Avora Residences, a new cruise line what will allow you to live on a cruise ship, will also offer a private membership called Continuum.
Membership perks include limo tender service
Avora Residences recently announced that they have purchased a cruise ship from Regent Seven Seas Cruises and will convert it to the latest ship you can live on. You can see details on all cruise lines that offer this here.
Now, the cruise line has launched a private membership that will offer a level of service, privacy, and design typically associated with private mega yachts.
“Continuum was never designed for scale—it was designed for precision”
Membership for Continuum will be limited to just 150 members, have a $150,000 initiation fee, and annual dues of $75,000. It will also grant access to live on Lumina for 60 days a year.
Members will have access to the following perks while sailing:
Private Continuum Suites across dedicated decks
24/7 white-glove butler service
Exclusive rotating culinary programming with world-class chefs
Members-only dining venues and private salons
A fully integrated global concierge managing door-to-door travel
However, the perks don’t end there. It will also include priority shore access with private tender service and curated water experiences, including submarine and watercraft in select destinations.
On land, perks will include access to global events such as Monaco Grand Prix, Cannes Film Festival, and Art Basel, private aviation coordination and jet partnerships, and chauffeured transfers and executive-level security services.
Lumina Suite
Continuum follows a continuous three-year global itinerary, visiting more than 140 countries across seven continents, with routes designed to align with seasonal highlights and major global events.
Members have the flexibility to join and depart as they choose, positioning the experience as a movable residence rather than a fixed itinerary.
Continuum will also be designed to support cryptocurrency transactions and integrate with digital asset ecosystems.
Royal Caribbean just rolled out two new credit cards with major cruise perks. One has no annual fee, and one costs $99/year but offers travel perks that easily pay for itself.
Most travelers looking for a credit card that offers Global Entry or TSA PreCheck have to settle for a card that costs at least $250 to $500 for the annual fee.
Royal Caribbean Group just lowered that bar to entry.
Frequent cruising usually also means frequent flying. And any opportunity you can skip those lines for a better experience (or to actually make it to your plane on time) should be taken.
I’ve stood in enough customs lines to know how Global Entry in itself can be worth every penny of that $120 fee.
The New Credit Cards: Royal One vs. Royal One Plus
Royal Caribbean and Bank of America have introduced two tiers of credit cards designed to offer perks and rewards for cruisers of Royal Caribbean Group’s three brands: Royal Caribbean. Celebrity Cruises and Silversea.
The Royal One Plus ($99 Annual Fee)
This is the premium version of the card, and for most travelers, the $99 fee pays for itself pretty easily.
Here’s what you get with Royal One Plus:
TSA PreCheck/Global Entry Credit: You get a $120 statement credit every four years. Since the credit is higher than the annual fee, the card essentially pays for itself (plus a $21 bonus you can spend on something more fun and cruise ship related).
$200 Anniversary Reward: Each year you hit the qualifying spend ($20,000), you get a $200 cruise discount, effectively doubling your “money back” on the annual fee. If you cruise a lot you can use this card on Royal Caribbean cruises for a 4x on points and that $20k should be very reachable.
Priority Everything: This card grants you Priority Suite Boarding and Priority Luggage Handling. Getting a “skip the line” fast pass to get on the ship sooner just for having this card is a big perk for most cruisers.
Earning Power: You earn 4X points per $1 on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Silversea, and 2X points on airfare, hotels, and dining.
EV Charging Points: Since many major cruise ports like PortMiami, Port Canaveral, and Port of Galveston have their own EV charging stations in parking garages, you can effectively earn 2X points while on the cruise ship with your car still in port.
The Royal One (No Annual Fee)
For those who want a simple, no-cost way to earn rewards, the entry-level card still offers some solid “VIP” perks.
$100 Anniversary Reward: You still get a $100 cruise discount after the qualifying annual spend of $10,000 in the year.
Priority Boarding: Even without the annual fee, you get access to priority boarding for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity but not priority luggage.
