Everybody loves to get something for free. And while Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, might well be considered the Santa of the high seas when it comes to handing out gifts, a recent incident means not everyone will be able to take advantage of his generosity.

No Kids Allowed (To Drink)

For years, followers of Heald’s very active Facebook page have know that he does far more than simply answer questions and compare rude folks to yaks. (If you know, you know!)

He and his associate Jacinta also do their very best to arrange gifts in the staterooms of those celebrating special occasions.

Until very recently, the pair occasionally would also arrange to leave a special treat for cruisers on behalf of friends. If, for example, they received a note from someone saying their grandparents would be celebrating their 50th anniversary on board, a bottle of bubbly or some other treat might be arranged.

But as of now, the idea of third-party gifts has been suspended. Why? Well, as Heald explained in a recent video, a simple mistake had what can only be called far-reaching consequences.

As these things so often do, it started simply enough. Heald received a note from someone saying they had friends who’d be doing their first Carnival cruise while celebrating their retirement.

Asked to send something special, Heald did just that. “I sent a bottle of champagne and a medallion,” he shared with his followers.

Unfortunately, that simple act of kindness led to Heald receiving a note from “the mothership in Miami.” Why? “The cabin that the gentleman had given me was wrong, and I had sent a bottle of champagne to two children.” 

Despite clearly regretting the accidental incident, the end result, a downtrodden Heald reported, is that “I can not send anything to third parties.” 

Can You Still Request Something Special?

To be clear, this does not mean his days of gift giving have come to an end. “If you are cruising… of course I will do my best for you as I always have done and always will.” However, those who aren’t sailing and write trying to arrange something for a friend, that will no longer be happening.

“I’m not going to put myself or my colleague, Jacinta, into that particular nest of vipers,” he sighed.

Elsewhere in the video, Heald revealed that while he grants as many requests as he possibly can, he’s working within a specific per-ship budget.

Because of that, he asked that people not — as is occasionally mentioned in cruise-related Facebook pages and message boards — reach out saying it’s their anniversary, birthday or other special occasion when it’s not.

Read Next: Fake John Heald scams thousands of Carnival guests

A crew member has died and four passengers were hospitalized after a fire broke out aboard the World Legacy cruise ship near Singapore early Friday morning.

The cruise ship fire started around 4 a.m. on deck nine while the vessel was anchored at Raffles Reserved Anchorage. Singapore Civil Defence Force marine firefighters responded and were able to contain the fire to a single deck.

There were 271 passengers onboard at the time. All were safely evacuated to HarbourFront Ferry Terminal. Authorities said 139 of the passengers were Singaporean nationals.

The vessel was also carrying 388 crew members, all foreign nationals. One crew member, identified as an Indonesian national, later died. Officials said the Indonesian embassy has been notified. The cause of death has not been publicly detailed.

Four passengers were taken to a local hospital for medical assessment. Their conditions have not been released.

Fire Cause Under Investigation

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. Officials have not confirmed where or how the blaze started.

A safety zone has been established around the ship while investigators and classification surveyors assess damage and conduct inspections. A core crew remains onboard to support essential operations.

The ship will not be cleared to sail again until it passes full safety checks.

Impacted Cruises

The company said affected guests will receive refunds and that passengers booked on impacted sailings are being contacted directly.

The World Legacy offers short sailings between Singapore and Johor, Malaysia, with more than 300 cabins and onboard amenities including specialty dining, lounges, private karaoke suites, live entertainment, and a casino.

Operator World Cruises describes it as “Singapore and Johor’s first true lifestyle playground at sea.” The company said it is cooperating fully with authorities and will refund guests booked on any impacted sailings.

Most Carnival Cruise Line passengers know that Brand Ambassador John Heald is the go-to guy for questions or complaints.

But that reputation has been a bit sullied by a fake John Heald, who has scammed over 15,000 people.

Is ‘John Heald’ Scamming You?

The jovial Heald has a Facebook page with over 650,000 followers. He dedicates many hours each day to answering questions posted by past, present, and future cruisers.

He’s also the person from whom many of the line’s guests get their news. Good, bad or indifferent, it is Heald’s job to pass along dispatches from “the Beards,” as he calls executives.

There is, however, another John Heald. This one is followed by around 15,000 people who wrongly assume the person they are interacting with is the real deal. They are, however, being scammed.

How to Spot the Scammer

If there is one thing that separates Heald from most corporate representatives, it is his extremely blunt nature.

