News

Luxury cruise line Crystal has announced the debut of The Crystal Cup, an exclusive annual golf tournament created in partnership with Troon, the world’s leading golf management company.

Designed to unite high-end travel with top-tier sport, the tournament will conclude with a grand finale at the prestigious Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Georgia – the host venue for the PGA TOUR’s RSM Classic.

Golfing superstars Luke Donald and Lexi Thompson have been named as official brand ambassadors for the tournament.

Both will appear in Crystal’s marketing campaigns and take part in exclusive events throughout the tournament calendar.

As a special addition, a promotional campaign will be launched ahead of the 2025 Ryder Cup, offering fans the chance to win a virtual lesson with Donald, who is set to captain the European team once again.

Tournament Format and Prizes

Kicking off this month, the tournament will begin with two-person teams competing in 10 invitation-only qualifiers held at private clubs across the United States. These will be followed by three regional qualifiers hosted at Troon-affiliated daily-fee courses:

• Aviara Golf Club, Carlsbad, California – 10th July 2025
• Tobacco Road Golf Club, Sanford, North Carolina – 19th August 2025
• La Cantera Golf Club, San Antonio, Texas – 26th August 2025

Nearly 1,900 players across 940 teams are expected to participate.

The Crystal Cup final will take place in October 2025 at Sea Island Golf Club. Finalists will enjoy the rare opportunity to play alongside Crystal’s golf ambassadors, partake in VIP hospitality, and compete for exceptional prizes.

These include signed memorabilia, cruise vouchers worth $1,000, and a 29-night luxury cruise from Singapore to Tokyo aboard Crystal Symphony!

Lexi Thompson, currently competing on the LPGA Tour, expressed her excitement at joining the initiative:

“I’m excited to be a part of The Crystal Cup and share my passion for golf with fellow enthusiasts. This tournament combines the thrill of competition with the luxury of a Crystal cruise.”

Crystal’s onboard golf offerings include putting greens, driving cages, and a resident golf professional on every sailing to provide lessons.

The line has also committed to expanding its fleet, with three new ships on the way, and continuing to elevate its luxury cruise experience under the ownership of A&K Travel Group (AKTG), who acquired the line in 2022 and relaunched operations in 2023.

Peter Chipchase, Chief Marketing Officer at AKTG, said:

“Golf is a huge passion point for many of our guests. The Crystal Cup is a unique opportunity to bring together two of our customers’ favourite experiences: luxury cruising and world-class golf.”

Troon’s President and CEO, Tim Schantz, highlighted the synergy between the two brands:

“We are honoured to partner with Crystal to launch The Crystal Cup. This exclusive collaboration provides Crystal guests with privileged access to top golf courses and elevates the onboard experience to an entirely new level.”

Whether competing for prizes or simply enjoying the camaraderie and indulgence of a Crystal voyage, the new Crystal Cup is set to become a bucket-list experience for golf lovers and cruise aficionados alike.

Interested fans can learn more about The Crystal Cup here.

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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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Holland America Line has reported six separate gastrointestinal illness outbreaks across its fleet so far in 2025, impacting more than 600 guests and crew members – and raising concerns among cruise enthusiasts and health authorities alike.

The two most recent outbreaks have been confirmed aboard Zuiderdam and Eurodam, with both vessels currently operating high-profile itineraries that include calls to or from the United States – bringing them under the jurisdiction of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC reports that Zuiderdam has experienced its first outbreak of the year, with 55 of 1,149 passengers (4.8%) and 14 of 751 crew (1.9%) reporting symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting.

The 61,396-gross-ton ship is currently sailing a 125-night Grand World Voyage, which began from Fort Lauderdale on 4th January 2025.

Despite the lengthy sailing – which has taken passengers across the Panama Canal, through the South Pacific, Asia, and now to the Mediterranean – the total number of cases remains relatively low when considered over such a long duration. No specific cause has yet been identified, but testing is underway.

By contrast, Eurodam is experiencing its second outbreak of the year, with norovirus confirmed as the causative agent.

On its current 20-night repositioning voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver, 64 of 2,038 passengers (3.1%) and 12 of 830 crew (1.5%) have reported symptoms.

Not a One-Off Issue

In total, the following Holland America Line ships have reported outbreaks in 2025:

• Zuiderdam – April
• Eurodam – February and April
• Rotterdam – February and March
• Volendam – January

Of the six outbreaks, five have been confirmed as norovirus-related – a highly contagious gastrointestinal virus that spreads rapidly in close-contact environments such as cruise ships.

Although these figures might appear worrying, they still represent a minority.

