Welcome to Cruise Blog's Weekly Roundup for the week of February 27, 2026!
This is a helpful post covering everything you may have missed this week, including a major change to Royal Caribbean's drink packages and a mother who shared her experience quarantining aboard a Disney ship in Hawaii.
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Parent says cruise line tried to kick them off after child fell ill on board
One family's dream Disney cruise turned into a nightmare when they were forcibly quarantined after their daughter was prescribed antibiotics for a viral infection by the ship's doctor.
TikTok user @themomladytm shared a series of videos documenting her experience during her 10-night sailing aboard the Disney Wonder from Honolulu to Vancouver, Canada.
During an unplanned visit to the ship's medical center, the doctor told the family that her daughter had a viral infection and prescribed her antibiotics. The next morning, they were told they could either leave the ship or stay quarantined in their cabin for five days.
Read more: Parent says cruise line tried to kick them off after child fell ill on board
"Unbelievably cheap on Royal's part": Fans upset over new Royal Caribbean drink package change
Royal Caribbean quietly updated the terms of its drink packages — and many cruisers are upset with the sudden change.
Effective March 15, 2026, the previously included Coca-Cola® souvenir cup will cost extra for guests with the Deluxe or Royal Refreshment Packages.
In the past, guests could pick up their included Coca-Cola® souvenir cup on embarkation day and have unlimited access to the Freestyle machines throughout the voyage. Now, access to the convenient Coca-Cola® Freestyle machine will come with a nominal fee of $4.99 per souvenir cup.
Read more: "Unbelievably cheap on Royal's part": Fans upset over new Royal Caribbean drink package change
Cruise lines cancel visits to Mexican port as violence grips parts of the country
At least three cruise ships canceled their upcoming stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, as a wave of violence escalates following the killing of Mexico’s most-wanted cartel boss.
The sudden cancelation comes after the death of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader, Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, along with eight other cartel members, who were killed in a planned military operation.
Consequently, Holland America Line's ms Zuiderdam, Princess Cruises' Regal Princess, and Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Bliss all skipped their scheduled visits to Puerto Vallarta this week.
Read more: Cruise lines cancel visits to Mexican port as violence grips parts of the country
Carnival drops Australia cruises as it shifts to core markets
A new Carnival ship is set to debut in North America after abandoning its longtime home in Australia.
Starting April 2028, Carnival Adventure will operate seasonally in North America, rather than year-round from her current home country of Australia.
Carnival Adventure joined Carnival's fleet in March 2025 after the vessel's former operator, P&O Cruises Australia, shuttered operations after 93 years.
Read more: Carnival drops Australia cruises as it shifts to core markets
Carnival Cruise Line quietly adds a non-smoking casino to one of its ships
Carnival Cruise Line made a few subtle but important updates to one of its ships' casinos during a recent dry dock.
Carnival Conquest returned to service on February 20 after a 12-day dry dock in The Bahamas. Although the dry dock was short, the routine maintenance period was used to refresh several public areas, including enhancements to the ship’s casino layout and gaming offerings.
According to the cruise line, the casino on Deck 5 now features a redesigned layout that improves guest flow and accessibility, along with a dedicated non-smoking area.
Read more: Carnival Cruise Line quietly adds a non-smoking casino to one of its ships
Cruise ship rescues four people from boat taking on water near Mexico
A Princess cruise ship rescued a group of people on a rowboat in international waters near Mexico on Monday.
The dramatic rescue unfolded Monday night as Regal Princess sailed toward her first port of call on the current 7-night cruise.
"I'm currently on the Regal Princess and we turned around to help a distressed boat and here they are," X user Sarah (@sarah_wxtx) shared on the social media platform.
Read more: Cruise ship rescues four people from boat taking on water near Mexico
MSC cruise ship stuck in New York as record-breaking blizzard slams the Northeast
Earlier this week, Winter Storm Hernando brought heavy snow and strong winds to the Northeast, and thousands of travelers were left stranded as flights were canceled and cruise itineraries disrupted.
MSC Meraviglia was supposed to depart on a weeklong voyage to The Bahamas from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal on Sunday, February 22. However, multiple passengers reported that their scheduled departure was delayed due to the powerful blizzard.
While initially, the ship's departure was a bit up in the air, cruisers confirmed that the vessel finally set sail around 3:00 p.m. EST on Monday. As a result, Nassau was removed from the ship's itinerary.
Read more: MSC cruise ship stuck in New York as record-breaking blizzard slams the Northeast
"This story is a nightmare of incompetence": Cruisers react to viral mom who was quarantined on ship
One mom has gone viral on social media after sharing her experience while quarantined aboard a Disney cruise ship over a suspected case of the mumps.
Over the past couple of days, TikTok user @themomladytm has documented her time aboard the Disney Wonder, sailing from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Vancouver, Canada.
Unfortunately, what began as an exciting family vacation turned into a nightmare when her three-year-old daughter shared that she had fallen in the kids' club, resulting in a late-night visit to the ship's medical center to examine the swollen jaw. The next morning, seemingly out of nowhere, she was told that her daughter had a suspected diagnosis of the mumps.
Read more: "This story is a nightmare of incompetence": Cruisers react to viral mom who was quarantined on ship
Is it safe to cruise to Mexico right now? Some ships change plans
Cruisers sailing out of California are urged to take precautions when stopping in Mexico after U.S. officials issued alerts for parts of the country due to growing violence following the death of an infamous cartel leader.
Holland America Line's ms Zuiderdam, Princess Cruises's Royal Princess, and Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Bliss all adjusted their itineraries to avoid the port earlier this week.
Now, cruise lines are always making decisions about future visits, starting with Carnival Panorama. Guests aboard the February 28 sailing were informed that they would no longer be calling at Puerto Vallarta.
Read more: Is it safe to cruise to Mexico right now? Some ships change plans
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
