Starting November 1, 2024, Royal Caribbean International will raise its daily gratuities by fifty cents per person, per day. This announcement comes as part of a broader trend across the cruise industry, where gratuities seem to climb year after year. The updated rates will bring standard stateroom gratuities to $18.50 per person, and suite gratuities to $21.00 per person. While this might seem like a small increase, it marks the second hike in the past 12 months, raising questions about where these additional funds are going and how they impact the hard-working crew.

A passenger sailing on one of Carnival Cruise Line's ships shared a video revealing that they managed to smuggle a handgun onboard. Kendra Gordon from Bradenton, Florida, posted a video showing the gun she brought onboard, which had gone unnoticed by security checks. In the video, she displays the firearm stored in her stateroom safe.

Compagnie Française de Croisières (CFC) has announced the cancellation of all scheduled cruises aboard its only vessel, the Renaissance, for a two-month period. According to media reports, all departures between January and February 2025 have been affected, including seven- and eight-night Mediterranean cruises and a ten-night repositioning voyage in Northern Europe. These voyages, initially scheduled to depart from Marseille, are now canceled due to planned ship maintenance.

The Astoria Grande, formerly known as AIDAcara, is now up for sale after two years serving the Russian cruise market.

Meyer Turku has floated the world's next largest cruise ship, Star of the Seas, out of her building dock at its yard in Turku, Finland. Following a traditional ceremony to mark the construction milestone on Wednesday, the ship was transferred to Meyer Turku’s outfitting pier with the help of tug boats, where she will remain until her delivery in 2025.

British kitesurfer and Red Bull athlete Tom Bridge has turned a cruise ship into a remarkable kitesurfing playground, launching himself from the 16th deck of Virgin Voyages' Resilient Lady, an incredible 129 feet above the sea.

MOL Cruises, Ltd., operator of MITSUI OCEAN CRUISES, celebrated a major milestone with the handover ceremony of the cruise ship Seabourn Odyssey which will be rebranded and renamed to MITSUI OCEAN FUJI.
 

The event took place onboard the Seabourn Odyssey after the ship arrived in Yokohama, Japan, following a 22-day Farewell Voyage from the U.S. In keeping with maritime tradition, the MITSUI OCEAN CRUISES flag was raised, marking the ship’s official transition to MITSUI OCEAN FUJI, set to debut on December 1, 2024.

The Star Princess, Princess Cruises' second liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered ship, was floated out today at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. Weighing in at 178,000 gross tons, this vessel is a sister ship to the Sun Princess, which was also built at Monfalcone and delivered earlier this year. This makes the Star Princess the second-largest ship ever constructed in Italy, as well as the second LNG-powered cruise ship built by Fincantieri for Princess Cruises.

Royal Caribbean has canceled the upcoming Icon of the Seas sailing, originally scheduled for September 28, 2024, due to unplanned maintenance. 

In a statement to travel agents, Royal Caribbean explained, "We are currently conducting unplanned maintenance onboard Icon of the Seas." Although specific details about the issue have not been disclosed, the ship will remain docked to complete the necessary repairs.

The Azamara Journey has completed an extensive dry dock at the Elefsis shipyard in Greece. As part of the ship’s makeover, a range of key upgrades have been implemented. From enhanced propulsion systems, thrusters, and stabilizers to refreshed interiors and brand-new carpets, the Azamara Journey is all set to welcome guests with improved comfort and smoother sailings. This refurbishment is just part of Azamara's ambitious plan to enhance its entire fleet this year.