Earning Power: You’ll earn 3X points on cruise purchases and 2X points on everyday essentials like groceries, gas, and EV charging, just like the Royal One Plus card.
How it Compares to Carnival’s Card
Carnival Corp. has also updated its credit card perks recently. But it’s different from what Royal Caribbean is offering in a few different ways.
The Carnival Rewards Mastercard remains a no-annual-fee card, which is great for budget-conscious travelers who want to avoid yearly costs entirely.
The big difference with this card from Carnival is that this year is the introduction of “Status Qualifying Stars.” This system allows you to earn actual cruise loyalty status, like Platinum or Diamond, through your everyday credit card spending rather than just nights at sea.
This causes a major uproar when it was first announced and some realized they would lose their status, but time will tell how loyal cruisers end up liking the program.
The Carnival card offers 3X points on Carnival purchases, 2X points at restaurants and groceries, and 1X on everything else.
Carnival also offers a perk of $200 onboard credit once you earn 20,000 Fun Points.
While it’s a great card for climbing the loyalty ladder without a fee, it doesn’t offer some of the travel perks that Royal Caribbean is offering like Global Entry/TSA Precheck or priority luggage and boarding.
Bottom Line
Overall, this is a pretty big deal for any cruise traveler who sails with Royal Caribbean often. 4X points on Royal Caribbean purchases alone make this a no-brainer as that $99 fee will easily be a net positive.
Both Royal Caribbean cards also promise onboard credit and cruise discounts on all three of the cruise company’s brands, in addition to Visa Signature Benefits like Trip Delay expense reimbursement, Lost Luggage reimbursement, and Trip Cancellation & interruption coverage.
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Finding a free sun lounger on a busy sea day can feel like a bit of a lottery – and it’s not because there aren’t enough of them.
It’s the ones that sit empty for hours, “claimed” with a towel, a book, or a lonely flip-flop, while their owners are nowhere to be seen.
Now, several major cruise lines are reportedly trialling a new digital reservation system designed to tackle the issue head-on.
At first glance, it sounds like a simple fix. But once you dig into the details – including paid “premium” spots, no-show penalties, and even the possibility of expanding it beyond loungers – it starts to feel a bit different…
How The System Would Work Onboard
The idea is surprisingly simple.
Guests would use the cruise line’s app to join a daily list for sun loungers, selecting their preferred deck or area. Then, at around 6am each morning, allocations are released.
Crew would go around placing name cards on assigned loungers, effectively reserving them for each guest before the pool decks get busy.
There’d also be a short grace period to claim your spot, with notifications sent through the app to let you know when your lounger is ready – so you knew that you could head to your spot and start relaxing for the day.
What sounds straightforward on paper, though, comes with a few added layers once you look a bit closer.
Aim To End Towel Reservations – But Not Without Trade-Offs
If you’ve ever wandered around the pool deck wondering how every lounger can be “taken” but half of them are empty, you’ll know exactly why this is being introduced.
Unofficial reserving has been a long-standing frustration on cruise ships. Despite policies against it, it still happens – and it’s often the cause of those quiet, simmering tensions between guests.
At the minute, crew are having their time taken up by monitoring loungers and removing the belongings of guests who have left them unattended for too long.
However, this still leads to awkward conversations when cruisers confront crew over their missing belongings, and it’s not always possible for crew to actively monitor all loungers, meaning some guests are left frustrated they can’t get a lounger.
This proposed reservation system doesn’t try to stop reservations altogether. Instead, it brings them out into the open and puts some structure around them.
A Digital Queue With Limited Daily Allocations
Of course, there are a few rules.
Guests would only be able to reserve one lounger per person, and bookings reset each day. You wouldn’t be able to lock in the same spot for the entire cruise.
Availability would also be capped depending on demand, particularly on sea days when deck space is at its busiest.
In other words, it’s still first come, first served – just in a much more organised way.
At least, in theory.
