Diplomacy

Virgin Voyages’ first cruise ship, Scarlet Lady, is about to go into dry dock for the first time where the vessel will receive new upgrades and updates.

Scarlet Lady will enter dry dock on November 14, 2024 and over the course of two weeks, new features will be added to the ship.

Several Sea Terrance cabins on deck 11 will be converted over to 24 “Seriously Suite” RockStar Quarters, the most popular suites on the ship.

Seriously Suites measure 352 sq. feet with a European king bed, Peek-a-Boo shower, glamorous vanity, in-room record and vinyls, a stocked bar and the brand’s trademark Yellow Leaf hammock.

Six new VIP cabanas with luxe daybeds will overlook the Aquatic Club. The bookable cabanas can be reserved individually or connected for larger group celebrations.

Grounds Club Too is also getting an update.

Grounds Club Too is located in the ship’s Galley (food hall) and will transform at night into a full-service bar with intimate lounge space and elevated cocktails.

The cruise ship’s casino will also be expanded with additional slot machines.

Due to the wildly popular Asian Night Market, “Lucky Lotus by Razzle Dazzle” will welcome a daring, Chinese-inspired menu with craft cocktails.

The raw bar in The Wake will be readapted to display the eatery’s impressive collection of high-end wines.

Lastly, a new mermaid will debut on the bow of the cruise ship.

Nicole Huang, VP of Fleet Experience, gave the following statement about these new upgrades:

“Since her much-anticipated debut in 2021, Scarlet Lady has sailed the world, welcoming hundreds of thousands of Sailors on-board while delivering irresistible vacations. We’re listening and giving travelers more of what they’ve asked for – this includes more suites, luxe new cabanas and fresh, vibey dining concepts – so Sailors can truly live the life of a rockstar.”

Once the cruise ship has completed all of its renovations in dry dock, she’ll make the 16-night trans-Atlantic journey from Rome to Miami.

Once in Miami, Scarlet Lady will sail a series of longer Caribbean voyages. The six-night “Western Caribbean Charm” and eight-night “Eastern Caribbean Antilles” will venture into the tropical Caribbean waters of places like St. Croix, Costa Maya, Roatán, San Juan, Puerto Plata and Bimini.

When Virgin Voyages began sailing three years ago, they began offering something that no other cruise line offered. An adults-only cruise geared towards the mainstream market.

I was on their very first sailing, a four night cruise to The Bahamas from Miami on Scarlet Lady. When I wrote my review, I loved many aspects of the cruise but was also critical of many things that I thought were well, ridiculous. You can read that review here.

Last week, I disembarked from a week-long cruise on Virgin that was part of the cruise line’s Virgin Celebration Voyages. Virgin invited me on board to experience everything that they now have to offer on their ships.

By the end of the week I had just one thought, Virgin Voyages has perfected cruises. They have made critical changes over the past couple years that really makes it the perfect adults-only cruise.

“Virgin Voyages perfected cruises” – Cruise Fever

Here is how they did it.

Since it was a Virgin Celebration Voyage, many of the cruise line’s executives were on board including CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu. Also on board for part of the cruise was Sir Richard Branson, Boy George who DJ’d for three hours, Raygun and Virgin Galactic astronauts.

On one of the sea days, Saverimuttu sat down with sailors (what Virgin calls their passengers) and gave them an update on Virgin and also had a Q&A session with them.

He talked about many important changes that were made since they started sailing three years ago. “Never Sleep Alone”, the sex therapist show, is gone. 

He said that they didn’t want the wrong story being told about their brand. While it was just one show, people got the impression that it was more of a “sex cruise” than what it really is, a cruise with no kids. They didn’t want one show to define who they are so they got rid of it.

Also, all of the ridiculous show descriptions I talked about in my first review have been removed. Now, instead of trying to be “edgy”, they are adding more entertainment like live music and comedy shows. Things people actually want while on vacation. There was live music all over the ship, it was really nice.

A lot of the oddball entertainment that used to roam the ship is also gone. 

One of the reason for the changes is that the CEO of Virgin listens to their guests. I have talked to every CEO from all of the major cruise lines and Saverimuttu is the first one I’ve even seen pull out a small notepad from his pocket and write down ideas/complaints that guests tell him.

Now, Virgin Voyages offers a premium cruise experience with no kids on board. Saverimuttu said that not having kids on board allows them to invest in better food and services. If you want a kid-free vacation or holiday, you can’t beat the experience that Virgin offers.

