More vacationers are leaving rival cruise lines to sail with Royal Caribbean, according to the company’s CEO. 

Speaking during an earnings call with investors this week, Jason Liberty, CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, mentioned they're seeing an uptick in customers to their brand, but not cruising.

They're attracting a growing number of new-to-brand cruisers thanks to its differentiated destinations, strong loyalty programs, and innovative ships. 

Icon of the Seas, for example, is unlike any other ship at sea. And although other cruise lines have begun investing more in their private destinations, none come close to the plans that Royal Caribbean has in place — from the upcoming Royal Beach Club Paradise Island to Perfect Day Mexico and beyond. 

Consequently, Mr. Liberty said the company has noticed a clear shift of guests from other cruise lines to its brands.

"We've seen an elevated amount of that," he shared during the company's third-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, October 28. 

Continuing, Liberty emphasized that Royal Caribbean’s strategy of investing in high-return projects is paying off by attracting both new travelers and strengthening guest loyalty.

He added that demand remains strong across nearly all key markets, including the Caribbean and Europe. Moreover, bookings are up on new and like-for-like hardware. 

"We continue to see strong momentum across our business, powered by accelerated demand, growing loyalty, and an all-time high guest satisfaction, he said.

Exclusive destinations and innovative ships attract new cruisers

Royal Caribbean has been ahead of the game for decades. They launched the first cruise ships with ice skating rinks, surfing simulators, zip lines, high-diving water shows, and more. 

"Our technology, our AI tools are getting smarter and smarter so that we are able to curate what is relevant to that consumer," Mr Liberty explained.

"Really seeing an elevated amount of increase first to brand. So seeing people shift from other cruise lines to our brands, we've seen an elevated amount of that."

Today, the cruise line continues to push the boundaries with ships like Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, offering unprecedented experiences at sea. 

Not only that, but their private destinations, such as Perfect Day at CocoCay and the upcoming Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, give guests a way to enjoy the onboard experience while ashore. 

"[We have a] vision to redefine how the world vacations," Liberty said, "[W]ith the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, Perfect Day Mexico, and others, we expect to increase our exclusive [land-based] destination portfolio from 2 to 8 by 2028."

These include Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, Royal Beach Club Cozumel, Perfect Day Mexico, Royal Beach Club Santorini, and Royal Beach Club Lelepa. 

Combined, Royal Caribbean's innovative ships and exclusive destinations create a vacation experience that cannot be replicated, whether you're sailing on a party cruise to The Bahamas or exploring the Greek Isles. 

Better loyalty benefits

Compared to other cruise lines, Royal Caribbean Group's loyalty programs are among the best in the industry — and they don't want to change that. 

For example, once cruisers earn 80 cruise points with Royal Caribbean, they will receive 4 complimentary drinks per day, one free day of Wi-Fi, one complimentary photograph every sailing, access to the Crown Lounge, and more.

Beyond cruise line-specific perks, Royal Caribbean Group launched an industry-first status match program in 2024. Now, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Silversea cruisers can enjoy the same recognition across all three brands.

Most recently, they announced the company's brand-new Points Choice initiative, which will allow cruisers to choose which program they want to apply the loyalty points to, regardless of who they sail with. 

This means that, effective sometime in 2026, those who sail with Celebrity Cruises can turn the cruise points into Crown & Anchor Society points to boost them closer to the next tier in Royal Caribbean's loyalty program. 

"This initiative further strengthens the overall value of our loyalty proposition, deepening engagement across our portfolio, and reinforcing our commitment to putting the guests at the center of our orbit as our ecosystem expands," Liberty said about the Points Choice program. 

In Royal Caribbean's eyes, loyalty is a "two-way street." The company wants cruisers to feel loyal to them, and passengers want to feel rewarded for their loyalty to the cruise line. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean is "trying to avoid" loyalty changes Carnival has made, CEO says

This week is off to an early start with Royal Caribbean updates and developments that you should know about.

We spotted a few changes that you should know about, plus the cruise line did something no one else has ever done in one particular port. 

It's easy to overlook some of these changes, so we've packaged up everything into this quick hit post.

Here is a rundown of some news that you should be aware of!

New beach club in Bahamas is making lots of progress

We reported last week that Royal Caribbean moved up the opening of the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, and I think it's clear why.

One of our readers, Mike Pastore, shared photos of the progress in his Facebook group all about the new beach club.

While sailing on Utopia of the Seas, he took photos of the nearby area to see what's changed.

In just a few weeks, there's been so many more buildings are visible. When I visited the construction site last month, I was told there are over 500 people working every day working.

The official opening date for the beach club is December 21, which is exactly two months from today. However, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony on December 13, followed by a series of "soft openings".

