8-night Caribbean vacations,”Royal Caribbean confirmed to Cruise Hive.
“This repositioning allows us to continue delivering the incredible experiences guests love while thoughtfully evolving our deployment strategy.”
Which Symphony of the Seas Cruises Are Impacted?
The exact date of the redeployment has not been announced. Symphony of the Seas was originally planned to be in Galveston from May 3, 2026 through at least January 2028.
From Texas, she was to be offering Western Caribbean itineraries ranging from 4-8 nights, depending on the sailing date. Ports of call on her schedule in 2027 included Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel, with visits to Cozumel, Nassau, and Perfect Day at CocoCay on longer sailings.
Homeporting from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale instead, Symphony of the Seas may begin offering Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries, as well as some possible other options such as the occasional Southern Caribbean sailing.
It is not unusual for cruise lines to reconsider vessel deployment plans based on overall operational needs, the popularity of different itineraries, scheduling availability for different ports of call, and even dry dock or refurbishment schedules.
Icon of the Seas in Galveston
Texas cruisers will still be thrilled to note that plans have not changed for Icon of the Seas and the massive 248,700-gross-ton ship will still be sailing from Galveston from mid-August 2027. The ship will be offering 6- and 8-night cruises similar to those that had been scheduled for Symphony of the Seas.
These sailings will visit Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel on the 6-night itineraries with a day at sea both to begin and end each cruise.
Meanwhile, the 8-night cruises will have an extra day at sea and will visit Cozumel and Costa Maya, but will also head east to enjoy a full day at Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas (Photo Credit: Just dance)
This unique option will appeal to many guests who enjoy Galveston as their homeport of choice but who may feel a bit left out of more diverse itineraries.
At the moment, Icon of the Seas remains homeported in Miami, where she has been since her debut in January 2024. There is no indication that the ship will be heading to the Lone Star State any earlier than planned in 2027.
Liberty of the Seas in Texas
Royal Caribbean has also confirmed that Liberty of the Seas will remain sailing from Galveston as planned in 2027, offering shorter cruise options with 4- and 5-night itineraries.
“Royal Caribbean’s longstanding commitment to Texas remains strong. Galveston remains a key homeport for us, with Icon of the Seas, offering 7-night vacations, and Liberty of the Seas, now offering 4- and 5-night sailings, all from Texas in 2027,”the cruise line said.
“We look forward to offering guests sailing from Galveston exciting itinerary options and innovative ships for years to come.”
The Freedom Class Liberty of the Seas will arrive in Texas at the end of October 2026, following her summer sailing from Southampton.
The smaller ship will offer exclusively Western Caribbean itineraries with visits to Cozumel on her 4-night cruises. The 5-night sailings will visit both Costa Maya and Cozumel.
Liberty of the Seas is scheduled to remain homeported from Galveston well into 2028, and deployment plans past that date have not yet been announced.
Enchanted Princess was unable to visit Ajaccio in Corsica on April 9, 2026.
Fishermen have been blocking the port during a protest over rising fuel costs.
Cruise disruptions should cease going forward as an agreement with the fishermen was reached late on April 9.
Two Princess cruise ships have now been blocked from visiting the Mediterranean island of Corsica by protesting fishermen in less than a week.
The fishermen are protesting rising fuel prices, which are linked to the war in the Middle East, and have blocked all six of the commercial ports in Corsica. This includes the main cruise port, Ajaccio.
As fuel prices have become unsustainable, the fishermen have taken drastic measures to get the French government to take action and offer assistance to manage their skyrocketing operating costs.
Cruise Hive already reported that the 177,882-gross ton Sun Princess was turned away from the French port on April 7, 2026, due to the blockade. Enchanted Princess then met the same fate on April 9, 2026.
“Currently cruising on Enchanted. Tomorrow we were supposed to enjoy Corsica/Ajaccio. The stop was cancelled due to the strike of fishermen who are blocking all the incoming sea traffic. Tough luck…”a current guest shared on April 8, 2026.
Cruise tracking data also confirms that the princess cruise ship sailed past the port without stopping.
The 3,660-guest ship was supposed to visit Corsica on April 9 as the final call of a 14-night, one-way sailing that embarked in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 27.
