Blog Page 8

Island Princess Departure Delayed After Guest Found Unresponsive

Melissa Mayntz
-
0
Island Princess Departure Delayed After Guest Found Unresponsive

Key Aspects:

  • A 69-year-old male American guest passed away due to natural causes on Island Princess on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
  • He was found shortly before the ship arrived in Souda, Greece, and Island Princess departed about 30 minutes late.
  • There has been no indication of foul play in the guest’s death and the cruise ship has continued her scheduled itinerary.

It was a sad day aboard Princess Cruises’ Island Princess on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, as a guest was found unresponsive in his stateroom and confirmed to have died shortly before the ship arrived in Souda, Greece.

According to the Greek news media Parakritika, the 69-year-old male passenger died from natural causes and was found unconscious in his stateroom by his wife. No specific cause of death has been released, nor is there any indication of foul play.

Other than his American nationality, no further information has been disclosed about the guest’s identity. This is standard practice to safeguard the privacy of the guest, as well as the privacy of their family members, friends, and traveling companions at such a distressing time.

Because of legal necessities for the guest’s body to remain on the ship for transport back to the U.S., Island Princess was delayed in her departure from the port.

Island Princess Cruise Ship
Island Princess Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Andres Felipe Perez)

The call to Souda is one of the last on the ship’s current sailing. The 25-night one-way transatlantic cruise departed Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Tuesday, October 6. Island Princess has already visited destinations in Bermuda, the Azores, Spain, France, and Italy.

The call to Souda was the first of three port stops planned for Greece before the ship arrives in Piraeus on Saturday, October 31 for debarkation. Following Souda, Island Princess is scheduled to visit Santorini and Mykonos.

Why Was Island Princess Delayed?

Because the 2,210-guest cruise ship is foreign-flagged (the ship is flagged in Bermuda), specific procedures had to be followed for the guest’s body to be transported out of Greece, and approvals were needed from the relevant Hellenic authorities.

Transporting human remains, whether a body or cremated ashes, can be a complicated process both for the country being left and the country where the remains are being imported.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is necessary to notify consular personnel, obtain export clearance documents as well as import documents, arrange appropriate packaging, and complete other necessary documentation to bring a body into the U.S.

AIS tracking data shows Island Princess departed Souda at approximately 8:30 p.m. local time, about 30 minutes behind her scheduled 8 p.m. departure. Tracking does show the ship calling on Santorini as scheduled on Thursday, October 29. Souda and Santorini are roughly 100 miles apart, and the ship was planned to be in Santorini from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Read Also: Do Cruise Ships Have Morgues? Find Out What Happens

It is not common for a guest to pass away during a cruise vacation, but such sad situations do happen. Cruise ships are equipped with medical facilities and do have onboard morgues for use when needed.

Cruise Hive has reached out to Princess Cruises about the incident but has not yet received a response at press time, and our thoughts are with the guest’s family members and friends at this difficult time.

Carnival Breeze and Jubilee Guests Warned of Galveston Construction Delays

Calvin Musquez
-
0
Carnival Breeze and Jubilee Guests Warned of Galveston Construction Delays

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival has warned guests on three Galveston departures this week about construction-related lane closures along Harborside Drive.
  • The advisory affects Carnival Breeze departures on October 29 and November 2, and Carnival Jubilee on October 31, 2026.
  • Passengers have been given specific parking and drop-off instructions to avoid unnecessary delays in reaching Cruise Terminal 25.

Lane closures due to construction along Harborside Drive are complicating embarkations for three Carnival cruises out of Galveston. On October 27, 2026, the cruise line issued an advisory to guests booked on the sailings with instructions for navigating to Cruise Terminal 25. 

The advisory affects guests on two sailings of Carnival Breeze, departing October 29, 2026 and November 2, 2026. The October 29 departure is a 4-night sailing visiting Cozumel, while the November 2 cruise is a 5-night voyage visiting Cozumel and Progreso.

One sailing aboard Carnival Jubilee is also affected. The 5,362-guest ship will depart from Galveston October 31, 2026 for an 8-night voyage visiting Nassau, RelaxAway Half Moon Cay, and Celebration Key.

