Author: Deb & Matt

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Cruise News LIVE 🚢 New Itineraries, Rising Fees & Is Aussie Cruising in Trouble?

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Cruise News LIVE 🚢 New Itineraries, Rising Fees & Is Aussie Cruising in Trouble?

Posted by | Apr 15, 2026 | |

Welcome back to Deb & Matt Chat LIVE 🚢

This week we’re breaking down some of the biggest cruise industry updates — from new itineraries and ship changes to rising costs and what’s really happening in the Australian cruise market.

🗞️ This week’s cruise news:

🇯🇵 Princess Cruises expands Japan & Asia season
A huge new deployment with ships homeporting in Tokyo and dozens of itineraries across Asia

🇫🇯 Fiji Princess to be retired after grounding
Following a recent incident, the ship will be removed from service and replaced with a new vessel

💸 MSC raises gratuities
Passengers will see higher daily service charges, with more increases expected across the industry

⛽ Fuel surcharge concerns return
Cruise executives warn rising fuel costs could impact pricing and future cruise fares

🇦🇺 CLIA report: Record demand BUT warning signs
Australians are cruising in record numbers — but the industry warns Australia is losing ships and competitiveness

🌏 StarCruises boosts Asian itineraries
New flexible itineraries and extended port stays across Asia for 2026

💬 Join us LIVE as we break it all down!

👉 Are cruise prices about to rise again?
👉 Is Australia losing its place as a cruise destination?
👉 Would you cruise Asia over the South Pacific?

👍 Like & Subscribe for weekly cruise news
📺 Deb & Matt Chat — Life, Cruise & Travel

Key topics this week include:
Cruise news 2026, Cruise price increases, Cruise gratuities increase, Princess Japan cruise season 2027 and 2028 , Fiji Princess Retirement, Cruise Industry in Australia, clia report australia cruise, cruise fuel surcharge and More Asian cruises 2026, cruise updates live

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Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Some things Felt Wrong on Day 1 | Carnival Encounter Embarkation

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Some things Felt Wrong on Day 1 | Carnival Encounter Embarkation

Posted by | Apr 11, 2026 | |

Welcome aboard the Carnival Encounter for our Australia Day Long Weekend Cruise!
We are so excited to be in Brisbane for an “Aussie Classics” cruise on Carnival Encounter! Join us as we kick off this Australia Day celebration with a sail away party. This cruise vlog will cover all the fun, from activities to food, offering cruise travel tips along the way.

This is Day 1 – Embarkation Day in Brisbane, and honestly… something felt a little off.

In this vlog, we take you through the full boarding process at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal, explore the ship, and share our first impressions – including a surprisingly quiet atmosphere for a long weekend sailing.
In this video:

✅Cruise boarding process in Brisbane
🤔Impressions of Carnival Encounter
⁉️Why the ship didn’t feel full
🤯Confusion around cruise theme nights
🍴Specialty dining bookings (what we chose!)
🛌A possible cabin mistake
🤩NEW onboard changes (including Bonsai Sushi Express)
🚢Sailaway party vibes
😋Dinner at Trattoria Restaurant
👀First look at onboard activities

This cruise already had some surprises… and it’s only Day 1.
Let us know in the comments:
Have you ever been on a cruise that just felt… different?
This is part of our full Carnival Encounter series:
✔ Cabin tours
✔ Daily cruise vlogs
✔ Food & dining reviews
✔ Tips, tricks & honest experiences

Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss what happens next!

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Deb & Matt Chat on YT: LIVE! Cruise Chaos 😳 Overbooked Ship, Grounding Incident & New Fees Explained

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: LIVE! Cruise Chaos 😳 Overbooked Ship, Grounding Incident & New Fees Explained

Posted by | Apr 8, 2026 | |

Welcome back to Deb & Matt Chat LIVE 🚢

This week we’re breaking down some of the biggest cruise news stories — from passenger perks to cruise chaos and industry changes happening right now.

