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Three passengers have died and at least three others are ill in a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, an expedition cruise ship currently anchored off Praia, the capital of Cape Verde. The World Health Organization confirmed the situation Sunday.
Of the six symptomatic individuals, just one case of hantavirus infection has been confirmed in a laboratory so far, while the other five are suspected cases, the WHO said.
Two crew members, one British and one Dutch national, are currently experiencing acute respiratory symptoms requiring urgent care, according to ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions.
Two of the deceased were a married couple. A 70-year-old Dutch man died onboard on April 11 and was declared dead on arrival to the remote Atlantic island of Saint Helena on April 24. His 69-year-old wife collapsed at Johannesburg’s international airport while attempting to fly home to the Netherlands and died there.
Oceanwide Expeditions said at the time that it had not confirmed whether the couple’s deaths were connected to the onboard outbreak.
The third victim was a German national, although the official cause of death has not been established, Oceanwide said.
After the ship left Saint Helena, a British national fell sick on April 27. He is now in critical condition at a private medical facility in Johannesburg and is the only case confirmed to be hantavirus, according to South Africa’s Health Department. The UK’s Foreign Office said it is monitoring the situation and is in touch with the cruise company and local authorities.
Oceanwide Expeditions said 149 people remain onboard, including 17 Americans. They will not be allowed to disembark in Cape Verde, the island nation’s health minister told Radio Cabo Verde. The ship is considering sailing to Las Palmas or Tenerife in the Canary Islands for disembarkation.
Hantavirus is most commonly spread when infected rodents’ urine, saliva, or droppings dry out and become airborne, and humans become infected by inhaling the contaminated particles, according to the WHO. There is no dedicated treatment or cure, though early detection improves the odds of survival. Unlike norovirus, which is commonly reported on cruise ships, hantavirus cases at sea are essentially unheard of.
The WHO stressed there is no need for alarm. “The risk to the wider public remains low. There is no need for panic or travel restrictions,” WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge said.
“Detailed investigations are ongoing, including further laboratory testing and epidemiological investigations. Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew,” the WHO said.
The MV Hondius, operated by Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Ushuaia, Argentina and made stops in Antarctica and Saint Helena before anchoring off Cape Verde. The ship has a passenger capacity of 170.
Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/global-travel-shake-up-how-club-med-viking-and-fora-are-quietly-redefining-the-future-of-travel-in-2026/
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Among the many people dealing with the unexpected shutdown of Spirit Airlines are hundreds of cruise passengers. With literally no advance notice, they are suddenly scrambling to find alternative modes of transport in order to board their awaiting ship.
While Spirit has faced financial struggles for years, their sudden closure caught most by surprise. “It is with great disappointment that on May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines started an orderly wind down of our operations, effective immediately.”
Making it entirely clear, the airline went on to say “all flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available.”
Even as this news was impacting both travelers and Spirt Airlines employees who suddenly found themselves both unemployed and, in many cases, stranded, other airlines stepped up to help. Several — including JetBlue, Southwest, United and Delta — agreed to cap ticket prices for displaced Spirit Airlines guests with confirmation of payment.
These airlines agreed to do so for limited times ranging from 72 hours to two weeks.
Given that Spirit Airlines has become the popular butt of many a joke in recent years, it’s not surprising that some turned the news into a commonly-repeated punchline: “On the plus side,” their general sentiment read, “no one will ever have to fly Spirit Airlines again!”
Those impacted by the unexpected closure, however, weren’t laughing.
“We booked our flights and paid our fare months ago,” wrote one Redditor of their sudden plight. “Now we’re at the airport trying to find a flight that won’t cost us a fortune. And no, before you ask, we didn’t buy travel insurance, which I always have in the past!”
Another passenger shared a similar story. “We were literally heading out the door when my sister called to tell me the news,” she shared in a Facebook cruise group. “I thought she was joking and told her it wasn’t funny. Well, joke’s on me because now our only option is to drive seven hours and hope we make it!”
A common theme among cruisers addressing the shutdown? Buy travel insurance. “I don’t want to say I told you so,” wrote one Redditor, “but yeah, I told you so. Always buy travel insurance.”
