Luxury Cruising Editorial

Virgin Voyages has moved swiftly to reassure guests that its relaxed approach to onboard attire remains firmly in place, following criticism aimed at Norwegian Cruise Line over new dress code restrictions in certain speciality restaurants.

In a light-hearted email to guests, the adults-only cruise line made clear that formal crackdowns on clothing choices are not on the agenda.

Poking fun at the idea of stricter policies, the brand said: “Despite extensive internal discussion, we have been unable to ban open-toed footwear from our restaurants. We have also failed on Hoodies – so they remain. Attempts to prohibit baseball caps have also failed.”

The message underlined the company’s commitment to maintaining its laid-back, come-as-you-are ethos. Virgin Voyages has long differentiated itself from more traditional operators by encouraging self-expression rather than enforcing lengthy lists of wardrobe rules.

Relaxed Approach Written Into Policy

The cruise line’s official guidance reflects that philosophy.

On its website, Virgin Voyages states: “We always want all of our Sailors to feel comfortable. We encourage you to wear more than a bathing suit if you go to a restaurant, and to kindly wear footwear when you’re inside the ship. Your style is your style. Dress Up. Dress Down. Just Dress.”

Rather than detailing prohibited items, the company simply asks that attire remains considerate of fellow guests. It also notes that for specific themed events where bolder fashion choices may be encouraged, “those bold looks stay within those specific spaces.”

The line’s popular PJ Party is one example where guests often embrace more daring outfits. While such ensembles are welcomed during the event itself, passengers are expected to change into more conventional attire when heading elsewhere around the ship.

Scarlet Night, another signature event, sees many guests dressed head to toe in red. However, participation in the theme is entirely optional.

Some passengers opt for full formalwear in shades of crimson, while others choose subtle touches such as a red T-shirt or even red socks. As the company puts it plainly: “There are no dress code rules here!”

Industry Contrast As Norwegian Tightens Rules

The reaffirmation of Virgin Voyages’ stance comes as Norwegian Cruise Line introduces tighter clothing requirements in selected speciality dining venues. The line will no longer permit items including hoodies, flip-flops and shorts in those restaurants, a move that has sparked frustration among some loyal guests (but agreement from others).

Norwegian Cruise Line has traditionally marketed itself as the “freestyle” cruise operator, promoting flexibility and fewer formalities. For some passengers, the updated dining rules appear at odds with that long-standing branding.

Stricter dress codes can also present practical challenges. Travellers flying to embarkation ports often aim to pack light, and adding outfits suitable for a single evening meal can quickly take up valuable luggage space.

When swimwear, casual resort clothing, shore excursion gear, sleepwear, themed outfits and coordinating shoes are all factored in, suitcase capacity can become a concern.

By contrast, Virgin Voyages appears content to lean into its more relaxed identity, reinforcing the message that personal style is part of the holiday experience rather than something to regulate.

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Several Carnival Cruise Line customers say their casino-based cruise offers have abruptly disappeared, with the company so far giving no clear public explanation for the change.

In recent weeks, multiple frequent cruisers have posted on social media claiming that long-standing casino promotions – including complimentary cabins and heavily discounted sailings – were removed from their accounts overnight.

In some cases, passengers say they went from receiving dozens of offers to none at all. High-profile cruise influencers Professor Melissa and Cruise With Jenn are two of the affected names.

One cruiser said they had previously won a significant jackpot on board and had “always had really great casino offers”, only to see those promotions vanish earlier this year.

After contacting Carnival, they were told their offers were “accurate” and were directed to contact the company’s collections department over an alleged outstanding balance – something the passenger strongly disputes.

Casino Cruise Offers Explained

On many large cruise lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC, onboard casinos operate loyalty programmes similar to those found in land-based casinos. Passengers earn points based on how much they wager and how long they play, whether on slot machines or table games.

Rather than focusing purely on how much a player wins or loses, casinos track metrics such as “coin-in” (the total amount wagered) and “theoretical loss” – an estimate of how much the casino expects a player to lose over time based on the games they play.

The higher a player’s theoretical value to the casino, the more generous the rewards tend to be.

