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Carnival cruise ship that set sail from Florida catches fire in Grand Turk

By Caitlin O'Kane

Updated on: May 26, 2022 / 5:39 PM EDT / CBS News

A Carnival cruise ship that set sail from Port Canaveral in Florida caught fire on Thursday. The Carnival Freedom ship was in Grand Turk on a five-day cruise when a fire inside the ships funnel started, according to a press release from Carnival.

Carnival says the fire was quickly extinguished by emergency response teams, and that all guests and crew are safe. The ship's guests were cleared by local authorities to go ashore. Carnival is continuing to assess the situation. 

The @Carnival Freedom is on fire in Port at #GrandTurk #Carnival pic.twitter.com/7GgoWLG2Tc — Brian H (@Budman922) May 26, 2022

Social media posts show flames spewing from the funnel of the ship and black smoke billowing in the air. 

The ship had 2,504 guests and 972 crew onboard, Carnival said. Another ship, the Carnival Conquest, will travel from Miami to pick everyone up from Grand Turk on Saturday. They are expected to arrive in Port Canaveral on Monday.

The Conquest's next trip, scheduled to depart from Miami on Friday, has been canceled, as was the Freedom's next trip, scheduled to begin Saturday.

The Freedom ship will be taken to Freeport for a "repair to the funnel," Carnival said. All guests impacted by the changes in upcoming trips have been notified.

Last month, passengers on a Carnival cruise from Miami to Seattle were forced to quarantine after people onboard tested positive for COVID-19. Carnival didn't say how many of the approximately 2,100 passengers aboard were infected. Upon docking, all infected passengers were moved to area hotels for isolation.

While cruise ship fires are not common, they have occurred before. In 2016, more than 500 passengers and crew were evacuated from a burning ship about a mile off Puerto Rico's north coast. Many aboard the Caribbean Fantasy ship required medical care, though there were no reported fatalities.

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Caitlin O'Kane is a New York City journalist who works on the CBS News social media team as a senior manager of content and production. She writes about a variety of topics and produces "The Uplift," CBS News' streaming show that focuses on good news.

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Nightly news, fire breaks out on carnival cruise and 2 crew members killed aboard holland america ship.

Flames billowed from the back of the Carnival Freedom cruise ship after a fire ignited in the ship’s exhaust funnel as the vessel was just off the coast of the Bahamas. Two crew members on a Holland America cruise ship were killed after an incident in an engineering space aboard the vessel. NBC News’ Marissa Parra reports. March 24, 2024

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Carnival Freedom cruise ship fire: ship's funnel catches fire, second time in 2 years

Fire on carnival freedom leads to other cruise cancelations.

Scary moments were caught on camera when passengers witnessed the Carnival Freedom cruise ship catch on fire. It’s the second time this has happened on this specific ship in two years.

Carnival had to cancel two upcoming voyages on its Carnival Freedom cruise ship after the ship's signature red and blue funnel exhaust pipe caught fire over the weekend, possibly due to a lightning strike, according to the mega cruise line. The damage was more severe than Carnival initial expected and had to cancel upcoming trips to make repairs to the ship.

It's the second time in two years that the funnel on this ship has caught fire.

Photos and videos shared with FOX 35 and on social media showed flames spewing out of the left side of the ship's exhaust funnel, as dark smoke billowed into the air. 

Carnival said the port side (left side) of the ship's exhaust funnel – easy to spot due to its tail-like shape – caught fire on Saturday as the cruise was sailing near the Bahamas. 

"Our onboard team acted quickly to contain and put out the fire.  While we continue to investigate multiple eyewitness reports of a lightning strike, our technical team completed a thorough assessment during the ship’s visit to Freeport on Sunday. Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," Carnival said in a statement.

The Carnival Freedom returned to Port Canaveral in Florida on Monday morning, where passengers were able to get off the ship. It will then sail back to the Freeport Cruise Port in The Bahamas for repairs.

 "We sincerely regret the impact to our embarking guests, as we know they have been looking forward to their spring break vacation. We are providing all guests on both cancelled cruises a full refund and a 100% future cruise credit so they can come back and enjoy a future cruise with us," Carnival said.

Carnival Freedom experienced a fire in 2022

Carnival freedom fire: cruise ship burns while docked at grand turk.

Part of Carnival's Freedom cruise ship caught fire Thursday morning while docked at Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the cruise line said, sending dark black smoke into the air.

