Diplomacy

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas was on the last sea day of a 6-day sailing from Port Everglades when the “Man Overboard” call was given on Friday, March 20, 2026.

But after 90 minutes the search operation was called off after it was learned that the whole thing was triggered by a teenage prank.

What Happened

The so called “prank” is no laughing matter, though.  And authorities are not going to treat this lightly.

So, what happened?

According to social media reports, a group of teenagers told a girl’s grandmother that she had fallen over the side of the ship.

On cruise ships, there is no higher priority than a “Man Overboard” situation, so this is not treated lightly.

The grandmother immediately alerted the crew, and that triggered an entire chain of events that impacted everyone on the ship.

The Call Was Given

At about 12:15 PM, the captain issued the “Oscar, Oscar, Oscar” signal over the PA system. This is the universal code for a person in the water, and it signals an immediate “all hands on deck” response for the crew.

The 6,700-passenger cruise ship changed its course near the coast of Cuba, and the next hour and a half was spent conducting the search, contacting the U.S. Coast Guard, and deploying life rings.

One Reddit user was in the buffet area of the ship when it all happened:

“I’m on the ship. It was terrifying. I was in the [Windjammer] when the announcement was made. All the crew ran to the windows to look over. I saw them throw over two life rings. The fun was sucked out of the room. Everyone was sad and concerned. The staff tried to distract everyone by doing a performance. Eventually the captain made the announcement that it was a prank and I was relieved.”

Another Redditor was on board when the captain came on the PA system as well, saying:

“Then a few mins later [the] captain, all out of breath from running, comes on the loud speaker to tell us that someone went overboard and coast guard has been called in. We had to abruptly turn the ship. Everyone felt it. An hour later, captain advised that no one ever fell overboard and some obnoxious kids thought it would be funny to play a prank.”

Because Royal Caribbean took this situation seriously, shows were canceled and pool decks were cleared as every crew member seemed to have a role to play.

Passengers were seen using their phones to zoom in on the ocean surface, hoping to spot a survivor.

The “All Clear”

Passengers described the environment as tense on the ship, but at 1:45 PM the captain gave the update.

The missing girl had been found safe and sound on the ship. The captain also informed the passengers that the entire event had been a “joke” played by a group of children.

While the ship was eventually cleared to continue its trip back to Fort Lauderdale, the “prank” left a sour taste in the minds of cruisers on board.

A Costly “Joke”

While the “missing” girl was eventually found safe on board about 90 minutes later, the “all-clear” announcement didn’t exactly bring a smile to everyone’s faces.  The whole thing turned from concern to frustration.

A ton of resources were used to try to find someone who was never actually missing.

As one Reddit user pointed out:

“Guarantee that family will be banned and they may get hit with a bill for the ship having to waste resources for the search.”

Another cruiser on Oasis of the Seas took to Facebook to say, “Ban them, immediately!”:

Possible Consequences

Social media lit up with fellow passengers and other cruise travelers calling for all kinds of consequences for these actions.  If nothing else, cruisers don’t want others to think this kind of thing is ok to try.

Royal Caribbean has not issued a formal statement about this incident yet, and there are a lot of factors to consider. 

But there are several possible consequences from this kind of “prank” that everyone should consider.

• Federal Felony Charges: Under U.S. law, intentionally communicating a false distress message to the Coast Guard is a felony. This can carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
• Massive Fines: Civil penalties can reach $250,000, plus the actual cost of the search. As one Reddit user wrote, “They should get billed for the cost of the Coast Guard call out too.“
• The “Lifetime Ban”: Royal Caribbean is historically pretty strict with safety violations. It is possible that those found responsible will be permanently banned from all Royal Caribbean Group ships (including Celebrity and Silversea).

Oasis of the Seas is back in Port Everglades this morning.  The ship is scheduled to depart for an 8-day sailing to the Southern Caribbean today. 

We don’t know what kind of consequences those involved in this man overboard prank will face, but hopefully this story will be a lesson to others to never try this kind of thing, ever!

Carnival Cruise Line just recently introduced a new “crew member” to its cruising audience, and people are already wondering how they can get one before they sell out. 

