If you’ve spent any time at all on Instagram lately, you’ve no doubt seen numerous posts about a secret funnel bar located on Carnival Cruise Line ships. Here’s what’s got people buzzing… and the truth about the suddenly-exposed “secret.”

How To Access Carnival’s Secret Bar

What was supposedly a well-kept secret suddenly went viral over the past few days. Seemingly out of nowhere, Carnival cruise directors and random influencers were spilling the beans about a secret bar found inside the infamous red funnels which make the line’s ships so easy to distinguish from those of other brands.

One such video features popular cruise director Kyndall Fire whispering to us via her Instagram page that she’s “here to confirm” the rumors that there is “a new speakeasy inside the funnel.” Better still, she informs watchers that there are exclusive cocktails and the bartender is none other than the brand’s long-retired mascot, Funship Freddy.

So how does one gain access to all this awesome? “All you need to get in,” Fire informs us, “is knock three times and know the password, which is ‘muster.’” 

There’s Only One Catch…

Of course, there’s not a bit of truth to the rumor — a fact we’re as sad to report as you are disappointed to hear. But a quick glimpse at the calendar shows that these posts began appearing just a day or two before the first day of April.

And if one follows the link in Carnival’s Instagram bio, as instructed, it leads to a page reading, “Our funnel isn’t really a speakeasy, but that would be pretty cool!” 

That’s right, this is the latest April Fool’s joke to be rolled out by Carnival. It’s unclear whether some of those involved accidentally posted their vids early or perhaps that was done on purpose to keep people from guessing at the truth.

Obviously, some folks weren’t fooled. After all this isn’t the first time a cruise line — let alone Carnival — has pulled our collective legs on this silliest of holidays. Who could forget last year’s “Duolingo World Cruise” which would supposedly visit 195 countries over 5 years? (You can check out that video below.)

One of the dead giveaways indicating the “funnel speakeasy” is a prank? Just like with the Duolingo prank, no specific ship is mentioned. And while we might be gullible enough to fall for the notion of Carnival rolling such a fun concept out on a new build, the idea of it being on every ship?

Hey, we weren’t born yesterday.

Read Next: Should man overboard pranksters be punished?

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Marie Antoinette may or may not have said “Let them eat cake!” But Norwegian Cruise Line’s new policy means that if you want to do so, you’ll have to pay a whole lotta money. Why? Because the birthday package which previously included a six-inch cake has being majorly altered… or in their words, “refreshed.” 

What You Now Get Instead of Birthday Cake

Guests who had already ordered the Happy Birthday package, for themselves or a loved one, got an unexpected note from the cruise line. It appears that while the package is still available for purchase, it no longer includes the celebratory cake.

Instead, the letter reads, the package has been “designed to make your special day even more memorable.” It goes on to say that the “refreshed” package is part of the cruise line’s “continued effort to elevate the way we celebrate life’s moments at sea.”

Now, the previously included cake “will be replaced with a photo keepsake so you can take home a memory that lasts long after the candles are blown out. It is a small shift designed to make your celebration feel more personal and more connected to your time onboard.” 

Those booking the birthday package will now receive, according to the site, “a colorful selection of cheerful cabin decorations and a celebratory banner, plus keepsakes to capture the celebration, including a Compass Collection frame and a photo voucher redeemable toward any photo or photo package.” 

How You Can Still Get a Birthday Cake

Never fear, those who believe that a party ain’t a party without a slice of cake will still be able to order up a tasty treat. It won’t, however, come cheap. According to the line’s website, a “standard half sheet” cake (whether for one’s birthday or honeymoon) comes in at $148.80. But for around $50 more, you can go whole hog and order a full-sheet. Both are available in vanilla or chocolate.

“I Want My Money Back!”

The only people truly impacted by the change are those who had previously placed an order. (Anyone looking to purchase it moving forward would know that a cake is no longer included just by reading the details when ordering.) “The whole reason I ordered this package was for the cake,” complained one Norwegian passenger in a Facebook page devoted to the line.

Others, however, agreed with the company’s thinking that a complimentary photo was a better option. “Honestly, the cake isn’t that good,” wrote one, followed by a shrugging emotion. “I had it on two different birthday trips, and most of it wound up in the garbage.” 