It's not the first time that the Carnival Freedom has caught fire. Coincidentally, in 2022 while docked at Grand Turks, part of the ship's funnel also caught fire. That time, however, it was on the starboard side (the right side), according to photos shared with FOX 35 at the time. That's the opposite side compared this most recent incident.

In the 2022 incident, Carnival told FOX 35 in a statement that all guests and crew were safe. A second ship, Carnival Conquest, was sent to pick up the 2,500 passengers and 972-person crew. 

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Video shows scary moments after a cruise ship caught fire

Passengers aboard a cruise ship docked in Grand Turk Island got a surprise that wasn’t on the itinerary Thursday.

As photos and video taken aboard the Carnival Freedom illustrate, black smoke and flames poured out of the ship’s funnel as passengers donned life jackets and were evacuated from the vessel’s upper decks.  

"On Thursday morning while in port at Grand Turk, Carnival Freedom’s emergency response team quickly activated and extinguished a fire inside the ship’s funnel," said the cruise line in a statement . "All guests and crew are safe, and all other ship, hotel, and guest services, along with safety equipment are fully functioning."

According to the statement, most of the ship's 2,504 passengers were ashore at the time the fire broke out.

Plans were soon made to get all guests back to Port Canaveral in Florida, where they originally set sail from Monday for what was meant to be a 5-day cruise. But since Freedom won't be seaworthy in time for an already delayed departure, those arrangements required the cancellation of another Carnival cruise.

"Carnival Conquest’s next cruise, departing May 27 from Miami has been cancelled and that ship will be deployed to Grand Turk to transport Freedom guests back to Port Canaveral," the company explained. "Carnival Conquest will arrive to Grand Turk on Saturday, May 28 and guests aboard Carnival Freedom will transfer to Carnival Conquest for the voyage back to Port Canaveral, arriving on Monday, May 30."

Carnival Freedom's next scheduled cruise, originally planned for Saturday, has also been cancelled.

Repairs are set to begin on the ship's funnel after all passengers are off the ship.

The statement closed, noting, "Carnival apologized to all those guests who are impacted and offered special thanks to the crew who handled the situation on the ship effectively and according to safety protocols."

It remains unclear what caused the fire.

Ree Hines is a freelance writer and editor who covers pop culture, lifestyle stories and trending news. She’s also a soul-music loving, coffee-obsessed member of both Team Cat and Team Dog. Ree lives in Tampa, Florida, and is a regular contributor to TODAY.com.

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Carnival Cruise Passenger Captures Ship Fire on Video After Reports of Lightning Strike

The incident marks the second time in two years this particular ship has caught fire. It has caused the cancellation of two upcoming voyages

A Carnival cruise ship’s exhaust funnel caught fire on Saturday during a trip to the Bahamas, causing the company to cancel its next two voyages.

This is the second time in less than two years that the Carnival Freedom, based in Port Canaveral, Fla., has been impacted by a fire.

"Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought, and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," Matt Lupoli, Carnival Cruise Line's senior manager of public relations, told Florida Today in a statement. "The funnel has been stabilized for the ship’s return to Port Canaveral overnight to disembark guests, and then it will go to the Freeport shipyard on Monday afternoon to begin the required repairs."

PEOPLE has reached out to Carnival, but did not immediately hear back.

MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK (2)

While the cause of the fire is still being investigated, Carnival noted in a post on X Saturday that eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike.

One of the cruise’s passengers, Heath Barnes, posted footage of the incident on Facebook Saturday afternoon.

In a statement to TMX, Barnes said it had been storming on and off and he was on one of the ship’s upper decks when he experienced “the loudest thunder and lightening [sic] I have ever heard.”

After he returned to his cabin for about 15 minutes, his nephew and two friends came to tell him the ship was on fire.

“I thought they were giving me a hard time but I got up and went out on the balcony and sure enough the flames and smoke was pouring out of the tail,” he continued, adding that he took the videos from his balcony before travelers were asked to stay indoors.

MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK

Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald addressed the incident on Facebook, acknowledging that those impacted by the cancellations “will be feeling very disappointed.” 

“And I want to add my apologies and my assurances that when you rebook using your full refund and your 100% future cruise credit, that the crew will be standing by to give you all the Fun you deserve,” he added.

