Carnival Cruise Line’s oldest ship, Carnival Sunshine, barely passed a recent health inspection by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The vessel received a barely passing score of 89/100 during a routine health check by the CDC, which is only a few points above the passing threshold.

Cruise ships need to receive a score of 86 or higher in order to pass routine health inspections. The CDC conducts these health inspections to ensure vessels are safely operating and following official guidance.

One of Carnival's brands is shutting down its operations in Texas. 

Princess Cruises' Majestic Princess was scheduled to offer cruises from Galveston, Texas, between November 2026 and March 2027. However, Princess canceled over 15 sailings as part of its broader global fleet deployment strategy. 

Many cruisers dream of scoring an upgrade on their upcoming voyage. Who wouldn't want a better cabin for less?

Unfortunately, there's no way to guarantee an upgrade. For example, you could be on a fully booked sailing, which would squash your chance of receiving an upgrade to an ocean-view balcony stateroom. 

However, some strategies may increase your chances of scoring that coveted cabin upgrade.

Drink packages are among the most common cruise add-ons. While your cruise fare includes select beverages, drink packages make the experience more inclusive by giving you access to a wider variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. 

However, they aren't always the most affordable. Some cruise lines charge over $80 per person, per day for their most inclusive packages, making them a serious investment. 

Royal Caribbean is making a bold push into the short-cruise market, and the brand-new Utopia of the Seas is a perfect example of that investment. But, it wasn’t always possible to take a short cruise on a massive, state-of-the-art cruise ship.

For decades, short itineraries were hard to find. Even if you could find a 3-night or 4-night sailing, it was almost guaranteed you’d be cruising on an old, small, and dated cruise ship.

Norwegian Aqua, the newest ship from Norwegian Cruise Line, will arrive in the United States three days later than originally planned due to unfavorable weather conditions. To ensure the safety of guests and crew members, the ship’s disembarkation port has also been changed to avoid the severe weather along its original course.

One of Carnival's cruise brands bid farewell to its last two ships before being shut down after over 90 years in service. 

Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure finished their last voyages under the P&O Cruises Australia brand in mid-March. After undergoing a short drydock, they entered service as Carnival Encounter and Carnival Adventure as part of Carnival's strategy to expand its operations in Australia and the South Pacific. 

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 Carnival's new partnership and a frequently overlooked cruise cabin you should book. 

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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Carnival, one of the most popular cruise lines in the world, teamed up with Wyndham Rewards to make earning points on fun-filled cruise vacations easier than before. 

Starting March 25, Wyndham Rewards members can book Carnival vacations through Wyndham Travel Bundles, making it easier to plan everything from flights to pre-cruise hotel stays and excursions while earning Wyndham Rewards points for future trips.