These soft openings will invite select cruisers to experience the club so the line can test and adjust their operations as needed before welcoming in bigger crowds.

Admission to the new beach club costs extra, which means you have to buy a pass.  This is unlike Perfect Day at CocoCay, where everyone on the ship can go ashore and enjoy a variety of included options. Only Royal Caribbean passengers can buy a pass.

New Alaska cruises coming this week

Royal Caribbean will release its new Alaska cruises this week, but it's not out quite yet.

According to the deployment schedule for 2027-2028 cruises, Alaska will be released first. It can be confusing when they say sailings will be available "The week of October 20", as some people infer that to mean actually on October 20.

In reality, it can be at any point during the week, but it's almost always later in the week.  Typically, on Wednesdays or Thursdays.

Based on early test loads, it appears four ships will be based in Alaska in 2027:

• Voyager of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas

Once the deployment is open, we'll share the full details.

Royal Caribbean achieved a first at its Galveston terminal

Royal Caribbean's cruise terminal in Galveston, Texas opened in 2022 and just did something no other cruise terminal can tout.

The building is the the first cruise facility to formally achieve both Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Net-Zero Energy and LEED Net-Zero Carbon certifications for its ongoing operations. 

This is in addition to the existing LEED Gold certification for the design and construction of GCT.

What this means is the terminal's operations balance out their energy use and carbon emissions over the course of a full year. When you combine that with the building's certification for design and construction, this gives the Galveston facility three separate sustainability achievements in under three years. That's something few large buildings, let alone cruise terminals, have managed to pull off.

So why does this matter? It's an incredible achievement because the Galveston cruise terminal is running efficiently enough using clean or renewable energy sources that the total energy it uses is offset by the energy it produces or saves. 

Plus, the carbon footprint from how it's run on a daily basis has been reduced or balanced through measurable, verifiable methods.

New ship arrives in Singapore

The cruise season has restarted in Singapore, with Ovation of the Seas sailing there.

From now through March 2026, Ovation will primarily sail 3- to 5-night cruises, along with some longer 8-night cruises.  The ship will visit places such as Penang, Malaysia; Phuket, Thailand, and Bali, Indonesia.

The short 3- or 4-night cruises go to Penang or Phuket. The 5-night sailing combines both, along with an overnight experience.

Those sailing on the 8-night cruise will spend two full days in Celukan Bawang and Benoa in Bali. Plus, there's a visit to Lombok, Indonesia.

Reservations are open now to book these sailings.

Royal Caribbean is sending two Vision Class ships to Puerto Rico in 2026 and 2027. 

Originally, Brilliance of the Seas was set to offer Caribbean cruises from Puerto Rico. However, Royal Caribbean decided to swap the ship. Now, Brilliance of the Seas will sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while Vision of the Seas will depart from San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

Similarly, Radiance of the Seas was scheduled to offer cruises from San Juan. In the cruise line's latest deployment swap, Radiance will move to Tampa, Florida, while Rhapsody of the Seas will take over the cruises from Puerto Rico. 

Royal Caribbean let impacted travel advisors know about the change in an email.

"Our original plan for Brilliance of the Seas was to offer sailings in 2026 - 2027 departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Instead, Brilliance of the Seas will offer sailings from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Vision of the Seas will offer the sailings from San Juan, Puerto Rico," the first notice reads. 

The second email is similar, just indicating the Radiance and Rhapsody of the Seas will swap places. 

Both continue, "We're truly sorry for the impact that this has on your clients' vacation plans."

Options for passengers on Brilliance or Vision of the Seas

Impacted cruisers booked on either Brilliance or Vision of the Seas have two options:

• Re-book any other Royal Caribbean sailing
• Receive a full refund of any paid portion of the cruise fare

For those who want to re-book another cruise vacation, Royal Caribbean will waive non-refundable deposit change fees. 

That said, guests are responsible for the difference in cruise fare, taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items — think Wi-Fi, drink packages, shore excursions, spa treatments, etc. 

However, if the reservation was already paid in full, Royal Caribbean will provide a refund of the difference within 14 business days.

If there is no suitable replacement, impacted passengers may request a full refund of any paid portion of the cruise fare, as well as non-refundable deposits and prepaid amenities.

The email states that if the cruise was booked using a Future Cruise Credit, Royal Caribbean will refund any new funds paid above the certificate amount and reinstate the original certificate.

Additionally, airfare booked through Royal Caribbean's Air2Sea program will be automatically refunded.

Options for passengers on Radiance or Rhapsody of the Seas

Impacted cruisers booked on either Radiance or Rhapsody of the Seas have a few options, depending on their sail date:

• Re-book a similar sailing
• Automatically move to the same sailing on Radiance or Rhapsody of the Seas
• Re-book another cruise on any Royal Caribbean ship
• Receive a full refund of any paid portion of the cruise fare

Option 1 only applies to guests aboard Radiance of the Seas on March 20 and 27, 2027, as well as April 3 and 10, 2027. 

