Serenade of the Seas – The Deck Briefing

Cruise News Roundup: Serenade of the Seas Returns and More

Serenade of the Seas has resumed scheduled Alaska sailings after a technical cancellation. The roundup also covers cruise-duck restrictions, loyalty bonuses and 2027 Norway offers.

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 September 9, 2026.

Today’s cruise news roundup covers Serenade of the Seas returning to service after a cancelled sailing, restrictions on cruise ducks, Celebrity Cruises’ double-points promotion, Hero of the Seas’ float-out and Hurtigruten’s 2027 Norway offer.

Serenade of the Seas Resumes Alaska Sailings

Serenade of the Seas has resumed scheduled operations after a technical problem forced Royal Caribbean to cancel its previous Alaska cruise, Royal Caribbean Blog reports. The Radiance Class ship was scheduled to leave Vancouver, British Columbia, at 4 p.m. on September 6 for a seven-night, round-trip Alaska voyage.

The sailing is the ship’s first departure since maintenance work kept it in Vancouver the previous week. Royal Caribbean initially delayed the earlier cruise by two days and planned a shortened five-night itinerary, but cancelled it after repairs could not be completed in time for a safe departure.

The current itinerary includes Sitka, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan, with a return to Vancouver scheduled for September 13. Serenade of the Seas is expected to continue Alaska sailings through September before repositioning to San Diego, California, in October.

Source: www.royalcaribbeanblog.com

Three Cruise Lines Restrict Cruise-Duck Hiding

Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and Marella Cruises have introduced restrictions on hiding cruise ducks, Cruise Hive reports. None of the three lines lists ducks or duck toys among its official prohibited items, but each has asked guests to follow limits on where or whether they leave them.

Disney Cruise Line asks passengers not to hide rubber ducks or similar items in public areas or staterooms. Crew members may collect and discard ducks found around the ships, while guests can continue the activity through mailbox trades on stateroom doors, fish extenders or “pixie dust” gifting.

Royal Caribbean has designated Central Park on its Oasis- and Icon-class ships as a duck-free zone because of the area’s tens of thousands of real plants and trees. Marella Cruises’ notices on Marella Voyager and Marella Discovery ask guests not to leave or hide toys, novelty items or other personal objects around the ship or destinations, warning that crew members usually dispose of items they find.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Celebrity Offers Double Captain’s Club Points

Celebrity Cruises is offering double Captain’s Club points on eligible new bookings made from September 8 through September 21, 2026, Royal Caribbean Blog reports. The offer applies to select sailings departing from October 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027.

A seven-night Veranda booking, for example, would earn 42 points instead of 21, while eligible suite bookings could earn more than 330 points on a weeklong voyage. Solo travelers will earn three times the standard points, and the promotion applies only to the first two eligible sailings departing within the promotional window.

The promotion cannot be added to existing bookings, and MoveUp bids, Transatlantic sailings and Transpacific sailings do not qualify. Promotional bonus points also cannot be transferred to Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society through the Points Choice program.

Source: www.royalcaribbeanblog.com

Hero of the Seas Floats Out in Finland

Hero of the Seas was floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland on September 4, 2026, marking the first time water touched the completed hull, Cruise Hive reports. The fourth Icon-class ship has since moved to the outfitting pier, where construction will continue.

More than 90 million gallons of water filled the dry dock overnight for the milestone, which was attended by hundreds of construction workers. A ceremonial cannon firing marked the start of the float-out, and Meyer Turku and Royal Caribbean shared photos and video from the event.

Work ahead includes installing waterslides, decking, interior venues and artwork. The ship will later undergo sea trials covering navigation, steering, propulsion and emergency responses before delivery to Royal Caribbean.

Hero of the Seas is scheduled to enter service with a three-night inaugural sailing from Miami, Florida, on August 11, 2027, visiting Perfect Day CocoCay. It is then planned to operate seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Hurtigruten Offers 15% Off 2027 Norway Fly Cruises

Hurtigruten is offering savings of at least 15% on select 2027 fly cruises in Norway, Cruise Industry News reports. The promotion covers selected Signature and Original Voyages booked between September 7 and November 9, 2026.

