News

The US Coast Guard made a back-to-back rescue from Princess Cruises ship Crown Princess, when two passengers suffered medical emergencies.

The ship was located 50 miles off Cape Kumukahi, Hawaii, when the rescues took place.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu was alerted to the medical emergencies on 4th October at around 6 p.m.

The ship’s crew reported that two passengers, a 70-year-old man showing symptoms of a heart attack and an 86-year-old man suffering from internal bleeding, needed immediate evacuation.

Responding promptly, a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point arrived the next morning.

The 70-year-old passenger was airlifted first and taken to Hilo Medical Center. Shortly after, a second helicopter was dispatched to evacuate the 86-year-old man, who was also transported to Hilo. Both men are reported to be in stable condition.

The Crown Princess had departed Kahului, Maui, on 3rd October 2024, as it repositioned for a 114-night world cruise from Sydney, Australia.

The medical emergency required the ship to briefly turn back towards Hawaii before resuming its course to its next destination, Moorea, French Polynesia.

After the rescues, the vessel continued its journey as planned, with future stops in New Zealand and a final arrival in Sydney on 26th October 2024.

Medical emergencies do happen

While two back-to-back rescues from the same ship are rare, the U.S. Coast Guard regularly responds to emergencies at sea, particularly in remote areas where access to advanced medical care is limited.

In a similar incident on 23rd September 2024, an 8-year-old boy on board the Royal Princess required emergency assistance for acute appendicitis while the ship sailed 20 miles off the coast of Eureka, California.

Despite challenging conditions with thick fog, the Coast Guard successfully evacuated the boy, who underwent surgery upon reaching a hospital.

Medical evacuations from cruise ships are a frequent necessity, as was seen earlier this year on 22nd August when a 56-year-old woman was airlifted from Carnival Venezia shortly after departing New York for Bermuda. She was transported to a medical facility in New Jersey for urgent care.

Similarly, on 27th April 2024, a 35-year-old crew member aboard Carnival Sunshine had to be airlifted 160 miles off the Florida coast due to a life-threatening condition.

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An Irish firefighter has been lauded after helping rescue a passenger who fell overboard from a cruise ship in Honduras.

Rory Foy, who himself is on holiday, saw that a passenger fell overboard from the ship as it was docking.

He jumped into the water and grabbed a life ring, swimming to the passenger to help them retrieve it and then swimming with them to the shore.

While it’s not been confirmed which cruise line or ship was involved, social media images and the ship schedules for the time suggest it was Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas or Enchantment of the Seas.

No information has been released about the passenger’s well-being or how they fell overboard.

Usually, rescues involving cruise ships either involve the cruise ship crew rescuing stranded people on a boat, or the coast guard rescuing people from a ship if they suffer a medical emergency.

People do occasionally go overboard from ships, but a lot of those cases end tragically with no body found.

Rescues of this nature – with a passenger being the hero – are certainly rare and he deserves all the credit he is getting!

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Many of the world’s biggest cruise lines are making changes to cruises this week, due to the impact of Hurricane Milton.

The hurricane, hitting Florida on Wednesday 9th October, is causing major problems for cruise ships that are due to dock in the ports of the state, including Tampa, Port Canaveral, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale.

Several cruises have seen their itineraries altered even before the hurricane reached land, including the world’s biggest cruise ship Icon of the Seas, which had to cancel a planned visit to Royal Caribbean’s private island Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Grandeur of the Seas was another Royal Caribbean ship heavily impacted, sailing to the Bahamas instead of two scheduled port visits to Mexico.

Carnival has been carefully monitoring five ships which have been in the path of the hurricane, with Carnival Paradise due to return to Tampa on 10th October, and Carnival Elation set to return to Jacksonville on the same day.

Carnival Sunrise is also scheduled to return to her port of Miami on Thursday. Carnival Dream and Carnival Pride are set to have their itineraries adjusted to avoid the storm while at sea.

Celebrity Cruises ship Celebrity Reflection was due to call at Key West on Tuesday 8th October, but instead sailed to Nassau in the Bahamas to avoid the oncoming storm.

Virgin Voyages, at the time of writing, hasn’t yet altered plans for Valiant Lady but the cruise line has said that last-minute itinerary changes may be needed.

And another notable change is for Princess Cruises and their newest ship Sun Princess, which was due to complete its inaugural transatlantic cruise on Wednesday 9th October but will now remain out at sea, likely until Friday 11th October.

Obviously, the safety of passengers and crew is paramount. And while the changes to itineraries will be disappointing for many, it’s important to remember that cruise lines must make changes to avoid storms where necessary.

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Silversea Cruises is set to enhance its Antarctic voyages with the construction of a brand-new luxury hotel in Puerto Williams, Chile, which will be completed in 2025.

