Diplomacy

If you’re looking to take a cruise next year, you’re not alone. Almost 22 million Americans are expected to sail away in 2026, according to AAA’s latest forecast for the cruise industry.

AAA gives this forecast every year, and the 21.7 million U.S. residents that are expected to cruise next year mark the largest number recorded by the association.  In addition to next year’s record-breaking number, this is also the fourth year in a row that the forecast has outdone the previous year.

Apparently, the cruise industry keeps growing as cruise lines keep building ships to keep up with the demand.

What has spurred on the spike in demand over the last several years? A large part of the story is the rebound after the shutdown of 2020-2021, but the variety a cruise offers travelers on vacation is a huge part of the draw as well.

“These numbers reflect the growing demand for ocean cruises among U.S. travelers,” Vice President of AAA Travel, Stacey Barber said.

“Our travel agents see this every day when booking dream vacations for AAA members. Whether it’s an anniversary trip to relax in the Caribbean or a family reunion to explore Alaska, ocean cruises offer variety, convenience, and lifelong memories.” 

Yearly Numbers

For context, these were the cruise passenger forecasts over the last several years put out by AAA:

• 2018: 1 million
• 2019: 2 million
• 2020: 7 million
• 2021: 2 million
• 2022: 9 million
• 2023: 9 million
• 2025: 7 million
• 2026: 7 million

The Demographic Cruising the Most

Cruises appeal to a wide variety of age ranges, with some cruise lines being family friendly and others restricting children from being on board altogether.

But the age group that plans to cruise the most are passengers 55 and older, and by a wide margin.  65% of all American passengers are expected to be in this age bracket.  27% are expected to be 35-54 and 7% in the 18-34 age range.

What about families with kids?  AAA says that about 20% will be cruising with kids, while on the other end of the spectrum are the solo cruisers which will make up about 7% of U.S. cruisers.

Ports of Embarkation

Florida, as always, is the cruise center of the U.S. Ports like PortMiami, Port Everglades, and Port Canaveral will see millions of travelers embarking next year, boosting South Florida’s local economy with jobs, hotel stays, and business for area shops and restaurants.

AAA expects 10.2% of cruisers to sail out of Miami, with 8.8% sailing from Port Canaveral, 5.6% out of Fort Lauderdale, and 4.1 % from Galveston.

So, it looks like the Caribbean will once again be the most popular destination for Americans to visit on a cruise ship with about 72% of passengers visiting the popular region.

Bottom Line

The pace of growth over last year is a projected 4.5% rise for 2026 compared to an 8.4% jump this year.  The cruise market appears to be maturing rather than weakening. Demand remains strong, so if a cruise is on your 2026 wishlist, you should probably start planning now.

As almost one in every sixteen Americans prepares to set sail next year, it’s clear that this carefree type of vacation has become a yearly thing for many.  Can’t say I blame them!

Remember the story from over the summer of the dad who jumped off a Disney cruise ship to save his daughter who had fallen into the water?  Well, as with most of these overboard situations on cruise ships, there’s more to the story than meets the eye.

New reports reveal that the mother of the child had asked the girl to pose in the porthole before she fell into the ocean.

New information from a police investigation has revealed the details leading up to a viral incident in June where a 5-year-old girl fell 50 feet from the cruise ship Disney Dream and was rescued by her father.

While the original story focused on the dad’s heroic dive into the ocean, a police report reviewed by authorities, states that the girl’s mother encouraged her to stand near the porthole just seconds before she fell.

What the Police Report Stated

The report, put together by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office detectives, helped clarify the facts of the situation, even after so many rumors had spread online about the incident.

The family was walking on Deck 4 when the mother pointed to an open porthole and suggested her daughter pose for a picture there. The mother reportedly told officers she thought the porthole had a window or plexiglass barrier and believed the child would be safe.

Instead, the porthole was open to the air. The child climbed onto the railing, lost her balance, and fell backward into the ocean. The mother took multiple pictures that, when viewed together, created a short video of the child climbing onto the railing and falling.

Security footage from the ship also helped tell the story of what happened, in combination with the full account given by both parents.

The Rescue

The father, who was about ten feet ahead and didn’t see the fall, heard the mother’s screams.  She told him what happened, and it didn’t take long for him to spring into action.

After about 45 seconds of trying to get help, he made the decision to jump in after his daughter. He was able to find the girl by following her screams and kept her afloat by treading water.

The ship issued a “man overboard” call, and a rescue boat was launched to pick up both passengers. The father and daughter were brought back aboard the ship within 20 minutes of the fall.

