An investigation is underway after a cruise guest was discovered deceased on a remote island in the Great Barrier Reef. It has been reported that the cruise line left the 80-year-old woman behind on Lizard Island, off the coast of Australia, during an excursion.

She was hiking with other guests from the Coral Adventurer cruise ship, when she stopped for a rest. The ship departed the island later that day, but somehow the woman’s whereabouts weren’t flagged before it set sail.

Coral Expeditions said the woman’s family is being supported over the “tragic death”.  

Full investigation is underway

“While investigations into the incident are continuing, we are deeply sorry that this has occurred. We are working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation,” said cruise line CEO, Mark Fifield.

The ship crew only realized the guest hadn’t returned to the ship several hours later, and the Coral Adventurer returned to the island. A late-night land and air search was carried out in the dark, but there was no sign of the woman, who hadn’t been publicly identified.

The body was found the next day. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is investigating and plans to interview the ship’s crew this week.

It will focus on “the circumstances surrounding why the passenger may not have been accounted for during boarding.” Queensland Police is also probing the cause of death but a police spokesperson says they believe it was “sudden and nonsuspicious.”

It was reported that the woman’s absence was first noticed when she didn’t show for dinner, with crew initially focusing on a possible overboard incident. 

Lizard Island was the first call on the Coral Adventurer’s two-month-long circumnavigation of Australia, which cost around $50,000. 

The next scheduled call is Darwin. The Coral Adventurer has a capacity for 120 guests with a crew of 46.

Royal Caribbean Group is bringing its Royal Beach Club concept to Europe for the first time with Royal Beach Club Santorini, set to open in summer 2026.

The exclusive beach club marks a major expansion for the company as it grows its land-based vacation portfolio from two to eight destinations by 2028.

First Royal Beach Club in Europe

The Santorini beach club will welcome passengers from both Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, combining the iconic Greek island’s volcanic beaches with the company’s signature experiences and authentic local culture.

Guests will enjoy an “Ultimate Santorini Day” that includes exploring the famous white-washed buildings and blue-domed churches in Oia, along with strolling through shops, cafes and art galleries in Fira.

“Expanding our Royal Beach Club Collection to include Santorini, one of the world’s most popular and beautiful locations, is a bold step forward in growing our vacation portfolio,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group.

Solution to Greece’s Overtourism?

Royal Caribbean Group stated the beach club will feature an innovative solution to alleviate congestion throughout Santorini by better distributing arriving passengers.

Cruisers will be able to pick from one of three locations, minimizing crowding while maximizing time spent enjoying the destination’s sights and sounds.

“With this new beach club, we are able to bring the best of what the island has to offer with the signature service Royal Caribbean is known for,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.

Resort Collection is Expanding

Royal Beach Club Santorini joins Royal Caribbean Group’s growing collection of eight land-based destinations spanning The Bahamas, Haiti, Mexico, Chile, Greece and the South Pacific.

The company currently operates Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas and Labadee in Haiti.

The first Royal Beach Club experience is scheduled to launch in The Bahamas this December.

Additional destinations include Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in The Bahamas, the Southernmost Hotel on Earth The Cormorant at 55 South in Chile, Royal Beach Club Cozumel in Mexico, Perfect Day Mexico, and Royal Beach Club South Pacific in Lelepa, all opening between 2025 and 2028.

An American cruise passenger was arrested in Italy after a loaded handgun was discovered in his bag during a routine security check at the cruise terminal.

Police said the Browning semi-automatic pistol was found during pre-cruise security screening at the Porto Corsini Cruise Terminal in Ravenna, Italy.

The 77-year old man and his son were detained at the port. The gun was seized and he was charged with illegal possession of a firearm and issued a deportation order. He told police he forgot the weapon was in his bag and said he has a valid US permit for the pistol.

Gun not detected at US airports

The two guests had traveled from Tennessee, flying to Venice via a transatlantic flight at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. It is unclear how they got through airport security screening without detecting the firearm.

Police said they were booked on a cruise to Croatia but further details or the name of the cruise line haven’t been disclosed. Incidents like this are rare although a similar one took place just a few months ago.

Other Guests Caught with Guns Trying to Board Ships

A 73-year old American noticed he had inadvertently packed is firearm in his luggage on the day of his cruise from Kobe, Japan. He discarded bullets and then informed security officers at the cruise terminal. He was then arrested.

Just a few weeks earlier, a passenger was arrested in Aruba after attempting to board Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas with a gun.

The mother of a five-year-old girl who went overboard from a Disney Cruise Line ship won’t face criminal charges.

Assistant State Attorney Melissa Kelly said the state has decided not to press charges.

Kelly acknowledged the woman’s actions were “arguably negligent and irresponsible” but didn’t deem it a serious offense worthy of criminal child negligence.

Child Went Overboard While Posing for a Photo

The young girl fell overboard from the fourth deck after her mother ushered her over to a port hole railing to take a photo.

The girl sat there but lost her balance and went overboard, falling about 50 feet into the water. Her father jumped in after her. He was able to grab her and they tread water for about 20 minutes while a small boat was deployed.

The cruise line praised its crew at the time for their “exceptional skills and prompt actions, which ensured the safe return of both guests to the ship within minutes.”

“The father noted difficulty locating his daughter in the water and admitted losing visual contact temporarily. He was eventually able to reach her and tread water with her until they were rescued,” the Broward County Sheriff’s Office police report stated.

The June incident aboard the Disney Dream was captured on video and went viral. It garnered some intense online commentary with divided opinions over the actions of the parents. It happened as the ship was between Florida and the Bahamas.