She arrives in Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, on April 10, which will be the 145,000-gross ton vessel’s homeport for the duration of her Mediterranean season. The Royal-class ship has no immediate plans to return to the island destination.
Vessels Stranded in Port
In addition to blocking ingoing traffic, the fishermen have also prevented vessels in the port from leaving. This means ferries and other vessels within the port could have been stranded for up to three days as of the time of this writing.
Per local outlets, eight different ferries found themselves stuck in Ajaccio and the East Coast port of Bastia because of the protest.
Fishing Boats Blocking Sun Princess (Photo Credit: Neil Rutt)
When the 4,300-guest Sun Princess first arrived on April 7, the captain attempted to negotiate with the fishermen, who eventually said the cruise ship could enter the port but not depart until the protest ended.
This would obviously create a logistical nightmare for both the cruise line and its passengers, who were expecting to call to Genoa and La Spezia in Italy before debarking in Rome on April 11.
If Enchanted Princess had attempted to visit Corsica, its captain likely would have been given the same option, which is an offer that would be too impractical to accept.
An End Is In Sight
Thankfully, the disruptions to the cruise industry are not expected to be a problem for much longer. Per Corse-Matin, a deal to end the blockade was reached in the late afternoon on April 9.
So far, the specifics of the deal have not been released, other than noting that a solution was found during a round table discussion in Ajaccio.
The ferries that were stuck in the ports will be able to resume their routes slowly, with departures staggered at a rate of around one per hour for safety reasons.
Cruise tourism can also resume operating normally, with the island expected to welcome upwards of 600,000 cruise guests before the year is through.
Ajaccio, the busiest of the Corsican cruise ports, is expecting 14 visits in the second half of April from brands like Marella Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Azamara Cruises, and AIDA Cruises.
Though Enchanted Princess won’t be back this month, Princess Cruises will return on April 20 with Sky Princess and April 28 with Sun Princess.
Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition returned to Antwerp after an oil spill closed the Scheldt River.
The ship was not affected by the spill but had to remain in port until authorities reopened the waterway.
The closure forced itinerary changes before it concludes its 6-night voyage in Portsmouth, UK.
Plans for a short cruise through Belgium, France, and the Netherlands were interrupted on April 9, 2026, after an oil spill on one of Europe’s busiest waterways forced a cruise ship to return to port.
UK-based Ambassador Cruise Line confirmed that its ship Ambition turned around and returned to Antwerp, Belgium, after local port authorities closed the Scheldt River due to a significant oil spill involving another vessel.
The 1,200-passenger ship had departed Portsmouth, UK, on April 6, 2026, for a 6-night sailing and had already visited Ijmuiden, Netherlands, for an overnight call and reached Antwerp for what was meant to be a 14-hour visit.
As the ship was departing the Belgian port at 11 p.m. local time, officials notified the ship of the spill and halted vessel traffic along the river. As a result, the captain sailed the ship back to Antwerp with assistance from local tugboats.
The cruise line said the ship itself was not affected by the spilled oil but was required to remain docked until authorities reopened the waterway.
“The safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew is always our highest priority, and we thank our Captain and crew for their professionalism in managing the situation,”the cruise line said in a statement, apologizing for the disruption.
Passengers were notified about the situation soon after the ship returned to port. A second announcement was made to guests at noon UK time on April 10 with an update on the ship’s revised schedule after the unexpected overnight in Antwerp.
Ambition is now expected to depart Antwerp at 4 p.m. local time, once authorities reopen the waterway.
Scheldt River, Antwerp, Belgium (Photo Credit: Collection Maykova)
The incident forced adjustments to the remainder of the itinerary, now skipping its April 10 scheduled call in Bruges, Belgium, and an April 11 visit to Honfleur, France.
Ambition will now travel overnight to Le Havre, France, arriving midday on April 11 and staying until 11:30 p.m. It will then return to Portsmouth on April 12, as planned.
Ambassador Cruise Line did not specify if any reimbursements would be offered to passengers for the missed calls, but it is likely to have rescheduled all excursions for guests.
