Six Ships Stuck in Persian Gulf, Carnival Sunshine Hit by Power Failure

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on several significant developments within the cruise industry. In the Persian Gulf, six cruise ships from lines including MSC Cruises, TUI Cruises, Celestyal Cruises, and AIDA Cruises remain stranded because the Strait of Hormuz is closed to commercial traffic due to regional tensions. One TUI Cruises vessel in Abu Dhabi experienced a close call when two Iranian missiles landed near the ship. Meanwhile, the Carnival Sunshine faced embarkation delays in Norfolk, Virginia, following a brief power loss on Sunday morning. Although engineers restored power, US Coast Guard regulations necessitated tugboat assistance before the ship could re-enter the port, resulting in a revised boarding schedule. Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line has decided to delay a controversial change regarding beverage packages at Great Stirrup Cay. While the cruise line previously planned to stop honoring unlimited beverage packages on the island, guests will now have access to included drinks through at least the end of March. The island is also undergoing various facility upgrades. Finally, the report notes a decline in cruise stocks on Friday, with Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Viking all seeing percentage decreases.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.