What’s Included in Cruise Fares

One of the things that makes Virgin Voyages so great is what’s included with your cruise fare.

First of all, every dining option on the ship is included. Now, the six main specialty restaurants do have a few options that cost extra but I never found the need to order one of them.

Extra Virgin, the Italian restaurant, has become my favorite Italian dining option on any cruise ship. Tip, get the gelato for dessert. (Thank you to Nadia who works in Guest Services on Scarlet Lady for this tip.)

For lunch or a late night snack, The Pizza Place can’t be beat. Cruise Fever rated it as the #1 complimentary pizza shop at sea. They even have to go boxes if you want to take it away. At night, it is extremely popular. One crew member told me that they make 1,000 pizzas a day. 

The view from The Wake, the steakhouse and seafood restaurant, can’t be beat.

For a truly unique dining experience, visit The Test Kitchen.

In addition to the six main restaurants, there are also a load of casual options all around the ship including food to go in The Galley. The best part, you don’t have to pay extra for any of it.

Basic WiFi through Starlink is also included although you can upgrade for the fastest speeds if you want.

Basic beverages like soda are also included. You can go to any bar and ask for a Coke and there’s no charge. There are also self-service fountain soda machines in The Galley.

One thing you won’t find on your bill at the end of the cruise are daily gratuities added. Also, the price listed for drinks and spa appointments are what you pay. You can tip extra if you want but it’s already part of the price listed.

Sailors who book a Rockstar Suite have access to Richard’s Rooftop at the front of the ship. This is the quietest area on the ship and a great place to relax. There’s also a free happy hour from 5-6:00 pm each day.

What You Won’t Find

There’s no nickel and diming on Virgin cruise ships. Even the arcade that’s full of retro games from the 80s and 90s is free.

There are no photographers on Virgin’s ships interrupting your dinner for photos.

There are no formal nights and there’s really not a dress code, although most tend to put on something nice for dinner. This creates a relaxed vibe, something I personally look for in a vacation.

There are no art auctions, no guess the price of a Peter Max and all the nonsense that goes with that.

There is also no main dining room on Virgin’s ships.

Crew

I’ve always said that the two most important factors of a cruise are the food and service. Virgin Voyages excels in both. Cruisers can overlook other things that may not be up to par but not these two areas.

Since I’ve already talked about the food, I want to talk about the crew on Virgin’s ships for a minute.

Nirmal Saverimuttu gave a few comments on the crew that really stood out to me. He said that if you treat your people right, your business will thrive. Virgin lets crew members be themselves and they also give them free WiFi. Happy crew makes for better service!

They manage by exception, not rules. He said this is what makes them successful.

I can’t say enough great things about the crew members on my latest Virgin cruise on Scarlet Lady. The service was phenomenal everywhere I went.

Unique Virgin Features

Scarlet Night is the most unique night that you’ll find on a cruise. It takes over pretty much the entire ship, even the hallway lights turn to red. The night ends with a deck party up by the pool.

“I’ll be the ocean, if you’ll be the moon, this is our Scarlet Night.”

If you’re going on a Virgin cruise, bring something red to wear for this night.

There is no smoking allowed in the casino on Virgin’s cruise ships. The best part of this is that there is no smoke traveling to other parts of the ship that are near it like on most cruise lines.

Virgin remains the only cruise line to have a tattoo parlor on their ships.

The staterooms on Virgin Voyages are also unique in a few ways. For one, they are smart rooms and you can control the entire room from a tablet. You can turn the lights up, down or off, open/close curtains, operate the thermostat, control the TV etc., all from a tablet. This is something that every cruise line should do, it’s so nice.

Also, every balcony cabin has a red hammock. It seemed like a gimmick when I first heard about it but after having a balcony cabin, I want it on every cruise.  Whether it’s in the morning with a cup of coffee or just relaxing on a sea day, the hammock is great feature.

When Virgin Voyages first debuted, I had several colleagues who have covered the cruise industry for decades tell me that Virgin would be out of business in a year and one of the major cruise lines would end up buying their ships.

I am glad to report that they were wrong.

Three years later, Virgin’s cruise ships are sailing at or near capacity and they offer a cruise experience that you can’t find anywhere else. Yes, it’s different than the traditional cruise experience but that is something that draws people to Virgin. 

I still remember my first day on a Virgin cruise back in 2021, I really did not like it. Fast forward to today and they would be my first choice if I was taking a cruise with my wife.

