Cruise News Roundup | Aired September 10, 2026| Episode 57
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Cruise Family, today’s Boarding Call has a Texas-sized ship reveal, an embarkation reminder for overexcited cruisers, a heartbreaking update from Sun Princess, and a little Disney holiday magic to close things out.
Carnival has officially opened reservations for Carnival Tropicale, its future Galveston-based Excel-class ship. Guests boarding Carnival Venezia in New York are being reminded not to arrive hours before their assigned boarding time. A Minnesota family is mourning the loss of a loved one following a serious accident aboard Sun Princess. And Disney Cruise Line has reportedly added another port to a Very Merrytime sailing from Galveston.
Here’s what cruisers need to know.
🤠 Carnival Tropicale Says “Howdy, Y’all”
Carnival Cruise Line has officially opened reservations for Carnival Tropicale, while construction on the future ship reaches another major milestone at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
And because Tropicale will eventually call Galveston, Texas home, Carnival brought a little Texas flavor all the way to Germany.
Think:
- Cowboy hats
- Western attire
- Texas decorations
- Barbecue
- Plenty of Lone Star energy
Somewhere in Germany, somebody was probably looking around that shipyard thinking:
“Why does everybody suddenly look like they’re heading to a rodeo?” 😂
Carnival Tropicale will become the fifth and final ship in Carnival’s Excel class and is scheduled to begin sailing from Galveston in April 2028.
The ship is leaning heavily into its Texas connection, including a Star of Texas displayed on the bow.
Planned itineraries include four-, five-, six-, and eight-day cruises visiting destinations such as:
- Celebration Key
- RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay
- Isla Tropicale in Roatán
- Puerta Maya in Cozumel
- Progreso
- Nassau
And Carnival is packing the ship with family-friendly attractions.
One of the biggest additions is Sunsation Point, featuring Carnival WaterWorks Ultra with six waterslides, plus a Route 66-inspired miniature golf course, an adventure trail, retro arcade-style entertainment, and new dining concepts.
Six waterslides?
At my age, I just need to know one thing:
Is there an elevator back to the top?
I will absolutely slide down.
But I am not climbing 84 flights of stairs just to prove I still know how to have fun. 😂
⏰ Carnival Venezia Guests: Please Stop Showing Up Early
Carnival had a message for guests boarding Carnival Venezia in Manhattan:
Please arrive during your assigned terminal appointment.
Translation?
Stop showing up three hours early. 😂
Carnival Venezia was scheduled to depart New York for a four-night Bermuda cruise, and because embarkation was expected to be busy, Carnival reminded guests to follow the arrival appointment selected during online check-in.
Not two hours before.
Not:
“Well, my friend’s appointment is at 10:30, so I came with her.”
Your appointment, friends.
Not hers. 😂
The arrival-time system is designed to spread thousands of passengers throughout the day instead of having everyone descend on the terminal at once.
That matters even more in New York, where the cruise terminal is much smaller than major embarkation hubs such as Miami or Port Canaveral.
Arriving too early can mean:
- more congestion
- longer waits
- crowded terminal areas
- being asked to wait until your actual appointment anyway
So if your appointment says 12:30 p.m., that does not mean standing outside the terminal at 9:15 a.m. staring through the gates.
Go eat breakfast.
Have a second cup of coffee.
Enjoy late checkout if you have it.
The ship will still be there.
💔 Family Mourns Passenger After Serious Sun Princess Accident
Now we move to a much more serious story.
A Minnesota family is mourning the loss of Stephen Junker, 58, a pastor and father of five who died after suffering a severe injury aboard Sun Princess.
According to the family account discussed in the episode, Junker was traveling in Italy with relatives to celebrate his son’s wedding.
On August 16, he reportedly fell into a swimming pool aboard the ship and was found face down and unresponsive.
He had suffered a serious spinal cord injury.
The Sun Princess medical team responded, and he was transferred ashore to Naples, Italy, for emergency care, where he underwent surgery.
His family later arranged his return to the United States.
On August 23, he was transferred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for additional treatment.
