Posts in category: Diplomacy

Carnival Cruise Line is doing a complete overhaul of the rewards program, and a big deadline is coming up.  

As the cruise line prepares to transition from the VIFP Club to the new Carnival Rewards program on September 1, 2026, members are being reminded that their status will not move over automatically.

Don’t Forget to “Enroll & Accept”

The message appearing in emails going out to VIFP members and on member dashboards says this:

“Dont forget to ‘Enroll & Accept’ new Carnival Rewards to carry over your VIFP status.”

Because the new program involves updated legal terms and privacy policies, Carnival cannot transfer your loyalty history without your explicit permission.  So yes, you still have to “opt in” so to speak.

According to the notice, if you do not take action by the September 1, 2026 launch date, your VIFP status and accumulated days sailed will not carry over to the new system.

It’s still about four months out, so it looks like Carnival is trying to get as many people as possible to enroll while it’s still early.  They must know that some of us cruisers love the last minute, and not just when it comes to finding cruise deals.

For those who haven’t received the email yet, the option to “Enroll & Accept” is also available by logging into your account at Carnival.com.

As soon as I logged in, I saw a banner at the top of the screen with a link that took me to the page where I could read the Terms and Conditions and enroll.

What Is Carnival Rewards?

Starting this September, the loyalty program is shifting to a system where rewards are tied to spending rather than just nights at sea.  There was some major pushback from loyal cruisers when the program first rolled out, but the old system was simply not sustainable as more guests climbed the loyalty ladder.

The new system offers a few paths to getting those beloved cruise perks, but the main driver is money spent.

You will earn two different things simultaneously:

• Status Qualifying Stars: These determine your loyalty level (Gold, Platinum, etc.). You earn 3 Stars for every $1 spent on cruise fares and onboard purchases.
• Carnival Rewards Points: These are a “spendable” currency. You earn 3 Points for every $1 spent, which can be redeemed for onboard treats like specialty dining, spa treatments, or shore excursions.

Why Cruisers Should Act Now

Taking a moment to click “Enroll & Accept” does more than just move your name over. It also locks in several protections:

• The 2-Year Status Floor: Carnival has confirmed that for the first two years of the new program (through December 31, 2028), your “guaranteed minimum status level” will match your VIFP status as of August 31, 2026.
• Lifetime Diamond Status: In a major win for the truly devoted Carnival cruisers, anyone who hits Diamond status by August 31, 2026, will be granted Lifetime Diamond status in the new program and will never have to worry about requalifying.
• The Summer 2026 Window: Carnival intentionally moved the launch date to September 1 to “let your Summer 2026 cruises count toward your final VIFP Club status.” This makes any sailing between now and the end of August the final opportunity to reach a higher tier under the traditional “days-sailed” rules.

The Bottom Line

If you want to keep your hard-earned perks and make sure your sea days are counted, check your inbox or log in to your Carnival account. As the alert says, you are just “one click away” from making sure your loyalty history doesn’t wash away with the tide.  After just enrolling myself, I can confirm it really is just one click.

You can check out CarnivalRewards.com for more information on the program.

A Dutch-owned expedition ship at about half its total capacity is being held off the coast of Cape Verde after three passengers died and at least four others became ill in a suspected hantavirus outbreak.

Reports on this story have been flooding social media and news outlets, and while the cruise line in question isn’t one we typically cover, it’s important that cruisers know what’s actually going on.

MV Hondius is a 170-passenger Polar Class 6 expedition ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, which is headquartered in the Netherlands.

The 6,000-gross-ton ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, for what was scheduled to be a multi-week sailing across the Atlantic.

The voyage included stops in Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and other South Atlantic islands before its scheduled arrival in Praia, Cape Verde, on May 4.

But instead of a normal end to the cruise for the 88 passengers on board, the ship is now essentially in a waiting game in open waters near Praia.

Cape Verde authorities have refused docking as a precautionary measure to protect the local population under international health regulations. This is not uncommon and we saw this happen a lot during the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic when ships were delayed in disembarking passengers due to outbreaks onboard.

The ship’s passengers, along with 61 crew members, are now waiting for help as talks of possible evacuations are ongoing.

