When Carnival Legend emerged from dry dock on Wednesday, May 20, there was something different about her. While Legend is currently the only ship in the fleet to sport the new look, it will slowly be introduced to the entire fleet… minus two ships.

‘From Sea to Shining Sea’

For years, Carnival has proudly promoted the fact that it is the No. 1 cruise line in the country. Now, just in time for Memorial Weekend and as America gears up to celebrate its 250th anniversary, Carnival is rolling out a new bow crest which features the iconic whale tail surrounded by the words “From Sea to Shining Sea.”

In the coming months and years, ships will receive the new look when they are sent into dry dock, with the Carnival Magic next in line for the miniature makeover. “With the debut of this new crest,” explained Christine Duffy, the line’s president, “we’re reinforcing what guests have long known: Carnival is proud to be America’s cruise line.”

She added that the new crest represents the line’s reach, “from the communities we visit to the memories we help create at sea.” 

Which Two Ships Won’t Get the New Crest

While Carnival is clearly proud of and excited about the new crest, two of the fleet’s ships will not be included in the rollout: Carnival Jubilee and the upcoming Carnival Tropicale — the latter of which will be introduced in 2028 — each will continue to display the Texas star on their bows, representing their ongoing homeporting in Galveston.

As part of the rollout, Carnival also unveiled a promo reel — which you can view above — focusing in part on the fact that they “welcome more active and retired military members for well-deserved [rest and recreation]”, adding that “no other cruise line sails more Americans.” 

In a stunning blow, Mexican authorities have put the kibosh on Royal Caribbean International’s plans to open a second private destination.

Why Perfect Day Mexico Was Shut Down

According to Reuters, the country’s Environment Minister, Alicia Barcena, said of the proposed park, “It is not going to be approved.” She also indicated that Royal Caribbean had taken steps to back away from the proposal, which would have seen the massive complex — including bars, restaurants and over 30 waterslides — open in the fall of 2027.

Various organizations had protested the project, citing concerns about damage to the environment as a whole and the surrounding reefs in particular. Indeed, Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, addressed those concerns earlier in the week during a press conference. While she did not shut down the proposal at that presser, her words certainly seemed a strong indicator of what would come next.

“We must not do anything that affects that area, which has a very important ecological balance, and is particularly important for the reefs,” she stated.

Why This Project Was Important to Royal

In recent years, private destinations such as Royal Caribbean International’s Perfect Day Cococay, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay and Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration Key have played an increasingly important role when it comes to the bottom line.

The logic behind this boom is simple: Why have guests spend their money in ports of call as opposed to at destinations owned and largely monetized by cruise lines themselves? And while these destinations often offer opportunities to enjoy a beach environment at no cost, each also offers opportunities to upgrade the experience… for a cost.

During Royal Caribbean International’s most recent earnings call, the company boasted of plans to expand it’s portfolio of private destinations from three to eight by the end of 2028 via its Royal Beach Club and Perfect Day collections.

This latest blow comes on the heels of geopolitical developments causing Royal, like other lines, to take a hit last quarter as itineraries visiting the West Coast of Mexico took a hit.

What Happens Next?

The move is not entirely surprising, given public opposition to the project. A Change.org petition calling for the project to be axed received over 4 million signatures, while various environmental groups — including Greenpeace — were extremely vocal about the potential damage the project could do were it permitted to move forward.

According to Reuters, Royal Caribbean said that it regretted but respected the decision by Mexico’s authorities. The company added that it hopes to work with Mexico in the future and plans to discuss options that will create jobs and environmental infrastructure.

Carnival Mardi Gras rescued nine people from a disabled boat off the coast of Florida on Saturday, stopping to render aid shortly after leaving port.

The cruise line confirmed all nine were brought safely aboard and later handed over to authorities in the Bahamas.

Crew spots distress flag off Sebastian Inlet

Mardi Gras departed Port Canaveral at 3:30 p.m. on May 16 for a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing. At approximately 5:45 p.m., while 33.5 nautical miles southeast of Canaveral near Sebastian Inlet, crew members spotted a vessel displaying a distress flag and people waving for help.

The ship slowed and crew members boarded a small lifeboat to reach the disabled craft. The U.S. Coast Guard was notified.

All nine adults were brought aboard Mardi Gras, where they received food, water, and medical evaluation. The ship resumed speed at 6:18 p.m. and was making 16.8 knots by 7:29 p.m., bound for Nassau.

Carnival Mardi Gras came to the rescue of nine people aboard a distressed vessel on Saturday, off the coast of Sebastian Inlet, Florida. The ship’s crew spotted the vessel displaying a distress flag, notified the U.S. Coast Guard, and safely brought all nine adults aboard.

It went on to say, “They remained in the ship’s care until arrival in Nassau, Bahamas on Sunday afternoon where they disembarked the vessel with Bahamian authorities,” a Carnival spokesperson told Cruise Radio.