🗞️ This week’s cruise news:

🇰🇷 South Korea introduces instant tax refunds for cruise passengers
A major policy shift allowing cruise guests to claim VAT refunds more easily during port visits

⛽ Fuel surcharges return?
StarDream Cruises has introduced new daily fuel charges — raising concerns other cruise lines could follow

🚢 Discovery Princess overbooked
Passengers were offered compensation and even free cruises not to board due to high demand from over booking.

⚠️ Fiji Princess runs aground
A cruise ship ran aground near a famous island location — all passengers safe but the ship is damaged

🇦🇺 Virgin Voyages invests in Australia again
New Aussie sales team signals a renewed push into the Australian cruise market

💬 Join us LIVE as we break it all down and hear YOUR thoughts!

👉 Would you accept a free cruise to give up your spot?
👉 Are fuel surcharges coming back across the industry?
👉 Is cruising getting too unpredictable?

👍 Like & Subscribe for weekly cruise news
📺 Deb & Matt Chat — Life, Cruise & Travel

This week we will be discussing an exciting range of topics including, cruise news in 2026, cruise fuel surcharge, discovery princess overbooked, cruise overbooking explained, fiji princess grounding, cruise ship accident fiji, south korea cruise tax refund, virgin voyages australia return, cruise industry news, cruise industry updates

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Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Carnival Encounter Cabin Tour 5236 | Interior Quad Room Review & First Impressions

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Carnival Encounter Cabin Tour 5236 | Interior Quad Room Review & First Impressions

Posted by | Apr 5, 2026 | |

Welcome aboard the Carnival Encounter! 🇦🇺

In this video, we take you inside Interior Cabin 5236, a quad-share cabin where we’re staying with three people during our Australia Day long weekend cruise.

This is our first impressions + full cabin tour, where we show you:

What the space is REALLY like with 3 guests
Bed configuration and layout
Storage options (and limitations!)
Bathroom setup and usability
Our honest first thoughts on comfort and practicality

If you’re considering an interior cabin on Carnival Encounter, especially for multiple guests, this is a must-watch before you book.

🚢 This is part of our Australia Day Cruise Series, so make sure you subscribe and follow along for:
✔ Daily vlogs
✔ Food & dining reviews
✔ Entertainment and onboard experiences
✔ Final cabin review at the end of the cruise

👇 Let us know in the comments:
Would YOU stay in an interior cabin with 3 or 4 people?

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Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Cruise News LIVE 🚢 Lelepa Controversy, Virgin Returning? A New Terminal & New Ship Reveal

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Cruise News LIVE 🚢 Lelepa Controversy, Virgin Returning? A New Terminal & New Ship Reveal

Posted by | Apr 1, 2026 | |

Welcome back to Deb & Matt Chat LIVE 🚢

Tonight we’re breaking down some of the biggest cruise news stories this week — from controversy in the South Pacific to major cruise line moves and brand-new ship announcements.

🗞️ This week’s cruise news:

🌴 Lelepa controversy grows
Concerns have been raised by Indigenous leaders in Vanuatu about Royal Caribbean’s plans for a private beach club, including environmental impact and consultation issues

🚢 Virgin Voyages eyes Australia return
Virgin Voyages is “doubling down” on the Aussie market, recruiting locally and planning a comeback after pulling ships from the region

🏗️ New Auckland cruise terminal announced
Auckland unveils Te Waharōa, a major new cruise terminal set to open in 2027 to support larger ships and growing demand

🚀 Hero of the Seas revealed
Royal Caribbean announces its next Icon-class ship, packed with new features and set to launch in 2027

We’ll also be chatting about anything that comes up in the cruise world this week — so jump into the chat and be part of the conversation!

👉 Whether you’re planning your next cruise, comparing cruise lines, or just love cruise life — this is the place to be.

💬 Join the LIVE chat
👍 Like & Subscribe
🔔 Turn on notifications

📺 Deb & Matt Chat — Life, Cruise & Travel
Lelepa Royal Caribbean controversy, virgin voyages australia return, auckland cruise terminal 2027, hero of the seas royal caribbean, cruise news australia 2026, cruise industry news, royal caribbean updates, cruise ship news, south pacific cruise news, cruise live stream

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