So it should surprise no one that in exposing the fraudster, he began by saying there “truly are some people who have no more right to live on God’s green earth than a dung beetle. And whoever is running this [fake] page is one of them.”

Were this just another person with delusions of adequacy looking to pull a harmless prank, Heald might not be motivated to address the matter. There are, after all, many fake accounts out there. The person in question, however, took things much farther.

“This is not me,” Heald declared, “and please be warned that whoever is running this page has just managed to scam a lady and had her [send] money. I can’t go into details legally, but she thought she was paying for a specific excursion.”

‘I Hope You Get Seasick and Lockjaw’

Of course, Heald immediately reported the imposter. But he then went on to directly address followers of the fake John Heald: “This is not affiliated [with] me and has nothing to do with Carnival Cruise Line in any way, shape or form.”

And his personal message to the perpetrator of the fraud? “I sincerely hope you get seasick and lockjaw at the same time.”

The warning immediately prompted many to check and make sure they were not somehow following the imposter as well as the original.

As several noted, the fake John Heald’s page can easily be spotted thanks to the lack of a cruise-related cover photo and the low — compared to Heald’s real account — follower count.

On the plus side, those who accidentally wind up on the impostors page may find themselves pointed in the right direction.

Why? Because fans of the real deal have made it something of a mission to monitor the faux account and respond to those who believe they are interacting with the fraudster.

A 29-year-old man was arrested at PortMiami on Monday, February 17, after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found child abuse material on his cellphone following a Royal Caribbean cruise, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said.

Basilios Grayeb, of Haifa, Israel, was taken into custody aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas after CBP officers received a suspicious activity report related to the purchase of abusive material.

Officers boarded the ship and arrested Grayeb before he could disembark through normal passenger processing.

According to the arrest report, a CBP officer conducted a border search of Grayeb’s cellphone and found a video depicting the sexual abuse of a young child.

Grayeb confessed after being advised of his Miranda rights, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

He was transported to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he was being held on a $2,500 bond as of Tuesday morning. An immigration hold has also been placed on Grayeb by federal authorities.

How the Arrest Happened

The arrest followed a tip that reached CBP before the ship docked.

Rather than waiting for Grayeb to pass through the terminal, investigators boarded the Freedom of the Seas directly, a procedure that has become more common at South Florida ports as authorities have stepped up screening of cruise passengers and crew for child sexual abuse material.

CBP has broad authority to conduct border searches of electronic devices, including cellphones, without a warrant when passengers are entering the United States.

Those searches have led to a series of arrests at PortMiami and Port Everglades in recent years involving both passengers and crew members.

A Pattern of Arrests at South Florida Ports

This arrest is not an isolated case. A Canadian cruise passenger was arrested at PortMiami in November 2024 after a CBP border search found illicit material on his phone following a cruise.

A foster parent traveling on Carnival Horizon was arrested at PortMiami in September 2025 under similar circumstances.

Legal commentators have noted that Florida is the only U.S. state with laws that specifically empower state law enforcement to investigate and prosecute such crimes committed aboard cruise ships departing from and returning to Florida ports.

A 73-year-old man from Mumbai, India, was arrested at Port Canaveral this week after he allegedly touched an underage girl aboard Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas while the ship was sailing in international waters, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

Rajendra Sheth was taken into custody on February 16 after the ship returned to Florida. He is charged with lewd or lascivious conduct and is being held on a $35,000 bond. His next court date is March 12.

What Allegedly Happened

According to a BCSO affidavit, obtained by News 6, the alleged victim told investigators she was waiting in the FlowRider area of the ship when Sheth approached her and began talking to her.

He then allegedly grabbed her on the buttocks multiple times while she was wearing a two-piece bathing suit.

Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the ship, which they said corroborated the victim’s account. Royal Caribbean security also recorded Sheth on a body-worn camera.

In that recording, according to deputies, Sheth acknowledged that he knew the girl was a minor and admitted to touching her.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the incident on Monday. Sheth was arrested when Explorer of the Seas returned to Port Canaveral.

How Cruise Lines Handle Incidents at Sea

Crimes committed aboard cruise ships in international waters fall under U.S. federal jurisdiction when the vessel is flagged or sailing to a U.S. port.

The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act requires cruise lines to report certain crimes, including sexual offenses, to the FBI. In this case, local authorities took jurisdiction upon the ship’s return to Port Canaveral.

Royal Caribbean has not issued a statement on the incident. Sheth remains in custody at Brevard County Jail.

Passengers boarding Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas on Wednesday faced delayed embarkation after a power outage at the Port of Los Angeles, pushing the start of boarding back roughly two hours.