Across all impacted vessels, only 5.2% of guests and 1.6% of crew members have reported symptoms. That means nearly 95% of guests have enjoyed their cruises without incident.

Holland America Line has followed CDC protocols in every instance, including:

• Isolating affected guests and crew
• Conducting enhanced cleaning and disinfection
• Advising all passengers to practise strict hand hygiene
• Working closely with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program

It’s important to note that norovirus is not exclusive to cruise ships. According to the CDC, the virus causes over 2,500 outbreaks each year in the United States alone, with peak season falling between November and April.

Given that Zuiderdam, Rotterdam, and Eurodam also reported norovirus outbreaks during late 2024, the pattern appears to align with wider seasonal trends rather than an isolated cruise line issue.

For most healthy travellers, norovirus causes an unpleasant but temporary illness. Still, passengers who are elderly, immunocompromised, or have underlying health issues should remain cautious.

Cruise passengers are advised to:

• Wash hands frequently, especially after using the toilet and before meals
• Use hand sanitiser, although this is less effective against norovirus than soap and water
• Report any symptoms promptly to onboard medical staff
• Follow isolation instructions if requested

While it’s never ideal to fall ill on holiday, the risks remain relatively low – and the cruise line’s transparency and adherence to health protocols should provide reassurance to concerned guests.

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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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A major fire broke out on the evening of Thursday, 25th April, just steps from the Nassau Cruise Port in the Bahamas, devastating several buildings and displacing residents in the heart of the capital’s tourist and residential district.

The blaze began shortly after 7 pm local time at the Victoria Court building, a multi-storey structure along Bay Street, and rapidly spread to neighbouring buildings throughout the densely packed area.

Eyewitness reports described hearing a series of loud explosions as the fire advanced, destroying at least a dozen apartment-style homes.

East Bay Street, the main thoroughfare where cruise passengers disembark, lies less than 900 feet (approximately 275 metres) from the site of the fire.

Photos and video footage shared by local news outlet Our News Bahamas and the Facebook page of Manila Grill, a popular eatery frequented by cruise ship crew, showed bright orange flames consuming buildings while thick smoke clouded the surrounding area.

The fire reportedly continued into the early hours of Friday morning as local firefighters struggled to contain the flames.

Nassau was said to be operating with reduced resources at the time, having redirected some of its fire-fighting equipment to Freeport on Grand Bahama to assist with bushfires earlier in April.

As of now, Bahamian authorities have not released any official cause for the blaze, and there have been no confirmed reports of injuries.

Impact on Cruise Operations Unclear

With over 22,000 cruise passengers expected in Nassau today from five visiting ships – Disney Dream, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Celebration, MSC Seascape, and Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas – questions remain as to whether the fire and emergency response efforts will affect port operations.

At the time of writing, four of those ships had docked at Nassau and Carnival Freedom was still scheduled to visit.

The fire’s proximity to Prince George Wharf, Nassau’s cruise terminal, is a cause for concern.

However, neither cruise lines nor Bahamian officials have issued public updates regarding any changes to schedules or shore excursion activities at the time of publication.

Nassau is one of the busiest cruise destinations in the Caribbean and a staple port of call for many major cruise lines.

Any long-term disruption could have wide-reaching effects on itineraries and the local economy, which heavily relies on tourism. But it seems, for now, that cruise ships are continuing to call at the island.

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Passengers aboard Carnival Cruise Line ships have been issued a stark warning after scammers began impersonating one of the company’s most popular cruise directors in a bid to steal money and personal information.

Kyndall “Fire” Magyar, currently serving as Cruise Director aboard the flagship Carnival Jubilee, has alerted her followers to a series of scam attempts falsely using her name and likeness.

Magyar, who boasts over 150,000 followers on Facebook and nearly 50,000 on Instagram, made it clear that she would never solicit money, special treatment, or access to exclusive content in return for payment.

“Please never ever fall for any of these people,” Magyar cautioned. “I have not and will not ever ask you to buy a package, promise special treatment or tours, or give you access to premier content for a cost.”

She warned guests not to trust any messages claiming to be from her “team” or “handler”, stressing that such communications are fraudulent.

How the Scam Works

Magyar shared an example of a scam message that thanked recipients for agreeing to become a “mid-level donor”, before requesting payment via a PayPal address from a free email server.

Poor grammar, formatting errors, and inconsistent language offered early clues that the message was illegitimate.

Alarmingly, the scammers also requested the recipient’s full name and a photograph, potentially leaving victims vulnerable to identity theft.

Magyar encouraged guests to report fake accounts and never to send money or personal details to unverified sources.