A YouTube short, uploaded on Wednesday, revealed a Carnival-exclusive Squishmallows plush named Neptune. 

The new cuddly companion is an “outgoing octopus” who “brings the party to life”, according to Carnival’s webpage where Carnival cruisers can purchase the unique Squishmallow for $29.95 plus $5.99 in delivery fees for a total of $35.94.

You won’t find Neptune on Amazon or at your local Walmart.  The 12-inch octopus, who has officially become the face of Carnival Cruise Line’s exclusive Squishmallow collection for 2026, is a Carnival exclusive.

Carnival recently took to YouTube to showcase their “new crew member”.

So, he is technically a shipboard delivery, or of course, you can buy one while in the gift shop during a Carnival cruise directly.

To complete a purchase on the Carnival website, you have to provide specific cruise details. The checkout process requires:

• A Recipient’s Name: This must match the name on the cruise manifest.

• A Booking Number or Sailing Month: A unique 6-character code assigned to every reservation or find the sailing by starting with the sailing month.

If you don’t know this information you can call a 1-800 number to speak with a customer service rep.

For those without a 2026 vacation on the books, the only way to secure Neptune is through a “different booking” purchase. This allows friends or family members to “gift” the item to a cruiser, who can then bring the octopus back to land.

For those worried Neptune will sell out before they can get their hands on one, one Reddit user said, “When I went on the Panorama last week there were so many in stock in the candy shop. I don’t think he’ll sell out.”

You can check out Neptune on Carnival’s website here.

Viking Libra, the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship, touched water for the first time when the vessel was floated out of dry dock yesterday.

The float-out took place at the Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona, Italy. Viking Libra is scheduled to enter service in November 2026 and sail her inaugural season in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

The float-out ceremony marked a construction milestone for the new ship as it moves to its final stage of construction, the outfitting and interior build-out.

The ceremony was attended by Fincantieri’s Gilberto Tobaldi, Director of the Ancona Shipyard, as well as members of the Viking team, including Karine Hagen, Executive Vice President of Product, and Enrico Prunotto, Senior Vice President of Ocean Passenger Operations, who thanked the shipyard on behalf of Viking.

Viking Libra is a 54,300 gross ton ship that will have 499 cabins that carry up to 998 guests. The ship’s propulsion system is based partially on liquefied hydrogen and fuel cells.

This hybrid propulsion system will make her capable of navigating and operating with zero emissions, which would allow her to access even the most environmentally sensitive areas.

Enabled by Isotta Fraschini Motori (IFM), Fincantieri’s subsidiary specializing in advanced fuel cell technology, the ship’s state-of-the-art propulsion system will be capable of producing up to six megawatts of power.

The cruise line’s next new ship after Libra, Viking Astrea, will also be a hydrogen-powered vessel and is scheduled to enter service in 2027.

Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking, said the following:

“The float out of the Viking Libra represents another milestone for Viking and our continued partnership with Fincantieri. From the beginning, our approach to ship design has focused on reducing fuel consumption, and the Viking Libra is our most environmentally friendly vessel yet. Investing in hydrogen was a principled choice for Viking, offering a true zero‑emission solution, and we look forward to welcoming the world’s first hydrogen‑powered cruise ship to our fleet.”

The Port of Galveston in Texas is already the busiest cruise port in the U.S. outside of Florida.   And the port is showing no signs of slowing down after a “master plan” revealed the goal of being able to dock 7 ships at once by 2045.

Galveston saw about 3 million passenger movements in 2023, 3.4 million in 2024, and 3.6 million in 2025. 

The port is already looking at almost 4 million passengers going through its terminals in 2026 and it hopes to get that number to almost 6 million by 2030.

After just visiting the port a few months ago myself, I saw just how far Galveston has come.  The port is now home to MSC Seascape which recently made its big debut at the brand-new Cruise Terminal 16.

Seeing the ship at the state-of-the-art Pier 16 terminal, which even has its own parking garage, made it pretty clear that Galveston isn’t messing around. 

Although the port is geographically a bit further from popular ports of call in The Bahamas and Caribbean, more ships are coming, offering more variety to local residents who want to cruise.