Current Situation (as of May 5, 2026)

• Three Confirmed Deaths: A Dutch husband and wife, plus a German national. The first victim, a 70-year-old Dutch man, passed away on April 11. His body was disembarked at Saint Helena on April 24. His wife passed away in a South African hospital on April 26.
• Seven Total Cases: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are two laboratory-confirmed hantavirus infections and five suspected cases. This includes a 69-year-old British passenger currently in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• Medical Emergencies: Two crew members (one British and one Dutch) with acute respiratory symptoms remain on board and require urgent medical care. The body of the German passenger, who passed away on May 2, is still on the vessel awaiting transport.

Understanding the Hantavirus Risk

Hantavirus is a rare, rodent-borne virus typically spread through contact with infected urine, droppings, or saliva. It causes severe respiratory problems and is not usually transmitted between people. 

However, the WHO issued an update this morning stating they cannot rule out human-to-human transmission in this specific case.

Authorities suspect a strain known as the Andes virus, which can spread between close contacts.

The risk to the general public still remains very low. Exposure most likely occurred during shore excursions earlier in the voyage, given the virus’s long incubation period of up to eight weeks.

Oceanwide Expeditions reports that passengers and crew are calm and cooperating with isolation measures.  In this case isolation includes a strict cabin-only lockdown and “maximal physical distancing” as the crew continue with deep cleaning efforts all around the ship.

The company is working with Dutch authorities, the WHO, and other international partners to arrange medical evacuations as well.

The ship is expected to reroute to Spain’s Canary Islands (likely Las Palmas or Tenerife), which offer better medical facilities.

A Half-Full Ship

Hondius, built in 2019, is a modern ice-strengthened vessel designed for small-group expeditions. This sailing was only about half full, which has helped with isolation and response efforts.

This is an extremely rare incident, as hantavirus outbreaks on ships are highly unusual. The story is developing rapidly with new information coming in every few minutes.

Health authorities are still testing, contact tracing, and making plans to get passengers and crew back to their 23 different countries, including 17 Americans, 19 British nationals, and four Canadians.

Cruise Fever will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as this story develops.

Oceania Cruises announced plans to take Oceania Nautica and reimagine the cruise ship for longer journeys. The ship will also be renamed Oceania Aurelia when it begins to sail under its new name in late 2027.

Oceania Aurelia will be the ideal home for longer, more immersive cruises. The ship will sail the cruise line’s 2028 and 2029 World Voyages as well as a series of Grand Voyages.

The transformation is part of Oceania’s OceaniaNEXT program, an initiative to continually enhance the guest experience.

The ship carries less than 500 guests and 400 officers and crew. This allows it to offer a true home at sea where travelers will find sophisticated, inviting spaces to relax, connect and unwind as they sail around the globe.

Luxurious suites with dedicated butler service will define the onboard experience. 179 of the cruise ship’s 238 accommodations are designed as spacious suites. Most of them exceed 300 square feet with some offering as much as to 1,000 square feet of space.

The collection of suites includes beautifully remastered Owner’s, Vista and Penthouse Suites, plus new additions: Oceania Suites, Horizon Suites as well as a selection of Oceanview and Inside Suites, offering an array of options.

Each accommodation is meticulously appointed with thoughtful amenities that create the feel of a private residence, designed for ultimate comfort during longer cruises.

Oceania Aurelia will keep with the cruise line’s commitment of serving The Finest Cuisine at Sea. The Grand Dining Room, Polo Grill, Toscana, Terrace Café, and Waves Grill will have menus that reflect the regions being visited on the cruise.

The new Founders Bar will also be added to the ship.

Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer of Oceania Cruises, gave the following statement:

“Oceania Aurelia is our ultimate world explorer. She is designed specifically for guests who desire greater space, more suites and a deeper level of personalized care, particularly for extended journeys. Oceania Aurelia will be a smaller, more club-like ship that truly feels like a home at sea, providing travelers a deeper connection to the ports they visit.”

MSC Cruises has opened for bookings their 2028 cruises to the Caribbean that include the first visits to their new island in The Bahamas, Sandy Cay.

MSC Cruises will have six ships sailing to the Caribbean in 2028 from four different cruise ports. The cruise line will also have two World class ships sailing from the U.S., MSC World America and MSC World Atlantic.

The 2028 cruises will be among the first to visit Sandy Cay, the cruise line’s new luxury private island retreat off the coast of Ocean Cay.

Sandy Cay will be defined by its pristine aragonite sands, which are among the purest and brightest in the world. The island will offer an intimate, elevated and immersive experience.

Here is a look at the new 2028 cruises that were just announced by MSC Cruises.