Passengers who choose this option will have the original stateroom category price protected or reduced to the current cruise fare rate — whichever is lower. 

Note that this applies to the cruise fare only. Taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise items will be at the prevailing rate. 

If the booking was already paid in full, Royal Caribbean will automatically issue a refund for the difference. 

Guests booked on sailings outside of the aforementioned dates will be automatically moved to the same cruise aboard Radiance or Rhapsody of the Seas. 

The process is easy, as Royal Caribbean will move them to a like-for-like stateroom, and their original stateroom category price will be protected. 

However, they also have the option to re-book another cruise vacation, and Royal Caribbean will waive non-refundable deposit change fees. They will be responsible for the difference in cruise fare, though. 

Finally, impacted cruisers can request a full refund of any paid portion of the cruise fare. No other compensation will be provided. 

Guests on any of the four cruise ships have until October 15, 2025, to let Royal Caribbean know of their decision.

Royal Caribbean International welcomed its 100 millionth cruiser in July, marking a major milestone for the cruise brand. 

For more than 50 years, Royal Caribbean has been at the forefront of innovation at sea, delivering some of the most unforgettable vacation experiences. 

From building the world's largest cruise ships to creating exclusive beachfront destinations in The Bahamas and Caribbean, the brand has continuously raised the bar for what guests can expect when cruising. 

They aren't slowing down, either. Star of the Seas, the next-gen Icon Class ship, is set to enter service next month. Not only that, but Royal Caribbean is expanding its private destination portfolio with the opening of the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau in December. 

By the end of 2027, they'll have two more Royal Beach Clubs in operation, as well as another Perfect Day destination in Mexico — not to mention two more Icon Class ships. 

Family wins free cruise for being lucky 100 millionth

The Duquette family from Parkland, Florida, was celebrated as the 100 millionth guests during a surprise ceremony onboard Icon of the Seas

Chris, Madeline, and Jillian Duquette were celebrated on Icon with confetti cannons in the Royal Promenade, a special balloon photo-op, a meet-and-greet with crew members, and special upgrades and gifts, including a complimentary cruise on Utopia of the Seas.

Utopia is Royal Caribbean's newest Oasis Class ship that launched in July 2024. She was the first purpose-built ship in the fleet to operate year-round short cruises. Historically, 3- and 4-night cruises were reserved for older ships. 

As such, Utopia of the Seas blends its party-like atmosphere with the line's signature amenities, making it the perfect ship for travelers seeking a getaway while experiencing the best that Royal Caribbean has to offer. 

The celebration on Icon wasn't just about honoring one family; it was about the decades of memories made by millions of other families around the world, which is why Royal Caribbean launched a limited-time sale to share the celebration with other guests.

50 years by the numbers

Plus, since Perfect Day at CocoCay opened in 2019, there have been over 34,000 rides on the Up, Up, and Away helium balloon and 1.21 million visits to Thrill Waterpark. 

Until The Fall at Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park opened in 2023, Thrill Waterpark's Daredevil Peak was the tallest water slide in North America. 

Still, at 135 feet tall, the slide is a must-try for adrenaline seekers.

Last year, over one million (1.26 million, to be exact) children sailed on Royal Caribbean's fleet. 

Additionally, there were over 508,000 bumper car battles recorded on Quantum Class ships in 2024, along with 276,367 ice skating sessions. 

Guests tested their bravery with 1.25 million rock climbs, 29,900 daring Crown's Edge walks, and 544,889 slides down the Oasis Class-exclusive Ultimate Abyss. 

800 couples tied the knot at sea in 2024, while 194,196 celebrated their birthdays on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. 

The most impressive number, however, has to be the 11.12 million ice cream cones served from Sprinkles. 

Limited-time sale

Cruisers can take advantage of a limited-time sale to celebrate Royal Caribbean's 100 millionth passenger milestone. 

They're offering up to $100 in bonus savings on all cruises from the United States. This offer is combinable with other ongoing promotions, too. 

It's valid on cruises departing on or after August 1, 2025. 

There's also a special Cruise Planner sale, featuring discounts on popular add-ons like drink and dining packages, Wi-Fi, shore excursions, spa treatments, and more:

• Beverage: Up to 40% off
• Dining: Up to 50% off
• Spa: Up to 30% off
• VIP Passes: Up to 50% off
• Internet: Up to 30% off
• Photo Package: Up to 60% off
• Gift & Gear: Up to 35% off

The Cruise Planner sale runs from Thursday, July 31, 2025, through August 5, 2025. Deals are valid on sailings from August 5, 2025, through December 31, 2025. 

