Diplomacy

Another cruise ship has broken free of its mooring lines as strong winds caused major problems for Holland America’s Westerdam while it was docked in Ketchikan, Alaska.  Some of the ship’s passengers witnessed the dramatic incident of snapping mooring lines and a collapsed gangway.

What Happened in Ketchikan

Westerdam was docked in Ketchikan as a stop in a 7-night Alaska itinerary when sudden and intense wind gusts began putting extra strain on the mooring lines.

Holland America ship Nieuw Amsterdam had previously canceled its visit to Ketchikan because of the high winds, but Westerdam felt it was safe enough to dock on May 30, 2025.

While official readings showed winds over 30 miles per hour, local reports in the Ketchikan Daily News quoted the cruise line’s spokesperson as saying gusts reached up to 60 knots (nearly 70 miles per hour).

A user on Cruise Critic noted the airport’s highest reported wind for Ketchikan was 32 knots (37 MPH) at the time, but it could have been a localized gust that swept through the port.

Eyewitnesses on board shared some pretty startling photos and stories. The sheer force of the wind caused several of the ship’s mooring lines to snap.

Facebook page “Anna and Joe’s Adventures” shared photos of the aftermath of the incident as you can see below:

As the gap between the ship and the dock grew wider, the gangway simply disconnected and fell. The photos show it looking almost like a vertical ladder.  As user “NHDOC” on Cruise Critic put it, “According to our crew there were two ropes that broke which caused the ship to drift and the gangway fell.”

A Fortunate Outcome and Quick Action

Thankfully, no one was on the gangway when it collapsed, and no injuries were reported.

Tugboats immediately held Westerdam against the pier. Cranes then lifted the damaged gangway.

Holland America Line confirmed the gangway was reconnected, and all guests reboarded later that day. One passenger shared on Cruise Critic, “I was there for this, we were fortunate and got on about 5 mins before it broke. We felt awful for those who were waiting to get back on.”

Itinerary Stays on Track

The Westerdam had started her journey in Seattle, Washington, on May 25. She visited Juneau and Sitka, and cruised through Tracy Arm Fjord, before Ketchikan. Despite the incident, the ship departed Ketchikan on schedule, heading to Victoria, British Columbia, then back to Seattle.

Other Ships Breaking from Mooring Lines

Just last week, Cruise Fever reported on a similar situation involving Norwegian Epic in Catania, Italy.

On May 30, 2025, dramatic video showed a mooring post snapping off and hitting Norwegian Epic as strong winds pushed the ship. This caused the ship to break free, injuring two passengers and delaying departure. Two passengers fell into the water and were rescued, then hospitalized for minor injuries. Winds up to 57 miles per hour played a significant role in that failure.

This past weekend also saw an MSC ship, MSC Seascape, experience a similar mooring incident at Ocean Cay, the cruise line’s private island. On May 31, 2025, strong winds from a sudden squall caused the ship’s mooring lines to snap, leading to its bow drifting away from the pier and delaying traffic to and from the ship for a time.

Why Ships Skip Ports

No one wants to hear that they have to skip a port of call, especially on a day that seems to be quite lovely with just a few strong winds.  But some of these gusts can cause major problems for cruise ships that are so big they can act like giant sails.  Whether it’s trying to dock safely or putting too much strain on mooring lines, cruise lines are very careful to make these decisions.

Not long ago we reported on a few ships that had to skip stops at Costa Maya because of several days of strong gusts. 

These incidents, like with Westerdam, Norwegian Epic, and MSC Seascape, are reminders of the reason cruise lines will call off a visit to a port based on wind.  People will still complain, but at least they will be safe.

Social media influencers do all kinds of things to get clicks and views, but sometimes all that attention can get them in trouble if they are breaking a company’s policy–or at least looking like that are.

A previous Carnival Cruise Line guest with a vibrant TikTok following has been banned by the cruise line after posting a video showing an alleged alcohol smuggling hack.

From Viral “Hack” to Lifetime Ban

TikToker Courtney Murley thought she had a clever trick for her Carnival cruise, and she decided to share it with the world. Now, instead of viral fame for a “hack,” she’s sharing a very different kind of social media post: her lifetime ban letter from Carnival Cruise Line.

It all started with a video Murley posted earlier this year, allegedly showing her and a travel companion successfully sneaking alcohol onto Carnival Conquest.