“You will be embarking at Cruise Terminal 25 (CT25), and construction is underway along sections of Harborside Drive (the main road by the cruise terminal). Consequently, there will be lane closures,” the notice reads.

The notice advises guests to check traffic conditions on the day of embarkation to adjust their routes to the terminal. It further explains that traffic signs and personnel will be on-site to direct traffic amid the closures. 

For guests parking a vehicle at Lots A and B, a complimentary shuttle to Cruise Terminal 25 is provided by the Port of Galveston. This shuttle is not available for guests parking in the Express Lot next to Terminal 28 or the SMP Garage across the street from Terminal 25.

Guests parking at the Express Lot have been advised to enter on the west side via 33rd Street instead of approaching from Harborside Drive. The cruise line did not specify a recommended route for the SMP Garage, though the entrances are usually accessible via 24th or 25th Street if guests wish to avoid Harborside.

If guests are being dropped off at Terminal 25, they are advised to tell their driver to enter the terminal drop-off area via 22nd Street and exit via 23rd. There will also be no vehicular access to Terminal 25 from Terminal 28, so guests planning to take a shortcut through the neighboring terminal will need to use the correct route instead.

Carnival Galveston Letter
Carnival Galveston Letter

Despite the complications for guests navigating to the port, Carnival has not announced any changes to the scheduled departure times for the three sailings. Guests were advised to adhere to their scheduled arrival appointments and be onboard by the final boarding time on their boarding passes.

As Cruise Hive has covered in the past, guests are responsible for their own arrival punctuality, not the cruise line. Carnival has previously emphasized that it would not issue compensation or refunds to guests who are late to their cruise due to traffic problems.

Galveston Construction Has Disrupted Cruises Before

The construction along Harborside Drive and resulting road closures have been ongoing for some time. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) began work in earnest on a mobility and road rehabilitation project in May 2026, while the earliest road closures began in fall 2025.

At the same time, a separate port improvement project is constructing an internal roadway to redirect cruise traffic away from Harborside in order to alleviate congestion around the port. For now, the work is adding to congestion and Carnival has already issued several similar traffic notices to guests.

In May 2026, the cruise line issued a similar traffic advisory to guests sailing on Carnival Breeze and Carnival Jubilee. More recently, guests booked on Carnival Dream’s September 5, 2026 cruise were redirected to Terminal 28 instead of 25 due to road closures from the project.

The road rehabilitation project was originally supposed to finish over the summer, but faced a number of delays. TxDOT now expects work to finish sometime in early November, though the internal roadway and other port improvements will roll out in phases into and beyond 2027.

Carnival Now Marks Sail & Sign Cards of Guests Who Prepay Gratuities

Melissa Mayntz
-
0
Carnival Now Marks Sail & Sign Cards of Guests Who Prepay Gratuities

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival Cruise Line is adding a sticker to guests’ Sail & Sign cards to indicate if gratuities have been pre-paid before sailing.
  • The cruise line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, has confirmed the stickers, but no further details are yet available.
  • Carnival’s gratuity FAQ no longer mentions that guests can adjust gratuities, but it also doesn’t deny that ability.

Carnival Cruise Line has introduced new personalization to guests’ Sail & Sign cards that is creating strong reactions among cruisers. The cruise line has confirmed that “Crew love” stickers are being put on guests’ cards if the gratuities for that sailing have been pre-paid.

The stickers appeared in a TikTok video posted on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 that has quickly gone viral with more than 43,000 views in a single day. The 10-second video shows the poster’s card from the October 18, 2026 sailing of Carnival Panorama, a 6-night Mexican Riviera itinerary from Long Beach.

The card pictured is the vertical, redesigned card that was introduced with the new Carnival Rewards program on September 1, 2026, which has “Carnival Days Sailed” and the total number of cruise days for the individual guest printed on the lower right corner.

In the upper right-hand corner of the card is a light blue, circular sticker that says, “Crew love” and “I pre-paid my gratuities” surrounded by hearts, polka dots, and a dark blue border.

The idea of publicly displaying such a statement has seemed so unbelievable to even the most dedicated Carnival Cruise Line fans that many quickly questioned whether the sticker was real or if the image was AI-generated and a fake rumor.

John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, has reportedly responded to guests asking about the sticker’s authenticity and confirmed it is real.