Trouble on the Scheldt River
The Scheldt River connects the North Sea to inland Belgium and is heavily used by cargo ships, tankers, and passenger vessels.
Authorities closed part of the river after oil leaked during a refueling operation at the Deurganck Dock inside the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, with the spill occurring while the container ship MSC Denmark VI was being refueled. The pollution spread from the dock into the river.
Emergency response teams were sent to contain the spill and prevent oil from spreading along the tidal river and nearby marshlands. By Friday afternoon, local time, port officials reopened the river to ship traffic, with some parts of the port remaining closed.
No additional cruise ships were in Antwerp at the time of the oil spill, although smaller cruise lines such as Windstar Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa 2, and SeaDream Yacht Club are regularly visiting the port.
The 48,123-gross-ton Ambition is not scheduled to visit Antwerp again in 2026, sailing from Portsmouth, London, Liverpool, and Belfast, UK, throughout the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons.
Carnival has made it clear that fishing onboard its cruise ships is forbidden.
The clarification came after a guest requested to go fishing from their Cove Balcony stateroom.
Bringing live fish onboard creates major safety, sanitation, and ecological problems.
There are some reminders that are so ridiculous they shouldn’t have to be given, but for Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald, it’s simply a run-of-the-mill day of fielding questions from future cruise guests.
But the most unusual request as of late was a request to go fishing from their Cove Balcony stateroom.
For context, these special staterooms are found onboard the brand’s Dream-class, Vista-class, and Excel-class ships. They are typically located on deck 2 (or deck 5 for the Excel-class) to be closer to the water.
“Sorry Meredith, I know your husband would love to be able to fish from his Cove balcony but this is strictly forbidden,” Heald said in a Facebook post.
“If you bring fishing equipment on the cruise it will be collected and returned to you on port days,” he continued.
Notably, live fish are on Carnival’s prohibited items list. The policy is so strict that even fish caught during shore excursions must be shipped home.
Only fish sourced by the cruise line can be cooked and served onboard. Other fish are considered high-risk for transmitting disease or causing food poisoning.
There is an exemption for fishing rods, but these can only be used during port calls. Otherwise, fishing equipment must be safely stored in guest staterooms.
Fishing Could Result in a Lifetime Ban
As the nature of this request is particularly absurd, many of Heald’s followers could only respond with humor.
“I thought they held a fishing tournament on the aft part of ship on the second sea day,”one cruise fan quipped.
“Can we use a retractable net? So long as we do not drop it the water or let it get caught in the propellers? Safety First!,” another asked in jest.
All jokes aside, the penalties for guests who attempt to fish onboard are severe. Consequences range from having fishing gear confiscated and having to pay up to $500 for violating Carnival’s code of conduct to a lifetime ban.
Carnival Cruise Passengers Banned After Fishing
It wouldn’t be the first time Carnival has issued a lifetime ban for this offense either. On April 18, 2023, Cruise Hive reported on two guests who went viral on TikTok for fishing from their private balcony using a lengthy piece of line.
By April 20, 2023, both guests had received a lifetime ban. Carnival had to crack down hard because fishing onboard poses significant safety, ecological, and sanitation concerns.
Why is Fishing So Bad?
There are many practical, regulatory, and safety reasons for why fishing is prohibited on cruise ships across all the major brands, not just Carnival.
First, fishing off the side of a large ship comes with a multitude of risks from sharp hooks, tangled lines, and accidentally dropping equipment.
This could cause injury to both the fisherman and other unsuspecting passengers who are at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Cruise ships also have to adhere to the environmental regulations set by the regions they are sailing in, and fishing could cause significant damage to marine life and delicate ecosystems.
Depending on the itinerary, the ship could be sailing in areas that are home to high-risk species of fish, sea turtles, or plant life. Not only do the cruise lines care about protecting the environment, but violating regulations could result in hefty fines for the brand.
Relatedly, Carnival enforces an Items Overboard Policy, in which guests who put anything overboard without explicit permission can be slapped with a $500 charge per violation. Fishing lines would not be authorized.
“Any willful or negligent act of discharging or releasing any unauthorized item overboard, without the express permission of the ship’s staff may result in a $500 charge, per violation,”Carnival’s policy states.
