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Cruise Hive’s weekly information roundup is a good way to remain knowledgeable on the foremost developments throughout the cruise business. Highlights on this version embrace protection of a maritime strike that prevented an MSC Cruises’ ship from docking in Marseille, France; robust winds inflicting a Superstar Cruises’ ship to overlook the one two port calls on her itinerary; and Carnival Cruise Line asserting a rise in its crew gratuity cost.

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Cruising is Booming within the Bahamas

For the third consecutive 12 months, the Nassau Cruise Port set a new record in cruise arrivals, reaching 6.1 million. That’s almost half of all guests to the Bahamas, which totals 12.5 million vacationers.

The record-high cruise arrival quantity makes Nassau the world’s busiest transit cruise port, because it acquired roughly 1,600 ship calls.

The 2025 quantity displays a 9.5% hike over 2024, when the vacation spot acquired 5.6 million cruise company from 1,445 ship calls. In 2023, cruise arrivals totaled 4.4 million.

Assured within the port’s development sample, port officers have invested $300 million in upgrades over the previous few years. These included six further, and bigger, berths that may accommodate the business’s largest ships — Royal Caribbean’s Icon class.

The port additionally reached a brand new milestone in 2025 when it comes to every day passengers. On April 8, 2025, 31,011 cruise passengers arrived in Nassau on 5 ships: Liberty of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Celebration, and Disney Dream.

Climate Entrance Turns Voyage Into Cruise to Nowhere

A 3-night weekend getaway cruise aboard Superstar Cruises’ Superstar Reflection was scheduled to make two port calls — to Key West and Bimini, Bahamas.

However the voyage turned out to be a cruise to nowhere, when excessive winds from an advancing climate entrance compelled the ship to cancel both calls. The ship departed from Port Everglades on January 30, 2026, and was to name at Key West the following day.

Winds of 15-20 miles per hour all through the day and gusts as much as 33 miles per hour have been predicted on the time Superstar Reflection would have been docked. That’s loads of strain on mooring strains, and will create unsafe disembarkation through gangways.

In the meantime, the Port of Bimini shut down as a result of excessive winds, so that decision was unimaginable to make, too. 

It was a disappointment for company; nevertheless, a ship captain’s first precedence is all the time the protection of company and crew onboard. 

The three,046-guest Superstar Reflection, a Solstice-class ship, has loads of onboard delights, such because the Garden Membership outside recreation space, a number of specialty eating places, and the AquaSpa, providing greater than 100 wellness therapies.

Carnival Cruise Line Hikes Crew Gratuities By $1

For the primary time in three years, Carnival Cruise Line is elevating its crew gratuity fee, efficient on April 2, 2026.

The brand new fee for company in normal staterooms shall be $17 per individual per day, and $19 for these in suites. The will increase replicate a $1 rise in each category, and works out to a 6.25% hike for traditional stateroom company and a 5.55% improve for suite company.

Additionally, the road is elevating the price of its Bottomless Bubbles soda bundle, from $9.50 per individual per day to $11.99. Company will nonetheless pay a 20% service cost on every soda order.

Company are invited to pre-pay the gratuities or the soda bundle on any booked cruise earlier than April 2, efficient on the day of departure, locking within the decrease fee regardless of their departure date.

Cruise strains usually increase gratuity charges each few years. This week additionally noticed a rise in gratuities at Margaritaville at Sea, which raised its fee to $22 per individual per day, no matter lodging class. It additionally enacted a coverage change that prohibits company from adjusting or eradicating crew gratuities from their onboard accounts.

Maritime Strike Disrupts MSC Cruises’ Ship

Unionized maritime employees in Marseille, France, organized a strike at the destination’s port on February 2, 2026, an motion that prevented MSC Cruises’ MSC Orchestra from docking there to embark and disembark company.

The French Riviera port is certainly one of a number of embarkation/disembarkation ports for the three,223-guest ship, which is crusing a collection of 7-night Mediterranean cruises.

The protest had been deliberate; the Fédération Nationale des Syndicats Maritimes Union had filed a strike discover for February 2 and three. Native media reported that the demonstrators blocked entry to the port.

The ship waited a number of hours for the protest to finish, however finally left the area. The ship departed from Valencia, Spain, on January 31, 2026, and Marseille was the second name, after Barcelona. Genoa, Livorno, and Rome, Italy, have been subsequent on the itinerary, earlier than the ship returns to Valencia on February 7, 2026.