Royal Caribbean notified guests by text message, advising them not to arrive at the terminal before the updated boarding time.

What Caused the Power Outage

Southern California was hit with heavy rain and strong winds overnight, causing intermittent power outages across the region.

The California Highway Patrol received a report around 9:10 a.m. of low-hanging power lines on the southbound side of the I-110 freeway in San Pedro. A utility pole fell, forcing authorities to close the southbound lanes at Pacific Avenue and Channel Street for several hours. No injuries were reported.

The I-110 is the primary freeway connecting to the Port of Los Angeles, and the lane closures added to traffic delays caused by terminal disruptions, compounding the situation for passengers driving to the port.

It is not confirmed whether the downed lines directly supplied power to the cruise terminal, but the timing aligns with the port outage.

Impact on Embarkation

Passengers who had been aboard the ship’s previous sailing and were waiting to disembark reported that the outage disrupted the terminal’s automated customs processing systems. Facial recognition machines remained powered but lost network connectivity, requiring agents to manually check passports.

The incident highlights how dependent modern cruise terminal operations are on continuous power and network connectivity, particularly for security and passenger verification systems.

About Quantum of the Seas

Quantum of the Seas is the lead ship in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class, built in 2014 at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.

The 168,000-gross-ton ship accommodates up to 4,905 guests and began its current deployment from Los Angeles in November 2025, offering three- to six-night cruises to Baja California.

It was the only ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles this week, so no other vessels were affected by the outage.

Embarkation day frequently stands out as the most urgent part of a cruise trip. Air travel, baggage pickup, unknown routes, and set check-in periods need to sync perfectly.

In Croatia, with ancient harbor towns such as Dubrovnik and Split attracting more cruise guests each year, land arrangements are key to setting the mood for the upcoming adventure. Booking an airport transfer Croatia ahead can turn a potentially hurried landing into a smooth shift from airstrip to ship entrance.

Cruise routes usually follow rigid timetables. Vessels won’t hold back sailing for tardy guests. Small travel hiccups can spark unneeded worry. Croatia’s rising status as a cruise center is leading to more frequent road jams and tourist spikes during busy seasons. Thoughtful organization reduces these risks and lets voyagers focus on savoring their sail.

A solid land setup is especially vital for overseas guests unfamiliar with local transit options. Speech gaps, busy-period cab scarcities, and strange dock setups can muddle spur-of-the-moment plans. Early setup aids in erasing these doubts.

Croatia’s Cruise Gateways and Their Transport Challenges

Dubrovnik remains among the Adriatic’s most famous departure ports. Dubrovnik Airport lies about 20 kilometers away from the Gruž cruise dock. Though the span is doable, peak traffic and overlapping ship docks can greatly extend durations. Arranged rides lower the chance of surprise holdups.

Split too has broadened its position as a cruise launch spot. Split Airport is located west of downtown, requiring precise scheduling of boarding dates. Intense summer crowds heighten street backups. Planned land moves make sure guests travel smoothly among airport, lodging, and harbor.

Zadar, while tinier, keeps expanding in the cruise scene. With extra routes adding this north Dalmatian spot, arranged airport-to-harbor rides grow more pertinent. Local setups back tourism rise. Yet, organizing is still crucial for easy entry.

Grasping these location ties helps guests predict travel spans and dodge sudden issues.

Why Structured Transfers Reduce Embarkation Risk

Boarding slots are sharply outlined by cruise companies. Showing up prematurely might mean lingering beyond station areas. Showing up delayed threatens entry refusal. Land ride dependability straightaway impacts this schedule.

Preset options match collection times to the timing of plane landings. Chauffeurs track setbacks and adapt as needed. Such adaptability eases the strain from narrow links. Once land moves are locked in early, there’s no call to haggle prices or hunt for open rides on landing.

Lots of cruise guests are picking reserved airport transfer Croatia options to build reliability on the boarding day. Planned collections wipe out doubt. Guests receive approval information, chauffeur contact details, and projected durations prior to departure.

Speech hurdles can add mess to impromptu ride setups. Croatia’s visitor sector speaks multiple tongues. Still, organized rides usually feature straightforward English links, cutting mix-ups in key trip phases.

Managing Group Travel and Cruise Luggage

Cruise breaks often feature kin or companion clusters. Syncing several guests and ample bags can prove tough sans right ride setups. Regular cabs might miss enough room for big cases, clothing carriers, or special gear.

Personal rides offer fitting car space. Minibuses or bigger autos fit groups nicely. Preset collections ensure all guests leave together, rather than being divided into different vehicles.