Because of the damage that fishing can do to marine ecosystems, cruise guests might accidentally jeopardize the health of local fishing industries at the various cruise ports. These people rely on fishing for their food and income, and a disruption would be disastrous.
If guests simply can’t resist the urge to fish, they should make arrangements to go fishing in an approved location while visiting the ports of call on their itinerary.
The stern was the Titanic’s engineering core, home to the steam engines and three bronze propellers that powered and steered the ship.
It wasn’t all machinery though, with both third-class open decks and lavish first-class lounges sharing the space.
The stern wreck looks far more wrecked than the bow today, as trapped air caused implosions on the way down.
The Titanic’s stern section — or the aft-most part of the ship — held a lot of the ship’s engineering areas, as well as quarters for the lower passenger classes and crew; it was also the very last part of the ship to sink, and it remains dramatically decimated at the bottom of the ocean today.
Let’s take a look at the importance of the Titanic’s stern to the ship’s operations, as well as who would’ve visited this area of the ship, plus what it looks like now.
The Titanic’s Propulsion System
Yes, the Titanic was known for its size and luxury, but it was also known for its speed, thanks to its state-of-the-art (for the time) propulsion system.
The Titanic’s triple-expansion steam engines were considered technological marvels. The steam engine required more than two dozen boilers, which were supplied by more than 150 coal-fired furnaces and the nearly 7,000 tons of coal that the ship carried on board. Each boiler weighed nearly 100 tons, and stood at a height equivalent of a three or four-story building.
These four-cylinder, triple-expansion steam engines were housed within the ship’s Reciprocating Engine Room, in the aft/stern.
The Triple-Blade Titanic Propellers
On a similar note, the Titanic’s propellers — which may seem not all that special to a modern viewer, though you might recognize them from an infamous scene from the 1997 movie, in which a man falls onto a propeller — were actually ground-breaking for the time, and an engineering feat.
Titanic Propellers (Photo Credit: meunierd)
The Titanic was outfitted with three propellers in total, and two of these are still attached to the stern wreckage and are visible, while another is suspected to be buried. The two larger propellers measured in at 23.5 feet in diameter, while a smaller, third propeller (the one that’s buried) measured in at 17 feet in diameter.
The propellers are made from bronze, which makes them capable of outlasting much of the deterioration that the rest of the ship has experienced. The propellers could also be independently maneuvered, which helped with steering, particularly in tight spaces. Engineers could turn the ship sharply as needed.
Passenger Areas
While the stern area was more or less functional and devoted to the ship’s propulsion and operational needs, there were still a few passenger areas here. For example, there were some cabins that were available to single women and families. There was also the Titanic poop deck, which was an open-air space for the third-class passengers.
Titanic’s Passenger Area (Photo Credit: Everett Collection)
The passenger areas weren’t only limited to these lower-class passengers, though. For example, there was the upscale Café Parisian, with its views of the water, light green walls and European chic vibes.
There was also an aft-end lounge and first-class smoking room. These were places where the wealthier passengers could gather and relax, in environments partially inspired by the Palace of Versailles and lavishly decorated.
If we want to reference the film again, it’s said that the piece of wood that Rose floats on in the ending scenes were modeled after very real panels of decorative wood that would have appeared in these spaces.
The Titanic Stern Wreck: What It Looks Like Today
The Titanic’s stern dramatically broke apart from the rest of the ship and, due to its design, with all of those wide open spaces that housed the ship’s engineering, today it looks almost as if it exploded rather than sank.
In fact, due to air pockets trapped within the stern as it fell below the waves, there were some very literal implosions that caused survivors to think that they were hearing explosions.
Through numerous, long-term efforts, it was determined that the stern sits about 2,000 feet away from the ship’s bow.
Additionally, due to the way the stern fell apart as it sank (it’s theorized that it literally spun around in quick circles as it did), a mammoth amount of debris was flung off the stern and helped create the existing huge debris field. As such, you’ll find a huge number of items flung out from the stern’s impact site, from the large amount of coal that was originally housed within the stern, to personal items from the passengers.