Not All Loungers Will Be Equal
One detail that’s already raised a few eyebrows is how different areas are being categorised.
Loungers directly by the main pool, shaded spots, and quieter deck areas would all be treated slightly differently within the system.
So while you might secure a lounger, where it actually is could vary quite a bit depending on availability.
Option To Reserve ‘Premium’ Locations
And yes, there’s a twist.
Some of those more desirable spots – think prime poolside positions or guaranteed shade – could come with a small additional daily charge.
It’s expected to work in a similar way to other onboard extras, giving guests the option to pay a little more for a guaranteed location.
It isn’t expected to be anywhere near the daily costs that some cruise lines charge for reserving things like sun beds, but early estimates suggest a cost of around $5-10 if you want to pick a lounger in one of the top spots.
It’s likely that guests could still be allocated a premium lounger without paying the fee, but only once those who’ve paid the fee are given priority.
Keeping Groups Together – Within Reason
Travelling with family or friends? The system would try to keep everyone in your cabin booking within the same general area.
But during peak times, cruise lines are suggesting that they wouldn’t be able to guarantee loungers right next to each other, due to the additional complexities this would add to the booking system.
So you might all be on the same deck… just not necessarily side by side. In theory, with a lounger at least guaranteed, you could then look to swap with others in the area to get your party sat together.
What Happens If You Don’t Turn Up
This is where things start to get a bit stricter.
If you don’t claim your lounger within a set window – expected to be by 10 am at the latest – it would be released back into the system for someone else to use.
And in some cases, a no-show fee could be added to your onboard account. There are no indications yet of how much this fee would be.
But, cruise lines are keen to make sure that people don’t abuse the system and reserve loungers they aren’t intending to use – which, in a way, is what’s causing the issues guests already have with loungers onboard.
Repeat No-Shows Could Lead To Restrictions
Miss your slot more than once, and you might find yourself locked out of the system altogether.
Cruise lines are reportedly considering temporary restrictions for guests who repeatedly reserve loungers without using them, stopping them from reserving loungers.
It’s not expected that these limitations would apply to other parts of the ship experience, yet.
Could This Expand Beyond Sun Loungers?
If trials prove successful, this might not stop at the pool deck.
There’s already talk of similar systems being explored for other high-demand areas onboard – including theatre seating and even hot tub time slots.
Hot tubs in particular are a particular gripe for many cruisers, due to overcrowding or to children using them.
The issue of kids using hot tubs is a controversial one, but if the lounger reservation system rolls out, then we could be looking at allocated hot tub sessions, including some designated as being family-friendly.
Which would certainly change the feel of a sea day…
Before You Start Setting Your Alarm…
As convincing as all this sounds, there’s one small detail worth mentioning.
It’s not real.
Well, not yet anyway.
April Fool’s.
Would You Actually Want This?
Jokes aside, the frustration behind this is very real.
Empty loungers being “reserved” for hours isn’t going away anytime soon, and cruise lines are clearly still trying to find ways to manage it.
So while a fully digital reservation system might not be on the horizon just yet… would you actually be that against it?
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Other Cruise April Fools For 2026
Carnival’s Hidden Speakeasy
Carnival are always one of the cruise lines that love a good April Fool’s joke – to the point that they’ll start teasing it a day early! (They do go to a fair amount of effort, so you can hardly blame them).
In 2026 they teased the news of a secret bar in a very special location…
Shhh… Can you keep a secret? Rumor has it there’s something special in the funnel. 🤐 pic.twitter.com/qd10eu5UYZ
For a long stretch, MMA fans across Australia mostly watched the big UFC belts get snapped up by American and Brazilian stars while locals cheered from the cheap seats. Those days are cactus. The green and gold now pops up in the promotion’s biggest scraps, with fighters out of Australia and New Zealand grabbing titles and filling arenas like it’s a Saturday arvo footy match.
Right now, Aussie fighters sit inside the top five across four weight divisions. It’s not a one-off run either — it feels more like a proper surge that’s shaking up the whole MMA scene.
