Welcome to The Deck Briefing — your quick daily read for everyone who loves ships, sea days, and stories from the decks. Here’s what’s making waves on August 25, 2026.
Today's cruise news roundup covers Astoria Grande's homeport change to Turkey, an arrest involving an MSC World America lifeguard, the temporary closure of Pelican Plunge at Castaway Cay, Hurtigruten's new Arctic voyage and Holland America Line's planned poolside bandstands.
Astoria Grande Moves Homeport to Antalya
Astoria Grande will move its homeport from Russia to Turkey, with future cruises departing from Antalya, Cruise Industry News reports. The shipowner said the change was made in the interests of passenger and crew safety.
Charter flights from Russian airports and land transfers will be arranged in advance. Passengers who keep their bookings for the new departures will receive cabin upgrades, airport and port assistance in Antalya, and support for documented expenses linked to the change in departure and arrival ports.
The revised itineraries will add destinations in Greece, Italy and Egypt, including Piraeus, Heraklion, Corfu, Thessaloniki and Port Said. The ship will also continue visiting regional ports such as Bodrum, Marmaris, Kusadasi, Izmir, Çeşme, Bozcaada Island and Alexandria.
Russian passengers will receive Schengen visas at no charge, with Astoria Grande handling the process. Passengers who do not want to continue with their reservations can request a full refund or receive a future cruise credit worth 120 percent of the original fare for use in 2026 or 2027.
Source: cruiseindustrynews.com
MSC World America Lifeguard Arrested in Miami
A lifeguard from MSC World America was arrested in Miami after allegations involving a 17-year-old passenger, Cruise Hive reports. Rafael Cayetano Blanco, 38, faces a charge of unlawful sexual activity with a specified minor, and his bond was set at $7,500.
Investigators allege that Blanco exchanged numbers with the passenger on August 16 and later met her in his cabin, where the alleged sexual activity occurred twice. He was detained when the ship returned to PortMiami on August 22, then booked into Miami's Metro West Detention Center; he remains in custody on an immigration hold.
MSC Cruises said it contacted law enforcement after discovering the alleged conduct, assisted the passenger and dismissed Blanco from his position. The case remains pending, no court date had been publicly released, and no attorney was listed in the booking records.
MSC World America had departed PortMiami on August 15 for a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise calling at Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel and Ocean Cay. The ship departed again on August 22 for a seven-night Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas sailing scheduled to visit Puerto Plata, San Juan and Ocean Cay before returning August 29.
Source: www.cruisehive.com
Disney Closes Pelican Plunge at Castaway Cay
Pelican Plunge at Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Cay is temporarily closed for refurbishment, Cruise Hive reports. Disney has not announced when the floating platform and its two waterslides will reopen.
The platform's attractions include one open and one enclosed slide, a water dump bucket and water guns. Guests must be at least 38 inches tall to use the slides and must swim to the platform, which is located off the island's northern family beach.
Disney has told guests that the water-play structure in the swimming lagoon and Spring-A-Leak remain open. Visitors can also use the island's swimming areas and book activities including snorkeling, banana boat rides and other water sports.
Source: www.cruisehive.com
Hurtigruten Adds Six-Day Arctic Voyage
Hurtigruten has introduced a six-day offering called “Northern Delights: Svalbard and Arctic Norway,” Cruise Industry News reports. The itinerary is available to book for the 2026-27 season and starts in Longyearbyen.
The land program includes a wilderness evening at Camp Barentz with reindeer stew and a husky safari. Travelers then fly from Spitsbergen to Tromso, with time for independent exploration before boarding in the evening of the fourth day.
The sea portion visits Skjervoy and Hammerfest before continuing to Honningsvag and the North Cape. The route also passes Finnkirka and the northernmost mainland lighthouse before ending in Kirkenes on day six, where guests can extend their stay at the Kirkenes Snowhotel.
Prices start at £1,655 per person and include the flight from Longyearbyen to Tromsø, transfers, hotel accommodation, ship passage and selected activities.
Source: cruiseindustrynews.com
Oosterdam and Zuiderdam to Get Poolside Bandstands
Holland America Line will add permanent bandstands beside the Lido Pools aboard Oosterdam and Zuiderdam, Cruise Hive reports. The venues will host solo performers and full bands, as well as sailaway parties, special events and the cruise line's Orange Party.
The Lido Pools have retractable glass roofs, allowing the performance spaces to be used in poor weather. Oosterdam is scheduled to debut its bandstand in fall 2027 after its Evolution transformation, while Zuiderdam's updated sailings begin on April 2, 2028.
The bandstands are part of Holland America's Evolution program, a fleet update costing more than $500 million and covering six ships: Oosterdam, Zuiderdam, Westerdam, Noordam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam. The project will also add staterooms, expand dining options and introduce some experiences from the Pinnacle-class ships.
Both Oosterdam and Zuiderdam will receive a Grand Dutch Café. Zuiderdam is also set to gain one reimagined Pinnacle Suite, two Bridgeview Suites, 14 enhanced Vista Suites and 32 Solo Verandah rooms, while other existing spaces will be refreshed.
Source: www.cruisehive.com
Thanks for reading The Deck Briefing — your trusted source for clear, verified cruise updates. We’ll be back soon with more stories from the sea, and you can also follow our YouTube channel for the latest video briefings.