Cruise & Ferry

Amy Bradley case hinges on ‘somebody remembering’ cruise ship vanishing: expert

Published

2 days ago

August 3, 2025

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The disappearance of a recent college graduate from her cruise ship stateroom nearly 27 years ago continues to baffle investigators as a new documentary hopes to breathe fresh air into the search for a woman who seemingly vanished into thin air.

In March 1998, Amy Bradley embarked on a Royal Caribbean International cruise with her family for a seven-day trip to the tropics. The 23-year-old had recently graduated from college and was preparing to pursue a master’s degree in sports psychology.

Her story is now being revisited in the new three-part Netflix documentary series, titled “Amy Bradley Is Missing.”

PARENTS BELIEVE DAUGHTER WHO VANISHED FROM CRUISE SHIP 27 YEARS AGO IS STILL ALIVE

On the evening before her disappearance, Bradley joined her brother Brad at the Rhapsody of the Seas nightclub, where the pair remained until the early morning hours of March 24. Bradley’s father, Ron, last recalled seeing his daughter asleep on the cabin’s balcony.

Bradley vanished about a half an hour later, as the ship was preparing to dock in Curaçao.

An extensive search for the recent college graduate ensued, but authorities were unable to locate Bradley. The vessel continued its scheduled stops and ultimately returned to Puerto Rico four days later.

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Countless rumors swirled around what happened to Bradley, including theories that she had fallen overboard and drowned, or that she had intentionally jumped to take her own life.

Her parents, however, have never wavered from their belief that their daughter was kidnapped and could still be alive, according to the documentary.

As the investigation into Bradley’s death remained ongoing, Netherlands Antilles Coast Guard Lt. Sjoerd Soethout told reporters she could have fallen from the ship’s balcony, The Associated Press reported. At the time, an FBI spokesperson said authorities had “no evidence of foul play,” with the case ultimately running cold.

MYSTERY SHROUDS CASE AS AMERICAN TOURIST STILL PRESUMED MISSING IN POPULAR TOURIST PARADISE

“There is decidedly little evidence of a fall or push, nor would there be,” Peter Valentin, chair of the Forensic Science Department at the University of New Haven and a former Connecticut State Police detective, told Fox News Digital. “There would be next to no evidence unless there would be a struggle prior to the push.”

One year after Bradley’s death, her parents filed two lawsuits against Royal Caribbean. The family claimed the cruise line acted negligently in the handling of their daughter’s disappearance, with Royal Caribbean releasing a statement at the time insisting they acted “appropriately and responsibly at all times.”

The lawsuits were subsequently dismissed in 2000.

Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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“The room was cleaned before the FBI agents had access,” Valentin said. “Whether they realized it or not, they de-emphasized the value of physical evidence in that room.”

Years later, Bradley’s family received a set of sexually explicit images of a woman from an adult website based in the Caribbean from an anonymous tipster, further solidifying her family’s fears surrounding her being forced into sex trafficking.

In the photos, the woman, identified as “Jas,” posed provocatively while deliberately covering any identifiable markings, such as Bradley’s tattoo of a Tasmanian Devil spinning a basketball.

Investigators were also informed of alleged sightings of Bradley.

DETECTIVES’ TRUE CRIME PODCAST HELPS DIG UP BREAKTHROUGH IN CASE THAT HAUNTED FAMILY: ‘DREW AUDIBLE GASP’

Tourist Judy Maurer told the documentary that she witnessed a woman she believed to be Bradley while in a restroom in Barbados, before three men allegedly escorted the woman away. David Carmichael also told filmmakers he may have seen Bradley while visiting Curaçao, adding that she was “flanked by two people.” Another Curaçao sighting was reported by Navy veteran Bill Hefner, who believes he saw a distressed Bradley at a local bar.

However, Valentin is skeptical of the potential sightings.

“Eyewitnesses can become very convinced of what it is they say they saw, even though the forensic evidence makes it quite clear that they could not have seen what they said they saw,” Valentin told Fox News Digital.

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The former investigator added that the reported eyewitness accounts of Bradley should be compared to look for similarities.

“Combine it with other forensic techniques and electronic evidence and it certainly suggests that investigative efforts should be focusing on a particular area,” Valentin said.