Getting to 7 Berths

The port already hit a major milestone in building its fourth cruise terminal.  Now, Galveston is looking to expand even more.

According to the newly updated 20-Year Strategic Master Plan, the port is looking to build a future where seven cruise ships can call the island home at the same time.

Here is the breakdown of how they plan to get there:

• The Fifth Terminal (Pier 14): This is the next big project on the list, with a target opening around 2030.   This would put the cruise port with a max capacity of 5 ships.
• The “Flex” Terminal: Terminal 25 will be a “flex terminal”. This area would pull double duty, docking cruise ships during peak weekend rushes and switching to cargo during the week.
• Expanding to 7 berths: Terminal 7 will be further west along the channel and have a wide target date between 2040 and 2045.  The port is reserving that space now so they have room to expand in the future.

The Waterfront

If you’ve driven down Harborside Drive recently, you know traffic can be a bit tight on embarkation day.

But the port’s master plan is ready to transform the entire port area. We’re talking 600,000 square feet of new retail space, multiple new hotels, and even a park area surrounding Battleship Texas, which is set to move right next to Terminal 16.

Growth of Galveston

With MSC Seascape now sailing year-round out of Galveston, and Norwegian Viva now also sailing out of Terminal 16, the port is proving it can be a top-tier cruise port.

By the mid-2040s, the port expects to handle between 7 and 8 million passenger movements a year.

To put that in perspective, that would put Galveston in direct competition with the “Big Three” Florida ports for the title of the busiest cruise homeport in the world.

About ten or more ships are now sailing out of Galveston across six major cruise lines.

Carnival Cruise Line has four ships (Jubilee, Breeze, Dream, and Legend), while Royal Caribbean is currently homeporting three (Allure, Harmony, and Mariner of the Seas).

MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises each have one ship currently sailing from the island.

Open House

If you are in the Galveston area, the port is inviting the public to come see a brief presentation on the plan.

The Port of Galveston is hosting an Open House this Wednesday, March 25, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The event will be held at the new Cruise Terminal 16 (1602 Harborside Drive).

The presentation will be made at 4:30 PM.

Between construction in downtown Miami, Florida and 17 cruise ships departing from PortMiami on Saturday and Sunday combined, traffic is going to be an issue.  And Carnival Cruise Line isn’t taking any chances that guests are caught off-guard.

Traffic leads to delays and delays can lead to cruisers missing their cruise ships on embarkation day.

So, to try to get ahead of the impending traffic fiasco, Carnival is sending out notifications to guests who are sailing this weekend, and they are using every possible means of communication to do so.

A Reddit post showed an image of the message sent from Carnival, and the poster said that in that “in a matter of 20 minutes, I’ve been emailed, texted and called from Carnival regarding Port Miami traffic this weekend.”

It’s clear that Carnival is doing everything they can to make sure guests are aware they need to give themselves more time to get to the ship.

The Perfect Storm of Miami traffic

The reason for the concern is a “perfect storm” of events hitting the city all at once.

On Sunday alone, PortMiami is going to see nine major ships in port, including Carnival Celebration and Carnival Horizon.

When you factor in the other eight ships departing on Saturday, nearly 80,000 passengers will be going through the port over the next 48 hours.

Adding to this is the ongoing $345 million construction project for the new Cruise Terminal G. This construction has led to lane shifts and merging bottlenecks right at the entrance to the port bridge.

So, while the port is seeing improvements and enhancements, the construction process is just another thing to add to the congestion issues.

Oh, and to make traffic even more fun, this weekend is the peak of Spring Break. To manage the crowds, the Miami Beach Police are using License Plate Reader details and DUI checkpoints on the MacArthur Causeway, which is the main road to the port.  This starts at 9:00 PM on Friday.

List of Ships 

Here are the ships scheduled to sail out of PortMiami on Saturday and Sunday:

Saturday: March 21, 2026:

Icon of the Seas
Freedom of the Seas
Brilliant Lady
Oceania Allura
Norwegian Encore
MSC World America
Carnival Sunrise
Carnival Magic

Sunday: March 22, 2026:

Ventura
Symphony of the Seas
Independence of the Seas
Scarlet Lady
Norwegian Aqua
MSC Divina
Celebrity Beyond
Carnival Horizon
Carnival Celebration

As you may know, ships like Icon of the Seas, MSC World America, and Carnival Celebration are some of the largest ships in the world, so a lot of guests will be transiting the port this weekend.