Dealing with bags well also sways pacing. Cruise boarding generally entails safety checks and registration steps. Reaching via arranged rides lets guests tackle these calmly.

To guarantee a fluid airport-to-harbor move in Croatia, guests ought to think about these actions:

• Verify cruise boarding hour and final check-in slot.
• Include extra time for possible plane or road setbacks.
• Reserve rides matched to plane landing.
• Pick a car fitting group count and bag amount.
• Keep open talks with the chauffeur before landing.

Such steps cut down needless tension.

Extending Your Stay Before or After the Cruise

Plenty of cruise guests opt to reach Croatia one day prior. Pre-cruise hotel visits provide a safety buffer against flight issues. They likewise grant a chance to wander Dubrovnik’s historic core or Split’s Diocletian’s Palace ahead of sailing.

Syncing rides amid airport, lodging, and cruise harbor secures flow. Preset options ease these many-stop paths. Guests sidestep the hassle of getting distinct ride plans for every part of the trip.

After-cruise exits need similar care. Off-boarding hours differ. Planes could leave soon in the AM or farther into the day. Organized rides fit uneven timetables and deliver prompt airport reach.

Croatia’s fame as a Med spot spurs longer visits. Planned land setups aid adaptable trip ideas sans adding doubt.

Beginning the Voyage with Confidence

Boarding day sets the tone for the kickoff of a cruise break. A hasty reach can dim the thrill of leaving. Conversely, a finely tuned shift from airport to harbor builds peace and assurance.

Croatia’s cruise infrastructure is expanding to meet rising demand. Harbors update amenities. Airports manage more global flows. While guest numbers climb, forward thinking grows more precious.

Organized land rides provide stability in a tricky travel setting. They lessen facing jams, timing slips, and talk issues. For cruise guests handling unknown spots, this steadiness lets attention move from setups to eagerness.

The Adriatic shore offers stunning views and lasting stopovers. Securing a fluid path to the vessel lets guests dive into the adventure right from the start. Land organizing might seem less than route picking. Yet on boarding day, it often decides whether the sail kicks off with tension or with assurance.

Disney Cruise Line is deploying the Disney Wish to Europe for the first time, marking the first time a Wish-class ship has sailed in the region.

As part of its 2027 summer schedule, the ship will offer cruises in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe between April 25 and September 10, 2027, departing from ports in England, Spain, and Italy.

After crossing the Atlantic, the Disney Wish will begin with sailings from Southampton before repositioning to Barcelona in May.

From there, it will offer Mediterranean itineraries sailing from both Barcelona and Civitavecchia, the port serving Rome. In mid-July, the ship returns to Southampton for Northern Europe sailings before heading back to North America.

The Disney Wish is currently sailing year-round on three- and four-night Bahamas cruises from Port Canaveral, calling at Disney’s private destinations Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. The Disney Dream will take over those sailings during the summer while Wish is in Europe.

About Disney Wish

The Disney Wish was built at Germany’s Meyer Werft shipyard and entered service in 2022. The 140,000-gross-ton ship carries approximately 2,500 passengers and is the first vessel in Disney’s Wish class. Disney has two additional Wish-class ships on order.

Rest of the Disney Cruise Line 2027 Fleet

Disney also announced it will deploy two ships in Alaska for the second consecutive year in 2027, with the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic sailing from Vancouver.

The Disney Treasure and Disney Fantasy will sail from Port Canaveral to the Caribbean and Bahamas, while the Disney Destiny will operate from Port Everglades.

The Disney Adventure will continue sailing from Singapore through late 2027.

A proposed cruise terminal in Manatee County, Florida, is facing mounting opposition, with more than 18,900 people signing a Change.org petition urging officials to reject the plan.

SSA Marine, in partnership with Tampa-based Slip Knott LLC, has unveiled plans for the Knott-Cowen Cruise Port on a 328-acre site near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

Mega-ships to Tampa?

The goal is to accommodate the industry’s largest ships, including Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class and Carnival’s Excel-class vessels, which cannot currently sail under the bridge to reach Port Tampa Bay.

If built, the facility would open the Tampa Bay region to mega-ship sailings and potentially add new Gulf Coast departure options for cruisers who now drive to ports like Miami or Port Canaveral for the newest ships.

Project backers point to projected economic benefits, including more than 31,000 construction jobs, $1.6 billion in wages, and an estimated $40 million in annual tax revenue.