The Current State of Play
May 2026 shapes as a cracking month for Australian MMA. On May 2, Perth’s own Jack Della Maddalena heads back to RAC Arena, his first appearance there since dropping the welterweight strap. Standing across the cage will be Brazilian knockout merchant Carlos Prates in a five-round headliner that could sling the West Aussie straight back into the title hunt.
For the first time in UFC history, a Perth card lands in primetime for locals. Bouts kick off at 4 pm on a Saturday arvo. Fans won’t need to drag themselves out of bed at some ridiculous 5 am Sunday start like the old days when staying awake all night felt like the only option.
The card itself leans heavily on homegrown talent. Jimmy Crute returns chasing another highlight finish. Josh Culibao brings his all-action style back onto familiar turf. Featherweight prospect Jack Jenkins keeps pushing toward the rankings.
Where This Wave Came From
This run of success didn’t fall out of the sky. A handful of gyms turned themselves into serious fight factories over the past decade.
City Kickboxing in Auckland sits right in the middle of the story. Under Eugene Bareman, the gym rolled out stars like Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker, and Kai Kara-France. Fighters there sharpen their tools against elite training partners every day, which tends to harden blokes up pretty quickly.
Across Australia’s east coast, gyms lifted their standards as well. Freestyle Fighting Gym in Melbourne, Integrated MMA on the Gold Coast, plus several busy camps around Sydney, began producing fighters capable of hanging with anyone in the world.
Getting in on the Action
Fight nights already carry plenty of buzz, though some fans enjoy adding another layer to the experience. Australia now hosts several solid online pokies Australia platforms packed with games and sports betting markets. Opening an account and making a deposit gets things rolling without much fuss.
Punters keen on combat sports usually head straight for the fight markets. Signing up at an online casino Australia real money site often reveals a surprisingly deep slate of options for events like UFC Perth:
Outright winner
Method of victory (knockout, submission, or decision)
Round betting (which specific round the fight ends)
Will the fight go the distance?
Fight of the night bonuses
Grouped bets covering multiple main card fights
Live betting as the action unfolds
Modern online casino platforms run thousands of slots and betting markets. Game libraries stretch well past the old three-reel machines into full-blown video slots stacked with bonus features. Anyone hunting an Aussie online casino with a proper mix of games won’t struggle to find one.
The Next Generation Making Noise
Beyond the headline names, several Australians keep barging into conversations usually reserved for established stars:
Fighter
Weight Class
Current Status
Jack Della Maddalena
Welterweight
Former champion, ranked #1
Jack Jenkins
Featherweight
Climbing rankings, undefeated streak
Jimmy Crute
Light Heavyweight
Fan favourite, highlight reel finishes
Josh Culibao
Featherweight
Exciting style, building momentum
Casey O’Neill
Women’s Flyweight
Returning from injury
Jenkins in particular has caught plenty of attention thanks to his aggressive style and finishing instincts. Training at Freestyle Fighting Gym, the featherweight mixes tidy boxing with sneaky grappling. A strong showing in Perth could easily line up a ranked opponent later in the year.
What Makes Australian Fighters Different
Several traits tend to stand out when Aussie fighters step into the cage.
First up, the striking base runs deep. Years of cross-training with top-level kickboxers and boxers produced fighters comfortable trading punches with anyone. City Kickboxing’s influence spread across the region, lifting the overall striking level.
Second comes the mindset. Australian fighters rarely shy away from a scrap. They march forward, pile on pressure, and trust their durability when exchanges get messy. Fans usually appreciate the spectacle, win or lose.
Third sits the tight-knit gym culture. Fighters across Australia and New Zealand regularly train together, swap sparring rounds, and share knowledge. That sort of environment lifts standards quickly because everyone pushes each other to get better.
Keeping the momentum rolling depends on continued work at the grassroots level. The next crop of fighters is already grinding away in gyms across the country, watching local heroes headline UFC cards and dreaming of following the same path.
