Diplomacy

The Caribbean is the most popular cruise destination in the world with more visitors arriving by cruise ship than anywhere else in the world.

AAA is projecting that nearly 19 million Americans will take a cruise in 2025, with many of them headed to the Caribbean.

The most popular destination for cruisers is The Bahamas, with over eight million people arriving there last year via a cruise ship. This shouldn’t come at a surprise since most cruise lines have private islands there and are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into upgrading them.

The Bahamas should continue to grow since Carnival Cruise Line is opening a new port (Celebration Key) there this summer and it will eventually be able to accommodate four ships every day.

Mexico came in second last year with just over 4.1 million cruise visits. The Dominican Republic, U.S. Virgin Islands and Turks & Caicos round out the top five.

While some ports/countries in the Caribbean/Bahamas are seeing more cruise visitors that ever before, a few ports are seeing a decline in visits.

The Caribbean port that’s been hit the hardest by a decline in visits is Grand Cayman. In 2019, 1,831,011 people arrived to the Cayman Islands via a cruise ship.  In 2024, that number had dropped to just 1,076,875, a 41.2% decline.

Two of the three largest drops in visits over the past five years are both tender ports, Belize and Grand Cayman.

A debate has gone on for years in Grand Cayman about the ports need to build a pier or berthing facilities to eliminate the need for tenders. 

Cruise lines are building more mega ships than ever before and cruise ships over 160,000 gross tons in size rarely tender due to the amount of passengers on the ship. The ships need a pier to handle the flow of traffic getting off and getting back on the vessel.

Tourismanalytics.com created the following infographic showing which destinations in the Caribbean have had the biggest increases and decreases in visits from 2019 until 2024.

On April 30, 2025, a referendum and general election will be held in the Cayman Islands.

The Association for Cruise Tourism in the Cayman Islands (ACT) is pushing back against what it calls false and misleading claims by CPR Cayman and other anti-cruise tourism groups.

Will Grand Cayman ever build a pier? Only time will tell on that one. One thing is for sure, most cruise passengers prefer a pier over tendering as it’s much more convenient.  

Also, ports that require tendering are more likely to get canceled due to weather and unsafe conditions.

If a cruise deal makes you think, ‘Wow, that’s insanely cheap!’ it probably is. And not in a good way. This was the painful reality for hundreds of cruisers who fell victim to a massive international fraud.

A 56-year-old man was just sentenced to 5 years in prison yesterday, after selling fake cruises to at least 184 people.  In total, Richard Lester stole £406,856.39 from these individuals, equivalent to about $500k U.S. dollars.

While the investigation took 10 years to complete, the scheme went on for five years (2009 – 2014), during which Lester sold “cruise vouchers” and “cruise miles” that customers could presumably redeem for deals on cruises.

The real kicker is that some people did successfully book and take cruises through the program, and Lester’s firm even received a prestigious World Travel Award in 2012.

But then the fake cruise booking confirmations started piling up.  The money from new sign-ups had been going to fund cruises for earlier sign-ups.

Some victims only found out about the scam when they showed up at the cruise port and were turned away.

While some were able to receive a refund after the cancellation, they often were encouraged to buy more cruise miles at a higher rate to fund their next cruise.

When everything came to a screeching halt, victims of the scheme were left with worthless cruise miles they could never redeem.

According to news reports, the victims of this Ponzi-style scheme were from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Germany, and Japan.

Richard Lester, from Bedfordshire England, used the stolen funds to live a life of luxury and fund his gambling addiction.

During the sentencing process, Judge Alexander Mills said that Lester tried to gaslight his victims and convince them that it was their own fault they were defrauded out of their money.

“You not only took from these individuals and caused them distress, frustration, uncertainty, disappointment and financial loss, but you sought to gaslight them. Their upset was apparently their fault, leading at least some to question their own actions when all of the time this was down to you.” The judge stated.

The judge also went on to point out the gambling lifestyle Lester had enjoyed from the stolen funds.

“You were a professional gambler, gambling in poker tournaments and major poker tournaments, winning significant amounts of money, living the high life in Las Vegas and elsewhere.“

Want to avoid cruise scams? Be smart! If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Don’t get blinded by a “bargain.” Double-check everything. Call the cruise line yourself to make sure the offer’s real, and look up the company offering it – see what others say online.

Use a credit card when you book (it’s safer!), and get everything in writing. Watch out for those random offers that pop up – they’re often trouble. And hey, if something feels fishy, trust your gut. Better safe than sorry.

