IN THIS ISSUE
IN SUMMARY
A Royal Caribbean passenger has been missing on a volcanic mountain in St. Kitts since Wednesday as a multi-agency search enters its third day. Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas lost propulsion mid-sailing and dropped Jamaica, while Silversea's Silver Whisper rescued an injured solo sailor in the Pacific. Celebrity Cruises added Double and Triple Zenith tiers to Captain's Club, effective June 11.
⚠️ TRAVEL ADVISORIES
DEVELOPING
Hantavirus Holds at 13 Cases
MV Hondius Andes virus outbreak stable as of May 26 with 13 total cases, 3 deaths, Rotterdam crew quarantine through June 29, no risk to mainstream cruise passengers
The MV Hondius Andes hantavirus outbreak has held at 13 total cases with no new deaths, confined to one expedition ship on a remote South Atlantic voyage, with no elevated risk to mainstream cruise passengers.
🌊 Cruise 101: The Andes virus is the only hantavirus strain that spreads between humans, which is why this small expedition ship outbreak drew international attention.
The ECDC confirmed 13 total cases as of May 26, 11 confirmed, 2 probable, one new case since the prior update, no new deaths.
Oceanwide Expeditions CEO Rémi Bouysset said the data strongly suggests exposure occurred on land before departure from Ushuaia on April 1, not aboard the vessel.
The 23 remaining crew are quarantined in Rotterdam through June 29, the vessel's scheduled May 29 sailing from Keflavik did not proceed.
❓Should cruisers worry about the hantavirus outbreak on cruise ships? No, the CDC, WHO, and ECDC all rate mainstream passenger risk as extremely low, with no connection to Caribbean, Mediterranean, or Alaska itineraries.
🚢 FLEET WATCH
INCIDENT
Allure of the Seas Drops Jamaica After Propulsion Failure
Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas loses propulsion mid-sailing May 26, cancels Falmouth, substitutes Nassau twice and returns to Fort Lauderdale on schedule May 30
Passengers on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas Memorial Day sailing lost their Jamaica stop after a propulsion system failure forced the ship to slow down and reroute.
Falmouth, Jamaica, scheduled May 27, was canceled entirely; Nassau was substituted twice, giving guests two full Nassau days in place of Jamaica.
Compensation by category: inside and oceanview guests received $100 onboard credit; balcony $150; suites $200; prepaid Falmouth excursions automatically refunded within 14 days.
The May 30 return to Fort Lauderdale is on schedule and the following 8-night Eastern Caribbean sailing is unaffected.
❓What should you do if your cruise skips a port? Prepaid excursions refund automatically. Document additional concerns with guest services in writing onboard to strengthen any post-cruise claim.
Also in Fleet Watch: Silversea's Silver Whisper diverted in the open Pacific on May 26 to rescue a solo sailor whose yacht April Alice lost its mast, power, and communications. The injured sailor was safely aboard within one hour, and the 392-passenger vessel is continuing to Vancouver on schedule.
📌 Worth knowing: Under SOLAS, every ship at sea is legally required to render assistance to any vessel or person in distress. No exceptions for any cruise line.
🏝 PORT CHANGES
NOTICE
Galveston Terminal 28 Rerouted Starting Today
TxDOT construction on Harborside Drive at 33rd Street limits Galveston Cruise Terminal 28 access May 29 through July. Carnival Dream and Carnival Breeze passengers use 37th Street alternate route
Passengers sailing from Galveston's Cruise Terminal 28 face a new traffic pattern starting today, with TxDOT construction running through at least July.
The 33rd Street and Harborside Drive entrance has limited access. Use 37th Street northbound from Harborside, or approach via Broadway then north on 37th Street.
Carnival Dream Saturday and Carnival Breeze June 6 are most directly affected. Terminals 10, 16, and 25 are unaffected.
✅ What to do right now: Allow an extra 30-45 minutes and use Broadway to 37th Street. Standard GPS may not reflect the new restrictions.
💳 REWARDS WATCH
REWARDS
Celebrity Adds Two New Loyalty Tiers
Celebrity Cruises expands Captain's Club with Double Zenith at 6,000 points and Triple Zenith at 9,000 points effective June 11, 2026. Top reward is a complimentary 7-night Sky Suite sailing
Celebrity Cruises announced the most significant Captain's Club expansion in years, two new elite tiers above Zenith and five new milestone reward levels, all effective June 11, 2026.
🌊 Cruise 101: In Celebrity's Captain's Club, you earn points based on your stateroom category and number of nights sailed. Zenith requires 3,000 club points. Double Zenith is achieved at 6,000 and Triple Zenith at 9,000.
Two new tiers debut June 11: Double Zenith at 6,000 points and Triple Zenith at 9,000 points.
Triple Zenith earns a complimentary 7-night Bermuda or Caribbean cruise in a Sky Suite, specialty lunch every sailing day, specialty dinner on milestone voyages, and champagne.
Double Zenith earns specialty dining on embarkation day, specialty dinner on milestone cruises, and champagne recognition.
Five new intermediate milestones between Elite Plus and Zenith. 1,500 points unlocks 480 minutes of Wi-Fi and 20% off specialty dining; 2,250 points bumps to 720 minutes and 25% off.
