Royal Caribbean Ship Faces PASSENGER PROTEST [Cruise News]

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:03]Welcome to Cruise News with the Travel Scouts. Let's quickly roll through the latest cruise news to get you fully up to speed. Lots to cover today. Let's go ahead and kick it off with number one.

[00:00:13]Passengers on a Royal Caribbean voyage staged a bit of a protest this week after the key element of their Alaska sailing was cancelled. This involved the ovation of the seas cruise ship and it sailing that ended yesterday. The Voyage got off to a rough start from the beginning as passengers were notified last minute that the cruise would conclude in Whittier, Alaska instead of Seward. The change was necessary due to ongoing construction at the Seward Port.

[00:00:36]Now, a key element of a cruise to Alaska is a scenic day of cruising where you will often visit a glacier. And for the Ovation of the Seas Voyage, they were scheduled on their itinerary for Hubard Glacier for Thursday of this week. The distance between the glacier and Whittier where the cruise would end the next day, is really no different than between it and Sewer. So everything should be fine, right? Well, the captain announced on Wednesday of this week that they would be cancelling Thursday's visit to Hubard Glacier. He said it was due to increased traffic at Whittier and the narrow channels getting in and out of the port area. This led to a many protests at the ship's guest services desk. Passengers were not happy and immediately long lines began to form with passengers asking about additional compensation. Onboard credit was reportedly given. Each inside and ocean view stateoom received $150 of onboard credit. Balcony cabins received $200.

[00:01:25]Suites $400 and third and fourth guest received $25 each. But many individuals are still voicing their frustration online as the glacier was a key part of the reason for their entire trip. Next, number two, I have an update on the Carnival Cruise Line passenger that was banned for activity on a cruise ship they have never sailed on. This week, an individual reported they were scheduled for a Carnival cruise with their spouse and kids. However, their spouse received an email stating that they were removed from the sailing by security. In terms of the reason given, they were told that they were placed on the no sale list because of an incident that occurred on a sailing with PNO cruises. Security went on to state that there were no appeals and the decision was final. The problem is they have never been on a cruise with PNO. This was obviously a case of mistaken identity. The family contacted Carnival Cruise Lines customer service, but they said they couldn't help because they couldn't access PNO's records. They said the family would need to get it cleared with PNO, even though they have never done business with the cruise line. Well, I do have an update.

[00:02:25]Carnival security team was able to get a photo of this family member, and on Thursday of this week, they were able to get them reinstated to their cruise. So, that is good news. It was a lot of hassle, but I'm glad that it was a happy ending. Moving on to number three, I have insightful data regarding the financial health of the four largest cruise companies. These companies, of course, include Carnival Corporation, MSE Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Royal Caribbean Group. I'm going to rank them from the healthiest financially to the least healthy. I will show you a chart that reveals their total debt, their cash reserves that gives them a safety buffer from that debt, and then I will share with you their annual net income to see what kind of money they are making. When we take this in, I believe it explains a lot and it gives context as to why these companies are making some of the decisions they are making. Let's start with the company that is clearly the most healthy and that is MSE Group. Now, the big money maker for them is their cargo shipping business. They are the largest in the world. As a company, they have 30 billion in debt, but they have 73 billion in cash. They could pay off the debt if they wanted to, and their annual net income is around $42 billion.

[00:03:33]So this is why they can expand so much.

[00:03:35]They are doing so very rapidly and that's not going to stop. The cruise business is simply a way for them to diversify and grow their overall company. Second is Royal Caribbean Group. They have $21 billion in debt and only $825 million in cash. That's sort of tight. The reason they are moving along so well, the key is that they are making a lot of money from us, their passengers. Annual net income is $4.2 billion. So they can throttle that with that kind of net income. They can decide whether they want to put that towards new builds, destinations, paying off debt, or building up their cash. They have flexibility. Third is Carnival Corporation. They have more debt at $26 billion, and they have a much lower annual net income at $2.7 billion. So they have to grow cash a bit more for security. It's at $1.9 billion. So that is why the corporation is not building near as much. their buffer is smaller, so they are instead focusing on preserving and refurbishing their current fleet more until they can get more financially healthy. Fourth is Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. Their debt sits at 14.6 billion. The cash reserves are at $210 million, very tight, and their net income is the lowest as well at 423 million. This is why we hear so much about their challenges and their restructuring. They are in a more risky position and it doesn't afford them the flexibility that the others have. Then number four, I have a quick update on the six cruise ships that were stranded in the Middle East due to ongoing tensions. Back in March and into April, six cruise ships were stuck in the Middle East. They were unable to pass through the straight of Hormuz due to threats from Iran. This led to mass cancellations for their sailings for many weeks. Then in midappril, they took advantage of a ceasefire period and they were able to get clear of the Persian Gulf area.

[00:05:21]Since that time, they have been repositioning. They have been coordinating new routes and itineraries.

[00:05:26]And now I am glad to report that as of the last few days, all six of them have resumed passenger voyages. So that is great news. We are thrilled for them, the passengers and their operating companies. Okay, I have more cruise news pieces remaining, including some of the top headlines of the day. But now it is time for our fast midshow check-in. In the last video, I asked which of four extras you are most likely to purchase when you cruise. I received input from more than 8,000 of you, and here are the results. The largest portion, 37% said they're most likely to purchase excursions. Next, 30% said they'd go with Wi-Fi. 22% would opt for beverages and 11% would most likely purchase specialty dining. Thank you for your input on that. Great comments as well.

[00:06:07]Here is today's question. We are currently planning our cruises for 2027.