The other commonly shared advice? To always fly to your embarkation point at least a day in advance. In fact, Norwegian Cruise Line recently instituted a policy requiring that anyone taking advantage of their Air/Sea program to do exactly that. Why? In the event of travel delays which might derail one’s arrival at the cruise port in a timely manner.
Read Next: Everything You Need to Know About Travel Insurance
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Alaska’s Goldbelt Tram, located beside Juneau’s downtown cruise dock, will remain closed for several days after two employees were hospitalized following an accident at the base station.
The incident happened just days after the 2026 Juneau cruise season got underway.
A cable car came into the base station faster than expected, injuring two staff members who were later taken to the hospital. One was unconscious at the scene, but both were released over the weekend.
Goldbelt confirmed five employees were aboard the tram at the time and no cruise guests were present. The three other staffers did not require medical treatment.
Capital City Fire and Rescue responded to the scene, saying it “successfully stabilized the cabin and gained access to all occupants.”
The tram remained closed Friday and is not expected to reopen for several days. Director of Operations and Facilities Ben Moorhead said representatives from the lift manufacturer and state safety officials are traveling to Juneau to assess the situation.
“It came in faster than anticipated, and docked at a higher rate of speed,” Moorhead said. He added that coordination is underway with the lift manufacturer to determine what happened and make necessary repairs.
The Goldbelt Tram is one of Juneau’s most popular attractions for cruise guests. It carries riders 1,800 feet up Mount Roberts, offering panoramic views of downtown Juneau and the Gastineau Channel.
At the top, visitors can explore hiking trails, a bar and grill, a gift shop and a theater.
The closure comes at the start of what is already a closely watched season.
The 2026 Juneau cruise season began just days ago with the arrival of Holland America Line’s Eurodam and marks the first year operating under new daily cruise passenger limits.
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Carnival Cruise Line has retired many of its earliest ships over the decades, but most didn’t simply disappear.
Many went on to second lives with other cruise lines before eventually being scrapped, especially after the 2020 shutdown.
Below is a look at some of Carnival’s former ships and what ultimately happened to them.
| Ship | Entered Service | Later Service Name(s) | Final Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mardi Gras | 1972 | Olympic, Apollon | Scrapped (2003) |
| Carnivale | 1976 | Fiesta Marina, Olympic, Topaz | Scrapped (2009) |
| Festivale | 1977 | Island Breeze, Big Red Boat III | Scrapped (2003) |
| Tropicale | 1982 | Costa Tropicale, Pacific Star, Ocean Dream | Scrapped (2021) |
| Holiday | 1985 | Grand Holiday, Magellan | Scrapped (2021) |
| Celebration | 1987 | Grand Celebration | Scrapped (2021) |
| Jubilee | 1986 | Pacific Sun, Henna | Scrapped (2017) |
| Carnival Fantasy | 1990 | — | Scrapped (2020) |
| Carnival Ecstasy | 1991 | — | Scrapped (2022) |
| Carnival Sensation | 1993 | — | Scrapped (2022) |
| Carnival Fascination | 1994 | Century Harmony (briefly) | Scrapped (2022) |
| Carnival Imagination | 1995 | — | Scrapped (2020) |
| Carnival Inspiration | 1996 | — | Scrapped (2020) |
Check out a bit of history behind the 13 former Carnival Cruise Line ships and see where they are now.
Mardi Gras was sold to Carnival from Canadian Pacific in 1972 and was just over 18,000 gross registered tons. She sailed under the Carnival flag until 1993 and was then sold to Epirotiki.
Many names and a few cruise lines later, the ship was laid up and ultimately sold for scrap in 2003.
In 2021, Carnival debuted a new Mardi Gras from Port Canaveral, Florida. You can read our full review of the ship here.
The Excel-class ship features BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, an attraction later added to sister ships Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee.
Before being sold to Carnival in 1976, Carnivale was called Queen Ann Maria for the operator Greek Line. In 1993, Carnival transferred her to a subsidiary cruise line, Fiesta Marina Cruises.
