Azamara, a premium small ship cruise line, has announced a return to Alaska in 2026 with port visits lasting 10 hours or more.
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Azamara Quest in front of Alaskan glaciers
When Azamara Pursuit visits Alaska in May 2026, it be the first time in seven years that the cruise line has visited the 49th state.
Beginning in May 2026, Azamara Pursuit will embark on a series of 10- to 13-day cruises with curated itineraries offering visits to remote Alaskan destinations, cultural encounters with indigenous communities, and wildlife excursions like whale-watching, bear spotting and glacier hiking.
Extended stays will take place at the following ports:
Juneau
Wrangell
Skagway
Ketchikan
Nanaimo
Victoria, BC
There will be a total of 27 late-night departures giving guests extra time in port.
Of course, every cruise will have on AzAmazing Evening that immerses guests in the culture and people of Alaska.
Michael Pawlus, Head of Itinerary Planning at Azamara Cruises, gave the following statement:
“We are excited to reintroduce Alaska as one of our key destinations for the summer of 2026. Our guests have long requested a return to this extraordinary region, and we are pleased to meet that demand by offering enhanced itineraries and land experiences that truly capture the essence of Alaska.
“From cruising the Hubbard Glacier to offering extended time in smaller ports, our specially tailored cruises provide an unforgettable, immersive journey and deeper connection with the destination.”
Dondra Ritzenthaler, the CEO of Azamara Cruises, added:
“We’ve listened to the feedback from our guests and now we’re delivering on what we’ve promised,” said. “Our commitment to Destination Immersion means that we don’t just take our guests to Alaska; we immerse them in its rich culture and take them to the heart of the destination that large ships can’t even access.
“With our extended stays and thoughtfully curated land experiences, we are thrilled to deliver the Azamara experience in a destination that has captivated the hearts of travelers.”
Cruising has undergone significant changes in recent years, leaving many passengers feeling disappointed and nostalgic for the golden days of luxury at sea.
From reduced services to extra charges, cruise lines have implemented various cutbacks that leave cruisers grumbling.
Let’s dive into the seven most disappointing trends that have everyone talking about cruise cutbacks.
1. The Return of In-Person Muster Drills
Remember when muster drills were a quick and painless part of embarking on your cruise adventure? You could just watch a short video on your stateroom TV, then quickly scan your card at your assigned muster station?
Well, many cruise lines have reintroduced in-person muster drills, ending the brief era of digital convenience brought on by the pandemic. This change has been met with mixed reactions from passengers, to say the least.
The complaints often centre around poor organisation and overcrowding, with passengers feeling that their precious holiday time is being squandered. ‘ChiefMateJRK’ on Cruise Critic didn’t mince words when describing the return to in-person drills as “a wasted 40 minutes of my life that I will never get back.”
I too experienced one of the most depressing muster drills ever on Ambassador Cruise Line. We had to stand outside on the deck for at least 30 minutes, with no chairs available for any of the older or larger people who appeared to find the experience uncomfortable.
When the muster drill started, with so many people crowded around it was impossible to see the life vest demonstration properly anyway.
2. Reduced Choice and Lower Quality Food In the Dining Rooms
One of the most significant areas of discontent is the noticeable decline in dining options and food quality over the years. Many cruise passengers have reported a reduction in menu choices and a drop in the overall culinary experience, particularly in main dining rooms and buffets.
A Royal Caribbean passenger expressed their disappointment on Cruise Critic, noting a “significant drop in quality compared to pre-COVID experiences” on the Grandeur of the Seas.
Another cruiser claimed that their dining experience on Navigator was “the worst we’ve experienced” compared to six previous Royal Caribbean cruises.
The cutbacks seem to go beyond just quality. Cruisers have pointed out the disappearance of higher-cost items from menus, such as lamb chops. It’s clear that cruise lines are tightening their belts, but at what cost to passenger satisfaction?
Cheese boards, once a symbol of indulgence, are now often served pre-plated, taking away the fun of selection and presentation. Even luxury touches, like the beloved port-infused Stilton cheese, have been removed from some cruise lines’ offerings.
These changes have left many cruisers feeling shortchanged, especially when cruise fares haven’t necessarily decreased to reflect these cutbacks.
3. Housekeeping Reductions
The days of returning to a freshly made bed and spotless bathroom twice a day seem to be behind us. Many cruise lines have reduced their housekeeping services from twice daily to once daily, a change that hasn’t gone unnoticed by passengers.
On Cruise Passenger, Lissete expressed her preference for evening cleaning: “I don’t mind once daily, but I’d like it to be done while we’re at dinner… I like coming back to a fresh bed and bath when turning in at night.”
This reduction in service is also placing more pressure on the room stewards. “kelkel2” on Cruise Critic highlighted the increased workload: “I think the room stewards have to be some of the hardest-working individuals on the ship.”
Many passengers have noticed that stewards are now responsible for more rooms, leading to a decline in the personal touches that once made cruising feel so special.
The loss of nightly turndown service, complete with towel animals and chocolates on pillows, has been particularly hard for long-time cruisers to swallow. These small gestures once contributed significantly to the feeling of being pampered on holiday.
4. Nickel-and-Diming
One of the most frustrating trends is the introduction of fees for services that were once complimentary. Room service, for example, now often comes with a charge.
Princess Cruises is just one of the lines that has implemented this change, much to the chagrin of passengers who enjoyed the luxury of breakfast in bed without an extra cost.
On Cruise Community, cruisers have been vocal about their dissatisfaction with these additional charges. One user summed up the sentiment: “The headline price of a cruise has come down… more and more reliance is placed on charging for anything we want.”
