Diplomacy

A 14-night sailing out of Buenos Aires, Argentina was delayed after Celebrity Equinox broke from its mooring lines and started to drift. 

The drifting ship then had a slight collision with a refueling ship that left a long scratch along the side of the hull. 

Online video of the scratch left some social media comments wondering about the damage with one saying, “Hopefully it’s just the paint and there’s no structural issues.”

Equinox in Buenos Aires scratched by refueling ship while drifting in the wind
byu/Chauncemeister incelebritycruises

What Happened?

Passengers were still in the middle of the embarkation process out of Buenos Aires when some stronger winds began to pick up, with some gusts up to 40mph.  One or more mooring lines broke free and the 2,880-capacity ship began to slowly move away from the pier.

As the bow of the 122,000 gross ton ship swung out, the aft of the vessel made contact with the pier, and the side of the ship rubbed against a refueling tanker that was nearby.

This resulted in a very noticeable scratch along Celebrity Equinox’s hull.  The ship breaking free also caused the embarkation gangway to pull away from the dock, which left it hanging against the side of the ship.

Tugboats were then called right away to stabilize the ship and push it back into position. Because the incident happened during boarding, the process was paused for a couple hours while a new gangway was locked into place and the ship was inspected for safety.

Impact on the 14-Night Itinerary

No injuries were reported among the 2,800+ passengers or the 1,200 crew. While the damage looks to be mostly cosmetic, the ship did not depart on Saturday evening as originally scheduled.

The ship remained docked overnight and officially headed out to sea just before 11:00 AM on Sunday.

The delay has impacted the schedule slightly. While the visit to Montevideo, Uruguay was not cancelled, the ship’s time in port was cut a little short. The rest of the Patagonia and Antarctica itinerary is currently expected to go on as scheduled.

Some passengers onboard shared photos of the damage on social media with one saying, “The gangway went off the pier and was hanging against the ship partially submerged. Crazy situation, but sounds like we’ll resume boarding soon.”

Celebrity Equinox is scheduled to arrive back in Buenos Aires on January 3, 2026.

A new world cruise out of PortMiami is offering something different than most world cruises. Besides visiting 5 continents and 50 destinations, this cruise has an expedition flare to it.

It sails from Cape Horn to the Cape of Good Hope, and the ship will also have its own expedition team for remote exploration in Antarctica and along the Chilean fjords.

Seabourn has just announced its 2028 “Cape to Cape” World Cruise, a 120-day voyage departing from PortMiami on January 7, 2028.

The sailing takes place on the 458-passenger Seabourn Quest, and this world cruise marks the cruise line’s 40th anniversary.

The itinerary covers 26,000 nautical miles and visits over 50 destinations. It follows a rare “Cape to Cape” path, connecting Cape Horn in South America to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

Quick Facts About the Cruise

• Departure: January 7, 2028, from Miami, Florida.
• Duration: 120 days (ends in London) or 112 days (ends in Lisbon).
• Starting Price: About $79,999 per person for the full 120-day cruise.
• Expedition Team: 18 experts leading complimentary Zodiac tours and hikes.
• UNESCO Sites: Access to 38 sites, including a multi-day trip to Machu Picchu.
• Included Perks: Business class airfare, a polar parka, and up to $10,000 in shipboard credit.

Expedition Features and Maiden Calls

For the first time on a Seabourn world cruise, there will be a dedicated expedition team of 18 experts on board. Passengers will have access to complimentary Zodiac cruises and guided hikes in remote regions like Antarctica and the Chilean Fjords.

The cruise route includes several ports the cruise line has never visited before. These include Robinson Crusoe Island and Santa Clara Island in the South Pacific, as well as the remote Nightingale Island in the South Atlantic.

Access to 38 UNESCO Sites

Cultural exploration is a big part of this world voyage too. The ship will pass through the Panama Canal and then head south toward the statues of Easter Island.

A major highlight of this sailing is a multi-day “Seabourn Journey” to the historical sanctuary of Machu Picchu. Passengers will also enjoy overnight stays in Lima, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, and Paris, so there’s even more time to explore these ports.

Cost and What’s Included

The world cruise ends in Dover (London) on May 6, 2028. While prices for the 120-day voyage start around $79,999 per person, the trip is loaded with high-end amenities. These include round-trip business class airfare, unlimited laundry, and a pre-cruise hotel stay in Miami.

Reservations are open to the public. Those who book by January 30, 2026, can take advantage of a 10% early booking discount.

You can check out this epic world cruise on Seabourn’s website here.

Carnival Cruise Line just announced that some of its ships will be moving to new ports in 2027/2028.  On top of a couple of special Carnival Journeys sailings, another Italian style ship will be replacing Carnival Venezia in New York City.

Carnival has two “Fun Italian Style” ships in the fleet: Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze.  These ships were originally designed for Costa Cruises before being brought over to Carnival.

Carnival Venezia currently splits her time between Port Canaveral and New York.  This ship is offering mostly 7-day cruises out of Port Canaveral now and moves to New York in May 2026.  The new announcement from Carnival states that Carnival Firenze, the other “Fun Italian Style” ship will be replacing her in May 2027.

From New York, Firenze will offer 4- and 5-day cruises to Bermuda and Canada in addition to a 5-day voyage on Aug. 19, 2027, that visits Portland, Maine and Saint John, Canada.

