Luxury Cruising Editorial

Costa Cruises, one of nine cruise lines owned by Carnival Corporation, has simplified their cruise fares for guests living in North America to make it easier to understand what they include.

Costa Cruises will now offer two fares, “Cruise Only” and “Cruise Plus Drinks” for North American guests. Their “Cruise Only” fare is a standard cruise fare that includes all non-specialty dining, entertainment, and taxes and fees.

The cruise line’s “Cruise Plus Drinks” fare includes Costa’s My Drinks package, as well as everything in the “Cruise Only” fare. My Drinks includes a wide selection of fine wines, cocktails, beers, spirits, cappuccino, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juices, soft drinks, and two half-liter bottles of San Benedetto mineral water per cabin daily.

These two options are only available when booking an inside, ocean view, or balcony stateroom.

LaDonna Allen, head of sales for Costa Cruises North America, gave the following statement:

“By putting our rates into these two categories, we’re aiming to make the booking process even easier, presenting them in a way so that our guests have an immediate and clear picture of what is included in their cruise.

“The new rates are simple so guests just need to decide if they want to pay for drinks as they go or have a dedicated package so they don’t have to think about that cost along the way.”

Costa Cruises is an Italian cruise line that is owned and operated by Carnival Corporation. They currently have nine ships in their fleet with a focus on cruises in the Mediterranean.  The cruise line also offers sailings in the Caribbean, South America, Asia, Northern Europe, and the Middle East.

I love cruising and just about every aspect of the experience.  But let’s be real, most bathrooms in a typical cruise ship cabin are on the small side. Being able to touch all four walls without moving your feet isn’t ideal.

But some cruise ships do it differently.  Instead of cramming the shower, toilet, and sink into a closet-sized space that should really be measure in square inches, they’ve split it up.

Enter the concept of “the split bathroom”.   For some it’s a stroke of genius that makes getting ready a lot simpler, and for others it’s a recipe for awkward moments they’d rather just forget.

The first time I took a cruise on Norwegian Epic was also the first time I was introduced to the split bathroom concept on a cruise ship. 

This basically means that the shower area and toilet area have their own separate doors and spaces.

So, if someone is in the shower and you need to use the toilet, you can hop right in without interrupting anyone.  On Epic, the sink is outside of both of these areas in the living space.

Of course, the weird thing on this ship is that the doors are frosted glass, and stepping outside of the shower or bathtub (I had a bathtub in my mini-suite) means you’re basically stepping right into the middle of the stateroom.

There was a curtain available to give a semblance of separation between the living space and bathroom areas, but I know some people that still refuse to book a cruise on this ship because of this bathroom oddity.

Other Ships with Split Bathrooms

Norwegian Epic is the only ship in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet with split-bathroom cabins, and it looks like it’s going to remain that way for the foreseeable future.

But other cruise lines have their own takes on the split bathroom, each with its quirks and fans. Here’s a rundown of where you’ll find them and why they spark such strong reactions.

While Norwegian seems content to keep Epic as its split-bathroom outlier, Disney Cruise Line has made it a signature feature across its fleet—Magic, Wonder, Dream, Fantasy, and Wish. Their version is a family-friendly setup: one room with a toilet and sink, another with a shower (or tub) and sink.

No frosted-glass weirdness here—just two separate, fully enclosed spaces that let parents and kids get ready without a traffic jam.

Carnival Cruise Line also has its Deluxe Oceanview cabins on ships like Venezia, Firenze, Breeze, Dream, and Magic—so basically Dream-class and Venice-class ships. These offer a full bathroom (shower and sink) plus a separate washroom (toilet and sink)—a practical twist that’s less about funky design and more about giving you options.

I’ve heard from cruisers who swear by these for family trips, and it’s easy to see why.

Then there’s Royal Caribbean, where Icon of the Seas brings split bathrooms to its Family Infinity Balcony staterooms. It’s not standard across their fleet, but it’s a nod to the family crowd with multiple people in a stateroom.

I’ve heard that Holland America’s Rotterdam has them in family cabins too, and Virgin Voyages spoils its XL cabin guests with a separated setup. Even luxury lines like Regent Seven Seas and Crystal Cruises have split bathrooms in their high-end suites.

There may be other cruise ships that have split bathrooms that I’ve missed, so feel free to let me know if you’d like a ship to get its split bathroom representation.

Why People Love It

For fans, split bathrooms are a cruise cabin must-have. On a recent Reddit thread on cruising, one user started an interesting debate with their “unpopular opinion” that split bathrooms should be the future.

They argued, “Even for just two people, it’s easier to get ready. One person can use the toilet while one showers.” The efficiency angle makes sense—especially if you’ve ever been stuck waiting for a bathroom hog to wrap up their 20-minute shower.  This is a bigger deal for cabins with more than two people in them.