The father and daughter were initially treated at the ship’s medical center and then transported to Broward Health Medical Center. Both were treated for hypothermia, and the dad also suffered two spinal fractures.

Assistant State Attorney Kelly said the mother mistakenly believed there was a barrier on the deck railing and didn’t knowingly put her daughter in danger.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed a norovirus outbreak aboard Oceania Insignia, marking the 20th reported gastrointestinal illness outbreak on a cruise ship in 2025.

According to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), the outbreak occurred during Insignia’s current voyage, which began October 16 and is scheduled to end October 27. The illness was reported to the CDC on October 20.

A total of 74 passengers out of 637 (11.6%) and 1 crew member out of 391 (0.3%) have reported symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. The illness has been attributed to norovirus, a highly contagious virus that spreads easily in close-contact environments such as cruise ships.

A guest onboard posted in a Facebook group that, “many from our party our confined to staterooms.”

Outbreak Response Measures

Oceania Cruises implemented several response measures onboard in line with CDC protocols, including:

• Enhanced cleaning and sanitation procedures.
• Isolation of symptomatic passengers and crew.
• Collection of stool samples for testing.
• Ongoing consultation with CDC officials to monitor and review sanitation practices.

The CDC is currently monitoring the situation remotely and has not indicated any planned shipboard inspections.

20 Outbreaks in 2025 So Far

This latest incident is the 20th gastrointestinal illness outbreak of the year aboard a cruise ship that meets the CDC’s threshold for public notification. At least 14 of these have been confirmed as norovirus outbreaks.

Other cruise lines affected in 2025 include Royal Caribbean, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Viking.

Notably, this is the first publicly reported outbreak for Oceania Cruises this year. It follows recent outbreaks on Serenade of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas, both operated by Royal Caribbean International.

The CDC has previously acknowledged the increase in cruise-related outbreaks, though officials have not confirmed whether the rise signals a lasting trend.

Oceania Insignia is currently on an 11 night one-way repositioning cruise from Montreal to Boston.

Cruise lines need cast iron certainty on the immediate future of fuel supply at the world’s cruise capital.

Speaking for the industry at a recent meeting of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty says the recent sale of the Fisher Island fuel depot near PortMiami highlights many concerns for the short term future of cruising.

Fisher Island Fuel Depot Recently Sold

While fuel supply has remained uninterrupted, there has been no guarantees offered, going forward. The new owners have other plans for the Fisher Island facility. Liberty stressed that it is essential that there is no interruption in fuel supply, in the short term at least.

“If there’s another place to put the facility, that’s wonderful, whether it’s on the port or not. The issue for us at hand is the certainty element,” he said.

“Even if we identify land, the amount of time it will take for the permitting, the building, it’s not 24 months,” Liberty said. “In the short to mid-term, without that fuel farm, it’s pretty tough to certify certainty that the fuel is going to be available to us.”

Miami-Dade County has been discussing alternative options for several weeks. All except one of these would require years to come to fruition. PortMiami has a fuel supply agreement with Fisher Island terminal until 2027.

The other more immediate option would be to negotiate a purchase of the fuel depot. If that fails, the Commissioners have already discussed the possibility of an eminent domain compulsory purchase order. 

Liberty said the cruise industry is open to all options but on the understanding that there is no disruption to the fuel supply. He was addressing the commissioners on behalf of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA alongside representatives from Carnival Corp; MSC Cruises, NCL and Virgin Voyages.

Speaking on the issue when the sale of Fisher Island was imminent in September, Liberty said: “No major US home port operates without fuel bunkering. If the Port of Miami were to lose this capability, the consequences would be severe.” 

Last month, the Commissioners agreed a motion to continue discussions for a month with the new owners over acquiring the site, a period which is set to expire this week. 

US cruise lines are reconsidering their itinerary plans in east Asia as hefty new China port fees kick in. The retaliatory port fees, initially targeting cargo operators, have been expanded to cruise ships.

The new fees are directed at US cruise operators and could add several million dollars per visit for a large ship.

First Cruise Ship Skips China Port Call

The fees are China’s response to US tariff related fees, and have started to have an immediate impact. Oceania Cruises’ ship Riviera skipped a planned port call at Shanghai and instead replaced it with a Busan, South Korea visit.

The ship would have been forced to pay around $1.6 million in extra port fees, applicable only for its first port call in the country. The fee calculation is based on a ship’s tonnage and targets cruise lines incorporated or with primary operations in the US, as well as any ships constructed in the US.

“Due to recently enacted retaliatory regulations, ships can no longer effectively visit mainland Chinese ports. We are therefore revising select itineraries to replace port calls. We share in the disappointment of these necessary changes,” an Oceania Cruises spokesperson said.

Homeported Ships Exempt

However, after several days of negotiations, Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas has been given an exemption. The ship is currently offering a series of roundtrip cruises from Shanghai to Okinawa, Japan, and is marketed at Chinese customers. China-homeported ships will likely continue to be given a waiver.

Spectrum of the Seas remains in Shanghai through November 2026 and then repositions to Hong Kong. The only other major foreign owned cruise ship homeporting in Shanghai is MSC Cruises’ Bellissima.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has just confirmed the Seven Seas Explorer’s call to Shanghai next month has been canceled and will instead visit Taiwan.

Other US based lines with upcoming China port calls haven’t indicated yet whether they will also cancel visits. Holland America Line has a planned Shanghai call next month.