Cruise week report: Fight on Carnival ship, saving money on Royal Caribbean, why Carnival prices keep rising, and more! (2024)

We share lots of cruise updates and advice here, and this is a weekly roundup of everything you may have missed from this week.

If you are busy but want to keep up with all the helpful cruise advice we share, this is an easy-to-digest look at the recent articles and updates we've shared.

1. I used Royal Caribbean’s new loyalty status match program on my Celebrity cruise. While I didn’t love every perk, I saved so much money

When it comes to cruising, it can pay to be loyal.

Cruise lines have their own unique loyalty programs to encourage travelers to continue cruising within the same brand. As such, many cruisers find themselves continuing to travel with the same cruise line to reap the benefits of loyalty programs. Royal Caribbean’s top tiers of loyalty status come with many perks and has a reciprocal status match with Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises.

Cruise.Blog writer Allie recently tested out her Royal Caribbean status match on Celebrity and ended up saving a lot of money by doing so.

Read more: I used Royal Caribbean’s new loyalty status match program on my Celebrity cruise. While I didn’t love every perk, I saved so much money

2. 9 reasons why cruises are a better value for your next vacation

If you are looking to get the most value out of your vacation, cruising is a great choice.

Cruises are largely considered a great value, as the price includes your accommodations, unlimited food, entertainment, select beverages, and transportation between ports of call. Whereas on a land-based trip, you would have to account for all of these expenses separately. While most cruise lines do not offer a truly all-inclusive vacation, they do not have the same worry of these individual costs adding up.

Here are 9 reasons cruises might be a better value for your next vacation.

Read more: 9 reasons why cruises are a better value for your next vacation

3. Can Cruise Ship Captains Marry People?

According to Travel Bash, destination weddings represent 25% of the wedding market.

If you're in the beginning stages of wedding planning and are considering a destination wedding, a cruise ship wedding could be a great option to explore. Combining the ceremony with a unique travel experience, it is sure to be an unforgettable celebration. In the early stages of planning a cruise ship wedding, a couple will need to decide if they are interested in doing a shoreside or shipboard ceremony.

This may have you wondering, can a cruise ship captain legally officiate a wedding? Read on to find out!

Read more: Can Cruise Ship Captains Marry People?

4. Passengers banned after large fight breaks out on Carnival cruise ship

On a recent Carnival cruise sailing, a group of passengers had an argument that escalated quickly into a large fight.

Video of the fight - which is around six minutes long - was first shared to TikTok and then uploaded to YouTube by fellow passenger Nick Richardson. In the clip, a large fight appears to break out inside the buffet area of Carnival Paradise in the early morning hours. The incident apparently took place on the final night of the cruise, meaning the ship was due to return to Tampa within hours. The group can be seen screaming, slapping, and tackling one another to the floor in the footage.

Here is everything we know about the situation.

Read more: Passengers banned after large fight breaks out on Carnival cruise ship

5. Aircraft carrier vs cruise ship: Which is bigger?

The new era of cruising means that mega cruise ships are larger than ever, and, as such, engineering marvels.

Likewise, aircraft carriers can also carry thousands of people. While these vessels aren’t focused on providing travelers with multi-level dining rooms and buffets, they provide accommodations for the military personnel living onboard. Both mega cruise ships and aircraft carriers represent monumental achievements in maritime engineering.

That leaves the question, which is bigger: an aircraft carrier or a cruise ship?

Read more: Aircraft carrier vs cruise ship: Which is bigger?

6. Passenger criticized on TikTok for making a bed on cruise ship balcony

Booking a cruise balcony is a great way to ensure that you will be able to spend time outdoors in your own private area.

However, some cruise passengers can take it a bit too far. TikTok user @naomijaneadams posted a video shared in June, where she is seen lounging on her verandah lying on a plush comforter with the text, "Is somebody gonna match my freak (travel to Antarctica and set up my bed on the ship balcony so I don't miss any whales penguins & seals)." Since being posted, the video has garnered over 2.3 million views, 190k likes, 7,800 saves, and 2,000 comments, many of which accused Adams of exaggerating the situation for the sake of garnering views.

Here is a breakdown of the video, and the feedback that she received.

Read more: Passenger criticized on TikTok for making a bed on cruise ship balcony

7. 13 Best Things to Do in St. Maarten on a cruise

One of the most well-known cruise ports in the Caribbean, St. Maarten is popular amongst cruisers.

From the picturesque beaches to diverse culinary, vibrant towns, and more, there is no shortage of what to do on your port day. Even if you have visited the island before, there are enough activities to keep everyone satisfied. Whether you're seeking a relaxing beach day, cultural tour, or unique experience at the Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit, St. Maarten offers something for everyone.

Here's a list of the 13 best things to do in St. Maarten while limited on time.

Read more: 13 Best Things to Do in St. Maarten on a cruise

8. Why Carnival's cruise prices keep rising

The demand for cruising isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Popular cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival Cruise Line are reporting record-breaking bookings. "We are hitting records on top of previous records, which clearly tells us the strength and demand we have been building is continuing into next year and beyond," said Josh Weinstein, Carnival Corporation's President and Chief Executive Officer during the company's 2024 second-quarter earnings call.

Here is some more insight on why it’s not looking likely for Carnival’s prices to drop any time soon.

Read more: Why Carnival's cruise prices keep rising

9. If you're late getting back to your cruise ship, expect to be jeered and cheered

While cruise ships are known for a laid-back vacation, there are certain aspects that are not.

One of the most important things to remember while cruising is that these ships operate on a tight schedule, and have strict all-aboard times for guests. There have been many instances where guests were so late arriving back that they missed the departure. Those that are cutting it close, however, may have to sprint down the pier in a last-ditch effort to board the ship in time.

Known as “pier runners,” this frantic dash can serve as quite the spectacle for those already onboard.

Read more: If you're late getting back to your cruise ship, expect to be jeered and cheered

10. I learned about this cruise hack and now it’s my favorite trick

If you are looking to improve your cruise vacation, you can count on the internet to find helpful tips and tricks.

Fellow cruisers often share their hacks for cruising, but with so much out there it can be hard to narrow down what is actually useful information. Cruise.Blog writer Allie is a veteran cruiser, cruising over 45 times. However, this doesn’t mean that she isn’t still learning new travel hacks. She recently learned about bringing your own wine onboard your cruise, which many cruisers don’t know that it is allowed on mainstream cruise lines.

Here is her experience with this popular hack, and why it’s her favorite trick.

Read more: I learned about this cruise hack and now it’s my favorite trick