Posts in category: Diplomacy

A Carnival cruiser on a recent sailing mentioned seeing what appeared to be a drug-sniffing dog walking the cabin corridors last month. According to the post on social media, “There was a K9 in our hallway almost every waking hour of the day.”

Although the main concern was taking a toddler on a future cruise and having to hold him back from wanting to pet the service dog, this got the whole cruise community talking about seeing these working canines on other cruises.

About 71 million households in the United States have a dog, according to a recent Forbes analyst.  But unless it’s a service dog, these pets aren’t allowed on most cruise ships.

Yet one parent kept seeing a service dog patrolling the hallways on a regular basis, wondering if this is normal.

What Dogs Are Actually Allowed on Carnival Ships?

Carnival’s policy on service dogs is clear. The only dogs permitted onboard are fully trained and vaccinated working service dogs.

Pets are not allowed. Service dogs in training are not allowed. Emotional support animals are not allowed.

However, it was not another cruise passenger’s dog that was the main concern in this discussion.

Those Hallway Dogs Are Often Security K9s

In spite of recent changes regarding the legality of drugs in the U.S., cruise ships are strict when it comes to any narcotics on board, including medical marijuana.

Carnival has stepped up its own use of drug-sniffing dogs in recent years. You’ll see them most often at the terminal during embarkation.

But sometimes those same dogs and their handlers sail with the ship as well.

The Carnival passenger posting on Reddit stated that seeing the dog so often felt “excessive”, stating:

“Everyday when we left for breakfast we would see the dog in our hallway. When we came back midday to relax we would see the dog still in our hallway. When we came back to change for dinner we would see the dog still in the hallways It was ALL DAY.”

One commenter on Reddit wrote, “I have seen canines on a number of cruises. Are they on all cruises? Probably not. But I would not be surprised if a high percentage of short cruises get canine patrols. The same with school break cruises.”

Another said, “I was on the Celebration the week of July 4th and there was a dog on board the entire time.”

This doesn’t mean every cruise ship has a K9 on patrol, though some have speculated that some ships might even have two K9s. If a K9 is walking a certain hallway repeatedly, it’s probably because someone reported the use of drugs or possibly smelled it from their balcony.

Another guest who has sailed Carnival 25 times said they rarely see service dogs: “I think there is a K9 on most or all cruises but they only come out when something has been reported and need to search.”

Keeping Little Hands Away from Service Dogs

The Carnival cruiser’s biggest worry was her almost-two-year-old. He’d already gotten to pet a “chief dog officer” on a previous Royal Caribbean sailing, so the idea of seeing a dog he couldn’t touch could easily turn into a meltdown.

Parents in the thread jumped in with practical advice. One wrote, “Many dogs have important jobs – drug dogs, seeing eye dogs, etc. It is probably a good idea as a parent to model how to behave around a working dog. Your child is going to see a lot of dogs that they can not pet.”

As a good rule of thumb, if a dog is wearing a vest, you probably should leave it alone and let it do its job. And it’s probably a good idea to teach a child not to be in the habit of walking right up to any dog he sees in the first place.

Bottom Line

Depending on your sailing, port of embarkation, and time of year, you may not ever see a service dog in action on your cruise. But if you do see one, it’s only meant to keep everyone safe and to keep the cruise line’s rules in check.

Carnival’s own policy states, “Carnival may deny boarding or disembark any Guest who brings or attempts to bring marijuana, cannabis or any cannabis derivative or any illegal substance on board.” This could lead to a ban from the cruise line, so don’t even flirt with the idea of breaking this rule.

And if you’re sailing with little ones who love dogs, a quick conversation about working animals before you leave home can save a lot of drama once on the ship. After all, the best kind of cruise is a drama-free cruise.

A brand-new, $80 million cruise dock in Whittier, Alaska has been declared a total loss following a devastating fire on September 14, 2026.

The building of the dock which was co-funded by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and used primarily by the cruise company’s brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Oceania Cruises.

Passengers on Norwegian Jade had a front row seat to the devastating fire which the crew of the ship bravely fought until the vessel had to pull away from the pier for the safety of everyone on board.

It was later discovered that there were no working hydrants on the dock.

