A couple whose video about their experiences aboard the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise went viral found out that they’ve been permanent banned by the line. The unusual twist? Their original video was posted back in 2023!

‘We Showed Exactly What We Saw’

While Laura and Johnathan Fain’s video chronicling their time on the Margaritaville at Sea ship got a decent amount of attention when posted back in 2023, he is quick to make clear it “wasn’t something where we were thinking, ‘Oh, maybe if we complain we’ll get a refund.’”

Rather, says Johnathan, who goes by Fain, “It was literally just posting our experience. We showed exactly what we saw.”

Adds Laura during a call with Cruise Radio, “It’s not like we made a mess and then filmed it! The response to the initial vlog wasn’t really controversial. But then I put out the TikTok,” which was by nature shorter and focused more heavily on the negative aspects of their trip.

“That’s what really blew up and is probably what offended them,” she says. “And I get it, to be honest with you. But I never thought it would lead to this!”

‘Maybe We Were Banned!’

Flashforward to the spring of 2026, when the pair decided it was time to give Margaritaville at Sea another shot. “We’d heard good things and were looking to do a cruise that would fit in our budget,” explains Fain. Yet when they attempted to book online, the system instructed them to contact customer service.

“I joked that maybe we were banned,” laughs Laura. What she didn’t realize was just how right she was: When Fain called, a customer service rep confirmed they were banned from the line and even revealed that a “bad review” was the reason.

“It says you are not allowed to board a cruise,” acknowledged the Margaritaville rep.

“I was shocked that they just said it, flat-out,” Fain admits.

Radio Silence

Despite making a video about the ban which accumulated nearly 125,000 views in its first week, the couple has not heard from the cruise line. (You can see their video in its entirety below.) “I’m not expecting to hear from them,” shrugs Fain.

Many in the comment section have assumed that the company might reach out in order to make amends. Laura, however, is quick to say, “We didn’t do this to get a free cruise or bash them again. We had no agenda.” 

Despite what has gone down, the pair would like to give the line — which has undergone massive changes since their original posting — another shot… with, however, one stipulation. “I wouldn’t want it for free,” she says emphatically. “Nobody’s going to take away my credibility in that way. I can already imagine the comments people would make if we accepted a free cruise and had a positive experience.”

Adds Fain “And if we weren’t paying for it, we would disclose that. It’s important that we remain true to ourselves.”

Cruise Radio reached out to Margaritaville for comment, but received no response.

Read Next: Carnival Ordered to Pay Over-Served Guest $300,000

“Looking back, I remember I really didn’t want to take a shower because the bathroom was kind of gross.” she said

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The woman who was served 15 shots of tequila aboard the Carnival Radiance — and suffered injuries as a result — is speaking out about the lawsuit which netted her a $300,000 victory. Meanwhile, reaction to her win has largely involved people debating personal responsibility.

‘They Treated Me Like a Criminal’

In a video shot by her attorney, Diana Sanders says that the crew “treated me like a criminal” as she attempted to obtain information about what had taken place. After waking up at the bottom of a staircase in a crew area, Sanders says she received “conflicting information” about what had transpired.

“I was very concerned that they wouldn’t tell me exactly what had happened,” she continued. She turned to a lawyer in an attempt to get the CCTV footage, but claims that Carnival had “all the tapes right before, but nothing afterward and they will not show us what happened that day.” 

As for the process of taking Carnival Corporation to court, “I felt bullied,” she shares. “Everything they did was to either mentally torment me or financially torment me.”

The jury, however, “saw what they were trying to do, how they were trying to defame my character” and, she says, “make me look like a bad human being.” 

Sanders attorney, Spencer Aronfeld, briefly touched upon personal responsibility… a topic which many across social media thinks should have played a much bigger role in this particular case.

‘Shouldn’t A Nurse Know Better?’

In handing down their verdict, the jury determined that Carnival was 60 percent responsible for the incident, with Sanders 40 percent responsible. But for many responding to coverage of the story — including our own initial article — that seemed unreasonable.

“Wait,” responded a Facebook commenter, “she’s a nurse? Shouldn’t a nurse know better than to drink that heavily?” 

“Accountability must begin with the drinker,” posted another. “No one forced [her] to drink.”

Others speculated as to what effect this might have on future policies related to drinks served on board. “Now they’ll change the rules, dial back the number of drinks you can consume and how often.” 

Carnival has indicated that it intends to appeal the decision.

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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