Cruise News Roundup: August 17 – 27, 2025
- Cruise Ship Crayz News Team
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
🌊 Carnival Panorama Faces Storm Drama
Guests aboard Carnival Panorama were left shaken when the ship suddenly listed heavily during a storm near Mexico. Videos showed glassware, merchandise, and even water flooding parts of the ship. Thankfully, no serious injuries were reported, and the crew acted quickly to stabilize and clean up. The voyage continued as planned, but many passengers won’t soon forget the frightening tilt.
❌ Carnival Conquest Cancellations – Four Sailings Affected
Carnival announced the cancellation of four Carnival Conquest cruises in February 2026 due to dry-dock delays. The affected sailings are:
February 6, 2026
February 9, 2026
February 13, 2026
February 16, 2026
Guests will receive refunds, rebooking options at the original rates, up to $100 in onboard credit, and up to $200 per person to offset airfare changes.
🎉 Carnival Festivale Revealed – Coming in 2027
Carnival also unveiled its newest ship, the $900 million Carnival Festivale, which is set to debut in spring 2027. Highlights include:
A three-deck adventure zone with a massive waterpark
The Festival, a music-themed promenade with live performances
Expand
ed tech-driven entertainment and family-friendly spaces
Festivale will launch from Southampton before settling into Port Canaveral for Caribbean cruises. A sister ship, Carnival Tropicale, is set for 2028.
🛳 Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Readies for Her MerMaidenyou
Virgin Voyages’ newest ship, Brilliant Lady, will sail her first voyage on September 5, 2025, out of New York City.
✨ What’s Different About Brilliant Lady?
New exclusive dining venues unique to this ship
New stateroom category: Sea Terrace Slightly Smaller Balcony
Expanded entertainment lineup with immersive shows
Diverse itineraries, including East Coast and Caribbean routes
With these updates, Virgin is maintaining its signature adults-only vibe while distinguishing Brilliant Lady from her sister ships.
⚠️ Safety & Emergency Headlines
It’s been a busy week for safety responses at sea:
Two passengers, aged 99 and 52, were airlifted from Ruby Princess after medical emergencies.
A crew member went overboard from the Sun Princess in Turkey’s Dardanelles Strait.
MSC World Europa faced an electrical breakdown off Italy, causing temporary delays.
🌍 Port & Sustainability Updates
Port of Bilbao announced a massive 30-megawatt shore-power project, one of Europe’s largest, reducing emissions while ships are docked.
Klaipėda Port in Lithuania broke ground on a new cruise terminal quay, boosting Baltic cruising infrastructure.
🗺 New Itineraries & Luxury Highlights
Silversea’s Silver Cloud began a 75-day South Pacific Grand Expedition.
Hapag-Lloyd’s HANSEATIC Inspiration embarked on a Northwest Passage expedition.
Paul Gauguin Cruises unveiled refreshed 2026 “Tempting Tahiti” itineraries.
Regent Seven Seas spotlighted Cape Town and Dubai in its new holiday programs.
🏝 Margaritaville at Sea: New Weekend Sailings + Pass Comeback
Weekend Getaways: Margaritaville at Sea is launching 3-night weekend sailings aboard the Paradise, departing from Port of Palm Beach in October 2025. These “Bahamas Duos” itineraries feature stops in both Freeport and Nassau, with departures on October 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31.
Cruise Passes Make a Comeback: Margaritaville at Sea relaunched its “Paradise Pass” with two tiers:
Silver Pass ($799): Covers 2–3-night weekend cruises with perks like $25 casino match play, 5% onboard discounts, and guest upgrades.
Ultimate Gold Pass ($1,499): Adds longer 4–7-night trips, $50 casino credit, deeper discounts, an express pass, and family pricing.
Both passes are valid on sailings through December 31, 2026, and allow bookings from 30 days to as little as 24 hours before departure.
🌟 Other Industry Headlines
Celebrity Cruises named Brazilian chef Janaína Torres as the godmother of Celebrity Xcel.
Norwegian Cruise Line updated Wi-Fi tiers, removing video streaming from basic plans.
Cunard Line launched a Labor Day sale, with fares starting under $1,000 per person and onboard credit perks.
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