Note that the availability of offers varies by eligible ships: AD, AL, AN, BR, EN, EX, FR, GR, HM, IC, ID, JW, LB, LE, MA, NV, OA, OV, OY, QN, RD, RH, SC, SR, ST, SY, UT, VI, VY, WN.

Celebrity Edge recently broke loose from its mooring while docked in Juneau, Alaska, after the ship was struck by a strong wind squall.

(Photo Left: Celebrity Edge drifting during storm in Juneau, Alaska. Shared on YouTube by user The Undead Kennedy)

The incident occurred on June 16, 2025 while Celebrity Edge was sailing on a 7-night cruise around Alaska, which departed on June 13, 2025 from Seattle, Washington. The scary episode was caught on video by passengers both onboard Celebrity Edge and ashore in Juneau when the wind squall struck.

In the videos, the mooring lines on Celebrity Edge can be seen snapping dramatically as wind gusts pick up. According to a video shared on YouTube by user Jonkelley7255, the forward lines on Celebrity Edge snapped first, which triggered a cascade of snapping lines along the ship. 

(Celebrity Edge drifting during storm in Juneau, Alaska. Shared on Youtube by Johnkelly7255)

As the lines break, the ship begins to drift away from the dock amid heavy rain and strengthening winds. Guests waiting on the pier can be heard gasping in the video while the ship’s mooring lines snap one by one. Because of the strong winds, Celebrity Edge drifted into the harbor near other ships.

In a statement made to USA Today, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Group stated, “The ship drifted from the pier due to a sudden wind squall. Our Captain maneuvered the ship back to the dock where passengers and crew boarded to resume the scheduled itinerary.”

Fortunately, no injuries were reported and the ship did not sustain any damage from the storm. According to USA Today and AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill, Juneau experienced heavy afternoon rain and wind gusts between 30 and 35 miles per hour during the mishap.

(Celebrity Edge drifting during storm in Juneau, Alaska. Shared on Youtube by Johnkelly7255)

CruiseMapper shows that Celebrity Edge has continued with its intended voyage, as the ship is currently docked in Skagway, Alaska as scheduled. The 7-night itinerary features stops in Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, and Victoria in British Columbia. Celebrity Edge is scheduled to return to Seattle, Washington on June 20, 2025.

Guests aboard the sailing shared their first-hand accounts on social media. 

(Celebrity Edge drifting during storm in Juneau, Alaska. Shared on YouTube by user The Undead Kennedy)

Following the mishap in Juneau, many of Celebrity Edge's guests shared their videos on social media. For instance, one user posted on the r/Cruise thread on Reddit about their experience and titled their post, "Celebrity Edge Alaska Juneau Bay broke away from the dock."

The user explains, “Ship broke away from [mooring] and supposedly [slammed] back into the dock. No communications from Celebrity whatsoever. Celebrity has an app but [is not] posting any communications.”

The user continued, “The bus driver to take us back to the has ship has been giving us some updates. If we weren’t on the bus we wouldn’t know anything that is going on."

“I'm on the ship. The are going to re-dock on the port side. First, they need to remove the snapped ropes from the water. That is what has been reported over the announcements,” replied another cruiser.

(Celebrity Edge drifting during storm in Juneau, Alaska. Shared on YouTube by user The Undead Kennedy)

Other guests shared that rumors were swirling about potential damage to the ship, and lack of communication from Celebrity Cruises was frustrating.

One cruiser shared, “The problem was the telephone game. Heard from one bus driver that the ship was damaged and slammed into the dock. Thankfully that wasn't true. But that's probably why you saw so many dramatic posts. No one knew what was going on”

In particular, one Reddit user commented on Celebrity’s perpendicular docking position contributing to the incident’s cause: “Doesn’t help that Celebrity’s docking position is the most exposed, and almost perpendicular to the wind down the valley (versus say Holland America’s ship in the video taking the wind head on).”

(Celebrity Edge drifting during storm in Juneau, Alaska. Shared on YouTube by user The Undead Kennedy)

“There was a huge, extreme wind storm with hail that came in. We were on the ship next to it as it drifted towards us,” shared one cruiser in the comment section.

In many of the videos, other vessels docked in Juneau at the same time can be seen remaining secure to their dock. However, others praised the crew on Celebrity Edge for handling the situation swiftly. One Reddit user commented, “The crew handled this like a boss. Felt like they got the ship staple pretty quickly and kept everyone onboard pretty chill.”

Celebrity Edge isn't the first ship recently to encounter this type of scary mishap. 