“Thank you, yes that is correct and we have only just started this,” Heald said in an email reply to one guest.

He did explain that he would “put some things together” to share with his nearly 700,000 Facebook followers, but did not give a specific date when he might share additional information.

In the meantime, the stickers aren’t the only thanks Carnival is offering guests who have pre-paid their gratuities.

The TikTok video also shows a card left in the stateroom thanking the guest. The same colorful “Crew love” emblem is at the top of the card.

“On behalf of our entire team, thank you for pre-paying your gratuities. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps recognize the many team members who work together to make your cruise vacation fun, memorable, and enjoyable,” the card reads. “Thank you for choosing Carnival, and we trust that you’re having a wonderful cruise filled with fun, relaxation, and unforgettable moments!”

Carnival Cruise Line also released a statement about the stickers, clarifying that they are part of a larger pilot program of guest recognition and crew appreciation that is being evaluated as feedback is submitted.

“The Carnival gratuity program is an important way guests recognize our hardworking team members and ensure that gratuities are shared among both guest-facing and behind-the-scenes crew who make great vacations possible. Our team members provide great service to every guest,” the statement reads.

“The ‘Crew Love’ stickers and thank-you notes are simply a way to let our crew know that a guest has prepaid their gratuities, while giving those guests a little recognition for their generosity. This is one component of a broader pilot, and we’re listening to feedback as we evaluate it.”

Strong Reactions to Gratuity Stickers

Regardless of what cruise guests may personally think of gratuities and whether or not to pre-pay, the stickers are prompting strong reactions.

While some guests do approve of the sticker addition, many others feel it is in poor taste and would prefer not to have it.

Some commenters have expressed genuine concern that guests who display the pre-paid sticker may receive a different level of service from crew members, while others simply prefer to pay their gratuities another way rather than pre-pay.

“Some of us don’t Pre-pay because we don’t feel the need to give Carnival our money a year in advance when we book the cruise and no service has been provided to us yet,” one guest explained on a Facebook post.

Many commenters also noted that this feels like shaming guests who don’t pre-pay gratuities but who may pay in cash or simply pay the automatic gratuities once they’re added to each guest’s individual account during a sailing, even though those guests are still paying gratuities.

Carnival Cruise Line’s official service gratuity policy explains the gratuity policies and amounts (currently $17 per person, per day for standard staterooms and $19 per person, per day for suites), but does not mention stickers.

Cruise Hive has noticed, however, that Carnival Cruise Line’s gratuities page has been recently updated, with some significant changes.

According to the Wayback Machine, as recently as August 26, 2026, the service gratuities FAQ noted guests were able to adjust gratuities if they desired.

“At the discretion of the guest, gratuities may be adjusted after they have been posted on the guest’s account, while on board,” the archived FAQ reads.

That line has been removed from the current page on Carnival’s website, and there is no longer any mention of guests having the discretion to adjust gratuities. The gratuities may either be pre-paid or will be added automatically to guests’ accounts during their cruise.

To be clear, there is also no mention that guests cannot adjust gratuities if they wish, there is just no longer any mention at all of adjustments.

A hoax letter was recently circulating through social media claiming that Royal Caribbean would no longer permit guests to adjust gratuities onboard, but that was debunked. Royal Caribbean did have a minor error on its gratuities FAQ that was quickly corrected.

MSC Opera Guests Get Cancellation Texts Just One Day Before Sailing

Calvin Musquez
-
0
MSC Opera Guests Get Cancellation Texts Just One Day Before Sailing

Key Aspects:

  • Guests booked on MSC Opera received last-minute cancellation notices on October 28, ahead of scheduled embarkations in Italy.
  • MSC cited technical reasons, though it did not specify whether it was related to the ship’s current dry dock.
  • The cruise line promised refunds and expense reimbursement to affected passengers, while other guests reported their embarkation was moved to Livorno on October 31.

Cruise guests booked on MSC Opera were surprised when they received text messages informing them that their cruise had been cancelled. The messages were sent to guests on October 28, 2026, just one day before the earliest embarkation.

“We are very sorry to inform you that, due to technical reasons, we had to cancel your cruise,” the text reads.