Additionally, investigators previously looked into Alastair “Yellow” Douglas, a member of the ship’s band who Bradley was seen dancing with hours before her disappearance.

Valentin points to roadblocks facing authorities regarding the lack of electronic evidence at the time of Bradley’s disappearance.

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“Any connection between that musician and Bradley, however fleeting it might be, could be explored through the electronic evidence,” Valentin said. “So this really is a generational leap in terms of what we’re capable of doing now with electronic evidence.”

Throughout the years, Douglas has vehemently denied any involvement in Bradley’s disappearance.

While questions still swirl surrounding how Bradley vanished from her stateroom within such a short timeframe, Valentin highlights a potential point of interest in answering what happened to the young woman.

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“I would have been very keen to know if she was missing a pair of shoes, or did she take her shoes with her?” Valentin asked. “If all the shoes are accounted for, that’s an interesting observation because that actually makes it a little less likely for some of the scenarios that were discussed about her leaving on her own accord.”

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“Amy Bradley Is Missing” is now available for streaming. (Netflix)

In 2017, the FBI previously released age-progressing images of Bradley with the hopes of igniting new leads within the search.

Despite the numerous leads, authorities have never charged anyone with a crime relating to Bradley’s disappearance.

Valentin suggests the passage of time since Bradley’s disappearance could encourage anyone with information to speak up.

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“This case is one that I think is probably going to hinge on somebody remembering that they know something,” Valentin said. “Because of this case reemerging in the public eye.”

Anyone who believes they have information pertaining to Bradley’s disappearance is asked to contact their local FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate.

“Amy Bradley Is Missing” is now streaming. Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Nolasco and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Julia Bonavita is a U.S. Writer for Fox News Digital and a Fox Flight Team drone pilot. You can follow her at @juliabonavita13 on all platforms and send story tips to julia.bonavita@fox.com.

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Cruise & Ferry

Disney Cruise Line Is Enhancing Entertainment Through Storytelling And Technology

Published

4 hours ago

August 5, 2025

Megan duBois

“Disney Hercules” will be a brand-new, Broadway-style retelling of the Walt Disney Animation Studios film developed exclusively for the Disney Destiny. Embodying the ship’s theme of “heroes and villains,” the show will feature epic battles and heroic moments, including Hercules’ battle with the Titans of the Underworld, featuring monumental, cutting-edge exoskeleton technology. (Disney)

Disney Cruise Line

The Disney Destiny, Disney Cruise Line’s seventh cruise ship, will launch later this year. The vessel is themed around the stories of heroes and villains. One story that will be performed inside the Walt Disney Theater is Disney Hercules, a Broadway-style retelling of the classic animated film. The show will feature larger-than-life musical numbers, puppets, cutting-edge technology and more to bring new energy to the stage adaptation of Hercules.

For Disney Cruise Line, the ship’s crown jewel is the Walt Disney Theater, where each night guests onboard will see performances featuring Disney characters and retelling Disney stories. What makes the Disney Destiny stand out among its other Wish-class ships (the Disney Wish and Disney Treasure) is the immense level of storytelling and technology that is blended together to make each stage performance top-notch.

Although shows don’t just appear onstage overnight, and Disney Hercules is no exception, new technology and storytelling techniques have enabled Disney to enhance its entertainment offerings onboard its new ships. A massive team of performers, choreographers, musicians and more has worked for nearly three years to bring Disney Hercules to life for the Disney Destiny, which will take its maiden voyage on November 20, 2025, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Designing Theater, The Disney Cruise Line Way

The cast of “Disney Hercules” rehearses at the Disney Cruise Line studios in Toronto, Canada, in July 2025. “One Last Hope” depicts Philoctetes training Hercules with Pegasus by his side. The brand-new, Broadway-style retelling of the Walt Disney Animation Studios film will debut exclusively onboard the Disney Destiny in November 2025 (Steven Diaz, Photographer). © Disney

Disney Cruise Line

“We’re so proud that we get to make theater that, for many people, is their first exposure to this art form that we’re all so incredibly passionate about,” says Jenny Weinbloom, Vice President of Live Entertainment at Disney Signature Experiences. “We’re always incredibly thoughtful as we’re developing these shows that we’re making them for everybody.”