This is in stark contrast to the bow of the ship. The bow didn’t sink quite so dramatically or quickly, and so not as much damage can be seen. It still looks like, more or less, a ship. However, those implosions and damage are heavily visible on the stern.
Wreckage of the Titanic Stern (Photo Credit: Prestigious_Tap_4818)
It’s estimated that the stern sits at about 12,500 feet below sea level, and that it has sunk as much as 65 feet further into the ocean floor.
If you’d like to learn more about how the tragedy occurred, consider watching the 2025 National Geographic documentary entitled “Titanic: The Digital Resurrection,” which features the most detailed Titanic model ever.
Whether you watch this particular documentary or not, it may be wise to consume as much Titanic content as you can, if you’re interested in this point in history. It’s expected that the Titanic will completely disintegrate in our lifetime, as a type of bacteria, halomonas titanicae, is eating away at the ship.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Titanic Stern
What was located at the stern of the Titanic?
The stern of the Titanic housed the ship’s propulsion systems, but also included a range of passenger areas as well. There were third-class cabins, a poop deck, lounges and dining areas, with some limited to lower-class passengers and others reserved for first-class passengers only.
What were the Titanic’s propellers like?
The Titanic featured three propellers. There were two larger propellers and one smaller propeller, and they could be operated independently, making for easier maneuvers in tight spaces. All of the propellers were made from bronze.
Did the Titanic’s stern rise out of the water when it sank?
Yes, just as happened in the titular movie, the Titanic’s stern rose out of the water as it sank, to a nearly vertical angle. Then, the stern spun and descended into the ocean in dramatic fashion, imploding as the sea pressure heightened.
Where is the Titanic’s stern now?
The Titanic’s stern is part of the 15-square-mile Titanic debris field in the North Atlantic, about 400 miles away from Newfoundland. The wreckage sits at a depth of about 12,500 feet.
Why is the Titanic stern wreck more damaged than the bow?
When looking at the wreckage of the Titanic stern vs. bow, there are some specific contrasts — mostly because of the Titanic stern’s layout, greater pockets of air were trapped inside of it when it sank. As such, as the ocean pressure heightened, this caused implosions, which today make the stern appear much more damaged than the bow, which sank slowly.
What was the Titanic poop deck?
Part of the ship’s stern, the poop deck was an open-air, outdoor space that was open to third-class passengers. It was one of the last parts of the ship to sink.
Norwegian Breakaway‘s October 3, 2027 itinerary is tweaked with every port adjusted.
Portland, Maine, has been removed from the sailing and Sydney, Nova Scotia, is now added.
Port availability is cited as the change for the itinerary, but no further details are provided.
It can be distressing when a cruise line changes a carefully chosen itinerary, but how much time is enough that travelers don’t need to fret over the changes? Norwegian Cruise Line is certainly giving guests plenty of time to change their travel plans for one upcoming sailing of Norwegian Breakaway.
The impacted sailing is the ship’s October 3, 2027 departure and every port visit on the fall foliage cruise has been changed in some way. With nearly 18 months before the ship sets sail, guests have plenty of time to cancel their cruise and opt for a different sailing if they prefer.
“We work with port authorities around the world to secure each call far in advance, but from time to time circumstances change and we’re informed that space is no longer available,”the email notification explains.“We understand that itinerary changes can bring disappointment, and we truly appreciate your understanding and flexibility.”
The 7-night Canada and New England cruise is sailing roundtrip from Boston with stops planned in Maine and Canada.
Portland, Maine is now completely removed from the schedule. As an alternative, a visit to Sydney, Nova Scotia has been added to the itinerary.
This change has necessitated shifts in the other ports on the schedule as well. The visit to Eastport, Maine, which was to have been on Tuesday, October 5, will now be on Monday, October 4. The time has also changed from the original 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will now be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. instead.
Photo Credit: picture.factory / Shutterstock
Norwegian Breakaway will visit Halifax on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. instead of on Friday, and the call to Sydney is on Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., the day the ship was to have been in Portland.
Saint John (Bay of Fundy) is the last call on the itinerary and will now be on Friday, October 8, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. instead of Thursday as originally planned.
