Diplomacy

A Carnival Cruise Line passenger said she was just joking after she posted a TikTok video showing how to tamper with in-cabin water bottles.  But prank or not, it may be too late.

The video, which has since gained over 1 million views, shows the woman refilling the water bottle with the bathroom faucet and then “resealing” it with what looks like superglue.

This kind of “cruise hack” is just plain stealing and not a legitimate way to avoid the extra charge.  Now the passenger is in some hot water.

While the tap water on a cruise ship goes through a rigorous filtration process and is safe to drink, the water bottles travelers can buy on the ship are labeled as ‘Natural Spring Water”.

One comment on the viral video stated a common sentiment among Carnival cruisers:

“Unfortunately Carnival doesn’t know if it’s really a joke. So now what? They no longer have these available in the cabins? Ugghhhh.”

Apparently, Carnival was able to identify the woman and has now banned her for life.

In a Facebook post which talked about the incident, Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald said the following:

“The lady who was also on [TikTock] showing how to drink water from the bottles in the cabin without breaking the seal [has] been banned from cruising with us ever again.”

In the video, the bottle shows a price of $4.25.  These water bottles are not kept in cabins on Carnival ships any more, and the price has also gone up to $4.50 since the incident.

In the post, Heald also mentioned another passenger who will not be allowed back on a Carnival cruise ship.  This passenger had written to say, “I have been on 30 cruises. I smoke on the balcony. I paid for the cruise. The steward always brings an ashtray with $50 tip.”

Heald went on to say that the passenger’s description of tipping the cabin steward so they would be allowed to smoke is not accurate at all.

“As far as the smoking comment is concerned, well let me say this also if I may. I know the cabin attendants, I know them well, better than most having spent so many years working alongside them,” Heald stated.  “I know that none of them would never jeopardise their job, a job that helps and provides for their families at home, for an extra tip $50 just to provide a guest with an ashtray. If they were caught, they would be going home, their job would be over.”

Smoking on cabin balconies is prohibited, and anyone caught doing so will get a $500 fine in addition to the possibility of never sailing with the cruise line again.

And for those who are afraid of being labeled a snitch, Heald had a message for them as well.

“Be a tell tale because it is the right [thing] to do to protect the ship from the dangers of fire that smoking on a balcony has caused in the past,” Heald said.

There are a few things that will get you banned from a cruise line.  Whether it’s fishing off a balcony or deciding to jump into the sea from the ship, you can read about 6 times passengers have been banned for life here.

And for what it’s worth, it’s just not worth it. 

The newest cruise port in The Bahamas, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, officially opened today when Disney Fantasy visited this new private port built just for Disney Cruise Line ships.

Disney Lookout Cay is the second private port in The Bahamas for Disney’s ships. Located on the Island of Eleuthera, this new port will be visited by Disney Dream, Disney Magic and Disney Fantasy.

The port has a little something for everyone, from family to adult exclusive beaches. There are private cabanas, a water play area for all ages and a range of youth activities.

Dining options at the port include True-True and True-True Too BBQ, the main dining areas. Serenity Bay BBQ is the adult dining area. They serve everything from local Bahamian recipes to island spiced rotisserie chicken and grilled cheeseburgers.

Sharon Siskie, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Cruise Line, gave the following statement:

“What an incredible moment for Disney Cruise Line as we celebrate the debut of our second island destination, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, on Eleuthera, an island rich with Bahamian history and culture.

“For more than 25 years, we have partnered with The Bahamian community to introduce countless families to this beautiful island nation. And with the addition of Disney Lookout Cay, we are offering a brand-new way for our guests to experience the stunning beauty, beloved traditions and colorful artistry of The Bahamas with a special touch of Disney magic.”

The port has four bars. Locally sourced beverages are available there, such as Bahamas Goombay Punch soda, Bahamas Coffee Roasters coffee, locally roasted in Eleuthera, and Pirate Republic Brewing Company Long John Pineapple Pilsner.

Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President, Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, said the following about this new cruise port:

“Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point is full of unique native animal and plant species, and I am proud of our conservation team who have been working for many years to help create this magical cruise destination where nature can continue to thrive. Disney Lookout Cay is another example of how Disney is taking meaningful and measurable action to protect nature and support a healthier planet for people and wildlife.”

Windstar Cruises, a premium small ship cruise line, has announced that their new ship, Star Seeker, will sail to Alaska and Japan when it enters service in 2026.

Windstar Cruises has not sailed to Alaska and Japan since they moved Star Breeze to sail year-round in Tahiti.

When Star Seeker debuts, it will sail seven, 10, and 11 day cruises in Alaska. Cruisers will also be able to combine these sailings with land tours to Denali.

The cruise line will employ expedition leaders to lead its Signature Expeditions as it did on previous cruises to Alaska.

Guests will be able to book close-up adventures in Alaska that will be lead by an expert guide. These small groups will enjoy hiking, kayaking and skiff expeditions to remote wilderness areas like the Misty Fjords.

