Top 5 Cruise News Stories for Oct 19, 2026

Norwegian Cruise Line Warns of Scam Emails Containing Real Passenger Information

Imagine receiving an email threatening to cancel your fully paid cruise unless you verify your reservation immediately. It includes your full name, booking number, sailing date and even the exact amount you paid. You might think it's legitimate, but Norwegian Cruise Line is warning guests about fraudulent emails doing exactly that.

Passengers have been reporting suspicious messages that appear to come from Norwegian, with some saying they've received multiple emails about their upcoming cruises. The messages direct guests to questionable websites and may ask them to verify payment information or provide credit card details to prevent their reservation from being cancelled.What's particularly concerning is that the emails reportedly contain accurate information about actual bookings, including reservations involving children. That makes these messages much more convincing than the typical phishing email.

Norwegian has posted an official guest advisory confirming that it is investigating reports of fraudulent emails claiming to be from the cruise line. The company warns guests not to click links, respond to the messages or provide personal or payment information.

Norwegian has not confirmed a data breach or explained how the scammers obtained the reservation details.

So, what should you do if one of these emails lands in your inbox?

First, don't click the links, even if the message contains information only your cruise line should know. Instead, visit Norwegian's official website yourself or contact your travel advisor. If you need to call the cruise line, get the phone number directly from its official website rather than trusting a number included in the suspicious email or found in an unfamiliar search result.

Also, be suspicious of any message creating urgency by threatening to cancel your cruise unless you act immediately. That pressure is a common tactic scammers use to get people to make mistakes.

We've warned about cruise scams before, but this is a reminder that scammers can make their messages look remarkably convincing. Real reservation information does not prove an email is legitimate.

The last thing anyone wants is to lose money or compromise their personal information while preparing for a vacation. When in doubt, go directly to the source and verify everything independently.

Carnival Introduces FunPacks With Savings of Up to 55%

Carnival Cruise Line is giving cruisers a new way to bundle popular extras and potentially save money with the launch of FunPacks, a collection of vacation packages designed for different travel styles.

Available for a limited time, FunPacks combine add-ons such as Wi-Fi, beverages, shore excursions, specialty dining, spa and photo discounts, and family-friendly perks into one pre-cruise purchase. Carnival says guests can save 35% to 55% compared with purchasing the included items individually.

There are four options: Kidstarter, Zero Proof, Social and Epic. Carnival is also introducing CHEERS! Social, a new beverage option available exclusively through the Social FunPack. It includes unlimited non-alcoholic beverages plus three alcoholic drinks per day.

Guests can book FunPacks through Carnival's My Cruise Manager from October 13 through October 30, 2026, for sailings departing October 31, 2026, through December 31, 2027.

There's another pricing change cruisers should know about, too. Beginning December 1, Carnival will introduce dynamic pricing for beverage packages and Wi-Fi plans, meaning prices may vary depending on the sailing length, itinerary and season.

The new packages could offer savings for cruisers who plan to use several of the included extras, but it's worth comparing the package price with what you would actually purchase separately before booking.

Would you rather bundle your cruise extras into one package, or continue paying for only the things you want and what do you think about the dynamic pricing? Let us know in the comments.

Utopia of the Seas Gets an Unexpected Buzz as Bees Swarm Pool Deck

Guests boarding Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas for a Bahamas cruise on October 12 got an unexpected surprise on the pool deck. A swarm of bees had taken up residence underneath a shade umbrella on Deck 15, near the waterslide exits.

Video shared on Reddit showed a person wearing protective beekeeping gear carefully removing the bees using a vacuum-like device. It wasn’t clear whether the person was a crew member or a hired specialist brought aboard to handle the situation.

Fortunately, the bee removal didn’t appear to affect the ship’s departure or its scheduled itinerary. Utopia of the Seas continued with its four-night Bahamas sailing, which included stops in Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

As you might expect, the incident attracted plenty of jokes online. One commenter suggested the ship should be renamed “Uto-bee-a of the Seas,” while another joked that the bees simply wanted to visit CocoCay.

This also isn't the first time bees have made an unexpected appearance aboard a cruise ship. Similar incidents have been reported on other vessels, including Carnival’s Valor during a visit to Cozumel in 2024.

