Tag: cruise ship

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Carnival Encounter Medical Evacuation, Dining & Deck Party

by Deb & Matt | Apr 17, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

Welcome back to our Carnival Encounter Australia Day long weekend cruise series.

In this Day 2 cruise vlog, we share our first full day at sea aboard Carnival Encounter — and it turned into a real mixed bag. From a medical evacuation / passenger retrieval situation, to more onboard confusion around activities and theme nights, this was a day with a very unusual feel.

Join us on our first full day at sea in 2026 as we share our morning routine, including essential cruise travel tips for breakfast at the waterfront. We’ll show you how to navigate the check-in process, offering useful cruise tips and tricks for a smooth start to your day. Stay tuned for more cruise news and updates from our Carnival cruise adventure!

We also take you through breakfast, Meet the Officers, dinner in the main dining room, a bit of a dessert fail, and wrap up the evening with cruise entertainment and a deck party.

In this video:

Breakfast on Carnival Encounter
News of a medical evacuation at sea
More communication confusion onboard
Meet the Officers event
Main Dining Room dinner review
Main meal and dessert thoughts
Carnival entertainment and deck party
Honest thoughts on Day 2 of this cruise

This series follows our Australia Day long weekend cruise from Brisbane on Carnival Encounter, including cabin tours, embarkation day, dining, entertainment and honest first impressions along the way.

If you enjoy real-world cruise vlogs, ship reviews and Australian cruise content, make sure to subscribe to Deb & Matt Chat.

#CarnivalEncounter #CruiseVlog #CruisingFromBrisbane #CarnivalCruise #CruiseReviewWelcome back to our Carnival Encounter Australia Day long weekend cruise series.

The topics we cover in this video – Carnival Encounter, carnival encounter review, carnival cruise australia, carnival encounter cruise from brisbane, medical evacuation cruise ship, cruise ship medical emergency, carnival encounter dining, carnival main dining room, carnival encounter entertainment, cruise deck party,

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

by Deb & Matt | Apr 15, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

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

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

by Deb & Matt | Apr 11, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

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!

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

by Deb & Matt | Apr 8, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

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

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Cruise News LIVE: Ships Stuck, Carnival Controversy, Lelepa Updates & Spa Secrets EXPOSED

by Deb & Matt | Mar 25, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

Welcome back to Deb & Matt Chat – Life, Cruise & Travel 🚢

Tonight’s LIVE stream is packed with breaking cruise news, industry insights, and some serious questions about how cruise ships really operate behind the scenes…

👉 Here’s what we’re diving into:

🛳️ Six cruise ships stuck in the Arabian Gulf — what’s happening and what it means for global itineraries
👉 Based on latest reports, ships are unable to reposition due to regional disruptions

🐦 Carnival controversy — passengers told to stop feeding birds onboard… but why is this such a big deal?

❌ Carnival Splendor cancels a 2027 New Zealand cruise — chartered out from under booked guests… is this fair?

🌴 Royal Caribbean Lelepa update — what we know, what’s included, and what it means for Aussie cruising

🧖‍♀️ The truth about cruise ship spas (OneSpaWorld deep dive)
Who actually runs them? Who is responsible for your experience? And does service vary ship to ship?

🚢 PLUS:
✨ New ultra-luxury ship from Four Seasons
✨ Captain Kate McCue takes the helm — what this means for the industry

💬 We want YOUR thoughts:
👉 Would you still cruise if your ship got redeployed or cancelled?
👉 Have you ever had a bad spa experience at sea?
👉 Is Lelepa a game changer?

📅 We go LIVE every week covering cruise news, tips, and real experiences from onboard ships around the world.

👍 Like & Subscribe to support the channel
🔔 Turn on notifications so you don’t miss our next cruise adventure

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Royal Caribbean Lelepa OFFICIAL! 🇻🇺 What This Means for Aussie Cruising | LIVE

by Deb & Matt | Mar 18, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

Tonight on Deb & Matt Chat LIVE, we’re diving into one of the biggest cruise announcements for Australia and the South Pacific 🌴🚢

Royal Caribbean has officially revealed Royal Beach Club Lelepa in Vanuatu 🇻🇺 — their first exclusive destination in the South Pacific, launching from 2027.