In May 2022, the Carnival Freedom caught fire during a five-day cruise to Turks and Caicos.

At the time, Carnival Cruise Line verified that a fire broke out in the funnel of the ship while it was in Grand Turk.

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The company said its "emergency response team quickly activated and extinguished" the flames.

"All guests and crew are safe, and the ship's guests were cleared by local authorities to go ashore," Carnival added.

The 948-foot Carnival Freedom, built in 2007, can hold just over 3,500 passengers, according to Cruise Mapper .

Related Articles

Video shows flames, heavy black smoke after Carnival Freedom exhaust funnel catches fire near Bahamas

By nbc6 • published march 25, 2024 • updated on march 25, 2024 at 7:38 am.

Shocking video filmed by a passenger onboard the Carnival Freedom captured the moment after the ship's port-side exhaust funnel caught fire off the coast of the Bahamas on Saturday.

According to a statement from Carnival, the fire broke out at around 3:15 p.m. Saturday and the damage was more than they initially thought. The ship required immediate repair for the stabilization of the funnel.

📺 24/7 South Florida news stream: Watch NBC6 free wherever you are

The ship’s fire response team was also quickly activated, and the ship’s captain also turned the vessel towards the heavy rain in the area to maximize the efforts to put out the flames, the statement said.

At approximately 3:15 pm EDT today, Carnival Freedom reported a fire on the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel. The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, heading to Freeport after a cancelled call to Princess Cay due to weather. — Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) March 23, 2024

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Carnival Cruises also acknowledged there were swirling rumors that a lightning strike from severe weather was potentially responsible for the fire, but said that had not been confirmed.

On Monday, the ship was set to go to the shipyard in Freeport, Bahamas to undergo the required repairs.

Due to the fire, the cruise line canceled two sailings for the Carnival Freedom out of Port Canaveral -- one on March 25th and the other on March 29th.

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The company assured passengers, however, that anyone scheduled to board those cruised would receive full refunds and a credit for a future cruise.

The cruise line said two crew members were treated for minor smoke inhalation, but there were no reports of injured guests at this time.

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Carnival freedom cruise ship catches fire for second time in less than 2 years.

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The Carnival Freedom cruise ship experienced its second fire in less than two years, and passenger footage caught the flames with smoke coming from the ship’s exhaust funnel Saturday afternoon. 

“That’s nutty,” X user @breezebreeze_ can be heard while showing the fire aboard the ship.

Carnival Cruise Line put out several tweet replies regarding the incident they say happened at 3:15 ET. 

“Carnival Freedom reported a fire on the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel,” one of the posts read. “The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, heading to Freeport after a canceled call to Princess Cay due to weather.”

The news prompted passengers of the ship’s upcoming departure from Port Canaveral on Monday to ask the cruise line if their itinerary would go off as planned.

“Is the cruise for the Carnival Freedom March 25 departing cruise from Port Canaveral still planning on going?” one X user asked Carnival. “We need to know for travel purposes!”

“I can almost guarantee it’ll be canceled,” another X user wrote about the ship’s next planned cruise. “This isn’t the first time this has happened ironically to this ship, and the following sailing when it happened that time were canceled, but obviously not confirm[ed].”

Carnival quickly responded to quell any rumors, saying it does not expect any impact on the next Carnival Freedom voyage. 

The Freedom’s exhaust funnel caught fire in May 2022 while the ship was docked at Grand Turk Island in Turks and Caicos. Video from then also showed the ship’s funnel – referred to by some as the whale tail – consumed by flames and smoke. 

The part of the ship that caught fire is designed to help direct the flow of exhaust gases away from the ship, according to the Crown Cruise Vacations website. 

“The ship’s fire response team was quickly activated, and the ship’s captain also turned the vessel towards the heavy rain in the area to maximize the efforts to put out the flames,” Carnival said about Saturday’s fire. “Eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike and that is being investigated.”

Carnival said the captain made “multiple announcements to guests and crew” about the fire. The port side of the funnel fell onto Deck 10, Carnival said. No injuries were reported.

The Carnival Freedom was in Freeport as scheduled Sunday, according to CruiseMapper. Carnival said there are no operational issues with the ship’s systems.

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Carnival Freedom Battles Fire in Bahamas

• March 23, 2024

The Carnival Freedom suffered a fire on Saturday afternoon while sailing in stormy weather in the Bahamas.