Even small amenities haven’t escaped the chopping block. Some cruise lines have removed complimentary toiletries from cabins, while others have cut back on elite benefits without prior notice.
These changes have left many cruisers feeling like they’re being nickel-and-dimed at every turn, diminishing the once-inclusive nature of cruise holidays.
5. No More Little Luxuries
It’s often said that the devil is in the details, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the cruise industry’s recent cutbacks. Many of the small luxuries that once made cruising feel special have disappeared, leaving passengers longing for the good old days.
Gone are the fresh flowers in cabins and main dining rooms, the complimentary cakes with coffee, and the nibbles and canapés in certain bars. On some ships, even practical items like facecloths in cabins are now only available on request.
These changes might seem minor, but collectively they contribute to a significant shift in the cruise experience. As one cruiser on Cruise Community put it: “It has been dumbed down to a point where it is simply a sea-based holiday rather than a special experience.”
The absence of little cards reminding passengers of time changes or the discontinuation of cruise logs at the end of the trip might not break the bank, but they do break with tradition. These small touches once added to the sense of adventure and the unique nature of cruise travel.
While the main shows and activities on cruise ships remain largely intact, there’s a growing concern about potential future charges for entertainment. Some cruisers worry that shows or lectures, which have always been included in the fare, might soon come with an extra fee.
The traditional cruise atmosphere has also taken a hit. Sailaway parties, once a highlight of embarkation day, have reportedly diminished in scale and excitement on some ships. This has left some passengers feeling that the cruise experience has become more mundane and less celebratory.
On Reddit, one cruiser shared their recent experience: “Completed a 7-day Southern Caribbean cruise from San Juan on the NCL Viva. Felt underwhelmed; lacked the usual ‘magic’ experienced on prior cruises.”
This sentiment is echoed across various cruise forums, with passengers noting a general decline in the overall cruise atmosphere. The reduction in activities, and the perceived lack of effort in creating special moments, have left many wondering if they’re getting less bang for their buck.
7. Diminishing Staff Interactions
Perhaps one of the most significant changes noticed by cruisers is the reduction in personal interactions with staff. This shift is partly due to technology advancements, such as the increased use of tablets for ordering in restaurants and bars. Although these innovations can improve efficiency, they often come at the cost of the warm, personal service that many cruisers value.
On Reddit, one passenger noted that “servers primarily used tablets for service, affecting personal interaction.” This technological barrier, combined with reduced staff numbers and increased workloads, has led to fewer opportunities for meaningful exchanges between passengers and crew.
Kobie Edwards shared on Cruise Passenger: “I know they are busy, but long gone are the days where you had a quick chat in the hallway or a hello in passing.” This loss of personal connection has not only affected passenger satisfaction but also impacted tipping habits. Cruisers feel less inclined to reward service that feels impersonal or rushed.
The reduction in staff-to-passenger ratios has put immense pressure on crew members. Jason McIntosh empathised with a room attendant who was “just trying to hang out for his 15-year service bonus to feed his family.”
Navigating the New Cruise Reality
It’s clear that the cruise industry is navigating choppy waters. From dining dilemmas to vanishing luxury touches, these changes have significantly impacted the experience that many passengers have come to know and love.
While cruise lines grapple with post-pandemic recovery and economic pressures, some are left wondering if the value proposition of cruising has fundamentally changed. The loss of small luxuries, reduced personal interactions, and the introduction of additional charges have many questioning whether cruise holidays still offer the same magic they once did.
The loyal guests of P&O Cruises have been particularly vocal about the cutbacks made over the past few years, with over 20 things no longer on offer.
However, it’s worth noting that not all experiences are negative. Some passengers continue to find joy in cruising, adapting to the new reality or exploring different cruise lines and destinations to recapture that special feeling. As the industry continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether these cutbacks are temporary measures or a permanent shift.
One thing is certain: passengers are vocal about their dissatisfaction, and cruise lines would do well to listen. A balance must be found between cost-saving measures and making cruising a unique and cherished holiday experience.
For now, cruisers may need to adjust their expectations and perhaps be more selective in their choices to ensure they get the experience they’re looking for. As one wise cruiser put it, it might be time to “personalise experiences rather than paying for all-inclusive options.”
Despite the challenges, the allure of the open sea and the promise of adventure continue to draw people to cruising. It’s up to both cruise lines and passengers to navigate these changes together, finding new ways to create memorable experiences.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Carnival Panorama made a stop in Manila, Philippines this morning, marking the first time the cruise line has ever visited the country.
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The Carnival Cruise Line vessel is fresh out of dry dock and currently on a 25-day sailing that started in Singapore and will end in Long Beach, California on November 5.
The Vista-class ship is on a Carnival Journey sailing, which is a longer duration cruise that allows for visits to unique ports of call.
Cruise ship Carnival Panorama docks in Manila with 3,600 passengers. There are 1,400 crew, 400 of which are Filipinos.
This is the first Carnival Cruise vessel to make a stopover in the Philippines. pic.twitter.com/ZnLLbadFUJ
This is the seventh day of Carnival Panorama’s cruise after the ship has taken passengers to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Borneo, Malaysia. Other ports of call that will be visited include Guam and Honolulu before the ship will make its transpacific journey back to the U.S.
During its visit to Manila, a commemoration event was held on the ship that was attended by the captain and the ship’s officers.
With the Philippines representing about 30% to 40% of the crew on a cruise ship, this visit allowed many of the ship’s hard working crew to reconnect with their home country that is rich in heritage and culture.
Carnival Cruise Line celebrates its first-ever visit to the Philippines with Carnival Panorama arriving at the South Harbor’s Eva Macapagal Super Terminal earlier today.