“Can’t say we weren’t warned”

The cruise line isn’t taking any chances with passengers missing their vacations. The official “Traffic Alert” email from Carnival is direct, warning guests that “heavier-than-normal traffic in and around the area” is expected and that ship departures will not be delayed for anyone stuck in the gridlock.

The social media post titled “Can’t Say We Weren’t Warned” reiterated that the cruiser had never seen this kind of heads up on local traffic before.

They added that they personally don’t care how late they get there, as long as they board before the ship leaves.

Dealing with the Traffic

If you are one of the thousands sailing out of Miami this Saturday or Sunday, “leaving early” should be obvious.

Some suggest the “Two-Hour Rule.” If your navigation app says it will take 30 minutes to get to the terminal, you should give yourself at least two full hours.

The “last mile” into the port is where the construction and police checkpoints will eat up the most time.

Also, make sure you do sign up for those text alerts.

The Carnival notifications say the following for this weekend:

“At the present, there is no change in our plans for your embarkation, but to stay up to date, please sign up for our text alert service by texting the below code (for your voyage) to CRUISE (278473):

• CCL1 for Carnival Magic 03/21/2026
• CCL2 for Carnival Sunrise 03/21/2026
• CCL3 for Carnival Celebration 03/22/2026
• CCL4 for Carnival Horizon 03/22/2026”

More Harm than Good?

While many comments to the post said they appreciate the traffic warnings, some cruisers are questioning if the “barrage” of alerts might actually make the situation worse.

The concern is that by telling every single passenger to arrive as early as possible, there might be a massive bottleneck at the terminal gates.

One critical comment noted that if everyone shows up at the same time to “beat the traffic,” it just shifts the gridlock from the highway to the pier.

One comment stated, “As someone currently on the Magic, Carnival is almost making it worse by sending these warnings. People on our sailing showed up at the port at 7:30am because they were worried. Which contributes to the chaos because people disembarking couldn’t get away from the port before people embarking got there.”

So, while these traffic warnings should be followed, there’s also no need to go overboard by showing up at the crack of dawn.

A recent cruiser from the port gave this advice about sailing from PortMiami:

“As someone who just left out of the [port] of Miami a week ago, get there early. Like leave your hotel around 8:30, 9 at the latest. We left at 10 and were around the airport and it took us over 2 hours and that was with us finally getting out and walking. And lock in an uber price if you uber because they change if it takes way longer than expected.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just signed a bill that will block a proposed cruise ship near Tampa.

If you were hoping to see mega-ships like Icon of the Seas or an Oasis-class vessel sailing from the Tampa area anytime soon, this might be a letdown.

It really was a longshot anyway, and some local residents were not too big on the idea of massive cruise ships coming into the area.  And for them, this is a big win.

When we first wrote about the proposed “Skyway” cruise terminal in Manatee County back in January, it felt like a potential game-changer for West Central Florida.

The idea was to build a port on the “Gulf side” of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, finally giving those giant ships, which are too tall to fit under the bridge’s 190-foot clearance, a place to call home in the Tampa Bay area.

At the time, we noted that it could finally allow local cruisers to skip the long drive to Miami or Port Canaveral to catch the industry’s newest giants.

Well, as of this morning, that plan has officially been “sunk.”

DeSantis Makes It Official

In his first bill-signing ceremony of the year, held Thursday morning at Pier 22 in Bradenton, Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 302 (the Coastal Resiliency bill).

This legislation effectively kills the proposal by restricting the heavy dredging required to accommodate massive mega-ships.

The primary reason for the block is the protection of the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, a sensitive marine habitat that sits right where the terminal was planned.

“Florida remains an important destination for cruise expeditions,” DeSantis said during the press conference. “There’s not really a need to add another port in the middle of a conserved area and an aquatic preserve.”