The very last day of the sailing remains a day at sea on Saturday before the ship returns to Boston on Sunday, October 10, 2027.
Why So Many Itinerary Changes?
It may seem like the entire itinerary is upended, and indeed, with nearly every day changed the new schedule does not look much like the original plan. Port adjustments often have this type of knock-on effect as the cruise line must plan for travel time between ports as well as ensuring that guests have enough time to truly enjoy each visit.
Guest reactions to the change are mixed. Some travelers who wanted to further explore the Pine Tree State are disappointed that they will no longer be visiting the largest city in Maine.
Others, however, note that Maine is well-known for its natural beauty, which will be much better enjoyed without an urban port visit.
“Replacing Portland with Sydney is amazing. You want to go for nature and fall colors, not another big city,”one commenter noted. Others, including residents of Maine and guests who have done similar cruises, agreed.
Norwegian Cruise Line frequently tweaks itineraries in similar ways. In fact, Cruise Hive has previously reported on another change for Norwegian Breakaway‘s August 30, 2026 departure, which is also a Canada and New England cruise.
On that cruise, the ship is still visiting Portland, but on a different day than originally planned, and with times in Saint John also adjusted.
Norwegian Breakaway can welcome nearly 4,000 guests at each sailing. In both 2026 and 2027, the ship will be homeported from Boston from mid-April through early November with a mix of Canada and Bermuda itineraries.
It’s been a chaotic week on the water. A ship is stuck on a reef near a famous movie island, Norwegian Cruise Line settled a drowning lawsuit days before trial, and Virgin Voyages sent guests to Canada instead of Bermuda.
We’ve also got coverage on fishermen blocking cruise ships, Alaska changes spreading to a fourth line, and fried chicken. Let’s get into it.
Valiant Lady Trades Bermuda for a Canadian Snowstorm
Nobody books a Virgin Voyages sailing from New York expecting to end up in Canada. But that’s exactly what happened to guests boarding Valiant Lady on April 6.
Just three days before embarkation, the cruise line sent an email. The call to Bermuda was out and the visit to Saint John, New Brunswick was in, which is roughly 900 miles further north.
The reason was safety. Forecasted winds at Kings Wharf would have made docking the 110,000-gross-ton ship genuinely dangerous. Hard to argue with that.
Virgin Voyages in Charleston (Photo Credit: Daniel Wright98)
The temperature gap, though. Bermuda was expecting highs around 70°F. Saint John? Around 40°F, with possible snow the night before arrival.
Virgin Voyages offered $100 in onboard credit for the change. Some guests took it well, but one Reddit commenter said they’d never visited Canada before and planned to embrace it. Others felt $100 didn’t come close to cutting it. Guests who wanted out could take a future cruise credit, but a full cash refund was not on the table.
Fiji Princess Runs Aground Near the Cast Away Island
Of all the places to end up stuck on a reef, Monuriki Island in Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands is a memorable one. It’s the island Tom Hanks was stranded on in the 2000 film Cast Away.
Blue Lagoon Cruises’ Fiji Princess struck a reef nearby in the early hours of April 4, while on a 7-night itinerary. The cruise line said conditions were calm at anchor. Then a sudden squall dragged the ship onto the reef.
Monuriki Island, Fiji (Photo Credit: ashleyk1212)
All 30 passengers were evacuated the following morning without injury, along with 17 non-essential crew members.
The damage was serious. Authorities confirmed structural damage to the rear of the vessel and the steering area, and the ship began taking on water. Around 5,300 gallons of diesel were onboard. No damage to the fuel tanks was found, and crews moved quickly to pump fuel off as a precaution.
Rough seas linked to nearby Tropical Cyclone Vaianu have slowed salvage efforts. The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji said it simply wasn’t safe to put equipment in the water. Some crew members are staying aboard the ship’s sister vessel nearby while the work continues.
Holland America Raises Gratuities. Did You Notice?
No press release. No announcement. Guests just started spotting it on their bookings.
Holland America Line has increased its daily crew appreciation charge by $1 per person for all sailings from June 1, 2026 onwards. Standard staterooms are now $18 per person, per day. Suites are $20.
