"Key West"

Published on: March 4, 2026

A New Florida Cruise Port? Where? What to Know.

Just south of Interstate 275 in a pocket of the Tampa Bay is an island that may be home to a new cruise port, but locals worry about the environmental impact of such a project, according to The Miami Herald.

The area is being eyed for a terminal by two companies — SSA Marine and Slip Knott LLC — for megaships that cannot pass under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The bridge maintains a clearance of about 193 feet for ships, despite being raised by about 50% to accommodate larger vessels in 1987, and still presents a limitation for megaships trying to pass through the area.

Currently, the island serves as a natural habitat for a multitude of native species and is known as “Paradise Island” to locals and nature enthusiasts, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. “As a conservation tradeoff” ahead of their plans to develop the Knott-Cowen Tract into a cruise port hub, the companies have proposed the preservation of Rattlesnake Key — a largely undeveloped 830-acre island that sold last year for $18 million. SSA Marine is the current owner of Rattlesnake Key.

Published on: February 26, 2026

Dream Vacation Becomes Nightmare: Leesfield & Partners Representing Mother of Four Following Cruise Ship Fall

By Leesfield & Partners

What was meant to be an unforgettable trip, marking her first time traveling out of the country, turned out a bit differently for a mother of four now represented by Leesfield & Partners.

“I was in shock,” this is what our 64-year-old client had to say regarding the immediate aftermath of a fall on a cruise ship deck that was slick with water.

The woman, a public school bus driver and school cafeteria worker, was on the ship with her daughter, grandchildren, her son-in-law, and his mother for a family vacation when she fell. Her daughter rushed to her side and described her mother’s leg as appearing “deformed” from her injury.

Published on: February 26, 2026

How This Vessel Fared Following Latest Winter Storms. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

The waterslides and pool deck of this cruise ship — originally meant to be enjoyed with the backdrop of sparkling, tropical waters — looked a little different covered in New Jersey snow.

Stuck in port overnight in the Garden State due to Winter Storm Hernando, the vessel was blanketed in snow. While the ship was meant to be carrying its thousands of passengers to the crystal-clear waters of the Bahamas, guests instead peered out their windows to find pool decks and lounge chairs coated in snow and framed by an unexpected, icy landscape. Photos of the peculiar sight can be seen posted on the cruise line’s blog page.

The weather delay has also set back arrivals in Port Canaveral, Florida, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, as well as later arrivals at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, the blog reported. If the weather does not improve, then further changes to scheduled voyages may be possible.

Published on: February 23, 2026

One Dead, Four Others Injured in Cruise Ship Fire. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Officials are investigating what caused a fire to break out aboard a cruise ship in Singapore following the death of at least one person and the injury to four others.

The fire broke out on Friday, Feb. 20 in a lounge area on one of the ship’s decks, according to reporting from PEOPLE. The name and age of the person who died, a member of the crew from Indonesia, was not immediately available Friday afternoon. The four who were injured are recovering in the hospital, the media outlet reported.

The fire aboard the ship, which was carrying 271 passengers and about 338 crew members at the time, was reported to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) at around 4 a.m. local time. Passengers were evacuated while members of the crew handled the flames. Singapore Civil Defence Force’s (SCDF) marine firefighters extinguished the blaze.

Published on: December 15, 2025

Crewmember Attacked by Passenger in Viral Clip. What Happened?

By Leesfield & Partners

A crewmember was attacked aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas in a recent incident that has gone viral online.

The incident, which occurred on Saturday, Dec. 6, shows the crewmember, a lifeguard, allegedly trying to direct passengers away from an outdoor deck area.

The passengers — many of whom were in swim attire — can be seen angrily attempting to get in the crewmember’s face as he backs away from the heated argument. A scuffle breaks out and the lifeguard appears to be hit and knocked to the ground.

Published on: November 24, 2025

Excursion Boat Sinks, Man Falls Between Cruise Ship and Pier: What to Know About These Recent Cruise Ship Accidents.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least 51 cruise ship passengers were in need of rescue off the coast of the Dominican Republic after the tour boat they were on sunk on Sunday, Nov. 9, according to media.

The incident involved a catamaran with a shore excursion from a two-week cruise ship and allegedly resulted from an “internal failure,” according to Cruise News Today.

The stop in Samana Bay had been added following re-routing due to inclement weather conditions related to Hurricane Melissa. No “major” injuries were reported.

Published on: November 18, 2025

FBI Investigates Death of Teen on Cruise Ship. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

The FBI is investigating the death of an 18-year-old passenger last week aboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship, according to national media.

Anna Kepner, of Titusville, Florida, died while traveling from Miami to the Caribbean. The ship she was on, the Carnival Horizon, returned to Port Miami on Nov. 8. It is unclear who she was traveling with or if she was traveling alone at the time of her death.

No cause of death has been released as of Wednesday, Nov. 12. Officials have not publicly commented on the case, citing the ongoing investigation. It is “standard practice” for the FBI to investigate deaths on cruise ships, according to reporting from USA Today, and the presence of these agents “does not automatically imply suspicious circumstances.”

Published on: November 5, 2025

Cruise Passenger, 80, Found Dead After Being Left Behind by Crew. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

The body of an elderly cruise passenger was found Sunday, Oct. 26, on a Great Barrier Reef Island after she had been left behind by crew, according to national media outlets.

Suzanne Rees, 80, of Sydney, Australia, was hiking on Saturday, Oct. 25, with other passengers before she was separated from the group. She was feeling unwell earlier in the day during the hike, her daughter, Katherine Rees, told reporters, and was told to return to the ship on her own.

The ship left the island allegedly without “checking whether all passengers” had returned. Rees was reported missing, NBC News reported, and the ship returned to the island to begin a “large-scale” search.

Published on: September 25, 2025

Cruise Fight Results in Passengers Hospitalized. What Happened?

By Leesfield & Partners

At least two people were taken to the hospital for injuries following a fight that broke out aboard a Royal Caribbean ship this week, according to national media outlets.

The incident happened Monday around 6:48 p.m. when Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies and local firefighters were called our to PortMiami for reports of a “dispute”, according to national media. Investigators later learned that an alleged verbal argument became physical aboard the ship, causing the captain to return to port.

The ship returned to port around 8:30 p.m.

Published on: September 18, 2025

Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth to Port in Miami. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth will call Miami home, at least for a little while, a history-making move for the company.

After an “increasing demand from North American guests,” the ship will be making trips to the Caribbean from what many consider to be the cruising capital of the world, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

The ship will be in Miami from mid-October until April 2026, making trips that range from nine to 28-night voyages to locations such as Jamaica, Mexico St. Thomas, St. Lucia, Honduras, Mexico, Barbados and Puerto Rico. After its departure in April of 2026, the ship will return to Miami next October until April 2027.