Unconfirmed eyewitness reports posted to social media said the fire was due to a lightning strike, with the crew quickly getting the fire under control and eventually putting it out.

Video posted from passengers aboard showed the portside of Carnival’s whale-tail funnel on fire. Carnival Cruise Lien said on social media that part of the funnel had then fallen onto the open deck.

The ship reported the fire just after 3:00 p.m. local time while it was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, heading to Freeport after a cancelled call to Princess Cay due to weather.

“There are no operational issues with the ship’s systems and the ship is expected to arrive to Freeport on Sunday morning,” Carnival said in a statement posted on social media.

“The captain has made multiple announcements to guests and crew and advised all but essential safety personnel to stay away from all open decks. There are no injuries. The port side portion of the funnel has fallen onto Deck 10 and the fire response is putting out the flames.”

Carnival also said it did not expect any  impact to the next Carnival Freedom voyage scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral on Monday, March 25.

Of note, the this is the same ship that had a funnel fire in 2022, with Carnival having to replace the funnel at a drydock in Spain late last year.

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Carnival Cruise ship catches fire after possible lightning strike

The cruise line said damage to the ship is "more than we first thought" and will require immediate repair to stabilize the funnel. cruises scheduled to depart from port canaveral on march 25th and march 29th have been canceled..

Heath Barnes was a passenger on the Carnival Freedom ship when the boat's exhaust funnel caught fire during a thunderstorm. The ship is back at Port Canaveral for repairs. 

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Carnival Freedom ship caught fire Saturday near the Bahamas after passengers reported a lightning strike on the boat during a thunderstorm .

Carnival Cruise Line said the crew reported a fire on the port side of the ship's exhaust funnel around 3:15 p.m. Saturday. The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, sailing to Freeport after being unable to dock at Princess Cay due to weather conditions. 

"Our onboard team acted quickly to contain and put out the fire," Carnival Cruise Line said. "While we continue to investigate multiple eyewitness reports of a lightning strike, our technical team completed a thorough assessment during the ship’s visit to Freeport on Sunday."

LIGHTNING FATALITIES WERE SECOND LOWEST ON RECORD IN 2023, SAFETY COUNCIL SAYS

Around the time of the fire, radar showed a storm cell over the area and a lot of lightning activity.

Radar at 3:15 p.m. on March 23 when a Carnival Cruise ship was possibly hit by lightning. 

(FOX Weather)

Multiple passenger videos show flames and dark smoke billowing from the exhaust funnel as rain continues to pour onto the deck.

Passenger Heath Barnes said the ship was supposed to dock at Princess Cay on Saturday about 9 a.m., but passengers were told that the boat would continue to Freeport due to strong winds . 

During the afternoon, the rain returned, and passengers reported hearing loud thunder and then seeing the smoke. Soon after, guests were told to remain in their cabins.

Smoke and flames coming from the exhaust funnel of the Carnival Freedom cruise ship on Saturday, March 23, 2024. 

(@breezebreeze_ via Storyful)

"Why is our tail on fire?" someone can be heard saying in the video recorded by Barnes. "That's not good, y'all."

On Monday, Carnival Freedom returned to Port Canaveral , where guests disembarked.

The cruise line said damage to the ship is "more than we first thought" and will require immediate repair to stabilize the funnel. Cruises scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral on March 25th and March 29th have been canceled. All guests on the canceled trips will receive a full refund and a 100% future cruise credit.

FOX Business reported that the same cruise ship caught on fire in 2022 after being struck by lightning. 

Carnival Freedom cruise ship on fire

Video shows smoke and flames coming from the Carnival Freedom exhaust funnel on Saturday after a possible lightning strike. (video credit: Credit: @breezebreeze_ via Storyful)

Another video recorded on Saturday by X user @breezebreeze showed the fire on the ship.

"Carnival Freedom on fire AGAIN!!" they wrote on X.

• Extreme Weather
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Carnival Freedom cruise ship catches fire near Bahamas

TAMPA, Fla. ( WFLA ) — A Carnival Cruise ship’s funnel caught on fire during their voyage near the Bahamas on Saturday.

Carnival said that at 3:15 p.m., the Carnival Freedom reported a fire on the port side from the ship’s exhaust funnel.