Note: For transparency, the first several cruises that I took on Virgin I paid full fare and this latest one I was a guest of Virgin Voyages. This article is a combination of every cruise that I took on a Virgin cruise ship, but most of it is about the latter.

Have you ever heard someone playing loud music from a Bluetooth speaker on a cruise ship?  Carnival has recently implemented a few rules that were repeated today.

Bluetooth speakers have become a problem on some cruise ships.  After all, the portable devices have become more powerful and much louder in recent years.

And on a confined ship where many just want to get away from noise pollution, an extra set of speakers blaring someone’s own musical preference can ruffle some feathers.

On top of that, a cruiser’s Bluetooth speaker often competes with the cruise ship’s own music or announcements, making a not-so-relaxing experience.

Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald recently posted a video in which he talked about a whole host of cruise topics, one of which was Bluetooth speakers.

Read more:  18 banned items you can’t bring on a cruise ship (without getting in trouble)

The video has since been deleted.  Heald said the deletion was “because of my Polish pirate joke”, but that could just be his own inimitable sense of humor coming out.

However, in a Facebook post today, he once again mentioned the issue of Bluetooth speakers.

“BLUE TEETH SPEAKERS.   In my video, I read a post out from somebody who feels they should be allowed to use them on balconies and on the open decks. You can’t, please don’t, it’s well selfish, that’s my opinion anyway and that’s what I expressed in my video,” Heald posted.

Earlier this year Heald posted a poll on his social media channel to see what Carnival cruisers felt about the devices.

After over 15,000 votes 90% said they were in favor of banning Bluetooth speakers entirely.

Currently, the speakers are permitted on board.  But they are not allowed to be used in public areas or even in cabin balconies if others can be disturbed by it.

Personally, I’ve been on cruises with various cruise lines where some passengers were literally walking around the ship with a Bluetooth boombox on their shoulders.  At the time, nothing was done about it, but there have been recent efforts to curb this kind of behavior.

In previous statements, the Brand Ambassador said he was in favor of a ban himself.

“My personal opinion and it is a personal opinion is that we should not allow Bluetooth speakers on board at any time. I do not see a circumstance where people need this when they can use the speaker on their phone or headphones,” Heald said.

This, of course, is Heald’s opinion and not an official statement from Carnival, even though Heald will often make announcements or mention changes for the company.

When it comes to cruising, a little consideration goes a long way.  If you really must have a certain kind of music or podcast playing while you’re on the ship, headphone are a great option.

In fact, I like to bring noise-cancelling headphones just in case I want to get some extra peace and quiet and just kind of zone-out.

Princess Cruises has released their deployment schedule for cruises to Japan in 2026 that include over 50 departures on Diamond Princess.

Princess Cruises will offer more than 50 cruises to Japan in 2026 on Diamond Princess. The cruise ship was custom built for Japan and offers the most immersive and authentic experience when cruising to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Diamond Princess will offer 35 unique itineraries in 2026 that range from seven to 28 days in length and visit 38 destinations in three countries.

Among the highlight cruises in 2026 are the 10- and 11-night Spring Flowers cruises that depart in March and April.

The nine-to 14-night Circle Japan Voyages circumnavigate the island of Japan and stop in Nagasaki, Kanazawa and Maizuru (for Kyoto).

Nine-night Southern Islands itineraries will visit Okinawa, Ishigaki, Taipei and Haulien.

Seven- to 11-night Japan Explorer cruises stop at Shimizu (for Mt. Fuji), Osaka (for Kyoto) and Hiroshima.

Longer 15- to 28-day cruises are also available for those who want an in-depth exploration of Japan.

Diamond Princess will offer late night port stays in Aomori (for Nebuta Festival), Hakodate (for Minato Festival), Kochi (for Yosaki Festival), Shimizu (for Mt. Fuji) and Tokushima (for Awa Odori Festival).

John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises, said the following:

“Only on Princess can you become immersed into Japan’s rich culture, ancient traditions and incredible beauty while enjoying a completely unique onboard fusion of eastern and western cultures. The extended 2026 season lets guests choose a cruise in the season they find most appealing – from spring cherry blossoms, to summer festivals, autumn foliage or snowy, wintery landscapes.”

Built by Mitsubishi in Nagasaki, Diamond Princess features uniquely designed, Japanese-inspired experiences including:

• Izumi Bath modeled after a traditional onsen
• Regional dishes from the Noodle Bar or freshly prepared sushi at Kai Sushi
• Fine Japanese whiskeys, sake and shochu
• 400-year-old traditional “rakugo” storytelling
• Karaoke-filled evenings and folkloric dancers showcasing the arts

Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that Norwegian Luna, a sister ship to Norwegian Aqua, will debut in 2026 with cruises now open for bookings.