The 2,658-guest vessel was scheduled to depart from Civitavecchia, Italy on October 29. Several overlapping itineraries were offered, including shorter Mediterranean cruises and longer transatlantic voyages, with additional embarkation opportunities at ports such as Genoa and Livorno.

MSC Opera has been undergoing a dry dock operation in Valletta since earlier in October. As of the time of writing, cruise ship tracking data shows the vessel still docked in the Malta port.

MSC Cruises has not confirmed exactly what technical problems led to the cancellation. However, the timing points to a repair related to its dry dock.

These text messages prompted confusion from booked passengers, with some questioning whether they were a phishing attempt. Cruise phishing scams have become more common in recent years, as Cruise Hive has covered. That said, some passengers reported to have confirmed the cancellation directly with MSC Cruises.

MSC Text Message
MSC Text Message

As of the time of writing, the Port of Civitavecchia has not updated its port schedule to reflect the cancellation. The October 29 departures have since been removed from MSC’s website.

The cruise line’s notice said that guests would receive a full refund for the cancelled cruise. The notice also promised reimbursement for travel and accommodation expenses. 

Some Guests Told to Embark in Livorno Instead

Not every guest reported receiving the cancellation message. Some guests, discussing the notice on Facebook, reported that they were told their sailing was not completely cancelled, but that embarkation was moved to Livorno on October 31.

“I got a message that it was postponed until October 31 and leaving from Livorno,” said one guest.

“I am already in Genoa. It doesn’t say it is totally cancelled,” said another guest. “My email says my embarkation is Livorno and to report to terminal as normal Oct 30 and get a free hotel and bus to Livorno on Oct 31 with obc [onboard credit].”

Livorno was already the scheduled port of call for MSC Opera on that day. While the guests did not specify the lengths of their sailings in their comments, it is possible that bookings are being handled differently depending on their length.

MSC Has Cancelled Cruises for Technical Issues Before

MSC Cruises has not confirmed exactly what technical problems led to the cancellation, though the timing points to a repair related to its dry dock. However, the cruise line has had similar last-minute cancellations due to technical problems in the past.

In April 2025, MSC Sinfonia passengers also received a text message the evening before departure informing them that their cruise had been cancelled because of technical issues. Following that cancellation, reports began to circulate that the ship had encountered a malfunction affecting its speed.

Guests booked on a May 2025 sailing aboard MSC Meraviglia, meanwhile, had slightly more notice. Their cruise was cancelled in mid-April, just over three weeks before embarkation, with the cruise line citing mechanical issues affecting the ship’s speed.

Barcelona Port Protest Disrupts 13,000 Cruise Guests Across Four Ships

Melissa Mayntz
-
0
Barcelona Port Protest Disrupts 13,000 Cruise Guests Across Four Ships

Key Aspects:

  • A protest and fire barricade blocked cruise terminal access in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, October 28, while four ships were in port.
  • Odyssey of the Seas, Mein Schiff 7, and AIDAmar were on day visits, while Norwegian Escape was embarking guests.
  • No injuries were reported due to the protest, and none of the ships were significantly delayed in departing the city.

Guests on four cruise ships visiting Barcelona on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 were faced with transportation difficulties when port workers blocked access to the cruise terminal with protests and fire barricades.

According to Crónica Global, the protest blocked access to the Moll Adossat, which includes the cruise ship terminals. The protest happened just as thousands of cruise ship passengers were moving back and forth between their ships and tours or independent exploration of Barcelona.

The four ships in port at the time were Odyssey of the Seas, Mein Schiff 7, AIDAmar, and Norwegian Escape. There are no reports that any of the ships were in any danger during the protests, only that access to the cruise terminals was temporarily blocked.

Odyssey of the Seas is sailing a 14-night transatlantic cruise that departed Civitavecchia on Sunday, October 25 and is bound for Cape Liberty, New Jersey. Mein Schiff 7 is homeported from Palma de Mallorca and is on a 7-night sailing that began on Thursday, October 22, and AIDAmar is likewise homeported from Palma de Mallorca and on a 7-night sailing that departed on Sunday, October 25.

Norwegian Escape was homeporting from Barcelona on Wednesday, departing on a 16-night transatlantic sailing to Port Canaveral, Florida. This is the ship’s first cruise following a two-week dry dock refreshment in Marseille, France so there were no debarking guests, only guests arriving to set sail.