Families, in particular, seem to like this setup. “NurseDave8” weighed in, “Most of our cruises are with DCL and we love it. Especially when we had all the kids with us so that’s 5 people getting ready.”

Another commenter agreed, noting how Disney’s split setup makes “pit stops to the room to change and freshen up way more efficient” with a kid in tow.

Carnival’s Deluxe Oceanview cabins got some love in this area as well, where one room has a toilet and sink, and the other adds a shower or tub.

The verdict for fans of the split bathroom? When you’re juggling multiple people—or just want to avoid awkward scheduling—split bathrooms are a lifesaver.

Why People Hate It

Not everyone’s on board, though. It’s not all sunshine and rose-scented air spray.

The haters have their reasons, and they’re just as vocal. Take Norwegian Epic’s layout. One commenter vented, “I hated stepping out of the shower and just being in the room. They had a flimsy curtain, but that didn’t help if the other people in the room were walking in and out.”

The frosted-glass doors and exposed sink can feel more like a privacy nightmare than a perk, especially if you’re not traveling with family.

Then there’s the space issue. One comment pointed out, “That takes more space though, and that affects how many rooms they can cram in.” Another echoed, “Takes up space for more paying cabins.”

Cruise lines are in the business of maximizing passengers, so split bathrooms often mean bigger cabins—and bigger price tags

Love It or Hate It: Where Do You Stand?

The split bathroom debate boils down to priorities and tastes.  I think part of it is culture as well.  Love efficiency and sharing a cabin with two people? Maybe the split bathroom works for you. But if you want privacy and the entire bathroom and all it offers to yourself for a span of time, you might side with the naysayers.

The Bottom Line

Split bathrooms aren’t the norm, but they’re a quirky feature that keeps cruisers talking. Whether it’s Disney’s family-friendly design, Epic’s bold experiment, or Carnival’s practical twist, they’re a love-it-or-hate-it topic.  

So, next time you book a cruise, check the deck plan—you might just find yourself picking a side in this bathroom battle.  Personally, I’m just glad to be on a cruise ship no matter what kind of bathroom setup my cabin has.

As Starlink Mini becomes more popular, more future cruise goers are asking about bringing the device on board.  The problem is, it’s not usually allowed and could get you in big trouble if you try to sneak by security.

Cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian now rely on SpaceX’s Starlink to deliver onboard Wi-Fi.  Ever since these cruise lines switched over to the new technology, speeds have been faster and more reliable at sea than ever before.

Carnival finished its fleetwide rollout by May 2024, boasting speeds up to 200 Mbps. Royal Caribbean’s Voom, powered by Starlink, began rolling out in 2022 and has since added it to the entire fleet.  

MSC Cruises has also completed its fleet-wide Starlink installation.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which includes Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, also utilizes Starlink fleetwide

But even though cruise lines have Starlink on all these ships, passengers can’t bring their own Starlink devices. Companies have updated policies to ban them, often under “satellite dishes” or “routers.”

Cruise Lines with Rules on Starlink Devices or Satellite Tech

Here’s a breakdown of cruise lines that have banned Starlink devices or have policies on these services:

• Carnival Cruise Line: The Prohibited Items list bans “satellite dishes, routers, and other internet-related equipment,” clarified after a “discs” typo. In September 2024, Carnival seized a Starlink Mini from YouTuber Richard Shillington on the Carnival Miracle after he showcased it online during a 15-day Hawaii cruise. The order came from their CIO, signaling top-down enforcement.
• Royal Caribbean: The Guest Conduct Policy prohibits “Satellite dishes, routers, and other networking equipment”. No recent confiscations are public, but the company has already banned travel routers which are not allowed on the ships.
• Norwegian Cruise Line: The Prohibited Items page lists “satellite phones” and devices that might disrupt ship systems. No confiscation reports exist as far as I know.

Disney Cruise Line explicitly bans “satellite receivers,” which would include personal Starlink devices. While Celebrity Cruises uses Starlink for its own internet, they likely prohibit passenger-owned versions due to the risk of interference. Smaller lines might enforce similar rules at check-in.

Possible Reasons for the Ban

Some have argued that the bans protect profits—Carnival’s $21.25/day Premium Wi-Fi nets $318.75 over 15 days, far pricier than a Starlink Mini ($599, $150-$250 monthly).

Interference with ship tech is another stated concern, though Starlink’s design makes this unlikely.

Enforcement of these bans is a real thing, and Shillington’s case isn’t isolated—X and Reddit mention Royal Caribbean and Norwegian confiscations, often after passengers start bragging about its usage online.

A Reddit user on r/Cruise summed it up: “Most cruise lines have banned them and will confiscate them,” highlighting the strict measures most cruise lines have in place.

