Diplomacy

Two new cruise ships that debuted this past year made the 2026 TIME World’s Greatest Places list that highlights 100 extraordinary destinations to visit and stay.

MSC World America and Disney Destiny, both new cruise ships that sail from Florida, are two of the top 100 TIME World’s Greatest places this year.

MSC World America

MSC World America debuted in Miami in April 2025 and is the largest ship from MSC Cruises that is sailing from the U.S.

The ship offers of the following amenities for families:

• Indoor basketball court (MSC Sportplex)
• Bumper cars
• Family Adventura District
• MSC Luna Park Arena
• Water park
• Ropes course
• LEGO parade
• Two LEGO building rooms
• Awesome kids clubs (Doremiland)
• Several arcades
• Food options in World Galleria
• Indoor pool

The ship offers week long cruises to the Caribbean and Bahamas with every cruise stopping at the cruise line’s private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

Disney Destiny

Disney Destiny debuted in November 2025 and is the newest Wish class ship from Disney Cruise Line. The ship features a Heroes vs. Villains theme with Disney’s most beloved characters.

New dining and entertainment on the ship include Pride Lands: Feast of the King and the show Hercules. The ship has spaces themed after The Sanctum in Dr. Strange, The Haunted Mansion, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

The ship features one of the largest kid’s clubs at sea that is absolutely huge. It has separate Star Wars and Avengers rooms that transport you into the most popular movies of all time.

No Disney cruise is complete without Pirate Night and a fireworks show while at sea.

Disney Destiny offers shorter three- to five day cruises to The Bahamas and Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

The editors of TIME said the following about the 2026 list:

“Travel trends can shift quickly, of course, and global events can reshape itineraries. Yet the impulse to explore endures. At its best, travel is a bridge—an opportunity to encounter new cultures, welcome visitors, and discover how much the unfamiliar can feel surprisingly familiar/

“Each year, TIME solicits nominations of places—including hotels, cruises, restaurants, attractions, museums, parks, and more—from its international network of correspondents and contributors, as well as through an application process, with an eye toward those offering new, exciting, and relevant experiences. The result: 100 extraordinary destinations to stay and to visit this year. “

Carnival Cruise Line has just scrapped about a month’s worth of short West Coast sailings for late 2026.

The cruise line reached out to impacted guests to let them know about these changes.  While it’s not uncommon for cruise lines to adjust itineraries or cancel cruises because of schedule changes, this notification caught some off guard as the cruises would have taken place in just seven months.

The Canceled Cruises

The cancelations impact future cruise passengers on Carnival Firenze and its 3- and 4-night Baja Mexico itineraries departing from Long Beach, California.

11 sailings scheduled between October 12 and November 16, 2026, have been removed from the schedule.

In an official advisory sent to guests, Colleen Oliverio, Vice President of Guest Services, stated:

“We have made some changes to the itinerary plans for Carnival Firenze and, unfortunately, your cruise has been cancelled.”

While the notice doesn’t provide a technical reason, some cruisers noticed that the timing is around the ship’s upcoming repositioning.

In early 2027, the Firenze is scheduled for a cruise around South America to begin new seasons in Miami and New York City. These cancelations might prove to provide a little window for maintenance or dry dock refurbishments before that move.

But then again, we don’t know for sure.

Impacted Dates

The canceled departures all fall on Mondays and Fridays:

• October 2026: 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30
• November 2026: 2, 6, 9, 13, 16

Your Options as a Passenger

If your booking is affected, you have until March 25, 2026, to choose between rebooking or receiving a refund.

Option 1: Rebooking with Some Perks

Carnival is encouraging travelers to sail on another ship in the fleet, saying in the letter that their “team is ready to discuss options and rebook you on another voyage right away.”

If you choose a comparable sailing on other Long Beach-based ships, like Carnival Radiance, Panorama, or Legend:

• Price Protection: Your original cruise rate will be protected in similar accommodations.
• Onboard Credit: Carnival is offering an incentive of “US$50.00, per person (maximum of US$100.00, per stateroom)“ as a credit to your Sail & Sign account.

Option 2: Full Refund

If you prefer not to reschedule, the letter clarifies that “no action is required on your part.”

A full refund of the cruise fare and any pre-purchased items (like drink packages or excursions) will be issued to your original form of payment after March 25, 2026.

This applies to fares with non-refundable deposits as well.

