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Cruise News Roundup: Carnival System Outage, Itinerary Changes, Alaska Plans and More

Carnival prepares for another reservations-system outage, updates 11 itineraries and rescues a mariner at sea. Holland America and Oceania also announce major deployment and fleet news.

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 28, 2026.

Today's cruise news roundup covers Carnival Cruise Line's planned reservations-system outage, itinerary changes across four ships, a Carnival Conquest rescue at sea, Holland America Line's 2028 Alaska deployment and Oceania Sonata's float-out.

Carnival Plans 18-Hour Reservations Outage

Carnival Cruise Line plans to take its reservations system offline for maintenance from 6 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, August 29, until a targeted completion time of noon on Sunday, August 30, Cruise Hive reports. During the planned 18-hour window, guests and travel advisors will be unable to make bookings, submit payments or manage existing reservations.

The outage will also affect Carnival's online check-in, Fun Shops, payment tools and other guest-facing services. The cruise line's Contact Center will not be able to process bookings or payments while the reservations system is unavailable, although parts of the website, including deck plans and frequently asked questions, will remain accessible.

Cruise Hive notes that this is Carnival's third planned reservations-system outage in 2026, following maintenance periods in May and on August 16. Previous downtime has extended beyond the expected end time, including a December 2024 outage that involved failed logins, missing personal information and frozen pages; during a May 2026 maintenance period, Cruise Hive reported glitches that seemed to create erroneous low fares, and those fares were later canceled.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Carnival Revises 11 Sailings Across Four Ships

Carnival Cruise Line is notifying guests about relatively minor itinerary changes affecting 11 sailings on Carnival Spirit, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Legend and Carnival Elation, Cruise Hive reports. The revised departures range from November 2026 through April 2028 and involve port swaps or changes to port-call days and times.

Carnival Spirit's six-night sailing departing Mobile on November 8, 2026, will visit RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, instead of Princess Cays. The stop remains scheduled for November 11 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the sailing's planned Celebration Key visit remains unchanged. Carnival Legend's December 13, 2026, six-night departure from Tampa and Carnival Elation's April 15, 2028, five-night sailing from Jacksonville will instead swap the days for their Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay calls.

Eight Carnival Conquest cruises departing Miami are also being adjusted: November 16, 2026; January 25, February 15 and April 12, 2027; and February 7, March 27, April 3 and April 17, 2028. Most changes alter the day and timing of the RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay visit; the March 27, 2028, four-night Bahamas sailing will reverse the order of its port calls and move that stop to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., from the original 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Carnival says shore excursions will be adjusted automatically when necessary. Excursions tied to the canceled Princess Cays call on Carnival Spirit will be canceled and refunded to the original form of payment, while the notices do not provide a reason for the broader schedule changes.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Carnival Conquest Rescues Mariner Bound for Grenada

Carnival Conquest rescued the sole occupant of a disabled sailboat on August 26 after receiving a distress relay from rescue authorities, Cruise Hive reports. The ship diverted during a sea day while sailing toward Grenada, brought the mariner aboard and continued toward St. George's as scheduled.

Passengers said the captain used the public-address system to keep them informed during the search-and-rescue response. Video shared from the encounter showed the small sailboat moving heavily in the water as Carnival Conquest approached, with its sails stowed.

Carnival Cruise Line said the rescued individual remained in the care of the ship's team as Carnival Conquest proceeded to Grenada. The 2,980-guest ship reached the port on Thursday, August 27, without a reported delay to the itinerary.

The ship departed Miami on August 21 for a 14-day sailing that includes St. Thomas, St. Croix, Dominica, Antigua and other ports before its scheduled return to Florida on September 4. The voyage is one of Carnival's invitation-only SEA, or Sailings Exclusively for Adults, cruises for eligible guests ages 21 and up.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Holland America Adds Nootka Sound to 2028 Alaska Plans

Holland America Line will include scenic cruising through Nootka Sound on select itineraries during its 2028 Alaska season, Seatrade Cruise News reports. The deployment also includes the Alaska debut of Oosterdam after its Holland America Evolution dry-dock work.