The Road from Here
May 2 marks another step, not the finish line. Della Maddalena’s main event gives the entire Australian crew a chance to shine. Strong showings across the card would underscore a simple message: this part of the world continues to produce serious MMA talent.
In just 17 days, Norwegian Jewel is scheduled to sail from what was supposed to be a brand-new cruise terminal in Philadelphia.
But as it stands right now, the 16-acre Phila Port Cruise Terminal is nowhere near ready for 2,300 cruise passengers. In fact, recent news footage of the site from 6 ABC Action News shows plenty of construction equipment with no real structures in place.
ID 192498739 @ Petropavlovsk | Dreamstime.com
The site for the terminal is located in Tinicum Township near Philadelphia International Airport on the site of the former Hog Island Dock. The construction process was part of a partnership between PhilaPort, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Energy Transfer.
After more than 10 years without an active cruise terminal, Philadelphia is ready to once again become a cruising homeport. But the inaugural cruise out of “The City of Brotherly Love” will look a little different than first planned.
Despite construction delays, PhilaPort and Norwegian Cruise Line have confirmed that Norwegian Jewel will still depart on its inaugural voyage as scheduled on April 16, 2026.
Passengers will not use the new permanent terminal though. Instead, embarkation for the initial sailings will take place from a temporary facility at the port.
“There will be no delay for cruise passengers. The first scheduled sailing of the Norwegian Jewel will depart Philadelphia as planned on Thursday, April 16,” PhilaPort stated.
The reason for the delay in building the new terminal? The port said that “extreme winter weather conditions” over the winter months impacted the construction process.
Norwegian Jewel is set to homeport in Philadelphia through October 2026 under a 7-year berthing agreement.
It will offer dozens of sailings, mainly 7- to 11-night itineraries to Bermuda (with overnight stays in some cases), as well as Canada and New England routes later in the season.
Media footage has shown the site as an active construction zone with heavy equipment but no completed terminal building. Still, officials say operational plans are in place to ensure a smooth experience for the initial launch of Philadelphia’s cruise season in just two weeks.
Rendering courtesy of Philaport
Norwegian Cruise Line has said it is finalizing boarding details and expects to provide updates to passengers in the near future.
Construction continues on the permanent terminal, but no revised opening date has been announced.
Passengers booked on early sailings are being advised to monitor communications from Norwegian Cruise Line for any specific check-in instructions or changes.
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The unfolding situation in the Middle East is causing more cruises to be cancelled for one cruise line, while another has decided in advance to make changes over the uncertainty in the region.
Celestyal Cruises has now cancelled all remaining sailings for both Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey through April 2026, as ongoing instability continues to prevent the ships from leaving the Arabian Gulf.
In total, a further 11 cruises have been withdrawn across the two vessels, with their Mediterranean seasons now expected to begin in early May. Celestyal Discovery is scheduled to resume operations on 1st May, followed by Celestyal Journey on 2nd May.
The cruise line said the decision was taken to provide clarity for affected guests, as uncertainty remains around when vessels will be able to safely transit out of the region.
“Our priority remains the safety and confidence of our guests, crew and partners,” said Lee Haslett, Chief Commercial Officer of Celestyal. “While we know this will be disappointing, making this decision now provides greater clarity and flexibility for those affected.”
Both ships remain in the Arabian Gulf, with Celestyal Discovery currently in Dubai and Celestyal Journey in Doha. All guests and non-operational crew have already been safely disembarked, and neither vessel has sustained any damage.
Passengers impacted by the latest cancellations are being offered either a full refund or the option to rebook using a future cruise credit.
Why Ships Cannot Yet Return To Europe
Despite the cancelled sailings taking place in the Mediterranean, the disruption is being driven by the ships’ inability to reposition from the Middle East.