Cruises from Miami

MSC World America will sail seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from the Cruise Capital of the World, PortMiami. Sailings to the Eastern Caribbean will visit Puerto Plata, San Jun and Ocean Cay. Cruises to the Western Caribbean will visit Roatan, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Ocean Cay.

MSC Seaside will offer the shorter three- and four-night cruises. Both sailings will visit Nassau and Ocean Cay with select four-night cruises offering an overnight stay at Ocean Cay.

Cruises from Port Canaveral

MSC World Atlantic will offer seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral. The sailings to the Eastern Caribbean will visit Grand Turk, Puerto Plata, Nassau, and Ocean Cay. Cruises to the Western Caribbean will stop at Costa Maya, Cozumel, Nassau, and Ocean Cay.

MSC Grandiosa will sail short three- and four-night cruises that visit Ocean Cay and Nassau. A few of the four-night sailings will have an overnight stay at Ocean Cay.

Cruises from Galveston

MSC Seascape will sail week-long cruises to the Western Caribbean from Texas with port stops in Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Roatan.

Cruises from La Romana

MSC Opera will homeport in La Romana offering seven-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean. MSC Cruises said that they will release more details on this cruises soon.

Over 700,000 people take a cruise every week, according to the latest data from CLIA.  While this style of vacationing allows you to unpack once and see the world, a good portion of these passengers forget things in their cabin.

In fact, recent surveys have shown 21% of cruisers have left something on the ship before.

It happens on just about every sailing. Whether it’s a cheap pair of flip-flops or an expensive pair of sunglasses, in the rush to get off the ship and back to reality, we forget stuff.

Common Things Left Behind

Phone chargers top the list since they’re usually still plugged in by the bed, behind the TV, or hidden next to a towel animal.

Sunglasses come in a close second, constantly left on deck chairs, poolside, bars, or balconies. Passports and ID cards cause the biggest panic when spotted missing at the gangway, while cruise cards are frequently dropped in lounges, bars, or left in the cabin door slot.

Other regulars include jewelry (earrings, watches, and fitness trackers left on bathroom counters or removed before swimming), single shoes or flip-flops, books and Kindles abandoned on loungers, hats and caps that blow away or get left on tables, and clothing such as swimsuits, jackets, or items forgotten in the self-service laundry.

There’s Still Hope

Fortunately, cruise lines have a plan for this.  And while it’s not a 100% foolproof way to get your stuff back, it’s the best shot you have.

Most major cruise lines use a service called Chargerback, which acts like a digital lost-and-found bin.

If you’ve left something behind, here are some simple rules for the next steps you should take.

• Act Fast: Most cruise lines only hold “non-valuable” items (like clothes) for about 7 to 30 days before they are donated or discarded.
• Be Specific: “Black camera” won’t help. “Black Sony Alpha with a scratched lens cap and a 64GB SanDisk card” will.
• Expect to Pay: If they find it, you’ll be on the hook for the shipping costs. Think of it as a “convenience tax” for getting your stuff back.

Where to File Your Report for Each Cruise Line

Below, we listed eight major cruise lines with links to the forms each company uses for those left-behind items.  Be prepared with your ship name and exact cruise dates along with your booking reservation #, item description, and all of your contact info.

Carnival Cruise Line: Lost and Found Form

Carnival is very efficient with their lost and found. They use Chargerback to manage the thousands of items left behind on their “Fun Ships.”

• Policy: Items are logged and held at a central warehouse after the ship returns to its home port.
• The Form: Carnival Lost and Found

Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruises: Reporting Lost Items

Since these two are sister lines, they share a similar backend system. They are great about tracking high-value electronics and jewelry.

Disney Cruise Line: Recovery Links & Policy

In true Disney fashion, they try to make the “lost” experience as painless as possible. However, they have a strict “no-hold” policy for things like food, medications, or soiled clothing for hygiene reasons. 

Disney uses Chargerback as well which provides a lost item report number and sends periodic updates.

• Policy: If it’s a “no-hold” item, it’s disposed of immediately. Everything else goes into the system.
• The Form: Disney Lost and Found

Princess Cruises Form for Lost Items

Princess uses the same Chargerback portal. Be sure to have your booking number and stateroom handy, as they use these to verify that you were actually in the room where the item was found.

Princess also states on their form that “items that have been in close bodily contact such as hearing aids, dental items, toothbrushes, etc.” will not be processed by the return system.