Six ships are scheduled to participate: Oosterdam, Noordam, Eurodam, Koningsdam, Westerdam and Zaandam. Voyages will run from seven to 18 days, with departures roundtrip from Seattle and Vancouver, between Vancouver and Whittier, and on a new San Diego-to-Vancouver sailing.

The season includes an 11-day California to Alaska: Shores, Fjords & Glaciers voyage. Holland America Line said the program combines familiar Alaska highlights with less-traveled waterways and new onboard experiences.

Source: www.seatrade-cruise.com

Oceania Sonata Floats Out Ahead of 2027 Debut

Fincantieri and Oceania Cruises marked the float-out of Oceania Sonata at the Marghera shipyard in Italy, The Maritime Executive reports. The ship was moved from the assembly dry dock to a fitting-out berth, where work on the interior spaces will continue ahead of its scheduled 2027 entry into service.

Oceania Sonata is the first ship in Oceania's new Sonata Class. At 86,000 gross tons, it will be about 30 percent larger than the 68,000-gross-ton Allura and Vista class, while passenger capacity will rise 15 percent, from 1,200 to 1,390, through the addition of 90 staterooms.

One-third of the accommodations will be suites, including four Owner's Suites and two new suite categories. The ship will also have 13 dining venues, with Oceania describing the class as focused on more space, upgraded accommodations and enhanced culinary experiences.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has expanded the Sonata order to five ships. Oceania Arietta is beginning construction for delivery in 2029, while three additional sister ships are scheduled for delivery in 2032, 2035 and 2037.

The float-out coincided with Oceania Regatta's final cruise for the line on August 27 in Istanbul. Regatta is beginning a two-year charter with Australia's My Cruises for 365-day world cruises, while Oceania Sirena is slated for delivery to new owners in spring 2028 and Oceania Nautica is planned to become Oceania Aurelia after a 2027 reworking that will reduce its cabins from 340 to 238 and create 179 suites.

Source: maritime-executive.com

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Cruise News Roundup: Astoria Grande Homeport Change, MSC Arrest and Disney Attraction Closure

Astoria Grande is moving its homeport to Antalya, while an MSC World America crew member faces an arrest involving a teenage passenger. Disney has also temporarily closed Pelican Plunge at Castaway Cay.

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

Cruise News Roundup: Princess Payment Changes, Wonder of the Seas Incident, Europe 2028 and More

Princess Cruises is moving final payments earlier and raising deposits, while Wonder of the Seas lost a gangway at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Holland America Line expanded its 2028 Europe program, and Carnival Pride is testing robotic hull cleaning.

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 5, 2026.

Today's cruise news roundup covers Princess Cruises' revised payment and deposit rules, a gangway incident involving Wonder of the Seas, an arrest at Naples, Holland America Line's 2028 European deployment and Carnival Pride's robotic hull-cleaning pilot.

Princess Moves Final Payments to 120 Days

Princess Cruises will require final payment 120 days before sailing for all cruises, replacing the previous 90-day deadline for shorter voyages. Cruise Hive reports that the change applies to new bookings made from September 2, 2026, for sailings departing January 1, 2027, or later.

Deposits are also increasing for the first and second guests in each stateroom. For inside, oceanview, balcony and mini-suite cabins, the new amounts are $125 for voyages of five days or fewer, $300 for six to nine days, and $500 for 10 to 44 days; suite deposits will be $250, $600 and $1,000 across those same sailing lengths.