This development aims to make travelling to the world’s southernmost city more convenient and comfortable for guests embarking on expeditions to the “White Continent.”

The hotel will feature 150 rooms overlooking the stunning Beagle Channel, offering views of forests, water, and snow-capped mountains.

Designed with guest comfort in mind, the hotel will include amenities such as a restaurant, bar, lounge, fitness centre, and a gift shop selling local artisan crafts, contributing to the local economy.

“We’re thrilled to enhance the Antarctic travel experience by offering seamless journeys that remove traditional barriers for guests to this region. This development not only differentiates us from other polar expeditions but also reaffirms our commitment to innovation and excellence as Silversea continues to set the standard in experiential luxury travel.”

Bert Hernandez, president of Silversea

The new hotel will provide a luxurious space for guests to relax before and after their Antarctic expeditions, further elevating the brand’s reputation for delivering exclusive travel experiences.

Currently, travellers to Silversea’s Antarctic cruises fly to Puerto Williams via Santiago as part of the line’s Antarctica Bridge fly-cruise program.

The new hotel will make the journey even smoother by offering a high-end base for pre- and post-cruise stays.

A luxury cruise innovator

Silversea Cruises, part of the Royal Caribbean Group, is a leader in luxury polar expeditions with a fleet of small ships designed for intimate voyages to remote destinations.

The new hotel is being developed in partnership with Chilean investors, aiming not only to serve guests but also to boost the local economy while preserving the cultural heritage of Puerto Williams.

Silversea is getting ready for its 2024-2025 Antarctic season, with several itineraries ranging from six to 20 days aboard ships such as Silver Endeavour, Silver Wind, and Silver Cloud.

The season kicks off on 29th October 2024, with an 18-night voyage on Silver Endeavour, visiting the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctica.

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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.

Read more about me

Carnival Cruise Line has announced that lockers will be available for guests at its upcoming private destination, Celebration Key, set to open in August 2025. The decision follows requests from…

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Carnival Cruise Line has announced that lockers will be available for guests at its upcoming private destination, Celebration Key, set to open in August 2025.

The decision follows requests from passengers eager for a secure place to store their belongings while enjoying the island’s attractions.

John Heald, Carnival’s Brand Ambassador, confirmed the news after receiving feedback from travellers on his popular Facebook page.

Guests had expressed concerns about leaving valuables like phones, cameras, and wallets unattended while enjoying the water and other activities.

One guest strongly suggested, “Build lockers at Celebration Cay for phones, cameras, and wallets… This is crazy bad planning by Carnival. Put it right for Celebration [Key].”

Several other passengers agreed, saying that lockers would make the experience more relaxing and convenient.

In response, Heald assured travellers that the suggestion had been taken seriously and passed on to the relevant team.

“Yesterday it was requested that we install lockers at the lagoons on Celebration Key. The beards … read your comments, so I was told last night that they would indeed install lockers there for those who need them.

John Heald

The installation of lockers is expected to be straightforward, given that Celebration Key is still under construction. This allows ample time to strategically place locker banks around the island without compromising the destination’s design and aesthetic.

About Celebration Key

Celebration Key, currently being developed on Grand Bahama Island, is Carnival Cruise Line’s first exclusive destination designed specifically for its guests.

While Carnival does have other private islands/resorts within the business group, Celebration Key is designed with Carnival Cruise Line guests specifically in mind.

Construction on the $200 million project began in May 2022, with the aim of creating a vibrant destination that caters to a wide variety of interests.

The island will offer something for everyone, with distinct zones featuring different atmospheres.

There will be an adults-only area, several dining options, lagoons, beaches, and a local marketplace. The design of Celebration Key will highlight Bahamian culture, with local artists contributing to the project’s visual and artistic elements.

Celebration Key is scheduled to open in August 2025. Carnival has already made over 400 sailings available, giving travellers a wide range of options to visit the new destination.

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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.

Read more about me

The Star of the Seas, the second ship in the Icon-class series, has achieved a major milestone in its construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. The vessel has…

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The Star of the Seas, the second ship in the Icon-class series, has achieved a major milestone in its construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

The vessel has floated out on its own hull, marking an important phase in its development.

This process involved filling the dry dock with 92 million gallons of water over 35 hours, followed by moving the ship to the outfitting pier with the aid of four tugboats.

The float-out ceremony was attended by shipyard and cruise line executives and featured a ceremonial cannon blast to honour the workers.

The ship will now undergo interior work in preparation for its maiden voyage on 31 August 2025.

This milestone signifies a significant step towards the ship’s completion and entry into service. Construction of the Star of the Seas began in February 2023.

We know some of the changes we can expect from this second Icon-class ship already.

The Surfside area is going to be aimed at a wider demographic – unlike on Icon of the Seas, where it is primarily designed for 0-6 year olds, Star of the Seas will cater to children up to 10, to rival the theme parks in Florida where the ship will be sailing from.