After a few other cruise lines and the final name of Topaz sailing under the Peace Boat Organization, she was retired and laid up in April 2008.
The ship was beached in India to be scrapped that summer, with the process completed in 2009.
Carnival acquired Festivale in 1977 from the South African Marine Corporation. She was originally a mail service ocean liner, but when Carnival bought her, they refit her into a cruise ship in Japan for $30 million.
After sailing for several cruise lines, she ended up with Premier Cruise Line under the name Big Red Boat III. When Premier went bankrupt in 2000, the ship was seized and ultimately scrapped in 2003.
Tropicale was a monumental ship for Carnival, as she was their first new build. She began sailing in 1982, mainly in the Caribbean.
The ship was later transferred to Costa as Costa Tropicale, then to P&O Australia as Pacific Star. She was eventually sold to Pullmantur Cruises, refurbished, and sailed as Ocean Dream.
After a final stint with Peace Boat, the ship was scrapped in January 2021.
Holiday was Carnival’s second purpose-built ship. Constructed in Denmark, Holiday entered service in 1985. In 2003, she was refurbished, and in 2005, during Hurricane Katrina, she was used as temporary housing for victims of the storm.
She sailed from Alabama to the western Caribbean until 2009, when she was transferred to Iberocruceros and renamed Grand Holiday.
She later sailed as Magellan for Cruise & Maritime Voyages. After CMV ceased operations in 2020, the ship was purchased at auction and eventually sent to Alang, India, where she was scrapped in 2021.
Celebration was built for Carnival in Sweden and entered service in 1987. She sailed for the line until 2008, when she was transferred to Iberocruceros and renamed Grand Celebration.
After brief stints with Costa and Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, the ship continued sailing under different operators until being sold in 2020.
She was ultimately scrapped in Alang, India in 2021.
A new Carnival Celebration debuted in 2022.
Jubilee entered service in 1986 and was one of three Holiday-class ships. In 2004, she was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia and renamed Pacific Sun.
In 2012, she was sold to HNA Cruises and renamed Henna. After HNA shut down operations in 2015, the ship was eventually sold for scrap and dismantled in Alang, India in 2017.
Fantasy was the first ship in Carnival’s new Fantasy class when she entered service in March 1990. Built at Kavaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland, the ship initially sailed Caribbean cruises from Miami.
In 2007, the ship was re-christened Carnival Fantasy and refurbished in 2008, 2016, and 2019. She sailed for Carnival for 30 years until the cruise industry shutdown in March 2020.
In July 2020, Carnival sold the ship, and it was scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey.
Carnival Ecstasy debuted in 1991 as the second ship in the Fantasy class.
She resumed service briefly in 2022 for a farewell season out of Mobile, Alabama, before her final voyage in October of that year. The ship was scrapped shortly after, arriving in Aliaga, Turkey in November 2022.
Launched in 1993, Carnival Sensation was one of the early Fantasy-class ships, built in Finland and sailing itineraries from ports including Miami, Tampa, and Port Canaveral.
Over the years, she underwent several updates and remained a staple of Carnival’s fleet, known for her distinctive interiors and classic “Fun Ship” features.
After nearly 30 years of service, she was sold for scrap in Aliaga, Turkey.
Fascination entered service in 1994 as the fourth member of Carnival Cruise Line’s Fantasy class. Built in Helsinki, Finland, she sailed from ports including New York, San Juan, and Jacksonville during her time with the line.
After being laid up in 2020, the ship was sold with plans to be converted into a floating hotel and briefly renamed Century Harmony. Those plans never materialized.
She was ultimately sold for scrap and arrived in Pakistan in 2022 for dismantling.
Like her Fantasy-class sisters, Imagination was built at Kavaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland. The ship entered service in 1995 and most recently sailed Mexican Riviera itineraries from Long Beach, California.
The ship was renamed Carnival Imagination in 2007 and was refurbished most recently in 2016.
The vessel entered long-term layup status in July 2020; Carnival announced the ship had been sold for scrap in August 2020 and was sent to the scrapyard in Aliaga, Turkey.
