Posts in category: Diplomacy

Just last month I wrote about the fact that Norwegian Cruise Line truly does own the Hawaii cruise market. But with a storm barreling down on the islands this weekend, the cruise line has had to make some adjustments to keep everyone safe.

Both Norwegian Spirit and Pride of America have been impacted by the storm, and passengers for one sailing were given the option to end the cruise early or stay on the ship for some extra sea days.

According to recent reports from the National Weather Service, Tropical Storm Lala is currently approaching the islands with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, pushing tropical-storm-force winds out as far as 205 miles from its center.

A Hurricane Warning was issued for the Big Island as the storm made its closest approach, dumping between 10 to 20 inches of rain and bringing heavy surf across the region.

Hawaii isn’t used to these types of storms. Direct hits like this are surprisingly rare as the islands have several natural barriers such as volcanic mountains and cooler water temperatures surrounding them.

So, when a rare storm like Lala does roll in, operating two cruise ships in the area requires some last-minute changes.

NCL has had to cancel a few ports in Hawaii including scheduled calls in Hilo and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, as well as shortening visits to Kauai.

Here is how NCL navigated the situation with both Pride of America and Norwegian Spirit and what the line officially told guests.

NCL’s Letter to Guests

According to travel outlets like Travel Pulse, NCL reached out to passengers on Pride of America (The Hawaii staple) about the storm’s development with the following message:

“A developing tropical storm in the Central Pacific, southeast of the Hawaiian Islands, is expected to bring strong winds and challenging conditions to the region, resulting in the potential closure of the Port of Honolulu. To ensure we can safely arrive in Honolulu ahead of these anticipated restrictions, Pride of America will depart Nawiliwili on August 13, 2026, and proceed to Honolulu where we intend to remain until 5:00 pm local time on August 14, 2026.”

Extra Options for Norwegian Spirit Passengers

But for the cruise line’s second ship that also happened to be in Hawaii, some other options were given. Norwegian Spirit was on a 17-day sailing from Vancouver to Honolulu. The ship was supposed to conclude its voyage in Honolulu on August 16, 2026.

The ship skipped its final scheduled stops in Hilo and Kona on the Big Island to outrun the storm. Spirit docked early in Honolulu on Thursday, where NCL gave passengers these two choices:

• Disembark Early: Guests could leave the ship in Honolulu on Thursday to lock in earlier flights or Waikiki hotels. NCL provided a prorated refund equivalent to two daily cruise rates for those stepping off early.
• Stay On Board for Bonus Sea Days: Passengers who chose to stay on board got two extra days at sea as the ship headed back out to open water well southwest of Oahu to wait out the storm. In addition to staying on the ship through the original Sunday disembarkation date, these guests received onboard credit to compensate for the missed port calls.

According to reports from Cruise Radio, around 200 guests opted to disembark early while the rest enjoyed some extra time on the 2,000-passenger vessel.

Hilo and Kailua-Kona were the two ports canceled on the Norwegian Spirit sailing. While the extra sea days still make the duration the same (as the cruise will conclude in Honolulu on the same date), it does mean more time on the ship compared to getting off on August 13. Spirit is scheduled to arrive in Honolulu on August 16.

Personally, I’ll take extra sea days and some onboard credit to boot any day of the week. One Reddit user who is on board said it this way, 

“We got to Honolulu yesterday morning and were given two options: get off the ship early on Friday, or stay on board while the ship rides out the storm at sea and disembark on Sunday. We chose to stay on board. Better to be safe at sea with food and drinks than trapped in a Waikiki hotel room with no power.”

Pride of America guests were offered a similar option to step off early in Honolulu on Friday or stay on board as the ship returned to deeper water to ride out the weather before Sunday’s final disembarkation.

Seabourn, one of eight cruise lines owned by Carnival Corporation, has announced 10 unique cruises to the Caribbean that will set sail in 2028-2029.

These new cruises on Seabourn Ovation and Seabourn Quest will allow for a deeper discovery of the Caribbean, and the small ships will visit many ports and harbors that larger vessels can not enter. This includes intimate yacht harbors and smaller ports such as St. Barts, Bequia and Little Bay, and Montserrat.

The cruises will range from seven to 21 days in length and visit a total of 21 ports across 20 countries and island territories.

The sailings will feature late departures in St. Maarten, Antigua, Barbados, Aruba, and Curaçao, along with port-rich Southern Caribbean itineraries.