While no vehicles could access the terminals during the protest, video posted online shows cruise guests walking along the roadway between the terminals and the city centre. Depending on exactly where each ship was docked, that walk was as much as two miles each way.

The protest was not directly related to the cruise ships or tourism, but was over a bonus dispute in response to financial disparities, which port workers believe to be a violation of a collective bargaining agreement.

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Spain and Andorra issued a countrywide alert about protests for Wednesday, cautioning U.S. citizens to avoid demonstrations and be aware of their surroundings, noting that increased security presence was likely in demonstration areas and escalations into violence might be possible.

Cruise Guests Unhappy at Delays

Together, the four cruise ships brought upwards of 13,000 guests to the city, but the protest made their visits less than pleasant.

“A protest by the port crew early this morning has blocked the bridge’s vehicular entrance to the cruise terminal so no vehicles were allowed to go in or out,” one guest on Odyssey of the Seas described on Facebook. “We [had] to wait until the protest was over just before noon before disembarking the ship to go into town.”

This is not the first time guests aboard Odyssey of the Seas have been impacted by recent protests. Cruise Hive reported earlier that guests were warned about protests in Naples on the ship’s previous sailing, and urged to be cautious if they were exploring the Italian city independently.

While guests visiting Barcelona as a port of call were inconvenienced by the protest, the situation was more unsettling for guests boarding Norwegian Escape.

“Barcelona, what a stressful situation! Our way to the port is blocked by protesters, and we’re just trying to get to our cruise ship!” one guest wrote on Facebook. “We came here to enjoy our trip, not to be stuck on the road worrying about missing our cruise.”

The guest goes on to state they respect everyone’s right to protest, but the experience made them all the more willing to leave Barcelona in their wake.

Cruise lines have been clear in the past that guests are responsible for reaching the cruise terminal on time for departure and a ship will not wait for guests who are delayed by circumstances outside of the cruise line’s control.

The protest ended well before any of the ships were scheduled to depart and there have been no reports of guests missing their ships due to the disruption.

Coast Guard Monitors Sick Cruiser 900 Miles Out, Then Rescues Him

Calvin Musquez
-
0
Coast Guard Monitors Sick Cruiser 900 Miles Out, Then Rescues Him

Key Aspects:

  • An 81-year-old passenger was medically evacuated from Windstar Cruises’ Star Pride on October 26, 2026.
  • The U.S. Coast Guard received the request two days earlier, while the ship was approximately 900 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico.
  • A helicopter crew safely hoisted the passenger and a ship’s nurse aboard before transporting the patient to a San Juan hospital.

On October 26, 2026, U.S. Coast Guard crews conducted a medical evacuation from Windstar Cruises’ Star Pride. The 12,995-gross-ton vessel was sailing approximately 900 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico on Saturday, October 24, when an 81-year-old man on board suffered a medical emergency.

Sector San Juan watchstanders received an urgent medical evacuation request from the ship that same day, around 5:00 p.m. However, the Coast Guard did not immediately dispatch aid, instead maintaining continuous contact with the vessel over the weekend.

The Coast Guard did not say why it waited, but at 900 nautical miles the ship was well beyond the range of its helicopters, so watchstanders kept in contact with the vessel and monitored the patient as Star Pride sailed toward Puerto Rico. Commander Scott Verhage, Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen operations officer, explained the difficulty in conducting these long-range operations in a statement.

“Air Station Borinquen and Sector San Juan train relentlessly to mitigate the risks associated with demanding Coast Guard missions like long-range medical evacuations,” said Commander Verhage. “Our ultimate goal is to execute safe, highly efficient operations within a dynamic and unforgiving maritime environment.”

Star Pride Cruise Ship Airlift
Star Pride Cruise Ship Airlift (Credit: U.S. Coast Guard)

On Monday, an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew was dispatched to the ship around 3:00 p.m. By that time, Star Pride was sailing approximately 150 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico, en route to San Juan.

A video of the medevac shared by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the successful hoisting of the passenger as well as the ship’s nurse onto the helicopter by the crew. The guest was then transported to San Juan and taken to Centro Médico Hospital (the Puerto Rico Medical Center) in Río Piedras for further treatment. 