There are over 100,000 Filipino workers across the cruise industry, and out of Carnival Panorama’s crew of 1,400, 400 are from the Philippines.
Although the ship was only in port for a few hours, many of the crew were able to meet with their families, some even being welcomed onto the ship for a short time.
The official Comic-Con cruise has revealed the celebrity talent that will be onboard the ship, that guests will be able to meet.
Previously it had already been announced that actress and singer Felicia Day (The Guild, Geek & Sundry) would be the host of the cruise.
Joining her are a wide array of beloved stars from across the entertainment spectrum. Fans of Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Willow will be thrilled to see Warwick Davis, who has made his mark across these iconic franchises.
Star Trek legend George Takei will also be on board, bringing his celebrated role as Hikaru Sulu to life for long-time Trekkies. Ernie Hudson, the iconic Ghostbuster from the classic Ghostbusters films, rounds out the list of sci-fi icons.
From the critically acclaimed series Battlestar Galactica, a trio of stars – Mary McDonnell, Tricia Helfer, and Grace Park – will reunite for this special cruise event.
Fans of Power Rangers will recognize Amy Jo Johnson, the original Pink Ranger, while sci-fi enthusiasts can look forward to seeing The Orville’s Scott Grimes and Heroes star Greg Grunberg.
Virginia Gardner (Runaways, Halloween) and Grace Caroline Currey (Shazam!) add a dash of superhero flair to the lineup, while comedian Jonah Ray (Mystery Science Theater 3000) will bring his signature humour to the cruise.
Also joining the fun is The Love Boat star Ted Lange, whose presence is sure to make waves!
Robb Pearlman, author and pop culture commentator, will share his industry insights, and Bob Bergen, the voice behind Looney Tunes’ beloved Porky Pig, will provide a behind-the-scenes look at voice acting.
Makeup artist Thomas Surprenant (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) will be on hand to showcase his talents, and professional cosplayers Yaya Han and the cosplay duo Cowbutt Crunchies will make sure the cruise is filled with incredible costumes and creativity.
Just like the conventions on land, there’ll be an Artist’s Alley where guests will be able to buy artwork from talented creators.
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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Royal Caribbean has announced that it is partnering with Alaskan Goldbelt Incorporated to build a brand-new floating cruise port in Juneau.
The move is designed to help reduce traffic in the downtown Juneau area during cruise visits, whilst still giving guests a fantastic experience.
The new port will be built on Douglas Island and have two floating berths for ships to use. It’ll also offer views of the Chilkat Range from the ships while docked, along with a recreated Tlingit village from the 1800s.
The location will help the cruise line to offer whale-watching tours and other sightseeing opportunities in the area, but crucially will do so without causing problems for Juneau residents.
Guests who use the port will be transported into the city via shuttle boats, meaning that the Alaskan capital’s roads will see traffic cut by as much as a third on busier cruise visit days.
“We look forward to the prospect of bringing this sustainable, culture-rich cruise ship terminal to life in partnership with Royal Caribbean Group, providing community solutions to local transportation and economic development issues,“
McHugh Pierre, president and CEO of Goldbelt Incorporated
The new port is set to open in time for the 2027 season.
Compromise found?
The new port announcement comes just days after it was confirmed that Juneau residents had rejected a ban on cruise ship visits on Saturdays and on 4th July.
Residents were voting on the proposal which looked to reduce the impact of cruise ships on the town and its local environment.
However, a sizable majority voted against the proposals, wanting to keep cruise ships visiting on any day of the season, likely thanks to the income generated by tourists when they visit the town.
A new port that helps to reduce the impact on road traffic, while maintaining the visitor numbers, could therefore be the ideal compromise.
And it also follows an announcement that Royal Caribbean is installing Starlink internet access at Juneau’s port, to lighten the digital load on the town.
It’s clear that Royal Caribbean values Juneau as a cruise destination, with so much investment.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
The November elections in Bar Harbor, Maine will give residents the chance to repeal a law that limits the number of guest arrivals from cruise ships. The law was instigated…
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The November elections in Bar Harbor, Maine will give residents the chance to repeal a law that limits the number of guest arrivals from cruise ships.
The law was instigated in 2022 and came into effect for the 2024 season, limiting the number of daily arrivals from cruise ships to 1,000 guests.
However as this now means that many mid-sized ships wouldn’t be able to allow all guests to leave the ship on a port visit, several cruise lines have removed Bar Harbor from itineraries.
Prior to the 2022 vote, the limit was set at 3,500 arrivals, and the new vote in November will look to restore the limit to something close to that with a new cap of 3,200.
The loss of revenue for tour operators and businesses in Bar Harbor is behind the decision, which have taken a hit during 2024 with the cruise lines cancelling visits altogether.
If the new cap is passed into law, there’ll be a daily limit of three ships, and different months will have maximum caps, with April and November only permitting 5,000 guests in the month.
Ships would also be banned from visiting on 4th July during Independence Day celebrations.
Recently, a vote in Juneau, Alaska that would’ve banned cruise ships on Saturdays and on 4th July was rejected by residents who sought to keep the income from cruise guests flowing.
There are measures being taken around the world in certain ports to limit the impact of cruise ships on local life, but it’s clear that banning them or limiting them too much is not in the interests of residents.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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Guests enjoying a luxury cruise on Seabourn Pursuit were lucky enough to make a significant discovery, finding the shipwreck of the Titania from 110 years ago.
On 14th October, the luxury ship had called at Alexander Selkirk Island off the coast of Chile, with some guests booking a tour on a local submarine.
