Diplomacy

A luxury yacht accidentally collided with Royal Caribbean’s 5,500-passenger Allure of the Seas while the mega ship was docked in Nassau, Bahamas on Wednesday.

According to local reports, the yacht had lost power and started to drift toward the port side of the cruise ship.  Without power the yacht was unable to steer clear of the ship and struck one of the lifeboats.

While minimal damage was done to Allure of the Seas, the yacht sustained significant damage which included damage to communications equipment and several parts of the small vessel which fell into the sea.

In one video which recorded the incident, a cruise passenger can be heard asking people on the yacht if they were OK.  It is unclear if anyone on the smaller vessel was injured in the incident, and so far identities have not been revealed.

The Oasis-class ship was on a 4-day cruise out of PortMiami when the accident occurred and is currently headed back to the Florida port, scheduled to arrive on December 13.

A Facebook user first posted video of the incident online, and since several YouTube videos have been uploaded from different angles.

Here is one of them below:

The accident delayed the departure of the massive ship by about an hour, according to a Reddit user that was on Allure of the Seas. 

In one video another boat can be seen heading toward the yacht, presumably to assess the damage of the vessel and the well being of all on board.

Another passenger, Cruising with Thomas, posted a video of the aftermath of the accident:

Royal Caribbean has not yet commented on the incident involving the Allure of the Seas. However, the cruise ship has resumed its voyage, indicating that any damage sustained was minimal and did not affect its seaworthiness.

It remains unclear if the incident will impact the ship’s upcoming sailings.

It seems like a new item is being added to any given cruise line’s “banned list” every other day.  While recent items have included multi-plug adapters, WiFi routers, and Starlink Minis, a recent item is less techy.

Gender reveal parties have become synonymous with confetti cannons.  We’ve all seen the videos of confetti shooting in the wrong direction or the colored dye covering someone’s face in blue or pink.

But on a cruise ship, there are other factors to take into account.

A recent Carnival Cruise Line passenger wrote to Brand Ambassador John Heald about an incident at a gender reveal party.

“We just came off the Breeze. My daughter was having a gender reveal party for her and her significant other,” the message shared on Facebook read.

“They had planned to use the confetti cannons to show the rest of the family if she was having a boy or a girl. There were 15 of us on board for this cruise. The confetti cannons were confiscated. We were told that they are not allowed. There is nowhere that this is written!!! The party was ruined and nobody would help us. Why are they not allowed. SMH”

In his reply, Heald explained that confetti cannons might have to be added to the list of prohibited items.  It is not currently listed, however, which has led to some confusion on the topic.

He went on to explain that it could be a major problem if the confetti cannons were used outdoors.

“Thank you and I can imagine the disappointment. We do not allow them and I will have to see if we can get this specifically added to the prohibited list. But as gender reveal parties are very popular I should explain that we do allow confetti. The biggest reason is that had you done this outdoors and some of the confetti had gone overboard we would be in breech of environmental rules and regulations,” Heald explained.

All cruise lines have rules and regulations that prohibit throwing anything overboard, even if it is biodegradable.

Some veteran cruisers remember a time when a popular activity was hitting golf balls into the ocean, but those days are long gone. 

Carnival’s Brand Ambassador went on to say that the cruise line itself does sometimes use confetti in various venues around the ship.  But the difference is that this is always indoors and does not allow any confetti to fall into the ocean

“We do use confetti in some of the show finales in the theatres bit not outside. And indeed it is not something easy for housekeeping to clean up. We do allow confetti at the organised weddings we have on board but again only indoors,” Heald concluded.

Carnival Corporation is renaming one of their private islands in The Bahamas ahead of a massive enhancements and expansion.

Half Moon Cay, an award winning private island from Holland America Line, will now be known as RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay.  The announcement was made by both Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line.

The two sister cruise lines are partnering on the enhancements that include a pier so more cruise ships can visit each day. The pier will allow Carnival Cruise Line’s largest ships, the Excel class, to visit the island.

The expansion is expected to start to be completed during the summer of 2026 and continue through the rest of the year. The cruise lines will release more details on new features at a later time.

Cruise passengers will arrive at distinct welcome plazas on the island’s south and north sides, spanning over one mile of famous white-sand beach that Half Moon Cay is known for.

The newly developed north side will feature two lunch venues and a variety of island-themed bars.

There will also be a new tram service, making it easy for cruise passengers to get around.

In addition, lounging areas will be expanded, cabanas added and a new shore excursion pier on the north side will connect guests with recreational activities. 

The south side will see a new beach club, updated lunch venues, and renovated facilities.

Both cruise lines will continue to visit the island and if a Holland America ship is in port, they will have dedicated use of the south side of the island.

Holland America cruise ships will tender on the south side while Carnival cruise ships will dock at the pier on the north side.  The distance creates a natural separation between the two.