The disabled vessel was later retrieved by the U.S. Coast Guard. What caused the boat to malfunction, how long those aboard had been adrift, and where they were headed have not been disclosed.

Nine handed over to Bahamian authorities

Marine Traffic data shows Mardi Gras arrived in Nassau at 9:13 a.m. Sunday and was docked by 9:30 a.m., 47 minutes ahead of the scheduled 10:00 a.m. arrival.

The nine people were disembarked into the custody of Bahamian authorities, with one seen walking down the gangway in handcuffs.

There was no impact to the ship’s itinerary or its passengers, many of whom praised the crew for the rescue. Mardi Gras is scheduled to continue to Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos, and Celebration Key in the Bahamas before returning to Port Canaveral on May 23.

This is not the first such rescue by a Carnival ship this year. In April, Carnival Legend rescued a man and his cat from a disabled sailboat en route to Cozumel. Last year, Carnival Splendor diverted course to rescue four sailors and three dogs.

Few topics get cruise lovers as riled up as chair hogs. While some cruise lines have made minor efforts to curb the practice, a recently-resolved German court case could lead to big problems — and possibly solutions — if similar cases make their way onto the lido deck.

Why He Sued

As reported by the BBC, a German man claimed his family’s vacation at a Greek resort was negatively impacted by their inability to secure sun loungers due to other guests reserving them with towels and then disappearing for hours.

The unnamed man claimed in court documents that he and his family would arise as early as 6 a.m. yet find all the loungers reserved. And although there were signs prohibiting guests from using towels to reserve loungers, he said it was regularly ignored.

Ultimately, he received a portion of the amount he paid back. While the case was far more complicated than outlined here — involving not only the resort itself but a tour operator through whom he’d booked — it does raise points that will be familiar to most cruisers.

Can Cruise Lines Win This Battle?

While it would seem that chair hogs have existed since, if not the beginning of time, certainly the earliest days of cruising, some lines have made efforts to discourage offenders.

For example, several years ago Carnival put in place a plan — outlined here — they hoped might help solve the problem. Abandoned chairs are to receive stickers, as the website explains “indicating the time the sticker was placed and when personal items will be removed. If the chair remains unoccupied for 40 minutes, the contents are removed and held for the guest’s safekeeping.”

Similar programs have been implemented by other lines, including Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean. However, there’s one major problem… and it only seems to be getting worse. As one Redditor put it when the topic was discussed in a Royal Caribbean thread, “If there is no enforcement, people will continue to do it.”

Smaller Staffs, Shuffled Priorities

Therein, of course, lies the rub. Because while cruise lines might have the best of intentions where these and other policies are concerned, it’s no secret that most are also operating on tighter budgets.

In many cases, crews are stretched thin… something cruisers have most definitely noticed. That being the case, one has to wonder just how much enforcement of chair-hog related issues will be moving forward? While it seems unlikely that a “chair hog lawsuit” like the one filed against the Greek resort would prove successful — or even make it into a courtroom — stranger things have happened… especially on the high seas.

Read Next: Should Carnival overturn their lifetime ban?

Two women who engaged in what’s been described as a slap-fest aboard the Carnival Spirit appeared in federal court this week. And while they were given an opportunity to, in essence, make the entire incident go away, they’ll still face a lifetime ban as well as the loss of their status in Carnival Cruise Line’s loyalty program.

How The Fight Started

The fact that both Tonya Nelson and Lisa Horace will lose their status with the line is somewhat ironic, given that their altercation involved a guest services line designated for those with Platinum or Diamond status.

According to various records, the dispute started when Nelson tried to alert Horace that she was in a line specifically meant for those who have achieved the highest level in Carnival’s VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) program.

Read More: Carnival issues important warning to loyalty club members

Things quickly escalated to the point that things became physical. Thanks to witness reports and surveillance footage confirming the incident — and the fact that it unfolded while the ship was in international waters as it headed back to Mobile, Alabama— Horace and Nelson wound up facing assault charges in federal court.

What Went Down In Court

According to reporting from Mobile’s local news outlets, both women apologized for being in court. The judge ultimately decided that if the two could avoid being arrested or coming into contact with one another for three weeks, the pending charges would be dismissed.

The women said they’d been banned from Carnival Cruise Line for life and lost their respective loyalty status. That said, Nelson’s lawyer, Buzz Jordan, told reporters he hoped that decision might be reversed. “Things happen sometimes on a crowded ship,” he said of his client’s behavior. “You know, we’ve got big crowds involved, so that’s how I think this happened.” 

French health authorities have cleared Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition after briefly confining all guests and crew to the ship following a norovirus outbreak in Bordeaux.

Passengers were allowed to disembark and shore excursions resumed after testing confirmed the situation was under control.

The ship, on a 14-night sailing of Western France and Spain, departed Belfast on May 8 before continuing from Liverpool on May 9. Cases increased after passengers boarded in Liverpool, with symptoms peaking while the ship was docked in Brest.