Norwegian Luna will be Norwegian Cruise Line’s 21st ship in their fleet and their second Prima Plus class ship.

The cruise ship will homeport in Miami starting in April 2026. Norwegian Luna will offer cruises from there between April 4, 2026 through November 2026.

Luna will sail seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Miami.

A few cruise ports that the ship will visit include Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas, which will feature a brand-new pier by late 2025.

Norwegian Luna will be 156,300 gross tons in size and be 1,056 feet long. The ship will carry 3,550 guests at double capacity which is a 10% increase from Prima class ships.

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
• Additional features have also yet to be announced

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

Of course, the ship will have NCL favorites like Cagney’s Steakhouse; Le Bistro, the elevated French restaurant; and Onda by Scarpetta.

The Haven will feature Three-Bedroom Duplex Haven Suites. Haven guests will continue to enjoy:

• 24-hour butler service
• Dedicated concierge team
• Sprawling sundeck
• Infinity pool overlooking the ship’s stern
• Outdoor spa complete with a glass-walled sauna and cold room;
• Two hot tubs
• Private lounge
• Exclusive bar pouring rare spirits and vintages.

The ship will be built by Fincantieri with interior designs created by world-class architects AD Associates, Piero Lissoni, Rockwell Group, SMC Design, and Studio Dado.

The cruise ship’s hull art will showcase a vibrant dreamscape by ELLE, the highly acclaimed street artist from Napa, California.

David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line, gave the following statement about this new ship:

“Inspired by the relationship between the moon and the tides of the ocean, we are excited to introduce Norwegian Luna as the vessel that perfectly complements her sister ship, Norwegian Aqua.

“The debut of Norwegian Luna truly showcases our ongoing commitment to providing guests more of what they enjoy and value – a brand-new ship with the latest, innovative offerings sailing to the beautiful, tropical destinations of the Caribbean.

“It’s important to give our guests more to see, more to do, more to enjoy on board and ultimately more out of their cruise vacation. We can’t wait for them to experience Norwegian Luna!”

I recently read a social media post asking, “What’s your favorite thing to do on a cruise?”  After reading through the comments, there was a theme.

The funny thing is, it was not so much what people liked to do on a cruise as much as what they didn’t have to do that made them love cruising. 

Most cruisers commented that they loved this style of travel because of the things they were escaping back home and on other types of vacations.

Most answers said something like “Not having to ________.”

After taking cruises for the last 15 years, I have to agree with this sentiment. 

These are the top 5 things you get to completely avoid when you’re on a cruise.

1. Cook and Clean

This was the most mentioned category people mentioned.  When you book an Airbnb for a family vacation, there’s always the matter of dinner.   Someone has to do the cooking, and hosts usually expect you to do the dishes throughout the week as well.

Not having to lift a pan, wash a dish, or risk burning a roast is one of the best parts of cruising.  On top of this, many ships have well over a dozen different dining venues to choose from, making your cruise a sort of progressive dinner.

With food included in the price, many cruisers look forward to getting a break from cooking as one of the biggest perks.

There’s always the option to spend a little extra for a specialty dining experience too, but it’s never very far away on the floating resort.

2. Unpack

Sure, you do have to unpack once but hear me out.  On a cruise you get to travel to all kinds of destinations and still sleep in the same bed every night.    Except for maybe train travel, there aren’t many types of vacations where you can unpack once and see dozens of ports and cities.

Both packing and unpacking are two of my least favorite activities.  And I don’t want to live out of a suitcase on a cruise, so I will usually unpack as quickly as I can, filling up the closet and drawers, and making that cabin home for the week.

On some non-cruise vacations, you could look forward to unpacking 5 or 6 times while you see several cities in Europe.

On one of my favorite trips, I took a Viking river cruise down the Danube River and was able to see half a dozen different iconic cities in Europe — and yes, I only unpacked once.  That’s my kind of travel.

By the way, here are a few things most people forget to pack on a cruise.

3. Plan

You could spend a lot of time planning.  But you really don’t have to.  I’ve been on cruises where I planned almost every hour of the day.  I’ve also taken last-minute cruises where I didn’t plan a single thing.  I actually enjoyed the cruise I didn’t plan even more.

