Welcome aboard the very first episode of Tales from the Ship! Your hosts, Captain Dan and First Mate Stephanie, introduce themselves, share the origin story behind the podcast, and give you a taste of what’s to come each week—plus a few sea-worthy tales of their own.

This episode is all about kicking things off with personality, laughter, and a little maritime mischief. If you’ve ever been curious about life aboard, cruise chaos, or just want to hang with two passionate cruise nerds—you're in the right port.

Welcome aboard the latest Weekly Helm Report, where this week’s cruise news is anything but smooth sailing. Carnival stirs the waters with a new loyalty overhaul, while several ships—Epic, Edge, Seascape, and Westerdam—break free from their moorings thanks to wild weather. Virgin Voyages leans into AI-driven mermaids (yes, really), Disney trims deposits, and Margaritaville at Sea raises a toast to one year of Islander sailings. From stormy surprises to sunny celebrations, we’ve charted the biggest cruise headlines so you don’t have to. Let’s set sail.