Those rewards can include free drinks, dining credits, cabin upgrades and, for higher-value players, complimentary or heavily discounted cruises. While these trips are often described as “free”, passengers still usually have to pay taxes, port fees and gratuities, and any extras such as drinks packages or WiFi.

The business logic is simple: cruise lines are willing to subsidise a cabin for someone who is likely to spend significant time – and money – in the ship’s casino on a future sailing.

No Reason For Removal

Several of the social media posts stress that their level of gambling activity has not fallen, and that they have not cancelled cruises or broken any known rules. Affected cruisers have said that they still receive strong casino offers from rival cruise lines, sometimes through “status match” schemes that mirror offers from competitors.

A few have speculated that social media activity or criticism of the brand could be a factor, though there is no evidence to support this, and Carnival has not suggested this is the case.

More generally, the cruise industry has tightened casino rewards in recent years as demand for cruises has surged and ships have been sailing fuller.

Thresholds for earning complimentary cabins have risen across several lines, and some perks that were once common are now reserved for only the highest-spending players. However, that does not explain why some customers appear to have lost all offers at once rather than seeing them gradually reduced.

Carnival Yet To Respond

At the time of writing, Carnival Cruise Line has not issued a public statement addressing the reports or explaining what criteria might trigger the removal of casino offers from individual accounts.

For the affected passengers, the impact is significant. Many say casino offers are the main reason they cruise as often as they do, and some have already said they plan to switch their bookings to rival lines that are still extending complimentary sailings.

As Professor Melissa put it: while nobody is “entitled” to a free cruise. But the sudden and unexplained disappearance of long-running offers is “perplexing”, in the words of Cruise With Jenn – and, for now, remains a mystery.

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A passenger has launched legal action against Carnival Cruise Line after allegedly suffering serious injuries on a waterslide aboard Carnival Sunshine, claiming crew continued operating the attraction despite unsafe conditions.

Savannah Ward, from Virginia, filed suit against the cruise line on Thursday 19th February 2026 in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The claim relates to an incident that took place nearly a year earlier, on 20th March 2025, while she was sailing on a six night Bahamas itinerary.

The 104,000 gross ton Carnival Sunshine had departed from Norfolk, Virginia on 16th March and was on the next to last full day of the voyage when the incident occurred. The ship remains homeported in Norfolk.

According to court documents, Ward “rode on a water slide aboard the vessel that was open to passengers for their enjoyment, and she was injured when she reached the bottom and her feet collided with a wall at the bottom of the slide.”

The lawsuit states that the injury occurred in the final runout section of the slide, an area designed to slow riders as they reach the end. Typically, several inches of water are maintained in this section to cushion guests and provide enough resistance to bring them safely to a stop.

However, Ward alleges that the minimum water level was not properly maintained at the time of her ride. Despite this, two crew members are said to have continued dispatching passengers down the slide.

As a result of the collision, Ward reportedly suffered a broken right foot and a sprained left ankle. The complaint claims the injuries have led to permanent loss of mobility, reduced range of motion and strength, as well as ongoing chronic pain.

Questions Over Slide Operations

It has not been specified which of the ship’s waterslides was involved in the incident. Carnival Sunshine features three slides as part of its WaterWorks park on Deck 10 aft. The yellow Twister slide offers a solo ride experience, while the green and blue Speedway Splash slides allow guests to race side by side on parallel tracks.

Although these attractions are curved rather than vertical drop slides, riders can still build considerable speed before entering the runout braking section at the end. All three slides are equipped with similar splashdown and stopping areas designed to manage water flow and safely decelerate guests.

Water levels in runout zones can fluctuate depending on several factors, including how quickly riders are sent down, how much water is displaced during splashdown, and the volume of water being pumped through the slide system. When guests exit the slide, water is also naturally carried out of the runout area.

Carnival Cruise Line advises that height and weight restrictions apply to WaterWorks attractions, though specific limits may vary by ship and slide type. Onboard signage is typically used to detail those requirements. It is not clear from the filing whether any operational guidelines or rider restrictions were breached in this case.

