Cruise ship passengers traveling to the Bahamas on Tuesday, May 12, may be having a little bit less fun than usual.
That’s because the nation will be suspending all alcohol sales that day as they hold elections. Per <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/travel/disappointed-cruise-passengers-erupt-alcohol-ban-affects-major-voyages">Fox News Digital</a>, the ban on selling alcoholic beverages will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. This will include all popular hot spots and even private islands.
&#8220;Any person selling or exposing or offering for sale any intoxicating liquor during such hours shall be deemed to be so doing while not holding a license under the provisions of the Business License Act,&#8221; a notice from the Parliamentary Commissioner said. 
Two Royal Caribbean ships, Oasis of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas, will be visiting their private island CocoCay while the ban is in effect, the outlet noted.
Cruise lines will be permitted to sell alcoholic beverages on board their ships, but anyone who disembarks won’t be ordering any cocktails on dry land for all of Tuesday. 
&#8220;Royal Caribbean is respecting and complying with all local laws and regulations, as we do with every destination we visit,&#8221; a spokesperson for the popular cruise company said.
Predictably, travelers who were unaware of the alcohol ban are not pleased, with one saying her husband is “p*ssed.” 
“We scheduled a trip with stops in the Bahamas for our 40th anniversary. We are going with 26 of our friends. Planned activities at CocoCay and Nassau,” one traveler <a href="https://x.com/rhendrix69/status/2052180074808377358">shared</a> on X. “The general election has banned all alcohol for the two days we are there. And we find out only two days before we leave? Not a way to treat customers who cruise four times a year.”
Cruise ships are not having a good year, PR wise. Last week it was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/border-patrol-raids-disney-cruise-ship-in-major-child-porn-sting">reported</a> that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents raided five cruise ships, including one Disney cruise ship, as they identified predators viewing and distributing child sexual exploitation material. This led to 28 arrests.
On top of that, a luxury cruise ship was hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak in what’s been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/americans-enter-quarantine-in-u-s-after-hantavirus-nightmare-at-sea">described as</a> a “nightmare at sea.” The vessel was effectively stranded at sea while governments and health agencies coordinated where passengers could safely disembark and quarantine. At least nine confirmed or suspected cases have now been linked to the outbreak, including three fatalities.

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Brian Hooker is out of jail but remains under scrutiny, as police continue to consider the 59-year-old husband of missing boater Lynette Hooker a suspect in her mysterious disappearance in the Bahamas.
Lynette has been missing since April 4, when Brian claims she &#8220;bounced off the dinghy&#8221; near Elbow Cay while the couple was returning to their sailboat, Soulmate. He was detained for five days but has not been charged with a crime.
&#8220;It&#8217;s been 10 days, it&#8217;s been a long time, I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;ve ever been apart from her in 25 years for this long,&#8221; Brian said in an interview with NBC News.
Brian told <a href="https://youtu.be/GQ6nE1NEcKM?si=wp6QcwoVBCUSox-q">NBC News</a> that investigators may be focusing on him due to the intense media attention surrounding the case.
The case has drawn widespread interest after Lynette&#8217;s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, and her mother, Darlene Hamlett, publicly raised questions about Brian&#8217;s account.
According to Brian, rough conditions and a strong current pulled Lynette away after she fell overboard.
However, a longtime Bahamas resident told The Daily Wire that the area where Brian claims Lynette went missing is typically calm and protected. The source, who requested anonymity, said the harbor is sheltered from rough waves and that waters between Elbow Cay and Lubber&#8217;s Island are often shallow and clear as glass, adding that land isn&#8217;t too far away.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Overboard: Off the Hook?" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Prd_3ASU2gI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Aylesworth and Hamlett have both said Brian&#8217;s version of events does not make sense, noting that Lynette was a strong swimmer.
They also pointed to the couple&#8217;s past, including a 2015 domestic violence incident in Michigan. Lynette was arrested at the time, but Hamlett said her daughter had sustained a black eye and alleged that Brian had been physically abusive during their marriage, especially when drinking alcohol.
&#8220;I think they loved each other, but they were not good for each other,&#8221; she said.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-husbands-fell-overboard-story-hits-deadline-as-texts-and-recovered-apple-watch-surface">American Husband’s ‘Fell Overboard’ Story Hits Deadline As Texts And Recovered Apple Watch Surface</a>
Hamlett told Ashleigh Banfield on the &#8220;Drop Dead Serious&#8221; show that she had long feared something like this could happen.
&#8220;With the lifestyle that my daughter and her husband live, I had been preparing for that phone call for a long time,&#8221; Hamlett said.
Despite the family accounts, Brian has denied ever harming his wife.
&#8220;I said I’d never harm Lynette, and I never would harm Lynette, and I want to find Lynette,&#8221; Brian told NBC News.
As the search approaches two weeks, the chances of finding Lynette alive are diminishing. Her daughter is expected to arrive in the Bahamas on Wednesday to assist in the search.