Holland America Cruise Ship in Fort Lauderdale (Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks)
Restaurant and beverage service charges are also going up, from 18% to 20%. Those can’t be adjusted or removed.
Holland America is part of the same Carnival Corporation family as Carnival Cruise Line, which introduced its own $1 per day increase earlier in April. These things tend to move through the group in waves.
For a family of four on a 7-night balcony sailing, it works out to $28 extra in gratuities from June onwards.
Norwegian Settles Drowning Lawsuit Two Days Before Trial
This one has been grinding through the courts for over a year. It’s finally done.
Hyon Duk Shin died at Horseshoe Bay Beach in Bermuda on March 27, 2024. He’d been in the water with his two young sons, aged 7 and 9, when he spotted a girl being pulled away by a rip current. He got her back to safety. He didn’t make it himself.
His family sued NCL the following year, arguing the cruise line knew the beach had a history of dangerous conditions and said nothing. Not enough lifeguards, no warnings about the currents, no disclosure of previous deaths nearby.
Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda (Photo Credit: Andrew F. Kazmierski)
NCL pushed back hard, filing for summary judgment on the basis that open water hazards are obvious by nature. The judge wasn’t convinced. She pointed to the captain’s log from Norwegian Getaway, which included strong winds recorded at port that day, the kind that create exactly the currents that killed him.
Two days before the trial was set to begin, both sides came to a settlement. The case wraps up formally once paperwork clears over the next 45 days.
The beach transfer excursion is still on sale on NCL’s website. Still listed as “easy.” Still no mention of currents.
Guest Sues Celebrity Cruises After Tripping Over a Speaker
One passenger’s evening aboard Celebrity Reflection ended on the floor of the grand foyer.
Jeannette Beres was on Deck 3 of the Solstice-class ship on January 14, 2025, dancing in the atrium when she went down. A speaker, she claims, had been left by crew members right in the middle of the dance floor. In the way of guests. No warning, no signage, nothing marking it off.
She fractured her foot. Filed suit in March 2026 seeking compensation for pain, suffering, and financial losses. Celebrity Cruises hasn’t said a word publicly, and no footage has surfaced. Two sides to every story, but this one’s now in the hands of the courts.
Fishermen Block Sun Princess From Docking in Corsica
Not every port miss is down to weather. On April 7, fishermen angry about rising diesel costs blocked access to ports across Corsica. Ferries were stranded and cruise ships couldn’t dock.
Sun Princess showed up at Port Ajaccio, and the captain tried to negotiate. The fishermen’s position was simple: come in if you want, but you’re not leaving. As a result, the 4,300-passenger ship had to turn around.
Sun Princess Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Teo Diam)
She pressed on toward Genoa, with an overnight in La Spezia to follow before wrapping up in Civitavecchia. The protests are rooted in fuel costs tied to ongoing Middle East tensions, and the Corsican agricultural union is already talking about widening the action. Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Marella, and Saga all have April calls to the island lined up. Whether those go ahead is anyone’s guess right now.
Royal Caribbean Is the Fourth Line to Drop Tracy Arm Fjord
Last August, a landslide sent roughly 100 million cubic meters of debris into the fjord and triggered a localized tsunami. No ships were inside at the time. The debris is still there, more slides are possible, and nobody wants to be the line that pushes its luck.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship in Alaska (Photo Credit: CreativeStudio79)
Thirty-one sailings across the Radiance-class Serenade of the Seas and the Voyager-class Voyager of the Seas are now rerouted through Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier, just 20 miles south and just as scenic.
Royal Caribbean-booked excursions will be adjusted or refunded automatically. Carnival, Holland America, and Virgin Voyages had already made the same call. Norwegian, Princess, and Celebrity still have Tracy Arm on their schedules for now.
Carnival Is Testing a New Free Lunch Venue
Right, enough bad news. Carnival is trialing a new lunch spot called Chicken, Waffles, & Waves on select Conquest-class ships. It’s been seen on Carnival Freedom, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Glory, and Carnival Valor. Brand ambassador John Heald confirmed the test is live.