The offer applies to more than 200 departure dates and includes sailings across all seasons, from winter Northern Lights voyages to summer trips featuring the Midnight Sun. Flights can depart from London Gatwick, London Heathrow or Manchester Airport, and the package includes airport transfers and onboard Wi-Fi.

Signature Voyages include longer port stays, all-inclusive meals and unlimited selected drinks, while Original Voyages include full-board dining and visits to 34 ports between Bergen and Kirkenes. The offer is limited to fly cruises, can be combined with the Ambassador loyalty discount and selected third-party discounts, and is subject to availability.

Source: cruiseindustrynews.com

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Cruise News Roundup: Serenade Cancellation and More

Royal Caribbean cancels a Serenade of the Seas sailing after boarding, while Carnival launches its rewards program and cruise lines unveil itinerary updates.

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 September 2, 2026.

Today's cruise news roundup covers Royal Caribbean's cancellation of a boarded Serenade of the Seas sailing, Carnival Rewards' official launch, a Carnival Encounter itinerary change in Australia, Celestyal's new winter cruises, and RoyalUp Experiences bidding.

Royal Caribbean Cancels Boarded Serenade Sailing

Royal Caribbean canceled Serenade of the Seas' current sailing after a technical problem prevented the ship from safely leaving Vancouver, Cruise Radio reports. Passengers had already boarded and spent several days waiting for the Alaska cruise to begin after its planned August 30 departure moved to September 1.

The cruise line is allowing affected guests to remain aboard temporarily while they arrange onward travel. Everyone must leave the ship by 11:59 p.m. on September 2, when Serenade of the Seas is scheduled to depart the terminal, and Royal Caribbean is providing complimentary internet access to guests who did not purchase a Wi-Fi package.

Passengers who joined the canceled sailing will receive full refunds for cruise fare, taxes, fees, amenities and shore excursions, plus prorated refunds for beverage, dining and VOOM packages and prepaid gratuities. Royal Caribbean is also offering onboard credit equal to two days of cruise fare per guest and a Future Cruise Credit worth 100% of the fare paid for a sailing departing within one year. The line had not announced whether the technical issue would affect Serenade of the Seas' next scheduled cruise later in the week.

Source: cruiseradio.net

Carnival Rewards Launches With Status Thresholds

Carnival Rewards officially went live on September 1, with status levels and earning rules now available, Cruise Radio reports. Guests receive Red status upon enrollment, while Gold requires 10,000 Status Qualifying Stars, Platinum requires 50,000 and Diamond requires 100,000.

Members earn three Stars for each dollar spent on eligible Carnival purchases, including gratuities, and one Star for every Casino Point earned. A separate Points balance awards three Points per dollar spent, plus one Point for each Casino Point left unredeemed at the end of a sailing. Points post about 14 days after a cruise and can be used for future cruises, shore excursions, specialty dining and spa treatments.

The credit card discussed earlier as the Carnival World Mastercard is now called the Carnival Rewards Mastercard. Its published terms include a 50,000-point bonus after $1,000 in spending within 90 days, up to six times the points on Carnival purchases, two times on restaurants and groceries, one time on other spending, a six-month promotional 0% APR on cruise bookings and 2,500 points on each card anniversary. Carnival also lists milestone rewards based on days sailed, beginning with 5,000 points at 50 days and extending to rewards at 100-day intervals and a special gift at 500 days.

Source: cruiseradio.net

Carnival Encounter Drops Cairns Call Over Shallow Water

Carnival Encounter will skip Cairns on its September 5, 2026, departure from Brisbane because channel depths are too shallow for safe passage, Cruise Hive reports. The six-night Great Barrier Reef sailing will instead visit Airlie Beach on September 8 and Townsville on September 9.

The original schedule called for Willis Island on September 7, Cairns on September 8 and Airlie Beach on September 9 before the return to Brisbane on September 11. Willis Island remains unchanged, while the ship's arrival in Brisbane has been pushed back one hour to 8:00 a.m.

Guests can look for Townsville excursions through the Carnival HUB app or at the Carnival Adventures Desk after boarding. Carnival said prepaid Cairns shore excursions will be refunded automatically, but it did not indicate that it would cover changes to post-cruise travel arrangements caused by the later arrival.