Built in 1996 at the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland, Inspiration was the fifth entry in the Fantasy class. Renamed Carnival Inspiration in 2007, the ship was most recently refurbished in 2010.
The ship sailed Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach, California. After the cruise industry shut down in March 2020, Carnival announced in July that the ship and Carnival Fantasy had been sold for scrap and sent to the shipbreakers in Aliaga, Turkey.
While many of Carnival’s early ships found second lives across the industry, most have now been retired and scrapped, especially following the 2020 shutdown.
Today, Carnival’s fleet has shifted toward larger, more efficient ships, marking a clear end to the era of its original vessels.
Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/uncruise-late-season-sailings-showcase-bears-whales-and-autumn-color-all-you-need-to-know/
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In a communication that was quietly sent to travel agents, Norwegian Cruise Line revealed a change to their popular Free at Sea package. While some guests will soon find themselves paying more where gratuities on the drink package price are concerned, this change will not be made across the board.
Clearly aware that this change would not be well received, Norwegian’s note to travel partners started with a request that they “not share this publicly or discuss it with your clients before May 1, 2026, when this change will apply.”
And what, exactly, is the change? An increase to the gratuities charged as part of the Free at Sea package. For those not in the know, while the Free at Sea package offers what NCL calls “free, unlimited open bar,” that claim comes with an asterisk. Why? Because as with the associated “free” dining, gratuities are automatically added.
It is the gratuities attatched to the drinks package which will be increased on some cruises. As NCL’s missive explains, “the price of our Free at Sea prepaid beverage package gratuities on new bookings for two-to-five day cruises will be $32.00 per person, per day.”
It later adds that “for cruises of six days or longer, which make up the majority of our sailings, the gratuities will remain at $28.50 per person, per day.”
Typically, when cruise lines raise gratuities, they inform guests in advance and allow those who want to avoid paying the increase a window of opportunity in which to do so. In this case, however, Norwegian Cruise Line went out of their way to ask that travel partners not inform guests of the change in advance, thus guaranteeing that passengers would be unable to snag themselves the lower gratuity.
The cruise line’s note goes out of its way to provide agents with talking points, including that “even with this change, the Free at Sea beverage package continues to offer exceptional value.”
It’s important to note that impacted guests do still have a way of saving a bit of money. “This change,” Norwegian says, “only applies to prepaid pricing, which remains lower than onboard pricing. As such, we recommend locking in new bookings and adding Free at Sea’s package gratuities prior to sailing to secure the preferred price.”
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Holland America’s Rotterdam is back in service after a two-week dry dock in the Netherlands, and guests sailing this summer’s Northern Europe season are already on board experiencing the changes.
The ship returned to service April 26 after work completed in its namesake port. The upgrades touch nearly every corner of the ship, covering entertainment venues, suites, public spaces, the casino, spa, and retail.
The biggest focus was live music. Billboard Onboard and Rolling Stone Lounge both got additional seating and a redesigned central lounge connecting the two spaces, improving sightlines for performances.
The Crow’s Nest added a dedicated live music stage alongside its existing lecture and enrichment programming. A new outdoor stage and bandstand also went in at the Sea View Pool on Deck 9 aft.
On the accommodation side, 22 Vista Suites received new sofa beds, expanding them to quad occupancy for up to four guests without changing the overall suite layout or amenities.
Elsewhere, new carpeting was installed throughout staterooms, corridors, and public areas. The main dining room got more flexible table configurations.
The casino added roughly 20 slot machines along with new seating and TVs at the table games area. The Greenhouse Spa received a new ergonomic hair-washing station.
The Effy Jewelry boutique was also refreshed, bringing Rotterdam in line with updates already completed on Koningsdam, Westerdam, and Zuiderdam.
If you’re booked on Rotterdam for a Northern Europe sailing this summer, you’re getting a noticeably refreshed product. The live music expansion is the most meaningful change for most guests.
HAL has built its identity around Music Walk, and adding outdoor and panoramic-view stages gives passengers more places to catch performances without crowding into the same venues.