If your goal is to just get away and relax, booking the cruise is all the planning you have to do.  I know many people who just like to take it one day at a time.  They take a look at the daily schedule once in a while and see if there’s anything interesting. 

Other than that, they lounge around on the pool deck, in the spa, or in the adult-only area and let the ship take them to the next destination.

As a caveat to this point, if you’re choosing the cruise based on destinations you’ll want to do a fair share of planning for those port days.

4. Drive

Some people love to drive.  I get that.  But on vacation, it’s nice to just let someone else handle that part. 

A cruise lets the captain take care of the navigation part for you.  And even in different ports of call you can just grab a taxi or Uber and still not have to get behind the wheel. 

If your job involves a long commute and stop and go traffic to and from work, it’s great that a cruise vacation allows you to just enjoying being a passenger for a while.

5. Stay Connected

Sometimes I miss the old days of cruising when you could totally unplug and disconnect while out at sea.   In fact, it was the only option.

Today, with Starlink internet connection speeds fast enough for video calling and downloading movies, it’s easier than ever to stay connected to everything back on land.

But you don’t have to stay connected.  You can save yourself a few bucks, skip the WiFi package, and just enjoy a break from work emails for a week.

And with international roaming charges making a great excuse for leaving your phone in airplane mode, no one could blame you for letting your voicemails pile up too.  It’s an issue for another day.

As someone who writes about the cruise industry, I almost always have to get the WiFi package, but I do get a few dirty looks if I break out my laptop at the onboard coffee shop.  And I understand that.  Vacations are for unplugging.

Bottom Line

Cruise ships offer more to do than ever before.  With activities like escape rooms, zip lining, go-kart racing, and all kinds of other things, you won’t run out of things to do.  But a vacation doesn’t just consist of the things you can do.  It’s also all about the things you get to escape for an entire week or more. 

If you already cruise, you know all of this.  If you’re on the fence about this style of vacation, ask a cruiser and be ready to sit down.

Read more: 8 things I skipped on my cruise to save money

A small ship cruise line is expanding cruises in the South Pacific in 2026 with new sailings that range from seven to 15 days in length.

Windstar Cruises has announced that they will be expanding cruises in the dream location of the South Pacific, an area where they already have a significant presence.

The new cruises will visit Fiji, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Bora Bora and the French Polynesia.

To celebrate this news, the cruise line is offering an early booking offer that includes the following:

• WiFi
• Unlimited wine, beer and cocktails
• All gratuities
• $100 in on board credit per cabin

The seven-day Dreams of Tahiti cruise can be combined with an air and overwater bungalow package that includes an over the water bungalow in Bora Bora.

New itineraries in the region for Windstar Cruises include:

• Flowers of the South French Polynesia (15 days)
• Maori Storytellers & French Polynesian Treasures (10 or 11 days)
• Tantalizing Tuamotu Islands & Beautiful Bora Bora (7 days)
• Far Flung French Polynesia and Marquesas Magic (11 days)

Windstar Cruises brings the culture of French Polynesia aboard with an onboard cultural ambassador for all cruises.

A local Polynesian invites guests to embrace all things Polynesian throughout the cruise with special sessions on dance, music, language, culture and art.

All itineraries include a complimentary Bora Bora Destination Discovery Event, which is a private evening feast on a motu (small island) with local performances from music to fire dancing.

Windstar President Christopher Prelog, said the following about these new cruises:

“Tahiti is one of my favorite destinations on the planet, and I was thrilled to expand Windstar’s itineraries in the region to the remote Marquesas Islands this year.

“These new additions are a natural progression for us, as these faraway South Pacific islands exemplify the heart of Polynesian culture. But they are extremely difficult to access, especially if you’re piecing together your own trip.

“On Windstar, you’re able to sail there easily on an all-suite ship that has no more than 312 passengers. We can go to places like Tonga and Taveuni without overwhelming the destination from a tourism, ecological, and cultural perspective, due to our small size and the great relationships we’ve built while sailing in the region over decades.”

Windstar Cruises, an expert in sailing in the region, has sailed in the South Pacific for more than 36 years.

Carnival Cruise Line announced new cruises for 2026-2027 today on four ships that will offer sailings from four different homeports.

These new cruises will sail from Miami, Port Canaveral, Norfolk and San Francisco visiting the Caribbean, Mexico and Alaska. Three of the ships will visit Carnival’s brand new port they are building in The Bahamas, Celebration Key.

Carnival Horizon will offer six- and eight-night cruises from Miami between the summer of 2026 and the spring of 2027.

