Cruise News Roundup | Aired September 29, 2026| Episode 65
Prefer listening instead of reading? Enjoy the full episode of The Cruise Therapy Podcast, hosted by G-Free, your Cruise Therapist.
Crewmates, cruise addicts, sea mates, and saltwater souls — today’s Boarding Call covers two very serious stories, one unexpected onboard plumbing problem, and some cruise-policy changes that could hit your vacation budget harder than you expect.
A Florida mother is facing child-neglect charges after authorities allege four young children were left home alone while she went on a cruise. Federal authorities say an ongoing Boston operation has resulted in 87 foreign cruise crew members being removed. Harmony of the Seas had a burst pipe send warm water into a passenger corridor. And both Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean are changing pricing and cancellation rules.
And because it’s Cruise Day Tuesday, don’t forget to check the Cruise Therapy Facebook Group and Atlanta Travel Associates Business Page for current cruise promotions, vacation offers, and deals.
Grab your boarding pass, grab something from the bar, and let’s get into today’s cruise and travel news.
Florida Mother Arrested After Returning From a Cruise
This first story is difficult.
A 29-year-old North Miami Beach mother is facing four counts of child neglect after police allege she left four young children home without adult supervision while she went on a cruise to the Bahamas.
Authorities identified the woman as Nathalie Belizaire. According to court documents cited in the episode, the children included a two-month-old infant, a two-year-old, and two other young children.
Police say the children were discovered on Saturday, September 26, after the infant’s father went to the home and found them without an adult present. He then called 911.
According to the arrest affidavit, he had previously seen a social-media post that appeared to show Belizaire purchasing a Carnival cruise ticket.
Belizaire allegedly told investigators she intended for the children’s great-grandmother to watch them, but authorities say no supervising adult was present when officers arrived. She was arrested after returning from the cruise.
It’s important to be precise here:
These are criminal allegations. Belizaire is entitled to the presumption of innocence, and the court system still has to resolve the charges. Cruise Family, we all understand wanting a break.
Sometimes you want three, four, or seven days where nobody asks you for anything.
But when young children are involved, their safety has to come first.
This is one best left with investigators and the courts.
Federal Operation in Boston Has Removed 87 Cruise Crew Members
Now to another serious story.
Federal authorities say an ongoing operation in Boston targeting child sexual abuse and exploitation material among cruise ship crew members has resulted in the removal of 87 foreign cruise crew members.
The operation is called Operation Tidal Wave and involves:
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Homeland Security Investigations
- Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
CBP announced on September 25 that officers at the Port of Boston had removed 87 foreign cruise crew members during the ongoing investigation.
The latest publicly detailed enforcement action cited in the transcript occurred on September 20, when six Filipino crew members from Norwegian Breakaway were removed.
According to CBP, those six admitted during secondary interviews to previously possessing child sexual abuse or exploitation material.
In a separate but related Boston case, federal prosecutors also announced charges against Norwegian Jewel crew members accused of transporting child sexual abuse material.
That case remains pending in court.
Because these matters involve extremely serious allegations and ongoing federal investigations, it’s important not to go beyond what authorities have publicly stated.
The main takeaway is that the operation is ongoing, and Boston remains one of the ports where federal teams are actively screening crew members for this type of material.
Harmony of the Seas Gets an Unexpected Indoor Water Feature
Now we can lighten things up a little.
Passengers aboard Harmony of the Seas reportedly got a surprise when a pipe burst onboard and warm water began pouring into a hallway.
The water flooded the corridor and reportedly affected several nearby cabins.
One passenger shared video online and said the water was so warm it was actually steaming up her phone.
Passengers reported that the crew responded quickly, the affected area was being handled, and there was no indication at the time that the ship’s overall itinerary had been disrupted.
Pipe failures can happen in:
- Hotels
- Houses
- Office buildings
- and yes, cruise ships
But Crewmates, if I open my cabin door and somebody says:
“Be careful. The carpet is 110 degrees.”
I’m turning right back around. 😂
Princess Plus and Premier Packages Are Getting More Expensive
Now let’s talk about something else getting hot:
Cruise prices.
Princess Cruises is changing both its Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages for sailings departing on or after October 13.
Both packages will increase by $5 per person, per day.