Featured cruises on Seabourn for the 2028-2029 season include:

• 8-Day Caribbean Yachting & Caviar in the Surf (November 10, 2028)
• 7-Day St. Barts & Caribbean Yacht Harbors (December 16, 2028)
• 14-Day Southern Caribbean Yacht Harbors (January 13, 2029)
• 21-Day Southern Caribbean, St. Barts & Yacht Harbors (February 3, 2029)
• View Best Prices on Seabourn

Seabourn Ovation will sail between Bridgetown, Barbados and Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, while Seabourn Quest will offer round-trip voyages from Miami.

Seabourn’s signature and popular experience, “Caviar in the Surf”, at Carambola Beach in St. Kitts will feature Champagne, caviar and a beach barbecue served by the cruise line’s onboard team.

Holiday cruises include New Year’s Day celebrations at Carambola Beach aboard both Seabourn Ovation and Seabourn Quest, as well as Christmas Eve at Carambola Beach and Christmas Day in Jost Van Dyke on select 10-day sailings.

Guests will enjoy Seabourn’s signature luxury experience, including ocean-front suites, personalized service, world-class dining, immersive shore experiences, and complimentary premium spirits and fine wines.

Shore excursions will allow guests to visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including:

• Antigua: Explore Scenic Antigua
• St. Kitts: Brimstone Hill Fortress & Caribelle Batik
• St. Lucia: Catamaran Cruise to the Pitons
• Barbados: Historic Bridgetown & The Garrison
• Curaçao: Willemstad Trolley Train & Highlights

Mark Tamis, President of Seabourn, gave the following statement about these new cruises:

“The Caribbean remains one of our most sought-after regions, and we’re delighted to return with a collection of thoughtfully designed voyages that showcase both iconic islands and lesser-known gems. Whether guests are joining us for a week or combining itineraries for a longer escape, they’ll experience the personalized service, extraordinary cuisine, and immersive destination experiences that define Seabourn.”

Carnival Cruise Line has become the first cruise line to partner with Sneaker Impact, a company with a mission to keep used footwear out of landfills.

This new shoe recycling program is being launched on all Carnival cruise ships in the U.S. It allows guests and crew members to give unwanted shoes a second life.

Unclaimed shoes that have been left behind on Carnival ships, in addition to footwear donated by guests and crew members, are sent to Sneaker Impact’s facility in Miami, Florida.

The company has a proprietary sorting system that determines the most sustainable path for each pair of shoes.

For shoes that are still in good condition, they are sent to small business owners in developing countries who can sell the footwear. This helps them generate income while providing affordable shoes in areas where access may be limited.

For shoes that are in rough condition and can no longer be worn, Sneaker Impact will recycle them by separating and recovering materials that can be repurposed into products such as athletic surfaces, yoga mats, footwear components, and more.

Benton Lobo, vice president of compliance and environmental operations for Carnival, gave the following statement”

“We’re always looking for new ways to reduce waste and strengthen our sustainability efforts. In July, with just five of our ships offloading shoes, we kept more than 500 pairs out of landfills in a single month. Scaled across our full fleet, we see the potential to give new life to about 50,000 pairs of shoes. It’s proof that a small idea can add up to a real impact, both on board and in communities around the world.”

Moe Hachem, CEO of Sneaker Impact, added:

“Sneaker Impact is honored to partner with Carnival Cruise Line, as they share our commitment to sustainability and making a positive impact. Together, we’re making it easy for guests to give their unwanted footwear a second life through reuse and responsible recycling. We’re excited to see how many pairs of shoes, and lives, we can impact together.”

This partnership with Sneaker Impact is part of Carnival Corporation’s sustainability strategy that stretches across all eight of its cruise lines.

All cruise ships that visit or sail from a U.S. port are subject to two surprise health inspections each year. The inspections are carried out by the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP).

So far in 2026, there have been 150 ship inspections through the first six months of the year listed on the CDC’s website. The reports are posted anywhere from four to eight weeks after the inspections take place.

Out of the 150 inspections this year, there have been 42 perfect 100 health scores and one ship that failed its inspection. Three other cruise ships barely passed with an 86. The CDC considers a score of 85 or below as failing.

Normally, over the course of a year, 25-35 ships will earn a perfect health score. The cruise industry having 42 perfect 100s in just six months shows what a great job cruise lines are doing to keep their ships cleaner than ever.

During inspections, the following eight areas of ships are checked to ensure they meet the health standards of the VSP: Medical centers, drinking water, galleys and dining rooms, swimming pools and hot tubs, housekeeping, pest and insect management, child activity centers, and HVAC systems.

Out of the 150 inspections so far in 2026, all but six ships have earned a score of 90 or higher. Four of those ships are from mainstream cruise lines (Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises), and two are lesser-known cruise lines.

Here is a look at these six ships with the worst health inspection scores so far in 2026.

Norwegian Dawn

Norwegian Dawn is the only ship to fail its health inspection this year. During an inspection that took place on March 29, the ship scored an 84.