Other Carnival Figures Targeted

Kyndall Magyar is not the only Carnival figure being impersonated by scammers. John Heald, Carnival’s Brand Ambassador with nearly 650,000 combined followers across Facebook and Instagram, has also been targeted.

One recent case saw a guest tricked into believing she was chatting privately with Heald, only to be asked to purchase an Apple subscription on his behalf.

Heald stressed that he never communicates privately with guests, even for sensitive matters, and conducts all communication through public posts.

“I feel genuinely sorry for this poor lady and I have let her know how sorry I am,” Heald said. “But this of course was not me. This is one of the many fake pages trying to make money from you.”

The rise of scams targeting cruise guests is a growing concern across the industry. In 2024, a family scheduled to sail aboard Carnival Celebration had their $15,000 cruise cancelled after sharing booking information online, exposing them to fraudsters.

Other cruise lines, including Virgin Voyages and Royal Caribbean, have issued similar warnings as scams around tours, port transfers, onboard credit, and bookings continue to evolve.

Cruisers are urged to remain vigilant, engage only with official representatives, and avoid sharing sensitive information on public platforms.

As scammers become increasingly sophisticated, extra caution is necessary to ensure a safe and enjoyable cruise experience.

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MSC Cruises has made a major change to its policy on cruising with infants, and has done so at short notice. The change has meant that many guests are being forced to cancel their cruises, although sometimes only with a partial refund.

From 15th May 2025, children must be at least two years old – 24 months – on the day of embarkation to board any MSC Cruises voyage lasting 11 nights or more.

Infants under the age of two will no longer be permitted on these longer cruises.

“For sailings of 11 nights or longer departing on or after 15th May 2025, children must be at least 2 years old (24 months) on the day of embarkation,

“Infants under 2 years of age will not be permitted to sail on these itineraries.”

MSC Cruises website

The cruise line cites safety concerns for the new policy, particularly highlighting the challenges of providing urgent medical care to very young children during extended periods at sea, far from ports of call.

“This policy is due to long cruises often having multiple days at sea, which can impede our ability to provide urgent medical care for infants.”

MSC Cruises website

Impact on Booked Families

Families who had already booked cruises departing after the policy change have voiced concerns across social media platforms. Some passengers report that refunds are being offered, though not without some complications.

“Only refunds being given to the cabins the baby is in,” shared one affected guest. “So, if like me, you’ve booked a family holiday consisting of three cabins, you will not be fully refunded.”

Officially, MSC Cruises has advised that guests affected by the new policy will be offered a “Free Cruise Move” to another sailing at new pricing. Alternatively, cancellations will follow the line’s standard cancellation policies.

One important note is that the policy does not apply to families who have booked two consecutive 7-night cruises. These are treated as two separate sailings, thus exempt from the new restrictions.

Prior to this update, MSC Cruises permitted infants as young as six months old to sail on most itineraries, with a minimum age of 12 months for longer or more remote voyages.

There was previously no general restriction for infants under two years old on cruises of 11 nights or more.

The new policy represents a shift in approach as MSC Cruises continues to emphasise safety protocols aboard its fleet.

Despite the stricter rules for longer sailings, MSC Cruises still wishes to be seen as being a family-friendly cruise line. In partnership with Chicco, ships are equipped with a range of baby items such as bottle warmers, cots, highchairs, and strollers.

Restaurants and room service can assist with warming bottles and baby food, and onboard shops carry essential items like nappies and formula.

For entertainment and care, the cruise line offers Baby Clubs for infants up to three years old, with dedicated spaces and qualified staff. Parents can opt for MSC Baby Time – where they stay and play with their little ones – or MSC Baby Care, which allows parents to leave their children with trained staff for short periods.

However, MSC Baby Care has limited capacity and is available to a maximum of 15 infants at a time.

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Chaos erupted at Galveston Cruise Port on Saturday, 26th April 2025, when a violent altercation broke out among passengers returning from a Carnival cruise.

Guests had just disembarked Carnival Jubilee following a 7-night Western Caribbean sailing, which departed from Galveston on 19th April 2025, when a large brawl began in the luggage collection area.

Footage shared online shows a group of passengers assaulting at least two others while bystanders, including children, looked on. Carnival Cruise Line confirmed the incident and issued a strong statement.

The cruise line confirmed that the matter had been reported to law enforcement, and that 24 people had been placed on the Do Not Sail list. This bans them not just from Carnival, but also from sister brands such as P&O Cruises, Holland America Line, and Princess Cruises.

The fight escalated quickly, migrating from the baggage hall to the customs area, with security personnel initially struggling to regain control. In the footage, one officer can be seen being forcefully shoved backwards while attempting to intervene.

