Virgin Voyages has reached out to cruisers who were upset about not only a recent itinerary change but the way it was handled. Acknowledging their misstep, the line essentially promised to do better moving forward.

Why Some Cruisers Are Upset

Rarely are those about to set sail happy to hear about itinerary changes, as they tend to be less desirable than the originally scheduled route. That was most definitely the case for most passengers booked upon the Valiant Lady’s April 6 sailing out of New York City.

Originally intended to be a five-day trip to Bermuda, passengers were informed a few days before embarkation that they would, instead, be sailing north to Canada due to a possibility of bad weather. Adding insult to injury, at least in the eyes of some, was the borderline cheeky way in which Virgin addressed the itinerary change.

“St. John will feel a little bit different from Bermuda,” read one segment of the letter, “with crisp, coastal air and a completely new backdrop to explore. You may want to bring a few extra layers.” 

Of course, for some cruisers, the warning came too late as they had already flown into New York City from other locations. While many did their best to roll with the proverbial punches, some made their complaints public — with a few related Instagram vids garnering a whole lot of attention.

“We’ve Seen Your Messages” 

Facing the situation head-on, if a tad after the fact, Virgin Voyages posted a response to unhappy sailors via their Instagram page. “Welp,” it began. “That Bermuda-Canada email really wasn’t it. We’ve seen your messages, and we get it.” 

The missive continued: “This wasn’t the trip you were planning for — and we should have spoken to that reality. We understand why you’re disappointed. We agreed we need to do better, and next time we will.”

It concluded by saying, “Itineraries can change for safety, but you deserve us to be real about it when they do.” 

“This Situation Is Not Funny to Me” 

In a separate Instagram post featuring a photo of the dark side of the moon, Virgin again addressed the original email. And as is their wont, they did so in a typically sardonic manner. “We missed the mark. So NASA, if you want to fly our team to the moon next, we’ll gladly stay there and hide behind some moon rocks. (We’ll make sure to bring extra layers, too.)”

Not everyone however, saw the humor. One commenter acknowledged it was a “fun social media post” before asking “But what are you doing to make the situation right? This post alone just feels like you’re making fun of the situation.” 

One passenger who’d been on board the Canada-bound sailing didn’t see the humor in the situation. “I was on that voyage and extremely disappointed,” they wrote. “I feel that the refusal to issue refunds and $100 per person [onboard credit] per person was wholly inadequate… you should have cancelled the cruise or allowed us to get a refund. Sorry, but this situation is not funny to me.” 

A woman who was allegedly served over a dozen shots of tequila in an eight-hour period has been awarded $300,000 in her lawsuit against the Carnival Corporation.

Should Bartenders Have Cut Her Off?

The court case revolved around events which unfolded in January of 2024 aboard the Carnival Radiance. In her lawsuit, 45-year-old Diana Sanders alleged that she was served at least 14 shots of tequila in just over eight hours.

“Due to her inebriated state that was caused by this over-service of alcohol,” read the original complaint, Sanders suffered a fall and “sustained severe injuries including, but not limited to, a concussion, headaches, a possible traumatic brain injury” and other issues.

Following a week-long jury trial in Federal court, Carnival was ordered to pay Sanders $300,000.

Why This Case is Unusual

The Miami Herald reports that Carnival tried several times over the course of the lawsuits lifespan to have the case dismissed. They cited court filings in which the company defended itself by claiming that Sanders failed “to identify any crew member who over-served her or which bar she consumed alcohol at” which would allow a specific bartender to be identified.

“Therefore,” they insisted, “the over-service of alcohol count should be dismissed for failure to sufficiently identify a negligent employee.” 

In a statement, attorney Spencer Aronfield acknowledged that “holding a major cruise line accountable for the over-service of alcohol is an extremely challenging legal argument to make, but we were always confident that once a Miami jury heard the full facts of the case they would have no difficulty holding Carnival responsible.” 

Aronfield told the Herald that it’s rare for this type of case to move forward as opposed to being settled before reaching the courtroom. “I’ve had many overservice cases that have settled,” he said, “but none that went the full distance.” 

Carnival Responds to the Verdict

In response to the lawsuit’s outcome, a spokesperson told the Herald that “Carnival Corporation respectfully disagrees with the verdict and believes there are grounds for a new trial and appeal, which it will pursue.” 

It’s worth noting the jury did not place all of the blame on the cruise line. While they indicated that Carnival was 60 percent at fault, they assigned 40 percent of the blame to Sanders herself.

Holland America Line is about to invest over $500 million in a new program they’re calling the most ambitious guest experience update in the company’s 153 year history. When all is said and done, older ships in the fleet will seem new again as a result of bow-to-stern renovations.

Good News for Solo Travelers

The changes will be implemented over the next few years, with the Oosterdam being the first to undergo the transformative (and appropriately named) Evolution program.

In the coming years, each of the remaining Vista-class ships (Zuiderdam, Westerdam and Noordam) as well as the two comprising the Signature-class (Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam) will get their turn in the Evolution spotlight.