Illustration by Daily Wire staff

Husband of Missing American Woman In Bahamas Released As Questions Emerge About His Story

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An American man will soon learn whether he&#8217;s being charged in the recent disappearance of his wife while they were boating in the Bahamas.
Brian Hooker has been in custody in Freeport since Wednesday, when authorities arrested him in relation to his missing wife, Lynette Hooker. Brian claimed that she fell overboard from their small dinghy on April 4 at sunset. Since extending Brian&#8217;s custody an additional 72 hours on Friday, Bahamian officials have a deadline of 7:20 p.m. local time to either release Brian or charge him in connection to his wife&#8217;s disappearance, according to his lawyer, Terel Butler.
From the beginning, Brian has denied any foul play and insisted that Lynette simply fell overboard due to rough seas near Elbow Cay. Elbow Cay is a five-mile long cay in the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, known for its shallow, clear waters where tourists and locals alike drop anchor and spend a day on the water.
&#8220;He definitely denies causing her death, and he still asks about her and is hopeful that she will be recovered,&#8221; Butler said Friday.
Brian reportedly called fellow sailors, Marnee and Blaine Stevenson, a day before his arrest and explained what had happened as the couple headed back on the dinghy to their sailboat, Soulmate.
&#8220;She basically just bounced off the dinghy in the middle of a little blow, like 20-something knot winds that popped up,&#8221; Brian said.
Marnee and Blaine recorded the April 7 phone call with Brian and posted the video on their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ICXVVWrgDc">YouTube</a> account. Marnee also shared text messages with CBS from a conversation with Lynette, during which the 55-year-old told Marnee she could not be out on the water with Brian.
&#8220;We were married 21 years. Our marriage lasted 6 weeks cruising,&#8221; Lynette wrote in the texts. &#8220;It was real bad. I can’t be out there with him.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Overboard: Lynette Hooker is Missing" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/86t8y3CshQc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
A flotation device has been recovered and since Lynette disappeared — and according to Lynette&#8217;s mother, Darlene Hamlett, her daughter&#8217;s Apple Watch was recovered — but Lynette still has not been located.
Brian&#8217;s lawyer said authorities are &#8220;close to a decision&#8221; on whether or not to charge Brian with a crime, per <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/bahamas-authorities-race-deadline-charge-cut-loose-husband-missing-american-woman?intcmp=xpal_truecrime">Fox News</a>.
&#8220;Even if they decided to charge him, it&#8217;s highly unlikely that he would go to court today,&#8221; Butler said. &#8220;So we will know by 7:20 p.m. today what their decision will be &#8230; It is possible that when a person has completed their time, that when they walk out, they can be re-arrested and time starts again.&#8221;
Butler said her client is &#8220;drained&#8221; from the interrogations and that he is &#8220;just hoping to have closure to be released so that he can continue to search to find out what has happened to his wife.&#8221;
Lynette&#8217;s mom joined the &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el7hVYiIy-U">Drop Dead Serious</a>&#8221; podcast, describing in detail how her daughter was repeatedly abused by Brian over their more than 20-year marriage.
&#8220;He has two sides to his personality, he can be very pleasurable, pleasant and he can be very vicious,&#8221; Hamlett said. &#8220;He threw her down on this bench &#8230; the boat has a little bench where you sit around the table in the galley. She landed on that, he was on top of her, he was choking her, and she felt something crack in her neck. She was so stiff-necked for a long time. I don&#8217;t know how or why, but she stayed on the boat that night &#8230; one of the conversations that they had while they were on the boat the next morning is he told her that he wished he had finished the job and thrown her overboard.&#8221;
Stories like the one Hamlett shared are why she, along with her granddaughter, Kylie Aylesworth, wanted a thorough investigation into Lynette&#8217;s disappearance.
Lynette has reportedly left Brian several times during their marriage and often documented the abuse with photos to help her not go back to him, according to Hamlett. Her daughter would often come stay with her in Florida when things with Brian were tumultuous, and every time Lynette returned to the Bahamas Hamlett said she believed it could be the last time she saw her daughter.
The 76-year-old said she doesn&#8217;t want to talk to Brian, but if she could talk to Lynette she would tell her daughter this: &#8220;I love you, and I wish you would have come home.&#8221;
The Daily Wire reached out to the United States Coast Guard, who is looking into the incident, and officials with the Coast Guard told us &#8220;we cannot comment on an ongoing investigation.&#8221;

Credit: Lynette Hooker via Facebook

American Husband’s ‘Fell Overboard’ Story Hits Deadline As Texts And Recovered Apple Watch Surface