The CDC recorded 48 violations during the inspection that ranged from flies in several areas of the ship to “mold-like growth” on the bottom of a soda cabinet.

The report said there were several food service violations with critical public health risks identified. This included refrigerators having ambient temperatures too high and improper storage in food areas. The report did note that the crew reacted quickly and professionally to initiate corrective action for all findings.

Norwegian Cruise Line issued a 34-page report to the CDC five days after the inspection, showing all the corrective measures they put in place after the ship failed.

Carnival Breeze

While Carnival Breeze aced its first health inspection of the year, scoring a perfect 100 on January 17, 2026, the second inspection four months later was a much different story.

During the May 14, 2026 inspection, the cruise ship received an 86, the lowest possible passing score.

A total of 36 deficiencies were found on Carnival Breeze during this inspection, including numerous food safety violations and several minor issues.

You can read all about this inspection here.

Kydon

Kydon is a 1,750-passenger cruise ferry from Ferries Del Caribe that sails between San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The ship scored an 86 during an inspection that took place on March 30, 2026. Inspectors found a total of 48 violations that ranged from improper water testing to a crew member not washing their hands after handling raw chicken. Inspectors also found mold-like residue in the ice machine. 

This ship from Ferries Del Caribe has failed its inspection three different times, including the fourth-worst score, a 58, of all time in 2017.

Sun Princess

Sun Princess scored an 89 during an inspection that took place on February 15, 2026. This newer ship has been inspected three times, and this is the first time it did not score in the high 90s.

CDC inspectors found a total of 55 violations that ranged from excessive soiling on sneeze guard supports, mislabeled discard times on grab n Go food, flies in several dining facilities, and no soap in the Americana Diner food employee toilet room.

The cruise line issued an 11-page corrective report to the CDC addressing all 55 violations. While the ship did have 55 violations, most of them were minor, which explains how it passed while other vessels failed with fewer violations.

MSC Meraviglia

MSC Meraviglia has scored under 90 during its last two health inspections. After barely passing with an 86 on December 9, 2025, the ship slightly improved to an 89 during its March 10, 2026 inspection.

A total of 36 violations were noted by the CDC, including several hand washing stations not having running water, steaks stored at the wrong temperature, and a cold room out of order for a month.

The report from the CDC said that several critical violations and patterns of lesser violations were noted due to lack of process verification and oversight in the main buffet on Deck 15. This ranged from a major dishwasher not reaching a proper sanitization temperature to a handwashing sink that was also not working during the previous inspection.

Amadea

MS Amadea is a 600-passenger German ocean cruise ship that is operated by Bernhard Schulte Cruise Services GmbH & Co. KG.

During an inspection on February 10, 2026, the ship recorded the lowest possible passing score, an 86.

There were a total of 41 violations, including food not being properly covered by sneeze guards, an excessive number of soiled pots and pans, and the hot tubs and the pool’s chlorine levels being too low.

Amadea has been inspected 10 times over the past 18 years, with scores ranging from 99 down to a putrid 63.

Cruise lines pay for the inspections based on the size of the ship. They do not know ahead of time when the inspections will take place.

The goal of the VSP is to help the cruise industry prevent and control public health issues and to control the spread of illnesses on cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean has issued a deployment update for 2027-2028 for four cruise ships that will sail to Asia and the Pacific. The cruise line said that it wanted to expand opportunities for its guests to visit bucket-list destinations, so it has made a few changes.

Royal Caribbean is expanding its Asia-Pacific cruises in 2027-2028 that will depart from ports in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.

Quick Overview

For 2027-2028, the following three Royal Caribbean cruise ships will sail from Australia:

• Newly amplified Ovation of the Seas from Brisbane
• Anthem of the Seas from Sydney
• Voyager of the Seas from both Brisbane and Sydney

Voyager of the Seas will sail a season in Australia before heading to Asia to offer cruises from Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Navigator of the Seas’ inaugural season in Singapore will be extended through October 2027. The cruise ship will sail cruises to Southeast Asia’s most popular destinations in Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.

Deployment Adjustments

The cruise line has made adjustments to its 2027-2028 deployment. Beginning in November 2027, Ovation of the Seas will offer three- to eight-night cruises from Brisbane.

Voyager of the Seas will sail from Brisbane from October through December 2027, offering two- to 11-night cruises. From January through April 2028, the ship will move to Asia, sailing from Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Voyager of the Seas will sail a five-night cruise from Singapore to Tokyo and seven four- to five-night cruises from Hong Kong.

Beginning in late February 2028, the sailings on Voyager of the Seas will coincide with Japan’s iconic cherry blossom season.

