What would you do if your cruise ship sailed into a storm? For some Carnival guests, not even a flooded pool deck could keep them from stopping by Guy's Burger Joint on embarkation day.  

While most embark on a spring break cruise with hopes of sunny beach days, cruisers on Carnival Celebration had an unfortunately rainy start to their vacation. On March 30, 2025, the Excel Class ship faced a delayed departure from Miami, Florida, due to intense thunderstorms sweeping through the area.

The C.E.O. of a California-based insurance company was arrested by the F.B.I. after attacking another passenger while onboard a Virgin Voyages cruise to the Caribbean. 

According to a criminal complaint, Kenneth D. DeGiorgio allegedly tried to choke another guest on March 31 while sailing aboard Resilient Lady. The cruise ship was about 70 nautical miles west of Fort-de-France, Martinique.

We share a lot of cruise updates and advice on Cruise Blog, and this is a weekly roundup of everything you may have missed from this week, including tips for getting a coveted cabin upgrade and a review of Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas. 

For busy bees who want to stay updated on all the helpful cruise advice we share, this is an easy-to-digest overview of our recent articles.

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When you hear or read the words "poop deck" what do you think of? A deck dedicated to cruisers’ poop? A deck where birds poop? The smelly deck of the ship? 

Well, this actually isn’t the case. These non-smelly decks are typically on older ships or sailing ships. 

So, if you’re wondering where exactly these decks are or what their purpose is if not associated with the toilet, read more!

In 2024, more than 4 million passengers set sail from Port Everglades. While it's not as popular as Miami or Port Canaveral, travelers from all over the world continue to flock to Fort Lauderdale as a gateway to the Bahamas and Caribbean.

Though some cruisers live within driving distance of South Florida, others rely on airfare to reach the bustling port. Thankfully, the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is less than five miles from Port Everglades, making it convenient for travelers. 

I've been cruising since I was five years old. While I don't remember every aspect of my weeklong Disney cruise, I remember the excitement of boarding the ship. 

Over the years, my love for cruising has grown into a full-fledged obsession. On any given day, I can be caught browsing at least one cruise line's website, trying to fit another vacation into my busy schedule. 

As a travel writer, I've honed my cruise planning skills, learning the ins and outs of different cruise lines, ships, itineraries, and cabins. 

When Margaritaville at Sea launched, the cruise line's sole ship offered short 2-night cruises from Palm Beach, Florida, to the Bahamas. 

The cruise line that flaunted a $120,000 unlimited cruise pass has begun testing drink packages aboard one of its adult-only ships. 

When Virgin Voyages launched, they were adamant about not offering all-inclusive drink packages like their competitors. 

It’s not uncommon for cruise ships to completely sell out, but what happens when you book the cheapest and last available cabin?

I did just that on my recent Carnival cruise. After coming across a cheap cruise fare aboard Carnival Firenze just two weeks before departure, I couldn’t pass up the last-minute getaway. At just $846 total, or $423 per person, it was a fantastic deal for a 4-night cruise.