Cruise News Today — April 4, 2023 [VIDEO]

Valiant Lady Passenger Passes Away

A passenger aboard Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady tragically died after falling from her balcony as the ship was on its way to Roatán, Honduras.

The incident occurred shortly after the ship’s departure on Sunday evening, with the passenger falling onto a lower deck. A statement from Virgin said, This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away.”

The ship returned PortMiami before getting underway again with an altered itinerary.

At the time of broadcast the name of the woman has not been released and the cause of the fall is under investigation.

STORY: Virgin Voyages Passenger Dies After Going Over Balcony

Port of Galveston Reporting Positive Year So Far

Everything is bigger in Texas. Galveston’s cruise industry experienced significant growth this year as 71 cruise sailings in February reflected a 22 percent increase from last year, with passenger loads increasing 123 percent.

The port is expected to break its previous record of more than 1 million cruise passengers last year, with an estimated 355 sailings in 2023.

Last November, the port celebrated the opening of a third cruise terminal and will welcome Carnival Jubilee homeporting there year-round this December.

The rise of the popularity positions Galveston as the fourth most popular U.S. cruise port.

STORY: Cruise Ships Flock to Texas Port, Ranked Fourth in North America

How Royal Caribbean is Using the Sky Pad Space

On the heels of Royal Caribbean announcing it’s removing the Sky Pad attraction from its ships citing low usage, we are now getting a glimpse of what the space may turn into.

The Sky Pad was a virtual reality bungee trampoline experience that was introduced in 2018. In 2019 a guest got injured, shattering his pelvis and bringing forth a $10 million lawsuit.

A Cruise Radio reader is currently sailing on Odyssey of the Seas and sent in this photo and video of guests playing ladderball in the giant space. A cornhole game can also be seen in the sphere.

The company hasn’t officially announced what will replace the space, which in addition to Odyssey, is also located on Mariner, Independence, and Spectrum of the Seas.