The suite sofa bed additions are the clearest win for families and small groups. Previously, booking a Vista Suite for four guests was a more complicated proposition.
Now 22 of those suites comfortably sleep four, which makes Rotterdam a stronger option for multigenerational travel without the cost of booking two separate cabins.
This is also a routine dry dock refresh, not part of Holland America’s larger Evolution program, which is a separate $500 million fleet overhaul targeting older Vista and Signature class ships starting with Oosterdam in Fall 2027.
Rotterdam sails seven-night Northern Europe itineraries through the summer before repositioning for Caribbean sailings this winter.
A cruise ship guest was pronounced dead off the California coast after falling from a stateroom balcony.
The woman, who hasn’t been named yet, went over the balcony and landed on a deck below. It is unclear how far she fell.
It marks the third overboard or fall death on cruise ships in just two weeks. She was a guest on the Carnival Firenze which was sailing near Catalina Island when the incident occurred. The woman’s family raised the alarm with ship crew.
“All appropriate authorities have been alerted. As is customary, law enforcement will board the ship today on Catalina Island to conduct the required investigation,” the cruise line said earlier.
“Carnival’s Care Team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told the media the FBI is handling the investigation. The circumstances leading up to the fall have not been disclosed by authorities.
Carnival Firenze is on a short Baja Mexico cruise roundtrip from the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. Catalina Island is situated about 20 miles from Los Angeles. The ship left the island and visits Ensenada, Mexico today before returning to Long Beach on April 30. The ship has capacity for more than 5,000 guests.
This incident comes days after a Norwegian Cruise Line crew member went overboard off the coast of Massachusetts. According to surveillance video footage, the Norwegian Breakaway employee fell into the sea around 12 miles off Cape Cod at the weekend.
A large-scale US Coast Guard air and sea search operation was conducted but suspended several hours later without success.
The incident led to a delay in embarkation for the next voyage out of Boston on Sunday. “These efforts required the vessel’s full attention before the voyage could safely resume toward Boston,” NCL said in an update to new departing guests.
“Situations such as these are never easy, and the safety and wellbeing of those at sea remain at the heart of every decision we make.”
Just a week earlier, a Carnival Splendor guest in his 70s went overboard off the coast of Brisbane, Australia, which the cruise line says was a deliberate jump based on CCTV footage.
A days-long search operation took place and he too is now presumed dead. There have been six reported overboard incidents so far in 2026.
In an unexpected move, Norwegian Cruise Line has announced a change that could impact how future Haven guests book when traveling with families.
While many cruisers say it’s about time the change was made, others worry about the impact on their experience in The Haven.
The major change — which has already taken effect — was announced via a note to travel partners and affected guests.
It said that as of now, “guests staying in a non-Haven stateroom (such as a balcony) that physically connects to a Haven stateroom and they are traveling with the guests in the Haven stateroom may dine at The Haven restaurant at no charge, including no service fee, for the duration of the sailing. Guests in the connecting non-Haven stateroom may take advantage of this offer as long as the guests in the connecting Haven stateroom are present at the time of dining. Haven guest(s) can make arrangements for this offer through the pre-cruise Concierge Desk.”
It is important to note that guests staying in the connecting room will not have access to any other Haven perks, amenities, or areas.
And guests traveling with those staying in the Haven but not in the directly connecting suite will not be able to dine at the Haven restaurant.
Needless to say, reaction amongst cruisers in general and those who enjoy Norwegian’s ship-within-a-ship concept was swift and varied.
Many across social media recognized that this will have a relatively low impact given the small number of qualifying non-Haven staterooms. Others, however, focused more on human nature, with several assuming “That will be abused.”
“Not to be ‘that person,’” wrote one Haven fan in a Reddit forum, “but we pay for exclusivity and for an elevated product. Why should I pay more so that people who are paying less can enjoy the same elevated dining experience?”
Others wondered if this was the first step toward other changes… including the ability to buy certain Haven-related perks without committing to the pricing of an actual stateroom in the Haven.