This story also highlights that it often is best to book either directly with a cruise line or book through a trusted travel agent.  This isn’t to say other sources aren’t trustworthy.  Just make sure that website or person has a valid track record.

Planning a cruise for 2026 and wondering which cruise ports offer the best deals?  The closest cruise port to you might not be the most affordable, and if you have to book a flight anyway, you might want to consider other options.

After comparing prices for 7- to 14-day cruises departing from 17 different U.S. ports, we listed the average cost for each port, from most affordable to most expensive.

We looked at over 2,000 cruises out of U.S. cruise ports that set sail in 2026.  These sailings were at least a week in duration and were priced for two people in a cabin.

After finding the average prices for interior, ocean view, and balcony cabins, we looked at the cost for each cruise port in the U.S.

Note: These prices are an average price per day for two people and include gratuities. Also, these prices could vary depending on when you’re reading this.

Based on our analysis, Mobile, Alabama, emerged as the most affordable US departure port in 2026, with an average daily cabin price of just $301.  Carnival Cruise Line is the only cruise line to sail out of Mobile, helping contribute to these lower costs.

Here are the top 6 cheapest US cruise ports for 2026 (based on our data):

 Beyond the Cheapest (Other Factors)

While price is a major factor, it’s not the only thing to consider. Cheaper ports might have fewer itinerary options or less frequent sailings. You might also be limited by the age or size of cruise ships available.  Some smaller ports like Mobile and Norfolk can’t handle some of the mega ships of today.

Cruise ports like PortMiami, Port Canaveral, and Galveston have attracted ships like Icon of the Seas, Carnival Jubilee, Utopia of the Seas, and other giant vessels.

The latest and greatest cruise ships will usually start their journey in one of these major cruise ports, and they always carry a premium price tag.

Here are the average prices for the rest of the cruise ports we looked at in our analysis.

Consider Regional Differences

Looking for a West Coast cruise? While generally pricier, Los Angeles might offer better value than Seattle for certain itineraries. Factor in the cost of flights to the departure port as well.

If you’re dreaming of Alaska, you’ll likely need to consider ports like Seattle, even though they’re more expensive. Destination preferences play a big role in cost.

Also, remember this data is an average across all cruise lines and cruise ships that sail out of that port for the whole of 2026.   3- and 4-day sailings were not included.

Using this same data set we compared cruise lines and what they charge for upgrades from interior to balcony cabins as well.  You can check out which cruise lines charge the most for upgrades here.

Carnival Cruise Line offers various gifts to loyal guests who cruise on their 27 ships. Recent gifts have included baseball caps, toiletry bags, and tumblers.

Now, a new item will be available to Diamond and Platinum level VFIP (Very Important Fun Person) club passengers.

Brand Ambassador John Heald recently posted a picture of the new item on social media to reveal Carnival-branded packing cubes as the latest gift.

“Now they will be on every ship in the coming weeks. Some ships will still continue with the baseball cap, but probably by the end of this month and the start of March,” Heald posted.  “It will be the packing cubes that will be across the fleet.”

From the comments on social media, it appears that the packing cubes are a hit and will be well received by the Carnival community.

One passenger commented, “This is probably the best gift I’ve seen offered.” 

Another added, “Those look awesome! I do not understand people getting upset getting something free?!?!” highlighting a somewhat common theme when the cruise line introduces a new gift for loyalty members. 

It should be noted that these gifts are intended to reward cruisers who have already achieved a certain tier of loyalty status, rather than to incentivize reaching a new tier.

Platinum level VIFP club status requires a minimum of 75 points, and Diamond level requires at least 200 points.  Each night spent on a Carnival cruise is equivalent to one point.

The shift from less practical gifts, like baseball caps, to these packing cubes has been met with a measure of excitement.

Others comments on Facebook echoed this sentiment, with comments like, “Definitely a gift we can and will use!” and “Fabulous!!” reflecting the practical value these cubes bring to organizing luggage for cruises.

Packing cubes have grown in popularity lately as a “hack” for packing smarter for a cruise.

The navy blue packing cubes with a red zipper and the VIFP Club logo should help Carnival cruisers organize and compress their luggage.

Click here for a list of all the benefits of the VIFP club program or compare the loyalty program to Royal Caribbean’s here.

One of the busiest cruise ports in the world will see a massive spike in visitors this week, with about 110,000 visiting on 37 cruise ships. 