The deposit for voyages of 45 days or longer, including World Cruises, remains 30% of the fare for all stateroom types. Princess has also revised its cancellation fee schedule to align with the earlier payment deadlines, while its overall cruise fares are not changing. The cruise line told travel agents that bookings are automatically canceled when final payment is not received by the due date, with email reminders sent 14 and seven days beforehand.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Wonder of the Seas Loses Gangway at CocoCay

A gangway fell into the water as Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas departed Perfect Day at CocoCay on Saturday, August 1, 2026. According to Cruise Hive, no guests were on the equipment, and there were no reports of injuries or damage to the ship.

Video recorded from Allure of the Seas shows the 235,600-gross-ton vessel moving away from the pier while a forklift appeared to help bring the gangway aboard. The equipment tipped, hung briefly and then dropped into the sea alongside the ship.

Wonder of the Seas was on a three-night sailing from Miami and continued to Nassau on Sunday, August 2, before returning to Miami on Monday, August 3. Cruise Hive reported no departure delay or itinerary disruption, and Royal Caribbean had not issued a statement about the incident. The reason the ship appeared to move before all gangways were secured was not known.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Alleged Drug Ring Leader Arrested at Naples Cruise Port

Italian authorities arrested an alleged drug trafficking ring leader while he was attempting to board a cruise ship at the Port of Naples. Cruise Hive reports that Vito “Viktor” Rizzo, a 34-year-old man from Taranto, was detained under a precautionary order linked to a wider investigation.

The arrest followed a May 19 search of Rizzo's apartment, where officers allegedly found illegal substances, more than €700 believed to be drug-sale proceeds and a list of work shifts and accounts for people involved in dealing. Rizzo was not present during that search, but authorities believe he led drug activity in Taranto's Salinella neighborhood.

The ship involved and the date of the arrest were not identified. Cruise Hive noted that MSC Meraviglia and Odyssey of the Seas were in Naples on August 1, while Enchanted Princess and MSC World Europa visited on August 3; none of those ships is homeported in Naples. Cruise lines generally cooperate with local authorities, and identification checks can take place at homeports and ports of call depending on local requirements.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Holland America Opens 2028 Europe Season

Holland America Line has opened bookings for a year-round 2028 European program featuring five ships and destinations across Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. In a report from Cruise Hive, the line says Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Volendam and Zuiderdam will operate the season from January through December.

The deployment represents the line's highest number of European ports in nearly a decade, with record visits planned for Norway, Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands. Voyages will range from seven to 48 days and include overnight stays, extended port calls and late-night departures on selected itineraries. Early-booking offers include additional benefits for the Have It All package and an Early Booking Bonus.

From January through March, Nieuw Statendam will sail seven- to 14-day itineraries to the Canary Islands, Spain, Portugal and Morocco, including Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Lisbon and Casablanca. Between March and May, Rotterdam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Zuiderdam will join the ship on routes through the Mediterranean, Low Countries and Northern Europe, with calls including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Bruges, Barcelona, Athens and Naples.

Volendam joins the European program from June through August for sailings to Norway, Iceland, the British Isles, the Baltic, Greece, Croatia and Turkey ranging from seven to 35 days. In autumn, four ships will operate seven- to 48-day itineraries in Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Ireland and the Netherlands, followed by seven- to 14-day Mediterranean, Canary Islands and transatlantic voyages from November into early December.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Carnival Pride Tests Robotic Hull Cleaner

Carnival Pride is the first ship in Carnival Cruise Line's fleet to pilot Jotun's Hull Skating Solutions, including the remotely operated HullSkater vehicle. Carnival News says the system is being used to inspect and proactively clean the ship's hull below the waterline.

The robot uses cameras and sensors to move along the hull, assess its condition and perform routine cleaning when needed. The approach allows more frequent monitoring and maintenance than traditional cleaning methods, helping remove marine growth before it builds up.

Carnival says marine growth can raise propulsion power demand by 25% to 30%, while propulsion accounts for approximately 60% of a cruise ship's total energy consumption. The team is collecting operational data aboard Carnival Pride to assess whether the technology can improve efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and support lower associated emissions.

Source: www.carnival-news.com