To reach Athens, both vessels must pass through the Strait of Hormuz before sailing around the Arabian Peninsula, through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The full journey covers approximately 4,400 miles and would take more than eight days of continuous sailing under ideal conditions.
However, with the Strait of Hormuz still considered unsafe for transit, the ships are effectively unable to begin that journey.
Even once clearance is granted, additional time will be needed to restaff and reprovision the vessels ahead of their summer programmes.
If no further delays occur, Celestyal Discovery is expected to resume with short Greek Islands itineraries, while Celestyal Journey will begin a series of longer Adriatic sailings.
MSC Cruises Moves Ship Away From Region
While Celestyal continues to deal with immediate disruption, MSC Cruises has opted to take pre-emptive action for its future deployment.
The cruise line has cancelled MSC World Europa’s planned 2026 to 2027 winter season in the Middle East, citing ongoing safety concerns linked to the conflict.
Instead, the ship will be redeployed to the French Antilles in the Caribbean, marking its first season in the region. The vessel will offer a mix of 7- and 14-night itineraries departing from ports including Fort-de-France in Martinique, Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe and Bridgetown in Barbados.
Ports of call are set to include destinations such as Saint Lucia, Grenada, St Maarten, Antigua, Dominica and St Vincent.
MSC said the change would allow guests to enjoy a warm-weather winter experience in a more stable region, while still benefiting from the ship’s onboard features.
The decision also reflects ongoing operational challenges in the Middle East. MSC Euribia remains unable to leave Dubai due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns that additional ships could face similar issues if deployed to the region.
As a result of the change, MSC World Europa will replace MSC Seaview in the French Antilles. MSC Seaview is now expected to operate in South America for the winter 2026 to 2027 season, with further details to be announced.
Guests booked on the cancelled Middle East itineraries are being contacted with options to switch sailings or receive refunds.
Outlook Remains Uncertain
Both developments highlight how the continued closure of key shipping routes is affecting not only current cruise operations but also future planning.
While Celestyal is working towards a delayed start to its Mediterranean season, MSC Cruises has taken a longer-term view by removing a major ship from the region entirely.
With no clear timeline for when normal transit through the Strait of Hormuz will resume, further itinerary changes across the industry remain possible.
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Royal Caribbean has announced that their fourth Icon class ship will be named Hero of the Seas and will begin sailing from the Cruise Capital of the World, PortMiami, in August 2027.
Hero of the Seas will have a record breaking 28 dining venues, nine distinct swimming pools, eight neighborhoods, brand-new family raft slides, and the Ultimate Family Treehouse.
Cabins will open for bookings on April 1, 2026 for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members. The general public will be able to book a cruise on this new ship on April 2, 2026.
Ultimate Family Treehouse
The Ultimate Family Treehouse will be a three-story treehouse that has a rooftop terrace and private whirlpool, a two-deck teen space, and two main bedrooms each with their own bathroom and balcony.
Families can stay in rooms designed just for them at the three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse with direct access to Surfside; Surfside Family Suites and Family Infinite Ocean View Balconies.
Pools/Waterpark
Coconut Cove is an all new pool steps away from the tropical Caribbean bar, The Lime & Coconut. It will have loungers in the water and poolside service for easy drink access.
The Hideaway, an adults-only oasis at the ship’s aft, will now feature two pools, including the largest swim-up bar at sea for tropical cocktails and an in-water DJ booth for nonstop party vibes.
At Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, cruisers can take on two new family raft slides, including the first funnel raft slide at sea, along with new twists on the mat-racing Storm Chasers duo.
Dining
There will be a record 28 different dining options on Hero of the Seas.
The newest supper club experience, Orleans Parish Supper Club, is a multi-course dining venue with live jazz, craft cocktails, and gourmet Cajun and Creole dishes inspired by the early 20th century elegance of the French Quarter.
Royal Railway – Hero Station will bring to life the most immersive dining experience at sea that transports adventurous diners by train car to new destinations through a combination of entertainment, food and technology.