The expedition, led by local fisherman Gino Perez, was seeking the Titania’s wreck – a German supply ship that sunk during the First World War.
Perez had extensive knowledge of the area and history and knew approximately where the shipwreck may be, and with perfect conditions was able to lead guests to a depth of 95 metres, around 4.25 miles off the coast of the island, where they made the discovery.
The island’s harbour master has confirmed that this is the first time any diver or submarine has visited the shipwreck, and while local fisherman had sometimes recovered metal fragments attributed to the ship, this tour marks the official discovery.
“Experiences like these are a testament to the spirit of expedition, and this discovery is nothing short of historic.
“Seabourn’s expeditions and particularly our submarine explorations often take our guests to places where no other human has ever explored. I am so incredibly proud of our expedition team for delivering this once-in-a-lifetime and truly unforgettable ‘Seabourn Moment’ to our guests and the local community on Selkirk Island.“
Robin West, vice president and general manager of expeditions at Seabourn
Irene Blum, a guest who was onboard the submarine, described it as “almost magical”, while the pilot of the submarine Mauricio Fernandez also expressed awe at the discovery.
However it was Perez who perhaps gave the most emotional response:
“I imagined this ship so many times and now I can see where she is, how she looks like and how she is resting at the bottom. Thank you so much, my father manages this sector of the island, this means a lot to us and our family history,“
Gino Perez
About Seabourn Pursuit
Seabourn Pursuit is the cruise line’s newest ship, capable of carrying just 264 guests.
She also carries her own submarines – two custom-built options with acrylic sphere pods that help the cruise line offer incredible experiences in some of the world’s most remote locations.
Demand is high as the submarines have a very limited capacity!
The ship sails unique itineraries to offer guests the chance to see parts of the world that cruises don’t often visit.
The cruise that this discovery was made on was a 20-night trip from Melanesia in French Polynesia to San Antonio in Chile.
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I’ve been vegan for many years and have taken over 40 cruises with almost all of the major cruise lines.
On some ships, I’ve enjoyed the most incredible gourmet meals with ever-changing five-course vegan menus. And on others, I’ve had little more than French fries, salad and bread rolls.
How well cruise lines cater for vegans can mean the difference between enjoying a fantastic cruise, and barely surviving the week.
In this guide, I’m rating every cruise line I’ve sailed with from best to worst based on their plant-based offerings. I’ll also let you know about any secret off-menu vegan items I found.
Let’s start with the creme-de-la-(soya)-creme…
1. SeaDream Yacht Club
🏆 Winner 🏆
SeaDream Yacht Club offers boutique yacht-style cruising on small ships with around 100 guests and a crew-to-guest ratio of 1:1. This small scale enables the cruise line to go above and beyond to accommodate everyone’s dietary needs, with plant-based people being especially well catered for.
The owner of SeaDream Yacht Club, Atle Brynestad, has been vegan since 1991 and also owns an organic vegan farm and two vegan restaurants in Norway.
Aboard SeaDream ships, I enjoyed the most delicious and healthy food I’ve ever had. Each evening, there is a five-course plant-based menu. But if there’s anything you don’t like on there, the chef will be happy to veganise any of the other dishes.
During the cruise, Chef Tomas came to find me regularly to ask how I was enjoying the food. He would discuss his plans for the next day and ask if I had any suggestions. He’s so lovely and it’s clear that he loves his craft.
I think it’s great that there’s no separate menu for vegans on SeaDream – it’s just a section highlighted on the main menu. This eliminates any hassle or embarrassment of having to ask for a special menu, and it also encourages every guest to give the plant-based options a try. Which Tomas said that they frequently do.
Raw vegan options are available for every meal too, for those who prefer food that has not been heated above 49°C.
Breakfast and lunch are always served outdoors with a combination of a set menu and a buffet loaded with the freshest fruit, salads, nuts and seeds. For breakfast, I highly recommend the tofu scramble and the hash browns.
On the buffet, nothing is labelled, but that doesn’t matter because there are so many crew members just waiting to help. They’ll greet you by name and even carry your plate from the buffet area to your table for you!
SeaDream yachts carry all the vegan alternatives you could wish for, with all of the different milks, margarine and vegan cheese readily available. I was even given a choice of different cheese for on my burger!
If you like mock meat, you’ll love Chef Tomas’ vegan burger which he handmakes with his own recipe using chickpeas and beetroot. It tastes more realistic than even a Beyond burger and I had to double check it wasn’t meat. He also cooks with ‘prawnz’, which are really nice.
When it comes to snacks, plain Pringles, pretzels and nuts are always available at the bar. But really, you can have whatever you like. Every crew member will go above and beyond to make you happy.
If you want to enjoy the very best in vegan cuisine and avoid putting on weight during your cruise too, the SeaDream Yacht Club is the best cruise line for vegans. I adored the food and would return in a heartbeat.
Disney Cruise Line is my second favourite cruise line when it comes to vegan food. And if you’re cruising with children, it’s a better option than SeaDream, which is orientated towards adults.
Disney has a rotational dining system, which means that you move between three different themed restaurants. As you do, your waiter moves with you, so they really get to know your family as well as everyone’s dietary requirements.
Disney Cruise Line doesn’t offer separate vegan menus, but you’ll find vegan options on every adult menu, and the food is delicious.
There are sadly no vegan options on the kids’ menus. But kids are welcome to order from the adults’ menu too or if they want something simple like pasta with tomato sauce, that’s not a problem.
One thing to know when you cruise with Disney as a vegan, is that you can always ask for what you want, even if it’s not on the menu. And I definitely recommend that you do this!