After the Alaska season is over, the cruise ship will head to Japan and sail 10 day Grand Japan cruises between Tokyo and Osaka.

These newly announced cruises will open for bookings in early August 2024.

Windstar Cruises’ President, Christopher Prelog, said the following about the cruise line’s return to Alaska and Japan:

“We are really happy to be able to bring back Alaska and Japan for our guests. We know these are popular destinations, and we have many people asking us to return there. We can’t keep this secret any longer.”

Star Seeker is the first of two new ships for Windstar Cruises. They will each have 112 suites and carry up to 224 guests.

The cruise line is expected to take delivery of Star Seeker in December 2025 and Star Explorer in December 2026.

Windstar Cruises is a boutique cruise line with a fleet of six ships. These all-suite ships carry a maximum of 342 guests to offer an unrivaled intimate experience. The cruise line offers cruises all around the world including the Caribbean, Europe, South America, Costa Rica, the Panama Canal and the South Pacific.

Starting on July 1, 2024, cruise lines are making a big change to how prices for cruises are advertised in the U.S.

On July 1, 2024, a new consumer protection law will go into effect in California that will require companies to include taxes and fees in advertised prices. This law will mainly affect mainstream cruise lines as many of the luxury lines already do this.

Currently, cruises are advertised as just the base rate, but the total cost of the cruise is much higher.

Right now on Carnival Cruise Line’s website, cruises are advertised as low as $169 per person ($338 for two), based on double occupancy.

However, the $169 cruise comes to a total of $618 ($309 per person) at checkout after mandatory taxes, fees, and port expenses are added in.

On July 1, this cruise will be advertised as $309 per person, instead of $169.  The total price of the cruise will remain the same, but the advertised price will now include taxes/port fees etc.

While the law only applies to consumers in California, cruise lines will price all cruises this way in the U.S. to avoid confusion and to make sure they are in full compliance with the law.

Princess Cruises sent out the following statement in April to travel agents about this upcoming change:

“This will provide guests with the clear total price upfront for the cruise selected. Please understand this is only a change in the way the cruise prices are advertised but does not impact the total price consumers pay today or the portion of the cruise fare that is commissionable to travel advisors.”

MSC Cruises sent out a similar statement saying that the total price of cruises will remain the same and the change will not affect an agent’s commission.

MSC Cruises also announced that they will price all cruises this way in the U.S. starting on June 26, 2024, a few days ahead of the deadline.

The advertised prices will only include mandatory fees/taxes and not items like gratuities etc.

Airlines used to also exclude fees for flights in advertised prices until January 2012. That is when the U.S. Transportation Department began to require them to include taxes and mandatory fees in advertised prices.

Cruise lines now will price cruises the same way, eliminating the “bait and switch” pricing from advertising super low fares with the checkout price being higher.

A recent high school graduate took to Reddit this week to ask a popular community if it was wrong to leave the parents at a Caribbean cruise port.

The unidentified teen says the cruise was a birthday gift for turning 18.  It was also supposed to be a family vacation. 

While the parents were accustomed to all inclusive resorts, the OP said, “I have always wanted to go on a cruise.”

According to the post, the teen made clear to the parents that cruise excursions were different than a land-based vacation and that they must follow the schedule.  In other words, “Make sure you’re back to the ship on time.”

But the parents didn’t heed the warning.

“Well it was a week-long cruise and they would not head back to the ship when I said it was time to go. They were busy shopping and bargaining with the locals. I finally said that I was heading back to the ship. My mom waved me off,” the post said.

The parents were late by about 45 minutes and tried to contact the teenager through WhatsApp, asking why the ship didn’t wait for them.

The teen, frustrated by the lack of awareness on the part of the parents, said, “I wanted to scream that they were not going to inconvenience 3,998 people because two could not understand what a schedule was.”

According to the teen, the parents then had to book an expensive flight to the next port to reunite with the ship, and they were upset at their child for leaving them behind.

“I don’t know what I was supposed to do. They literally told me that they knew what they were doing. I wish I had never asked for this. They are making me miserable because I left without them,” the Redditor said.

As over 2,000 comments flooded into the post, most users on the platform were supportive of the teen.

Some comments were in disbelief about the parent’s reaction to the situation, with one user saying, “they seriously think the ship will delay for 45 minutes, yea no. The docks and ship have a schedule to keep.”

Others wondered what the parents expected of the child.  “What precisely do they think you could have done? Kidnapped the captain? Staged your own drowning? You didn’t abandon them, they abandoned you, don’t let them weasel word this around to being your fault in any way, shape or form,” said another comment.

We have said this many times on Cruise Fever.  Cruise ships will not wait for you if you booked an excursion through a 3^rd party or just want to spend an extra hour shopping in port and are late.

The expenses of finding transportation to the next port are on you, and it’s often not cheap. 

Sometimes a captain will wait a few extra minutes or half an hour if there is knowledge of a late-comer trying to get back to the ship.  But the comments in this post hit the nail on the head.

The captain and crew will not make everyone else late to the next port because of someone who lost track of time.

