Cruise News: The Stories Everyone’s Talking About (Oct 3rd, 2025)

Marella Newbuilds Reassigned to TUI Cruises

• Fincantieri will build two new cruise ships for TUI Cruises instead of Marella Cruises, reversing an earlier plan announced in March 2025.
• The ships will each be about 160,000 gross tons and use dual-fuel engines capable of running on liquefied natural gas.
• TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI Group and Royal Caribbean Group, will take delivery of the ships in 2031 and 2032.d Icon.

Read the full story at CruiseHive here.

Viral Carnival Lounge Chair Stunt Resurfaces Two Years Later

• Two years ago, a cruise guest decided to bring a lounger from the Lido deck all the way down to their cruise cabin on Deck 1 – and the stunt is making waves on social media once again.
• Their motive is unclear, but many in the cruise community have assumed that this person was going to great lengths to hog their favorite seat.
• This stunt is obviously not allowed, but it’s unclear what consequences, if any, the cruise guest may have faced for their actions.

Read the full story at CruiseHive here.

Glass Shatters on Utopia of the Seas, Sixth Incident in 4 Months

• A glass panel broke on Deck 15 of Utopia of the Seas this week. The incident occurred in the Windjammer Marketplace.
• No one was injured in the incident and the panel did not fall. The glass was quickly roped off for repairs.
• Royal Caribbean has been plagued with multiple glass incidents on different ships in recent weeks, including Symphony of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and Icon of the Seas.

Read the full story at CruiseHive here.

Norwegian Cruise Line Adds Fee for Extra Entrées

• Norwegian Cruise Line is now charging a $5 fee for second entrees in their main dining room restaurants.
• The newly implemented fee is printed on the bottom of daily menus but has been introduced quietly.
• This fee can be an attempt to discourage food waste as well as speed up dining service, but some guests see it as nickel-and-diming.

Read the full story at CruiseHive here.

Carnival Cruise Guest Upset at Specialty Dining Charges

• One Carnival guest feels that being required to pre-pay for specialty dining is an inflexible, money grab practice that needs to end.
• While the issue was opened for an online vote, there is not much support for the idea of free reservations and charging only after the meal.
• Different cruise lines have different policies to curb the practice of making reservations than not showing up, including no-show and late cancellation fees.

Read the full story at CruiseHive here.

Royal Caribbean Passengers Caught in Chaos as Ship Tilts Suddenly

• Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas encountered a rogue wave on its return to Baltimore, causing the ship to rock heavily and sending dishes and glassware flying.
• Passengers reported shattered glass and temporary closures of lounges and restaurants.
• No inquiries were reported, and the crew was praised for their composure.

Read the full story at CruiseHive here.

Cruise Guest Penalized After Failing to Declare $23,000 in Cash

• A cruise guest from India ran into an issue in Saint John, New Brunswick, after failing to declare that they were sailing with just over $23,000 in cash.
• While Canada does not limit the amount of cash visitors can travel with, any amount greater than C$10,000 must be declared while going through the customs process.
• The cruiser had to pay a fine of over $1,000 for their mistake.

Read the full story at CruiseHive here.