Chicken Waffles and Waves Menu
The setup is on Deck 10 aft, where the old ‘Ol Fashioned BBQ used to be. The menu runs through fried chicken three ways, saucy tenders, slow-cooked pork, beef brisket, waffles, and sides. Mac and cheese, coleslaw, and bacon potato salad. All free.
Lines are short. Seating is easy to find. Guests are broadly happy with it, though a few want a grilled chicken option and think the waffles could be crispier.
Heald hasn’t said whether it goes fleetwide. Worth keeping an eye on if you’re sailing on one of those ships soon.
More Cruise Headlines
A Carnival cruise passenger has taken an assault claim against the line to federal court this week. Norwegian Dawn is being moved to a new homeport after port availability issues forced the change. And Princess Cruises is switching some of its Juneau calls to tender operations for the upcoming Alaska season.
Carnival Spirit‘s April 12 departure from Mobile is delayed due to the need for unspecified repairs.
The ship will remain in Alabama until Monday afternoon before leaving to head to Seattle.
The visit to Cartagena, Colombia is cancelled but the other port visits are not changed.
Carnival Spirit is due to head for Alaska with her April 12, 2026 departure from Mobile, Alabama, but guests have learned that her departure will be delayed and one key cruise port is now dropped for that one-way repositioning sailing.
In an “Operational & Itinerary Update” email to booked guests, Carnival Cruise Line explained the change and how it will impact this unique voyage.
“Our engineers need to conduct in-service repair work on the ship before we begin our journey to Seattle. The work, which will not affect shipboard services, can only be completed while the vessel is docked and will require extended time in port,” the email explained.
Cruise Hive previously reported on changes to Carnival Spirit‘s current sailing, a weeklong Bahamas itinerary, that necessitated dropping the Bimini port visit and adjusting the visit to Celebration Key due to “in-service work.”
The ship was expected to set sail on her upcoming cruise at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 12. Because of the need for these repairs, however, Carnival Spirit will not set sail until midafternoon on Monday, April 13. An exact time for her departure has not yet been confirmed.
Embarkation will still be on Saturday as planned and guests are reminded to still use their pre-selected terminal arrival appointment time. Guests can, however, choose to go back ashore in Mobile on Sunday, but must return to Carnival Spirit by 11 p.m.
Carnival Spirit Letter
On Sunday evening, due to customs regulations, the retail shops and the onboard casino must remain closed. All other onboard activities, including dining and entertainment, will be open and operating as planned.
The 85,920-gross-ton Carnival Spirit can welcome 2,610 guests aboard. She is scheduled to remain in Alaska through mid-September and will make one unique voyage to Hawaii before returning to Mobile in October for the winter season.
Port Visit Removed From Itinerary
A delayed departure from Mobile is not the only adjustment being made to Carnival Spirit‘s repositioning cruise.
“As a result of this revised departure time and given the strict timeline for our transit of the Panama Canal, we will not have enough time to visit Cartagena, Colombia,”the email noted.
The visit to Cartagena was to have been the first port visit for the sailing, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 16. Instead, the ship will spend that day at sea en route to the Panama Canal.
This change will naturally be disappointing to guests, as visits to Colombia are relatively rare for cruise ship itineraries. It is a popular stop, however, for cruises that transit the Panama Canal, making it another highlight of this particular voyage.
Carnival Cruise Line is giving all staterooms onboard this sailing a $100 onboard credit as compensation for the lost port. All pre-booked Carnival shore excursions for Cartagena will be automatically cancelled and also refunded to guests’ Sail & Sign accounts.
There are no other changes to the ship’s itinerary at this time. Guests will still enjoy a stop in Costa Rica on Sunday, April 19 as well as Cabo San Lucas on Thursday, April 23. Carnival Spirit should arrive in Seattle on Tuesday, April 28.
The nature of the repairs being made to Carnival Spirit have not been announced. Because the ship must be docked, and because port visits have been adjusted, it is possible the repairs involve the propulsion system. The safety systems, navigation, and other onboard systems do not appear to be impacted.
Guests booked on Carnival Spirit‘s first sailings in Alaska, where she will offer 7-night itineraries, should stay in close communication with the cruise line in case further repairs may be needed and their cruises could be affected.
