The Golden Crew is BACK after a week off (sorry Tom, your mom's move was worth it) and we are loaded down with cruise news, speakpipe love, and one very questionable tattoo conversation.

First up — Tom's mom has officially landed in Tulsa, which means Tom is now headed to Dallas because apparently you CAN have too much of a good thing. He's got 60 days, a two-bedroom apartment, and presumably no noisy ceiling fan to sit under (yet).

Then we get into the heavy stuff. There's a real situation unfolding aboard the M/V Hondius near Cape Verde — three deaths, multiple severe illnesses, and a hantavirus outbreak that's sent even the responding doctor home sick. Trevor breaks down what we know so far (this is developing, so things may have changed by the time you hear this), and Tom reminds everyone that the Black Plague WAS, in fact, transmitted by mice. Educational AND terrifying. The Kennedy household hantavirus deterrent system (a cat) was also very vocal during this segment.

In happier-ish news, Carnival's VIFP terms of service are changing September 1st, and Trevor has STRONG feelings about the folks out there opting out as a protest. Spoiler: opt in. Trust us. Don't slam the door on Papa Carnival just because you're mad. Also, MSC, if you're listening, we are absolutely available.

Tom is officially considering a Margaritaville tattoo, and we need your help. Send your tattoo suggestions to our Facebook page — clean OR dirty, Madison doesn't care — and Madison (that's me, hi 👋) will whip up AI images of Tom rocking your suggested ink. Bonus points if anyone can finally convince Trevor to commit to that Harry Potter lightning bolt he's been threatening for years.

THREE speakpipes this week! Tim returns with more "Powerball numbers" (Trevor is still convinced he violated the temporal prime directive), Brando is BACK after a long absence with a 1992 Powerball number that'll definitely still work, and Catherine swung by for our 5-year anniversary love (and to gently confirm that no, Trevor, The Notebook is not a time travel movie). It's about letters. In a mailbox. Through normal mail.

We close out with the new Carnival dinner menu (pork chops 3 of 7 nights — Trevor is THRIVING), an appetizer-sized portion of ribs and mac and cheese spotted on John's FFS cruise that has us questioning what "appetizer" even means anymore, and the FRGC4 countdown clock ticking down to 135 days.

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Join us over on Facebook in The Podcastaways group, and remember — anything that happens on the ship stays on YouTube.

You are unique, you are special, and you are loved. ⚓

Five years and 200+ episodes in, Trevor, Tom, and Jen pull up the very first episode of the show and put their original cruise tips on trial. Which ones still hold up? Which ones aged like milk? Spoiler: "turn your phone on airplane mode" is still solid advice, and yes, you should still skip the $30 souvenir drink cup.

Along the way: a heads-up that Chichén Itzá is no longer allowing backpacks (effective April 21st), Tim drops this week's Powerball numbers from the future via Speakpipe and confirms Masala Tiger is still on the Splendor, and a tangent about turning Princess medallions into an Infinity Gauntlet that frankly deserves its own episode.

Whether you're a brand-new cruiser looking for the basics or a longtime listener who wants to laugh at how baby-faced Tom used to be, this one's for you.

📱 Leave us a voice message: speakpipe.com/carnivalcruisingpodcastaways👥 Join the silliness on Facebook — search "The Podcastaways

Remember: you're unique, you're special, and you are loved.

The Golden Crew is fully reunited — and Tim from the future is calling the shots.

Trevor, Tom (aka "Babyface," a nickname he did NOT approve), and Jenn are back together after last week's two-person experiment, and the gang wastes no time getting into it.

On deck this week 🚢:

🍗 Chicken, Waffles & Waves — John Heald dropped the brand new lunch menu being tested on the Liberty, Conquest, and Glory. Southern fried chicken, Korean-style tenders, slow-smoked pork butt, beef brisket… and a crew very nervous about Carnival's ability to fry a chicken. The debate is live.

🥶 Bermuda → New Brunswick — Virgin Voyages passengers packed their bikinis for tropical paradise and got rerouted to decidedly-not-bikini-weather Canada. A tale of weather, tears, and swimsuits that stayed in the suitcase.

🛳️ The Carnival Pride is back! — 22 days in Freeport dry dock, fresh carpets, updated casino, and a 10-night eastern Caribbean run. Plus a fun fact about the Pride + Miracle Baltimore team-up coming in fall 2027.

📞 Speakpipes from Tim — who apparently called us from the FUTURE (he got off his cruise on the 15th… which is the day we recorded). Tim, we need those Powerball numbers ASAP. Also: thermal suite review, sea turtles, piss soup warnings, and a Sea Day Brunch banana cream pie controversy that has Tom under investigation.

⚖️ 14 shots in 8.5 hours = $300,000 — Tom brings the big news: a passenger was awarded major damages after an over-service situation led to a serious fall. The crew debates personal responsibility, Carnival's appeal, and Trevor's two-drink nap threshold.

Plus: Trevor's California daydream, the ongoing saga of Megan and the debit card, tornado sirens as background music, and Trevor's rogue "lips that touch alcohol shall not touch mine" moment that took the show into genuinely uncharted territory.

📢 Leave us a Speakpipe! We played Tim's twice — you could be next: speakpipe.com/carnivalcruisingpodcastaways

👥 Join the crew on Facebook! Search "The Podcastaways" — that's where the chit-chat, silliness, and menu screenshots live (yes Tom, Brando called you out).