Cozumel, Mexico is frequently among the destinations with the highest number of passengers visiting each year.  In fact, in 2024 alone the cruise port received more than 4.6 million passengers on 1,281 cruise ships.

According to the arrivals program published by the Quintana Roo Integral Port Administration (Apiqroo), a total of 119,907 passengers are expected to visit this week, from Monday through Sunday.

The passenger totals we put together are closer to 110,000 (115,000 with a ship on Sunday), but it’s still a lot of cruise traffic to the popular port this week.

Here are the ships scheduled to arrive in Cozumel, including yesterday’s ships that were in port:

February 10, 2025 – Monday (18,464 passengers)

• Viking Cruises – Viking Mars
• Royal Caribbean – Voyager of the Seas
• Royal Caribbean – Radiance of the Seas
• Oceania Cruises – Oceania Sirena
• Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Valor
• Disney Cruise Line – Disney Treasure
• Royal Caribbean – Brilliance of the Seas

February 11, 2025 – Tuesday (19,758 passengers)

• Royal Caribbean – Serenade of the Seas
• Royal Caribbean – Mariner of the Seas
• Virgin Voyages – Valiant Lady
• Norwegian Cruise Line – Norwegian Escape
• Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Legend
• Princess Cruises – Caribbean Princess
• Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Paradise

February 12, 2025 – Wednesday (18,362 passengers)

• AIDA Cruises – AIDAbella
• Royal Caribbean – Wonder of the Seas
• Celebrity Cruises – Celebrity Ascent
• Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Breeze
• Norwegian Cruise Line – Norwegian Prima
• Celebrity Cruises – Celebrity Reflection

February 13, 2025 – Thursday (17,440 passengers)

• Royal Caribbean – Enchantment of the Seas
• Celebrity Cruises – Celebrity Equinox
• Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Jubilee
• Royal Caribbean – Jewel of the Seas
• Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Horizon

February 14, 2025 – Friday (19,109 passengers)

• Royal Caribbean – Harmony of the Seas
• Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Liberty
• Norwegian Cruise Line – Norwegian Getaway
• Princess Cruises – Sky Princess
• Holland America – ms Nieuw Amsterdam

February 15, 2025 – Saturday (17,620 passengers)

• Princess Cruises – Regal Princess
• Norwegian Cruise Line – Norwegian Gem
• Royal Caribbean – Mariner of the Seas
• Margaritaville at Sea – Margaritaville Islander
• Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Valor
• Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Paradise

Riviera Maya News reports another ship will be docking in Cozumel on Sunday with a passenger capacity of over 4,000.  The ships in the above list are scheduled to arrive in Cozumel based on CruiseMapper’s data.

Cozumel Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez, stated what a privilege it was for the tourist destination to receive all of the cruise passengers this week, reminding local residents of the leadership role that Cozumel plays.

The Country Music Cruise that will set sail in 2026 on a Holland America Line cruise ship sold out in just four days.

Even though this seven-day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean on Holland America’s Eurodam is sold out, you can join a waitlist just incase any cabins open up for sale.

The cruise will depart from Ft. Lauderdale on January 25, 2026 and will feature some of classic country’s biggest names. The cruise will visit Grand Turk and St. Thomas, with the four sea days loaded with music.

There will be more than 100 performances on the ship from Josh Turner, Randy Owen, Patty Loveless, Neal McCoy and Shenandoah.

The lineup also includes Jimmy Fortune, Moe Bandy, Wade Hayes, T. Graham Brown, The Malpass Brothers, Linda Davis, David Frizzell, Chuck Mead, Sister Sadie, 50 Shades of Hay, with more to be added.

A very special Grand Ole Opry at Sea performance returns for 2026. Popular television personality Nan Kelley will be back to bring insightful interviews, cooking demonstrations, and artist introductions. 

The cruise will have meet-and-greet opportunities that will allow guests to mingle with their favorite country music artists.

Entertainment on the cruise includes Gospel Hour, a cornhole tournament, line dancing, theme nights and more.

Cruise fares include all concerts, daily activities and meals.

Mike Jason, StarVista LIVE President and Country Music Cruise Executive Producer, gave the following statement:

“When we started the Country Music Cruise in 2014, we decided to ignore trends and to focus on truly classic country music. There would be legends alongside younger artists who kept the flame. We insisted on intimate settings to experience the music and luxury all the way. Every sailing has been incredibly special for our guests and for us.”

Cabins for the cruise started at $2,849 per person based on double occupancy for an inside cabin.

For more information on the 2026 Country Music Cruise, you can visit their website here.