This incident with Celebrity Edge follows a series of other ships that have broken loose from their mooring recently because of severe weather. Just a few weeks ago, in Ketchikan, Alaska, Holland America’s Westerdam drifted away from the pier and after the ship's mooring lines snapped during a storm. This caused the gangway to collapse with wind gusts up to 60 knots before tugs secured the vessel.

The same week, MSC Seascape was docked at Ocean Cay, Bahamas, when it was hit by a sudden wind squall. This also caused the ship's mooring lines to snap and the gangway fell into the water. According to reports, one passenger had minor injuries because of the mishap.

Finally, just a few weeks ago, Norwegian Epic broke loose from its moorings because of strong winds while docked in Catania, Sicily. This caused the gangway to collapse into the water with one guest plummeting into the sea. The passenger's husband supposedly jumped into the water to save her, and both were transported to the hospital. Boarding was delayed for several hours with guests stranded on the pier as the ship sailed back to sea temporarily.

One woman’s bizarre stunt in Juneau, Alaska caught the attention of Royal Caribbean passengers, and her dangerous jump into the harbor was captured on video.

Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas was docked in Juneau, Alaska when passenger Bailey Shelton recorded a woman purposely jumping into the harbor. The viral video, which has almost 500k views, was shared on TikTok by Shelton on June 14, 2025.

In the recording, Shelton shows a woman sprinting across the wooden pier before leaping into the cold harbor water below. Surprisingly, she was dressed in only a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals. Other guests in the background can be seen wearing pants, coats, and hats. 

Shelton can be heard in the video gasping, “No way! No way! No way!” as the woman begins running. The woman clearly leaps off the edge of the pier, plunging more than a few feet into the icy harbor below. Following a large splash, the woman eventually surfaces in the green, murky water and begins swimming back towards the pier. Along with Shelton, many other cruise guests on the pier watched in shock.

Shelton captioned the TikTok video, “She was a local clearly. I had layers and I was still cold.” However, it’s unclear if the woman was a local Juneau resident, as she technically could be a guest aboard Anthem of the Seas. 

Based on Shelton’s post, the stunt likely occurred when Anthem of the Seas was docked in Juneau on June 8, 2025 after departing from Seattle, Washington on a 7-night cruise through Alaska. Anthem of the Seas is offering round-trip itineraries to Alaska over the summer. The 7-night itinerary visited ports of call throughout Alaska, including Juneau, Skagway and Tracy Arm Fjord, along with a stop in Victoria, Canada.

Even in the summer, Alaska can still be quite cold. For mid-June, the average temperature in Juneau can drop in the 40s with highs only in the mid-60s.  However, the water temperature in the harbor is often much cooler, averaging between 48 degrees Fahrenheit and 52 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the stunt itself is dangerous, there are also increased risks of jumping into water that cold. Hypothermia can set in within minutes without proper thermal protection, such as a wetsuit. This condition occurs when your core body temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. You also risk triggering cold shock or losing control of your muscles due to the cold water temperature.

The viral TikTok video has left many viewers shocked by the deliberate and dangerous stunt. 

Most of the time, these incidents are accidental when cruise passengers fall into harbor water. However, the video shows this was clearly not an accident, as the woman takes an obvious running start across the pier before jumping into the water.

In the comment section, many viewers state the obvious dangers of jumping into a cruise ship harbor. Some of these risks include polluted water, hidden debris, pilings beneath the surface, and risk of electric shock from stray currents.

“Harbor water is super gross,” reads the top comment. “So dangerous. You have no idea what is lurking right under the surface, could be a steel rod [or a] sunken wooden pillar,” replied another viewer.

One commenter replied similarly, “Nice. You do realize electricity could be present in that water, right?” Another echoed this sentiment, “So dangerous. Electrical power could have killed her”.

Electric shock drowning occurs when an electrical current leaks into the water, often from a nearby boat or marina. The shock then passes through the person’s body while in the water. This can cause muscle paralysis, numbness and even cardiac arrest. For this reason, swimmers are discouraged from jumping into harbor water.

“As someone who grew up in Juneau, YES it’s super dangerous because of obstacles under the water,” stated one responder. One local replied, “I live in Alaska and you could not PAY me to go into that water.”

Not to mention, there have been cruise ship passengers who have fallen into harbor water and sustained serious injuries. Some have even been killed when falling into the harbor. Just a few weeks ago, a woman fell from the gangway on Norwegian Epic when the cruise ship broke loose from its mooring in Sicily. The woman plunged into the ocean water and was rushed to the hospital with injuries from the incident.

Along with the physical risks of jumping into the harbor, the woman could also be in trouble with port authorities or the cruise line itself. While it’s unclear whether she was a passenger, Royal Caribbean could choose to ban her from future sailings if she was indeed a guest. Cruise lines have previously banned passengers for reckless behavior that puts the safety of others at risk.