The TikTok post, which quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of views, showed the cruisers taking their luggage into their cabin, seemingly revealing liquor hidden in toiletry containers.

Her caption proudly stated the following:

“Def waited until after I got home to post this! Hahahaha but it worked. Forget a drink package lol…. okay we ended up drinking probably what we would of paid for a drink package anyways but still was fun to try and see if the rum runners would work.“

But Murley’s social media post quickly backfired. She recently received a letter from Carnival Cruise Line which she then shared on TikTok. 

The letter clearly stated that her cruising days with Carnival were done:

“This letter is to inform you that you will not be able to sail onboard any Carnival Cruise Line vessel in the future due to the smuggling of alcohol onboard the Carnival Conquest on March 31st, 2025, and subsequently posting about it on social media platforms. Your attempt to book a future cruise will result in cancellation and a possible loss of deposit monies.”

Murley has since tried to backtrack, claiming her initial video was “satirical” and that she never actually smuggled alcohol, but rather showed “juice in a tampon flask” for “views.”

“What I’m mad about is that they are banning me for something that didn’t happen. They said for smuggling alcohol. I did not smuggle alcohol. Not one ounce of alcohol was smuggled onto the ship. Not one. Not a single drop. What you see on that video is not alcohol. Is everything on the Internet real?” Murley stated in her follow up post.

However, the damage was already done. For Carnival, the video itself promoted a clear violation of their policies.

Heald’s Warning: Social Media Is Being Watched

This isn’t an isolated incident, and Carnival is making it clear they’re not messing around. Carnival’s own Brand Ambassador, John Heald, has been sounding the alarm on his Facebook Live videos, reminding everyone that the cruise line is actively monitoring social media for precisely these kinds of “clever” tips and tricks.

Heald has openly talked about receiving numerous links from followers to social media videos where guests show off their hidden liquor tactics.

“Somebody – actually, I think it was at least a dozen people – wrote to me sending me a link to a social media video… where this – this is crazy, right?” Heald exclaimed, referencing the old (and prohibited) tricks like hiding booze in hairbrushes or umbrellas.

While acknowledging that these smuggling methods aren’t new—”We have known for years that you can go on Mrs. Amazon, and you can get used to smuggle booze in, right?”—Heald expressed particular frustration with the public boasting.

“But what absolutely drives me crazy – it makes me laugh, to be very honest – is when people get on the ship, and they go, ‘Ohh, look what we smuggled on board, a tube full of vodka. Ha Ha Ha! We’re so clever.’”

If you post about breaking their rules, especially the alcohol policy, you’re making it incredibly easy for them to find you. “Of course, of course, we have people monitoring social media pages, of course, we do. And then you monitor it, people watching it, and you send it to me, and you say, ‘Look, look!’”, Heald previously stated.

The consequences, as Courtney Murley learned the hard way, are swift and long-lasting.  While she can appeal the decision, it’s unlikely the cruise line will reverse course.  

The message, as seen in the ban letter Murley received from Carnival, is pretty clear: that viral moment could cost you a lifetime of cruises.

In the follow-up post that showed the letter from Carnival, Murley stated “thank goodness we love MSC & Royal better“, but this has some wondering if cruise lines share this kind of information with each other.  In other words, will other cruise lines add names to their ban-list based on what they do on ships not in their brand?

This topic often comes up in relation to lifetime bans that are the result of fighting on cruise ships.  Time will tell if Murley’s followers see her sailing on another cruise ship in the near future.  But it’s unlikely she will be posting these kinds of “hacks” whether they are satire or not.

Before Celebrity Cruises’ Edge-class ships debuted in 2018, the 122,000 gross ton Solstice class vessels were the pride and joy of the cruise line. These ships were—and remain—a very popular class for Celebrity.

Now, these beloved vessels are about to get a major refresh. Celebrity Cruises just announced an investment of over $250 million to completely modernize its five Solstice-class ships, meaning your next sailing on one of these ships would look a lot different.

As someone who’s sailed on multiple Celebrity ships over the years, I can tell you that the Solstice class has always been one of my favorites. These ships, which debuted starting in 2008 with Celebrity Solstice, were innovative for their time – they were the first to feature a real grass lawn at sea as well.

Now Celebrity is taking them to the next level.