The new pre-cruise pricing will be:
- Princess Plus: $65 → $70 per person, per day
- Princess Premier: $100 → $105 per person, per day
And guests who wait until they are onboard will pay more.
Princess is also changing standalone Wi-Fi.
The current four-device standalone Wi-Fi option is going away, and a two-device option is being added instead.
Now $5 a day may not sound dramatic.
Until Linda and Leroy book a 14-night cruise for two people.
That “little” increase becomes:
$5 × 14 days × 2 people = $140 more.
Suddenly five dollars brought several friends. 😂
Royal Caribbean Is Changing Its Cancellation Penalties
Princess is not the only cruise line changing the fine print.
Royal Caribbean is updating its cancellation penalty schedule beginning October 11.
The cruise line says the goal is to simplify the policy.
Cruises will now be grouped into:
- 1–4 nights
- 5–9 nights
- 10 nights or longer
One of the biggest changes affects cruises of five nights or longer.
Royal Caribbean is eliminating the old 25% cancellation penalty tier.
That means some guests who cancel inside the penalty window could move directly to losing 50% of the cruise fare.
For a 5–9 night cruise, canceling 89–61 days before sailing could mean a 50% penalty.
For cruises 10 nights or longer, that 50% penalty may begin as early as 119 days before departure.
This is why we read cancellation policies before we click Book Now.
Because:
“I changed my mind.”
can quickly turn into:
“I changed my mind…and apparently donated half my cruise fare.” 😂
Travel Tip of the Day: Write Down These Three Dates
Today’s Princess and Royal Caribbean stories give us the perfect travel tip.
Before you book a cruise — or add a package — write down three important dates:
- Your final payment date
- Your cancellation penalty date
- Any deadline for buying drink packages, Wi-Fi, insurance, or other extras at the lower pre-cruise price
Do not assume pricing and policies will stay the same forever.
Cruise lines regularly change:
- package pricing
- benefits
- deposit requirements
- cancellation windows
- upgrade rules
- pre-cruise discounts
And if you’re booking an expensive vacation far in advance, consider travel protection that fits your circumstances.
The best time to learn your cancellation policy is:
Before you need to cancel.
Not while you’re sitting on hold saying:
“Wait…HOW much am I losing?” 😳
Key Takeaways
Florida case: A North Miami Beach mother is facing child-neglect charges after authorities allege four young children were left without adult supervision while she cruised.
Boston operation: Federal authorities say Operation Tidal Wave has resulted in 87 foreign cruise crew members being removed during an ongoing investigation involving child sexual exploitation material.
Harmony of the Seas: A reported burst pipe sent warm water into a passenger hallway, but there was no indication at the time that the overall itinerary had been disrupted.
Princess Cruises: Plus and Premier packages are each increasing by $5 per person, per day for qualifying sailings.
Royal Caribbean: Cancellation penalties are changing, and some guests may now move directly into a 50% penalty window.
Travel Tip: Write down your final payment, cancellation-penalty, and pre-cruise purchase deadlines.
Join the Conversation
Cruise Family, I want to hear from you.
Princess cruisers:
Are Plus and Premier still worth it after another $5-per-day increase?
Royal Caribbean cruisers:
Does the new cancellation schedule make you more likely to buy travel protection?
And Harmony cruisers, if you opened your cabin door and found warm water flooding the hallway, are you:
A. Calling Guest Services
B. Recording it
C. Putting the robe back on and heading to another deck 😂
Drop your answers in the comments.
Ready to Plan Your Next Cruise?
Cruise pricing, package rules, cancellation policies, and deadlines can change.
Atlanta Travel Associates can help coordinate:
- Cruise reservations
- Pre- and post-cruise hotels
- Airfare
- Transfers
- Shore excursions
- Cruise packages
- Travel protection
- Vacation planning
Keep Up With Cruise Therapy
Follow the Cruise Therapy Podcast Facebook Group for cruise news, travel alerts, destination trends, 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 Carnival Jubilee.
Meet me at the Alchemy Bar, where the bartenders are mixing up a prescription for vacation.
My symptoms?
Too much work.
Not enough cruising.
And a severe case of “I need another vacation.”
It’s doctor’s orders. 🍹😂
What are you having?