But the location has sparked intense debate. The proposed site sits near Rattlesnake Key and the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, one of Florida’s few remaining largely undeveloped coastal areas.

Critics argue that dredging a 4.5-mile channel to depths of up to 60 feet could damage seagrass beds, mangroves, and wildlife habitats, including areas used by manatees and local fisheries.

At a February 14 rally at Seabreeze Park in Terra Ceia, hundreds gathered with signs reading “Kayaks Not Cruise Ships” and “Save Rattlesnake Key.”

Environmental groups, fishing guides, and residents raised concerns about ship emissions, wastewater discharge, increased traffic, and long-term impacts on eco-tourism and recreational boating.

Some opponents have also pointed to SSA Marine’s past environmental violations, adding scrutiny despite the company’s pledge to preserve Rattlesnake Key.

For cruisers, the outcome could shape future sailing options along Florida’s Gulf Coast. If approved, the project could bring larger ships to the area.

If delayed or rejected after expected public hearings in 2026, cruise passengers looking for mega-ships would likely continue using South Florida ports.

No formal applications have been filed yet, although Manatee County officials say the review process will be data-driven.

Carnival Cruise Line is adding two specialty dining venues to its Australia-based ships, the line announced.

Starting May 5, Fahrenheit 555 will open aboard Carnival Adventure, which sails from Sydney, and Carnival Encounter, which sails from Brisbane.

The steakhouse replaces Luke’s Bar and Grill on both ships. The addition means Fahrenheit 555 will now be available on all four of Carnival’s Australia-based ships, joining Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa, where it already operates.

The steakhouse menu includes premium cuts of beef, seafood, gourmet entrees, appetizers, and an extensive wine list.

Bonsai Sushi Express has also recently opened on both ships, offering made-to-order sushi, sashimi, rolls, salads, poke bowls, and desserts.

A specialty burger venue called Carnival Topside Grill is also planned for both ships, though no opening date has been announced.

Fahrenheit 555 first debuted in 2011 as part of Carnival’s Fun Ship 2.0 fleet upgrade program and has since become one of the line’s signature upcharge dining options.

About the Ships

Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter joined the Carnival fleet in March 2025 following the closure of P&O Cruises Australia, a brand that had operated in the region for over 90 years.

Both ships originally sailed for Princess Cruises, Adventure as Golden Princess and Encounter as Star Princess, before transferring to P&O Australia in 2022 as Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter.

The two Grand-class ships were built by Fincantieri and measure approximately 109,000 gross tons, with a capacity of around 2,600 passengers each.

Together with Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa, they give Carnival four ships sailing year-round from Australian ports.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released an interim report into the death of a crew member aboard P&O Cruises’ Arvia, providing new details about the October 26, 2025, accident.

The incident occurred while the 2022-built ship was sailing from Southampton, England, to Santa Cruz, Tenerife.

At the time, Arvia was about 75 nautical miles northwest of Cape Finisterre, Spain, carrying 5,299 passengers and 1,681 crew members.

What happened in the elevator?

At approximately 05:52 UTC, an electrical technician and the ship’s staff electro-technical officer were testing a passenger elevator following overnight repairs. The lift had been stopped on Deck 11 for maintenance checks.

According to the report, the technician left the lift car to access the top of the elevator from a higher deck. He first attempted to open the lift shaft doors on Deck 12, but was unable to do so because the door release key would not operate due to a defect. He then proceeded to Deck 14, where he successfully opened the lift shaft doors. There is no Deck 13 on the ship.

As the staff electro-technical officer exited the lift car on Deck 11, the lift car doors and shaft doors automatically closed. Around the same time, the technician entered the lift shaft from Deck 14, and the doors closed behind him.

Report details findings

Initial findings indicate the lift was not electrically isolated at the time of the accident. When the doors closed, the safety interlocks were re-enabled. A stored lift call signal then caused the elevator to move upward, crushing the technician between the lift car and the shaft wall .

A medical emergency was declared at 06:02, and the technician was pronounced dead at 06:07 by the ship’s doctor. The ship diverted to A Coruña, Spain, where local emergency services recovered the body.

The MAIB classified the case as a “Very Serious Marine Casualty”.

The report states: “The sole objective of a safety investigation into an accident under these Regulations shall be the prevention of future accidents… It shall not be the purpose of such an investigation, to determine liability nor… to apportion blame.”

The investigation remains ongoing. A final report will be issued following further review and a 30-day stakeholder consultation period.

In 2019, a guest was banned from Carnival Cruise Line for damaging an elevator aboard the now-defunct Carnival Inspiration.