Bottom Line

If you do plan to rebook and take option 1, I highly recommend you grab that new sailing right away.  There are thousands of impacted guests who will be doing the same thing so those “ideal” cabins might fill up pretty quickly.

Royal Caribbean is bringing America’s Got Talent LIVE to their next new cruise ship that will debut this summer, Legend of the Seas.

America’s Got Talent LIVE is coming to sea for the first time ever and will be a reimagined extensions of the hit global variety show.

America’s Got Talent LIVE on Legend of the Seas will amplify what has made the Got Talent franchise a global cultural phenomenon. Legend’s Royal Theater will showcase a dynamic lineup of unique acts featuring performers from the Got Talent universe, from magicians and musicians to acrobats, aerialists and more.

This newest addition to Legend of the Seas will compliment an incredible entertainment lineup that will include Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, the AquaTheater, and Absolute Zero.

The AquaTheater will feature deck-defying high divers, aerialists, robots and dancers. Absolute Zero will be the largest ice arena at sea and feature show-stopping performances.

Christine Coachman, vice president of entertainment, Royal Caribbean, gave the following statement about this new addition:

“At Royal Caribbean, we are constantly redefining live entertainment at every turn—bringing jaw-dropping performances to life across stage, air, water, and ice—and America’s Got Talent LIVE on Legend of the Seas is the perfect expression of that vision.

“As one of the most acclaimed entertainment franchises on television, America’s Got Talent perfectly reflects our commitment to bold, world-class experiences that will truly wow our audiences on Legend.”

Erica Gadecki, Executive Vice President of Partnership Solutions, Fremantle, added:

“We’re thrilled to bring Got Talent to an all-new at sea experience as we set sail for the first time with Royal Caribbean. We can’t wait to showcase incredible acts from around the world on a brand-new stage onboard, creating an unforgettable experience for fans.”

Legend of the Seas will debut on July 4, 2026 and start off by sailing seven-night cruises in the Mediterranean. In the fall, the cruise ship will reposition to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and offer six- and eight-night cruises to The Bahamas and Caribbean.

Every cruise on the ship out of Florida will visit Royal Caribbean’s award winning private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

A cruise line has announced visits to over 60 new ports in 2026, 2027 and 2028 thanks to their smaller ships that can visit almost anywhere in the world.

SeaDream Yacht Club will visit 60+ new ports over the next couple years on their two ships, SeaDream I and SeaDream II.

New for this year, SeaDream will visit Primosten, Croatia; Syvota, Greece; Galaxidi, Greece; Tinos, Greece; and Setúbal, Portugal. The cruise line will also return to Fajardo Bay, Puerto Rico for the first time in 10 years.

In 2027, SeaDream will visit 27 new ports across Northern Europe, the British Isles and the Mediterranean. This expansion triples the number of voyages compared with 2026 and demonstrates the company’s ambition to explore new frontiers.

Port highlights of these cruises that visit everywhere from Portuguese fishing villages to the Fresh Riviera include:

• Arendal & Brønnøysund, Norway
• Caen‑Ouistreham, Franc
• Capraia, Italy
• Castellon & Ceuta, Spain
• Fair Isle & Stromness, Scotland
• Kinsale & Youghal, Ireland
• Lagos, Portugal
• Vágur, Faroe Islands

Other new ports include Dartmouth and Poole in England; Dundee, Montrose and Oban in Scotland; Skudeneshavn in Norway; Porto Montenegro; and Saint‑Raphaël on the French Riviera.

Many itineraries also incorporate new turnaround ports at Leith (Edinburgh) and Portsmouth, extending the cruise line’s reach into the British Isles. Guests can expect itineraries such as Oslo‑to‑Edinburgh, Glasgow‑to‑Dublin, and Valletta‑to‑Rome (for the 2027 solar eclipse).

For 2028, the cruise line will visit 28 maiden ports across the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Caribbean. The season emphasizes intimate access to towns that larger cruise ships skip.

Signature new destinations include:

• Portonovi, Montenegro
• Visby & Fjällbacka, Sweden
• Port St. Charles, Barbados & St. Pierre, Martinique
• Bol (Brač), Croatia & Carloforte (Isola di San Pietro), Italy

These new ports are in addition to extended stays in Portofino, Dubrovnik, the Dalmatian Coast and Norway’s fjords. Together, they offer guests the chance to explore Europe and the Caribbean in a way that larger luxury cruise lines simply cannot.