No Reported Impact to Star Pride’s Itinerary

At the time of the medevac, Star Pride was on an 8-night cruise to San Juan that departed from Boston on October 20. That same cruise was also sold as the final segment of a longer 19-night sailing from Montreal that departed October 9, though it’s unclear which of the two offerings the 81-year-old guest was a part of.

No interruption to Star Pride’s itinerary has been announced. Passengers were scheduled to disembark in San Juan on October 28.

The Same Air Station Has Conducted Cruise Ship Airlifts Before

Medical evacuations are not an unusual occurrence at sea. While cruise ships often have medical facilities and personnel onboard, passengers sometimes require medical aid beyond what the ship’s crew can provide.

In those cases, the ship’s crew will call for aid to evacuate and transport the patient. When sailing in and near U.S. waters, that task usually falls upon the U.S. Coast Guard. 

Cruise Hive recently reported that the same Coast Guard air station performed another airlift medevac from a cruise ship off the coast of Puerto Rico in September. Five hours after Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas departed San Juan, the Coast Guard airlifted a 32-year-old crew member suffering from severe abdominal pain. 

Air Station Borinquen Coast Guard crews are no strangers to long-range rescue operations, having conducted several others in past years. In 2024, for example, crews executed another successful airlift from Disney Fantasy 180 nautical miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

The identity of Star Pride’s guest has not been disclosed. While he was taken to the hospital for treatment, his medical condition has also not been publicly announced.

Carnival Clears Up Confusion Over Free Drinks for Diamond and Platinum Guests

Melissa Mayntz
-
0
Carnival Clears Up Confusion Over Free Drinks for Diamond and Platinum Guests

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival has clarified how Diamond and Platinum Carnival Rewards members can use their two free drinks benefit.
  • The free drinks are also in addition to any Carnival FunPacks drink inclusions if guests purchase one of the bundle packages.
  • FunPacks are available for purchase through October 30, 2026 and can only be applied to voyages departing from October 31, 2026 through December 31, 2027.

One of the most popular benefits of being a Platinum or Diamond member with Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Rewards program is the two complimentary beverages guests may claim onboard. This perk was also available as part of the “Very Important Fun Person” (VIFP) loyalty program that ended on August 31, 2026.

Whether in the VIFP program or now in the Carnival Rewards program, however, the complimentary beverages have caused confusion for guests as to when and how they may be claimed.

John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, addressed the confusion and explained how guests can make the most of their beverage choices in a video posted to his Facebook account on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

“I’ve had, again, people a little confused about it,” Heald noted. “When you get on board, and unless you tell the bartender or the bar server that you do not want your first two drinks to be those complimentary ones, they will automatically make it.”

It is standard policy that a Diamond or Platinum guest’s first two drinks are those complimentary beverages, but Heald confirms how easy it is for guests to request otherwise and save the complimentary drinks for later in their sailing.

“If you go up to the bartender and say, could I have a bottle of water, I’m really thirsty, the bartender gives you a bottle of water. Unless you say, please do not make this one of my complimentary Platinum or Diamond drinks, they will automatically do it,” he explained.

If a guest requests that a drink not be one of their complimentary beverages, that purchase will be charged to their stateroom account instead and their two free drinks will remain available for later use.

Heald also recommends that guests let the bartender or bar server know if they are using one of their complimentary beverages by stating it as they place their drink order.

Alchemy Bar on Mardi Gras Cruise Ship
Alchemy Bar on Mardi Gras Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)

FunPacks and Free Drinks

Another bit of confusion with the complimentary beverages for Diamond and Platinum guests is whether those count against the drink totals if guests purchase one of the limited-time FunPack bundle promotions.

Those four bundles, which Carnival Cruise Line announced on October 14, 2026, include different drink options depending on which FunPack guests select.

The “Kidstarter FunPack” bundle includes the full Bottomless Bubbles soda and juice package, while the “Zero Proof FunPack” includes the CHEERS! Zero Proof package that the cruise line first introduced in September 2025. The “Social FunPack” offers guests three alcoholic beverages per day plus unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, while the “Epic FunPack” includes the complete CHEERS! beverage package.

Heald confirmed that if Diamond or Platinum guests do purchase a FunPack, they will still receive their complimentary beverages in addition to the drinks included in their FunPack.

