Your weekly dose of cruise news !

• Carnival Cruise Line News

  Increased Daily Gratuities

  Effective April 2, 2026, Carnival Cruise Line will increase its recommended daily gratuity by $1 per day, regardless of stateroom category. Guests in standard staterooms will see the recommended gratuity move from $16 to $17 per day. Meanwhile, suite guests will be asked to pay $19 per day instead of $18. These gratuities go directly to our shipboard team members in addition to their base pay.

  Additionally, Carnival Cruise Line is raising the price of their Bottomless Bubbles soda package for adults from $9.50 to $11.99 per day, plus a 20% service charge. However, Bottomless Bubbles soda package pricing for children ages 17 and under remains $6.95 per day, plus a 20% service charge.

  Travelers can secure current rates by pre-paying gratuities and/or pre-purchasing the soda package before April 2. This update may affect travelers’ onboard budgeting, so reviewing payment options before sailing can help travelers plan more clearly. Anyone with an upcoming Carnival sailing should note the April 2 deadline and consider these advance purchase options.

• Princess Cruise Line News

  Increased daily gratuites

  Crew Appreciation and Service Charge Policy

  The “Crew Appreciation” is a daily amount for each guest that will be automatically added to your onboard account for your convenience, to recognize the efforts of a wide variety of crewmembers who contribute to the experiences of all our guests.  The crewmembers eligible to receive these funds work in various departments, many of whom rotate among different ships, throughout our fleet of ships. The amount of the Crew Appreciation will be based on stateroom category, as set out below: 

  Stateroom Category	Daily amount per guest
  Suites	$20.00 USD per person per day
  Mini Suites, Cabanas, and Reserve Collection	$19.00 USD per person per day
  All other stateroom types	$18.00 USD per person per day

  Amounts shown above are in USD. For ships operating in AUD, guests will pay the equivalent of the USD amounts above. Crew appreciation charges do not apply to residents of Australia or New Zealand on voyages departing from those regions.

  Guests have complete discretion to adjust these crew appreciation while onboard; however, crew appreciation may only be adjusted prior to disembarking the ship and not refundable post cruise.

  Crew appreciation can be prepaid using Manage Booking.

  We pride ourselves on excellent guest satisfaction and our onboard team is available to immediately address any concerns you may have about your cruise. In the unlikely event you remain dissatisfied for any reason, the Crew Appreciation is subject to adjustment, at your discretion, at any time during the cruise up to the time you settle your onboard account prior to disembarkation. If you do not choose to adjust this daily charge while on board, your payment becomes final and nonrefundable.

  A nonrefundable Service Charge of 20% of purchase will be automatically added to optional purchases of drinks, dining room and specialty dining, private group functions, and other elected products, services or amenities provided to guests that are not included in the cruise fare. 

  If you pre-paid the Crew Appreciation and/or Service Charge as part of an all-inclusive or other applicable package: (i) the payments are bundled into your fare; (ii) the payments are nonrefundable from the time of purchase, except as part of the cruise fare, which refund shall be provided in accordance with our cancelation policy; and (iii) no additional amount will be added to your onboard account for the Crew Appreciation or for those Service Charges covered by such package.

  All of the Crew Appreciation and Service Charge payments made by all guests on all ships in our fleet are pooled, net of credit card transaction fees (except Service Charges for spa services which are not pooled for the fleet). The pooled funds are distributed throughout the year in the form of compensation, including bonuses, to crewmembers fleetwide who interact directly with guests and/or behind the scenes throughout every cruise, including those in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue areas.

• Royal Caribbean News

  Cancellation policy Update

  Starting Oct. 11, 2026, the cruise line has updated its North American cancellation policy, eliminating the 25% penalty tier and replacing its cruise length categories in such a way that more cruisers will face steeper penalties for canceling.

  “We’re simplifying our North American cancellation penalty structure by consolidating sailing length categories and streamlining penalty tiers,” Royal Caribbean wrote in a letter to travel advisors published by Royal Caribbean Blog.

  As outlined in the letter, Royal Caribbean is eliminating the 25% cancellation tier for all sailing lengths. This means cruisers go from zero penalty outside of the final payment window directly to a 50% cancellation penalty. The timing of the penalty window varies by cruise length.)

  Simultaneously, the current five- to 14-night and 15+ night categories are being replaced with five to nine nights and 10+ nights, putting more people in a higher cancellation tier more quickly than before.

  The cancellation fees for cruises of four night or less remain the same as there already was no 25% tier. Here is the new policy:

  5 to 9-Night Cruises

  • 90 days or more: No penalty (Full refund)
  • 89 to 61 days: 50% of the total price
  • 60 to 31 days: 75% of the total price
  • 30 days or less: No refund

  10+ Night Cruises

  • 120 days or more: No charge
  • 119 to 61 days: 50% of the total price
  • 60 to 31 days: 75% of the total price
  • 30 days or less: No refund

  The letter also advised that Royal Caribbean’s existing cancellation policy for third and fourth guests will now be automatically enforced via the reservation system, essentially eliminating the ability for Royal Caribbean to waive these cancellation fees.

  The new cancellation policy applies to all new bookings starting Oct. 11, 2026, except for all2028/29 Alaska, Hawaii, Pacific Coastal, and Transpacific sailings that opened for sail on Sept. 29. These are immediately subject to the new cancellation policy.

   

  More Royal Caribbean News:

   

  Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Cruises, the Naha Port Authority, and Cruise Port Naha G.K., celebrated the groundbreaking of a new cruise terminal at Nahap Port in Okinawa, Japan. The new terminal will provide modern, purpose-built facilities designed to enhance the guest experience, improve operational efficiency, and support the long-term growth of cruise tourism in Okinawa.

  As one of Japan’s most strategically located ports, Naha offers year-round accessibility and serves as an ideal gateway for cruise itineraries throughout the region. Once completed, the new terminal will provide enhanced passenger facilities, strengthening the port’s ability to accommodate some of the largest cruise ships in the world, thereby supporting increased passenger capacity amid growing demand for cruise vacations in Asia. 

  Cruise Port Naha G.K. is a joint venture between CTC Maritime and RCL Cruises Ltd., representing the respective interests of MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean Group. Under the Cruise Hub Formation Agreement concluded with the Naha Port Authority in August 2026, Cruise Port Naha G.K. will develop and operate the new terminal, with the start of operations set for March 2028.

  “For Royal Caribbean Group, Japan is one of the most important cruise markets in Asia – not only as a destination, but as a long-term partner in our global business,” Jason Libery, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. “We do not simply bring guests here, we also invest here and with Naha Okinawa, we are investing in infrastructure that will benefit the local community for years to come. The future of cruising in Japan is about shared ambition, collaboration, and responsible innovation, and we are honored to be a part of it.”

  “Okinawa is uniquely positioned at the crossroads of some of Asia’s most exciting cruise destinations, and we see real potential for its future,” added Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Group, Cruises Division. “This project forms part of our long-term vision to expand our presence in the region and create new opportunities for guests of MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys to enjoy Asia year-round.”

  The groundbreaking included a traditional Japanese ceremony at the future terminal site, marking the formal start of construction and bringing together several esteemed public officials for the event, including Okinawa Governor Genta Koja and representatives from the Cabinet Office of Japan, alongside representatives from Naha Port Authority, Cruise Port Naha G.K., MSC Cruises, and Royal Caribbean Group.