Andreas Brynestad, President and CEO of SeaDream Yacht Club, said the following:

“Our guests crave authenticity and freedom—to discover places that are difficult to reach on their own, linger longer in small harbors, and truly feel at home on a private yacht. With our 2026 season now underway and the 2027–2028 itineraries adding dozens of maiden calls, we’re inviting travelers to explore more of the world with SeaDream.”

The busiest cruise port in 2025 is getting ready for even more cruise passengers in 2026, and a new update for a parking garage that can hold 3,732 cars is getting a lot of attention.

Port Canaveral is already very accessible for cruisers looking to drive to the port and park during their vacation.  I’ve done this drive a few times myself and always found it to be a seamless experience.

Now the port is getting ready for a new phase for its massive parking garage.

This week, Port Canaveral officials confirmed that the Cruise Terminal 6 East garage has officially entered its vertical construction phase with placement of a massive 36-ton concrete wall section.

If You Build It They Will Cruise

The truth is that the parking garage is being built because so many cruisers are already sailing out of Port Canaveral.   So, the “Field of Dreams” adage doesn’t exactly fit here.

But now with easier accessibility to the port, it makes the decision to drive over flying a larger consideration.

The new facility is a direct response to Port Canaveral’s record-breaking growth. In the 2025 fiscal year, the port reclaimed its title as the world’s busiest cruise port, handling over 8.6 million passengers.

Did you know that about 80% of these travelers drive to the port?  That’s a pretty large percentage, so parking has become a major bottleneck on some cruise days.

This new 13-story parking garage is designed to help that congestion, specifically serving passengers for major cruise lines like Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise line.

Project Fast Facts

• Capacity: 3,732 parking spaces.
• Cost: $93 million.
• Total Port Capacity: Once finished, the port will offer nearly 17,500 total spaces in total.
• Timeline: Scheduled to open in Fall 2026, just in time for the winter high season.

Building While Sailing

No one wants to miss out on a cruise because of a parking garage being built, so to avoid any delays or cancelations of cruises, contractors are using a “building while sailing” approach.

The news today is that a huge wall section has been put into place.  Crews can advance the 13-story build level-by-level without suspending cruise schedules.

Besides just adding spots, the garage will feature modern tech like automated, cashless entry lanes and dedicated zones for rideshare services to help keep traffic moving on the surrounding Florida roads.

“Port Canaveral is not only the world’s busiest cruise port, but also one of the nation’s most convenient and easily accessible. Our focus on customers is essential to delivering a high-quality guest experience,” said Captain John W. Murray, Port Canaveral CEO. “This new parking garage is an investment in our commitment to making Port Canaveral the best it can be for our valued cruise partners and their guests.” 

Carnival Cruise Line just announced a new program that will allow passenger to enjoy their entire meal in the main dining room in under an hour.

A huge part of the cruising experience is the food.  And cruise ships have more dining options than most first-time cruisers can even fathom.

But sometimes those main dining room experiences can take a while.  In fact, on more than one occasion I’ve missed the main show in the theater because dinner just took too long. 

Sure, sometimes a nice long dinner with friends and other travelers can be a very enjoyable experience.  But other times you just want amazing food in a reasonable amount of time.

I know I’m not alone in this. 

And that’s one reason Carnival Cruise Line just announced a new rollout called Express Dining.

It looks like the “Fun Ships” are finally offering a fun, fast alternative for those nights when you don’t want to dedicate your entire evening to a table in the Main Dining Room.

Here is what we know about this new program from today’s press release.

The 60-Minute Mission

This new dining program is all about pace. Express Dining is a new “fast track” option within the regular Main Dining Room service, specifically designed to get you from your appetizer to your dessert in under 60 minutes. 

At least, that’s the goal.

It’s the answer for those nights when the comedy show is in 45 minutes, the kids are starting to lose their minds, or when you just don’t feel like having an “experience”.  You just want a great meal.

You’ll still get great service and high-quality food, but the “dead time” between courses is cut down dramatically.

How It Works

This service is fully integrated into Carnival’s HUB App. When you’re ready to eat, you’ll check in via the app like you normally would. When you do, a new prompt will appear, asking if you want to opt-in to “Express Dining.”

It’s important to note this option is only for those using Your Time Dining.

If you have traditional, assigned seating (6 p.m. or 8:15 p.m.), you’ll probably stick with the standard pacing, though reports suggest staff will always try to expedite for guests who ask.