Company left behind in Marseille posted on social media that the cruise line was internet hosting them that evening at a resort and would bus them to the following port name, Genoa, the place they may embark.

It’s possible that related plans have been made for the company who have been to debark in Marseille. 

Spa Gross sales Pitch Angers Royal Caribbean Visitor

Most cruisers who’ve skilled a spa remedy on a cruise ship know that, typically, a spa consultant will attempt to squeeze extra money out of a visitor by trying to upsell a remedy or promote associated merchandise.

It not too long ago occurred to 1 Royal Caribbean visitor, who posted on social media about what turned out to be a really frustrating experience.

The passenger described a 20- to 30-minute gross sales pitch they have been subjected to after they arrived for his or her scheduled therapeutic massage. So intense was the expertise that the visitor grew to become offended and left the spa earlier than the $200 therapeutic massage even began.

They demanded and acquired a refund, however that wasn’t sufficient. Additionally they went to the visitor providers desk and, after complaining in regards to the incident, demanded a refund of all pre-paid facilities and excursions.

Visitor providers workers complied. The passenger’s story went viral on social media, with different cruisers relating related experiences.

Relying on the cruise line, some spa employees are employed by the spa vendor, not the cruise line, and are typically, sadly, underneath strain from the seller to upsell merchandise.

Cruising? Convey Your Personal Umbrella

Nobody likes to consider a wet day spoiling a part of a cruise trip, however it does occur infrequently.

One Carnival Cruise Line visitor reached out to model ambassador John Heald, asking whether or not they need to deliver their very own umbrella or will crew make them obtainable if wanted. If not, requested the visitor, why not?

Heald, who interacts with company on his widespread Fb web page, replied that no, the cruise line does not provide umbrellas. First, they would want 1000’s of them on every ship — almost 95,000 fleetwide, and a few would possible not be returned on the finish of a crusing.

The change prompted different company to chime in, and a few recommended that plastic ponchos have been a greater concept than umbrellas, which may break within the wind or blow overboard from open decks.

Company are welcome to pack their very own umbrellas — the merchandise will not be listed as a prohibited merchandise. Small, compact umbrellas don’t take up a lot room in a suitcase.

Whereas cruisers crusing within the Caribbean or different tropical areas count on and hope for heat, dry, sunny days, it’s all the time attainable {that a} climate sample will deliver showers. Greatest to be ready.

‘Beetlejuice’ to Depart From Norwegian Viva

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva has offered the Broadway-style present “Beetlejuice: The Musical” for greater than two-and-a-half years, however the run is ending.

The 90-minute musical, a couple of useless couple who hang-out their nation property, is proven on the ship’s leisure notes as having its ultimate efficiency on the March 21, 2026, cruise. No formal announcement has been made.

The transfer follows the information that one other present, “Jersey Boys,” is ending its run on Norwegian Bliss after that ship’s February 8, 2026, cruise.

Norwegian Viva is predicated in Galveston, Texas. Her March 21 cruise is a 7-night Western Caribbean crusing calling at Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Harvest Caye, Belize; and Roatan, Honduras.

The ship’s leisure notes additionally point out that two new productions will quickly be provided.

“Motor Metropolis Strikes,” that includes “Detroit’s iconic sound,” shall be carried out in the course of the ship’s first seasonal Mediterranean crusing, departing April 29, 2026, from Barcelona. Later within the season, “Burn the Flooring” shall be carried out. It’s a ballroom dance ensemble.

Different leisure choices aboard Norwegian Viva embrace the sport reveals “Deal or No Deal,” “The Value Is Proper,” and “Wheel of Fortune,” together with comedy reveals and different musical occasions.

Extra Cruise Headlines

Now that you simply’ve learn the information recap, Cruise Hive has much more protection from the previous week, together with two Cunard ships assembly up for a rendezvous in California, Holland America Line rolling out new Pacific Coast and Hawaii voyages, and Carnival Cruise Line asserting it is going to base two ships in Baltimore in 2027-28.

Additionally, Royal Caribbean provides lucrative compensation to lure company away from an overbooked cruise, and harm from storms causes a temporary closure of the Nice Stirrup Cay personal vacation spot.