Posts in category: Diplomacy

A Carnival cruise ship has returned to service after spending a month in dry dock where the vessel not only received a refresh, but also new entertainment and Carnival Cruise Line’s signature livery.

Carnival Encounter is back in Queensland after receiving much needed maintenance and upgrades. All five pool areas on the ship have been revitalized and all seven hot tubs have been replaced.

Two brand-new shows have been added to the ship, Rock Revolution: Summer of 69 and Broadway Beats.

Rock Revolution: Summer of 69 is a live rock concert-style show celebrating the iconic sounds and styles of 1969, featuring cutting-edge technology, a kaleidoscope of contemporary and commercial dance by our Playlist Performers along with live music from our onboard Rock Band.

Broadway Beats is a journey through New York featuring famous show tunes reimagined and infused with modern electronic beats. Larger than life set pieces and cutting-edge media will transport audiences through New York neighborhoods.

For kids, Seuss-a-Palooza Story Time – Green Eggs & Ham will allow them to experience Dr. Seuss books like never before.

Carnival’s signature livery was added to the ship to help it match the rest of the fleet. The ship is one of two that came over when Carnival Corporation merged P&O Australia into Carnival Cruise Line.

The ship now has a Cloud 9 Spa Thermal Suite with heated thermal lounges, saunas and steam baths.

Carnival Encounter also received behind the scenes upgrades. They include the galleys, laundry and cold rooms.

Anton Loeb, Carnival Cruise Line Assistant Vice President Sales and Marketing, said the following:

“We are excited to be offering Queenslanders a whole new spa experience and fresh fun onboard the only cruise ship sailing year-round from Brisbane. Carnival Encounter provides a great value holiday at sea in autumn, winter, spring or summer.”

Carnival’s Australian Director of Entertainment Jeremy Barnes, added:

“Our entertainment program is going to dazzle and delight our guests with a fantastic blend of fresh new shows and established favorites.”

Carnival Encounter has resumed year-round cruises that visit South Pacific destinations, including Airlie Beach, Great Barrier Reef, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

If you’re tired of fighting traffic in PortMiami on a busy cruise day you’re not alone.  But a new plan is being considered that would give cruise passengers a non-stop train ride from the airport straight to the cruise port.

According to news reports, Miami-Dade transportation officials are reviewing recommendations for a direct, non-stop train connecting Miami International Airport (MIA) and the local cruise port that is getting busier by the year.

While Brightline already provides convenient rail service to a station near PortMiami (about 2 miles), the new proposal would bring cruisers right into the cruise terminal area.

A recent study showed that the train service would help relieve traffic on those hectic weekends when as many as nine or more cruise ships can be sailing in and out of the port in a single day.

Cruise Fever recently reported that Carnival Cruise Line was sending out notices to warn guests about the traffic in Miami.  The letters told cruisers to give themselves extra time when heading to the port on embarkation day, so they didn’t miss their ships.

Cruise Capital of the World

Miami isn’t recognized as the “Cruise Capital of the World” for nothing.

PortMiami welcomed a record 8,564,225 cruise passengers in fiscal year 2025.  This is a 4% jump from the year before and the highest total in the port’s history, even though Port Canaveral barely edged out Miami for the title of “world’s busiest cruise port” for 2025.

Currently, all of those passengers, even the ones that fly to Miami, still have to utilize a car to get to the ship.

Cruise traffic in Miami is expected to keep rising in the years ahead, so city officials are trying to think ahead with this airport to cruise port train idea.

When traffic in PortMiami has been a problem some guests have reportedly even ditched their rides and walked the final stretch, luggage in tow.

A non-stop train could offer a much smoother option for the thousands of passengers who fly into MIA each week before boarding their ships.

What’s Being Considered

Two main options are under review by the city:

• Option 1: Extend the existing MetroMover people-mover track by about 9 miles. It could use the current freight train bridge or the Miami River bridge, but each car would carry only about 50 passengers.
• Option 2: A higher-capacity 10-mile extension of the Metrorail system, which would include building a new bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway.

What About Cost?

The estimated cost is $600 million to $800 million to build, with annual operating expenses of $9 million to $15 million.

The project is still in the early planning stages and would need funding to advance.

But with record passenger numbers at both PortMiami and Port Canaveral, ongoing traffic warnings, and more ships sailing from Miami, many cruise travelers hope this direct rail link moves forward.

Arriving the Day Before

But many are asking how this will benefit cruise travelers when most advise that you arrive the day before the cruise date.  After all, one delayed or canceled flight and you could miss your ship, so planning same-day flights is asking for trouble.

While some still like to book same-day flights and hope for the best, this train route will be most beneficial for those disembarking and needing a quick ride to the airport.  It’s the transit from PortMiami to MIA that will most likely be utilized by cruisers more often, still helping ease that port traffic.