Ward is seeking a jury trial and is requesting compensation for medical expenses already incurred, as well as damages for future losses, pain and suffering.

Previous Waterslide Injury Claims

The lawsuit reportedly references prior claims made against Carnival Cruise Line involving similar waterslide injuries, highlighting that such cases are not uncommon in the industry.

Waterslide attractions have become a major feature on many modern cruise ships, marketed as family friendly highlights. However, they have also been the subject of legal scrutiny when mechanical failures or operational issues are alleged.

In a separate high profile case, a guest was injured aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas when a waterslide component failed mid ride, drawing widespread attention to onboard safety procedures and ride maintenance standards.

As cruise ships continue to introduce ever larger and more complex water parks at sea, legal cases such as Ward’s are likely to intensify debate over where responsibility lies when injuries occur on attractions operated and supervised by crew members.

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Princess Cruises has secured a new Guinness World Record after selling 3,410 margaritas in just eight hours aboard Regal Princess during a port call in Cozumel, Mexico, on Tuesday 17th February 2026.

The record-breaking effort took place while the ship was docked in the popular Mexican cruise destination, with guests and crew coming together to surpass the previous benchmark of 2,728 margaritas sold within the same timeframe.

“Today, aboard Regal Princess in Cozumel, our guests and crew came together to set a new Guinness World Record for the most margaritas sold in an 8-hour period,” Princess Cruises announced on Facebook.

“The official count is 3,410 surpassing the existing record of 2,728. Raise a glass, we did it!”

The achievement was later confirmed by Guinness World Records, with an official adjudicator verifying the attempt. A certificate presentation was held on board Regal Princess, complete with confetti and photographers to mark the occasion.

Record Attempt Held During Overnight Call

The timing and location of the record attempt were fitting. Cozumel, one of Mexico’s busiest cruise ports, is closely associated with tequila, the key ingredient in a margarita. Tequila is produced from the blue agave plant, which is native to Mexico.

Princess Cruises serves Pantalones Organic Tequila on board its ships, the same brand used in the record-breaking cocktails. The cruise line previously made headlines in November 2025 when its newest vessel, Star Princess, was christened with a bottle of Pantalones Organic Tequila instead of the traditional champagne ceremony.

Regal Princess was operating a 7-night Western Caribbean sailing at the time of the record. The voyage departed Galveston on Sunday 15th February and included an overnight stay in Cozumel from 9am on Tuesday 17th February until 5pm on Wednesday 18th February.

Following the extended Mexican port call, the ship was scheduled to visit Roatan on Thursday before returning to Texas on Sunday 22nd February.

While it remains unclear whether off-duty crew members were permitted to purchase margaritas to contribute to the total, the final count exceeded the previous record by 682 drinks, along with countless salted rims and citrus garnishes.

“Ritas for the record is officially in the books,” the cruise line confirmed.

The previous Guinness World Record for margaritas sold in eight hours was set on 15th September 2024 at the Motel Mexicola restaurant in Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia. The attempt coincided with Mexican Independence Day celebrations.

Cruise Ships No Stranger To World Records

The margarita milestone is far from the first time a cruise ship has entered the record books. Cruise lines increasingly use world record attempts as a way to engage guests and generate onboard excitement.

MSC Cruises, for example, has hosted multiple record attempts across its fleet. In March 2025, crew members aboard MSC World America set the record for the longest line of LEGO ships ever created ahead of the vessel welcoming its first paying guests.

Other notable cruise-related records include Carnival Cruise Line’s largest piñata by volume, filled with 8,000 pounds of candy and set in Philadelphia on 2nd November 2008.

Royal Caribbean also claimed the record for the fastest marathon run on a ship, completed in 2 hours, 52 minutes and 47 seconds aboard Ovation of the Seas in December 2024. Meanwhile, Virgin Voyages organised the largest gathering of merpeople, bringing together 457 participants in Bimini on 4th November 2022.

With creative onboard programming becoming an increasingly important part of the modern cruise experience, Regal Princess’ margarita milestone demonstrates how cruise lines continue to find new ways to entertain guests while making headlines at sea.

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