Holland America Line, for example, has the Club Orange program, which allows guests who are not staying in a suite to purchase perks normally only available to those in the more highly-priced staterooms.
Given that cruise lines often engage in a follow-the-leader type mentality, it’s reasonable to question whether this policy will be adapted by others. Will Celebrity Cruises, for example, begin selling limited access to Luminae, the high-end restaurant available only to guests staying in The Retreat?
Another question is how this might affect Norwegian’s thought process regarding future additions to its fleet.
Should the change prove popular, might new builds incorporate more non-Haven staterooms with connecting doors?
Only time will tell.
Read Next: Is the Haven really worth the price?
The Norwegian Breakaway departure scheduled for the morning of Sunday, April 26, was delayed several hours by the aftermath of a crew member going overboard.
In a statement to Cruise Radio, Norwegian Cruise Line sad that “late in the evening of April 25, 2026, a crew member went overboard east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Upon confirming the incident, the vessel immediately informed the United States Coast Guard Marine Rescue Coordination Center and a coordinated search and rescue operation was initiated.”
According to Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England, a Coast Guard helicopter arrived on scene just after 1 a.m., and crews from the Coast Guard’s Provincetown station also responded to assist.
Passenger video showed two rescue boats searching the waters near the ship. Guests onboard reported a “Code Oscar, port side” announcement shortly after midnight, and portions of Decks 7 and 8 were closed during the operation.
After several hours of searching, Norwegian Breakaway resumed course toward Boston.
Guests and travel agents received notice of the incident, including details as to the necessary changes made to their departure schedule as a result.
“Today’s embarkation… will take place later than originally scheduled,” read the notification. “Overnight and into the early morning hours, the ship remained engaged in search-and-rescue efforts following a man overboard situation, working closely with maritime authorities.”
It went on to say that, “These efforts required the vessels full attention before the voyage could safely resume toward Boston. Situations such as these are never easy, and the safety and well being of those at sea remain at the heart of every decision we make.”
Ultimately, Norwegian had to move the embarkation time back several hours, asking that guests not arrive at the terminal before 2 p.m. in order to allow time for disembarkation and preparation for the next voyage. “We understand that changes to your arrival plans may be inconvenient and truly appreciate your patience and understanding.
The ship was originally scheduled to dock by 8 a.m. but arrived around 11:30 a.m.
Norwegian Breakaway carries 3,963 passengers at double occupancy. The ship’s next sailing is also a 7-night Bermuda cruise, and no itinerary changes have been announced at this time.
The incident comes one week after a passenger went overboard from Carnival Splendor off the coast of Brisbane, Australia, in a separate and unrelated incident. That search was suspended after 16 hours.
This is the sixth man overboard of 2026, following 12 man overboard events in 2025.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has filed charges against Capital Jazz and its owner, Clifford Hunte, over more than $642,000 in unpaid refunds from a canceled 2026 music cruise.
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division filed a Statement of Charges alleging Capital Jazz violated the Maryland Consumer Protection Act and breached an earlier settlement agreement tied to previous refund failures.
The Capital Jazz SuperCruise was scheduled to sail the Caribbean from March 22-29, 2026 onboard MSC Divina.
MSC Cruises canceled the charter agreement in November 2025 after Capital Jazz failed to meet payment obligations, despite continuing to collect money from customers. By the time passengers learned of the cancellation, many had already paid thousands of dollars and booked flights and hotels.
The Consumer Protection Division says 103 customers are so far confirmed to be owed $642,240 in total. Officials believe more passengers may be affected and have not yet come forward.
Capital Jazz also allegedly stopped paying penalties it owed under a 2025 settlement that resolved earlier refund complaints.
“Capital Jazz made a commitment to Maryland consumers and broke it, and then they brazenly did it again,” Attorney General Brown said. “My office intends to use every legal tool available to hold it accountable in its failure to honor its obligations to consumers.”
It’s worth noting that the dispute is between passengers and Capital Jazz, not MSC Cruises. MSC canceled the charter after Capital Jazz failed to make payments, and the cruise line has no legal obligation to refund passengers who booked through the event organizer.