Why the “Skyway Port” is Gone

The Governor pointed out that the Tampa Bay region is already home to three deep-water ports, including SeaPort Manatee. Adding a fourth industrial site in such a pristine area “struck a lot of people as being unnecessary,” he said.

The proposal had faced some pushback from the community, with about 20,000 people signing a petition to “Stop the Skyway Cruise Port.”

Residents were worried about the “industrialization” of their quiet coastal backyard and the environmental impact of a 4.5-mile dredging project.

DeSantis stated that the project would have caused a “major, major change in the lifestyle and the environment” for local families.

What This Means for Your Future Cruises

For now, Port Tampa Bay will remain the home for mid-sized ships that can safely navigate under the Skyway Bridge.

While this is a huge win for conservation and “Old Florida” charm, it means the dream of sailing an Excel-class or Icon-class ship out of Tampa is officially over for the foreseeable future.

The Governor did offer a bit of a silver lining for the area.  He announced plans to replace the hurricane-damaged Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier on the Manatee side and focus on nature-based protections like mangrove planting instead.

Princess Cruises is adding four new experiences on their cruises to Alaska in 2026, their largest season ever with eight cruise ships sailing to the 49th State.

Princess Cruises will sail 180 cruises to Alaska in 2026 and visit 19 different destinations in the state. New for this year are four additional signature North to Alaska experiences.

The cruise line’s North to Alaska program brings local personalities, culture and food, connecting guests with Alaska’s rich heritage, awe‑inspiring scenery and natural wonders through authentic offerings, educational events and engaging entertainment both onboard and ashore.

The new Signature North to Alaska Experiences for 2026 are:

• The Glacier Experience: A Signature Princess Day
• Welcome to Alaska
• Après Sea: Elevated Post-Adventure Experience
• Candlelight Concert Series: Fire & Ice

The Glacier Experience are scenic cruises that will offer close‑up glacier views, expert narration, Park Ranger commentary from the bridge and on deck offered on select Glacier Bay sailings, and access to VIP viewing areas.

Welcome to Alaska will be designed to help guests get the most from their experience in ways that are most meaningful to them. Offered once per voyage and hosted by the Cruise Director, guests can meet a Naturalist, enrichment presenters and learn about the North to Alaska program.

Après Sea: Elevated Post-Adventure Experience will allow guests to unwind in a chic, après-ski inspired lounge, enjoying an elevated happy hour with warm drinks and panoramic views. This will be hosted in The Dome on Star Princess.

Candlelight Concert Series: Fire & Ice will add Alaskan flare with performances by Alaska singer-songwriters, creating an intimate setting of warmth and wonder, illuminated by live music, glowing candles and the magic of The Great Land, offered only twice per voyage.

The following eight Princess ships will offer cruises to Alaska in 2026:

• Star Princess
• Coral Princess
• Royal Princess
• Ruby Princess
• Grand Princess
• Emerald Princess
• Discovery Princess
• Island Princess

John-Paul Lamb, Princess Cruises Vice President of Entertainment, said the following:

“Our North to Alaska program is designed to bring guests closer to the spirit, culture and natural beauty of Alaska in ways only Princess can deliver. From encounters with local experts and native storytellers to immersive entertainment and scenic glacier viewing, these experiences allow our guests to connect with Alaska along every step of their journey.”

Flying to the cruise port on the day of the cruise is asking for trouble. One delayed or missed flight and your entire vacation plan is out the window.

In this case, it was not only a family vacation of a lifetime and a son’s birthday celebration that were ruined, but also $30,000 in travel expenses that vanished into thin air.

Social media posts about this very issue are still way too frequent, so hopefully this story can help convince anyone who is still on the fence.

A Reddit post titled “Another reminder to never fly in on the day of your cruise” is going viral on the platform. It racked up over 800 comments in under 24 hours, and more are pouring in.   

While most are in shock that the family didn’t have travel insurance and still tried to fly to the cruise port on the day of the cruise, the family’s choice of airlines is drawing a lot of attention as well.

Where it All Went Wrong

The story centers on a family of five who booked a $7,000 suite on a Royal Caribbean ship, with a total “running cost” of $30,000 for the week. 