What’s Getting Updated

Celebrity is calling this transformation comprehensive, and they’re not kidding. The renovation will include eight completely new experiences, with four spaces that are brand new to the cruise industry, plus major refreshes to existing favorites.

Brand New Venues Coming to Solstice Class

Boulevard Lounge – This intimate entertainment venue sounds like it’ll be the place to be in the evenings. Think cabaret-style entertainment with candlelit concerts, dueling pianos, and interactive daytime programming like game shows and trivia.

Boulevard Bar – Located right next to the lounge which allows passengers to stop by before or after a show.

Celebrity Barcade – An elevated sports bar where you can actually play games too. Multiple screens for watching sports, plus billiards, darts, and retro board games.

Trattoria Rossa – An Italian restaurant with tableside preparations and fresh pasta made daily. The authentic tableside service is a nice touch that you don’t see everywhere.

Fine Cut Steakhouse – Celebrity is bringing their Forbes Travel Guide-rated steakhouse from the newer Edge-class ships to Solstice class. This is significant because Fine Cut has been getting rave reviews. Expect 30-day dry-aged steaks and that elevated service Celebrity is known for.

Sunset Park – This transforms the top deck into a half-acre outdoor oasis with great views, cuisine, lawn games, and open-air concerts. Given that the Solstice class already has that famous lawn club, this expansion of outdoor space makes perfect sense.

Stateroom Upgrades and New Categories

All staterooms will get a complete refresh, which is always welcome news. But what’s really interesting is that Celebrity is adding four entirely new stateroom categories:

• Panoramic Infinite Veranda Suite
• Deluxe Panoramic Oceanview Suite
• Panoramic Ocean View Suite
• Deluxe Panoramic Ocean View

The focus on “panoramic” views is no accident as it looks like Celebrity wants to emphasize the ocean experience that makes cruising so popular and so different from a land-based resort.

Existing Venues Getting Makeovers

Celebrity isn’t just adding new spaces – they’re also refreshing popular existing venues including:

• Café Al Bacio
• Cellar Masters
• World Class Bar
• Martini Bar
• Pool Bar
• Passport Bar
• Blu (exclusive to AquaClass guests)
• Luminae (exclusive to The Retreat guests)
• Fitness Center
• Camp at Sea

Timeline and What This Means for Cruisers

The renovations start with Celebrity Solstice in March 2026, with the other four ships in the class (Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Silhouette, and Celebrity Reflection) following over the next few years.

These major renovations typically take ships out of service for 3-4 weeks, so expect some itinerary changes and adjustments while this goes on.

Celebrity President Laura Hodges Bethge said they’re “elevating this vacation experience even further by adding brand new experiences and enhancements at every turn” while “staying true to what made our guests fall in love with these ships in the first place.”

Given that Celebrity Solstice won’t complete its renovation until mid-2026, you have time to plan a cruise to check out some of these new enhancements.

Bottom Line

This $250 million investment shows Celebrity is serious about keeping their Solstice class competitive as these ships near 18+ years in service. The new venues sound like they will be very popular with the cruising crowd that already loved these ships to begin with.

Keep an eye out for more details as we get closer to Celebrity Solstice’s renovation in March 2026.

No, Carnival Cruise Line is not making a pivot to adult-only cruises.  Recent news about specific sailings on Carnival Magic not allowing children on board have sparked rumors that the family cruise line is shifting gears. 

Carnival’s Brand Ambassador has emphatically stated this morning in a social media post that it’s simply not true.

John Heald, Carnival’s Brand Ambassador, wants to make it crystal clear: Carnival is, and always will be, a proud family cruise line.

Heald recently spoke out to tackle rumors buzzing around online. He explained that part of his job is to “respectfully correct” cruise news outlets when they say things that are not true.

“One of those… is that we are moving to become, quote, an adult-only cruise line. Please ignore that. We are a proud family cruise line. We have been, and I’m sure we always will be.”

Why the Confusion? The “Adults-Only” Cruise Explained

So, why did this rumor even start? It’s all because of a couple of specific cruises on Carnival Magic in November 2025. One of these, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing, was indeed changed to an “adults-only” trip.

Heald clarified that these are special Casino Event cruises, tied to Carnival’s Players Club program. And here’s the key Heald stated:

“Because they are casino offers, we cannot make those casino offers to children, which is why these cruises are for adults only because they are casino based offered cruises. And they are very popular.”