⏳ Trevor sets sail in 156 days. Jenn in 257 days. Tom is… somewhere. Probably eating French toast.

Cheers to more cruising nonsense. 🍹 Don't make it weird. — Madison

Tom ditched us. Baby face Kennedy shaved, got a life, and left Trevor and Jenn to hold down the fort — and honestly? They managed just fine. This week the dynamic duo digs into Royal Caribbean reshuffling ships in Galveston, the Carnival Spirit's mysterious "unexpected modification" that cost passengers a trip to Bimini, and the big menu news Tom tipped them off about before ghosting — pork chops are reportedly making their triumphant return to the MDR. Plus, a shipbuilder just unveiled plans for a fully battery-powered cruise ship and Trevor immediately started worrying about electric bike fires. Our favorite Aussie correspondent Tim checks in via Speakpipe before heading off to board the Carnival Splendor, and Trevor and Jenn bond over spa thermal suites, tornado warnings at the movies, and the eternal mystery of beluga lentils.

Got something to say? Leave us a message at speakpipe.com/carnivalcruisingpodcastaways and you might end up on the show just like Tim! Find us on Facebook by searching The Podcastaways and join the group — we'd love to have you aboard.

This week, Trevor, Tom, and Jenn have officially signed with Margaritaville at Sea... or have they? The Golden Crew is back with the most confidently wrong cruise advice ever recorded. From bringing bags of oranges to fight scurvy, to wearing a full tuxedo on the water slide, to paying for onboard shopping with homemade "Carnival Fun Bucks" — this episode is absolutely NOT a guide to cruising. Do NOT follow any of this. Seriously. We mean it. Probably. Happy April Fools from your favorite podcast that is definitely still about Carnival cruising!

The Golden Crew is back and somehow the biggest cruise industry debate this week isn't about loyalty programs or port fees — it's fried chicken. Tom decided to slide into John Heald's DMs with some constructive criticism about Carnival's fried chicken and biscuits, and John's response was... diplomatic. His dog Quantum, however, was not having a great day either, and we have receipts.

We also dive into a wild Reddit story about a passenger who managed to get themselves banned from Carnival after absolutely destroying the presidential suite — and then had the audacity to complain about it online. Sir.

On the more serious side, Alaska cruisers need to pay attention: Tracy Arm Fjord has been pulled from all 2026 itineraries following a landslide and tsunami near the South Sawyer Glacier. The Carnival Spirit, Luminosa, and Miracle are all rerouting to Endicott Arm Fjord for sailings running April through September 2026.

It's a shorter episode this week (Tom's got some stuff going on — we'll leave it at that), but we packed it in. And yes, we noticed your Speakpipe silence. Shame. Shame. Go leave us a message at speakpipe.com/carnivalcruisingpodcastaways — your voice could end up on the show, and honestly it'd be a step up from the cricket sounds we're currently working with.

Until next time — you're unique, you're special, and you're loved. And please, please use the 24-hour room service. The hallway buffet is not a thing.

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The Golden Crew is back and absolutely unhinged as ever. First, big congrats to Tom — his brass band took home a win this weekend, which means Trevor and Jenn have exactly zero excuses next time they lose anything. We kick off the news with some ACTUAL good news: the Carnival Jubilee scored a perfect 100 on its CDC health inspection — that's a first since its 2023 launch, and our home port of Galveston has never looked cleaner. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean was busy committing an international crime on St. Patrick's Day: no corned beef. Their stock took a hit and frankly, we're not surprised.

We dive into the growing chaos around Carnival's Platinum perks after multiple sailings started pulling priority boarding and early stateroom access — turns out when everyone's Platinum, nobody is. We've got thoughts. Strong ones. Also: the Carnival Firenze is canceling 11 sailings out of Long Beach to reposition to the East Coast, and the West Coast is not taking it well (looking at you, Jenn).

Then there's the TikTok trend of people dragging their mattresses out onto their balconies to sleep under the stars — John Heald has officially had enough, and honestly? Same. Bobby called in on the Speak Pipe to defend Carnival's fried chicken, and Trevor and Tom has never recovered. Plus, MSC Seascape is charging admission to a new after-hours show that includes cocktails — which sounds fine until you realize some guests already have the drink package. Chaos. Pure chaos.

And yes, the Miami road trip comes up. It always comes up. Tom drove for what felt like 27 hours, Megan flew like a genius, and Trevor stared longingly into the Mississippi River. We don't talk about FGGC 1. We just... don't.

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Cruise With us on FRGC 4, September 2026 - Contact Amanda Barmore with Have Luggage Will Travel ⁠https://flow.page/haveluggagewilltravel

he Golden Crew is back, and this week Trevor runs through a comprehensive list of the most bizarre rules and banned items across cruise lines — from Samsung Galaxy Note 7s still being on Disney's no-go list to non-collapsible lightsabers being classified as weapons. Plus, Carnival bans upside-down pineapple behavior, Tom barely survives Oklahoma tornado season, the crew debates Carnival's new brunch menu (breakfast Philly, anyone?), and Jen owes the Costco community a major apology. Grab a drink of the day — just not from a box — and sail in!