Safety, Sandals, and Secret Ports

Today on Cruise News: Royal Caribbean has settled the federal lawsuit over the death of Michael Virgil aboard Navigator of the Seas in December 2024, with the payment going to his son and the amount undisclosed, while the coroner's findings on the shipboard restraint remain central to the safety questions. Royal Caribbean Group has agreed to pay roughly $3 billion for half of Sandals Resorts International in an equal joint venture with the Stewart family, raising questions about control, financing costs and what cruise passengers can expect. And Windstar Cruises has opened bookings for its summer 2028 Europe season, with 348 itinerary combinations across five ships, a Circumnavigate Ireland itinerary, Monaco Grand Prix sailings and the return of its Mystery Cruises from Athens.