Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots tight end) along with his dad and three siblings were on the Norwegian Pearl for a three day cruise from Miami to Bahamas last weekend. Rappers, DJs and comedians were the scheduled entertainment on the “Gronk” ship but it was Gronkowski “Magic Mike” dance moves that were tweeted from the 700 fans on board.

Scream 

An unruly passenger who is said to have yelled for six hours on the second day of a three day cruise was eventually removed from the ship. But that wasn't quite the end of it.  When the MSC Divina docked in Nassau, Bahamas, the man, now strapped to a wheel chair for disembarkment, was caught on video throwing balcony chairs at the tender lifeboat. 

Crew member overboard

A crew member on the Norwegian Sun jumped overboard this week on a 14 day cruise from Valparaiso, Chile to Buenos Aires. Video footage shows Dominic Santiago of the Philippines jumping but by the time the crew officers were notified, four hours had passed and the ship had arrived at its port in Puerto Chacabuco, Aysén Province in Chile. Local authorities were investigating.

Fish Bar

New York Cruise Lines has partnered with North River Lobster Company to open Fish Bar.  A three story seafood lounge and restaurant will be built on a yacht located at Pier 81 on West 2nd Street on the Hudson River.  Fish bar will open this summer.

Itinerary change on Fantasy

The Carnival Fantasy, which was scheduled to reposition from Port Everglades to PortMiami on Monday experienced a propulsion problem that affected its maximum cruising speed, according to a statement from Carnival. As a result, the 2,000-passenger ship changed its planned 5-day itinerary with stops in Key West and Cozumel to a route that includes Nassau, Bahamas and Freeport, Jamaica as ports of call. 

Comedian Kathy Griffin was to perform in Cozumel, so passengers will be refunded for the cancelled appearance.

Court delay hearing in Charleston

Scheduling conflicts have delayed the hearing for the State Ports Authority’s plans to relocate its cruise terminal to a waterfront warehouse in Charleston South Carolina.  The new locale at the north end of the Union Pier requires renovations and conservation groups are challenging the impact the new terminal will have on the charming and historical town. The court intends to reschedule for May of this year.

Helicopter for heart attack victim

A suspected heart attack resulted in a 74-year-old woman from the Carnival Elation being evacuated by a Coast Guard helicopter crew. The woman was transferred from New Orleans Port to West Jefferson Medical Center last Saturday where she was reported in stable condition.

Weather woes in Cayman

Joseph Woods, manager of cruise operations for the Port Authority Cayman Islands estimates that the severe weather conditions in January and February resulted in a loss of almost 54,000 cruise ship passenger visits. Revenue losses are estimated to be up to US $5 million for the season including cancellations of water sports, snorkeling and stingray tours.

Players not village people

Two transatlantic vessels will be docked in Rio for the summer Olympics. Both will be the accommodations for high profile guests. International Olympic Committee members and their teams will stay on one ship. Guests of a multi-national company will stay in the second, including the US men’s basketball team. The 1992 Barcelona games were the first to include NBA professionals at the Olympics. Since then, the team has consistently opted out of the athlete’s village and chosen luxury accommodations.