This is the third Capital Jazz SuperCruise to be canceled in five years. The company previously faced legal action over cruises canceled in 2021 and 2022, which resulted in a 2025 settlement requiring Capital Jazz to provide cruise refunds and purchase cancellation insurance for future events.
A hearing before the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings is scheduled for July 21, 2026.
Capital Jazz has organized its annual music festival in the Washington, D.C. area for more than 30 years, drawing tens of thousands of fans to Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland each June.
Customers who believe they are owed refunds from the canceled 2026 SuperCruise can contact the Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 410-528-8662.
A notorious organization known for hacking into systems in order to steal vast amounts of information may have gained access to Carnival Corporation’s massive data base.
While ShinyHunters may sound like a musical group you’d hire to entertain at your child’s birthday party, they are, in fact, far more sinister.
The organization has been behind some of the largest data breaches to take place over the past 25 years. Among their past victims have been companies as diverse as Microsoft, Pizza Hut even several universities.
Now, according to numerous reports, ShinyHunters is claiming to have accessed troves of Carnival Corporation information and issued a ransom threat.
In a statement, a Carnival Corporation rep told Cruise Radio that “after detecting unauthorized online activity involving a singer user account, we acted quickly to shut it down and block any further unauthorized access and have notified law enforcement.”
The real questions revolve around what “single user account” was accessed and whether it may have opened something of a cyber wormhole which might serve as a gateway to far more information.
“Data privacy and protection are extremely important to Carnival Corporation,” the spokesperson continued, “and we’re working closely with trusted global security experts to be thoughtful and deliberate in our review of the data involved, recognizing that anonymous reports circulating online are not always accurate.”
The “anonymous reports” mentioned are likely those which claim that information from several million accounts has already been released.
For example, the site HaveIBeenPwned wrote that ShinyHunters “published the [stolen] data publicly, which contained 8.7 million records with 7.5 million unique email addresses.”
The site went on to make the very specific claim that data released included information pertaining to Holland America Line — a division of Carnival Corporation — and their Mariner Society loyalty program.
It went on to say that the information included “names, dates of birth, genders and data relating to status within the loyalty program.”
Meanwhile, the Carnival spokesperson concluded by saying, “If we determine personal information was affected, we will follow all disclosure requirements and communicate directly with any impacted individuals.”
Meanwhile, HaveIBeenPwned.com recommends that if you believe your information may have been compromised, you should change your password immediately. They also suggest enabling two-factor authentification, which is standard advice when it comes to adding an added layer of protection to any and all accounts.
In 2020, Princess Cruises had a hacker gain access to company emails.
Royal Caribbean is testing a new paid option for guests who book guarantee staterooms and want to know their cabin assignment before the last minute.
The program, called Early Assign, is available for $30 per stateroom and is currently being piloted on select sailings for U.S. bookings only. When a guest’s cruise is paid in full, they can add Early Assign and receive their stateroom assignment within 24 hours.
Guarantee staterooms are one of the most affordable ways to book a cruise. Guests are promised a cabin within their selected category, but the cruise line assigns the specific room, sometimes not until just days before the sailing date or even on embarkation day. That uncertainty is the tradeoff for the lower fare.
Early Assign is designed to remove that uncertainty, though it does not allow guests to choose a specific deck, location, or stateroom attributes.
The option is available during a defined window before sailing, based on itinerary length.
For cruises of five nights or fewer, guests can use Early Assign between 30 and 60 days before departure. For sailings of six nights or longer, the window is 50 to 80 days before sailing.
Early Assign is available for select stateroom categories across interior, ocean view, balcony, and suite bookings. It is not available on casino fares and may be restricted on certain promotional rates.
Once assigned, guests can request a move to a different cabin within the same category at no extra charge, of course this is subject to availability.
The $30 fee is per stateroom, not per guest, but it is non-refundable. If a booking is canceled, the fee is forfeited regardless of when the cancellation occurs. The option carries no additional perks beyond the earlier cabin assignment.
Royal Caribbean says the program may be expanded fleetwide if the pilot proves successful.
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