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An American man has been arrested in the Bahamas in connection with his wife&#8217;s disappearance, putting his account of what happened the day she went missing under intense scrutiny. He has not been charged.
Brian Hooker was arrested Wednesday night by the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Brian&#8217;s wife, Lynette Hooker, has been missing since Saturday night — when her husband claims they were in a dinghy near Elbow Cay and she fell overboard, getting swept away in the current. He said that at the time, they had been traveling back to their yacht, &#8220;Soulmate.&#8221;
Brian also told police that the &#8220;strong currents subsequently carried her away,&#8221; and that she was swimming toward the shoreline when he &#8220;lost sight of her.&#8221; Police said Lynette was reportedly wearing a lanyard that held the keys to the vessel, causing the boat to lose power when she went overboard — which was why her husband had then tried to paddle back to shore.
Brian&#8217;s lawyer, Terrel Butler, says that his client &#8220;categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing&#8221; and has been cooperating with authorities, however, Lynette&#8217;s family is glad Brian is being questioned in the case.
&#8220;After learning of the arrest last night, it appears this matter is getting the attention it deserves,&#8221; Ron Marienfeld, the attorney for Lynette&#8217;s daughter, told CNN.
Karli Aylesworth, who is Lynette&#8217;s daughter, has been calling for more attention to this case from the beginning. She told <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZAe2I2_EdA">Fox News</a> her stepfather has a history of violence toward her mother, adding her mother is an experienced boater who wouldn&#8217;t &#8220;just fall overboard.&#8221; The concerned daughter also explained how the couple didn&#8217;t get along, especially when alcohol was involved.
&#8220;There have been prior issues brought to my attention, which may be important for any thorough investigation. If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it,&#8221; Aylesworth said. &#8220;However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident before that can be determined.&#8221;
Lynette was arrested in 2015 for domestic violence according to court documents obtained by <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lynette-hooker-woman-missing-bahamas-was-previously-arrested-domestic-rcna267417">NBC News</a>. The police report stated both Lynette and Brian accused each other of assault during the February 2015 altercation in their home state of Michigan, but only Lynette stayed the night in the county jail. NBC reports she was arrested on charges of assault and battery/simple assault, however the the warrant was denied after &#8220;insufficient evidence as to who started the assault.&#8221;
Aylesworth said that Brian called to tell her that her mother was missing, describing his demeanor at the time as &#8220;monotoned&#8221; and &#8220;relaxed.&#8221;
In a voicemail obtained by Fox News, Brian could be heard explaining to Aylesworth the latest on her missing mother.
&#8220;Hello, honey. I just got a call from Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue, and they found a flotation device that I threw to Mom when she fell overboard,&#8221; Brian said. &#8220;So &#8230; they haven’t found her yet, but they can now focus all of their efforts in a smaller area, and they’re still out there searching today. So I just wanted to update you and let you know. I love you. I’ll talk to you later. Bye-bye.&#8221;
Lynette was not wearing a flotation device at the time she went missing, according to a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/09/us/lynette-hooker-bahamas-husband-arrest-hnk">CNN</a> report, directly conflicting with what Brian told Karli in his voicemail.
Brian and Lynette were avid boaters, documenting their journeys on their YouTube page &#8220;The Sailing Hookers.&#8221; Lynette&#8217;s daughter told CNN that her mother and Brian had been in the Bahamas for about a month.
The last video shared to the page was a meme video where Lynette joked about &#8220;getting sick&#8221; of her husband.
The video shows a person dancing alongside another person singing under the words &#8220;don&#8217;t you two ever get sick of each other? &#8230;&#8221; followed by &#8220;me and my husband:&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Dance party 😎 #bahamas" width="422" height="750" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N-bkP-iboZg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Other family members are demanding justice — and also questioning Brian&#8217;s account of what happened last weekend. Lynette&#8217;s mother, Darlene Hamlett, told CNN the family is in shock.
&#8220;We have many unanswered questions,” Hamlett said. &#8220;We are still holding on for a positive outcome to this tragedy.&#8221;
The U.S. Coast Guard told The Daily Wire that a criminal investigation has been launched with regard to Lynette&#8217;s disappearance. The Daily Wire has reached out to Aylesworth and the Hope Town Fire Department for more information on this case.

American Man Claims His Wife ‘Fell Overboard’ In The Bahamas. Now He’s Under Arrest.

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No Drinks At Sea? The New Crackdown On Cruise Ships

Husband of Missing American Woman In Bahamas Released As Questions Emerge About His Story

American Husband’s ‘Fell Overboard’ Story Hits Deadline As Texts And Recovered Apple Watch Surface

American Man Claims His Wife ‘Fell Overboard’ In The Bahamas. Now He’s Under Arrest.