Cruise News Roundup | Aired September 24, 2026| Episode 62
Prefer listening instead of reading? Enjoy the full episode of The Cruise Therapy Podcast, hosted by G-Free, your Cruise Therapist.
Cruise Family, today’s Boarding Call has weather drama, a casino dispute, a new VIP-style private-island experience, and even more competition coming to Europe’s rivers.
A powerful nor’easter is forcing itinerary changes for both Carnival and Royal Caribbean. One Royal Caribbean passenger is challenging a cruise ban tied to alleged card counting. Holland America is adding a new premium beach club at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. And both Celebrity Cruises and Explora Journeys are making moves into river cruising.
Grab your boarding pass, grab something from the bar, and let’s get into today’s cruise and travel news.
🌧️ Nor’easter Says: “Your Itinerary? That’s Cute.”
Mother Nature is rearranging cruise vacations along the East Coast.
Carnival Venezia departed New York for a four-night Bermuda sailing, but rough conditions developing along the route home forced Carnival to make changes.
The ship arrived in Bermuda earlier than planned and also departed earlier on September 22, giving the captain more flexibility to take a safer and more comfortable route back to New York.
So if you packed that perfect overnight Bermuda outfit?
Back into the suitcase it goes.
But Carnival wasn’t the only cruise line adjusting plans.
Royal Caribbean took an even bigger detour.
Guests boarding Vision of the Seas in Baltimore expected a nine-night Canada and New England itinerary featuring Boston, Portland, Saint John, Halifax, fall foliage, sweaters, and maybe a little lobster.
Instead?
“How do you feel about Florida?” 😂
The sailing was rerouted south to:
- Port Canaveral
- Nassau
- Grand Bahama Island
The ship also remained overnight in Baltimore and was scheduled to depart the following day after conditions improved. Royal Caribbean will refund guests for shore excursions booked for the original Canada and New England ports.
Imagine packing fall boots and a raincoat for New England…
…and suddenly somebody yells:
“Beach day!”
Who is helping me turn this cardigan into a cover-up?
The serious point, though, is that cruise ships can move when dangerous weather develops. That flexibility can mean shorter port calls, different destinations, or a complete itinerary change.
In this case:
Bermuda got shorter, and Canada became the Bahamas.
🎰 Royal Caribbean Passenger Challenges Casino-Related Cruise Ban
Now to a cruise casino story with a lot of moving parts.
An Australian passenger named Mark Timothy Grant is challenging Royal Caribbean after the cruise line canceled five complimentary cruises he says he earned through Casino Royale.
One of those cruises was scheduled aboard Quantum of the Seas from Brisbane in 2025.
According to the episode, Royal Caribbean contacted Grant three days before departure and told him the cruise was canceled.
Then all five of his complimentary sailings were canceled.
Grant still went to the terminal but was denied boarding.
Later, Royal Caribbean told a tribunal that its global security team had placed Grant on a no-sail list after reviewing his casino activity.
The cruise line alleged that he violated casino rules involving advantage play, including alleged card counting.
Grant disputes Royal Caribbean’s action and is seeking more than $22,000 Australian dollars in compensation for the canceled cruises.
His original case was dismissed over jurisdiction.
However, that decision was later overturned on appeal, allowing the underlying dispute to return to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
And this distinction matters:
The appeals ruling did not determine whether Grant counted cards.
It also did not decide whether Royal Caribbean had the right to ban him or whether compensation is owed.
Those questions remain unresolved.
So for now?
To be continued.
Or as GFree put it:
Casino Royale said know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em…
…and Royal Caribbean apparently added:
“Know when you’re not getting back onboard.” 😂
🏖️ Holland America Is Adding a New Beach Club at Half Moon Cay
Now let’s get off the ship and find a lounge chair.
Holland America has announced a new premium beach club at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay as part of upgrades ahead of the private island’s 30th anniversary in 2027.
Bookings for the new beach club are expected to open in early October.
A day pass is expected to include:
- priority tendering
- dedicated waiter service
- all-inclusive alcoholic drinks
- all-inclusive non-alcoholic drinks
- beach accessories
- specialty food and beverage options
And outside the premium beach club, Holland America is also making broader island improvements.
Those upgrades include:
- a complimentary island food pavilion
- a new barbecue menu
- refreshed bars and restaurants
- upgraded cabanas
- more daybeds
- more canopy loungers
- additional beach chairs
- four pickleball courts
Yes.
Pickleball.