This total cost was calculated by the father after he said both he and his wife “cleared our calendars…for the whole week”, presumably factoring in time off work as well.

Despite the high cost involved for such a trip, they booked a 6:30 AM Spirit Airlines flight from Dallas (DFW) to Miami the morning of the 4:00 PM sailing.

Overbooked Flight

The problem began the night before when the family realized the flight was overbooked. Although they managed to check in, they were left without assigned seat numbers.

“Told my wife we had to get to the airport. Our flight was at 6:30 a.m., so we left home at 3:30 a.m. and arrived before 5 a.m.”, the post stated.

After arriving at the airport before 5:00 AM, they were met with conflicting stories from airline staff about why they couldn’t board, ranging from flight attendant shortages to weather issues.

“What I know is that the flight went to Miami, but because it was overbooked, they randomly cancelled some passengers,” the father said.

In the end, they were left standing at the gate while their ship prepared to sail without them.

“My children’s spring break and my son’s birthday have been ruined just because we booked with Spirit Airlines,” the father shared. “Royal Caribbean did not refund our money. My son is supposed to turn 9 on Wednesday; all of that is gone.”

Comments Weigh In

The cruise community on Reddit was quick to share their thoughts on the situation.  One of the most common questions was about the combination of a high-end vacation and a low-cost flight.

One comment stated, “They spent $30,000 for the week and were flying SPIRIT?!”

Others pointed out that on a DFW-to-Miami route, American Airlines has 11 daily flights, offering plenty of options to get to the cruise port if they really looked into it.

As one user put it, choosing Spirit with its limited daily service was “mistake number two.”

The Price of a Hotel Room

There was definitely a lack of sympathy in the comment section.  Many noted that a $200 hotel room in Miami would have saved a $30,000 investment if the family had planned to just arrive a day early, something we always recommend at Cruise Fever.

One person remarked that the father “tried to cut a corner to save a dime and ended up spending a hundred,” while another compared the situation to “building a mansion on a foundation of balsa wood and hope.”

Birthday Dreams

The father’s claim that his son’s birthday was “gone” was highlighted as well.  One comment joked, “Birthday is cancelled. Better luck next year, kid,” while another teased that the boy was now “stuck in 8-year-old purgatory for life.”

Refund Request

The father stated that Royal Caribbean did not refund the money, but that is not something that should be expected in this situation.  It’s the traveler’s responsibility to get to the cruise port on time.

Cruise travel insurance would have made all the difference in this case, but it really should not have been needed if the family simply made the attempt to arrive a day earlier.

Of course, in hindsight it probably seems obvious to the family now, but I can’t help but at least sympathize a little with their situation.

As much as we preach that you should arrive a day earlier, not everyone gets the memo, and some learn it the hard way.

One comment noted that travelers shouldn’t try to shame the cruise line for a refund, as “Royal Caribbean aren’t responsible for the OP not getting to the port.”

Bottom Line

The family is probably already hurting enough from missing out on what sounds like would have been an amazing cruising experience. So, not wanting to bear a dead horse, we’ll focus on what others can do to avoid this kind of situation. 

• Arrive a day early, maybe two: Even those who usually book interior cabins and fly budget airlines admitted they still account for a hotel night to be safe.
• Invest in travel insurance: For a five-figure trip, skipping insurance is a massive gamble.  Even if the cruise is a budget $1,500 trip, travel insurance helps prevent ballooning costs like medical emergencies, extra travel arrangements, etc.
• Have a Plan B: Looking into other airlines with same-day flights could have saved this entire trip.   As one comment mentioned, American Airlines offers multiple flights from Dallas to Miami on a daily basis.  And although Miami is a 20 hour drive from Dallas, if the family found out about the flight issues soon enough they could have made the grueling drive, although anyone would NEED a vacation after a drive like that.

For this family, it was a hard lesson on the logistics of cruising and arriving at the port on time.  For the rest of us, it’s yet another reminder that when the ship pulls out of port, you should make every effort possible to make sure you’re on it, even if it means springing an extra $150 or so for a nearby hotel.