It’s been one other hectic week for cruise information and now it’s time for Cruise Hive’s weekly recap of the main developments. This week we’re writing about Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Princess Cruises.
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Annoyed Cruisers Complain of Magnet Thefts
Attaching ornamental magnets to stateroom doorways is a enjoyable method to personalize a cruise visitor’s area, and the observe has been a rising development for a while. However these days, it has taken a darkish flip, because the theft of magnets seems to be on the rise.
Some pissed off visitors have taken to social media to warn others that their magnets may effectively be stolen by unscrupulous cruisers.
Most lately, a scenario unfolded on Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s latest ship, when a number of visitors’ magnets have been faraway from their doorways — they’d had them custom-made to have a good time the birthday of one in all their get together, and all have been stolen.
On one other Royal Caribbean ship, Odyssey of the Seas, one visitor lately reported that a number of “Do Not Disturb” magnets have been stolen from varied doorways.
Ships operated by different cruise strains have skilled the identical dangerous conduct, with incidents reported on vessels operated by Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, and others.
Victims of magnet theft can alert the ship’s crew, but it surely’s unlikely something might be completed to retrieve the gadgets.
Royal Caribbean Suspends Port Calls at Labadee
Labadee, Haiti, is within the information once more, as Royal Caribbean has reinstated its suspension of port calls to the personal vacation spot.
The cruise line cancelled requires a number of months in 2024 as a result of civil unrest and gang violence within the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, which is roughly 100 miles from the Royal Caribbean vacation spot. Calls resumed in October 2024, however at the moment are nixed till additional discover.
The cancellation impacts itineraries of a number of Royal Caribbean ships, together with Voyager of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, and Journey of the Seas, all of that are presently crusing Caribbean voyages. Different ships within the line’s fleet are more likely to be affected within the coming months if the suspension continues.
Alternative port name locations embody Nassau, Bahamas, and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
Labadee is a gated, 260-acre resort-style vacation spot with its personal safety staff in place. With a water park, journey actions like jet-skiing and para-sailing, a number of seashores, and cultural sights, it’s beloved by cruisers and a significant port name for Royal Caribbean.
Because of safety points, the US State Division has a Stage 4 Do Not Journey advisory in place for Haiti.
Teenager Falls Into Water at CocoCay Pier
It was a case of tragedy narrowly averted at Excellent Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s personal island vacation spot within the Bahamas, when a little one fell into the water on the pier the place Symphony of the Seas was docked.
Friends have been visiting the favored vacation spot whereas two ships, Symphony of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, have been docked at their piers. A visitor onboard Oasis of the Seas apparently noticed a younger little one fall into the water.
The kid’s mom was close by and the teen was rapidly plucked from the water. The 2 seemed to be heading again to the ship after visiting the vacation spot when the teen acquired too near the sting of the pier and fell in.
No different data was supplied, and Royal Caribbean had no remark about how the kid was rescued or whether or not she or he suffered any harm because of the autumn.
Symphony of the Seas is crusing a 7-night cruise from PortMiami that departed on April 13, 2025. CocoCay was the primary port name on her itinerary. Different calls are St. Thomas and St. Maarten. The itinerary was not impacted by the incident.
The lesson for folks is: Preserve an in depth watch on youngsters.
Nice Stirrup Cay Poised to Provide New Experiences
Nice Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ personal island vacation spot within the Bahamas, will quickly provide an adults-only Vibe Seashore Membership and Horizon Park, a garden video games space, as a part of a main improve plan.
Vibe Seashore Membership already exists on a number of Norwegian Cruise Line ships, and the idea is being expanded to the personal island. It’s a secluded, luxury-level solar deck with swimming pools, meals and beverage companies, lounge chairs, and personal cabanas.
Horizon Park is a multi-use recreation space for video games in addition to rest and sunbathing. It is also being tailored from an onboard expertise. Each the Vibe Seashore Membership and Horizon Park are anticipated to debut later in 2025.