Starlink on Phones

Meanwhile, Starlink’s hitting phones via T-Mobile’s “Direct to Cell” beta, launched in 2025. Compatible devices (iPhone 14+, Galaxy S21+) text via satellites, free on Go5G Next until July 2025, then $10-$20 monthly.

Voice and data are coming, powered by 450+ satellites. It needs a sky view—decks work, cabins don’t—and splits 2-4 Mbps across users, limiting it to basics.

Cruise lines can’t ban phones, as Shillington noted: “What, confiscate everyone’s device?”

But availability hinges on your carrier and phone—AT&T and Verizon may join via rivals like AST SpaceMobile by 2026, but T-Mobile’s lead means most cruise-goers could see it soon, especially on newer devices.

As it scales, expect spotty but growing access by 2026, challenging onboard Wi-Fi.  But in this industry, it’s all about adaptation, so we’ll see how cruise lines manage this if Starlink continues to make inroads.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Bliss had to cut its trip short this week due to engine problems.  A port of call also had to be cancelled.

The ship, which left Los Angeles on March 23, was en route between Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlan when passengers said they heard a loud noise. Hours later, Captain Vicente Amicone announced that technical issues with the propulsion system forced the cancellation of a planned stop in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

“Unfortunately, due to a technical issue which has impacted the speed of our beautiful ship (but will not impact your safety or that of our crew), combined with ocean currents and headwinds, further impacting our speed enroute to Los Angeles, California, our visit to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico has been cancelled,” a letter to passengers read.

The ship is now heading back to Los Angeles to ensure it arrives on time by March 30.

A Reddit user shared the news, warning others about potential delays for upcoming cruises. A letter from Norwegian Cruise Line, dated March 25, confirmed the change, explaining that the revised itinerary skips Puerto Vallarta but keeps the return date intact.

The original schedule included stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta, with additional days at sea. Now, the ship will spend an extra day at sea to make it back to Los Angeles by 7:00 a.m. on March 30.

To compensate passengers, the cruise line is offering a $100 non-refundable onboard credit per stateroom and a 10% discount as a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for bookings made by December 31, 2026. Shore excursions booked for Puerto Vallarta through Norwegian have been cancelled, with refunds issued to onboard accounts.

Norwegian Bliss is currently moving at 12 knots as it travels back to Los Angeles.  At this current speed the ship should arrive back at port by Sunday as it has about 600 more nautical miles to travel.

Based on tracking data from CruiseMapper, Norwegian Bliss is positioned off the coast of Punta Eugenia, Baja California Sur, Mexico as of 8:30 a.m. EST on Thursday.

Those booked on upcoming sailings are eagerly awaiting updates from NCL regarding any possible delays.

Though the situation is frustrating, Norwegian stressed that safety remains their foremost concern, and they’re focused on ensuring a seamless return for all passengers on board.

Norwegian Bliss was built in 2018 as the third Breakaway Plus class ship with the cruise line. The vessel has a double capacity of 4,000 passengers and has a gross tonnage of 168,028.

The vessel just underwent a dry dock that was completed on February 2, 2025. During the dry dock the ship received some venue changes, new dining options, and updated cabins, among a few other enhancements.

MSC Cruises celebrated triple milestones today for three World class cruise ships at the shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.

The cruise line announced that they have taken delivery of MSC World America, celebrated a coin ceremony for MSC World Asia, and cut the first piece of steel for Port Canaveral bound, MSC World Atlantic.

MSC World America

MSC took delivery of MSC World America. The cruise ship will now sail to Miami, Florida for a three-night preview cruise for media and travel agents. While in Miami, MSC World America will be officially christened by Hollywood actress, Drew Barrymore.

After the preview sailing, MSC World America will debut and sail seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Miami.

The ship will sail from the world’s largest cruise terminal that was just opened by MSC Cruises in Miami.

MSC World America has the following features:

• Seven districts
• 19 dining venues
• 18 bars and lounges
• New outdoor area for families called The Harbour
• Outdoor World Promenade
• Three-level World Galleria lined with bars, shops and restaurants
• The largest MSC Yacht Club in the Caribbean

MSC World Atlantic

MSC Cruises also announced the first piece of steel was cut on their fourth World class ship, MSC World Atlantic. They also released for the first time that the ship will sail from Port Canaveral starting in the winter of 2027-2028 and offer cruises to the Caribbean.

MSC World Asia

The cruise line celebrated the coin ceremony for MSC World Asia. The ship is currently under construction in Saint-Nazaire, France and it is scheduled to debut in the winter of 2026-2027.