Existing Zenith members keep all current benefits and gain new rewards automatically on June 11. No status lost.
🚨 Action step: Log into your Captain's Club account before June 11 to confirm your point total and see which milestone benefits unlock automatically.
💰 DEAL RADAR
DEAL
Three Cruise Sales Expire Sunday Night
Royal Caribbean Flash Deals, MSC Memorial Day Kids Sail Free, and Norwegian Flash Sale all end June 1 at 11:59 p.m. EST
Three cruise lines have active Memorial Day weekend sales expiring June 1.
Royal Caribbean Flash Deals and Beat the Clock both launched today, discounted sailings are in the dedicated Deals section at RoyalCaribbean.com, not the standard fare search.
MSC's Memorial Day sale: up to 40% off plus Kids Sail Free for guests 17 and under as third or fourth guest, not available on Yacht Club sailings.
Norwegian's Flash Sale: up to $500 instant savings on balcony-and-higher staterooms. 6-night-or-longer suites save $500 per stateroom, ending June 1 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
✅ What to do right now: Check RoyalCaribbean.com's dedicated Flash Deals section directly. Those sailings won't surface in a standard fare search. All three sales close Sunday night.
⚓ PEOPLE WATCH
INCIDENT
Search Continues for Missing St. Kitts Hiker
Wang Zyuan, 33, missing on Mount Liamuiga since May 27 extends to day three of a multi-agency search, cell tower data guiding Friday operations, likely sailed on Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas
A 33-year-old cruise passenger has been missing on Mount Liamuiga in St. Kitts since Wednesday. Today is day three of a multi-agency search using cell tower data.
Wang Zyuan was last seen at 10 a.m. on May 27 on the Mount Liamuiga trail near Basseterre alone, without a guide, wearing black clothing and red shoes.
He called emergency services at approximately 2 p.m. to report he was lost, then communication was lost entirely. Teams have combed the hillside up to the mountain crater.
Cell tower data is directing Friday's search, per the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force. The Defence Force, Fire and Rescue, and NEMA are all involved. Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas was the only ship in port that day; the ship has since departed on schedule.
📌 Worth knowing: Cruise ships sail without passengers who miss the all-aboard time. Know that time precisely, keep your phone charged, and share your plan before leaving the ship.
🧭 TRAVEL HACK
ADVISORY
Independent Excursions Need a Safety Net
Three rules that help protect you on any independent shore excursion
Solo hiking in an unfamiliar, remote terrain is how a shore excursion can become a crisis.
Hire a licensed local guide for any hike on volcanic or mountainous terrain. Many islands require guides for summit hikes. Disorientation without local knowledge is a genuine risk.
Download an offline map of each port before you disembark. Cell service fails on mountain trails, and an offline map works without a signal.
Share your route, return time, and all-aboard time in writing with your travel partner or cabin steward before leaving the ship.
🛟 What to do if this happens to you: Call the cruise line's port agent immediately. The number is on your boarding pass. If you miss the ship, book a flight to the next port and contact the cruise line for insurance documentation.
🛳 CRUISE BUSINESS
BUSINESS
Princess Locks In Singapore Through 2030
Princess Cruises and Singapore Tourism Board sign 3-year deal. Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess, and Grand Princess homeporting from 2027, 150,000+ passengers expected
Princess Cruises committed three ships to Singapore through a formal 3-year deal with the Singapore Tourism Board spanning 2027 through 2030.
Grand Princess joins Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess starting 2027. Diamond and Sapphire are already confirmed for Singapore's 2026-2027 season beginning November 2026.
Itineraries range from 10 to 28 days covering Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan. Sailings set to double by 2030, supported by Singapore's Cruise Development Fund with over 150,000 passengers expected.
🎯 What this means for you: Longer Asia itineraries, more Japan sailings, and expanded Southeast Asia port calls from Singapore starting 2027.
📈 CRUISE STOCK
UP
Cruise Stocks Mostly Green Friday
Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian all closed higher May 29; Viking dipped slightly; RCL led the sector up 1.2%
Cruise stocks finished mostly green on Friday, with Royal Caribbean leading the sector.
Closing prices for Friday, May 29, 2026.
Ticker | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
CCL | $28.06 | ▲ ~0.5% |
RCL | $284.63 | ▲ ~1.2% |
NCLH | $18.34 | ▲ ~0.5% |
VIK | $92.11 | ▼ slightly |
Carnival Corporation (CCL) closed at $28.06, up approximately 0.5%.
Royal Caribbean (RCL) closed at $284.63, up approximately 1.2%, sector leader on the day.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) closed at $18.34, up approximately 0.5%. Zacks currently rates NCLH a Strong Sell following recent earnings revisions.
Viking Holdings (VIK) closed at $92.11, down slightly and just below its 52-week high of $93.70. Incoming CEO Leah Talactac's market reception has held steady since Torstein Hagen's transition to board chairman.
🌍 Bigger picture: The sector's green close arrives as Royal Caribbean's Flash Deals launched today. A demand signal analysts watch heading into summer's peak booking period.