The disaster leaves NCL and its sister lines searching for alternatives in Southcentral Alaska. 

It should be noted that other cruise lines like Princess Cruises and Holland America utilize a different dock in Whittier and should be unaffected by this news.

Barbara Clark Mackessy was sailing on Norwegian Jade at the time of the fire and was kind enough to allow Cruise Fever to share these photos and videos with our audience.

What Happened in Whittier

The fire broke out on the catamaran Klondike Express late Monday morning which was also docked along the pier at the Chugach Glacier Gateway Terminal.

Emergency response teams spent more than 13 hours fighting the blaze before finally extinguishing it early Tuesday morning. The Alaska State Fire Marshal’s Office declared the entire wooden and composite pier structure a complete write-off.

No injuries were reported among passengers, crew, or emergency responders, and an exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Because there were no working hydrants at the new terminal site, local firefighters from the area had to set up water shuttles. Trucks made 10-minute loops back and forth to a working hydrant in town, hauling an estimated 161,000 gallons of water to put out the fire.

A Major Blow for Norwegian Cruise Line

The timing isn’t great for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH). The terminal was a joint venture between NCLH and the Huna Totem Corporation, and it just opened in September 2024.

So, just two years after being completed, the entire dock is unusable.

What About Other Ships in Whittier?

Princess Cruises and Holland America Line are the two other cruise lines that visit Whittier, Alaska most often. But since both cruise lines dock in the older city-owned pier on the other side of the harbor, cruise itineraries should not be impacted.

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises run their Alaska sailings to the port of Seward in this area, about 90 miles south of Whittier (35 miles by water), so their itineraries remain unaffected as well.

What Happens Next?

During the fire, Norwegian Cruise Line managed to immediately move Norwegian Jade to another berth in Whittier (Whittier Alaska Cruise Ship Terminal 1) to get guests that were on shore back onto the ship.

The terminal used by Princess Cruises and Holland America Line is a little more than half a mile away.

Looking ahead, NCL faces another rebuilding process before the start of the next full Alaska cruise season. In the meantime, the cruise line will likely need to negotiate access to existing facilities in Whittier and Seward to keep its itineraries mostly unchanged.

Italian authorities charged 13 cruise passengers after a late-night fight broke out aboard one of Costa Cruises’ largest ships, Costa Smeralda. Video footage of the fight can be seen below.

The incident took place as the ship sailed on a 7-night cruise out of Sicily, Italy. At the time of the fight the vessel was between Naples and Palermo.

Reports from Italian media, including Napolitoday and Il Fatto Quotidiano, say the trouble all began near the ship’s nightclub.

A group of young men from the Salento area, who had boarded in Civitavecchia, got into an argument with a group of Sicilians who joined the ship in Palermo.

Apparently, what started the whole altercation was a comment directed toward a young woman which one of the young men didn’t appreciate.

And as you can see in the video below, it didn’t take long for things to turn physical.

Punches and kicks were thrown, and chairs, tables and other items from the club area flew during the fight. It then spilled into passenger hallways and the elevator lobby.

One young man who was already on the floor and unresponsive was kicked in the head before crew and security managed to break it up.

Ship staff contacted authorities. When Costa Smeralda docked in Palermo, officers from the Maritime Border Police boarded the vessel.

They reviewed the ship’s security camera footage, pieced together the sequence of events and identified those involved.

The 13 passengers were all between 18 and 20 years old. They were charged with aggravated brawling (rissa aggravate in Italian) and referred to the Palermo prosecutor’s office.

Contrary to previous reports on this story, the 13 young men were not arrested. After being charged, they were processed and released pending further legal proceedings.

An injured passenger was taken to a local hospital and fortunately doctors found the injuries were not serious and ruled out any life-threatening conditions.

Local Facebook page PalermoinDiretta, a Palermo news and video outlet, shared footage of the fight.

Costa Smeralda is a large Excellence-class ship that carries more than 5,200 guests at double occupancy and up to about 6,500 at full capacity.

No official comment from Costa Cruises has been released so far, and we don’t know how much alcohol played a role in the incident just yet.

The Royal Canadian Air Force, specifically the 19 Wing Comox, has been busy off the British Columbia coast lately.

