When you're on one of the megaships from Royal Caribbean or Carnival, it's easy to forget that you're at sea.
If you can't see the ocean, you might as well be in a hotel because unless the weather is really bad, the ships rarely feel as if they're moving.
That can change quickly, however, when something goes wrong. If a ship gets hit by a wave or runs into unexpected bad weather, passengers immediately remember that unlike in a hotel, they can't simply leave.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line made a controversial beverage decision
Now, it takes a lot to rattle most cruise passengers, but when the fire-suppression system kicks in, even with no fire visible, people can panic.
In the Nov. 19 edition of Cruise News Today, Doug Parker covered one such situation, on a Royal Caribbean ship.
He also looked into a major change Carnival has made that has some passengers pretty angry.
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Carnival makes a late-night pizza change
Transcript:
This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker. Carnival Cruise Line is making a change to its late-night pizza. Now the venue will stop serving late-night pizza at midnight and move to a refreshed midnight buffet.
The shift, first announced by Carnival's brand ambassador, John Heald, said the new late-night selections will include Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, hot dogs, french fries, chicken tenders, grilled cheese, and soups.
Carnival says the move aims to enhance guest satisfaction and reduce wait times, which is corporate speak for saving a few bucks with hot dogs.
Harmony of the Seas has an indoor downpour
And passengers on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas were surprised on Sunday when sprinklers activated in the ship's promenade.
Now, social-media videos captured guests dodging water while crew members worked to stop the indoor downpour that was reportedly triggered by smoke from Sorrento's pizza.
So now no one was injured, and the area was mopped up pretty quick. For reference, cruise ships are equipped with a high-fog sprinkler system, which differs from regular systems because they are using pressurized heavy mist to suppress the fire.
It's less water use for buoyancy and safety. Now, this follows a similar incident that happened on Symphony of the Seas during a Halloween party last month.
And that World Cruise, Villa V Odyssey, has made its way across the Atlantic and arrived in Bridgetown Barbados on Nov. 14.
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This was after exploring Europe and Africa. The 1993-built 924-guest ship is set to visit Caribbean destinations like St. Martin and Antigua before passing through the Panama Canal next month.
The current World Cruise, after going to all the continents, is scheduled to end in 2027 in West Palm Beach.
If you have a lead on a story, let us know. Tips@cruiseradio.net. I leave you with some footage of the Alan Jackson concert over the weekend in Salt Lake City.
It's good to be home, though. I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today. Have yourself a great Tuesday.
We'll see you next time.
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