At the time of publication, the woman did not appear to have sustained any injuries from the stunt. In addition, Royal Caribbean has not commented publicly about the incident.

Royal Caribbean is about to launch a brand new mega-ship this summer, but don't overlook their smaller vessels.

Cruise giant Royal Caribbean is ready for its best summer yet. While most eyes are hyper-focused on Star of the Seas' launch in August, there's a lot more worth talking about. 

For example, Ovation of the Seas just began her first season sailing from Los Angeles to the Baja Peninsula. 

Before the 168,666 gross-ton vessel set sail from California, the largest Royal Caribbean ship to call Los Angeles home had been Navigator of the Seas. 

When Royal Caribbean returned to Los Angeles after more than a decade in 2021, Navigator signaled the company's commitment to expanding its West Coast presence. 

Now, with Ovation of the Seas stepping in, they're even more excited to double down on their offerings out of California to ports like Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico. 

Ovation, which launched in 2016, features next-level amenities like a skydiving simulator, an indoor multi-purpose venue, a North Star glass observation capsule, and more. 

Anthem of the Seas makes her Alaska debut

This summer is filled with firsts for Quantum Class ships. In addition to Ovation sailing from Los Angeles, Anthem is heading to Alaska for the first time. 

Anthem of the Seas launched in 2015 and has sailed across the globe, from Norway to Spain, Australia, and Japan. However, this marks her inaugural season exploring The Last Frontier. 

Sailing from Seattle on 7-night itineraries every Friday through September 26, Anthem will call at iconic ports like Skagway, Juneau, and Sitka.

All the while, passengers can enjoy Anthem's signature Quantum Class features. The North Star observation capsule is a highlight, as it offers panoramic views of Alaska’s glaciers and snow-capped mountains from over 300 feet above sea level.

Read more: I’ve been on 5 Alaska cruises, and I see people making the same 20 mistakes: here’s how to avoid them

Amplified Allure of the Seas in Europe

Looking for a different kind of adventure? There's none more exciting than Allure of the Seas' summer season in Europe. Not only is this Allure's first time in Europe since 2015, but it follows her highly anticipated amplification. 

Allure of the Seas was supposed to undergo a multi-million-dollar renovation in 2020; however, the plans were indefinitely postponed due to the global pandemic. 5 years later, she finally got the attention she desperately needed compared to newer Oasis Class ships. 

Now, Allure sports a resort-style pool deck, Perfect Storm waterslides, Ultimate Abyss dry slide, Playmaker's, Mason Jar specialty restaurant, Pesky Parrot tiki-bar, a new AquaTheater show, and more. 

In short, if you've been waiting to sail aboard Allure of the Seas, there's no better time than this summer, especially as she's set to visit culturally rich cities in Europe. Allure will remain in the Mediterranean through late October, when she'll reposition to offer Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean just finished $100 million in upgrades to Allure of the Seas. First look at all the changes

Finally, Star of the Seas is set to sail from Port Canaveral, Florida

There's no denying that Icon of the Seas has been a smash hit. Building on that momentum, Star of the Seas promises to add to the experience with new dining options and shows. 

For instance, Royal Caribbean is switching the theme of the upscale supper club. Rather than copying and pasting the same old-school NYC experience, the Lincoln Park Supper Club will pay homage to Chicago in the 1930s. Additionally, Pier 7 is being replaced by a new dining concept. There will be an extra hot tub, too! 

Sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida, Star will transport guests to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. All itineraries include a scheduled stop at Royal Caribbean's award-winning private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Ahead of her maiden voyage on August 31, Star will embark on short 3- and 4-night showcase sailings starting on August 16, 2025. Ironically, her original inaugural cruise was scheduled for the 17th but was pushed back because of construction delays. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean reveals 21 ways to party, dance, and show on its new Icon Class ship

Two men from Mexico City were arrested in Miami, Florida after being accused of sexually victimizing a teenage boy during a recent Royal Caribbean cruise.

Jose Prudencio Diaz, age 36, and Ricardo Daniel Mondragon Leal, age 37, were arrested on multiple criminal charges, including lewd and lascivious molestation of a child between the ages of 12 to 16 years old. 

Both individuals were arrested on March 21, 2025 in connection with the alleged assault while disembarking Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas in Miami, Florida.

According to arrest reports from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, as cited by Miami Local 10 News, the two men were traveling together onboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas. While in the sauna, both men are accused of sexually victimizing a 14-year-old boy.

In the reports, deputies said that Prudencio Diaz allegedly exposed himself to the teen while in the sauna. The arrest report states that Prudencio Diaz then proceeded to sexually assault the teenager and forced the teenager to touch him inappropriately.

In addition, the arrest report states that Mondragon Leal also exposed himself in front of the teen and forced the minor to perform sexual acts on him. Deputies also state that Mondragon Leal allegedly forced himself sexually on the 14-year-old boy.