The kids’ clubs will get more analog play experiences, while still retaining the digital experiences too.

Pier 7 will be overhauled from a dining perspective and the exclusive Empire Supper Club will instead become the Lincoln Park Supper Club, with Chicago theming.

And we now know that the ship will feature Back to the Future as its primary theatre show.

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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.

Read more about me

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has announced a range of Limited Edition cruises for 2025, including the first-ever women-only cruise. The cruise is set to embark on 24th August 2024 on…

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Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has announced a range of Limited Edition cruises for 2025, including the first-ever women-only cruise.

The cruise is set to embark on 24th August 2024 on the S.S. Catherine and has been designed “by women, for women”.

Several special events are planned for the duration of the cruise, ranging from the more sedate craft activities like lavender weaving, through to the more thrilling such as burlesque shows.

There’ll also be special cocktail parties and a chocolate and wine pairing experience that guests will be able to enjoy.

“Travelers have demonstrated an increasing desire for more specialized and unique experiences, inspiring us to develop a wide range of new themed cruises for 2025…

“From our first-ever cruise exclusively for women to luxurious, all-inclusive golf packages, we are expanding our portfolio to further cater to a range of interests, passions and communities, all while remaining deeply committed to delivering unforgettable experiences that exceed our guests’ expectations.”

Ellen Bettridge, President and CEO of Uniworld

After leaving Arles, the cruise will take guests to Avignon, Viviers, Tain-L’Hermitage (for Tournon), Lyon, and Macon (for Beaune) before returning to Lyon for disembarkation. Guests can add optional extensions if they wish to travel to Paris or even fly to Greece.

Other cruises include a special Golf Package add-on for Bordeaux itineraries, and some music-themed cruises. There’s also a Jewish Heritage Cruise, an “Out on the Rivers” LGBTQ+ cruise, and several Generations Collection cruises aimed at families.

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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.

Read more about me

A Carnival cruise guest has shared a video from their cruise showing that they managed to get a handgun onboard the ship. Kendra Gordon shared a Facebook video showing the…

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A Carnival cruise guest has shared a video from their cruise showing that they managed to get a handgun onboard the ship.

Kendra Gordon shared a Facebook video showing the gun in the safe of her cabin, explaining how security had caught various banned food items in her luggage but missed the gun.

It’s not clear when Kendra was actually able to get the gun onboard. She uploaded the video on 1st October 2024.

You can view the Facebook reel here

However, when concerned Carnival guests raised the issue with the cruise line, it responded to say that the guests hadn’t been on a ship in months, and were now banned.

Understandably, many are still concerned as to how Kendra got a gun onto the ship at all, even if it was months ago (at least).

It’s an exceptionally rare occurrence for something this serious to have made it past security, and the security teams employed by ports are typically very good at catching anything banned by the cruise line.

There has been no further response from Carnival on the matter at the time of writing.

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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.

Read more about me

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Carnival Cruise Line posted the schedule for adding Christmas decorations to the fleet this week, but then backtracked following guest complaints.

Brand Ambassador John Heald posted the schedule on his Facebook page, which originally looked like this:

• November 24: Carnival Luminosa
• November 25: Carnival Splendor
• November 29: Carnival Conquest, Carnival Firenze
• November 30: Carnival Magic, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Valor
• December 1: Carnival Horizon, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Legend, Carnival Radiance
• December 2: Carnival Breeze, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Sunshine
• December 5: Carnival Elation, Carnival Sunrise
• December 6: Carnival Glory, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Venezia
• December 7: Carnival Jubilee, Mardi Gras, Carnival Spirit
• December 8: Carnival Celebration, Carnival Dream, Carnival Pride, Carnival Vista

However, he later posted an update saying that he had removed the schedule from his page, following guest comments.

Several guests were unhappy that their ship wouldn’t be decorated for their cruise at the start of December, and asked for adjustments so that the ships could be decked out earlier.

Heald then provided an update a couple of days later:

“The other day, I posted a schedule of the Christmas decorating dates for the ship. I received a few comments from people who were not happy and so I have deleted that and asked my colleagues within the entertainment department to speak with our professional decorators to see if it is possible to make a few changes.

“I’m afraid I can’t promise anything but we are going to do our best. As soon as the new schedule is ready, I will post it here.“

John Heald, posting on his Facebook page

Not everyone felt the same as those guests who had complained about Christmas decorations being added too late, though:

Most cruise lines will add Christmas decorations to cruise ships at the end of November or the start of December, but it will depend on a number of factors.

As cruise lines use professional decorators, who can only come onboard while the ship is in port, it relies on the dates that a ship is sailing around that time of year.

As soon as Carnival posts an updated schedule, I’ll let you know.

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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.

Read more about me

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