At breakfast in the main dining room, I was able to order vegan sausages and the most incredible vegan omelette made with ‘Just Egg’, although these weren’t on the menu. Even the Mickey waffles can be made vegan on request!
In the buffet, nothing is labelled with ingredients or allergens, which is a little annoying. I love it when buffets have labels!
However, the buffet staff are really friendly and will help you. They sometimes also offer to make you other things too, and they even brought me an avocado that wasn’t on the buffet.
You’ll have no problem getting any kind of alternative milk, butter or cheese on a Disney cruise.
As well as the three main dining rooms and Cabanas buffet, there are lots more places you can eat in the food court on the pool deck too. Most stations have vegan options, so if you fancy a burger, hot dog, tacos or pizza for lunch, this is the place to go.
Disney Cruise Line is great for families, of course, but it’s also great for adults too. The speciality restaurants, Palo and Remy are both adults-only. If you dine here, be sure to let them know that you’re vegan the day before and the chef will make something special for you.
I’ve cruised on all of P&O Cruises family-friendly ships and I’ll start this section of the review by saying that some P&O ships have much more to offer for vegans than others. Arvia is the best, followed by Iona.
Every P&O ship has a vegan option on the menu in the main dining room. Sometimes you may have a choice, but it’s usually just one thing.
The food is pretty good, but I find that they can sometimes be a little low in protein, which is something to consider if you like to be mindful of that. If you’re a bigger eater, you may find the portions to be on a small side.
The main dining room is a great place to go for breakfast as you can get the most delicious avocado on toast with chillies, as well as vegan sausages and bacon to make a fantastic full English breakfast.
The buffet is always very good on P&O ships and the line does a really great job of labelling things as vegan and also labelling allergens like eggs and milk.
There’s also a section where you’ll find vegan butter, any kind of milk you would like and sometimes there’s even vegan cheese.
If you choose to cruise on one of the newer and bigger P&O ships, Arvia or Iona, you can also eat at The Quays. This venue has three different food outlets and you’ll find a changing menu of burgers, wraps, curries, noodles and the like.
Arvia also has two extra restaurants that are free to dine at – 6th Street Diner and The Olive Grove. Both of these have good vegan options on the menu.
Also unique to Arvia is Green & Co, which is the only fully vegan restaurant at sea. There’s an extra charge to eat here, but if you sail on Arvia you absolutely must. The food and service are both incredible.
Wherever you eat, be sure to look out for the vegan meringue. It’s made using aquafaba and even the omnivores say it tastes great!
Every P&O ship also has poolside dining venues where you can grab a veggie burger, just be sure to ask for no cheese. If you’re lucky, you can also get a pizza with vegan cheese. Not every ship will have this, but it’s worth asking because even if they do, it won’t be on the menu. It’s a secret menu item!
Every P&O ship also offers a variety of speciality dining restaurants that are available for an extra charge. Sindhu is a good one for vegans and the curries are lovely.
If you’re on a budget then P&O Cruises is definitely one to consider. The best ship is Arvia as it has the biggest choice of dining venues, but you’ll be well catered for on any of their ships.
Celebrity Cruises is another cruise line that has a fantastic offering for vegans. When I cruised on Celebrity Apex I ate so much food!
In the main dining rooms, you’ll find a separate vegan menu with a choice of delicious options. Make sure you ask your waiter for it.
If you can’t decide what dish to order, I recommend you order both. The waiter won’t bat an eyelid and the food is so delicious that you’ll have no problem finishing it.
Celebrity Cruises ships have the best buffets I’ve ever experienced as a vegan. There’s always a fantastic vegan corner that changes every day. It has some really interesting and exotic options such as steamed yucca.
The rest of the buffet is huge and everything is clearly labelled making it really easy to know what you can have.
I recommend that you walk around and take a look before making your choices. Even then, everything is so good that I always ended up with a plate that looks like this… (haha)
In the buffet, you’ll also find a pizza station. Vegan cheese is available on request, and the pizza is incredible.
Celebrity Cruises’ ships also have a variety of speciality restaurants that you can enjoy for an extra charge.
If you sail on one of the Edge-class ships, I recommend that you try the seven-course plant-based tasting menu. It’s pricey at $110, but the food is incredible so it’s worth the splurge.
Celebrity Cruises does a fantastic job of catering for vegans. Even the chocolates on your pillow are vegan-friendly!
If you’re considering a cruise with Celebrity, I have lots more guides here for you. Enjoy!
5. Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean does a pretty good job of catering for vegans. In the main dining room you can ask for a vegan menu which has a couple of choices each day. There may also be things you can have on the main menu too, so take a look at both.
The food in the main dining room is very tasty, and the crew members are very knowledgeable and happy to help with any questions.
There are some decent options in the speciality restaurants too. Izumi sushi is a good option and the vegan sushi is very nice. I also ate in Wonderland but was a little underwhelmed by some of the food compared to the main menu versions.
I found the buffet to be quite frustrating on Royal Caribbean ships. Nothing is labelled so you have to ask and the servers never seem to know what the ingredients are. They can go away and find out, but that means a lot of waiting around.
The buffet is huge though, so if you don’t want to wait, you can just select the things that are obviously vegan and avoid anything you’re unsure about. There is a vegan corner, but it’s very small.
You do have to order some of the dishes too, and then wait for them to be cooked. By that point, the rest of your family are probably onto their desserts.
I would rate Royal Caribbean as average when it comes to vegan-friendly cruise lines. Adding labels to the buffet items would make things so much better for people with all kinds of dietary requirements.
6. Windstar Cruises
I was really excited to try the food on Windstar. This is a luxury cruise line that’s know for having excellent food.
