Posts in category: Diplomacy

Cruise passengers on Margaritaville at Sea’s 2,210-capacity Islander got a unique experience while sailing off the coast of Cuba yesterday.

A powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Cuba, and the quake was strong enough to startle some guests on the nearby 85,619 gross ton cruise ship.

The cruise ship was sailing on a 5-night itinerary from Tampa to Key West and Cozumel when the earthquake happened on the seafloor just after 2:00 PM Eastern time.

The epicenter was located roughly 65 miles west-northwest of Mantua, Cuba. While the National Weather Service immediately confirmed there was no tsunami threat, the underwater tremor created “acoustic pressure waves” that caused vibrations in nearby ships. 

Residents in Florida, hundreds of miles from the epicenter, also reported some rattling in buildings and shaking.

“Thought We Hit Something”

An earthquake at sea doesn’t feel like the rolling waves of a storm.  It’s much different than the small movements a ship will see on a typical sailing.

For cruise passengers on Islander it felt more like a sudden physical impact.

When the vibrations hit the ship, there was a bit of confusion among passengers who wondered what just happened. Some took to Facebook to share their immediate reactions.

One passenger recalled the feeling on the ship through a Facebook comment:

“Yep it was crazy. Was on the ship when it happened. Thought we hit something. Captain came over the intercom about 10 mins later to inform us what had happened.”

Shaking and “Grind-y” Noises

For those on the lower decks, the sudden sensation was even stronger, and it came along with the eerie sound of the ship flexing against the pressure waves.

One passenger reported:

“I’m on the Islander now, and was on deck two in the casino when it happened. It was a good two minutes of shaking and grind-y noises. I thought maybe we were going a ground! lol.”

Another passenger on board said, “It am on the islander rn! I was onboard with 14 friends and family! It was wild!”

Passengers Never Lost Sense of Humor

Because the cruise line is all about the tropical, laid-back branding of the late Jimmy Buffett, some passengers gave a not-so-subtle reference to the ship’s heritage.

“It was interesting. Was carrying my Cheeseburger in Paradise and froze, scared to move. Had no idea you could feel earthquakes on ships,” a passenger on board stated.

Others also made references to Buffet’s lyrics with one joking that “Jimmy had us covered for volcanos but not earthquakes at sea”.

It’s good to see that none of the passengers lost their sense of humor in all of this.

One comment on Facebook simply stated that the earthquake left them “shaken, not stirred.”

Things Falling off Shelves

According to news reports from WCTV, a Tallahassee man on board the ship described the unsettling sensations of experiencing an earthquake while out at sea as well.

Joe Millender was taking a nap on the ship when the earthquake took place.

He said, “The ship started shaking and things falling off the shelves and people kind of grabbing hold of things trying to hold on.”

According to Millender, the captain said the earthquake took place just 20-25 miles from the ship’s location.

A Rare Event?

While the shaking was a surprise to those on vacation at sea, it was also surprising to scientists. Seismologists said that a 6.1-magnitude earthquake is pretty rare for that specific area of the Caribbean.

Despite the two minutes of grinding noises and general confusion as to what was actually happening, the Margaritaville at Sea Islander sustained absolutely no damage whatsoever. The captain kept passengers informed, the crew kept serving, and the ship safely continued its voyage. And on top of all that, passengers have a very cool story to tell back home.

Viking has added new shore excursions for river cruises in Europe this summer that include scenic Zeppelin airship rides in Germany, and new culinary and cultural activities.

This year, guests taking a Viking river cruise will have the choice of new excursions for cruises on the Rhine, Danube, Seine and Elbe rivers.

Here is a look at the highlights of the new shore excursions now offered by Viking.

Zeppelin Flight Over the Ruhr Valley – Board a Zeppelin airship to view the picturesque Ruhr Valley from a new perspective. First conceived in 1893 by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, these remarkable airships became a popular mode of travel during the early 20th-century. (Available on select Rhine River itineraries.)

Zeppelin Flight Over Cologne – Take flight on a Zeppelin airship and enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Cologne’s striking monuments as the airship will slowly ascend to its cruising altitude of 1,000 feet. Soar over Cologne, seeing its Trade Fair complex and the Lanxess arena. Follow the arches of the Hohenzollern Bridge to the Cologne Cathedral, a UNESCO-listed site and an impressive example of Gothic architecture. (Available on select Rhine River itineraries.)