The identities of those involved have not yet been released, and no arrests or injuries have been formally reported. However, witnesses and other cruise passengers have been vocal in calling for lifetime bans and legal consequences.

Passengers also claimed that other fights had broken out during the voyage, including incidents on Decks 4 and 10, with the latter allegedly causing property damage. It is not yet clear if those fights are connected to the disembarkation brawl.

Carnival’s Zero-Tolerance Policy on Violence

Carnival Cruise Line has a strict Code of Conduct that all guests must agree to during the check-in process.

The code makes clear that disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated and could result in fines, confinement to a stateroom or ship’s brig, removal from the ship, and a permanent ban.

“Consistent with our commitment to safety, disruptive behaviour is not tolerated and any guest whose conduct affects the comfort, enjoyment, safety or well-being of other guests or crew will be disembarked at their own expense and banned from sailing on Carnival in the future,”

Carnival’s Code of Conduct

In this latest case, the 24 banned passengers now face additional consequences as the incident took place within the port facility itself, placing it under the jurisdiction of the Port of Galveston Police Department.

Charges of assault and battery could be filed, with potential penalties including fines ranging from $500 to $10,000, and jail sentences of up to one year or more.

This is not the first time Carnival has enforced tough measures against violent guests. In 2023, following a similar brawl aboard Carnival Paradise, all individuals involved were permanently banned from the cruise line.

Carnival Jubilee, the line’s newest Excel-class ship, carries 6,500 passengers and is one of the largest vessels sailing from Galveston.

Despite this unfortunate incident, millions of guests enjoy safe and enjoyable holidays with Carnival each year.

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A packed day of sightseeing and shopping almost ended in disaster for two cruise passengers who found themselves racing against the clock to avoid missing their ship in Vietnam.

TikTok creator Ali Smith (@alismithhhh) shared a two-minute video with her 413,400 followers on 22nd April 2025, capturing the frantic moments she and her friend Sam scrambled to return to Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas before it departed.

The clip, which has now been viewed over 234,000 times, begins with the pair running frantically and Ali exclaiming, “Oh, we might not make it back to the port!”

In a recap, Ali explained how their day took a turn for the stressful. Sailing aboard the 4,905-passenger ship, the pair had docked in Ho Chi Minh City on 15th April 2025.

With the ship scheduled to leave at 8 pm – and passengers required to be back aboard by around 7:15 pm to 7:30 pm – they assumed they had plenty of time for an excursion into the city.

After a 90-minute car journey inland, they spent the day exploring, shopping, and sampling local cuisine. However, when 4:30 p.m. rolled around, instead of beginning their return trip, Ali and Sam opted to continue shopping.

This decision quickly led to panic. Their GPS soon showed that, due to heavy traffic and an accident blocking a key road, the journey back to the port would now take almost two hours – far longer than they could afford.

Thinking quickly, Ali found an alternative route for their driver to bypass the worst of the congestion. They managed to board a shuttle bus back to the port and arrived just in time, alongside other late-running passengers.

Reflecting on the experience, Ali admitted, “In hindsight, this was a very bad decision… we will never cut it that close again.”

Responses to the video were mixed, with some commenters warning that relying on private transport instead of official cruise excursions carries significant risk.

Anthem of the Seas: Wrapping Up an Era in Asia

Ali’s near miss came during a particularly notable voyage: one of the last times Anthem of the Seas would sail in Asia before repositioning to North America.

The 168,666-gross-ton ship set off from Singapore on 13th April 2025 for a 12-night itinerary, visiting Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Keelung in China, and Jeju Island in South Korea, before finishing in Tokyo on 25th April.

Following disembarkation in Tokyo, the ship will immediately begin a repositioning cruise, calling at three more Japanese ports before crossing the Pacific Ocean to Seattle, Washington.

There, Anthem of the Seas will operate cruises through the Pacific Northwest until September 2025, after which it will reposition once again to Australia for the 2025–26 summer season.

Unknowingly, Ali’s adventure took place during a historic moment, marking the ship’s farewell to Asia for the foreseeable future – making the experience even more memorable despite the last-minute stress.

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Thousands of cruisers booked on MSC Cruises’ MSC Seashore for spring 2026 received disappointing news this week: their voyage has been cancelled to accommodate a newly scheduled dry dock.

The 4,500-guest Seaside EVO-class ship, which first entered service in 2021, will undergo a two-week maintenance period beginning in late March 2026, the cruise line announced in a notice to guests.

The cancelled voyage, originally scheduled to depart 5th April 2026, from Port Canaveral for the Bahamas, falls within the dry dock period.