Read Next: Norwegian’s New Show Comes With a Price Tag

They say kids will be kids… but when their actions have major (and expensive) consequences, should they be made to pay the price? That’s the question some are raising in the wake of an incident which unfolded aboard a Royal Caribbean ship.

Coast Guard and Ship Involved In Search

Several passengers aboard the just-concluded sailing of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas reached out to our tipline with news that a passenger had reportedly gone overboard. The code “Oscar, Oscar, Oscar” was heard over the ship’s PA at approximately 1 p.m., with the captain soon after confirming the news shortly thereafter.

As is protocol, Oasis immediately changed course in order to initiate a search for the passenger. Simultaneously, the Coast Guard was alerted to the situation so that they, too, could join the search.

While hunting for a person who has gone overboard is much like searching for a needle in a haystack, this particular scenario was literally an impossible mission. Why? Because it would soon turn out that all passengers were accounted for, and that a group of teenagers were responsible for the false report.

What Should Happen Next?

The trajectory of events could be followed live in a Facebook group dedicated to the sailing in question. Members first express concern and send up prayers for the person who’d supposedly gone overboard. But as word of the hoaxes true nature spread, concern turned to anger… much of it aimed at not only the teens but their parents.

“Those kids should be confined to their cabins,” wrote one passenger, adding that “their parents should have to pay for the rescue boats coming out.” 

“Man, if you’re here as the parent of these kids, do better!” said another, while numerous commenters cited a rash of bad behaviors on the part of young travelers across the vessel.

“This will definitely be out last Spring Break cruise,” echoed yet another upset guest.

While unconfirmed by Royal Caribbean, it was claimed in the Facebook group that a young female passenger had urged her friends to tell her grandmother that she’d gone overboard.

Man Overboard Prank Could Prove Costly

While there is no word on whether the responsible parties will face punishment for their actions, there are policies in place governing such situations. According to the U.S. Coast Guard’s web page, penalties for “issuing a false distress call” can include a $250,000 criminal fine, up to six years in prison and being made to reimburse the Coast Guard for the cost of performing the search.

The page outlines just how far-reaching the consequences of such a prank can be. Why? Because it places members of the Coast Guard at unnecessary risk, can cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and could potentially interfere with the agency helping those who are genuinely at risk.

In what’s becoming something of a trend at Norwegian Cruise Line, they have yet again reversed a policy shortly after implementing it. This time, it has to do with the Free at Sea drink package. And while guests will no doubt like this change more than some recent developments, the line made another announcement while will prove annoying to some, even if only temporarily.

Unpopular Drinks Package Move Reversed

Some of Norwegian Cruise Line’s recent decisions have gone over like the proverbial lead ballon. There was the downright confusing issue regarding changes to the dress code which were immediately walked back. (The policy as it now stands is still somewhat confusing, reading in part “there’s no right look, just your look.”) But any disgruntlement over sandals and shorts was quickly drowned out by news that moving forward, their popular Free at Sea drink package would not be honored at their private island destination, Great Stirrup Cay.

In fact, word began leaking that the company would begin selling a separate Great Stirrup Cay drinks package. While that plan was slated to go into effect in March, it was temporarily postponed. Although no reason was given, it seemed clear that the company — already under heavy scrutiny thanks to harsh criticism from major shockholder Elliott Investment Management — was aware of the negative reaction amongst cruisers.

Now, it seems Norwegian Cruise Line has blinked, announcing that they have not so much shelved as nixed their previous plans. Moving forward, the Free at Sea drinks package will continue to be honored at Great Stirrup Cay.

Tenders Returning to Private Island

In other Great Stirrup Cay news, Norwegian has announced plans to temporarily shut down the island’s recently-opened pier. Opened to much fanfare just before Christmas of 2025, it seemed clear from the start that this was a temporary move, especially as plans included a second pier which would allow for two vessels to visit the island at the same time.

We now know that in April, Norwegian will indeed stop using the pier for several months so that construction can be completed. While no official date has been announced, it is believed the project should be completed by early fall.

Until that time, however, ships visiting Great Stirrup Cay will once again be doing so by using tender boats to ferry guests back and forth. The timing is not particularly ideal, especially given that NCL is planning to open Great Tides Waterpark — the latest in a series of major island expansions — sometime this summer.

