It’s been a hectic news week for the cruise industry, and Cruise Hive has it all covered for you.
In this week’s top-story round-up, we’re highlighting Oceania Cruises’ decision to switch to an adult-only policy, the travel chaos that erupted in the Caribbean after the Venezuela military attack, and the arrest of a travel agent who allegedly scammed a group of cruisers out of more than $35,000.
And don’t forget you can keep track of all the latest news by subscribing to our daily updates!
Venezuela Attack Causes Travel Chaos For Cruisers
The US government’s January 3, 2026, military attack on Venezuela caused plenty of travel headaches for many cruise guests on their way to or from Caribbean destinations, since airspace was temporarily restricted in some areas.
Virgin Voyages was among the first cruise lines to issue an advisory to guests disembarking on January 3 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, one of the places where airspace was impacted. Guests would have to cope with flight disruptions at the island’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport following debarkation from Valiant Lady.
The 2,770-guest ship homeports at San Juan. Her next cruise, departing later that day, was altered to avoid port calls at Curacao and Aruba, which are just 40 and 18 miles from Venezuela, respectively.
Also based at San Juan, cruisers headed to or from Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas encountered similar problems, since the 2,100-guest ship was also disembarking and embarking guests on January 3.
As frustrating as those conditions were, they were not as chaotic as others. Some 5,000 guests booked on P&O Cruises’ fly-cruise packages from the UK to Barbados had to completely redo their travel plans.
Three aircraft carrying guests to the line’s Arvia, based in Barbados, turned around in mid-air and returned to the UK due to restricted air spaces in the Caribbean.
Those passengers were scheduled to embark the 5,200-guest ship on January 3. Guests due to disembark the ship and head back to the UK instead remained onboard, while new transportation plans were arranged for the next day.
Carnival Cruise Line Alerts Guests to Key Changes
It’s important to read all alerts and notices that cruise lines send out to booked guests, since they impart key information designed to keep everything running smoothly before and during a voyage.
Carnival Cruise Line issued three such advisories for upcoming sailings in January. Guests booked on Carnival Miracle’s January 4, 2026, sailing, a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise roundtrip from Tampa, learned that they must attend an in-person safety briefing before the ship departs.
The cruise line typically uses a self-mustering safety drill through its app, but for an unknown reason, reverted to the old format, whereby all guests must don their life vests and gather at their muster stations for a safety briefing.
In another advisory, the line reminded guests about rules surrounding the use and storage of mobility scooters. Guests sailing on Carnival Venezia’s January 11, 2026, Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral were sent a letter detailing that the devices cannot obstruct emergency exits, for instance, nor can they be left unattended, among other rules.
And finally, guests booked on Carnival Radiance’s January 5, 2026, sailing and Carnival Firenze’s January 8, 2026, cruise from Long Beach, California, were alerted to a parking issue at the port.
The two ships together can accommodate about 6,200 guests, and the on-site parking facility at Long Beach has capacity for just 1,450 vehicles. Passengers arriving by car will likely be diverted to an off-site parking lot, so guests should be prepared for that and leave extra time to arrive at the cruise terminal.
Alleged Travel Scam Leaves Cruisers Disappointed
A New York-based travel agent suspected of bilking clients out of thousands of dollars was arrested by Nassau County police.
Tavia Thomas, who operated Destiny Travel in East Meadow, New York, stands accused of five counts of grand larceny and three counts of scheme to defraud. Among the alleged victims is a group of nine people who booked a Royal Caribbean cruise through the agency.
The group, which was to sail from Bayonne, New Jersey, in July 2024, said they paid Thomas $35,753.98 for the cruise, but on arriving at the port found out that their bookings were fraudulent and, therefore, were null and void.
The disappointed cruisers were not the only people allegedly scammed by Thomas, age 47. Authorities say she received $5,000 from a couple booking a destination wedding at a resort, but the reservation was never made. She also allegedly took more than $10,000 to book a family vacation to the Dominican Republic, another trip that was never actually processed.
Police cited other cases of suspected fraud against customers in their January 6, 2026, announcement of her arrest.
Cabin Changes Revealed on Legend of the Seas
Some cruise guests booked on Royal Caribbean’s new-build Legend of the Seas have learned they will not be staying in the cabin category they originally booked.