Carnival did not explain why the channel depths had decreased or say when the problem would be resolved. Carnival Encounter's next similar itinerary is scheduled to call at Cairns beginning September 29, after an Airlie Beach visit on September 28, and the cruise line has not announced changes to that sailing.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Celestyal Adds Overnight Alexandria Cruises

Celestyal is adding winter Eastern Mediterranean cruises with overnight time in Alexandria, Egypt, aboard Celestyal Journey, Cruise Radio reports. Beginning in December 2027, the ship will operate four seven-night Mediterranean Mosaics cruises between Athens and Istanbul, which can also be combined into three 14-night Three Continents Explorer voyages.

The itineraries include ports in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus alongside the Alexandria overnight. Celestyal said the longer call gives guests more time for trips beyond the port, including visits to Cairo and the pyramids.

The announcement follows stronger-than-expected bookings for Celestyal's first dedicated Western Mediterranean winter program, which went on sale July 1. North American guests account for 50% of Celestyal's customers, and the company said it expects the new itineraries to have particular appeal in that market.

Celestyal also released its summer 2028 schedule, with 124 sailings on Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery. The program includes three- and four-night Greek Isles cruises, seven-night voyages covering Greece, Italy and Croatia, and 14-night combination cruises, with departures available for booking through November 2028 by the end of the week.

Source: cruiseradio.net

Royal Caribbean Expands Bidding to CocoCay Cabanas

Royal Caribbean has expanded its RoyalUp program so eligible guests can bid on premium experiences, including cabanas, beach beds, casitas and daybeds, Cruise Radio reports. RoyalUp Experiences covers onboard casitas, beach beds and cabanas at Perfect Day at CocoCay, and cabanas at Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.

Invited guests can submit one offer for each experience type, with the bid covering the entire experience rather than an individual guest. Taxes are included, gratuities are not, and a valid payment card is required. Royal Caribbean may accept or reject an offer up to departure, with accepted bids charged and confirmed by email.

Bids can generally be changed or canceled without charge until 48 hours before the experience. After that point, changes are generally final, subject to limited cancellation or refund exceptions, while unaccepted bids are canceled automatically if the cruise booking changes or is canceled.

Prices vary by ship, sailing and date. Cruise Radio reported that an email from a guest on one Icon of the Seas sailing showed bids ranging from $200 to $500 for a CocoCay beach bed, up to $1,500 for a cabana and as much as $1,400 for a sea-day casita; those figures are not fixed rates. Royal Caribbean says the program is available fleetwide.

Source: cruiseradio.net

Cruise News Roundup: MSC Cancellation, Royal Caribbean Delay, River Disruptions and More

MSC cancels a 26-night South Africa repositioning cruise, while Royal Caribbean revises an Alaska sailing after a propulsion issue. European river conditions, Carnival’s shorter-sailing dress-night changes and Norwegian Aqua’s 2028 Bahamas plans also make the roundup.

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 24, 2026.

Today's cruise news roundup covers MSC Cruises' cancellation of a South Africa repositioning voyage, a two-day delay and itinerary change for Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas, continued European river cruise disruptions, Carnival Cruise Line's revised evening schedule on select short sailings, and Norwegian Aqua's 2028 Bahamas deployment.

MSC Cancels 26-Night South Africa Voyage

MSC Cruises has cancelled a 26-night repositioning voyage from Italy to South Africa because of continuing security concerns affecting transit through the Suez Canal and Red Sea, Cruise Industry News reports. The MSC Armonia sailing was scheduled to leave Marghera on November 1, 2026, and arrive in Durban.

The itinerary was set to include calls in Croatia and Greece before the Suez Canal crossing, followed by Red Sea and Indian Ocean destinations including Aqaba, Mahé, Diego Suarez and Port Louis. The 2001-built ship is scheduled to debut in the region during MSC's 2026-27 winter season.

MSC said affected guests can cancel without penalty for a full refund, transfer to another MSC Grand Voyage of similar length, or move to another currently scheduled cruise. Grand Voyage replacements may include sailings of up to three additional nights, with MSC guaranteeing the more favorable fare between the original and replacement departure.

Source: cruiseindustrynews.com

Serenade of the Seas Alaska Cruise Delayed Two Days

Royal Caribbean has delayed Serenade of the Seas' August 30, 2026, Alaska cruise until September 1 at 9 p.m. because propulsion-system maintenance is taking longer than expected in Vancouver, Royal Caribbean Blog reports. The change removes several planned ports and eliminates the itinerary's scenic glacier-cruising day.