Beth Bodensteiner, president of Holland America Line, gave the following statement:

“Holland America guests have loved Half Moon Cay for its natural beauty since it opened as a port of call in 1997.

“The south side of the island, where Holland America has always visited, will remain the secluded paradise our guests are accustomed to and a marquee destination for almost every cruise visiting the Caribbean.

“The new beach club and refreshed food and beverage spaces will embrace and preserve the island’s pristine beauty while enhancing our award-winning experience.”

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, added:

“Calling this piece of paradise RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay reinforces our commitment to preserve the attributes that make the destination so appealing as we expand access and welcome more guests to the destination’s crystal-clear waters, white-sand beaches and lush landscapes.

“Many of our 2026 and beyond itineraries will feature both RelaxAway and Celebration Key, providing guests with complimentary experiences enjoying both idyllic and ultimate beach days.”

Cruise Fever will have all details on the expansion of RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay when they are announced.

Norwegian Cruise Line is making more changes to cruise ship schedules that will impact four vessels with the cruise line.

These impacted cruise ships include Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Joy.  These are all Breakaway-class ships with the cruise line.

A few weeks ago it was announced that Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Star would be moved to Tampa at the end of 2025   Norwegian Jewel was also redeployed to PortMiami amid the cancellations.

Now, 35 more cruises will be impacted by cancellations that include voyages from November of 2025 to April of 2026.

The cancelled cruises were set to depart from Port Canaveral, PortMiami, and Los Angeles.

Norwegian Bliss

This ship will see nine cancelled itineraries that include Panama Canal, West Coast, and Caribbean voyages that were scheduled between November 2025 and March 2026.  However, several 7-day cruises to the Mexican Riviera in early 2026 were not affected by the cancellations.

Norwegian Encore

A variety of cruises on Norwegian Encore were cancelled which include Panama Canal and Caribbean sailings from Miami and Los Angeles between November 30, 2025 and January 16, 2026.  Most 7-day Caribbean cruises out of PortMiami in early 2026 have not been impacted.

Norwegian Breakaway

Norwegian Breakaway will have 10 Bahamas cruises out of Port Canaveral cancelled in January and February 2026.  Sailings out of New York with ports of call in The Bahamas, Caribbean, and Bermuda were not impacted by the wave of cancellations.   These sail dates are still scheduled in November and December 2025 and February through April 2026.

Norwegian Joy

Norwegian Joy will have nine Caribbean cruises canceled, with some Bahamas sailings still scheduled.  These sailings were out of Port Canaveral with sail dates between November 29, 2025 and April 11, 2026.  4-day Bahamas cruises and 7-day Caribbean cruises in November 2025 and January 2026 are not impacted by the changes.

Refunds for Impacted Passengers

All cruise passengers affected by these cancellations will receive a full refund in addition to a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) equal to 10% of the amount refunded.

Norwegian has not yet released the new itineraries for the impacted cruise ships.  All four ships affected by this recent wave of cancellations are Breakaway-class vessels which can accommodate about 4,000 passengers.

Norwegian Breakaway, built in 2013, was the first of its class, and Norwegian Encore, built in 2019, is the last of the six ships in the class.

The world’s only motorcycle rally cruise, High Seas Rally, will set sail in November 2025 on a seven-night cruise to the Caribbean from Tampa, Florida.

High Seas Rally will take place on Margaritaville at Sea Islander cruise ship and will visit Cozumel, Roatan, Belize City and Costa Maya. The cruise will depart on November 2, 2025.

All guests who book the cruise will receive the following:

• Complimentary drink package
• Free WiFi
• Theme nights
• Private parties at every port
• Epic pre-cruise party

As an added bonus, every High Seas Rally guest will automatically be entered to win a 2024 Harley-Davidson FLTRX Road Glide from Teddy Morse Harley-Davidson.

Entertainment Cruise Productions will also have several charity partners for the cruise. High Seas Rally Dialysis Fund, as well as veterans, through Wounded Warrior Project, will benefit from the sailing.

Both the High Seas Rally Dialysis Fund and the Wounded Warrior Project are supported by fundraisers and daily events throughout the cruise, including a Salute to Service day.

Although the sailing will not be a full ship charter, nearly half of the vessel is reserved soley for High Seas Rally guests.

Rates start at $1,870 per person based on double occupancy.

Greg Laubach, Executive Director at Entertainment Cruise Productions which produces High Seas Rally, gave the following statement:

“We’re always looking for ways to give our guests a week they’ll never forget. We are incredibly excited to provide the iconic vacation experience that only Margaritaville at Sea can deliver, while ensuring that every beloved High Seas Rally tradition remains onboard for our community to enjoy.

“We’re especially thrilled that this effort will allow us to enhance our support for the High Seas Rally Dialysis Fund and the Wounded Warrior Project.”

Amenities on the cruise ship include:

• 3 pools
• 4 incredible ports of call
• 6 complimentary dining options
• 7 specialty dining options
• 13 bars and lounges
• Margaritaville Casino
• World-Class entertainment and events
• St. Somewhere Spa and Salon

For more information on the world’s only biker rally cruise, you can visit HighSeasRally.com.