Dinner at Nikolaihof Winery – Visit Austria’s Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and renowned region to explore Nikolaihof Winery, one of the oldest wineries in Austria. The excursion will include a sit down for a dinner of seasonal dishes made from locally sourced game and produce, some of it grown right on the winery’s grounds. (Available on select Danube River itineraries.)

Dürnstein on Foot & Local Dinner – Explore Dürnstein, a town that dates to the 12th century, on a guided walking tour through its historic streets to learn about its rich history including the castle’s 13th-century construction and connection to Richard the Lionheart, followed by a dinner at Alte Klosterkeller. (Available on select Danube River itineraries.)

Sights & Flavors of Belgrade – Take in the sights of Belgrade as you visit a local market and join a cooking class to prepare your own lunch. Set off with your guide on a drive through the city to see some of its most iconic sights. Visit the Kalenić Market, Belgrade’s largest open-air market, where you can stroll through stalls and purchase ingredients for your upcoming cooking class. (Available on select Danube River itineraries.)

Red Stone Castle & Wine Tasting – Discover the heart of Slovakian wine country with a visit to the picturesque Little Carpathians and the well‑preserved Red Stone Castle, a former 16th‑century fortress transformed into an aristocratic residence. Explore its grand interiors and cellar complex before visiting a local winery to sample the region’s specialty white wines. (Available on select Danube River itineraries.)

Sights and Tastes of Rouen – Explore Rouen during the Christmas season and discover some of its iconic landmarks and taste the local fare. Begin at the Rouen Cathedral, a structure that has evolved over 800 years and features a blend of early Gothic and Renaissance architectural styles. Learn the history of the area in the Old Market Square, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. (Available on the Christmastime in Paris & Normandy itinerary.)

Flavors of Berlin – Experience Berlin during the Christmas season, sampling the flavors of Germany’s capital city. At Lindner, the city’s renowned fine foods shop celebrated for its house-made butter, you will enjoy a taste of Berliner Boulette. Admire Berlin’s colorful street art en route to EAT Berlin, located amid a network of picturesque art nouveau courtyards. Local cheeses, mustards, pestos (sauces) and more are sold here, with lots of items to sample. (Available on the Christmas Along the Elbe itinerary.)

Torstein Hagen, Executive Chairman of Viking, gave the following statement about these new itineraries:

“Europe remains a favorite destination for our guests—particularly those interested in experiencing a river voyage for the first time. As we continue to expand our offerings in Europe, we are pleased to introduce new experiences that allow our guests to engage with their destination in the Viking way—through local food, culture and traditions, or even from the air in a Zeppelin.”

Plans for Norwegian Viva’s deployment schedule have changed. And along with those changes, almost 9 months of sailings had to be canceled to make way for an entirely new homeport.

Norwegian Cruise Line has sent out notifications to booked guests and travel advisors announcing that it has completely canceled the scheduled itineraries for one of its more popular vessels.

These canceled sailings will wipe out the ship’s entire late 2027 and early 2028 winter and spring seasons. Instead of sailing deep Southern Caribbean routes out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Norwegian Viva is being repositioned to PortMiami, Florida.

The Affected Sailings

The redeployment means a long list of departures are no longer operating.

At first, NCL announced that only sailings from November 1, 2027 through January 23, 2028 would be impacted. But this was later extended through July 23, 2028.

If you had a cruise booked on Viva in this window, your sailing has been impacted.

The affected sailings on Norwegian Viva include:

• The ship’s autumn 2027 Transatlantic crossing from Lisbon to San Juan.
• The entire winter 2027 and spring 2028 season of 7-night roundtrip Southern Caribbean cruises out of Puerto Rico.

Why the change?

In the letter sent to passengers, NCL stated that the decision was made to “optimize operations in response to changing port availability.”

While large-scale cancellations are always a surprise to cruisers, they are not that rare or a cause for concern. Cruise lines stay fairly nimble, and making decisions about a ship’s deployment over 2 years out can be difficult when conditions change.

Norwegian Aqua docked at Norwegian’s Terminal B at PortMiami.

The Move to Miami

While NCL stated that port availability was the official reason for the change, the move to Florida opens up some economic benefits for the cruise line as well.

Instead of operating 7-night Caribbean loops, Norwegian Viva will transition to running short, rapid-fire Bahamas getaways out of Miami.

These shorter itineraries will heavily feature calls at Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island destination in the Bahamas.

Great Stirrup Cay is currently undergoing some major renovations and luxury upgrades. Placing a high-profile Prima-class ship on short Bahamas runs allows NCL to maximize the number of passengers it can bring to its new and improved private island.