The Ambition arrived in Bordeaux with 1,233 passengers, mostly from Britain and Ireland, and 514 crew. Testing confirmed the outbreak was a gastro-intestinal infection. Nearly 50 guests and at least one crew member reported symptoms.

Death Unrelated to Outbreak

A 92-year-old British passenger died during the voyage on May 10. Initial reports suggested a possible link to the illness, but health authorities confirmed the man suffered a heart attack and his death was unrelated to the gastrointestinal outbreak.

The cruise line stated the guest had not reported any symptoms related to the illness, and support is being provided to his friends and family.

Revised Itinerary

Asymptomatic passengers were cleared to disembark while those still symptomatic remained in isolation onboard.

Ambassador confirmed the Ambition stayed in Bordeaux overnight on May 14 before departing on a revised itinerary May 15, citing forecast rough weather in the Bay of Biscay as an additional factor.

Enhanced sanitation measures, medical monitoring, and isolation protocols remain in place for the remainder of the voyage.

The news comes after a norovirus outbreak was reported on Caribbean Princess earlier this week with over 100 people sick, that cruise ended in Florida on May 11.

Carnival Cruise Line has issued a statement cancelling reservations made by guests taking advantage of extremely low-priced rates published thanks to a glitch. But not everyone is happy about the company’s explanation or their response.

What Carnival Is Saying

In a note sent to an undisclosed number of passengers, Carnival explained that “following a planned IT maintenance project… some guests saw a random display of prices that were far below any reasonable promotional fare. The reservation you made was one of them.” 

As a result, the note continued, “We regret to inform you that we will not be able to honor your reservation request.” Instead, Carnival cancelled the reservations and issued refunds.

“As a gesture of our appreciation,” the note went on to say, “a non-transferable onboard credit of $100 per stateroom will be applied to your future booking if made by August 31, 2026.” 

‘Their Mistake Should Not Be Your Problem!’

Needless to say, reaction from across social media was quick and harsh. “They advertised a price and you made a purchase,” commented one person on Facebook. “Their mistake should not be your problem.” 

Unfortunately, this is not the first time a glitch has led to low prices which ultimately were not honored. For example, in January of 2020, Carnival Cruise Line’s website accidentally posted casino rates as if they were available to any booking passenger. Soon after, the mistake was discovered and booked cruisers had their sailings cancelled.

And in August of 2023, Carnival’s computer system accidentally began offering an incredibly discounted beverage package, those who jumped at the offer soon received notice that the line would not, in fact, be honoring the quoted price.

On the other hand, when Royal Caribbean’s system made a similar mistake — charing $18 per person per day for the drink package as opposed to the then-standard $55 — they ultimately honored the price. This came after significant public outcry which led to to them eat the loss rather than face mounting bad publicity.

Always Read Your Cruise Contract!

Of course, there’s a significant difference between a mistakenly-priced drink package and the cost of a full-blown cruise.

While many on social media believe the Carnival low price glitch should be honored, the cruise contract makes clear that is not likely to happen.

Specifically, the contract — found in its entirety here — reads as follows:

 In the event that a cruise fare listed, quoted or advertised through any website, Carnival sales person, travel agent or any other source is booked but is incorrect due to an electronic error, typographical error, human error or any other error causing the fare to be listed, quoted or advertised for an amount not intended by Carnival, Carnival reserves the right to correct the erroneous fare by requesting the Guest to pay the correct fare intended (and associated fees, expenses and taxes), or by canceling the cruise in exchange for a full refund, but in no event shall Carnival be obligated to honor any such booking resulting from the error.

Read Next: How Carnival cruisers can avoid losing their status

An 88-year-old woman has died while her ship was docked at Carnival’s private destination Celebration Key. The guest was sailing aboard the Carnival Celebration cruise ship when the incident occurred Saturday, the last full day of the cruise before returning to PortMiami.

Scooter fell off pier at Celebration Key

“A female guest using a mobility scooter drove off the pier at Celebration Key and fell into the water while Carnival Celebration was in port. Carnival teams responded, successfully retrieving her from the water. Despite resuscitation efforts, she did not survive,” the cruise line said.

A witness said the woman may have had a heart attack and banged her head before falling into the water, though that has not been confirmed. Separately, investigators believe she may have hit her head on the ship during the fall. Royal Bahamas Police took custody of the body and an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

A diver later recovered the scooter from the water. A second ship, the Carnival Glory, was also docked at Celebration Key when the incident occurred.

“She banged her head pretty bad, and then her husband tried to do what he could, and he ended up hurting himself as well,” said ship guest Edward Egersheim, who witnessed the incident.

Third death at Celebration Key since opening

This is the third guest death at Celebration Key since the $600 million private destination opened in July 2025.

Two American guests in their 70s drowned in separate incidents in August 2025, less than three hours apart. One was sailing on Carnival Mardi Gras and the other on Carnival Elation. One died while snorkeling at the beach and the other in a lagoon pool.