Nice Stirrup Cay additionally now includes a new welcome heart and a tram service for exploring the vacation spot. A brand new splash pad for children and a heated pool with swim-up bar for adults add to the enjoyable experiences visitors can take pleasure in.
Earlier upgrades to the vacation spot supplied a brand new pier the place cruise ships can dock, eradicating the earlier want for tender boats to move visitors ashore.
Burst Pipe Disrupts Night Actions on Sky Princess
Passengers crusing aboard Princess Cruises’ Sky Princess within the Western Mediterranean heard the phrases no cruise visitor ever desires to listen to over the general public handle system: Proceed to your assigned muster station.
The April 8, 20215 directive got here after a significant water pipe burst because the ship sailed between Bilbao, Spain, and Le Verdon, France, throughout her 21-night “Mediterranean, Spain & France Medley” voyage roundtrip from Southampton.
Apparently, a burst pipe on Deck 7 induced water within the ship’s Sky Pool to enter the primary atrium.
Some visitors posted movies on social media, exhibiting water pooling close to a staircase and crew members making an attempt to mop the water with towels. The announcement to proceed to muster stations was made as a result of Decks 5, 6, and seven wanted to be cleared of all passengers in order that restoration work may start.
However there was by no means a have to evacuate the ship, as such an announcement may suggest. It was an inconvenience, nonetheless, for the reason that notification got here at 10:45 p.m., when many visitors had already turned in for the evening.
The water harm was cleaned up by the following morning, and no accidents have been reported.
Hawaii’s Proposed Taxes Annoy Cruise Trade
Hawaii is seeking to improve the tax income it will get from cruise tourism, and a few within the trade should not joyful about it.
The state Legislature handed measures to enact a head tax of $20 per particular person, per port, and to use the prevailing Transient Lodging Tax to cruise cabins. At present, that tax is charged solely on short-term leases on land.
Each legal guidelines have an efficient date of January 1, 2027, nonetheless, a lot stays to be completed earlier than any implementation. First, each payments are in convention committee and might be altered throughout negotiations, and second, the governor must signal the ultimate payments. Cruise trade advocates, together with attorneys for Norwegian Cruise Line, are already busy lobbying towards the legal guidelines.
Norwegian Cruise Line operates the one inter-island itinerary within the Hawaiian Islands aboard Satisfaction of America. Because the ship is US-flagged, she is ready to sail instantly between US ports. All foreign-flagged ships are prohibited from doing so.
Enacting both, or each, taxes would considerably affect the price of cruises onboard Satisfaction of America. The cruise line is alleged to have threatened to sue the state over the taxes or withdraw the ship fully from the area. So keep tuned.
Royal Caribbean Ship’s Outbreak Spawns Two Lawsuits
Two cruise visitors who grew to become unwell from a Salmonella outbreak on Royal Caribbean’s 2,100-guest Radiance of the Seas in September 2024 are suing the road, charging negligence and breach of duties.
The 2 have been crusing an Alaska cruise roundtrip from Vancouver, British Columbia, when the bacterial outbreak hit. They weren’t the one ones — the ship reported that 8.29% of the shipboard inhabitants was affected.
Separate lawsuits have been filed with the British Columbia Supreme Courtroom in March of 2025 by Tierny Patterson and Nicole Singh, who’re in search of restitution for monetary damages and compensation for ache and struggling.
Patterson stated she endured diarrhea, abdomen cramps, dehydration, and fever, and was not recognized till she visited a health care provider in Vancouver after the cruise ended. Singh, in the meantime, stated she was made to isolate in her cabin. She claims the ship’s medical workers was not correctly educated or outfitted.
The lawsuits are pending. Royal Caribbean has not commented on the costs.
Extra Cruise Headlines
Cruise Hive has much more cruise information tales you received’t wish to miss, so take a look at our protection about Cozumel setting a first-quarter report in cruise arrivals; Princess Cruises launching its 56th season in Alaska; Holland America Line enhancing its sailaway festivities; robust winds forcing a Royal Caribbean ship to miss a port name; and Disney Cruise Line revealing extra thrilling particulars concerning the new-build Disney Future.
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