It was a miracle that the girl was uninjured.  The father had to be given medical treatment, as some guessed it was because of the length of time he had to tread water.  Initial reports stated that he looked exhausted after the ordeal.

An Avoidable Accident

The detective who wrote the report criticized the mother’s actions.  He called the accident “avoidable” and recommended criminal neglect charges.

But the State Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and decided not to prosecute the mother, concluding that her actions, while very irresponsible, did not meet the standard for criminal negligence.

An emergency situation took place on Norwegian Jewel as the cruise ship was crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a 12-day sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Miami, Florida.  The ship departed Barcelona on October 15, 2025.

Several news outlets have reported someone falling overboard, which set off a major search and rescue operation far out in the North East Atlantic.

‘Code Oscar’ Heard at 2 AM

The emergency on Norwegian Jewel began early on October 21, 2025. Passengers were suddenly woken up around 2:00 AM by an announcement over the speakers with the message “Code Oscar starboard“.

‘Code Oscar’ is the emergency signal for a “person overboard,” used by cruise lines to alert the crew of the situation without being too alarming to passengers on the ship.

A British passenger confirmed that the captain later announced someone had “gone overboard” and that the ship was immediately entering “search and rescue mode,” which involved the vessel circling in the Atlantic Ocean.

Because the incident happened at 2:00 AM, it was a lot harder for the crew to carry out the rescue operation in the darkness.

Mid-Atlantic Search

When the emergency took place, the Norwegian Cruise Line ship was deep in the North East Atlantic Ocean, far from any national Coast Guard help, complicating rescue efforts.

The ship had recently left Ponta Delgada, Portugal, on October 20th . Because the ship was in international waters, the crew had the main responsibility for the search during the most critical first few hours.  The time of the incident and the water temperature make the speed of the rescue important for survival.

One passenger onboard stated that “the Captain just announced that we are in a search and rescue mission and will be circling.  He asked passengers to stay calm and inside.” 

Search Called Off

After the alarm, Norwegian Jewel slowed down and went through the turning procedures to go back over the spot where the person fell. The crew also launched search teams.

Tracking data showed the Norwegian Jewel returned to its normal, high cruising speed of over 20 knots, after going back and forth over the area for more than 10 hours.  The ship is now heading toward Miami.

A large ship typically only resumes its cruising speed when the captain or the coordinating rescue center decides the search has been suspended.

The ship is still expected to arrive in Miami on its scheduled date of October 27, 2025.

NCL’s Response

Norwegian Cruise Line has not yet released an official statement after the incident. Cruise lines usually wait until investigations are complete and the family has been formally notified.

Norwegian Jewel, built in 2005, is now 20 years old. While advanced MOBD systems (which use cameras and sensors to automatically detect a fall) are available, some older vessels are not equipped with these sensors.

Without this technology, the crew have to rely on visual confirmation and if anyone saw the person go overboard.  And at 2:00AM, it makes matters even more difficult. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones during this time.

Carnival Cruise Line has not only announced plans to return to year-round cruises from Mobile, Alabama, but they are also expanding capacity in the region with a Conquest class ship for the first time.

Carnival Valor will be the first Conquest class ship to offer cruises out of Mobile starting on May 15, 2027. The ship will sail six- and eight-night cruises that visit Carnival’s private ports at Celebration Key and Half Moon Cay.

The cruise ship will also offer two 14-day Carnival Journeys cruises from Mobile.

On September 26, Carnival Valor will sail a 14-day itinerary to the Caribbean and Panama, including stops in Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Cartagena, Columbia; Colón, Panama; Limón, Costa Rica; Cozumel, Mexico; Aruba; and Curaçao.

On January 16, the ship will offer a Southern Caribbean 14-day sailing visiting San Juan, Puerto Rico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Aruba; Curaçao; and Celebration Key.

Another unique sailing from Mobile on Carnival Valor will be a seven-day Thanksgiving cruise that departs on November 20 and visits Key West, Celebration Key and Nassau.

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said the following:

“Mobile has been an important part of the Carnival family, and we’re thrilled to mark the return of year-round deployment with our first-ever Conquest-class ship serving the market.

“This is a big win for our guests who love the convenience of cruising close to home, and for the community that has supported us for many years. Carnival Valor will bring even more opportunity for fun, and we can’t wait to welcome our guests aboard.”

Carnival Cruise Line currently offers seasonal cruises out of Mobile and Carnival Spirit will continue to homeport there from October 2026 until April 2027.