Norwegian has already finished the new 28,000-square-foot heated pool at the Great Life Lagoon and 3,400-square-foot splash pad at Splash Harbor at Great Stirrup Cay.

Great Tides Water Park is slated to be completed in September, and a new multi-ship pier is expected to be fully operational by the end of July 2026.

Options for Impacted Cruisers

Norwegian Cruise Line is automatically removing guests from their current reservations and offering a few different choices:

• Switch to Sister Ship: For travelers who still want to sail the Southern Caribbean out of San Juan, NCL is directing passengers to identical itineraries on Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva’s sister ship. Norwegian Prima will still be sailing roundtrip from Puerto Rico to popular spots like Tortola, St. Kitts, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas.
• Automatic Refunds: Passengers who choose not to rebook will receive a full automatic refund to their original form of payment, beginning within 30 business days. Any Future Cruise Credits (FCC) used to book will be returned to Latitudes Rewards accounts within 10 days.
• Bonus Future Cruise Credit: To help make up for the disruption, NCL is giving affected passengers a 10% Future Cruise Credit based on the original cruise fare. This credit can be applied toward any published sailing through December 31, 2028.

For guests considering the switch to Norwegian Prima, it is worth noting just how popular this ship class has become.

As Cruise Fever has previously highlighted, NCL’s Prima-class ships boast some of the highest space-to-passenger ratios among all major mainstream cruise lines. With a generous space ratio of over 44 to 46 tons per passenger, the 150,000 GT vessels offer a surprising amount of room compared to their capacity.

While some cruisers facing canceled cruises are not exactly thrilled with the decision, some are embracing the change. With cruiser on Reddit stated, “To be fair….we had more than enough notice for these cancellations. My reservation still had 500+ days to go, I got all of my money back, and I received a 10% coupon for a cruise I already booked🤣 I feel like Bahamas trips will now be offered as 7 day trips like Bermuda!“.

Where is Norwegian Viva Now?

Norwegian Viva is currently thousands of miles away from both Miami and San Juan.

The ship is currently spending her summer season overseas, sailing the Mediterranean and the Greek Isles out of major European homeports like Rome, Venice, and Barcelona.

Once her European run wraps up, she will cross the Atlantic to spend the upcoming winter homeporting out of Galveston, Texas, before eventually making her way to her new home in PortMiami.

The cruise ship Caribbean Princess was without propulsion in the ocean for a short period of time today after the Princess Cruises ship lost power. The vessel had just visited Puerto Rico yesterday and was on its way back to Port Canaveral, Florida.

It’s always an unsettling feeling when a cruise ship loses power while at sea. This has happened to me only on one occasion, and just like in this case, it was only for a brief period of time.

Passengers reported a sudden, total blackout early in the morning that caused the vessel to drift while engineers worked as quickly as possible to fix the issue.

Two Blackouts

According to real-time reports from passengers on board, the outage happened in two waves. The first power failure hit early in the morning on June 5, shutting down the main engines and the air conditioning.

The captain of the 23-year-old ship quickly announced the total power loss over the public address system and said that restoration efforts were underway.

Within about 15 minutes, partial power and propulsion were briefly restored, but the fix was short-lived. Shortly after, the ship suffered a second total blackout.

A Cruise Critic user was sitting on their balcony enjoying the sunshine when the ship suddenly went quiet. After the second outage, the user posted:

“It’s about an hour since this began, ship mostly dark, not moving.”

Another passenger on Reddit noted that the second failure left the ship drifting:

“Now just floating around again and the ship is going to hit some winds on the starboard side. All room lights are out except for WiFi (lol).”

Family members on land were briefly able to connect with loved ones who were apparently located near the engine. One user shared:

“Their room is right above the engine and they are hearing so many voices. But not hearing enough to get an update before everyone else.”

Cruise tracking data originally showed the vessel limping along at just 2 knots while the crew stabilized the engine control systems.

Tracking data doesn’t show that the ship was necessarily “adrift” in the situation, as even at 2 knots the vessel kept heading in the right direction.

Crew Praised for Quick Response

Despite the lack of air conditioning and cabin lighting for roughly an hour, passengers reported that the atmosphere onboard remained calm and orderly.

Because Princess Cruises uses wearable Medallion technology to unlock stateroom doors, the ship’s emergency backup power prioritized keeping the internal Wi-Fi network online.