The ship will start off sailing in the Mediterranean visiting France, Italy, Spain and Malta.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division, MSC Group, gave the following statement:

“Today is a proud moment for all of us at MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique as we mark these major milestones in the development of our fleet. Our new flagship is a testament to our long-standing, innovative partnership spanning over 20 years, resulting in five groundbreaking prototypes and 19 ships.

“Together, we continue to push boundaries, combining cutting-edge design, the latest technologies, and a richness of experiences to set new standards in cruising and always striving to further improve the environmental performance of each ship. We look forward to raising the bar even higher with the upcoming MSC World Asia and MSC World Atlantic.”

World Class ships are named after continents and oceans, not necessarily where they will sail from or to.

You have to admire the moxie of someone who has a cruise booked but is already planning to call out of work while in the middle of the sailing.

After all, as avid cruise fans here at Cruise Fever, we firmly believe that you can’t let a little thing like work get in the way of a cruise.  But this individual might be in for a rude awakening.

The future Carnival passenger recently posted a plan online: skip a workday or two while sailing late next month. The first-time cruiser figured a quick text or call from the ship’s Wi-Fi would do the trick.

Because honestly, who hasn’t dreamed of dodging the office from a deck chair with a sea view? But here’s the catch—this particular cruise line won’t make that phone call or text as simple as this person thinks.

Carnival’s Wi-Fi Calling Block

“I will be going on my first Carnival cruise late next month and wanted to see if I’d be able to send an SMS text or make a call on the ship’s Wi-Fi in order to call out of my job. Also, which one of the Wi-Fi packages should I choose to be able to do that?” the Reddit user posted on a Carnival cruise subreddit.

Unlike some other cruise lines that let passengers use Wi-Fi calling to phone or text as if they’re on land, Carnival blocks this feature across all its internet packages. Social, Value, Premium—doesn’t matter which one you pick, your phone’s native calling and SMS won’t work over the ship’s Wi-Fi.

It’s a deliberate policy, tucked into the fine print and grumbled about by veteran cruisers online.

For this user, that means not casually phoning in sick from their stateroom, or whatever the plan was to get out of work.

This isn’t a new complaint. Last November, Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald responded to an independent contractor sailing on Carnival Firenze who needed Wi-Fi calling for work.

The guest noted that Virgin Voyages and Royal Caribbean allow it but feared that not being able to use his phone for calls and text messages could hurt his business.

Heald explained, “I recently spoke to a senior colleague about this in the IT department. I can only tell you that it is not compatible at the moment with our current system that we are using for the satellite service.” He added, “There are no plans at the moment to allow Wi-Fi calling.”

Heald suggested the Premium Internet package, which supports apps like Zoom or Teams.

For the Reddit user, that’s the best shot: grab the Premium plan—around $21 a day—and use apps like WhatsApp, Google Voice, or iMessage to message or call.

The problem with this plan, though, is that the boss might not know this person is on a cruise and might get a little suspicious if calls aren’t being answered or they are asking to use WhatsApp instead of just calling in.

The Broader Trend: Mixing Work and Leisure at SeaWe don’t know the entire situation here, but one thing is clear.  More people are working while at sea, or in this case trying to get out of it.  But still, the excuse of not being able to stay connected because you’re on a cruise is an archaic concept.

I tend to think this isn’t always a positive thing, as it’s healthy to unplug from work and other obligations at home.  But if you can work just as effectively on a cruise as at home, why wouldn’t you give it a shot to escape the doldrums of normalcy for a while?

But for Carnival ships, Wi-Fi calling is a no-go. 

Alternative Connections and Potential Costs

Of course, there’s Wireless Maritime Services (WMS) as an option, Carnival’s onboard cellular network. It’s available once the ship sails about 12 nautical miles from shore, letting you call or text directly—no Wi-Fi needed.

But it’s steep: expect around $0.50 per text and $2 to $6 per minute, depending on your carrier. Check rates beforehand and use it sparingly, or that call-out could cost more than the cruise.

While Carnival Cruise Line doesn’t allow Wi-Fi calling, major carriers like Verizon and AT&T offer cruise-specific day passes that let you use your phone’s cellular service while at sea, potentially providing an alternative for staying connected or making that call to ‘call out of work’.

Verizon’s Cruise Daily Pass costs $20 per line per day and includes unlimited data (with 0.5GB at high speed, then unlimited at 3G speeds), unlimited calls to the US, and unlimited texts.

AT&T’s Cruise Day Pass, starting April 16, 2025, will cost $20 per device for a 24-hour period for usage at sea, allowing you to use your domestic plan’s data, talk, and text on participating cruise ships.

So, you’ve got to hand it to this future Carnival cruiser. They’re not letting a little thing like, you know, being on a cruise, interfere with their commitment to… well, not being at work. We admire that level of dedication to cruising!