IN THIS ISSUE
IN SUMMARY
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake shook cruise ships near Cuba on June 8, the strongest near the island in 150 years, shaking the Margaritaville Islander for about 20 seconds. Holland America's Zaandam also cut its Alaska sailing short, and Carnival VIFP members have until September 1 to enroll in Carnival Rewards or lose their status.
⚠️ TRAVEL ADVISORIES
ADVISORY
Ships Rock in Cuba Earthquake
A 6.1 earthquake struck off Cuba on June 8, the strongest in 150 years, shaking nearby cruise ships with no injuries, no damage, and no sailing disruptions
The biggest earthquake near Cuba since the 1870s shook ships at sea for about 20 seconds on June 8. Zero damage. Zero disruptions.
Margaritaville at Sea's Islander and Norwegian Escape were nearest the epicenter per tracking data.
Passenger Joe Millender reported items falling and passengers "trying to hold on" for about 20 seconds.
The quake was felt at PortMiami, Port Canaveral, and Port Tampa Bay. No tsunami warning was issued.
❓Should cruisers worry about Caribbean earthquakes? No. Modern ships flex under seismic stress, and no cruise line reported disruptions.
🚢 FLEET WATCH
INCIDENT
Zaandam Cuts Alaska Voyage Short
Holland America's Zaandam cut its Alaska cruise short after a propulsion failure cancelled Skagway, Ketchikan, and Glacier Bay. Guests receive a 50% refund plus 50% FCC.
Holland America's Zaandam abandoned its Alaska itinerary after a propulsion failure left it unable to reach normal speed.
The 1,432-guest ship stayed in Juneau overnight for emergency repairs before sailing straight back to Vancouver, cancelling Skagway, Ketchikan, and Glacier Bay.
Holland America is offering a 50% base fare refund plus 50% future cruise credit. Shore excursion costs for cancelled ports are automatically refunded.
🛟 What to do if your Alaska cruise cuts short: Confirm excursion refunds in writing before disembarkation. Future cruise credits cover base fare only.
🏝 PORT CHANGES
MILESTONE
Alaska Gets Its Biggest Cruise Terminal
Royal Caribbean and the Alaska Railroad opened the $137 million Dale R. and Carol Ann Lindsey Terminal in Seward, Alaska's largest cruise terminal
Seward, Alaska opened the state's largest cruise terminal after a $137 million investment, with direct rail access to the interior built in.
The facility sits next to the Alaska Railroad station, so one-way cruisers can step off the ship and onto a train.
Royal Caribbean holds preferential berthing under a 30-year pier agreement.
🎯 What this means for your Alaska cruise: One-way Seward cruises now have direct rail access to the interior with no separate transfer needed.
💳 REWARDS WATCH
POLICY UPDATE
Carnival VIFP Opt-In Deadline Is Real
Carnival VIFP members must enroll in Carnival Rewards before September 1. Miss the deadline and you lose all accumulated status.
Carnival Rewards launches September 1. VIFP status does not transfer automatically. Check your email now.
Find the "Enroll & Accept" banner on carnival.com or in your opt-in email. Your VIFP tier as of August 31 becomes your guaranteed minimum status through December 2028.
Anyone reaching Diamond by August 31 earns Lifetime Diamond with no future re-qualification required.
🚨 Action step: Open your Carnival account and click "Enroll & Accept." September 1 is firm.
💰 DEAL RADAR
DEAL
Disney Kids Sail 50% Off: Five Days Left
Disney's Together at Sea sale: 50% off kids' fares on select sailings October 2026 through March 2027. Book by June 14, 2026.
Disney's Together at Sea sale covers Halloween, Very Merrytime, Pixar Day, and Marvel Day sailings. Five days left to book.
Up to three kids (17 and under) sail at 50% off with two full-fare adults in the same stateroom.
Deadline: June 14. Book at disneycruise.com.
💵 Why this matters for your wallet: Savings reach $1,200 or more for a family of four. Bluey and Bingo are joining the Disney Wish this summer.
⚓ PEOPLE WATCH
INCIDENT
Crew Member Dies on St. Kitts Volcano
Royal Caribbean crew member Wang Zyuan, 33, found dead June 1 on Mount Liamuiga in St. Kitts after going missing on a solo hike during a port call
A five-day search ended in tragedy June 1 when rescuers found Wang Zyuan's body on Mount Liamuiga.
Wang disappeared May 27 during the Rhapsody of the Seas port call in Basseterre, called emergency services to report he was lost, then lost contact.
Mount Liamuiga is rated "extremely strenuous" on Royal Caribbean's website.
📌 What to know about solo shore excursions: Tell someone on the ship where you are going, stay on marked trails, and know that port time limits mean short search windows.
🧭 TRAVEL HACK
NOTICE
San Juan Cruises Now Need a Passport
Princess Cruises now requires a passport for Crown Princess and Emerald Princess sailings from San Juan. Barbados as a second embarkation point breaks the closed-loop exception.
If you booked Princess from San Juan planning to use a birth certificate and ID, that option is gone.
Princess added Barbados as an embarkation option for some Crown and Emerald Princess sailings.
Because passengers can now board in San Juan or Barbados, these are no longer closed-loop and a passport is required.
Travel hack: A U.S. passport card costs $65, works for all cruise embarkations, and fits in your wallet.
✅ What to do right now: Booked on Crown Princess or Emerald Princess from San Juan? Apply for a passport immediately. Standard processing takes 6-8 weeks.
🛳 CRUISE BUSINESS
POLICY UPDATE
Norwegian Star's Itinerary Is a Different Cruise
Norwegian Star's November 13, 2027 sailing is now a different cruise: Lisbon replaced by Tarragona, Spain, and Atlantic and North African ports swapped for Mediterranean stops
Passengers booked on Norwegian Star's November 2027 Atlantic sailing will find a Mediterranean cruise departing from a different country.
The original itinerary called at the Canary Islands, Funchal, and Morocco.
The new route visits Marseille, La Spezia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, and Salerno.
NCL cited "port availability in Lisbon."
Passengers can switch to the November 22 sailing, which keeps the original Atlantic routing, or request a refund.
🎯 What this means if you're booked: Morocco, the Canary Islands, and Portugal are gone. Contact NCL now. You have 17 months.
📈 CRUISE STOCK
UP
Full Sector Rally Tuesday
All four cruise stocks rallied Tuesday, June 9, with RCL leading at 3.8%
Closing prices for Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Ticker | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
CCL | $27.75 | ▲ +2.7% |
RCL | $282.26 | ▲ +3.8% |
NCLH | $19.03 | ▲ +2.6% |
VIK | $90.31 | ▲ +1.3% |
Carnival (CCL) closed at $27.75, up 2.7%.
Royal Caribbean (RCL) closed at $282.26, up 3.8%, as the Seward Alaska terminal opening highlighted its long-term infrastructure investment.
Norwegian (NCLH) closed at $19.03, up 2.6%.
Viking (VIK) closed at $90.31, up 1.3%.
🌍 Bigger picture: Tuesday's rally suggests summer booking strength is outpacing the week's operational noise, including propulsion failures and itinerary overhauls.