But before Carnival Firenze heads to New York, Carnival is offering a special Carnival Journeys voyage on the ship. 

Special 11-Day Sailing on Carnival Firenze

Firenze is currently sailing out of Long Beach on the West Coast.   Prior to her arrival in the Manhattan cruise terminal, the ship will be sailing a special 11-day voyage to the Southern Caribbean out of PortMiami on May 16, 2027

This one-off sailing will include stops at Celebration Key, Grand Bahama; Aruba; Curaçao; and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Carnival Splendor with 4 New Itineraries

For the 2027/28 season, Carnival Splendor is offering a mix of short Australian sailings and a few longer international trips. Cruisers looking for a quick trip can opt for a three-day “sampler” cruise or a four-day visit to Moreton Island in Australia.

Carnival also announced two Carnival Journeys sailings that connect Australia and Singapore.

The first is a 15-day trip departing Sydney on July 31, 2027, which stops in Airlie Beach and Cairns before heading to Lombok and Bali, eventually crossing the Equator to reach Singapore.

After the ship undergoes a scheduled dry dock maintenance, it will make the 16-day return journey back to Sydney.

Sailing out of San Juan, Puerto Rico offers a huge advantage for cruisers wanting to get a more immersive experience.  The key difference?  You get to experience more ports of call and more exotic locations by starting out in the Caribbean.

Norwegian Cruise Line just announced that two of their newest ships will be homeporting in San Juan at the same time, both offering 7-day cruises to different destinations.

Prima Class in Puerto Rico

From November 2027 through April 2028, both Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva will call San Juan home. This is the first time NCL has homeported two of its newest, most modern ships in Puerto Rico at the same time.

By starting your cruise further south in San Juan, the ships can reach deep Caribbean ports much faster than if they sailed from Florida. This means fewer days at sea and more days exploring:

• Norwegian Prima will sail on Saturdays, visiting Tortola, St. Maarten, Barbados, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts.
• Norwegian Viva will sail on Sundays, offering a different southern route that includes the popular “ABC Islands” of Aruba and Curaçao.

Norwegian Prima is currently scheduled to already offer cruises out of San Juan starting in November 2026 through April 2027.  So, after a few months in Europe the ship will return to San Juan to join Norwegian Viva.

Across its entire winter season, Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships will average 9.5 hours in port. By starting in San Juan, these ships cut down on travel time, allowing for the late-night departures and longer stays that give you more time to explore the islands.

These are also some of the newest ships in the NCL fleet with Prima entering service in 2022 and Viva in 2023.  Only Norwegian Aqua is newer having been built just this year.

Seven Ships Sailing from Florida

While Puerto Rico offers a more itinerary-packed starting point, Florida remains the go-to embarkation spot for most Caribbean and Bahamas sailings for the 2027/28 season.

NCL will have seven ships sailing out of the Sunshine State, providing a massive variety of options for those who prefer to depart from Miami, Port Canaveral, or Jacksonville.

• Miami: Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Jewel, and the new Norwegian Luna (coming in 2026) will offer everything from 3-day Bahamas weekenders to 11-day Panama Canal cruises.
• Port Canaveral: Norwegian Aqua, Norwegian Breakaway, and Norwegian Epic will cover the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
• Jacksonville: Norwegian Dawn returns to JAXPORT for its second season of 4- and 5-day Bahamas cruises.

Many of these Florida-based itineraries will stop at Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island. By the time these sailings begin, the island will feature several major upgrades, including a brand-new pier that allows ships to dock directly, a large, heated pool, and the new Great Tides Waterpark.

Over 37 million people will board a cruise ship in 2025 and that number is projected to be even larger for 2026.

PhotoAiD, an online passport photo service, conducted a survey among American cruisers to see what annoyed them the most when they take an ocean cruise.

Even with the many things that annoyed them, 84% said they were likely to take a cruise again with only 6% saying they were unlikely to return.

So what annoys cruisers the most? Here are the top 15 complaints among American cruise passengers.

The number one complaint was rude or inconsiderate behavior by other passengers that includes drunkenness, loud arguing, and inappropriate attire in dining areas.

Coming in second is the high cost of drink packages. Drink packages were added by cruise lines 10-15 years ago and the price of them has steadily risen over the years.

The third biggest complaint is something that many of us, including myself have complained about. It is smoking or vaping in prohibited areas including on cabin balconies.

Rounding out the top five are expensive onboard essentials (sunscreen, toiletries, and medication) and hidden fees and mandatory charges (gratuities, service fees, and port taxes.)

The number six biggest complaint is line cutting at buffets and shore excursions.

The seventh complaint will become less common since more cruise lines are building piers at private islands. But it’s long lines for tender boats at ports that don’t have docking facilities.

The eighth, ninth, and 10th biggest complaints are unsanitary habits (not washing hands at buffets, coughing without covering), long waits for seating at buffets and specialty restaurants, and difficultly securing reservations at specialty restaurants.

The 11-15th biggest complaints on ocean cruises are:

• Busy buffets and dining rooms at peak times
• Limited seating on sun decks
• Excessive public displays of affection
• Chair hogs
• Crowded ports

Other complaints from cruisers were poor elevator etiquette, overcrowded pools and hot tubs, and not enough seating in entertainment venues.

The company analyzed hundreds of complaints online and asked respondents to weigh in.

You can see more about their study and a complete list of the biggest cruiser complaints here.