The ship, under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland and due to launch on July 11, 2026, offers more than 20 cabin categories. For an unexplained reason, some staterooms have been “recategorized,” meaning that some guests are getting new cabin assignments.
The ship’s inaugural cruise is a 7-night Western Mediterranean sailing roundtrip from Rome. Some passengers received a notice from the line explaining that they have been reassigned.
For instance, in one case, guests who booked a Surfside Family View Balcony are getting a free upgrade to an Ocean View Balcony. The Surfside stateroom is interior facing, while the ocean view faces outward.
Both can sleep up to four guests, but the ocean view stateroom is slightly larger, at 205 square feet versus 196 in the Surfside cabin.
Some guests welcomed the change, but others didn’t. For example, a group that specifically chose a set of staterooms nearby each other — with some in connecting cabins, are not so pleased that they won’t be as close together as planned.
Oceania Cruises Shifts to Adult-Only Policy
The industry’s adult-only cruise line niche just got considerably bigger, now that Oceania Cruises is accepting reservations from guests 18 and older.
The upmarket line joins Virgin Voyages and Viking Cruises in the no-kids market, bringing its eight ships (with four new-builds on the way) into the fold.
Starting with bookings made on and after January 7, 2026, Oceania no longer accepts reservations for anyone under 18. All existing bookings made before that date are not affected by the new policy.
Oceania Cruises pointed to feedback from past guests and travel advisors, and its own research, as reasons for the change.
The brand, which appears to be taking steps toward the luxury market, was never known as a child-friendly line, as it offered no dedicated spaces or programs for children, although up to now, they were welcomed onboard.
Oceania Cruises operates smaller ships, accommodating between 700 and 1,200 guests. Its new-build Sonata, debuting in 2027, will be the largest, with capacity for 1,460 guests.
Getaway Cruise Experiences a Major Delay
A 2-night getaway sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas experienced a significant delay in embarkation on January 5, 2026, due to the ship’s late arrival back to Los Angeles that day.
The ship sails Mexican Riviera cruises, but this sailing had just one port call scheduled, in Ensenada, Mexico. Booked guests were alerted that the cruise terminal and parking lot would be closed until 3:30 p.m. on embarkation day, so guest arrival appointments were pushed back by 4.5 hours.
The reason was tied to the ship’s previous cruise, which was delayed in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, after a guest needed to be evacuated due to a medical emergency, according to passengers’ social media posts. As a result, the ship’s arrival in Los Angeles was far later than planned.
The parking situation was impacted since the disembarking guests had not yet returned to the port.
Once the ship got on her way, the time in Ensenada was lengthened by two hours, giving guests more time in the destination. Quantum of the Seas arrived in Ensenada at 8 a.m. on January 6, 2026, and remained until 6 p.m., rather than the originally planned 4 p.m.
Hawaii Cruise Tax Halted As CLIA Appeal Continues
Hawaii’s so-called “green fee,” a tax on cruise ship guests calling at the state’s port, did not take effect as planned on January 1, 2026.
The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals issued a temporary injunction on December 31, 2025, blocking the new law that would have added an 11% tax on gross cruise fares. The tax was to be prorated based on the number of days a cruise ship spends docked at the Hawaiian Islands ports.
Act 96, its official name, taxes cruise lines, hotel rooms, and vacation rentals, and is also known as the transient accommodations tax. The act is estimated to raise $100 million per year to address environmental and climate-related issues.
Besides the 11% tax by the state, individual counties in Hawaii could implement another 3%.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) sued the state, leading to the Court of Appeals ruling. The injunction, while temporary, enables CLIA’s appeal of the law to continue.
More Cruise Headlines
Ready for even more news and features? Cruise Hive invites you to check out our coverage of Princess Cruises expanding its roster of 2027 Northern Europe voyages, Norwegian Cruise Line opening new attractions at Great Stirrup Cay, and Royal Caribbean breaking ground on its new cruise terminal at PortMiami.
Also, find out why an MSC Cruises’ ship arrived 10 hours late to her port call in Brazil, and why Holland America Line is experiencing a booking surge in 2026 Europe voyages.