This allowed guests to remain connected as well. Onboard, one cruiser suggested:

“My guess is that wifi is just to keep people from freaking out and gives them something to do since everything is stopped on the ship.”

The crew on the 3,142-passenger ship were praised for keeping the mood light and professional during the outage.

One passenger summed up the mood by saying, “Air was off for an hour. Drinks never stopped being poured. Still better than most airlines can say with mounting delays and 45 minute taxi times… #cruiselife”

Other passengers agreed that the crew handled the situation perfectly. One even said:

“Even after the issues this morning, Captain and crew still managed to get ship generators all going and all systems back online. He made it to the scheduled Coffee with the Captain Q&A and answered questions in a way everyone could understand. Well done.”

Full power was successfully restored later in the morning, and the ship’s climate control systems were brought back online.

No Delay to the Itinerary

Whenever a cruise ship suffers an engine room issue, social media platforms are quick to bring up some of the worst scenarios possible. It gets clicks and generates buzz, and almost always brings up a certain show on Netflix.

But passengers on board Caribbean Princess were quick to limit any kind of hype of the situation.

One Caribbean Princess cruise passenger took to Facebook calm down any worried family members or friends:

“Hey, if you hear our ship —Caribbean Princess — lost power, it did, twice, this morning. Weird thing to wake up to. It lasted a few hours but all is fine. We are on schedule to disembark as planned in 2 days. Ignore the ‘STRANDED AT SEA’ drama posts. We’re fine. No poop cruise”

Aside from a few canceled early-morning activities, the onboard schedule was pretty must unaffected.

Current Status: Engines Running Fine

Real-time cruise ship tracking data on CruiseMapper confirms that the ship’s engineering team successfully resolved the issue, and the vessel is making excellent time on its return journey.

According to the latest tracking data:

“The current location of Caribbean Princess is in North West Atlantic Ocean cruising at speed of 19 kn (35 km/h | 22 mph) en route to Port Canaveral. The AIS position was last reported 1 hour ago.”

Moving at a healthy 19 knots, the ship is on track to finish its voyage completely on schedule.

A search which lasted several days in the cruise port of St. Kitts has ended in heartbreak. Local authorities have confirmed that the body of a missing 33-year-old man was located on Monday, June 1.

Initial news reports on this story called the man a passenger on the cruise ship, but a statement sent to USA Today later revealed he was a crew member. Ship tracking data from the time of his disappearance confirmed the vessel was Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas.

The victim, identified as Chinese national Wang Zyuan, had reportedly set off alone last week to hike Mount Liamuiga. The mountain is a dormant volcano that marks the highest peak on the island.

Hiking the trail is a popular activity on St Kitts, and the mountain top is almost 3,800 feet tall.

But the solo hike turned into a distress call and urgent search.

A Disappearance and a Final Distress Call

According to the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Facebook page, Wang was last seen heading toward the trail around 10:00 AM on Wednesday, May 27.

By 2:00 PM that afternoon, things started to look dire. Wang managed to place a 911 call to local emergency services, reporting that he had become completely disoriented and lost deep within the mountain’s dense rainforest.

Emergency teams immediately mobilized to track his location, but phone contact was lost shortly after the initial call. Attempts to ping his device or establish a secondary connection were unsuccessful.

Royal Caribbean Statement

In the statement provided to the media following the confirmation of his employment status, Royal Caribbean expressed its grief over the loss:

“We are saddened to learn a crew member has passed away. We appreciate the tremendous efforts of the local authorities and rescue teams, who worked tirelessly over the past several days.“

The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force also expressed their condolences on a social media post:

“It is with deep regret that the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) confirms that Mr Wang Zyuan, who had been missing on the Mt. Liamuiga trail since Wednesday, May 27th, 2026, was located deceased on Monday, June 1st, 2026, by one of the search teams…

Detailed information is not yet available, and investigations into the circumstances are ongoing.

The Force extends its heartfelt condolences to Mr Wang’s family, friends, and associates during this painful time. We respectfully ask the public to refrain from speculation and to rely only on official sources for accurate information as this matter proceeds.”

Reports suggest Wang worked within the ship’s restaurant department, arriving on the island while the vessel was docked in port early last week.

The Search and Recovery

Finding someone in the thick forest of Mount Liamuiga is not an easy task, especially if someone has gone off trail. Even the hiking routes are known for steep rock faces, thick mud, and sometimes very slippery conditions.

The search effort was an island-wide operation. Over several days, teams scoured the mountainside and the rugged terrain surrounding the volcano’s crater.