While this is wonderfully healthy, it’s clearly a challenge to cook within those limitations. The food was very nice, but I found some dishes to be a little lacking in flavour given the lack of salt and sugar.
On a Windstar Cruise, you’ll enjoy breakfast and lunch in the restaurant with a combination of buffet and a la carte choices. I found the options to be a little limited compared to other cruises I’ve been on.
This breakfast would have been lovely with some vegan sausages, avocado, tofu scramble or mushrooms.
I must praise the room service on Windstar which is free of charge and always excellent. This veggie chilli was particularly delicious.
If you love to eat super-healthy food all of the time, then I have no doubt that you’ll love the food on Windstar. But, if like me, you like a pizza with vegan cheese or a veggie sausage on occasion, it comes in at average in the list.
I’ve cruised with Princess Cruises a few times and I was SO excited to hear that they’d launched a dedicated vegan menu. When I sat down in the main dining room on the first night of my cruise on Sun Princess and was handed the menu, I was even more excited!
The menu wasn’t clear which dishes were vegan and which were vegetarian as some had leaf symbols, but then some without symbols mentioned vegan cheese. The waiter assured me that I could have anything and they would make it vegan.
I placed my order. After 90 minutes, no food had arrived. I asked the waiter and he said that there had been some confusion and actually we couldn’t have anything on the menu at all!
He said that everything must be pre-ordered so we could only order for tomorrow. Tonight, we could have only plain salad and pasta. This was pretty disappointing, especially given how long we had waited.
Princess Cruises ships have so many different dining venues. This makes pre-ordering the main dining room very difficult as you may not eat there two nights in a row.
We did eat in the main dining room again, but the food wasn’t great. I hope that you have a better experience than me when ordering from Princess Cruises vegan menu as on paper, it looks great.
I feel that Princess Cruises’ redeeming feature is the buffet, which is so good that I would happily eat there for every meal. The buffet is huge and everything has labels. There’s even a vegan pasta station with a choice of sauces on Sun Princess!
I particularly loved the buffet at breakfast time. You can have avocado, hash browns, and lots of delicious fresh fruit including things like strawberries and raspberries which you don’t often see on a ship.
The buffet has some great options for lunch and dinner too with cuisine from around the world. Outside the buffet and up on the pool deck there are stalls with vegan hot dogs, burgers, tacos, nachos and other dishes. The choice is incredible.
If you purchase the Princess Plus or Princess Premier package, you can also dine in some extra venues. I loved Alfredos on Sun Princess. You don’t need to book, just turn up. They have vegan cheese and the pizzas are lovely.
On the whole, Princess Cruises is pretty good for vegans. And I hope that when you eat in the main dining room you have a better experience than me. If It wasn’t for my bad experiences there, Princess would be one of my favourite cruise lines for vegan food. I’ll definitely try it again.
The vegan food on Cunard was surprisingly good. In the main dining room on the first evening, I was told that there was a meal being prepared for me already.
The waiter explained that on the following evenings, if I would like to pre-order, then I could have anything from the vegan menu. This was great communication.
Cunard’s vegan menu is huge, and it was great to have so many choices. However, I’m not a fan of pre-ordering as I don’t like to eat in the main dining room every night and I don’t always know what my plans will be for the next day.
Cunard’s main dining room food is very well-presented and tastes great. My only complaint is that the portion sizes are usually quite small. If I ate at 6 pm I would be hungry again by 9 pm and there’s nowhere that you can get food at that time as the buffet is closed.
I particularly loved the main dining room breakfast – the avocado on toast was lovely. The British cruise lines always do the best English breakfasts.
The buffet on Cunard is good too. It’s pretty big. On Queen Mary 2 I found it to have a very strange layout with hidden sections, so be sure to look around it all before you decide what to have.
There’s a sushi station every day at lunchtime – the vegan sushi is excellent.
You’ll have no problem getting any kind of plant milk. It’s not advertised anywhere, but you can also get vegan sausages and bacon at breakfast in the buffet. Mine were rock hard though so I only had those once.
Ambassador Cruise Line is a British cruise line offering regional departures from ports across the UK. It also has a pretty good offering for vegans.
The food in the main dining room is excellent. You do need to pre-order, though. You’ll have several options that change each day.
When you write your name and room number on the paper, just remember to write VEGAN so they don’t serve you the vegetarian option.
On one night of your cruise, you’ll enjoy a seven-course Gala dinner. There’s a vegan version for every course and the food is incredible.
After dinner is the baked Alaska parade. While you can’t have the baked Alaska if you’re vegan, you can opt for vegan ice cream.
The buffet is fairly small, but then so are Ambassador ships, so that’s to be expected. Everything is clearly labelled though and you can get plant-based butter, milk and most things that you need.
The vegan sausages aren’t very nice, but they’re there, and you don’t have to ask for them to be cooked especially, so that’s not bad at all. I would definitely cruise with Ambassador Cruise Line again and I love their main dining room.
10. MSC Cruises
Like most cruise lines, MSC Cruises has got much better at catering for vegans over the past few years and on my latest MSC cruise in 2024, I was thrilled to see that they have now introduced a vegan menu.
The menu shows a few days at once, and it’s not clear which are starters and which are mains, or how many you’re supposed to order. I just ordered everything and this is what arrived…
What I received didn’t match up to the menu. I’m pretty sure that’s not ‘mango coconut cream’, but the waiter just said ‘that’s the vegan option’. So I ate it.
The service on MSC sometimes leaves a little to be desired. I find that the crew members often lack both the time and the language skills to help with any slightly complex questions, which is shame. That’s not their fault, they still work really hard.
MSC’s buffet is pretty good. There’s a decent selection and meat alternatives are used in some of the dishes, which is great.