So what does this actually mean for cruisers? 🤔

We break down:

🌴What’s included at Lelepa (beaches, food, adults-only areas & more)

🛝How it compares to Perfect Day at CocoCay

🤯Why this is a HUGE move for Australian cruising

👀The confirmed direction for Royal Caribbean in Australia

🤔Will this lead to more ships, bigger ships… or even year-round cruising?

💬 Plus — we want YOUR thoughts live in the chat!

👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & JOIN THE CHAT
📺 Deb & Matt Chat — Deep & Meaningful Cruise Conversations

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Dear Michael Bayley… We Have 3 Wishes for Royal Caribbean in 🇦🇺👀

by Deb & Matt | Feb 19, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

We filmed this at dinner onboard ⁨@RoyalCaribbeanAUNZ Anthem of the Seas Cruise Ship— and it might be our cheekiest video yet 😅

Dear Michael Bayley…

We have THREE humble wishes:

🇦🇺 Year-round Royal Caribbean cruising in Australia
🌴 An announcement date for Lelepa
🥧 And… we need to talk about the goat cheese tart

During the Captain’s Corner onboard Anthem, Matt asked about year-round cruising in Australia — and the whole theatre CHEERED. 👏

So we thought… why not make it official?

If you agree with us:

👉 LIKE the video
👉 SHARE it with your cruise friends
👉 TAG Royal Caribbean & Michael Bayley in the comments

Let’s see if this makes it to Miami 👀

#RoyalCaribbean #AnthemOfTheSeas #CruisingAustralia #DebAndMattChat
@RoyalCaribbean
We address Michael Bailey with three requests, focusing on the possibility of year-round cruising in Australia. As dedicated Royal Caribbean cruise ambassadors, we believe the Australian cruise community deserves this exciting development. We offer cruise tips and travel tips for those eager to explore the world on a cruise ship.

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Voyager of the Seas Cabin 8555 Tour | Connecting to 8553

by Deb & Matt | Feb 17, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

Join Deb & Matt Chat for a detailed room tour of stateroom 8555 on the Voyager of the Seas Royal Caribbean. This cruise vlog provides an inside look at the cabin, perfect for anyone planning a cruise ship vacation. We share all the details and what to expect in this stateroom.

If you’re cruising with family or friends, an interconnecting cabin can make all the difference.
In this video, we tour Cabin 8555 on Voyager of the Seas, an inter-connecting Promenade View cabin connected to Cabin 8553.

This is our first impressions and detailed walkthrough, covering:
✅Storage and wardrobe space
✅Bathroom layout & shower size
✅Bed comfort (firm or soft?)
✅Power points (and the big limitation!)
✅Air conditioning
✅Desk and drawer space
✅Promenade view & bay window
✅Connecting door between 8555 & 8553

If you’re deciding between:
✔️ Interior
✔️ Promenade
✔️ Balcony
✔️ Interconnecting cabins

…this video will help you understand exactly what you’re getting.

📌 Watch our full tour of Cabin 8553 here:
https://youtu.be/PerG673VenI

👇 Question for you:
Would you choose an interconnecting cabin — or prefer separate rooms?

👍 Like & Subscribe for honest cruise cabin reviews
🔔 More Voyager of the Seas content on Deb & Matt Chat

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Onboard Anthem of the Seas LIVE 🚢 | Captain’s Corner, Lelepa & Airlie Beach Cruise Update

by Deb & Matt | Feb 11, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

We’re LIVE from Anthem of the Seas as we sail back to Sydney! 🚢

Earlier today we attended the Captain’s Corner, where we asked some key questions about Lelepa Island and the future of year-round cruising in Australia. We’ll share what we learned, what was said onboard, and what it could mean for Aussie cruisers going forward.

We’re also bringing you updates from our recent stop in Airlie Beach, including shore experiences, tendering, and what surprised us most about spending time there.

Tonight’s Live Topics:

🚢 LIVE onboard Anthem of the Seas

🌴 What we learned at Captain’s Corner about Lelepa Island

📆 The reality of year-round cruising in Australia

🌊 Airlie Beach cruise stop updates & experiences

💬 Live chat Q&A with the Deb & Matt Chat community

Join us live, ask questions in chat, and be part of the conversation as we talk cruising from the ship, not the studio.