Investigation and Safety Reminders

At this point, local authorities have not released an official cause of death. The investigation is still underway, and we still don’t know the full circumstances of the situation.

Following the incident, local tourism and law enforcement agencies issued strong reminders to travelers to never hike unfamiliar, dense island trails alone. 

They are recommending to hire a certified local guide, and to ensure communication devices are fully charged and equipped with offline maps before starting out.

This tragic case might feel similar to another disappearance in Juneau, Alaska last year. In that incident, 69-year-old hiker Thomas Casey went missing after setting out alone on a trail. Just like the search in St. Kitts, rescue teams used cellphone pings to track his last known signal through a massive search grid.

Responders eventually found Casey’s body in a remote area near the Mendenhall Glacier, where he had suffered a fatal fall.

Social media is lighting up after a Carnival Cruise Line passenger jumped into the water to rescue an 84-year-old man who had fallen off the pier. And the rescue all took place during the man’s seventh wedding anniversary sailing.

The incident took place in Costa Maya, Mexico while Carnival Jubilee was in port on May 19, 2026.

There’s a reason for those thick and bright yellow lines along the pier. And you will usually get yelled at pretty quickly if you try to cross over them.

While we don’t know the full circumstances in this case, an elderly guest crossed this line fell off the pier while on his way back to the ship.

While the 84-year-old struggled in the water, a fellow Carnival guest decided to take matters into his own hands.

After crew members threw a flotation device into the water, a passenger, we now know as Myron, jumped into the water to keep the man from drowning.

Myron’s wife later said that the man was face down in the water when her husband jumped in.

@amynelson2013 My husband saved a man life in Costa Maya while on our 7 day cruise!! He literally took action before carnival cruise workers did.. SHARE THIS!! #carnivalcruise #costamaya #makethisviral #jubilee #hero ♬ original sound – Amy018

Online video shows both men being pulled out of the water by the crew after Myron had secured the man, holding him above the water. Some reports state that the elderly passenger may have been in the water for several minutes.

Carnival made this statement regarding the incident:

“Our security team responded immediately, and the guest was safely recovered and transported to the ship’s medical center for care.”

The man’s actions have been praised all over social media, as pictures surfaced of Myron getting a free steak dinner at Fahrenheit 555 from the cruise line.

It should be noted that it is still very dangerous to try to save someone who may be drowning as they can pull the rescuer down with them. But if reports of the elderly man being face down for a period of time are true, it appears that Myron wasn’t willing to just watch a man die.

“Without a moment’s hesitation, my husband lept into the water,” his wife Amy stated on TikTok, adding, “With every ounce of strength, he managed to grab hold of the elderly man, lift him onto his shoulder, and cradle him safely until assistance arrived to lift them both out of the water.”

Commenters online are saying Myron should get free cruises for the rest of his life, while also being somewhat critical of the crew’s response time.

Myron and Amy were on Carnival Jubilee celebrating their seventh wedding anniversary. And Amy’s statements online, it seems the situation has only made their bond stronger.

“For those who know my husband, you’re likely aware that despite his stature, he possesses extraordinary physical strength and a heart of gold. It’s this incredible strength and selflessness that enabled him to save a life, and I couldn’t be more proud to call him my husband”, Amy stated.

@amynelson2013 I’d like to share with you a truly remarkable part of our cruise experience that has had a profound and lasting impact on my husband’s mental and emotional well-being. On the third day of our voyage, as we were returning to the ship after exploring the breathtaking beauty of Costa Maya, we were met with a scene of utter panic and distress. The air was filled with screams and frantic gestures, directing our attention to the ocean, which prompted my husband to spring into action, rushing down the pier to investigate the cause of the commotion. What he encountered was an elderly man struggling desperately in the water, face down (drowning)and on the brink of disaster. Without a moment’s hesitation, my husband leapt into the water, as no one else seemed to be taking action, including the Carnival staff. With every ounce of strength, he managed to grab hold of the elderly man, lift him onto his shoulder, and cradle him safely until assistance arrived to lift them both out of the water. For those who know my husband, you’re likely aware that despite his stature, he possesses extraordinary physical strength and a heart of gold. It’s this incredible strength and selflessness that enabled him to save a life, and I couldn’t be more proud to call him my husband. Yes that’s me crying because what if my husband and that man didn’t make it out alive.. I was so happy seeing him alive and well.. #carnivalcruise #makethisviral #costamaya #jubilee #hero @carnival ♬ sonido original – DOOM