Disney Cruise Line mainly draws nuclear and extended families who want to cruise together. Adults without children is also a growing segment for the brand, which makes sense since this is a booming guest segment at Disney Parks as adults look to tap into the nostalgia of their childhood.

Why Disney Cruise Line Chose ‘Hercules’ For The Disney Destiny

“Disney Hercules” will be a brand-new, Broadway-style retelling of the Walt Disney Animation Studios film developed exclusively for the Disney Destiny. Embodying the ship’s theme of “heroes and villains,” the show will feature jaw-dropping puppetry to represent the mythological behemoths that Hercules must defeat to fulfill his hero’s journey, such as the multi-headed Hydra monster. (Disney)

Disney Cruise Line

Disney has a deep vault of intellectual property to choose from for live performances. When it was announced that the Disney Destiny would be themed to heroes and villains, the theater creatives knew Hercules had to be the premier show inside the Walt Disney Theater. Not only was it already a musical with a classic score and soundtrack by Alan Menken, it was also one of the ultimate hero and villain stories from Disney’s Renaissance era of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

“Hercules is kind of having a moment right now,” explains Weinbloom. “Hercules is on the West End too, which is a delightful coincidence, but it’s because this music is so incredible, the story is so incredible and it’s kind of a perfect time to tap into the nostalgia of this amazing source material and to build upon it.”

The new show, while telling the same story as the West End rendition, will be exclusive to the Disney Destiny.

“Our task is to take that story, take that music and reimagine it through the lens of a theatrical vocabulary,” says Weinbloom. “[We are] taking what’s inherently animated about this story, stripping that away, and taking the story to its core and rebuilding it again for the stage.”

Cutting-edge technology will bring Disney Hercules from Mount Olympus to the Disney Destiny.

“Disney Hercules” will debut in November 2025 exclusively onboard the Disney Destiny and, for the first time ever, will feature Disney’s patented exoskeleton technology to create some of the most larger-than-life characters including the frost and earth Titans (Steven Diaz, Photographer). © Disney

Disney Cruise Line

This isn’t the first time the Greek god has made its way to a Disney Cruise Line ship. Hercules: The Muse-ical could be seen on the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder from 1998 through 2008, and was earmarked as a musical comedy.

While these two smaller ships have fantastic shows inside The Walt Disney Theater, the Disney Destiny has some major upgrades that have allowed the Disney Hercules production team to enhance the story through technology that was just not possible in the early 2000s.

One of the biggest jumps in technology is the theater itself. “Not all of our ships have the same theater. The Destiny is in the Wish-class of ships, so the Wish, the Treasure and the Destiny. They have significantly larger Walt Disney Theater venues than the smaller, older ships in the fleet. So they have different capabilities attached based on that scale and also based on the technology embedded within those venues,” explains Weinbloom.

Another leap forward in technology is the on-stage puppets. Disney Hercules will have eight total puppets, including two towering Titan puppets. But these Titans aren’t going to be manned behind a curtain like a marionette.

The puppets are actually Exo-frames that were developed in partnership with Walt Disney Imagineering’s research and development team. The puppet style was play-tested at the Disneyland Resort as an Incredible Hulk figure. For the show, there will be an earth Titan and a frost Titan that tower 9 feet and 13 feet tall, respectively, with actual performers inside the puppet.

Additionally, Disney Cruise Line’s rehearsal facility in Toronto, Canada, is a technological marvel. The facility’s multiple rehearsal rooms are designed and marked just like the stage inside the Walt Disney Theater on each of Disney’s cruise ships. There are also dedicated rooms for stunts and flying rigs, which are exactly the same systems used onboard each cruise ship, just in a different space, so performers can get plenty of practice in before heading to the ship.

“From a new show development standpoint, having the facility here has been integral to our process. We did a workshop on the ship and had all of these ideas about what we were going to do, but when we got here and into the actual space, lots of things changed,” explains Arin Dale, the Producer of “Disney Hercules.”

For Disney Cruise Line and Disney Live Entertainment, the goal for Disney Hercules, or any show inside The Walt Disney Theater, is for guests to be truly immersed in Hercules, going from zero to hero as he fights Titans and Hydras.