“One of the questions I had was over and over was, if I buy these, do I still get my 2 complimentary Platinum or Diamond drinks? Yes, you do,” he said. “That does not interfere with that at all.”

The FunPacks are only available for purchase through October 30, 2026 and may be applied to sailings departing from October 31, 2026 through December 31, 2027. FunPacks must be purchased at least three days before the sailing date.

More From Cruise Hive

Heald did not disclose whether or not the FunPack options would be extended for either purchase date or sailing date, but he did comment on how many people have purchased them.

“They are all very popular in their own right,” he said. “And remember, you only have 2 more days, 2 more days, 2 more days to get that. After that, I don’t know if they’ll be back.”

In addition to the included beverage options, the FunPacks also include other popular add-ons, such as arcade tokens, bulk candy discounts, WiFi packages, shore excursion discounts, specialty dining discounts, and other perks, depending on which FunPack guests choose.

Three Cruise Ships Reach Miami Six Hours Late as Rough Weather Hits Florida

Melissa Mayntz
-
0
Three Cruise Ships Reach Miami Six Hours Late as Rough Weather Hits Florida

Key Aspects:

  • Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Joy, and Queen Elizabeth were all delayed several hours into PortMiami on Tuesday due to rough weather.
  • The subsequent embarkation plans for all three vessels were delayed accordingly and guests were notified of the changes.
  • A fourth ship, Mein Schiff 1, skipped a port visit to Miami altogether and instead spent the day at sea en route to her next destination, San Juan.

Rough weather impacted PortMiami late Monday, October 26, 2026, and kept three cruise ships from returning to the Florida homeport as planned on Tuesday, October 27.

Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Joy, and Queen Elizabeth spent Tuesday morning circling offshore waiting for conditions to improve until they could safely dock.

Both Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Joy were concluding 4-night Bahamas sailings, while Queen Elizabeth was finishing a 12-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary.

Guests onboard the ships were notified as soon as the delay was confirmed and tentative docking plans were available.

The dock schedule for PortMiami confirmed that all three vessels were arriving late. Norwegian Joy arrived at 12:50 p.m., followed by Queen Elizabeth at 1:15 p.m. and Norwegian Getaway at 1:35 p.m.

These arrival times are roughly 6-7 hours later than the original schedules, which meant not only were plans delayed for guests debarking the three ships, but also incoming guests for Queen Elizabeth and Norwegian Joy had their Tuesday embarkations pushed back.

Guests planning to embark Queen Elizabeth, for example, were notified of the delay and how to adjust their arrival to PortMiami.

“Please arrive at the cruise terminal seven hours later than the arrival or check-in time shown on your boarding pass,” the notification requested. “Please do not arrive before your revised arrival time, as check-in will not be available.”

Onboard Queen Elizabeth, guests were likewise advised of the delayed debarkation and revised times for departing the ship, which began at 3 p.m. The final debarkation group began to leave the ship at roughly 5:30 p.m.

PortMiami Dock Schedule
PortMiami Dock Schedule

Guests onboard Norwegian Getaway were also advised of the late arrival and urged to contact their airline to make any necessary changes to post-cruise flights, if applicable. If guests had made those arrangements through Norwegian Cruise Line, adjustments were made for them to coordinate with the revised arrival time.

Norwegian Getaway actually had no embarkation guests, as the ship’s return to Miami was the final sailing from that homeport, and the vessel is next moving to Port Canaveral for sailings through early April 2027.

Norwegian Cruise Line is also offering up to $300 (USD) per person to reimburse changes or cancellation fees that are not covered by travel insurance or the airline. Guests must submit receipts for reimbursement consideration.

Another Ship Skips Miami Altogether

A fourth vessel, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 1, skipped a stop in PortMiami altogether due to the weather-related delay. The ship was due to visit Miami from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. as a port call on her current sailing, a 14-night one-way voyage between New York and La Romana.

Miami was to have been the ship’s second port visit after departing New York on Friday, October 23. Mein Schiff 1 spent Monday in Port Canaveral.

Instead of visiting Miami, the ship spent the day at sea and the itinerary has been adjusted for an early arrival to San Juan, Puerto Rico. AIS tracking now shows that Mein Schiff 1 is due in San Juan on Thursday, October 29 instead of Friday, October 30 as originally planned.