Sadly, doctors determined that his injuries could not be successfully treated, and he died on September 4, surrounded by family and friends.
Princess Cruises expressed condolences to his loved ones.
Junker served as pastor of Chippewa Lutheran Church in Brandon, Minnesota, for nearly a decade and was remembered by those close to him as someone devoted to his family, faith, and helping others.
This family boarded a cruise expecting to celebrate a wedding.
They came home facing an unimaginable loss.
Today, we simply extend our condolences to his wife, children, family, church family, friends, and everyone whose life he touched.
🎄 Disney Magic Adds More Holiday Magic
Let’s end with something lighter.
Usually, when cruise passengers get an itinerary-change email, somebody is asking:
“Why did they take away my port?”
But guests booked on the December 22 Very Merrytime sailing aboard Disney Magic from Galveston reportedly received the opposite kind of surprise.
Disney Cruise Line added another port to the five-night holiday itinerary.
Originally, the sailing featured Progreso, Mexico, along with multiple sea days.
Now, booked guests are getting extra destination time.
That is the kind of email I want to receive.
Not:
“Dear Guest, due to operational considerations…”
Because when an email starts like that, your itinerary is about to get rearranged like living-room furniture. 😂
I want:
“Dear Guest, SURPRISE! We bought you another vacation.”
The Very Merrytime sailing already includes:
- Christmas decorations
- holiday entertainment
- seasonal character appearances
- festive activities
- holiday-themed experiences
And now?
Another place to explore.
Disney basically said:
Merry Christmas, baby. We got you a port. 🎁🚢
And that gift doesn’t need batteries.
🚢 Travel Tip of the Day: Your Arrival Appointment Is There for a Reason
Today’s Carnival Venezia story gives us the perfect embarkation reminder.
Arriving extremely early does not necessarily mean you’ll board earlier.
Before embarkation morning:
- check your boarding pass
- verify your cruise terminal
- confirm your arrival appointment
- allow extra travel time for traffic
- know where you can wait if you arrive in the area early
If you get to the port area ahead of schedule, consider:
- staying at your hotel a little longer
- grabbing breakfast
- having coffee nearby
- relaxing somewhere outside the terminal
There is an important difference between:
Getting to the port area early
and
Walking into the terminal early
We want you early enough that you don’t miss the ship.
We do not need you early enough to help them tie the ship to the dock. 😂
⚓ Key Takeaways
Today’s Cruise News Roundup covered four very different stories.
Carnival Tropicale: Reservations are open, construction is progressing, and the future Galveston ship is embracing its Texas identity.
Carnival Venezia: Guests are being reminded to respect assigned terminal arrival times instead of crowding the terminal early.
Sun Princess: A family is mourning the loss of a passenger following a devastating onboard accident.
Disney Magic: Guests on a holiday sailing received the rare itinerary-change email everyone wants—the one that adds another destination.
💬 Join the Conversation
Cruise Family, I want to hear from you.
🤠 Are you excited about Carnival Tropicale and all the new features coming to Galveston?
⏰ When you receive a cruise terminal arrival appointment, do you actually follow it?
Or are you standing outside two hours early saying:
“Maybe they’ll let us in.” 😂
🎄 And Disney cruisers—how happy would you be to get an itinerary change that actually adds another port?
Drop your answers in the comments.
🧳 Ready to Plan Your Next Cruise?
Whether you’re interested in Carnival, Disney, Royal Caribbean, Princess, or another cruise line, Atlanta Travel Associates can help you compare ships, itineraries, hotels, transfers, excursions, and pre- or post-cruise stays.
📝 Start planning your next vacation with our online Guest Form:
🎙️ Keep Up With Cruise Therapy
Follow the Cruise Therapy Podcast for more cruise news, travel alerts, destination trends, travel tips, and—of course—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 Disney Treasure at the Haunted Mansion Parlor. 👻🍸
I’m ordering the Chilling Challenge—the drink with a secret message that only appears under a black light.
I’m just hoping that message says:
“Have one more drink.”
And Cruise Family…
Who am I to argue with the spirits? 😂
What are you ordering?