When Independence of the Seas returned to PortMiami on Friday, March 21, 2025, both men were arrested in connection with the alleged crimes. According to the arrest report, the incident occurred aboard Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

The arrest reports indicate both men are facing charges of “lewd and lascivious exhibition on a child and lewd and lascivious molestation of a child.” The two individuals are being held without bond in Miami following the arrests. 

Miami 10 Local News also reported that jail records show Mondragon Leal and Prudencio Diaz are on immigration holds. Legally, this means the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has requested that the local Miami jail hold the individuals in custody beyond their scheduled release so they can take be transferred into federal immigration custody. 

According to Miami 10 Local News, one of the prosecutors said in court, "The defendant, in this case, acting in concert with another defendant, they were both on a cruise. This shows that they tried to target a specific minor, and this could be done again."

In addition, Prudencio Diaz is facing a charge of not disclosing his HIV status with the victim. He is currently being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami, Florida following the arrest.

Further, Mondragon Leal faces a count of child sexual battery and is currently being held in the Metrowest Detention Center in Miami, Florida. At this time, Royal Caribbean has not provided a statement about the incident. 

Currently, Independence of the Seas is sailing on a variety of round-trip itineraries from Miami, Florida to the Caribbean. Over the summer, Independence of the Seas will head to Europe and sail from Southampton, England. 

When the incident occurred, Independence of the Seas was sailing on a 4-night itinerary that departed from Miami, Florida on March 17, 2025. The ship visited ports of call in the Bahamas, including Nassau and Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

According to the ship's itinerary, Independence of the Seas was at sea on Thursday, March 20, 2025 - the day the incident reportedly occurred.

A case of mistaken identification cost one family their highly anticipated Royal Caribbean cruise vacation.

A family from North Carolina was booked to sail on a Royal Caribbean ship from Port Canaveral, but were turned away at the cruise terminal.

According to Shannon Nutting, her son was denied boarding because of the type of identification he had.

Her 16-year-old son attempted to use a student ID as his photo identification.

She claims she cleared it was acceptable to use this form of identification before the cruise began with the cruise line.

"He said, unfortunately, you're not going to be able to board today because the school ID is not acceptable," Nutting said in a report to ABC News. 

"So, I explained to him that we had talked to Royal Caribbean, and they had assured us that the school ID was valid, and I was upset by that point, crying, so I asked could I speak to a supervisor."

She also said the reason her son had this form of ID was because he has special needs, so it's why he didn't have state-issued ID yet.

"I called to make sure he could board without it. She said she didn't care what he had, and we couldn't board, and she just walked away," Nutting said.

In the end, she and her family were unable to get on the cruise and the ship left without them.

"All that year of saving and paying on it, everybody was just heartbroken and devastated. Everybody was exhausted," Nutting said. 

It turned out to be a mistake

Following the debacle at the terminal, Ms. Nutting followed up with Royal Caribbean's offices to figure out what happened.

According to her, Royal Caribbean acknowledged the mistake and said they could fly to Cozumel, Mexico to join the ship there.

"They told her that we should have been able to book. At that point they wanted us to fly to Cozumel. For us to pay to fly to Cozumel and board the ship two days later."

They opted not to do this, and finish out their vacation in Florida.

Royal Caribbean told reporters that this was a human error by staff at the cruise port, and Nutting and her family should have been able to board as they had the right documentation.

Moreover, additional training will be given at the port to prevent similar issues from occurring again.

They offered the Nutting family three options:

• Convert the value of the cruise fare paid into a future cruise credit to use on another sailing, plus a $700 onboard credit.
• Full refund
• Full refund on the cruise, plus a 25% future cruise credit

Nutting said none of the three options were acceptable, because she wanted a refund and to be reimbursed for expenses.

"We wanted the money for the cruise back and the expenses. The expenses that we had for traveling to Florida while we were there for meals, gas, the lodging, and all of that," she said.

Passport is the best and safest form of identification

If you're taking a cruise, you should get a passport to avoid situations like this from occurring in the first place.

It's legal for US citizens sailing on a ship that departs and returns to the same US port to cruise with photo identification and a birth certificate, but situations like what happened to the Nutting family are not unheard of.

In the past, we've seen similar stories of families being denied entry on a cruise because they don't have the right documentation, whether in error or not.

The truth is having a passport is as straightforward as it gets, and no one has been denied entry to a cruise for having a valid and unexpired passport.

Admittedly, passports are expensive for a family to get at first. But they last many years, and it's an investment in your travel future.

You can not only use a passport for cruise ship vacations, but also land trips.  

Plus, if you want to try a cruise outside of the United States, it opens up so many other bucket-list options, such as Europe, Australia, and Asia.