Unfortunately, the labelling can be inconsistent, with some items marked as vegetarian that are actually vegan and no allergen labelling.
You can get a pizza with no cheese on request and all the plant milks are available.
Star Clippers offer cruises on the world’s largest square-rigged sailing ships. With only around 200 guests on each ship, the dining options aren’t as varied as they are on larger ships.
Breakfast and lunch is served buffet-style in the dining room. Here’s what that looks like…
There isn’t a whole lot of choice, and nothing is labelled. However, the staff are helpful so you can ask if you’re not sure what something is.
At lunch, the chef came over to ask if I would like anything else. I requested penne arrabbiata and he made it, which was very impressive.
Dinner is a three-course meal where you’ll dine in the company of your fellow guests. There are no vegan menus – special diets are catered for on an individual basis.
In the main dining room, I was never given a menu. Instead, the waiter would deliver me a surprise dish. I had no idea what it was until it was in front of me, and sometimes not even then!
The food was very nice and always fresh and colourful. I was always given at least two whole avocados in every meal, which made me a little concerned over the calories! Although I’m sure that if I had asked for no more avocados that could have been accommodated on future evenings.
Star Clippers is another cruise line that offers the baked Alaska parade, with an alternative dessert for people who don’t eat dairy.
If you like vegan cheese, margarine and meat alternatives, or are anything like a picky eater, then this probably isn’t the cruise for you. But on the whole, I was very happy with the food.
12. Celesytal Cruises
Celestyal Cruises caters mostly to a European market, and it feels as though they haven’t put too much thought into their vegan offering.
I last sailed with them in 2022 and will be sailing again in late 2024, so I’ll update this guide with any new info after my next cruise. Perhaps things have improved?
The menu in the main dining room does have vegan labelling, although it’s not 100% accurate, which made me wonder if the head chef fully understands what vegan means.
There aren’t always options for vegans. But what you can do is request to see the menu for the next day, then discuss how any of the dishes could be modified to suit your needs. For example, I asked for the Gigantes dish without honey.
The food in the main dining room is Mediterranean-themed and is very tasty. Although the starter is a plan salad and the dessert is fruit a little too often than I’d like.
Breakfast is served buffet-style and there’s not a whole lot of choice. There is soya milk and margarine though.
There’s also another buffet on the top deck for lunch. Nothing is labelled here and as you serve yourself, it can be hard to find someone to ask. But, the food is very nice and the chips are some of the best ever!
If you cruise with Celestyal you certainly won’t go hungry. You just need to be prepared to discuss your requirements with the crew members and possibly also explain what vegan means and what you want to avoid.
13. Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines
I’ve cruised with Fred. Olsen twice. The food that they offer for vegans is very nice, but it’s not always easy to know what’s available.
In the main dining room, the menu is labelled, but it doesn’t always have vegan options. If you speak to the waiter they will let you know what they can come up with. They’re very helpful.
You can request to see the menu for the next day. But if there’s nothing vegan on there then it feels like it’s up to you to come up with ideas! And as you’re discussing this with a waiter rather than a chef, they don’t know what’s possible.
For that reason, I ate in the buffet most evenings. The buffet on Fred. Olsen ships isn’t like a normal buffet. You’ll be shown to a table by a crew member and served drinks at your table so it doesn’t feel too casual for an evening meal.
The buffet team are really friendly and are happy to modify dishes where possible.
For example, one night there was Pad Thai with chicken and prawns, and they made me one with tofu which was great. Not what you would usually expect from a buffet at all!
At the Poolside Grill, there’s nothing vegan on the menu aside from French fries. But when I asked, they said: “Yes, we have vegan burgers!” The burger was really good.
I have no idea how many of these burgers they make, but since it’s a secret menu item, it can’t be many as people just won’t know to ask for it. This is a shame as some meat-eaters and flexitarians will order a veggie burger if its there but won’t go out of their way to ask for one.
At breakfast, there are also secret vegan sausages and secret vegan bacon, so be sure to ask for those if you want them!
I thought the food on Fred. Olsen Cruises was great. My only wish is that they would make it easier for people to know what they have by putting it on the actual menus.
Costa Cruises are the cheapest you’ll find with prices often as low as £30 per day, including food! But even though the cruise line obviously has a low budget for ingredients, vegans won’t starve. But, you may become protein deficient though, so pack protein shakes. (I’m not joking).
I love how the main dining room works on Costa Cruises. Solo travellers are seated together, so you can easily make friends. And you always get four courses rather than the usual three. Which is needed, because the plates are quite small.
Each day you’ll be given a vegan menu with some choices for the next day. It’s great that there are choices, but it can be a little annoying if you don’t want to eat in the main dining room every day.
The buffet on Costa Smeralda was pretty big. But nothing is labelled and most of the buffet attendants don’t speak enough English to help. Most guests on Costa Cruises speak Italian, French, Spanish or German, so expecting English as well is a big ask.
There’s not much that looks vegan aside from salad and bread. There’s a fantastic pasta station though, and I had the pasta every day. I added chillies. There was no option to add vegan protein or even vegetables, only meat and cheese.
By the pool on Costa Smeralada, there’s an interesting-looking food outlet called Green. I was disappointed that it remained closed throughout my whole cruise. It costs extra, but I would have gladly paid for a poke bowl.
One speciality restaurant that was open was Sushino, which does some lovely vegan sushi for an extra charge.
The menu says there are take-away boxes, but I was told I must sit in the restaurant. This was a little embarrassing for me as it was formal night and I was wearing jeans, hoping to grab a takeaway to enjoy in the privacy of my cabin.