[00:06:11]I was thinking about that process and would like your input. The question is, which of the following matters most to you in the selection of a cruise vacation? Would you say it is A the price, B the departure port, C the itinerary, or D the ship? Chime in down below with whichever one is the biggest driver for you. And if you happen to be watching this on your TV, I would love to get your input as well. You can use the camera app on your phone. You can scan this QR code and that will take you to our survey page. I look forward to reading everyone's responses. But now on with the cruise news. Number five, Margaret Deville at C has announced that they are adding a new back-toback cruise program. Margaritavville is making this option available for guests who want to extend their vacations and have a smoother experience. With this new program, guests can combine any two consecutive cruises into one itinerary.

[00:07:00]The perks you receive from making use of this program is you get complimentary laundry service in between your sailings. You'll receive priority disembarkation and imbarcation and you can keep your same stateroom if desired or they will take care of your luggage transfer to your new stateateroom.

[00:07:16]Margaret Deville currently bases their Paradise cruise ship in Palm Beach. The Islander is in Tampa Bay and their Beach Comr cruise ship will be based in Port Miami when it launches in January of next year. Next, number six, Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day Mexico has been put on indefinite hold. In addition to cranking out new cruise ships, Royal Caribbean is rapidly expanding their private destinations. The company has recently opened two new ones, and they have another four scheduled to open in the next two years. The biggest of those is Perfect Day, Mexico, located at the Mexican port town of Costamaya. The destination is intended to serve as the cruise lines anchor and primary port of call for Western Caribbean itineraries.

[00:07:55]However, in a major blow to their plans, that project is now officially on hold by the Mexican government. Their environment minister said, quote, "It is not going to be approved." Now, Royal Recruitment Group has already dropped $292 million on the port and surrounding properties. Their plan was to pour up to $600 million into the project to fully transform it. According to the statement by the Mexican government, the reason they are blocking it is twofold. First, they said they have environmental concerns. And second, it is a political and public relations issue as 4 million people have signed a petition to end the project. So, at this point, it is unclear what Royal Caribbean's next move will be. Stay tuned for updates. Then, number seven, big news regarding Azamara Cruises and a load of sailings they have just announced. If you're unfamiliar with Azamara, they were previously owned by Royal Caribbean Group, who sold them back in 2021. Well, they have just announced their new cruises for the spring, summer, and fall of 2028. And the big thing with Azamara is the amount of time they spend at ports of call. If you're a person who loves cruising, but wish you could spend more time immersing yourself in the places that you visit, like on a land-based trip, well, these new cruisers with Azamara spend 87% of their time in ports of call. That means that these 2028 voyages involve full day stops and overnight visits.

[00:09:15]Additionally, Azamara has small ships, so that provides the opportunity to visit many locations that larger cruise ships are not able to go or are not permitted to go. So, if you're looking to swap it up a bit and try a whole new style of cruising, as a Mars 2028 sailings may be something worth checking out. I have additional important news to share with you, but very quickly, if you're new here, I'm Jason with the Travel Scouts. Our aim in each video is to put together the latest cruise news and deliver to you in such a way that you're fully up to speed and it doesn't waste your time. So, if you'll be cruising, definitely consider subscribing. Let's continue with the cruise news. Number eight, Carnival Cruise Line has opened a new pool area at their private destination in Rowit, Honduras. Carnival's destination, previously called Mahogany Bay, is now called Isa Tropical. The cruise line has committed to invest $93 million into the site for improvements, and the first phase of that is now open. This includes a large pool with dayb beds and sun lounges, and it looks very familiar to what you can find at their Amber Cove destination in the Dominican Republic.

[00:10:14]Next, number nine, Barcelona, Spain is pushing for a large tax increase on cruise passengers that arrive there on sailings that are only stopover visits.

[00:10:22]Barcelona is currently Europe's busiest cruise port, and a lot of Barcelona residents believe the city is getting too crowded. So, in response, the mayor of Barcelona is making a push to influence who is coming to the city. He is vying for the tax on cruise passengers to be nearly doubled if their ship is staying in port for less than 12 hours. This would take the fee from around $7 to a little over $13 per person. Now, an increase was already approved to take place over the next several years. The difference here is the mayor is pushing for it to be implemented in the next few months. The stated goal for Barcelona in reference to cruise operations is for it to be a port exclusively for imbarcations and disembarkcations, for it to be a home port instead of a stopover port. They believe this approach would increase hotel stays, money spent on mills, transportation, and potentially shopping and other activities, ultimately bringing more money into the city's economy per visitor that is filling their streets. Then number 10, if you like history, a very unique opportunity is officially open and available on a HX Expeditions cruise ship. This year, HX Expeditions is celebrating their 130ear anniversary of offering expedition cruises. And to commemorate this, the cruise line is setting up a special cabin on their vessel called the MS Freedtoff Nansen. And that cabin is a replica of what it would have been like to be on a sailing in 1896 when the cruise line launched. The cost for the experience is $116 per person per night for the cabin, and it can accommodate up to three people. Passengers are limited to a max of one night in the cabin during their voyage. That way, more people can have the opportunity.

[00:11:53]Check-in for the cabin begins at 2 p.m.

[00:11:55]on the day of your reservation, and it is yours until 11:00 a.m. the following day. For roughly $100 per person, would that be something that you would be interested to try? Let me know. And what about that wood toilet seat? That'd be fun, huh? I grew up in Kentucky, and when I was little, there were still some places that still had outouses. So, that cruise ship room is definitely bringing back some memories. Okay, I want to say a special thank you to our newest channel members and for everyone you are up to date. If you want to stay up to date and be ready for your next cruise, subscribe and I'll catch you in the next video.