The AquaDome Market food hall will return with four new stall concepts, plus desserts at Crème de la Crêpe and freshly squeezed juices at Simply Pressed.
Hero of the Seas will also have familiar Royal Caribbean favorites including Izumi and the walk-up window Izumi in the Park, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, Chops Grille and Hooked Seafood.
In addition, families can eat throughout the day at complimentary grab-and-go spots including Basecamp, El Loco Fresh and Sorrento’s.
Entertainment/Spaces
The cruise ship will have all of the most beloved Royal Caribbean spaces that include Central Park, with 30,500 real plants, and the Royal Promenade.
The AquaTheater and Absolute Zero will offer the boldest entertainment at sea that will compliment new productions for the Royal Theater.
Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean, said the following:
“Icon Class truly set a new standard for family vacations, and Hero of the Seas takes that vision even further. With more water, more thrills and more choices for all ages, we’re continuing to build on what our guests love about Royal Caribbean and delivering the experiences families are looking for when vacationing together.”
Hero of the Seas will sail seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Miami starting in August 2027. Cruises to the Eastern Caribbean will visit St. Maarten and St. Thomas. Sailings to the Western Caribbean will stop at Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan.
Also, very single cruise on the ship will stop at the cruise line’s award winning private island in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
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Celestyal Cruises has made the tough decision to cancel all cruises through the end of April due to their ships not being able to leave the Arabian Gulf.
Both of Celestyal’s cruise ships are stuck in the Middle East and unable to reposition to Europe at this time. The cruise line has decided to cancel all sailings through the end of the month as they wait on safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Celestyal Discovery is currently docked in Dubai, UAE with Celestyal Journey waiting in Doha, Qatar.
All guests and non-operational crew members have been disembarked from both cruise ships. The vessels remain fully operational and their departure from the region will take place in accordance with safety guidance from the relevant authorities.
The next planned departures for the cruise line are:
Celestyal Discovery – May 1, 2026 (3-night Iconic Greek Islands)
Celestyal Journey – May 2, 2026 (7-night Heavenly Greece, Italy and Croatia)
Guests who were booked on one of the canceled cruises will receive either a full refund or a future cruise credit, whichever they choose. Celestyal’s teams will provide rebooking options and assistance to guests who are affected by the cancelations.
Lee Haslett, Chief Commercial Officer at Celestyal Cruises, said the following:
“Our priority remains the safety and confidence of our guests, crew and partners. While we know this will be disappointing, making this decision now provides greater clarity and flexibility for those affected.
“Our teams are working closely with guests and travel partners to support rebooking options and ensure a smooth transition, and we remain focused on returning to service in the Mediterranean as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Celestyal Cruises told Cruise Fever that they will continue to monitor the situation closely and will resume movement of its ship when conditions allow.
Preparations are already under way for the return to service, with cruises set to resume from May 2026.
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Staying connected while on a cruise is easier than ever. But the cost of those Wi-Fi plans on the ship can rack up quickly, especially with multiple devices.
Add in the fact that you can’t take that internet plan with you when you’re walking around an exotic cruise port in the Caribbean, and you’re stuck with a phone in airplane mode or risking surprise phone bills when you get back home.
A new service called OneRoam is attempting to change all that, and with prices as low as $8.67/day for unlimited data, it could exactly what cruisers have been looking for.
If nothing else, it looks promising.
What is OneRoam?
OneRoam is a global travel eSIM service that offers unlimited high-speed mobile data for use both at sea on cruise ships and on land. Yes, that means you can use it on the ship and also when you’re walking around a foreign port.
The service covers more than 150 crountries and works on over 200 cruise ships from 25 cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and others.
It uses an eSIM profile that travelers install on compatible unlocked phones, getting rid of the need to swap physical SIM cards or rely solely on ship Wi-Fi.
The list of compatible phones is pretty exhaustive, so chances are fairly good that it will work with yours.
Global + Cruise data plans with OneRoam
What’s the Cost?