Miami Weather Update

According to the National Weather Service, Miami remains under a gale warning at sea until 8 a.m. Wednesday, October 28, with wind gusts as high as 35 knots and peak seas of 9-14 feet. Coastal flood warnings are also in effect along the eastern Florida coast.

No cruise ships are scheduled for PortMiami on Wednesday, but several vessels from Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages, and Holland America Line are scheduled over the next few days.

Carnival Rewards Fails to Fix Platinum Perk Problem on Three Sailings

Calvin Musquez
-
0
Carnival Rewards Fails to Fix Platinum Perk Problem on Three Sailings

Key Aspects:

  • Carnival Cruise Line has notified Platinum guests on three upcoming sailings that several priority benefits will be unavailable.
  • The changes affect Mardi Gras on October 31, 2026 as well as Carnival Legend and Carnival Pride on November 1, 2026.
  • Unusually high numbers of Platinum guests were cited as the reason, a recurring issue that has continued following the launch of Carnival Rewards.

Carnival Cruise Line is once again removing benefits for some of its most loyal guests. The cruise line has notified Platinum guests booked on three upcoming sailings that several of their priority benefits will be unavailable.

The first affected cruise is the October 31, 2026 sailing of Mardi Gras from Port Canaveral. This 7-night voyage is scheduled to visit Grand Turk, Puerto Plata/Amber Cove, RelaxAway Half Moon Cay, and Celebration Key before returning to the Florida port on November 7.

Carnival Legend and Carnival Pride’s respective November 1, 2026 departures will also be impacted. The Carnival Legend cruise is a 15-night transatlantic voyage from Civitavecchia to Tampa, visiting Cartagena (Spain), Malaga, Gibraltar, and King’s Wharf.

Meanwhile, Carnival Pride will depart on a 14-night, round-trip southern Caribbean sailing from Baltimore. This sailing will visit St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands), Philipsburg, Basseterre, Oranjestad, Willemstad, and Puerto Plata/Amber Cove.

On these sailings, Platinum guests will not receive priority embarkation and debarkation, early stateroom access, or priority luggage delivery, while the luggage Drop and Go service will also be unavailable. Additionally, guests were warned that priority line and phone assistance from Guest Services may not be available.

“These operational changes are consistent with other voyages where we have a very large number of Platinum guests. We apologize for any disappointment and thank you for your understanding,” said the letter to booked guests.

Carnival Perks Letter
Carnival Perks Letter

The cruise line cited a high number of Platinum guests booked on these voyages as the primary reason for the suspended benefits. Carnival also cited limited turnaround time and housekeeping needs when explaining why early stateroom access and luggage Drop and Go would be unavailable.

The removal of loyalty benefits on busy sailings has been a frequent issue for Carnival guests in recent years. In March 2026, the cruise line removed benefits for three other sailings due to a high volume of Platinum guests.

Carnival Rewards Hasn’t Eliminated the Problem

One of the goals of Carnival Rewards, the revamped loyalty program replacing VIFP, was to help address the growing number of guests with elite loyalty status. When it was announced, Carnival President Christine Duffy cited difficulties in handling the number of high-tier status passengers as a motivating factor behind the new program.

“When so many guests have elite status, it is much more difficult to make everyone feel special,” said Duffy in June 2025.

Carnival Mardi Gras Cruise
Carnival Mardi Gras Cruise (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)

Although the new loyalty program launched on September 1, 2026, the issue persists. These latest suspensions mark the second instance of Platinum guests losing their benefits that Cruise Hive has reported since Carnival Rewards officially launched. 

Just days after the program began, the September 5 departures of Carnival Vista and Carnival Sunshine also saw the removal of Platinum perks, including priority embarkation and debarkation as well as early stateroom access. As with the October 31 and November 1 departures, a high volume of Platinum guests was cited as the reason.

Some of this high volume may be a carry-over from the old system, however, as guests who opted into Carnival Rewards will keep their VIFP loyalty status through December 31, 2028. Whether these ongoing issues will ease after some guests lose status following the 2028 deadline remains to be seen.

1...789...624Page 8 of 624