In a statement from Carnival, the team said, “The ship’s fire response team was quickly activated, and the ship’s captain also turned the vessel towards the heavy rain in the area to maximize the efforts to put out the flames. Eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike and that is being investigated but cannot yet be confirmed.”

A portion of the funnel on the port side fell onto Deck 10.

Crews were able to extinguish the fire at 5:20 p.m. All aboard were asked to stay away from balconies and open decks for their safety.

Two crew members fighting the fire were treat for minor smoke inhalation, according to Carnival. As of this report, there are no reported injuries for guests.

The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted and has activated their response team. The cruise is expected to continue sailing to Freeport and arrive on Sunday morning.

The ship was around 20 miles from Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, heading to Freeport. The ship departed from Port Canaveral on Thursday for a four-day trip.

On May 26, 2022, the same ship caught on fire while docked in Grand Turk . The inside of the Freedom’s funnel erupted in smoke and flames. The trip that was scheduled following the voyage had to be canceled.

The cruise does not expect the fire to impact the next voyage scheduled for Monday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.

Passengers, crew evacuated from cruise ship after fire

Passengers and crew members were evacuated from a cruise ship sailing in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park because of a fire on board earlier this week.

After a “fire incident” contained to the engine room of UnCruise Adventures’ Wilderness Discoverer ship on Monday, other vessels in the area helped disembark 51 guests and 16 crew members, the cruise line said in a news release.

“We are relieved to confirm that there have been no injuries resulting from the fire,” Capt. Dan Blanchard, UnCruise’s owner and CEO, said in the release. “Our highly trained crew promptly extinguished the fire using established emergency protocols, and CO2 was successfully deployed for everyone's safety.” Eleven crew members remained on board.

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The line is providing guests with full refunds. They were transferred to Princess Cruises’ Sapphire Princess ship, and later moved to another ship before being disembarked at park headquarters and given hotels and flights home.

There were “no discernible environmental impacts” in the area as a result of the incident, according to UnCruise, and an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

Wilderness Discoverer was built in 1992 and can accommodate 76 guests.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

See inside the floating Olympic village that will house dozens of surfers

Published july 23, 2024 • updated on july 23, 2024 at 8:52 pm.

During the 2024 Olympics, surfers will have a unique home a long way away from Paris.

The 2024 Paris Olympics surfing competition will take place in Tahiti , half-way across the world from the rest of the games — and the Olympic village. Rather than endure traditional Olympic accommodations, the surfers will spend their off-time aboard an Aranui 5 cruise ship .

Although the surfers' temporary home may vary from the boat's usual layout, the following photos capture the interior of a typical Aranui 5 ship.

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Home » Home » Port Canaveral Hosts Wave Out Party for Royal Caribbean’s Huge Utopia of the Seas Cruise Ship

Port Canaveral Hosts Wave Out Party for Royal Caribbean’s Huge Utopia of the Seas Cruise Ship

By Space Coast Daily  //  July 21, 2024

first of its kind to debut with 3-night weekend, 4-night weekday vacations

BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – Nearly 800 people lined the shoreline at Port Canaveral ’s Jetty Park today to bid “Bon Voyage” to Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas as she embarked on her first revenue sailing from Port Canaveral.

“The World’s Biggest Wave Out” party was hosted by the Port for the local community, campground guests and beachgoers to enjoy festive, family-fun afternoon with a DJ, bubble machine, fun giveaways, and homemade ice cream and hot dogs provided by local vendors.

The Friday afternoon cruise ship departure delighted the multitude of park guests with a special parade of ships that included Carnival Cruise Line’s Glory, Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas, and Disney Cruise Line’s Wish.

The brand-new Utopia of the Seas was led out of Port by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Marine Unit, Canaveral Fire Rescue’s Fireboat 2 with her impressive water cannon display and flanked by two of the Port’s resident tugs, Christine S from E.N. Bisso & Sons Towing and the St. Johns from Marine Towing of Port Canaveral.

“Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas is one of the most anticipated new cruise ships in the industry,” stated Capt. John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO.

“We’re proud to be Royal Caribbean’s partner for this industry first experience and excited to support the strong market demand for short itineraries. Our team is ready and committed to providing high-quality experiences to help all cruise guests launch their memorable journeys from our Port.”