In just six days, the same search-and-rescue crews have completed three separate medical evacuations from cruise ships sailing Alaska itineraries.

The first two airlifts were made on Disney Wonder and Celebrity Solstice. This time, a Royal Caribbean ship was in need.

On September 14, crews from the RCAF’s 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron responded to a passenger in medical distress aboard Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas while the ship was on its second day of a 7-day cruise from Vancouver.

The ship was about 280 miles northwest of Port Hardy when a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and a CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft were sent to the 2,143-passenger vessel.

Once the helicopter was on scene, two search-and-rescue technicians were lowered to the deck, secured the patient, and lifted them aboard.

Video footage of the medevac was released by the 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron that you can see here at Chek News.

The passenger was then flown to Port Hardy and transferred to waiting paramedics.

This was the third cruise ship operation in less than a week for the crew. On September 12, the same squadron airlifted a passenger in medical distress from the Celebrity Solstice, which was sailing about 124 miles northwest of Port Hardy.

Just four days earlier, on September 8, crews rescued an injured crew member from the Disney Wonder in the same general area.

While we don’t know the extent of the medical situations involved in each of these three cases, we at Cruise Fever are grateful for the readiness of the 442 Squadron.

In each case the team acted quickly, and the Royal Canadian Air Force definitely deserves recognition for their efforts.

Why Cruise Travel Insurance Matters

While we’re thankful that medevacs can save someone’s life when out at sea, these types of operations are not cheap. Helicopter rescues at sea can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars depending on distance, weather, and other complications.

Without the right cruise travel insurance that specifically covers emergency medical evacuation and medical expenses, passengers can be left with a massive bill. Even if you’re going on a budget cruise and feel you don’t need insurance to cover it, situations like this (which are always unplanned) can make all the difference.

Comprehensive cruise insurance that includes medevac coverage not only provides financial protection , but it also just gives you some peace of mind in case you ever end up needing to be airlifted from a cruise ship.

That way, you can focus on just enjoying the cruise. We sincerely hope that in each of these cases the airlifted passengers are doing ok.

MSC Cruises has announced that one of its cruise ships, MSC Euribia, will sail seven-night cruises to the Canary Islands in the winter of 2027-2028.

These new cruises will give guests the opportunity to explore six distinctive island destinations and to enjoy winter sunshine.

MSC Euribia will offer 7-night cruises in the Canary Islands and Madeira, with four embarkation ports for guests to choose from. Guests can choose to embark from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Funchal, Arrecife, or Santa Cruz de La Palma.

The cruise ship is one of the most advanced ships in the fleet and is powered by LNG. It features a range of technologies designed to support lower-emission operations, including shore power connectivity, advanced wastewater treatment systems, comprehensive waste management capabilities, and energy-efficiency technologies that help optimize fuel consumption and reduce emissions.

7-Night Cruises to the Canary Islands

Guests will be able to explore the historic streets and lively waterfront of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the golden beaches and turquoise water of Fuerteventura, the vibrant port of Funchal in Madeira, the distinctive landscapes of Lanzarote and the lively island capital of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The cruises will also have one sea day.

The deployment reflects the continued popularity of winter cruises in the Canary Islands, where a warm climate, varied destinations and convenient embarkation options make the program attractive to guests from across Europe and other parts of the world.

As one of the newest ships in the MSC Cruises fleet, MSC Euribia will bring an even broader choice of dining, entertainment and onboard experiences to the region, complementing the well-established itinerary that has made the program a success.

Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, gave the following statement:

“The Canary Islands are an important part of our winter offering and a program that our guests continue to value highly. Deploying MSC Euribia for winter 2027-28 is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the region and to the continued development of this popular program.”

Because MSC Euribia will now sail to the Canary Islands, MSC Fantasia will operate Euribia’s current seven-night cruises to the Western Mediterranean during the winter of 2027-2028.

The cruise ship will sail from Barcelona, Spain, and visit Marseille, Genoa, Naples, Palermo, and La Goulette.

Bookings for these new cruises on both ships will open for sale on September 28, 2026.

When you’re on a cruise ship, the last thing you want to see is a fire. For passengers on Norwegian Jade, the view and smell of smoke was a little too close for comfort as the 2,400-guest ship was docked in Whittier, Alaska.