 Since casinos are for adults, these specific cruises must be as well.

It’s About Dry Dock, Not a New Direction

Heald also explained why these special casino cruises popped up. “I’ve said this before so this all is because we moved Carnival Magic’s dry dock and the casino have taken a couple of cruises and made them adults only,” he said.

Carnival Magic‘s planned maintenance was rescheduled, opening up these dates, and Carnival decided to use them for these unique casino-focused voyages.

See Carnival’s up-to-date dry dock schedule here.

Not a Test Run for More Adults-Only Cruises

This is not Carnival testing the waters for more adults-only cruises. Heald was clear:

“I don’t know what the future is going to hold, but let me just tell you we are not moving to an adult only cruise line now. This is not something that you should be concerned about.”

He highlighted that while some people like the idea of adults-only cruises, many more don’t. “For every one person who says ‘I would love an adults-only cruise,’ there are many who have written and said, ‘what do I do with my children, my grandchildren?‘”

He called these “cruise specific situations” and urged people to “please ignore what some people have been highlighting.”

What This Means for Those Specific Sailings

On these particular adults-only cruises, you won’t find the usual kid-friendly spots like Camp Ocean or Club O2 active. While most other ship offerings will still be there, the vibe will definitely be different without kids around.

The Clear Message: Carnival is for Families

So, let’s be clear: the “adults-only” talk is about a handful of special, casino-driven cruises. It’s not a sign that Carnival is changing its overall approach. As John Heald emphasized, “Know we are a proud family cruise line.”

After months of planning, no one likes to hear that their cruise has to be canceled, but cruise ships need regular maintenance, and sometimes scheduling conflicts are necessary.

Carnival Cruise Line recently sent out notifications to guests booked on seven specific sailings from January 5, 2026, through January 26, 2026. The reason? Carnival Conquest’s scheduled dry dock has been moved.

The email sent to impacted guests read as follows:

“We have had to reschedule Carnival Conquest’s dry dock to January 2026, and we are sorry to inform you that the above cruises, including yours, have been canceled.”

Carnival hasn’t yet given a detailed reason for moving the dates for the ship’s dry dock. These changes usually happen because of things like shipyard availability, getting the right parts on time, or other operational issues that are outside the cruise line’s direct control.

Carnival Conquest was the first Conquest-class ship with the cruise line, and it debuted in November, 2002.  The ship’s last dry dock was in 2022, during which it received basic maintenance in addition to the blue hull livery that was rolled out across the fleet.

If Your Cruise Was Canceled, Here Are Your Choices:

The impacted sailings were 3- and 4-night cruises out of PortMiami.  Carnival is offering several options to those whose cruises were canceled:

• Rebook a Different Cruise: Guests can choose to book a different cruise. It can be on another Carnival ship, and it needs to be a similar sailing duration to the original booking. If you rebook, Carnival will give you a $50 onboard credit per person (up to $100 per stateroom) for your new cruise.
• Get Help with Flight Changes: If you had non-refundable flights booked, Carnival might help cover some of the change fees. They will reimburse up to $200 per person for these fees. You’ll need to submit documentation for those changes.
• Receive a Full Refund: If you’d prefer not to rebook, you can get a full refund for your cruise fare and any other items you pre-purchased for the trip. These refunds will start being processed after June 10, 2025.

Why the Date Change?

You might have seen some dry dock schedules for Carnival that showed Carnival Conquest’s dry dock happening in August and September of 2025. It’s important to know that the January 2026 dates are the new schedule.

We will have to keep our eyes open to see what Carnival does with the old dry dock dates for Conquest and what kind of sailings may be opened up in the near future.

This kind of dry dock rescheduling has also happened recently with other Carnival ships, like Carnival Magic and Carnival Horizon.

Recent news about some Carnival Magic sailings being adult-only now after a dry dock change have led to speculation about more offerings like this from the cruise line.  Brand Ambassador, John Heald shut down rumors that Carnival is moving away from its family-friendly focus after news of the Casino Event on the ship forced the cruise line to remove children from the upcoming cruise.

Some are already wondering if the new gap in Carnival Conquest’s schedule will allow for more specialty type cruises like this, but for now we will have to wait for official word.