But first, debuting in the fall of 2027, the updated Oosterdam will feature new stateroom categories as well as the addition of perhaps the line’s most popular venue, the Grand Dutch Cafe. (This particular spot was previously only available on Holland America’s Pinnacle-class ships.)

One of the biggest change being made is the addition of 30 staterooms specifically designed for solo travelers. Better still, these won’t be small, featureless interior staterooms but cabins offering private balconies and full amenities.

In all, over 70 staterooms will be added to the ship, although Holland America makes it clear that they will be preserving the “room at the rail” aspect that allows guests to soak in the environments through which the ships sail.

Bookings aboard the newly-refurbished ship will go on sale May 6.

Rooms With a (Killer) View

Also new to the ship will be two Bridgeview Suites, offering panoramic windows, a wraparound balcony and, thanks to their location at the front of the ship, what might be called a captain’s-eye view!

Elsewhere, Oosterdam will feature a 1,550 square-foot reimagined Pinnacle Suite, making it the most expansive one ever featured on a Vista-class ship.

Speaking of first-in-their-class, Oosterdam will also debut 24 Vista Suites, long among the most popular for those sailing on Pinnacle-class ships.

More Changes Ahead

One major addition coming to ships under the Evolution program? The addition of the previously-mentioned Grand Dutch Cafe. This European style spot, rooted in the line’s Dutch heritage, will welcome guests on Deck 3, just off the atrium.

Declaring that the line is “just getting started,” Holland America Line president Beth Bodensteiner offered an enthusiastic tease of what’s yet to be revealed. “Over the coming months, we’ll be unveiling several more exciting additions to Oosterdam as well as the other five ships that are part of this evolution.”

The company will also be investing in various ways to improve the energy efficiency of ships. This will involve an emphasis on smarter power management and making performance changes aimed at reducing energy demand and decreasing their overall carbon footprint in the future.

More details about not only Oosterdam’s renovations (and future itineraries) will be shared at hollandamerica.com/evolution, which will also offer real-time updates as plans are revealed.

Read Next: How a Holland America World Cruise changed me

Four months after the tragic death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard the Carnival Horizon, her 16-year-old stepbrother has officially been charged with murder in the first degree and aggravated sexual assault.

Teen To Be Charged As An Adult

In a release regarding the development, the Department of Justice laid out their case that “while the ship was in international waters en route to Miami, T.H. allegedly sexually assaulted an intentionally killed Kepner.

The Miami-Date Medical Examiner’s Office later determined the cause of death to be mechanical asphyxiation.” The full name of the young man has not been revealed in court documents due to his status as a minor.

Speaking for the court of the Southern District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said, “A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offenses that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters.

We will present the evidence in court and pursue this case with profesionalism and care. As in every case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” 

Although originally charged as a juvenile back in February, the young man will be tried as an adult according to the Department of Justice.

Kepner was found beneath her stateroom’s bed during a family sailing aboard the Carnival Cruise ship last November. Among those on the trip were her father and stepmother, as well as her paternal grandparents. Even as suspicions swirled around Anna’s stepbrother, her grandparents maintained that the young woman was close to her step-siblings.

“It’s all family,” said grandfather Jeffrey Kepner to news outlets. “It’s a blended family, yes, but that’s not how our family is. Our dynamic is we’re all just family.” 

Now, that family will face the prospect of Anna’s killer spending the rest of his life behind bars if convicted and given the maximum sentence.

In a letter sent to passengers and travel partners, MSC Cruises revealed that they will be hiking gratuity rates on two popular types of cruises.

While they offered a way for booked guests to avoid paying the higher rate, there is a ticking clock attached to the deal.

Which Daily Gratuity Is Going Up

In the letter, MSC said that the rate would impact guests booked on Caribbean and Alaskan sailings. They also said the new per person, per day rate would go into effect as of May 11, 2026.

As of that date, guests booked in standard staterooms will see the daily gratuity (or, as MSC calls it, “Hotel Service Charge”) rise from $16 to $17 per person per day.

Meanwhile, those booked into the Yacht Club — aka MSC’s ship-within-a-ship area — will pay a whopping $3 more per person, per day, with their price jumping from $20 to $23.

“The Hotel Service Charge helps us maintain the highest quality standards of service by supporting the dedicated crew members who work to enhance your onboard experience,” read the letter.

Pay Now, Save Later

MSC did offer booked guests a chance to avoid paying the increased rate. “We are happy to honor the current Hotel Service Charge rate for guests who have already paid, as well as those who choose to prepay before the policy change [goes into effect] on May 11.”

There’s been no word as to why Caribbean and Alaska sailings were targeted in particular — aside, perhaps, from their popularity. It’s also unclear whether this change eventually will be implemented across the fleet’s other itineraries.

“We have a Yacht Club experience coming up,” said one MSC cruiser who reached out to our tip line. “And honestly, as if that wasn’t expensive enough already, now there’s another increase to contend with. When will it end?” 