The original seven-night sailing was scheduled to visit Sitka, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Under the revised plan, guests will visit Ketchikan and Prince Rupert, British Columbia, while spending most of the voyage sailing the Inside Passage.

Passengers who stay on the shortened cruise will receive refundable onboard credit equal to two days of their paid cruise fare, along with a future cruise credit for the same amount. Royal Caribbean will also adjust eligible prepaid packages and daily gratuities, and remaining onboard credit will be refunded to the card on file within 14 business days after debarkation.

The line is offering hotel reimbursement of up to $300 per stateroom per day for August 30 and 31, or air-change-fee reimbursement of up to $200 for domestic flights and $400 for international flights. Guests may board Monday or Tuesday while the ship remains in Vancouver, but those onboard cannot go ashore there and the ship's shops and casino will be closed.

Source: www.royalcaribbeanblog.com

European River Cruise Disruptions Continue

Rain has improved water levels on parts of the Danube and Rhine, but cruise lines continue warning passengers that itineraries may change, Cruise Hive reports. Low-water conditions remain uncertain near Budapest and Bratislava, and drought conditions were described as critical across much of Europe in an early-August assessment by the European Drought Observatory.

Emerald Cruises has reassigned the ship for Emerald Sky's seven-night Danube sailing departing Budapest on August 30, 2026. Guests will now travel aboard Emerald Destiny, which has the same 182-passenger capacity as Emerald Sky, while the line assesses whether the Budapest-to-Bratislava section can reopen; it expects the itinerary from Bratislava through Regensburg to operate as planned.

Saga River Cruises is reviewing voyages individually and may offer alternatives on the Dutch Waterways, the Main or navigable sections of the Danube. The company says affected sailings will remain river cruises rather than being converted into coach tours, and it plans to retain original flights where possible.

Viking River Cruises has also warned that some Rhine and Danube itineraries may require changes. Its operations teams are monitoring conditions, with affected passengers and travel advisors being contacted before departure; the line says its fleet and identical sister ships operating in opposite directions provide options when river sections are impassable.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Carnival Replaces Elegant Night on Select Short Cruises

Carnival Cruise Line is replacing its Cruise Elegant evening with a White Hot Night on select three- and four-night sailings, Cruise Hive reports. Carnival's updated dress guidance says short voyages without a Cruise Elegant event will host the white-themed evening instead, although some shorter cruises continue to schedule formal night.

Cruises of six days or longer will continue to have two Cruise Elegant evenings. The change was observed on the August 17, 2026, four-night sailing of Carnival Glory from Port Canaveral, while the August 15 three-night Carnival Freedom sailing from the same port still included a Cruise Elegant evening.

Professional photographers and multiple portrait backdrops remain available regardless of the scheduled theme. Reports from the Carnival Glory sailing also indicated that the American Feast menu was still served in the main dining rooms, although the menu offerings had been adjusted.

White Hot Night encourages guests to wear white and typically features a pool-deck dance party, with the event moving to the atrium if weather prevents an outdoor celebration. Carnival's website now lists the party for six-day-and-longer sailings and select shorter cruises.

Source: www.cruisehive.com

Norwegian Aqua Adds Short Bahamas Cruises for 2028

Norwegian Aqua will begin offering three- and four-night Bahamas cruises from PortMiami in April 2028, Cruise Industry News reports. The 2025-built, 3,571-passenger ship will operate Friday departures for three-night weekend cruises and Monday departures for four-night sailings.

Every itinerary will visit Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian's private island destination. The four-night cruises will also include a full day cruising in the Florida Straits, and the schedule calls for more than 50 short sailings between late April and late October 2028.

Norwegian says Great Stirrup Cay is undergoing enhancements that include the Great Tides Waterpark, a pier allowing guests to disembark directly from the ship, Horizon Park with lawn games and pickleball courts, and Hammock Bay with more than 50 hammocks. Norwegian's 2028 summer deployment also includes Norwegian Aura from Miami, Norwegian Escape from Port Canaveral and Norwegian Prima from Galveston.

Source: cruiseindustrynews.com