While a swarm of bees might not be what passengers expect to find beside the pool, removing them carefully is important, particularly for guests who have serious bee-sting allergies.

Thankfully, this unexpected buzz appears to have been a brief interruption rather than a cruise vacation disaster. And with no reported itinerary changes, the bees didn't seem to have any impact on the guests' plans.

One thing is certain: this was one pool-deck party nobody had on their cruise planner!

MSC Cruises Ends Status Match in Multiple Countries

If you’ve been thinking about trying MSC Cruises and wanted to bring your loyalty status from another cruise line with you, you may want to pay attention to this story!

MSC Cruises has ended its popular Status Match program in Spain, France, and Italy, effective Thursday, October 15, 2026. That means new applications from guests in those countries will no longer be accepted, although applications submitted before the deadline will still be processed if eligible.

The program has been a great way for cruisers to try MSC without starting their loyalty journey from scratch. It allowed guests to submit their status from more than 75 loyalty programs, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Disney Cruise Line, and select hotel, airline, and casino programs.

We actually took advantage of this program ourselves. Our Platinum status with Royal Caribbean helped us qualify for Gold status with MSC, giving us access to additional loyalty benefits even before building up a sailing history with the cruise line.

But here’s the important part: MSC says guests who already received matched status will not automatically lose it because the program is ending. Their existing tier will remain valid, subject to the normal rules for maintaining, renewing, and upgrading their status.

MSC has also given no indication that its Voyagers Club loyalty program itself is ending. For now, the change affects the ability to submit new Status Match applications in the countries where the program has been discontinued.

So, why is MSC making this move?

The cruise line hasn’t provided a broad explanation for the decision. One possibility is that the program has become so successful that MSC wants more guests to earn their loyalty status by sailing with the company. But that's speculation, not a confirmed reason.

And here’s the big question for American cruisers: Will the United States be next?

As of this report, the Status Match application remains available on MSC’s US website, as well as several other international websites. However, with the program now discontinued in multiple European countries, it’s worth watching to see whether additional markets follow.

If you’re in the US and have been considering a status match, check MSC’s official website to confirm that applications are still being accepted before submitting yours.

What do you think? Should cruise lines recognize your loyalty to competitors to encourage you to try something new, or should you have to earn your status by sailing with that specific company?

Let us know in the comments, and subscribe for more cruise news!

Former Royal Caribbean Ship Majesty of the Seas for Sale for $40 Million

Ever dream of having an entire cruise ship to yourself? No crowds, no lines, and nobody telling you it’s time to get off the ship on debarkation day? Well, for the right price, you could become the owner of your very own cruise ship!

The former Royal Caribbean ship Majesty of the Seas is reportedly being offered for sale for $40 million through YachtWorld, a boat sales platform based in Miami.

The listing calls it a “1992 Custom 880' Cruise Ship” without naming the vessel. However, the ship’s specifications, design, and even the iconic Royal Caribbean crown and anchor logo visible in listing photos make its identity clear.

Originally built in France in 1992, Majesty of the Seas measures 880 feet long and weighs in at nearly 74,000 gross tons. She could accommodate up to 2,767 passengers and 912 crew members.

The ship was sold to Greek ferry company Seajets in 2020, renamed Majesty, and then renamed Majesty of the Oceans in 2021.

Despite her age, this former cruise ship still boasts plenty of amenities, including a casino, show theater, fitness center, two swimming pools, four hot tubs, multiple dining venues, retail spaces, and even an outdoor theater.

But is $40 million really a bargain?

When Majesty of the Seas was built, she reportedly cost $300 million. At today’s asking price, that represents a discount of nearly 95% compared with her original construction cost. Just like a car, let someone else take the depreciation first.

Of course, these ships are from completely different generations, and operating costs, maintenance, and the expense of bringing an older vessel back into service are major considerations.

Still, the listing describes the ship as a unique opportunity and claims she is well priced.

So, would you buy a cruise ship if you had $40 million to spend? And more importantly, what would you do with it? I have the first $20 if you all want to chip in and buy it together.

Let us know in the comments.

We are Tim & Lori and are known as "The Cruising Together Couple"  

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