But the brave crew of Norwegian Jade stepped up and helped firefighters tackle the blaze as it spread across the dock from the tour boat that caught fire.

Several dramatic videos of the incident have been posted on social media, showing just how close the fire was before the ship had to leave the dock and use a different terminal.

The videos also show the heroic crew, stepping in to beat back the flames that persisted for about 45 minutes.

Barbara Mackessy shot several videos of the fire, showing the intensity of the flames and the crew spraying water across the deck to stop the spread.

Other videos also emerged of the crew fighting the fire before the ship pulled away from the dock.

Quick Action on the Upper Decks

The emergency broke out around 11:00 AM on September 14 when a fire erupted aboard the Klondike Express, a tour boat moored along the waterfront right next to the Norwegian Jade.

As the flames jumped from the tour boat onto the wooden pier of the Chugach Glacier Gateway Cruise Terminal, heavy black smoke began rolling directly toward the ship.

But rather than just standing by, members of the Norwegian Jade crew acted immediately. Equipped with high-powered marine fire hoses and deck monitors, crew members aimed heavy streams of water down onto the dock from the upper decks.

By soaking the pier and creating a protective water barrier, the crew fought back the flames, slowing the fire’s spread during the crucial first minutes before land-based crews could arrive.

Moving to Safety

Because the fire was right against the hull, the captain safely pulled the 93,500-ton vessel away from the pier and moved it into open water across the bay.

Whittier Fire, Girdwood Fire and Rescue, Anchorage Fire, and the U.S. Coast Guard soon took over to fully extinguish the remaining flames.

A social media post from The Anchorage Fire Department stated that there were no working hydrants in the area at the time of the fire and that ” an engine and three tenders [operated] in tandem to move 112,000 gallons of water”.

Some online wondered why the relatively new $80 million dock didn’t have any operable hydrants.

Zero Damage and No Injuries

Despite how dramatic the whole thing looked, the crew’s quick thinking paid off. The Norwegian Jade suffered no damage, and no injuries were reported among the passengers, crew, or ground personnel.

Once the harbor was secured, the ship was able to dock at Whittier’s secondary terminal and allow passengers who were still in port to be able to get back on the ship.

On behalf of Cruise Fever: hats off to the brave crew of Norwegian Jade for stepping up and keeping everyone safe.

New cruise ships and existing ships are coming to PortMiami next year, and this list breaks down what cruisers near the “Cruise Capital of the World” can expect from the new arrivals.

2027 is going to be an interesting year. Not only is the largest ship in the world coming to the port, but a total of five cruise lines will be represented in the vessels that will call PortMiami home.

Six cruise ships that aren’t currently sailing from Miami will begin trickling in over the course of the year. Three of them are brand-new vessels making their debut, while the other four are existing ships moving over from other homeports.

Here’s the full rundown of what’s coming.

Hero of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s fourth Icon-class ship is headed straight to Miami.  

Hero of the Seas is scheduled to debut in August 2027 and will sail 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, including stops at Perfect Day CocoCay.

The ship will basically take over the Saturday slot that Icon of the Seas currently holds (Icon is currently in PortMiami but moves to Galveston later in the fall of 2027).

The first block for Royal Caribbean’s fifth Icon-class ship was just laid down this week at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, and that ship is expected to be completed in 2028.

Norwegian Aura

Norwegian Cruise Line’s next (and largest) Prima Plus-class ship will also call Miami home in 2027. Just today NCL announced a new 45-minute production that will feature on Aura called “Whitney: A Celebration of Whitney Houston”.

Norwegian Aura debuts in Europe in late May in 2027 before crossing the Atlantic and settling into PortMiami starting in June after a 13-night transatlantic sailing.

From Miami she’ll sail 7-night Caribbean itineraries, beginning with Eastern Caribbean routes and later moving to some Western Caribbean options.

It will be the biggest ship in the Norwegian fleet so far at 172,000 gross tons in space. But the cruise has an even larger class in the works which will be around 227,000 GT and accommodate 5,000 passengers.

Beachcomber

This is a big one for the relatively young Margaritaville at Sea cruise line. And while it’s technically not a brand-new vessel itself, it’s brand new to the cruise line and has received a ton of updates after the transfer from Costa Cruises and 12-week dry dock.

