Welcome to Cruise Blog's Weekly Roundup for the week of July 17, 2026.
This is a helpful post covering everything you may have missed this week, including a crew member who died after going overboard from a ship in the Caribbean and the latest news about when cruises might resume visiting Haiti.
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Crew member dies after going overboard from cruise ship in the Caribbean, Princess confirms
A crew member died after going overboard from a cruise ship in the Caribbean on Monday morning.
A spokesperson for Princess Cruises confirmed that a crew member working aboard the Regal Princess went overboard near Cancun, Mexico.
Later that day, however, the cruise line confirmed to KHOU 11 that the crew member died but did not release additional information about the crew member or the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Read more: Crew member dies after going overboard from cruise ship in the Caribbean, Princess confirms
Costa Concordia Captain: Where Is He Now?
The Costa Concordia wreck is trending thanks to Netflix's latest documentary titled "Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea." This 89-minute special features never-before-seen footage, including black box recordings and survivor accounts from the ill-fated Mediterranean journey.
Much of the documentary also focuses on the actions of the ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, whose decisions have remained a controversial aspect of the wreck, having decided to veer from the planned course to do a "sail-by salute" off the coast of Giglio Island.
Although most passengers were evacuated, the Costa Concordia disaster claimed 32 lives, the youngest being a 5-year-old girl from Rimini, Italy. In the years that followed, Schettino was placed on trial for his role in the disaster, eventually getting sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Read more: Costa Concordia Captain: Where Is He Now?
Royal Caribbean extends cancellation to popular Caribbean port amid safety concerns
Royal Caribbean has cancelled all visits to its private destination in Haiti through mid-2027, forcing cruise passengers to wait even longer to return to Labadee.
The popular cruise line, which previously cancelled all stops to Haiti, confirmed that all visits to Labadee will be skipped through June 2027.
However, the sudden cancellations don't come as a surprise. As of July 2026, the U.S. Department of State's website lists Haiti at its highest warning level, Level 4: "Do Not Travel." This means that the U.S. government advises Americans not to travel to Haiti under any circumstances
Read more: Royal Caribbean extends cancellation to popular Caribbean port amid safety concerns
Royal Caribbean cruiser falls off pier at private island, quickly rescued
Despite its name, not everyone has a "perfect" day at Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay.
That was especially true this weekend, when one passenger fell off the pier and into the ocean while visiting the private island destination. The incident occurred on Saturday, July 11, and prompted an immediate response from crew members as they worked to rescue the guest.
Although it hasn't been confirmed, some reports indicate that this wasn't a drunken mistake. Rather, the elderly passenger was on a mobility scooter that suddenly malfunctioned.
Read more: Royal Caribbean cruiser falls off pier at private island, quickly rescued
Cruise passenger mysteriously dies during Mediterranean sailing, Coast Guard confirms
A passenger died after being found unconscious on a cruise ship in the Caribbean on Tuesday.
The British tourist, 79, was found unresponsive on the top deck of the ship. Crew members began first aid efforts before he was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his condition on Tuesday morning, as reported by The Daily Mail.
News reports claim that the medical emergency happened while the cruise ship was at sea, forcing the vessel to dock in Crete, Greece.
Read more: Cruise passenger mysteriously dies during Mediterranean sailing, Coast Guard confirms
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.