Port Canaveral welcomed home Royal Caribbean International’s new Utopia of the Seas when she arrived at Port Canaveral on July 11. Saturday marked the maiden voyage for passengers, offering the ultimate short getaway with 3-night weekend and 4-night weekday vacations that will include a visit to Royal Caribbean’s award-winning private island in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Port Canaveral is homeport for two of the three largest ships in the world. With Utopia’s arrival, she joins Royal Caribbean International’s sister ships Wonder of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas. A fourth Royal Caribbean ship, Voyager of the Seas, will homeport at Port Canaveral beginning November 26.

Over the past year, Port Canaveral has prepared for the arrival of Utopia with an expanded parking capacity of approximately 1,000 additional spaces at Cruise Terminal 1 (CT1) to cater to guests arriving by personal vehicles.

Utopia of the Seas, the ultimate short getaway, was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, before embarking to Port Canaveral in Florida. Utopia features more than 40 ways to dine, drink and celebrate, across eight themed neighborhoods; entertainment across air, ice, water, and stage; five pools, two casinos, and more at Royal Caribbean’s award-winning private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The new vacation also features the signature FlowRider surf simulator, a 10-story zip line, and The Ultimate Abyss, the longest dry slide at sea at 259 feet.

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Travel | Travel: Is getting a pricey cruise upgrade…

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Travel | travel: is getting a pricey cruise upgrade really worth it.

Lavishing in ultimate luxury doesn’t come cheap, of course. The million-dollar question of “to splurge or not to splurge?” can add thousands of dollars to an already pricey purchase. For those who can afford a stately stateroom, however, they are often afforded a boatload of benefits beyond the deluxe digs.

But like pretty much everything in life, you don’t always get what you pay for. While the majority of passenger ships put the biggest spenders in cruise control with such privileges as exclusive dining options, private lounges and reserved theater seats, some have guests looking at their travel budget with a sinking feeling.

Playing the dual role of travel agent and real estate agent, we’ve checked out some prime properties that, under normal conditions, promise an elevated experience when paying a suntanned arm and leg.

Even without getting into upgrades, cruise fares are all over the nautical map due to such factors as the number of nights, itinerary, season, availability, the cruise line and even the ship itself. For sanity’s sake, we’ll do like a bad kayaking shore excursion and only scratch the surface here.

Focusing on the value-based mainstream cruise market (because, let’s face it, those who can afford the best don’t even blink at upgrading), the big four are serving up a buffet of bundles — and we all know how much cruisers love buffets. The key is making sure your eyes are not bigger than your stomach — or in this case, wallet.

Despite the dizzying number of premium packages out there, a standard inclusion with a suite on mega-ships (those defined as having 1,500 or more cabins) is a “fast pass” of sorts when checking in, boarding, debarking, tendering and dining in the main restaurants.

The OG of exclusive suite zones is Norwegian Cruise Line ( ncl.com ). Having pioneered the concept in 2005, giving it a name — The Haven — in 2011, mass-market NCL offers this elite enclave on the majority of its fleet. This includes the newer Prima-class ships: the 3,099-passenger namesake and 3,215-guest Viva, both of which blur the line between the mainstream and premium categories. A private bar, lounge and restaurant, secluded sundeck and infinity pool, and 24-hour butler service, all within an area accessible only by keycard, will also delight future passengers on the 3,571-guest Norwegian Aqua, debuting in April 2025.

How much is a slice of heaven in The Haven? The fleetwide average fare for a seven-day sail in a 300-square-foot balcony room is around $3,000 per person. That’s chump change and a cracker box compared to one of the two 2,100-square-foot, three-bed, three-bath Duplex Suites that will be on Aqua. At press time, these maritime mansions were about $14,000 per person for a weeklong Caribbean cruise out of Florida next summer.

On Royal Caribbean International’s amazing Icon of the Seas , the largest suite of the world’s largest ship is the 1,772-square-foot, three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse that sleeps eight. It’s got a multi-level slide, a wraparound balcony, whirlpool, areas for karaoke and watching movies, and even a patio with ping-pong.

Royal Caribbean ( royalcaribbean.com ) divides its top suites on its newer and bigger ships into three Royal Suite categories — Sea, Sky and Star — and, no surprise, the Ultimate Family Townhouse belongs in the class named for the physically highest of the trio. Services and amenities are still impressive up in the Sky and even at Sea level, but being a Star comes with pre-paid gratuities, specialty dining and a deluxe beverage package.

