It’s been another lively week for cruise news, and now Cruise Hive’s must-read update brings you news from Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Disney Cruise Line.
Cruise News Update
OK, let’s dive into the big cruise industry stories of the week with Cruise Hive. This week’s exciting recap includes coverage about Carnival Cruise Line warning guests that some comedy shows are R-rated; a plumbing problem affecting Voyager of the Seas; and Norwegian Cruise Line nixing some port calls to Bonaire.
Also, Disney Cruise Line designing a storybook garden for Disney Adventure; Carnival Cruise Line planning its first solar eclipse cruise; and Carnival Cruise Line cancelling several visits to Bimini.
Carnival Brand Ambassador Issues Advice for Comedy-Club Goers
Among the hundreds of comments that Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald receives on his popular Facebook page each week, there are certain to be some that complain about the line’s comedy shows.
Carnival’s Punchliner Comedy Club, found on all ships fleetwide, is the place to go for some laughs, but as Heald knows, not all comedy shows are for all guests.
Carnival’s Punchliner Comedy Club (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz)
In fact, in light of ongoing complaints about the comedy content, Heald issued an official request to future cruisers — stay away from the shows if you think the content might offend you.
Sit toward the back, he suggested, so an exit can be made if desired without interrupting the show.
There are plenty of other things to do onboard the Fun Ships, he pointed out, like playing mini-golf, or getting something to eat, or relaxing in a hot tub, etc.
Carnival Cruise Line ships offer both PG and R-rated comedy shows. The latter take place later in the evening and are limited to guests 18 and older. Automated announcements prior to the start of the show remind guests that a show is R-rated, as well.
Plumbing Problem Mars First Day of Sailing
A plumbing problem onboard Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas lasted only a few hours, but that was enough time to gross out guests who had just boarded the ship for a 7-day Greece and Turkey cruise roundtrip from Athens.
The August 19, 2024 departure of the ship got off to a bad, and smelly start, when guests found there was no running water in staterooms or public areas.
Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: StudioPortoSabbia)
Restrooms were the big problem, since toilets couldn’t be flushed and faucets were dry. Making matters worse, guests said, was the fact that ship officials issued no communications about the problem.
The ship is an older vessel, entering service in 1998, and accommodates 3,600 guests in double occupancy. Considering its age, the ship is not generally known for having maintenance issues.
The water problem was resolved later on departure day, and the cruise is operating normally. Voyager of the Seas is calling at Santorini, Kavala, and Mykonos, Greece, and Kusadasi and Istanbul, Turkey,
Bye-Bye Bonaire: Norwegian Viva Cancels Calls
Norwegian Cruise Line guests booked on two Norwegian Viva departures in February 2025 were told that planned port calls in Bonaire have been removed from the itineraries.
The two 7-night voyages affected by the change depart on February 16 and 23, 2025, and sail roundtrip from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Rather than call at Kralendijk, Bonaire, the ship will now have a day at sea. The port call was to have been from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Norwegian Viva Cruise Ship in the Caribbean (Photo Credit: Drew Rawcliffe)
The altered itinerary also expanded the times in port at other destinations, perhaps as a way to assuage guests’ disappointment.
The call to St. Lucia, for instance, was extended from 6 hours to 10 hours, with the ship now visiting from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, the call to St. Kitts was expanded to 10 hours, with the adjusted call now set for 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The visits to Aruba and Curacao were made longer, too.
The cruise line offered no specific reason for abandoning the call to Bonaire.
Disney Cruise Line Plans Storybook Garden For New Ship
Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Adventure, a ship bound for the Singapore market when she enters service in 2025, will offer guests a new onboard destination called Disney Imagination Garden, a storybook-style destination featuring a bigger-than-life artwork of a castle.
The 6,700-guest ship, which was partially built when Disney bought it from the bankrupt Genting Hong Kong in 2022, is under construction at a Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.