The Instagram-famous Captain Kate McCue is bidding a fond farewell to Celebrity Cruises. 

Captain Kate shared the news on her Instagram on Monday, February 24. 

"Today, I saw farewell to Celebrity," she begins, "I've spent the last 22 years on 11 ships in the Royal Caribbean Group, from 2nd Officer to Captain. I have seen some of the most beautiful places, met inspiring and wonderful people, and had opportunities to live my 12-year-old dream out loud!"

In 2003, Captain Kate began working for Royal Caribbean Group as 2nd Officer onboard Nordic Empress. Then, she became a 1st Officer on Brilliance, Mariner, and Independence of the Seas, according to her LinkedIn. 

However, she rose to prominence when she became the Captain of the Celebrity Summit at 37 years old in 2015. It was the first time an American woman had been named Captain of a mega cruise ship, and she has been with Celebrity Cruises ever since. 

Throughout her time as a Captain, she gained notoriety online. As of February 2025, she has over 4.6 million combined followers on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where she gives glimpses into the daily life of a cruise ship Captain. 

For example, she gave behind-the-scenes footage of the Celebrity Beyond's development during the ship's construction, as well as filmed a video showing what her living quarters looked like. Spoiler alert: it wasn't an average cruise ship cabin! 

She also used her platform to help cruisers understand the not-so-fun parts of being a Captain, such as making the disappointing decision to cancel ports of call due to weather.  

Captain Kate was also famous for her sphynx cat who lived with her onboard while at sea. Unfortunately, the 8-year-old Bug Naked passed away from complications following a routine dental surgery the day after Christmas. 

Celebrity Cruises' social media team shared a heartfelt comment on Captain Kate's post: "The journey we have shared together has been absolutely amazing. You brought passion and heart to everything you did, inspiring so many along the way, and leaving a lasting mark on our industry. We wish you fair winds and following seas, always. 💙 ⚓️"

Other users took to the comments to wish Captain Kate the best in her future endeavors. 

"Captain you’re gonna be so missed! You’re such an inspiration and I hope our paths will cross again❤️ Wishing you all the best!!" wrote bettinald. 

meredithreese added, "@captainkatemccue you are just an absolute gem of a human. So grateful our souls crossed!! Wishing you blessings and amazing energy on your continued journeys!! 🩵🩵🩵"

"Captain, you are such an inspiration to us all and easily one of the most impressive humans we’ve ever met," said cruisewithjj. 

"We will all miss you but are also so grateful for the times we had sailing the seas together under your leadership, witty humor, and genuine kindness for us all. ❤️"

She's not retiring 

Per Captain Kate's Instagram post, she isn't ready for life on land. 

"You might be wondering why I am leaving," she continues, "Simply put, life has an incredible way of reminding us what's important and changing up priorities. I've recently had some big life changes, and this just happens to be one of those."

"Are my sailing days over? Absolutely not. I've got too much salt in my veins to leave the sea behind."

Though she doesn't disclose what her next steps are, she could be transitioning to a new company. 

Her deep love for the ocean suggests that, while her time with Celebrity Cruises has come to an end, her journey at sea is far from over. 

Captain Kate longed for life at sea from a young age

She dreamed of being a Cruise Director after her first cruise at 12 years old. Her father supported her aspirations but also encouraged her to dream bigger. 

After graduating from California State University's Maritime Academy with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, she moved to Hawaii and worked as a general deckhand on a catamaran. She finally got a job onboard a cruise ship with Disney Cruise Line in 2002 aboard the Disney Magic. 

In 2003, she was offered a job for Royal Caribbean, a company she stayed with until 2015. She worked as a 2nd Officer, traveling the world and visiting Asia, Alaska, Australia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. 

Read more: Take a look inside a cruise ship captain's living quarters

While working with Royal Caribbean, she obtained her Chief Mate and Master's License in 2009 from the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies, which gave her the necessary qualifications to take command of a vessel. 

She then became a Chief Officer for Royal Caribbean, working aboard ships like Mariner of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. 

A few years later, she was asked to apply to Celebrity Cruises, a sister brand to Royal Caribbean owned by Royal Caribbean Group, by then-President Lisa Lutoff-Perlo and accepted the position of cruise ship Captain in 2015. 

She started on Celebrity Summit, one of the line's smallest ships that debuted in 2001, and remained there until 2018 when she became the commanding officer aboard the Celebrity Equinox. 

Captain Kate moved to Celebrity Edge in 2019, where she became the first female Captain to command one of the line’s newest and most innovative ships. 

She ended her time with Celebrity Cruises as the Captain of Celebrity Beyond, a mega-ship measuring 140,600 gross registered tons and 1,073 feet long.