Similar stories are unfolding across many cruise lines. In February, Carnival Cruise Line announced they would be increasing their daily gratuities at the beginning of April. In that case, rates went from $17 to $18 per person per day for standard staterooms, and from $18 to $19 for suite guests.

This still falls well below the rates charged by Margaritaville at Sea, which in February hiked their rates to $22 per person, per day for standard rooms and $25 per person per day for suites.

Read Next: Details on MSC’s next private destination

What does it take to land in ‘cruise jail’? According to one TikTok user, acting in self-defense led to big problems and a very small stateroom. But while her side of the story has garnered well over a million views on the social media site, the comment sections have been rife with debate over whether the punishment fit the crime.

How She Landed in ‘Cruise Jail’

According to TikTok user @claudette.c, the trouble unfolded aboard Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas. As she tells it, a seating dispute led to her hand being smacked by a fellow passenger. In response, Claudette admits to punching the woman in the face. “I didn’t hit her hard,” she enthuses, “just hard enough to be like, b—-, don’t touch me!’

“I coulda hit her way harder,” she adds, “but I didn’t.” 

This initial interaction later led to a confrontation allegedly involving Claudette’s aunt and the punched woman’s husband. After security intervened and interviews were conducted, Claudette says she was taken to her new quarters. There, she was watched over by a member of the ship’s crew at all times.

While allowed the occasional visitor, she was not permitted to leave. Therefore, all food and drinks were provided by room service. Claudette did, however, question why she was being kept under confinement given that the other party had opted not to press charges.

The Truth About Her Time in ‘Jail’

Because details matter, it’s important to note that the young woman in question, Claudette, was not actually thrown into the proverbial brig. While many ships do, in fact, have some form of jail, Claudette wound up in a stripped-down stateroom. Anything with which a person could hurt themselves had been removed, and she claimed one light had to remain on at all times.

Needless to say, her video generated not only a huge number of views but quite a few comments as well. Some suggested that the incident in question never actually took place, while others suggested she contact a lawyer in order to sue the cruise line.

Much of the debate in comments revolved around semantics and the use of the words “smack” versus “punch.” Claudette admits that “the only thing [security] cared about was the fact that I punched her in the face, because ‘punching’ is assault, ‘smacking’ is not.”

Should Passenger Be Banned?

In response to several queries from followers as to whether she’d been banned from Royal Caribbean, the TikToker claimed that she had not. She has also made repeated requests that the cruise line provide her with any and all CCTV footage from inside the theater, believing it ultimately will support any claim she makes, legal or otherwise.

“I was not the initiator, I did not start it,” she says, implying that the footage would show as much. However, “they said that the authorities have to request it.” 

Asked if the other person involved in the altercation was similarly confined, Claudette claimed that her family saw the other woman at various spots around the ship. “My family saw her in the casino,” she says. “My family saw her at dinner.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, the 30-year-old indicated that despite not having been banned, she would not be returning anytime soon. “It wasn’t even all that,” she snarked. “Ship looked like it was built in 2001 and hasn’t been updated since.” (For the record, Libery of the Seas joined the fleet in 2007 and is slated for a refurb, ironically enough, following her current 16-night transatlantic.)

Claudette did give a shout-out to the crew. “The staff was really nice,” she concluded, ”minus the captain. He’s the one who said I had to stay in my room.”

Cruise ships and food go together like chicken and waffles. Which, as it happens, is exactly what’s featured on a new menu being tested aboard a few Carnival Cruise Line ships.

While some say the offerings remind them of another venue found on the high seas, most are ready to line up and get their fill. But will the venue prove popular enough to go the distance… by which we mean be rolled out across the fleet?

What’s On the New Carnival Menu

While word of the new venue has been circulating on message boards and in Facebook groups for a while now, it was John Heald who made things official.

Taking to his popular Facebook page, Carnival’s Brand Ambassador said that the line had been “testing some new food options” on various ships.

It was only a few short weeks ago that Heald excitedly revealed that practically every aspect of onboard dining was being looked at. “We’ll find out what you like and perhaps what you want to see changed,” he said in one of his daily videos, “but it is going to be a very, very big year for food.” 

This week, he highlighted one of the options being tested. Chicken & Waffles & Waves is currently being tested on several of the fleet’s ships, including the Carnival Liberty.

When Heald posted the new Carnival menu, seen below, and asked his followers if there was “something there that you would order at lunchtime,” the response was overwhelmingly positive.

‘I’ll Take One of Everything’

As you might expect, the comment section was filled with people who may have struggled to type while fighting off unexpected cravings. “Be very afraid,” warned commenter Erick Smith.

“If I find brisket, I’ll be standing there like I’m at the blackjack table [saying] hit me, hit me, hit me, double down!”

Others noticed that the menu bears more than a passing resemblance to another venue featured on some Carnival ships. “Reminds me a lot of Big Chicken,” said several, referring to the venue spearheaded by the line’s CFO (Chief Fun Officer), Shaquille O’Neal.”

Still others poked gentle fun at the menu’s typos (including misspellings), asking if those were kinks yet to be worked out before it could be rolled out across the fleet.

Read Next: Shaq’s Big Chicken Review