Cruise News Roundup - Latest Industry Updates

Major Health & Safety Incidents

Gastrointestinal Outbreak on Fred Olsen Cruise

• Ship affected: Balmoral (Fred Olsen Cruise Lines)
• Scale of outbreak: Approximately 200 passengers sick (~16% of the 1,200-guest capacity)
• Severity: Significantly higher than typical 3-5% sickness rates on ships
• Response: Immediate transmission reduction measures implemented; medical team providing support
• Current status: Voyage ending in Southampton, England; deep cleaning scheduled before next embarkation

Port & Infrastructure Developments

Norwegian Cruise Line Returns to Philadelphia

• Timeline: First major cruise operations in over 10 years; resuming April 2026
• Ships: Norwegian Jewel (refurbished October 2025); Norwegian Pearl joining November 2026
• Commitment: 41 annual sailings through at least March 2023
• Infrastructure: New cruise terminal construction on track for opening

MSC Ocean Cay Expansion (Bahamas)

• Pier extension: Expanding to accommodate two ships simultaneously, including mega World-class vessels
• New additions: Four new dining venues
• Enhanced capacity: Expanded current areas to handle increased traffic
• Completion: Expected latter part of 2027

MSC Freeport Investment (Grand Bahama Island)

• Investment: $450 million upgrade project
• Planned features: New pier, shopping areas, terminal, beach club, and more
• Context: Leveraging existing infrastructure (vs. Carnival's $600M Celebration Key built from scratch)
• Timeline: Not yet announced

Fleet Expansion & New Ships

Celebrity River Cruises Major Expansion

• Additional order: 10 new river vessels (beyond initial 10-ship order)
• Launch schedule:
  • 2027: First 2 ships debut
  • 2028: 3 additional ships (bookings now open)
  • 2029-2031: 15 more ships launching
• Total fleet: 20 river cruise ships within five years
• 2028 availability: 160+ river cruises; starting at ~$2,900 per person

Royal Caribbean Discovery Class

• New ship class: Discovery class confirmed
• Delivery dates: First ship in 2029; second in 2032
• Future options: Four additional ships possible
• Size: Expected to be smaller than Oasis and Icon class ships
• Details: Limited information; more expected in coming months

Alaska Cruise Season 2026

Record-Breaking Projections

• Passenger growth: 10% increase vs. 2025
• Top cruise lines by presence:
  1. Princess (8 ships - largest presence)
  2. Norwegian Cruise Line
  3. Royal Caribbean
  4. Holland America
  5. Celebrity Cruises

Notable Expansions

• Cunard: Doubling presence from 1 to 2 ships
• Azamara: Returning after years of absence
• First-time Alaska operators: MSC, Virgin Voyages, Ritz-Carlton

Business Performance & Pricing Insights

Royal Caribbean Group Update

• Revenue: Nearly $18 billion for 2025
• Occupancy: 109.7% (indicating full ships with many multi-guest cabins)
• 2026 bookings: Two-thirds of capacity already booked at record levels
• Pricing outlook: Expect higher prices in coming months; good deals should be secured quickly
• Strategy: Remaining rooms being held for premium pricing as availability decreases

New Policies & Packages

Carnival's Non-Alcoholic Drink Package

• Name: Cheers Zero Proof
• Price: $29.99 per day
• Inclusions: Sodas, juices, bottled water, premium coffee, alcohol-free cocktails/beers, smoothies, milkshakes, energy drinks
• Requirements: Must purchase for entire cruise duration
• Flexibility: Only person using it needs to purchase (unlike alcohol package)

Mexico Vape/E-Cigarette Ban

• Effective date: January 17th
• Prohibition: Marketing, importation, and sale of vapes and e-cigarettes
• Cruise passenger impact: Personal use could be viewed as importing
• Penalties: Fines up to $12,500; possible jail time

Southwest Airlines Seating Change

• Policy shift: Discontinued open seating after 50+ years
• Effective date: January 27th
• New process: Assigned seating (aligning with other airlines)
• Reaction: Drawing sharp responses from longtime customers

Travel Requirements Update

UK Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) - Correction

• Enforcement date: February 25, 2026
• Validity: 2 years from approval (CORRECTION: previously misstated as 6 months)
• Per-visit allowance: 6 months maximum per visit
• Process: Simple online application; approval typically within minutes
• Requirement: Mandatory for cruises including UK ports

Weather-Related Itinerary Changes

Ships Returning Early Due to Winter Storm

Carnival Sunshine:

• Skipping Grand Turk stop
• Returning to Norfolk one day early (Saturday vs. Sunday)
• Passengers may stay onboard until Sunday if desired

MSC Meraviglia:

• Returning to New York one day early (Saturday)
• Following similar protocols to Carnival Sunshine