Additionally, if a ship leaves a port late it means it will have to travel at a higher speed to get to the next port on time.  This burns extra fuel and makes for a bumpy ride as well. 

Read more: What to do if your ship leaves without you

The world’s largest cruise line, Royal Caribbean, is about to get even bigger when their next new ship debuts in less than 50 days.

Utopia of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean’s sixth Oasis class ship.  The Oasis class ushered in the era of mega cruise ships when the first debuted back in 2009.

Utopia of the Seas will be the second largest cruise ship in the world when it sails its maiden voyage on July 19, 2024. The ship will homeport at Port Canaveral and sail three and four night cruises to The Bahamas.

The three night weekend cruises will depart on Friday and return on Monday. The four day cruises will depart each Monday and return on Friday.

Both itineraries will make two port stops, one in Nassau and the other at the cruise line’s insanely popular private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.  The four night cruises will also have one sea day. You can view prices on cruises on Utopia of the Seas here.

Since it is an Oasis class ship, it will have the following features:

• Studio B, ice skating rink
• AquaTheater
• Boardwalk with carousel
• Central Park with live trees and plants
• The Ultimate Abyss slide (43 feet longer at 259 feet)
• Rising Tide bar
• Music Hall
• Flowrider
• Sports Court
• Aqua Dunes mini-golf
• Enclosed Solarium
• Waterpark with the Perfect Storm waterslides
• 10 story high zip line

The cruise ship will have more than 20 dining options. The infographic below shows all the amazing places to eat on Utopia of the Seas.

Utopia Station is promising to be one of the most unique dining experiences at sea.  This new Royal Railway is a one-of-a-kind dining experience that combines adventure, food and technology to travel – by train – to any place and time.

Utopia of the Seas will be the ultimate cruise ship offering three and four night itineraries to The Bahamas.  From entertainment with jaw-dropping shows to more than 20 bars and lounges, there’s something for everyone on the ship.

Just like on sister ship Wonder of the Seas, the Utopia Playscape is an area for families to play with their kids. It will feature a 39 foot tall lighthouse, three dry slides, a ninja obstacles course and buoy swings.

New for Royal Caribbean will be the Pesky Parrot, a Caribbean themed bar located on the Royal Promenade that will serve up fruit-based cocktails made with rum, tequila and gin, alongside frozen drinks and more.

Utopia of the Seas will also be Royal Caribbean’s first Oasis class ship that is powered by LNG.

In 2028, Royal Caribbean will debut their 7th, and currently unnamed, Oasis class ship.

Cruise Fever will be on Utopia of the Seas for a three night preview cruise ahead of the ship’s debut in July.  Stay tuned as we bring you everything that this new ship from Royal Caribbean has to offer.

Carnival Corporation has announced that Carnival Cruise Line will absorb sister cruise line P&O Cruises Australia starting in March 2025.  Due to the merger, all sailings on P&O Cruises Australia scheduled to sail after March 2, 2025 have been canceled.

Carnival is making this change to add more capacity as Carnival Cruise Line is the company’s highest returning brand. 

P&O Cruises Australia currently has three cruise ships in their fleet, Pacific Adventure, Pacific Encounter, and Pacific Explorer. Pacific Explorer will be retired while the other two will be converted to Carnival Funships.

Both Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter are Grand class ships.

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said the following,

“We look forward to building on the history and heritage of P&O Cruises Australia by bringing some of our innovations to more cruise guests in the region,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.”

She went on to say that Carnival plans on making some technology upgrades, as well as some small changes to the ships.

The most notable change will be the availability of Carnival Cruise Line’s HubApp, enabling guests to make online dining and excursion reservations, request food and beverage delivery, and chat with other guests.

The cruise ships will remain in Australia giving Carnival Cruise Line four ships sailing in the region. The ships will join Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa offering cruises in the South Pacific.

After the switch to Carnival, the vessels will continue to be geared towards the Australian cruise market.

Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation & plc, gave the following statement about this merger,

“Despite increasing Carnival Cruise Line’s capacity by almost 25% since 2019 including transferring three ships from Costa Cruises, guest demand remains incredibly strong so we’re leveraging our scale in an even more meaningful way by absorbing an entire brand into the world’s most popular cruise line.

In 2019, Carnival Cruise Line was 29% of our total capacity, and when we complete this move early next year, Carnival Cruise Line – our highest-returning brand – will make up approximately 35% of our total global capacity. While our company’s overall growth between 2019 – 2028 is projected to be less than 2% (CAGR), the majority will be for Carnival Cruise Line, which will grow by approximately 50% over that time period.”

This change from Carnival Corporation does not impact P&O Cruises UK. They will continue to operate as normal.

P&O Cruises Australia has been sailing in the region for 90 years and Carnival Cruise Line will carry on the storied legacy.

After the merger is complete, Carnival Corporation will have eight cruise lines, down from a a high of 10 they had in 2015.

Carnival Cruise Line will also have 29 cruise ships in their fleet once the vessels are transferred over.  They also have two more Excel class ships on order that will come into service in 2027 and 2028.