MSC Cruises aids Norwegian Cruise Line excursion gone wrong
Although it's logical to assume that most cruise lines would treat other cruise lines in a competitive manner, the reality is that the cruise industry is quite collaborative.
Cruise line CEOs like Royal Caribbean Group's Jason Liberty often say their companies are not focused on cruise line rivalries. Instead of each other, they see land-based vacations as their main competition.
Related: Royal Caribbean cruisers react to Carnival cruise loyalty shakeup
Cruise lines want to collectively grow the industry to gain a greater share of the global vacation market, and all cruise lines can win as they advance that goal. Working cooperatively, all cruise lines can benefit from the rising tides of cruising interest from vacationers all over the world.
The cruise industry is seeing strong growth from first-time cruisers, with 31% of passengers in the last two years being new to cruising, according to the 2025 Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) State of the Cruise Industry report.
With this kind of proven ability to attract new customers, cruise lines know that they can focus more on working together on strategies to continue to grow the industry as a whole.
If there was any doubt that cruise lines really are in it together, though, MSC Cruises stepped up to prove it when Norwegian Cruise Line suffered a shore excursion mishap in Germany on June 22.
Doug Parker shared details on how MSC Cruises came to the aid of Norwegian and its passengers, and other cruise news, on the June 23rd edition of Cruise News Today.
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Transcript:
This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker.
Good morning, here's your cruise news for Monday, June 23rd.
A Caribbean cruise took a troubling turn for one couple when kitchen wastewater dumped into their cabin.
Yeah, Pam and Ken Jackson were three days into their trip on Marella Explorer 2 when a pipe carrying macerated food waste to the ship's holding tanks burst above their bed. The sludge soaked them, their clothes, and medication. This video here courtesy of Liverpool Echo.
Now, Marella Cruises apologized and offered a partial refund plus $680 in compensation, which they accepted. The couple says it still doesn't cover the damage to their belongings. Marella 2 was formerly the Celebrity Century.
Related: Video: Celebrity Cruises ship nearly collides with Carnival ship
And a show of solidarity between two cruise lines played out in Germany over the weekend after a shore excursion went wrong. With extreme heat, a bad bus, and two guests being left behind, MSC Cruises stepped in to help.
The guests were left behind after a scheduled stop was cut short during the excursion. The stranded Norwegian Cruise Line passengers were picked up by an MSC shore excursion bus, provided with water, and safely returned to the ship, where they were able to board.
A guest sailing on Norwegian told us that the shore excursion started to fall apart after the bus was late due to mechanical issues.
Related: Cruise lines face new passenger fee; MSC Cruises brings new thrill
And it's a bucket list destination, but ships are getting a bad name.
Yeah, cruise ships heading to Antarctica are under scrutiny after a new study revealed that the ship's anchors are severely damaging the seabed.
Now, scientists from Memorial University of Newfoundland and New Zealand used deep sea cameras to capture the first underwater video of anchor impacts in the region. You can see here this video courtesy of Colossal, where they found crushed sponge colonies and disrupted marine habitats, especially in shallow coastal zones.
Researchers say nearly a half-acre of seafloor was damaged by cruise ships in 2023 alone. Recovery for Antarctic marine life could take a century or maybe never happen at all.
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And cruise stocks were higher on Friday. Carnival Corporation: up one percent, 23.77. Royal Caribbean: up two percent, 272.39. Norwegian: flat 18.86, and Viking; up two percent, 49.48.
If you have a lead on a story, let us know. Tips@cruiseradio.net.
Here on the seventh floor of the parking garage at Harrah's Vegas, I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today. Have yourself a great Monday.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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