The newly debuted Beachcomber will begin year-round sailings from PortMiami in January 2027.

It’s the largest ship in the Margaritaville at Sea  fleet and will offer mostly 4- to 8-night itineraries to the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, with some Western Caribbean and Bahamas options mixed in as well.

Until now, Margaritaville has operated out of Palm Beach and Tampa. So, PortMiami is a major step for the cruise line, and I’m excited to see how it’s received in the Miami market.

Below are the existing cruise ships that will be moving from another homeport to Miami in 2027:

Carnival Venezia

Carnival is bringing its “Fun Italian Style” ship to Miami as well.

Starting in May 2027, Carnival Venezia will homeport at PortMiami through at least April 2028, offering 6- and 8-day Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean cruises.

This ship has been more familiar to New York and Port Canaveral residents, so the move to PortMiami will offer Italian style to a new market.

MSC Seashore

MSC Seashore was the first Seaside EVO-class ship with MSC and is going to be moving from Port Canaveral to Miami for the winter of 2027–28.

She arrives in early to mid-November 2027 and will sail a mix of 6- to 9-night Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries, including stops at the cruise line’s private island, Ocean Cay.

According to the ship’s current schedule, Seashore will be in Miami until March 2028 when the vessel will take a transatlantic voyage to Europe and begin offering Mediterranean sailings.

Allure of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s second Oasis-class vessel,  Allure of the Seas, is also making the move south in November 2027.

After spending most of 2026 (and part of 2027) sailing from Fort Lauderdale, the Oasis-class ship will move to PortMiami for 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.

She’s finally amplified, so passengers can expect the full Oasis-class experience with the latest upgrades.

Two Ships Heading to Miami Soon

A couple of ships will actually start sailing from PortMiami later this year (November 2026) and will already be based there when 2027 begins:

• Independence of the Seas (repositioning from Cape Liberty)
• Celebrity Xcel (new Edge-class ship arriving from Europe)

Holland America Line will begin to roll out a new Morimoto by Sea menu this month that includes new dishes and enhanced favorites.

The cruise line also announced that Chef Morimoto, Holland America Line’s Global Fresh Fish Ambassador, will sail with guests to Alaska on Nieuw Amsterdam’s May 8, 2027 sailing.

The refreshed menu builds on Chef Morimoto’s signature Japanese-inspired cuisine while continuing to showcase his passion for fresh fish and high-quality ingredients.

Among the additions are Chef Morimoto’s Shokupan Bread Service, Tan Tan Noodles, Miso Lamb Chop and Lobster Miso Soup, along with an updated Morimoto Sushi Mori inspired by the popular pop-up experience.

The dining experience will begin with Chef Morimoto’s Shokupan Bread Service and a selection of new and returning appetizers.

New appetizers include Popcorn Shrimp with Morimoto-style gochujang, Vegetable Wonton with Asian sesame garlic chili sauce, and Lobster Miso Soup with white miso broth. Returning favorites include Pork Gyoza, Taco Two Ways, and Sticky Ribs.

New main dishes include Tan Tan Noodles served in a red curry broth with miso-infused ground chicken; Miso Lamb Chop with kombu-braised daikon and gochujang-infused lamb jus; and Butter Poached Lobster Tail with warm yuzu butter. Returning favorites include Japanese Curry and Morimoto Buri-Bop, Chef Morimoto’s iconic dish from “Iron Chef Japan.”

An updated Morimoto Sushi Mori will round out the new menu.

So when will this new menu roll out? It will start with the Morimoto by Sea standalone restaurant on Nieuw Amsterdam this fall.

It will then be rolled out as part of the pop-up experience on the rest of the fleet by mid-November.

Michael Stendebach, vice president of food, beverage and rooms division for Holland America Line, said the following:

“Chef Morimoto is one of the most celebrated chefs in the world, and his culinary influence continues to bring something truly distinctive to Holland America Line. This refreshed menu brings his signature Japanese-inspired approach to new dishes, and we’re excited he will be able to share his passion for our Global Fresh Fish Program in person with guests aboard Nieuw Amsterdam in 2027.”