In other news, Carnival said that Carnival Glory will continue to sail from Port Canaveral (three- and four-day cruises) and Carnival Conquest from Miami (three- to five-day cruises).

The “Cruise Capital of the World” is getting a whole new lineup of ships for cruisers to enjoy. 

Already the homeport for vessels like Carnival Celebration, Celebrity Beyond, Norwegian Aqua, and Icon of the Seas, PortMiami will welcome five ships that are fresh from the shipyard.

Here are all five brand new ships coming to Miami in 2025 and 2026.

Brilliant Lady (Virgin Voyages)

PortMiami Debut: October 17, 2025

Brilliant Lady, Virgin Voyages’ newest ship, is already sailing.  The adult-only vessel took her maiden voyage in September of 2025. And today, the ship just arrived in PortMiami after a 13-day sailing from Quebec.  The official “MerMaiden” voyage from Miami starts tomorrow on October 17, 2025.

Brilliant Lady will offer 7- to 12-night itineraries to the Caribbean and Bahamas, including first-time Virgin Voyages ports like Grand Turk, Antigua, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios. Other stops for the ship will include the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao), with longer options incorporating Cartagena, Colombia.

After her time in Miami, the ship will reposition to Los Angeles with a 16-night Panama Canal cruise in late March 2026, then head to Seattle for Alaska sailings.

Celebrity Xcel (Celebrity Cruises)

Fort Lauderdale Debut: November 9, 2025
PortMiami Debut: November 8, 2026

Cruise Fever will be on board Celebrity Xcel for a special sailing on November 14 which departs from Port Everglades.   However, Miami cruisers will have to wait a bit for the ship to homeport further south as this sixth and final Edge-class ship will be moving to PortMiami toward the end of 2026.

The inaugural Miami season will offer 6- to 8-night Caribbean voyages to Nassau, Costa Maya, and Antigua, through at least April 2027. Before settling in Miami, the vessel will spend May to October 2026 in the Mediterranean from Barcelona and Athens, with Eastern and Western Med voyages to Santorini, Rome, and Ibiza.

The Edge-class has been a huge hit for Celebrity Cruises, and some design features and venues have evolved along the way.  Xcel will feature “The Bazaar” instead of Eden, and in this new space there will be a festival-like feel with street food, pop-up shows, and a lively atmosphere.

Oceania Allura (Oceania Cruises)

PortMiami Inaugural Cruise: November 16, 2025

Oceania Allura is a 68,000 gross ton vessel that has a double capacity of 1,200 guests. This elegant ship took her maiden voyage in July of 2025, and after a couple Canada-based itineraries will be making her way to South Florida in one month.

This first sailing after her christening on November 13 will take place on November 16 with a 12-day sailing to the ABC islands in addition to Grenada and Tortola.

After Miami, her year in 2026 will be a busy one, taking on 26 Europe/Med voyages (7-32 days) to 92 ports before transitioning back to Miami for some winter sailings to the Caribbean and Bahamas.

Star Seeker (Windstar Cruises)

First Cruise from PortMiami: January 15, 2026

The very first sailing on the schedule for the 224-passenger Star Seeker will take place on December 28, 2025 as the ship sails from Spain to Miami.  But if you want to sail on this ship out of Miami, January 15^th is the only day to do it.

Her first (and only for now) Caribbean cruise from Miami is scheduled for January 15, 2026 on an 8-day sailing to San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Through April 2026, Star Seeker will offer 7- to 49-day sailings out of San Juan before sailing through the Panama Canal to offer Alaskan cruises in the early summer of 2026.

This 430-foot ship registers at 12,800 gross tons and offers a yacht-style experience in 112 all-suite accommodations.

Norwegian Luna (Norwegian Cruise Line)

PortMiami Inaugural Cruise: April 4, 2026

Norwegian Luna arrives in Miami in late March, on March 23^rd, with her first revenue sailing on April 4, 2026.

As a Prima Plus subclass vessel with Norwegian, this 1,056-foot ship, delivered in 2026 from Fincantieri, has a volume of 156,300 gross tons and carries 3,571 passengers at double occupancy (up 10% from Prima class).

7-day roundtrip sailings from Miami will be the norm on this ship, as it sails the Caribbean and Bahamas, stopping at the cruise line’s private destinations at Great Stirrup Cay and Harvest Cate

Norwegian Luna will keep Miami as her homeport through March 2027, when the ship will sail to New York, offering 5- and 7-day sailings to Bermuda.