Costa is the only cruise line I have ever sailed with that doesn’t have refrigerators in the cabins. If you like to bring your own supplies like cheese, milk or butter and keep them in there, this could be an issue.
You can get soya milk in the buffet. You might have to ask around a few people who send you from one person to the next until you find someone who knows and they open the secret fridge for it.
The food on Costa is mixed – ranging from fantastic to inedible. But one thing’s for sure, vegan protein is pretty non-existent. You get what you pay for and if you get a good deal, Costa Cruises aren’t awful. But you’ll definitely want to pack some trail mix for emergencies!
There are a few cruise lines missing from this list. Carnival, Marella, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Virgin Voyages and Azamara are some of the cruise lines which I would love to review the vegan options onboard.
I haven’t included these either because I was vegetarian when I cruised with them rather than vegan (I’ve only been vegan since 2019), or because I have only visited for a day rather than taking a full cruise, and so I haven’t had a chance to fully experience all of the dining options.
It’s certainly not the case that any cruise lines missing from this list are bad. I’m sure many of them are very good. I have a Marella cruise booked for 2025 and will be updating this article once I’ve sampled their cuisine.
If you’d like to see real examples of vegan food on cruise ships then I recommend that you follow VeganCruiser on Instagram. In her stories, Sanna shares photos of all of her meals along with her opinions, and she doesn’t hold back!
If you have any experiences that you’d like to share, please add them in the comments below.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
One of the world’s largest sailing cruise ships is receiving a major renovation next month during a multi-million dollar dry dock.
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Windstar Cruises’ flagship, Wind Surf, is scheduled to have two major phases of renovations. Phase 1 will take place in November in Cadiz, Spain and the ship will return to service on December 21, 2024.
Most of the ship’s public spaces will receive a full redesign that includes new layouts, furniture, wall and floor coverings, lighting, and custom art. Premium Suites will also see improvements and new interactive TVs will be installed in all staterooms.
Phase 1 includes:
Lobby: Additional seating and a fresh updated vibe with the feel of a boutique hotel
Boutique: Larger retail area with a luxury feel
Bar/Lounge: Compass Rose will receive a new multi-purpose stage for live music
Dining: Main dining room is getting refreshed and new carved booths that seat 2-8 guests will be added
Pool Deck: New layout to maximize ocean views
Phase 2 will take place in 2026 with the cruise ship’s cabins receiving new furniture, soft goods and décor. The second phase will also see updates to Stella Bistro, Veranda, and the fitness studio.
All of Windstar’s three Wind Class ships (Wind Surf, Wind Star, and Wind Spirit) are undergoing redesigns and updates as part of a multi-year initiative.
Wind Star has already completed Phase 1 of improvements, with Phase 2 slated for April 2026. Windstar’s Wind Spirit Phase 1 takes place in April of 2026, with Phase 2 in March 2027.
Windstar Cruises’ Chief Operating Officer Stijn Creupelandt gave the following statement:
“Wind Surf has become a beloved choice among our longtime Windstar guests. Many of our guests return each year to sail on this yacht, and we’re thrilled to offer a refreshed atmosphere and updated technology on board to enhance their comfort.
“I can’t wait to personally welcome our guests during the holiday sailing and celebrate this exciting transformation in a festive setting.”
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After the sudden death of her husband, Patty Layman found a surprise charge on their credit card.
The charge for $13,310 was for a cruise with American Cruise Lines that included airfare and even “Cancel for Any Reason” trip insurance.
But this seemingly bullet-proof insurance coverage had some fine print that gave Patty the runaround.
In February of this year, Colorado couple Patty and Dick Layman went out to eat to celebrate three different occasions at once.
According to Patty, she told her husband, “Happy birthday. Happy Valentine’s Day. Happy anniversary.” Shortly after, her husband started to choke.
Not being able to breathe, Dick passed out. After a day in the hospital Patty was told that her husband showed no signs of brain activity. After being taken off of life support, Dick passed away on February 23.
Still grieving the loss of her husband, Patty was making funeral arrangements when she came across a charge she did not recognize on the couple’s credit card.
Apparently, Dick had been planning a surprise. The $13,000 charge was for a 10-day Columbia & Snake Rivers cruise from Washington to Portland, Oregon.
The details of the trip were found in Dick’s desk, and Patty assumed Dick was going to tell her about it during their celebratory meal.
Cancellation Headaches
But she couldn’t imagine taking the trip without her husband. She decided to cancel the trip, and saw on the paper work that Dick had paid for “Cancel for Any Reason” trip insurance coverage.
Dick had planned ahead, and he purchased the extra cruise insurance for $1,140.
This is the most comprehensive kind of trip insurance and does not require a specific set of circumstances to be used.
However, there was a problem. After Patty called the cruise line, she was told of some of the fine print. If a trip is cancelled within 90 days of the sailing, only 80% of the money would be refunded.
On top of this, each cruise passenger is charged $250 as an administrative fee.
While Patty thought this kind of situation would be an exception to the 90-day rule, she was informed that an exception could not be made in her case.
After writing the CEO of the company she said, “I never even got a reply back. Not even a, you know, ‘I’m so sorry for your loss, but this is the way it is.’”
She reached out to 9NEWS, and the news company tried to speak on her behalf, but they were told that they don’t make comments about guests.
Despite months of attempting to get a full refund for the cruise, Patty ended up getting all but $3,000 of the money back.
While trip insurance is a must for any kind of travel with this kind of price tag, it’s important to remember that even comprehensive coverage has its limitations.
Coverage limits, cancellation fees, waiting periods, and exclusions should all be reviewed so you know what you’re actually paying for.