It’s worth noting that failing to fully monetize their initial investment in Great Stirrup Cay was one of the major issues raised by Elliott Investment Management. This issue was also addressed by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings during its most recent quarterly earnings call.

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Forget who won the Oscar for Best Picture or which actors were left out of the annual In Memoriam section. The thing which unexpectedly had people talking all across social media was a Disney Cruise Line commercial.

Why Disney’s Ad Hit Home

Nobody plucks at the heartstrings better than Disney. But while we’re used to that where their movies and even in-park experiences are concerned, nobody expected for a simple ad to have that impact on the viewing audience at large. Yet the moment it began, people felt themselves bracing for what was to come.

Why? The instantly-recognizable “Married Life” theme from the soundtrack of the Disney animated feature Up. For those not in the know, that beloved film opened with a sequence in which we saw a couple meet as children, fall in love, experience everything life has to offer — both the good and the bad — before the wife passed away.

To call it heart-wrenching would be a massive understatement. So to hear the music which accompanied that gorgeous sequence play immediately clued viewers in to the fact that something special was about to unfold.

Late Nights With Dad

The ad starts with a beautiful shot of a Disney ship cutting through the waters late at night. A dad whose baby isn’t able to sleep takes the child for a late-night stroll around the slumbering cruise ship. Simple enough, right? Cute, but not overly emotional.

But we then follow this father and son over the course of several years, each time on the ship, each time taking a late night stroll. “Dad,” asks the boy late one night, “can we do the walk?” Even when his offspring hits the sullen teenage years — opting to chill in the room instead of hang with the family by the pool — he still joins pop for a late night sojourn.

But it’s the final shots which really get us in the feels. As a now much older dad is laying in bed late at night, there’s a knock at the door. It’s his fully-grown son, now a dad himself, saying he and his child can’t sleep. The toddler reaches out, uttering one simple word — “Grandpa” — before we see the trio walking hand-in-hand on a moonlit night.

Cue the tears.

Don’t believe us? Check out the ad for yourself above. But don’t say we didn’t warn you.

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If you’re planning to set sail on a Princess Cruises ship, be prepared to shell out a bit more money than you might originally have budgeted. Why? Because the line has increased the daily gratuities which are paid, they say, directly to the crew. How much was the increase and what other fees were bumped up? Read on for details.

How Much You’ll Pay

The increase made to the daily gratuities — which Princess calls a “Crew Appreciation” charge — amounts to $1 per person, per day, regardless of stateroom category. That means those in a standard cabin will now pay $18 per person per day. Those opting to stay in a Mini-Suite, Cabana or Reserve Collection stateroom will be paying $19 per person, per day. Finally, those booked in Suites will be charged $20 per person per day.

No doubt aware that this type of change is never received well by the cruising public, Princess opted not to make a formal announcement or send a press release. Rather, word began spreading amongst cruisers after they noticed an update to the line’s website outlining the changes.

Service Charges Increased, Too

Another change that went unannounced regards the service charge added to things such as specialty dining, drinks and other purchases. Princess has now increased that charge from 18% to 20% across the board. The change went into effect on March 7, with some guests reporting they were informed via a letter left in their stateroom.

The letter reads in part that the increased service charge “will apply to applicable dining and beverage purchases made onboard, excluding any prepaid packages. This includes experiential, specialty, and casual dining cover charges, a la carte food items, and a la carte beverage purchases excluded from a package.”

More: Princess Adds Premiere Dining Option

Meanwhile, the updated website reads as follows: “A non-refundable service charge of 20% of purchase will be automatically added to optional purchases of drinks, dining room and specialty dining, private group funtions and other elected products, services or amenities provided to guests that are no included in the cruise fare.” 

In essence, this means that any purchase made on board — outside of the various shops — will see a 20% charge added to the base price. Those purchasing Princess Plus or Princess Premium packages will not be impacted.

Shipping Fee Doubled

Finally, Princess revealed that they are now charging $20 for those wishing to have their Princess Medallions shipped to them in advance of the cruise. Previously, shipping was available for half that price at $10. Guests may still pick up the Medallion at their port of departure at no charge.

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