The six-day cruises will depart on Sundays and include stops at Celebration Key in the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay or Ocho Rios in Jamaica. The eight-day cruises will depart on Saturdays visit the Southern Caribbean, and feature stops in Aruba, Curacao, and either Bonaire, Amber Cove, or Celebration Key.

Carnival Vista will sail a variety of cruises from Port Canaveral. Six-day cruises will visit Half Moon Cay, Celebration Key, and either Amber Cove or Grand Turk.

The eight-night sailings will visit various destinations in the Caribbean including St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan and Aruba.

Carnival Luminosa will offer cruises from San Francisco for the first time in 2026.

The ship will offer a series of 10-day cruises to Alaska that includes stops in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Prince Rupert, as well as scenic glacier cruising through Tracy Arm Fjord.

Carnival Luminosa will also sail ten four-day long weekend Baja Mexico cruises, visiting Ensenada, from April 23 through August 27, 2026.

An extended 18-day Alaska and Japan transpacific Carnival Journeys cruise departing San Francisco on September 20, 2026, will visit Alaskan ports and sail to Japan, with stops including Otaru and Kobe before concluding in Yokohama.

Carnival Sunshine will offer cruises from Norfolk, Virginia that will range from four- to eight-days in length.

The ship will visit Bermuda, The Bahamas and ports in the Eastern Caribbean. A few select cruises will visit New England and Canada.

One nine-day Carnival Journeys cruise will visit Amber Cove, San Juan and St. Thomas.

Fred Stein, vice president of deployment for Carnival Cruise Line, gave the following statement about these new cruises:

“In addition to extending our successful deployment schedules in Miami, Port Canaveral and Norfolk, Carnival Luminosa will bring a new experience to our seasonal homeport of San Francisco for the 2026 Alaska season.

“These new sailings also introduce some truly stellar additions to our Carnival Journeys program of longer sailings, with a transatlantic cruise from Barcelona to Miami on Carnival Horizon and Carnival Luminosa’s transpacific voyages from Brisbane to San Francisco visiting Fiji, Tahiti and Hawaii, and San Francisco to Yokohama (Tokyo) visiting Alaska and Japan.”

The topic of passports on a cruise is a common one.  First-time cruisers who don’t want to get caught off guard often bring it up as well.

Even for closed-loop cruises out of the United States I recommend having a passport.   If nothing else, it simplifies the boarding process and documents needed. 

Additionally, if something happens when you’re off the ship in a foreign country, you will want to have packed your passport.

But should you take your passport with you any time you are getting off the ship at a port of call?  Do you really need to have it on you at all times?

Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald addressed this concern in a social media post this morning.

Read more: Cruising with an ‘almost expired’ passport and 6 mistakes to avoid

The passenger’s original comment stated, “John. Passports should always be taken into port as your ID. If I’m ever on a cruise (Bahamas, Mexico, any of the other island nations) I always take my passport. Everyone should. I am a diamond passenger and elite + on—–If not, why do you have it?”

The Carnival guest was referencing previous statements by Heald which recommended having a photocopy or picture of the passport information for some ports of call.

“If for some reason you miss the boat (broken down excursion bus/cab or injured sitting in a hospital, etc.) your passport will sail on and you’ll be stuck in a foreign country with a piece of paper with a picture of your passport which is good for nothing,” the message to Heald said.

The comment went on to criticize Heald’s advice, “John why are you even here if you provide incorrect information that could become a disaster for your passengers.“

While some regular cruisers like to have their passports on them at all times, Heald offered a different perspective.

“You should not take your original passport with you when you go ashore,” Heald stated in his response to the concerned passenger.

He explained that a photocopy of the passport, driver’s license, or similar identification is sufficient for returning to the ship.

Heald also addressed the potential concern of missing the ship due to an emergency.

“In case of an emergency which meant you could not return to the ship, we do indeed have a policy in place,” he assured. Carnival Cruise Line’s policy involves retrieving the guest’s passport from their cabin, ensuring its safekeeping, and returning it to the ship’s agent in the port.

The Brand Ambassador ultimately acknowledged that a lot of it came down to personal preference.

A vacation should never cause undue stress.  If you will be stressing about having or not having your passport on you then make the decision that puts you at ease. 

As Heald has stated, cruise lines will make necessary arrangements if you cannot make it back to the ship on time. 

The key is to make sure you are at least traveling with a passport.

For those looking to get their passport renewed, Ben of Cruise Fever recently wrote about how he was able to get his passport renewed in a week.