Carnival Cruise Line ( carnival.com ) is known for being more fun than fancy, but with every renovation and new ship there is an opportunity to add frills with the thrills. “Fun Ships” don’t have private elevators for guests between suite enclaves and main decks — at least not yet — but most of Carnival’s fleet offers VIP treatment when staying in certain zones. Excel-class suites, available on the 5,282-passenger Jubilee, Celebration and Mardi Gras, provide access at Loft 19, a top-deck sanctuary that offers super-comfortable lounge chairs, an exclusive and spacious infinity whirlpool, and rentable cabanas that come with such indulgences as dedicated concierge service, chilled towels, lunch delivery, and glorious shade.

Other perks of an Excel-class suite include sparkling wine and a fruit bowl upon arrival, soft drink package, and use of the Thermal Suites, which are dedicated relaxation centers that offer seafaring splendor in a variety of environments. Also worth a look before you book are the following communities that come with select services and amenities: Cuban-themed Havana on Vista, Horizon, Panorama and the three Excel ships (for guests 12 and over); Italian-accented Terrazza on Firenze and Venezia (same); wellness-focused Cloud 9 Spa on 13 ships; and Family Harbor. The latter stateroom and suite community, on Celebration, Horizon, Jubilee, Mardi Gras, Panorama and Vista, comes with daily breakfast and snacks in an exclusive family-friendly lounge stocked with age-appropriate video and board games, and movies, an evening of late-night babysitting service at Camp Ocean, and other cool stuff.

MSC Cruises ( msccruisesusa.com ), the third-largest cruise line after Royal Caribbean and Carnival, has the MSC Yacht Club, a winning response to the competition’s various exclusive suite enclaves. Strutting around the loftiest lodging on the beautiful 5,877-passenger Seascape and a dozen other ships in the fleet lends a feeling of being on a cruise within a cruise. Elegance begins with a less stressful embarkation process in port and continues onboard with full-service and buffet-style gourmet dining. Yacht Club privileges also include the best drink and internet packages, 24-hour butler and room service, special concierge desk, perks at the spa, afternoon tea, exclusive pools and lounges, and priority over commoners at several useful places. The Yacht Club experience continues on land should the itinerary include Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, where the private and serene Ocean House Beach awaits with ocean views, beachfront cabanas and inclusive amenities.

Moving on up to the premium category, Disney Cruise Line ( disneycruiseline.com ) has an E-ticket suite on its 4,000-passenger flagship, the mouska-riffic Disney Wish . The apex of accommodations has an avant-garde address. Nestled inside the one funnel that’s just for show is the “Moana”-themed Concierge Wish Tower Suite. Spread across 1,966 square feet and two levels connected by a spiral staircase are four bedrooms, four and one-half bathrooms, and enough space to sleep eight. The happiest place at sea is running about $35,000 for a family of five on a three-day Bahamian cruise next summer.

Within the luxury class, Windstar Cruises ( windstarcruises.com ) has three all-suite motorized Star Plus-class ships in a fleet filled out by a trio of Wind-class sailing yachts. Aboard each of the 312-passenger Star Plus vessels are three owners suites ranging in size from 575 to 1,374 square feet. Over the past two years, Windstar has rolled out two additional suites on each Star Plus yacht, and their concept is not only unique, but award winning. Earning bragging rights as “Best Suites at Sea” (small-ship division) at last year’s Cruise Ship Interior Awards were The Broadmoor and Sea Island suites that match the decor of their namesake five-star resorts in Colorado Springs and the Georgia coast, right down to the furniture, crown moldings and wallpaper.

Hitting the heights, which in the cruising world means the ultra-luxury category, Crystal ( crystalcruises.com ) offers up a 1,372-square-foot Crystal Penthouse Suite on the 740-guest Serenity, which went through a near-complete makeover in 2023. with expansive living areas, a private veranda, elaborate finishings, a Romanesque bathroom, dining area, big-enough private kitchen with a dishwasher and microwave, and, speaking from personal experience, one of the two best butler services at sea. (Seabourn has the other). At last check, bunking in the best of the best on an eight-day Mediterranean cruise was going for about $44,000 for two next summer.

The beauty of cruising is you don’t have to go big or go home. Living the suite life may cost thousands or tens of thousands, but even if the low end is too dear, cruise fares, like ships and passengers, come in all shapes and sizes.

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What is a cruise ship muster drill?