For a typical 7-night cruise, OneRoam’s 7-day “Global + Cruise” unlimited plan costs $89.99 total, which works out to about $12.86 per day.
Longer options provide even lower daily rates: a 15-day plan is $159.99 ($10.67 per day) and a 30-day plan is $259.99 ($8.67 per day).
If you just want to try it for one day it will cost $19.99 for the Global + Cruise package.
Plans can be purchased and topped up through the OneRoam website or mobile app (available for iOS and Android). And the “validity period” begins only when the eSIM connects to a supported network.
Cruise Line Wi-Fi
Every major cruise line offers Wi-Fi plans that you can purchase ahead of the cruise or once you’re on the ship. Speeds are much better than they used to be, but prices are always changing.
Carnival Cruise Line has a “Value Wi-Fi Plan” that starts at $23.80 per day, Royal Caribbean’s 1 device plan starts around $23.99 a day, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s “Voyage Wi-Fi Pass” is $29.99 per day.
So, for a 7-day cruise with one device you’re looking at spending at least $167.
While these plans make it very convenient to connect your devices to the internet, they do not extend to use in ports, unless you’re in one of their private destinations.
Phone Carrier Options
Some of the major U.S. carriers also offer cruise-friendly roaming, but with daily fees and limits. Too many times we’ve written stories about cruisers who left their phone on roaming without a cruise or travel plan. As you might expect the bill afterwards was often north of $1,000.
Here is what the three big carriers offer:
AT&T: International Day Pass costs $20/day per line. Gives unlimited talk & text + 500MB high-speed data (then slower). Works on 400+ cruise ships and in ports on the same day.
Verizon: Cruise Daily Pass is $20/day per line. Unlimited talk & text to the U.S. + 0.5GB high-speed data (then unlimited at slower speeds). Charged only on days you use it at sea.
T-Mobile: Strong for ports (included data/text on most plans in 215+ countries), but no high-speed data at sea. Turn roaming off in port to avoid ship network charges; at sea, expect pay-per-use rates.
How Does OneRoam Work?
OneRoam’s setup is fairly straightforward. Users need to confirm their device is unlocked and eSIM-compatible, select a plan based on the itinerary and number of days needed, download the eSIM profile, and activate it when connecting to a supported network.
The service is designed for cruise passengers, crew, and others who want cellular data that can be used on almost any cruise ship.
A Roam Rewards loyalty program is available for repeat customers as well, so it’s a viable option for those veteran cruisers.
What Kind of Speeds to Expect
This was my first question with this kind of service. According to the service details on the OneRoam website, it supports LTE/5G/3G/2G networks with unlimited data.
Performance with any at-sea internet service can vary based on ship location, weather, and network congestion.
OneRoam delivers cellular data directly to the phone, which is different from the full-ship Wi-Fi experience. Heavy video streaming or major bandwidth hogging activities might not be as reliable, but again, it depends on the above factors.
The service is still pretty new, so we’ll have to wait on user feedback to see what cruisers think of the reliability and speed of the connections.
In a press release about this new service Willie Moore, Executive Director of OneRoam said this:
“OneRoam removes the complexity and unpredictability travelers often experience when trying to stay connected across multiple countries and maritime networks. Our goal is to provide a seamless connectivity experience that works wherever the journey takes them, whether at sea or land.”
Feel free to check out plans at OneRoam here and let us know if you’ve used the service before.
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A bomb threat closed a cruise ship terminal in Southern California today ABC 10 News in San Diego is reporting.
ID 261257993 @ Durson Services Inc. | Dreamstime.com
The unspecified bomb threat came in at approximately 7 a.m. local time after Disney Wonder returned to San Diego after a three-night weekend cruise that stopped in Ensenada, Mexico. The port was immediately locked down as an “abundance of caution”.
ABC 10 News said that Harbour Police conducted a security sweep of the B Street Cruise Terminal. The port was cleared two hours later and guests were allowed to disembark from the ship.