The 170,412-gross-ton MSC Seashore will complete a 3-night Caribbean and Bahamas cruise on 29th March, 2026, before heading into shipyard maintenance, and is expected to return to service for an 11-night sailing departing 19th April 2026.

“Due to the scheduled maintenance, it is with deep regret that we inform you that your sailing has been cancelled,

“We understand how disappointing this news is, especially since you were looking forward to your vacation with us. Please accept our sincere apology for this cancellation and the disruption to your travel plans.”

MSC communication sent to passengers

Guests impacted by the cancellation have been offered two options: a full refund of the cruise fare paid or the opportunity to transfer their booking to another MSC Cruises voyage.

Travellers are allowed to choose any sailing to any destination, with no change fees applied, although replacement sailings could carry higher fares.

More Options for Port Canaveral Cruisers

Guests looking to sail from Port Canaveral still have plenty of choices.

MSC Cruises recently announced that the 4,800-passenger MSC Grandiosa will homeport at Port Canaveral for the winter 2025-26 season – the ship’s first deployment in North America.

The vessel will offer 7-night itineraries to both the Eastern and Western Caribbean, expanding the line’s Florida-based offerings.

MSC Seashore’s deployment to Port Canaveral in 2023 was notable as the first time a Seaside EVO-class ship had been based at the Central Florida port, a key gateway to Orlando’s popular theme parks.

Advance Notice Gives Guests Time to Rebook

While cruise cancellations are always frustrating, the nearly year-long notice for MSC Seashore’s dry dock gives guests ample time to adjust travel plans, rebook flights, or explore other cruise options.

This contrasts sharply with a more recent disruption: MSC Cruises recently cancelled the 11th May 11 2025 sailing of MSC Meraviglia from New York’s Brooklyn Cruise Terminal with just three weeks’ notice, citing urgent propulsion system repairs.

In that case, passengers were offered refunds, onboard credits, and future cruise credits as compensation.

Dry docks are a routine part of cruise ship operations, allowing for structural maintenance, refurbishments of public spaces, updates to guest accommodations, and upgrades to mechanical systems. But typically, cruise lines will schedule them and then make sure not to offer cruises for those dates.

Guests returning to MSC Seashore after her dry dock can expect refreshed dining and lounge venues, updated staterooms, and overall enhancements to the shipboard experience.

Bookings for MSC Seashore’s post-dry dock voyages, including her 19th April 2026 sailing, remain open.

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Holland America Line has officially announced two epic itineraries for 2027: the Grand World Voyage and the Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage, both setting sail from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades in January.

The news was shared by Holland America Line President Beth Bodensteiner during a special onboard presentation to guests currently sailing aboard the 2025 Grand World Voyage on Zuiderdam, which concludes on 9th May 2025.

Both 2027 sailings will feature ports from the newly introduced Mariners’ Collection – a special set of rarely visited locations chosen specifically for Grand Voyages.

“When you sail on one of our Grand Voyages, we know you’re looking for experiences you can’t have anywhere else,

“These are bucket-list and often hard-to-reach destinations you might not visit otherwise.”

Holland America Line President Beth Bodensteiner

2027 Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage

• Ship: Zaandam (1,432 guests)
• Departure: 3rd January2027
• Duration: 70 days
• Countries Visited: 13
• Ports of Call: 31
• Highlights:
  • 4-day scenic cruising in Antarctica
  • Unique ports including Isla Robinson Crusoe and Puerto Chacabuco, Chile
  • Overnight stays in Panama City, Lima, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro
  • Access to 28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Machu Picchu and the Galápagos Islands

2027 Grand World Voyage

• Ship: Volendam (1,432 guests)
• Departure: 5th January 2027
• Duration: 129 days
• Countries Visited: 28
• Ports of Call: 53
• Continents Visited: 6
• Highlights:
  • Calls in Ascension Island, St. Helena, Bora Bora, and the Cook Islands
  • Overnight stays in Copenhagen, Cape Town, Sydney, Papeete, and Bali
  • 81 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Taj Mahal, Westminster Abbey, and the Great Barrier Reef

The new voyages mark some of the most ambitious itineraries ever crafted by Holland America Line, designed for seasoned travellers seeking immersive and far-reaching adventures.

Though general bookings are not yet available, interested guests can place a Future Cruise Request deposit now to receive priority booking when reservations open.

For those craving rare destinations, extended sailings, and deep cultural experiences, these 2027 Grand Voyages promise journeys of a lifetime.

World cruises are often considered the ‘dream’ for many travellers who love the idea of exploring the world whilst enjoying the comfort and luxury that a cruise ship provides.

There’s time to spread the cost, if you fancy splurging and ticking off a bucket list item with one of these longer itineraries!

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