Navigator of the Seas will remain in Singapore for an extended season and will now offer a full year of cruises that starts in October 2026 and runs through October 2027. The ship will offer year-round three- to five-night cruises to Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. An immersive 12-night cruise will travel from Tokyo to Singapore.

On the West Coast, Ovation of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas will homeport in Los Angeles during the summer of 2027 and winter 2027-2028. Both ships will visit ports in California and the Mexican Riviera.

Bookings will open for the new Navigator of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas cruises on August 18, 2026. Sailings on Voyager of the Seas will open on August 25, 2026.

Norwegian Cruise Line has opened bookings for its 2028 summer cruises that include port calls making up almost 80% of the days on cruises.

NCL has also added 175 overnight port stays and late departures, giving guests more time in port than ever before.

This new season will feature over 450 cruises on 20 Norwegian cruise ships sailing from 25 homeports and calling on nearly 150 unique destinations.

The cruises will range from three to 14-days and leave from homeports that include Miami, Seattle, Rome, and London.

Overnight and late-night departures will take place in 53 ports, including Santorini, Greece; Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy; and Juneau, Alaska.

Cruises that visit NCL’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay, will give guests the opportunity to experience Great Tides Waterpark. This waterpark will have 19 waterslides, including the industry’s first dueling Master Blaster slides. Adults will be able to relax at the exclusive Vice Shore Club while children can enjoy dedicated experiences built just for them.

Highlights of NCL’s 2028 Summer Season

Norwegian Aqua will spend her first full summer season offering three- and four-night cruises to The Bahamas from the Cruise Capital of the World, PortMiami.

Norwegian Aura, one of the cruise line’s newest ships, will sail seven-day cruises from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean.

Norwegian Prima will return to Galveston, Texas, and offer week-long cruises to the Western Caribbean.

Norwegian Luna will give NCL cruisers the option of taking a longer sailing with a special 10-day repositioning voyage from Miami to New York.

Norwegian Escape will be based in Port Canaveral, offering seven-day cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Norwegian Jewel will offer one of its most diverse European seasons to date. On a 12-day sailing to the Canary Islands from Barcelona, the ship will visit Casablanca, Agadir, Arrecife, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The ship will sail seven- to 10-day cruises that visit London (Southampton), England, Copenhagen, Denmark, and Helsinki, as well as five roundtrip sailings from Copenhagen.

Norwegian Getaway will also offer cruises to Europe where guests can sail to the land of the Midnight Sun on sailings between London and Reykjavik, Iceland.

Norwegian Viva will offer fewer sea days and more time in port on nine-, 10-, and 12-day cruises between Rome and Venice, and Barcelona and Istanbul. Itinerary highlights include overnight stays in Istanbul and late departures in Santorini and Mykonos, Greece, as well as Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy.

Norwegian Pearl will return to offering week-long cruises to the Greek Isles.

Norwegian Epic will also sail to the Greek Isles but on longer nine- to 12-day itineraries.

Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Jade, and Norwegian Bliss will all sail to Alaska during the summer of 2028. Ships will leave every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from Seattle’s Pier 66. Glacier sightings will be featured on every single sailing. Guests will also be able to extend their vacation through NCL Cruisetours, which include iconic inland experiences such as Denali National Park and the historic Alaska Railroad.

Norwegian Cruise Line will return to the City of Brotherly Love for the fifth straight season. Norwegian Gem will sail seven-night cruises to Bermuda that feature overnight visits at Royal Naval Dockyard.

Norwegian Luna will offer five- and seven-night cruises from New York City.

Norwegian Breakaway will once again offer cruises from Boston and sail week-long cruises to New England and Canada.

Norwegian Spirit will sail from Sydney, Fiji, French Polynesia, and Hawaii, offering some of NCL’s most diverse itineraries. Ports visited on these cruises include New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Bora Bora, Moorea, Raiatea, Rarotonga, Aitutaki, and Apia.

Marc Kazlauskas, president of Norwegian Cruise Line, gave the following statement:

“It’s never too early to start planning your next vacation. With the Summer 2028 voyages now on sale, guests can take advantage of a greater selection of destination-rich itineraries with almost 80% of voyages spent in port, more choice of preferred staterooms, and exceptional value.

“From Northern Europe and Alaska to the Bahamas and South Pacific, this season brings together some of our most exciting voyages yet, with more opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in the destinations they visit.”

Norwegian Cruise Line is currently offering 50% off all cruises and up to $750 in stateroom credit on select sailings. The stateroom credit can be used once guests are on a ship.

This current promotion is combinable with Free at Sea, which includes free drinks, shore excursions, WiFi, and more. This sale ends on August 18, 2026.