A huge increase in port taxes and fees that was scheduled to go into effect next month for all cruises to Mexico has been delayed for six months.

Last week, Mexico announced that port taxes and fees that cruise ship passengers have to pay for visiting ports in the country was going to triple from $20 to $62 per person. 

This would make ports in Mexico 213% more expensive than the average port in the Caribbean. The overwhelming majority of cruises to the Western Caribbean visit at least one port in Mexico.

The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) lead the fight against this huge tax increase with a meeting with Mexican government officials this past Friday.

Mexico has decided to delay their new Federal Law of Rights tax on cruise passengers from January 1 until July 1, 2025.

The Mexican Association of Cruises gave the following statement:

“The impact of this tax on Mexican tourist destinations will be disastrous. If implemented, we expect to see a progressive drop in arrivals, which will significantly affect employment for taxi drivers, tour guides, artisans, waiters, restaurateurs, craft store owners, pharmacies, and more.

“This also impacts artisanal suppliers from regions like Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Sinaloa and others who support the ports where cruise ships dock. Less income means fewer jobs and lower tax revenues for the government.

Mexico will lose its competitiveness, becoming one of the most expensive cruise destinations in the world.”

Michele Paige, CEO of FCCA, emphasized the importance of addressing long-term concerns despite the temporary delay. She said:

“We thank the Mexican government for listening to our concerns and proposing a delay in the implementation of the tax that will fall mainly on American citizens.

“However, the removal of the in-transit tax exemption – which was provided to our industry over a decade ago for valid reasons that still apply today – was done without our prior input and after the legislation was passed. It is ironic that until this law was abruptly announced the industry was looking to grow business in Mexico, and now the opposite will occur.”

Norwegian Cruise Line is the fourth largest cruise line in the world and they have eight more cruise ships either under construction or on order. 

Half of these eight ships are the largest NCL has ever ordered at 225,000 gross tons. 

Here is a look at the eight new ships coming to Norwegian Cruise Line over the next 12 years.

Prima Plus Class

Norwegian Cruise Line has four Prima Plus class ships coming out over the next four years.  The first two ships will be 156,300 gross tons in size with the second two being even larger at 169,000 gross tons.

Norwegian Aqua 2025

Norwegian Aqua will debut in April 2025 and have two new experiences never before seen on a cruise ship. The first will be a hybrid waterslide and rollercoaster called the Aqua Slidecoaster. It will be the longest and fastest slide at sea.

The ship will also have the first clay sauna at sea, located in the ship’s expanded thermal suite.

Norwegian Aqua will have exclusive entertainment offerings. This includes guest favorites and two shows, “Revolution: A Celebration of Prince” and “Elements: The World Expanded”.

Other entertainment on the ship will be “The Improv at Sea” comedy club, “The Price is Right LIVE on NCL” game show and “Syd Norman’s Presents: Rumours”.

Norwegian Aqua will debut in Port Canaveral but will also sail from New York and Miami during its inaugural season in 2025.

Norwegian Luna 2026

Norwegian Luna will be the second Prima Plus class ship from NCL and is on track to debut in April 2026.

The ship will be a sister ship to Norwegian Aqua and will sail from the Cruise Capital of the World, PortMiami. The first cruise from Miami will depart on April 4, 2026 and the vessel will remain in South Florida through November 2026.

Features on Norwegian Luna include:

• Ocean Boulevard, 46,000 square foot outdoor walkway
• Beach Vibe Club, adults only open-air lounge
• Infinity Beach offering ocean views
• Aqua Slidecoaster, a first-of-its-kind hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide
• Glow Court, a digital sports complex
• The Drop, a 10-story free-fall slide
• Dual waterslides
• Stadium, an outdoor space for complimentary activities

Norwegian Luna will have new dining and bar experiences of the Prima Plus Class such as Sukhothai, NCL’s Thai specialty restaurant and Indulge Food Hall with 10 different food stations including the plant based Planterie location.

Unnamed 2027

This third Prima Plus class ship will be larger than Norwegian Aqua and Luna and come in at 169,000 gross tons.

The ship’s name, homeport and other new features have yet to be released by NCL.

Unnamed 2028

Just like the previous ship, it will be 169,000 gross tons in size and Norwegian will announce more details on this ship as it gets closer to launch.

New 225,000 Gross Ton Mega Ships

This new class of ships will be by far the largest in the cruise line’s fleet. The first will debut in 2030 and with a new one coming out every two years after that until 2036.

Norwegian announced the order for this new class in April. The ships are expected to have a capacity of 5,000 guests at double occupancy.

The current schedule for when they will debut are:

Since the first ship won’t debut for another six years, we don’t have any details on them. However, Cruise Fever will have everything you need to know about this new class when NCL releases it.