The newly unveiled themed area, one of seven themed spaces planned for the ship, comes with a new accommodation option — garden view cabins that overlook the garden. The castle artwork will anchor one end of the Disney Imagination Garden and a performance stage will anchor the other.
Disney Adventure Imagination Garden
Described as the ship’s entertainment hub, the garden space is being designed to look like a pop-up storybook, with features that look like paper cut-outs.
One of the shows planned for the garden’s performance stage is called “Avengers Assemble!,” with stunts and special effects, and characters including Deadpool, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, and others.
The Garden Stage will be designed in an amphitheater format with two dining options, Mowgli’s Eatery and Gramma Tala’s Kitchen, located nearby. A courtyard and bar will round out the amenities of the garden space.
Carnival Legend to Operate Line’s First Eclipse Cruise
For the first time, Carnival Cruise Line is planning a solar eclipse cruise, offering guests a chance to be at sea for the solar phenomenon Earth will experience on August 12, 2026.
The cruise aboard Carnival Legend is an 11-night voyage that falls under the Carnival Journeys category. The 2,124-guest ship, a Spirit-class vessel that launched in 2001, will sail from Dover, England, on August 9, 2026 and call at ports in Spain, Portugal, France, Channel Islands, and Belgium.
Carnival Legend Lido Deck (Photo Credit: Alexia Lefebvre Basedow)
On eclipse day, the ship will be in the path of totality, providing viewing of the astronomical spectacle. Details regarding onboard events tied to the eclipse are expected closer to departure but are likely to include things like lectures by expert astronomers, trivia contests, and special drinks and meals.
The eclipse voyage is one of nine cruises the ship will sail from Dover in summer 2026. Other itineraries feature Ireland, Scotland, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Scandinavia, and Iceland.
Following her Dover deployment, Carnival Legend will reposition to Rome for a six-cruise series of Mediterranean voyages.
Carnival Legend offers several specialty dining venues, 11 stateroom categories, including four suite options, and the line’s popular WaterWorks waterpark. WaterWorks features thrill rides such as Twister Waterslide, Speedway Splash, and DrainPipe, among other exciting activities.
Port Call to Bimini Nixed From Several Carnival Cruises
Without providing any reason for the change, Carnival Cruise Line has removed port calls to Bimini, Bahamas, from 10 voyages with winter 2025-26 departures.
The cruises, aboard the 2,214-guest Carnival Spirit, were to depart from Mobile, Alabama, between November 2025 and March 2026. The ship’s winter series of cruises from Mobile will begin in late October 2025.
The change affects a series of 8-night cruises that were scheduled to call at Bimini, the westernmost Bahamian island located just 50 miles from Miami.
Carnival Spirit Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: NAN728)
The new itineraries replace Bimini with a call to Carnival Corporation’s private island Half Moon Cay for the November 22 and December 20, 2025, and March 14, 2026, sailings, while the rest of the altered sailings add a day at sea.
Itineraries also include calls to Carnival’s new private destination, Celebration Key, set to open in July 2025.
Carnival Cruise Line will automatically refund any booked shore excursions on Bimini for guests on the impacted sailings. Guests who bought independent shore tours are responsible for cancelling those plans. The cruise line has not pulled the Bimini port call from the ship’s 6-night cruises.
The port at Bimini is owned by Resorts World Bimini and has a beachfront complex with a hotel, casino, marina, and retail operations.
More Cruise Headlines
Visit Cruise Hive, the go-to source for global cruise industry news, to find even more stories, including Windstar Cruises revealing details of its newest ship Star Seeker; Virgin Voyages launching inaugural service from a UK port; Norwegian Cruise Line unveiling its 2026 spring and summer sailings; Oceania Cruises detailing its 2025 Grand Voyages; and the Caribbean island of St. Maarten expecting to welcome 1.5 million cruisers in 2025.
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Publish date : 2024-08-23 22:38:00
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