Table Sizes

The other caveat is table size.  Express Dining is limited to groups of six or fewer. If you have a massive table of 12, the logistics of a 60-minute service are still a bit too complicated for a program like this. 

But if you’re eating with that many people, you probably don’t want to rush it anyway.

Rollout Schedule

Carnival is rolling this out right now. As of this morning, March 10, the program is live on 15 ships, including the new Excel-class (Mardi Gras, Celebration, Jubilee) and other ships like Venezia and Firenze).

Here’s the full list of ships on which Express Dining is currently available:

Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Celebration, Mardi Gras, Carnival Venezia, Carnival Firenze, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Vista, Carnival Breeze, Carnival Radiance, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Dream, Carnival Glory, Carnival Freedom

The rest of the fleet is expected to have the new service active by the end of May 2026.

It should be noted that Royal Caribbean has a similar program, although their approach is a little different and times aren’t quite as fast.

While Carnival has introduced a specific “Express” opt-in, Royal Caribbean chose to overhaul its entire Main Dining Room menu back in 2023 to streamline the experience for everyone. By reducing the number of nightly options and moving to themed menus, they aimed to shave about 15 minutes off the average dinner, targeting a consistent 75-minute service fleetwide.

Bottom Line

Carnival Cruise Line’s president, Christine Duffy, said the program will give guests more time to enjoy all the other onboard fun on Carnival ships.

“Our guests continue to tell us they value greater flexibility in how they spend their time on board, and Express Dining was designed with that in mind,” she stated.

This is a smart move that finally addresses one complaint about the Main Dining Room: “It just takes too long.”

I look forward to testing it out myself and see if that 60-minute goal is possible to achieve while still not feeling rushed.  It’s a careful balance and cruisers will be the judge.

Princess Cruises has just revealed an epic 49-port 2028 World Cruise on a 2,000-passenger ship.

The 115-day voyage onboard Coral Princess is scheduled to depart on January 3, 2028, offering roundtrip options from either Fort Lauderdale or Los Angeles.

The sailing covers about 36,000 nautical miles and crosses both the Equator and the International Date Line.

More Overnights and Late Stays

One of the common complaints of world cruising is the half-day stop that barely allows for a meal, let alone exploration.

This 2028 itinerary allows for more time to enjoy the ports of call through the “More Ashore” program.

• Overnight Stays: The ship will remain docked overnight in Cape Town, South Africa, and Auckland, New Zealand.  This allows for two full days of exploration at each destination.
• Late-Night Stays: There are 10 scheduled departures late into the evening, including stops in Barcelona, Sydney, Casablanca, and Honolulu.
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The itinerary is specifically designed to hit 39 UNESCO sites, ranging from the Adriatic of Dubrovnik to the volcanoes of Hawaii.

A New Stop for the History Books

One of the most unique details in this world cruise itinerary is the maiden call to Mossel Bay, South Africa.

While many cruises stop in the region for wildlife, Mossel Bay offers a lot for history lovers to enjoy as well.  This destination is home to huge caves containing archaeological evidence of modern human behavior dating back thousands of years.

This world cruise is also introducing formal safari shore excursions at South African preserves like Aquila and Pumba, where travelers can see lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhinoceroses.

The Itinerary Basics

Coral Princess, with a 2,000-double guest capacity, is right in the middle ground between mega-ships and smaller luxury vessels.

This size allows it to go through the Panama Canal while still not feeling “oversized” for such a long voyage.  The ship was built in 2002 and is about 91,627 gross tons in size.

• Timeline: 115 days total, with flexible segments available ranging from 20 to 100 days.
• Ports and Places: 49 ports across 24 countries and 5 continents.
• Major Regions: The route passes through the Panama Canal, moves through the South Pacific to Australia and New Zealand, crosses the Indian Ocean to Africa, and finishes with a Mediterranean and Atlantic crossing.
• Booking Incentives: Captain’s Circle members are eligible for up to $3,000 in onboard credit per stateroom.

You can check out this cruise here on the official Princess Cruises website.

A dedicated World Cruise 2028 Facebook Group has already been started so future passengers can connect nearly two years before the voyage begins.

According to the page, “This private group is designed to bring together the tight-knit community of world (cruise) travelers, made up of those that have traveled on past Princess World Cruises, those that are currently cruising, or will cruise soon, and those that are interested in booking a future World Cruise.”