As “wow” moments come to life on stage, the idea that this may be Disney Cruise Line’s most advanced stage show yet should fade into the background, as storytelling is the prime reason theater exists after all.

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Cruise & Ferry

Celebrity Cruises faces issue; Royal Caribbean tightens key rule

Published

6 hours ago

August 5, 2025

Alisha dos Santos

Celebrity Cruises faces issue; Royal Caribbean tightens key rule originally appeared on TravelHost.

After having cruises on two of its ships canceled or significantly disrupted by technical issues in July, Celebrity Cruises is seeing its string of bad luck continue into August.

A third Celebrity Cruises ship has now joined Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Beyond in experiencing technical difficulties this summer.

The cruise line’s troubles began in early July when a minor electrical fire on board Celebrity Infinity led to major problems. The ship experienced a power failure and technical issues afterward that forced it to cancel the rest of its port stops and stay docked in Kusadasi, Turkey for days as emergency repairs were completed.

Then, Celebrity Beyond, one of the cruise line’s newest Edge Class ships, began experiencing propulsion problems that are now slowing down the rest of its summer cruise season in the Caribbean. Despite canceling a cruise in July so the ship could undergo emergency repair work, the cruise line had to adjust cruise itineraries through October to accommodate the ship’s reduced sailing speed.

Now, another Celebrity Cruises ship sailing in the Mediterranean experienced a sudden setback that left many passengers concerned.

Doug Parker shared details on the latest Celebrity Cruises snag, and other cruise news, including how Royal Caribbean is tightening a key beverage package policy, on the Aug. 4 edition of Cruise News Today.

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Celebrity Constellation loses power while sailing in Italy

Cruise News Today Transcript:

This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker.

Good morning, here’s your cruise news for Monday, August 4th.

Passengers aboard the Celebrity Constellation experienced a full power outage while the ship was sailing off the coast of southern Italy over the weekend.

Now, for about two hours, the ship had no air conditioning, no flushing toilets or hot meals. It drifted at a low speed before power was eventually restored and the ship resumed course up to Messina.

A report to our tip line says guests were given a free drink and WiFi for the inconvenience. Celebrity Cruises has not commented at the time of broadcast and passengers described poor communication during the blackout.

The incident follows other technical issues across two other ships over the past month with Celebrity. In early July, Celebrity Infinity broke down in Turkey where it stayed for five days for repairs while closer to the states, Celebrity Beyond was out of service for a week due to propulsion issues, which are still ongoing.

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Royal Caribbean stops making exceptions to drink package rule

And Royal Caribbean is tightening enforcement of its drink package policy. Yeah, now while the cruise line has long required all adults in the stateroom buy the Deluxe Beverage Package if one person does, it used to grant exceptions, especially for pregnancies or non-drinking guests. But as of August 1st, that flexibility is long gone.

According to Royal Caribbean Blog, a company spokesperson confirmed saying, quote: “Royal Caribbean will no longer be able to grant exceptions to our policy.”

This move follows a rise in people asking for exemption requests and concerns about guests sharing drink packages.

Norwegian Cruise Line cuts costs while upholding standards

And during a business update, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings says its 200 million dollars in cost savings this year and 300 million projected by next year won’t impact the guest experience.

CEO Harry Sommer said that these savings are coming from smarter purchasing and operational efficiencies, not service cuts. He did add that some of the money is actually being reinvested, including upgrading food offerings across the company’s 34 ships.

CFO Mark Kempa said that guest satisfaction remains strong and that NCL will continue tightening costs while maintaining its onboard standards.

Last week, Norwegian reported a total of 2.52 billion in revenue in Q2. That’s up six percent from the same quarter last year.

And cruise line stocks were down on Friday. Carnival Corporation: down 2.3%, 29.07. Royal Caribbean: down 1%, 314.25. Norwegian: down 4%, 24.50. And Viking: down 2%, 57.56.

If you have a lead on a story, let us know: tips@cruiseradio.net.

Here in Seoul, South Korea, I’m Doug Parker with Cruise News Today. Have yourself a great Monday.

(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)

Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me’s Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.

This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.

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