👍 Like, 🔔 subscribe, and share the stream with your cruise friends!

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: SYDNEY HARBOUR LIVE SAIL AWAY ANTHEM OF THE SEAS

by Deb & Matt | Feb 6, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

Live stream will be subject to weather.
We will be live on board Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas as the cruise ship departs Sydney Harbour. This is her first cruise following urgent mechanical repairs that were undertaken in Eden, NSW.

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Cruise Cancellations, New Ship Class & Record-Breaking Ships | Cruise News LIVE

by Deb & Matt | Feb 4, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

This week on Deb & Matt Chat, we’re breaking down four major cruise industry stories that are shaping cruising in 2026 and beyond.

🚢 Carnival itinerary changes affecting South Pacific cruises
🚢 Why Conflict Islands (PNG) have been removed following the sale of the port
🚢 Royal Caribbean Group announces a brand-new Discovery Class of ships
🚢 What the Discovery Class means for future ship size, design and itineraries
🚢 Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Adventure sets a new record, becoming the largest cruise ship to transit the Panama Canal
🚢 MSC Cruises expands Yacht Club to more ships – plus its growing presence at major global events like the Miami F1

This live stream is about what’s changed, why it matters, and what it means for cruisers, especially those sailing from Australia.

💬 Join the live chat
❓ Ask questions
🗣 Share your thoughts on where cruising is heading

👍 Like the stream
🔔 Subscribe for weekly cruise news & discussion
🛎 Turn notifications on so you don’t miss future lives

#CruiseNews #CruiseLive #CruiseIndustry
#CruiseNews #CruiseLive #AussieCruising #DebAndMattChat

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Rough Seas & Party Night on Voyager of the Seas | Day 2 Cruise Vlog

by Deb & Matt | Jan 13, 2026 | YouTube: Deb And Matt Chat | 0 |

Day 2 on our Voyager of the Seas New Year’s Eve cruise was anything but calm.
G’day everyone! Join us for a new “cruise vlog” as we continue our “travel” aboard the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas. Day 2 brings “heavy seas” and powerful “ocean waves”, making for a memorable start to our adventure. Witness our ship in “rough sea” as we explore the “cruise ship” and share our experiences.

After a rocky night at sea, we wake up to rough conditions, explore the helipad, play shuffleboard, and then the day takes a turn into full cruise chaos — including a Christmas pyjama party pub crawl, a cruise charity auction, and a 50s & 60s theme night.

We also take you to Izumi Specialty Dining, experience live music with the Piano Man, and wrap up the night with some unexpectedly sweet moments… even while the ship is still rocking 🌊

In this video you’ll see:

✅What rough seas feel like on Voyager of the Seas
✅Helipad access and open-deck conditions
✅Pub crawl energy on a sea day
✅Captain’s dinner & charity auction
✅Izumi specialty dining experience
✅Theme nights and late-night parties
✅How sea conditions affect sleep and onboard vibes

If you’re wondering what sea days, theme nights, or specialty dining are really like on a Royal Caribbean cruise — this is a must-watch.

👇 Question of the day:
Would you brave rough seas for a night like this?

📌 Chapters below
👍 Like & subscribe for real-world cruise vlogs
🔔 New videos throughout this Voyager series on Deb & Matt Chat

00:00 Intro
00:10 A Rocky Night
00:23 Rough Seas
01:38 Cruise Ship Helipad
03:48 Playing Shuffleboard
05:57 Cruise Ship Pub Crawl
10:50 Cruise Charity Auction
11:43 Dinner with Captain
14:48 We Lost
16:02 50s & 60s Night
16:57 Izumi
19:13 Cruise Ship Party
19:36 Cruise Piano Man
20:03 Daily Wrap Up
20:49 Slow Dance Romance
22:26 Still Rocky

#VoyagerOfTheSeas #CruiseVlog #RoughSeas
#RoyalCaribbean #SeaDay #CruiseLife
#DebAndMattChat #Izumi #CruiseParty