No, not "mustard." Muster. If you've been under the impression that this cruise ship staple involves condiments, listen up.

The mandatory muster drills — also known as cruise ship safety drills, safety briefings or lifeboat drills — serve to tell passengers all they need to know to stay safe on a cruise. They're the cruise ship equivalent of school fire drills.

True emergencies are rare at sea, but it's important for everyone on board to know what to do if an "abandon ship" order is given by the captain. That's where a muster drill is helpful.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

What is a muster drill on a cruise ship?

Cruise muster drills are mandatory safety briefings that all passengers must attend before the ship is allowed to sail. This applies even if you have cruised before.

The purpose of a cruise safety drill is to familiarize you with your assembly station, where you will gather in case of an emergency. Each passenger is assigned a station based on where their cabin is located, and each station has its own corresponding lifeboat.

During the drill, the crew will tell you where to find your life jackets and demonstrate how to properly put them on in the event they're needed.

The captain is also likely to make some announcements to go over general safety rules for the vessel (don't throw anything overboard, don't smoke except in designated areas, don't run on the wet pool deck, hold handrails in rough seas, etc.) and demonstrate the emergency signal — seven short blasts, followed by one long blast on the ship's alarm system, which can be ear-splitting.

Related: Cruise ship embarkation day do's and don'ts

How are muster drills conducted?

For years, ships forced passengers to gather at the same designated time in large groups, either out on deck by their lifeboats or in an indoor space, such as the theater, casino or a lounge.

When the COVID-19 pandemic created a need for social distancing, most big-ship cruise lines developed virtual muster drills , which can either be watched on cabin televisions or via cruise lines' mobile apps within a certain time frame after boarding.

As lines slowly rolled back their coronavirus protocols and returned ships to full capacity, Disney Cruise Line reverted to fully in-person drills, citing safety. Other major lines say they'll continue to offer e-muster and claim there's nothing unsafe about them.

In cases where lines continue to conduct e-muster drills, passengers must report to their designated muster stations to check in with crew members waiting there. Some will conduct a life jacket demonstration in person; others will merely verify that you've watched any required instructional videos. All will either scan your keycard or take down your name or cabin number to confirm you've done your due diligence.

Regarding fully in-person drills, some lines conduct a version where everything is done in real-time. Others gather everyone to watch a video in the same place simultaneously. Check with your cruise line to see which type of drill is offered.

Why do cruise ships have muster drills?

Cruise ships must conduct muster drills for all passengers on board before they are allowed to set sail. The purpose is to familiarize passengers with safety protocols and demonstrate what they must do in an emergency. Familiarizing them with the process beforehand eliminates an unnecessary layer of chaos and panic in the unlikely event of an emergency.

In 1914, Safety of Life at Sea regulations were implemented following the sinking of Titanic in 1912. Those familiar with the tragedy will know that so many died because there weren't enough lifeboats on board. The senselessness of those deaths led officials to realize changes were needed.

SOLAS seeks to hold all vessels to a consistent standard of safety to avoid further loss of life in a similar situation. As such, the SOLAS rules have been amended many times. They originally stated that muster drills had to occur within 24 hours of sailaway.

In 2013, following the sinking of Costa Concordia in Italy, a new amendment was made. It went into effect in 2015 and declared that muster drills had to be completed before the ship left the dock or immediately upon leaving, rather than within 24 hours of departure.

Related: 21 tips and hacks that will make your first cruise go smoothly

What happens if I skip the muster drill on my cruise?

If you fail to report to your assigned muster station by the cutoff time, your name and cabin number will be reported to the vessel's commanding officers, who might embarrass you by summoning you over the shipwide public address system.

A makeup drill will likely be conducted for those who missed it the first time around. However, in severe cases, those passengers will not be allowed to sail and could either be forced to disembark before the ship leaves or to depart in the next port of call.

For more cruise terminology, check out TPG's glossary of common cruise terms .

Got more cruise questions? TPG has answers:

• Man overboard: Why do people fall off cruise ships?
• What is baked Alaska, and why is it paraded around cruise ships?
• What are the largest cruise ships in the world?
• What is a lido deck on a cruise ship?
• What is tendering on a cruise ship?
• What's the difference between a cruise concierge and a butler?
• What is a gentleman host on a cruise?
• What is the Jones Act and how does it affect cruise ships?
• What's a cruise cabin guarantee and will it save you money?

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