Norwegian Cruise Line: Lost and Found

NCL does things a little differently. Instead of Chargerback, they use a site called Lost and Found Site. The website states that the standard response time is 10 business days.

Virgin Voyages Form for Lost Items

Virgin keeps it simple for their “Sailors.” If you left something behind on the Scarlet Lady or her sister ships, they use a customized version of the Lost Returns system.

You start by selecting your ship, whether it was lost while on sea or dry land, and then you can report a missing item and check on its status in the same area.

MSC Cruises Lost and Found Form

MSC is the world’s largest privately-owned cruise line, and they manage their lost and found through a dedicated portal for their North American and global fleets.

You’ll notice only a handful of ships on the lost and found page.  That’s because these are US-based sailings so the ships shown will change as ships move around.

Once you select the ship on which you lost your item, you can submit your report.

One Final Tip: Check the Terminal

If you think you dropped your item after you got off the ship (like in the security line or the luggage hall), the cruise line probably doesn’t have it.

In that case, you need to contact the Port Authority of the specific city where you disembarked. They manage their own lost and found separate from the cruise ships.

Holland America Line has announced two new Grand Voyages that will set sail in 2028 that are promising to be two of the most unique roundtrip cruises from the U.S. the cruise line has ever offered.

The two 2028 Grand Voyages will visit bucket-list destinations all around the world. Both cruises will leave and return to the same U.S. port, one from Florida and the other from California. This gives cruisers the option to visit incredible ports all around the world without having to get on an airplane.

Here is a look at these two new incredible cruises from Holland America Line.

2028 Grand World Voyage

The 2028 Grand World Voyage on Volendam will depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 4, 2028, and return to the same port 129 days later. The cruise will visit 45 ports in 26 countries across six continents.

After visiting the Caribbean, the cruise ship will head to South America before a four-day experience in Antarctica.

Volendam will then sail north through the Beagle Channel, Glacier Alley and the Chilean Fjords before crossing the equator and calling at Easter Island.

The incredible cruise continues as the ship visits the South Pacific, including visits to Bora Bora and the French Polynesia.

After eight days and six visits to ports in New Zealand, the ship will head to Australia, Indonesia, Singapore and Sri Lanka before rounding the Cape of Good Hope.

The 2028 Grand Voyage will conclude with a trip across the Atlantic Ocean and a visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico. In total, the cruise will visit 31 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Taj Mahal in India.

Highlights of the cruise include:

• Four-day Antarctic Experience
• Eight days and six ports in New Zealand
• 65 hours in Cape Town, South Africa
• Two equator crossings
• Sail-past of Null Island
• 16 Mariners’ Collection ports, only available on Grand Voyages

Guests who book the 2028 Grand World Voyage by June 14, 2027, are eligible for up to $10,700 in early booking benefits per stateroom, including up to $2,500 in onboard credit, a $500 air credit per person when booked through Flight Ease, complimentary Wi-Fi and additional savings. You can view the best prices on cruise on Holland America Line here.

2028 Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage

This 90-day roundtrip cruise on Zaandam from San Diego, California will depart on January 30, 2028. It will visit 41 ports in 12 countries across two continents.

After leaving San Diego, the ship will head to Hawaii and the South Pacific before crossing the International Date Line.

Zaandam will then visit New Zealand, Australia, Melanesia, Fiji, Samoa and the French Polynesia before heading back to San Diego. The visit to the French Polynesia will include an extended evening stay in Bora Bora.

The cruise will feature the following overnight port visits:

• Hobart
• Sydney
• Cairns
• Fremantle (Perth)
• Auckland
• Papeete

In total, the cruise will visit 13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites including, the Great Barrier Reef and New Zealand’s Tongariro National Park.

Guests booking the 2028 Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage can receive up to $8,500 in early booking benefits.

Beth Bodensteiner, president of Holland America Line, gave the following statement about these two new Grand Voyages:

“What makes our Grand Voyage itineraries special is the opportunity to experience destinations more fully while visiting rare Mariners’ Collection ports exclusive to these cruises.

“In direct response to our guests, the 2028 Grand Voyages are anchored by truly unforgettable moments, from exploring Antarctica and crossing the globe on the Grand World Voyage to sailing past Null Island, where the Prime Meridian and the Equator meet at zero, and calling at legendary destinations like Easter Island and Bora Bora.”