The Uber/Lyft and taxi lines get very crowded in PortMiami.  It’s common to see a row of people looking at their Uber apps and waiting for their rides, and this can take longer than most expect because of the traffic.

Being able to hop right onto a train and head to the airport would be a gamechanger.  But it’s also a fairly long cruise port from the first terminal to the last, so some kind of tram system for even getting to the train station would have to be solved as well.  Either way, it’s a step in the right direction.

A cruise ship with a capacity for over 2,500 passengers is eerily quiet today, as it sits in Abu Dhabi, waiting for the smoke to clear in the Middle East. 

With all the passengers gone, reports are now stating that only 59 crew members are left on board to keep everything operational.

Mein Schiff 4, operated by German-based TUI Cruises, is one of at least six major cruise ships currently trapped in the Persian Gulf. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed to commercial traffic due to regional conflict, these floating resorts have nowhere to go, at least for now.

From 1,000 Crew to Just 59

According to recent reports from Vessel Tracker, TUI Cruises has temporarily reduced the crew on Mein Schiff 4 to a minimum of just 59 people.

For a ship that typically requires over 1,000 crew members to operate at full capacity, this “skeleton crew” equals almost a 95% reduction.   Of course, with no passengers on board many guest-service related jobs on a cruise ship are not currently needed.

Vessel Tracker stated that the ship is currently “temporarily laid up” at the Abu Dhabi cruise port:

“The nautical and technical crew, led by Captain Jan Fortun, remained on board, ready to depart as soon as a safe window for transiting the Strait of Hormuz opens. No one currently knew when this might be.”

Last Ones Left After Repatriation

The 59 crew members remaining on board are the only ones left after a huge evacuation mission took place for all of the passengers and much of the crew.

TUI Group recently confirmed that they have successfully flown thousands of guests and staff out of the high-risk zone using a fleet of charter aircraft.

In an official statement, TUI Group mentioned the sheer scale of the operation:

“In addition to its customers, TUI has also brought home approximately 1,500 crew members of the Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5. Only a small crew has remained on the ships to handle essential tasks until it becomes possible to safely navigate the ships through the Strait of Hormuz..”

TUI also mentioned repatriating almost 10,000 guests “via twelve TUI Airline flights and 26 charter flights organized by TUI”.

The Other Ships

Mein Schiff 4 is not alone in this. As the conflict continues to block the only exit from the Gulf, at least five other major cruise ships remain “trapped” in nearby ports:

• MSC Euribia (Dubai)
• Mein Schiff 5 (Doha)
• Celestyal Discovery (Dubai)
• Celestyal Journey (Doha)
• Aroya Manara (Dubai)

The Path Ahead

The remaining crew members are most likely engineers and deck officers that are tasked with keeping the ship’s critical systems alive so it can leave the region the moment a “safe window” appears.

Also, some crew members likely had to stay behind to help assist in a supporting role and for basic maintenance needs.

TUI has officially canceled Mein Schiff 4’s April 11 repositioning voyage from Cape Town, and while a May 1 departure from Mallorca remains on the schedule for now, it would not be surprising to see it canceled as well

Until the smoke clears, Captain Jan Fortun and his 58 crew remain the only residents on a billion-dollar “ghost ship”.

It might sound like a vacation, but when only a few dozen people are tasked with taking care of a 99,526 gross ton ship, there probably isn’t as much down time as you might think.

When MSC Cruises’ next new ship, MSC World Asia, debuts later this year, it will have an expanded waterpark and redesigned pool concepts.

The Harbour, first introduced on MSC World America, will be reimagined on MSC World Asia. This outdoor destination for families on the top deck will have an expanded aquapark and new interactive spaces.

The cruise ship will have a total of seven swimming pools and 13 hot tubs. The Aqua Deck will also have two designed pool concepts, the Manila Bay pool and Coral Cove pool.

The Harbour on MSC World Asia will have an Asian theme and be a place where parents, children and thrill seekers can come together, eat and play and soak up the sun in a revolutionary outdoor park within the Family Aventura district.

The Harbour will have the following activities:

• Cliffhanger: An over-water swim ride that towers 164 feet above the ocean
• Adventure Trail Ropes Course: A two-level ropes course that spans 6,210 square feet
• The Harbour Aquapark: Waterslides for the entire family
• The Harbour Bar & Bites: Complimentary grab-and-go bites

New on the ship will be The Play Deck. This is an relaxed outdoor space designed for kids of all ages and built to encourage connection and interaction within families. It will combine comfortable seating with simple, playful elements for kids and families to enjoy together.

The Tree of Life @ The Spiral will be the longest dry slide at sea that drops 11 stories from The Harbour down to the World Promenade.