Because apparently somebody looked at a beautiful private island in the Bahamas and said:
“You know what this beach needs? A paddle sport.” 😂
Linda and Leroy can go play.
I’ll be over here making friends with the waiter and protecting my lounge chair.
🚢 River Cruising Is Entering Its Main-Character Era
Ocean cruise lines are coming for the rivers.
Explora Journeys has announced plans to enter the European river cruise market.
According to the episode, Explora signed a letter of intent with Dutch shipbuilder Den Breejen Shipyard.
The company has not yet revealed:
- what the ships will look like
- how many ships are planned
- exact launch dates
- which European rivers will come first
But sales are expected to open in 2027.
That’s a big move for a cruise brand that only launched its first ocean ship in 2023.
And Explora isn’t alone.
Celebrity Cruises is already further along.
Its first river ship, Celebrity Compass, touched water for the first time on September 12 in the Netherlands.
The ship completed its first float-out in Rotterdam before traveling roughly 40 miles to another shipyard for the next phase of construction.
Celebrity Compass is scheduled to debut in August 2027 and sail the Rhine and Danube rivers.
Eventually, it will be joined by Celebrity Seeker.
So now we have Celebrity coming.
Explora coming.
And you already know everybody else is watching.
Why?
Because river cruising offers something different:
- smaller ships
- city-center docking
- longer destination time
- intimate itineraries
- European scenery
- and, most importantly…
European wine. 🍷😂
Somebody in a cruise-company boardroom is already saying:
“Build me a river ship.”
River cruising may officially be entering its main-character era.
🌦️ Travel Tip of the Day: Watch the Cruise Before Yours
Today’s weather stories give us an important travel-planning reminder.
If severe weather is developing around your cruise, don’t only monitor your sailing.
Watch the cruise immediately before yours too.
Why?
Because even if the weather is beautiful on your embarkation day, your ship may still arrive late after having to:
- slow down
- change course
- wait for rough seas to improve
- divert around a storm
That delay can affect:
- embarkation
- your first port
- excursions
- onboard scheduling
- or even the entire itinerary.
Keep your cruise line’s app notifications turned on.
Check:
✅ email
✅ text messages
✅ app notifications
✅ itinerary updates
And please do not ignore a cruise-line message on embarkation morning.
Because Mother Nature does not care that you booked the 11:30 a.m. arrival appointment.
She did not read your boarding pass. 😂
⚓ Key Takeaways
Today’s Boarding Call covered weather, casinos, beach clubs, and river cruising.
Nor’easter: Carnival Venezia shortened its Bermuda visit, while Vision of the Seas was rerouted from Canada and New England to Florida and the Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean Casino Dispute: A passenger is challenging a no-sail decision and the cancellation of five complimentary cruises connected to alleged advantage play.
Half Moon Cay: Holland America is adding a new premium beach club and broader island upgrades.
River Cruising: Explora Journeys is planning to enter European river cruising, while Celebrity Compass has already completed its first float-out.
Travel Tip: When weather threatens your sailing, watch the ship’s current itinerary—not just your own departure date.
💬 Join the Conversation
Cruise Family, I want to hear from you.
🍂 If you booked a Canada and New England fall cruise and suddenly got rerouted to Florida and the Bahamas, would you be:
A. Disappointed
B. Just happy to be cruising
C. Looking for somebody to find you some shorts 😂
🎰 Casino players: what do you think about the Royal Caribbean dispute?
🚢 And river cruisers: would you consider trying a river cruise if one of your favorite ocean cruise brands offered it?
Drop your thoughts in the comments.
🧳 Ready to Plan Your Next Cruise?
Whether you’re looking at the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, an ocean cruise, or even a future river cruise, Atlanta Travel Associates can help coordinate the details.
That includes:
- cruises
- hotels
- transfers
- flights
- pre- and post-cruise stays
- excursions
- vacation planning
📝 Start planning here: Trip Inquiry Form
🎙️ Keep Up With Cruise Therapy
Follow the Cruise Therapy Podcast for cruise news, travel alerts, destination trends, cruise tips, and your regular dose of Cruise Therapy.
Again, I’m GFree, your Cruise Therapist.
Until our next therapy session:
Keep calm.
Keep cruising.
And keep listening.
And I’ll SEA you aboard Legend of the Seas at Dueling Pianos. 🎹🍹🚢
The drinks are flowing.
The crowd is singing.
The piano battle is on.
And please pour me a tequila shot because I’m about to sing like nobody knows me.
If somebody hands me the microphone after that tequila kicks in?
It’s between the piano player, me…and the Lord. 😂
What are you having?