Two New Pool Concepts

Manila Bay & Pearl Lagoon Bar: Crafted for the perfect day, the main pool area will feature the new Manila Bay Pool and Pearl Lagoon Bar. The Manila Bay Pool is designed for guests who want to enjoy a full, active, and fun day under the sun.

From early morning to sunset, the area offers a lively mix of activities and will feature more shade, refreshing amenities and versatile seating than ever before. Guests will enjoy different entertainment throughout the day and new bars positioned to meet guests’ every need as they sunbathe and swim.

Coral Cove & Coral Bar: MSC World Asia’s indoor pool with a retractable glass roof will offer a versatile area that can be used in every type of weather.

The multi-generational space will feature a design inspired by the beauty of the ocean and its vibrant underwater ecosystem. The Coral Cove pool will also feature a poolside bar for guests to enjoy.

MSC World Asia will debut on December 4, 2026 and offer seven-night cruises in the Mediterranean that visit Barcelona, Marseille, Messina, Rome, Naples and Valletta.

Norfolk doesn’t typically see cruise ships staying overnight, but the newest ship in the Oceania Cruises fleet arrived this morning, March 25, 2026, to enjoy the “Mermaid City” for two straight days.

Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center in Norfolk welcomed Oceania Allura, the first ship this spring to dock at the port as a port of call rather than its homeport.

Arriving around 7:00 AM, the 67,817-ton luxury vessel that was just built in 2025, brought more than 1,000 passengers and 800 crew members to the downtown waterfront.

More Time in Port

This visit is a unique “port-of-call” stop for Norfolk, as Oceania Allura will remain docked overnight, giving its passengers two full days to explore all that Norfolk has to offer.

The ship is not scheduled to depart Virginia until March 26 around 5:00 PM EST.

To celebrate the extended stay, Nauticus, Norfolk’s science center and museum, is hosting a Cruise Market Day right on the waterfront.

From 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM today, local artisans, musicians, and food vendors are providing passengers with an authentic taste of Norfolk’s local flavor just steps from the gangway.

The Itinerary

Oceania Allura is currently on a 14-day “Atlantic & Balmy Bermuda” cruise that began in PortMiami on March 21.

Before arriving in Norfolk, the ship made a stop in Charleston, South Carolina. Following its Norfolk visit, the ship will head back out to sea tomorrow and get ready for another overnight stay at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda on March 28 and 29.

The Move to Adult-Only

As Cruise Fever reported back in January, Oceania Cruises officially transitioned to an adults-only fleet on January 7, 2026. This move was made to double down on the “sophistication at sea” and the “serene environment” that loyal cruisers with the cruise line have come to expect.

By going adult-only, Oceania Cruises has joined the ranks of Viking and Virgin Voyages. And for the passengers walking off Oceania Allura today to enjoy Norfolk, that means a relaxing vacation stop and an experience that starts on the ship and carries right onto the Norfolk pier.

Viking, the world’s largest river cruise line, has announced that new sailing dates for river cruises in India in 2027, 2028, and 2029 have opened for bookings.

Viking Brahmaputra will begin sailing on the Brahmaputra River in late 2027, and will be joined by Viking Ganges in 2028.

Both ships will sail between Guwahati and Nimati Ghat in the northeastern state of Assam as part of Viking’s new 15-day itinerary, Wonders of India. In addition to an eight-day river voyage, the itinerary includes a fully-guided land program.

Both ships will have 40 staterooms that can carry up to 80 passengers. They will have the Scandinavian design that Viking is known for. All cabins will have a floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door with a balcony.

The 15-day Wonders of India itinerary will operate roundtrip from Delhi, with hotel stays in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur that bracket an eight-day Brahmaputra River voyage, sailing east or west.

The trip will have 13 included tours and guests will be immersed in India’s cultural treasures. They will have the opportunity to experience as many as 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Guests will delve into the rich history of India’s Golden Triangle, exploring Agra’s fabled Taj Mahal, strolling through Old Delhi’s winding streets and glimpsing Jaipur’s ornate Palace of Winds.

While sailing the Brahmaputra River, guests will see Guwahati’s temple, encounter the thriving villages along its banks, search for the one-horned rhinos and buffalos of Kaziranga National Park and discover the cultures of Majuli, one of the world’s largest river islands.

Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking, said the following about these new cruises:

“Since announcing our new river voyages in India, we have seen strong interest from guests eager to explore this remarkable region. By adding a second ship on the Brahmaputra River in 2028 and opening 2029 departure dates now, we look forward to inviting even more curious travelers to explore India in Viking comfort in the years to come.”

From now through March 31, 2026, Viking is offering North American travelers savings of up to $5,000 per couple, with a $25 deposit, on this Wonders of India itinerary.