Tag Archives: Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Pride Cruise Cancelled After Technical Issue

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Carnival Pride in Alsund, Norway photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Carnival Cruise Line cancelled the upcoming cruise onboard the Carnival Pride following a technical issue with the vessel.

Scheduled to sail roundtrip from Dover, England, on July 21, the nine-night itinerary was set to visit the British Islands and Ireland.

According to a statement published by Brand Ambassador John Heald, following the technical issue, the Carnival Pride made an unplanned stop in Kiel, Germany, to board expert technicians.

While work onboard is underway to get the ship back to Dover “as quickly as possible,” it was necessary to cancel the upcoming departure, the statement said.

“We know you have been looking forward to your summer cruise and are very sorry to share this unexpected, last-minute news,” Carnival added.

Affected passengers will be offered different compensation and options, based on their current location and plans.

Those who have not yet travelled to Europe will receive a full refund and a 100 per cent future cruise credit (FCC), plus any airline cancellation fees, Carnival stated.

Meanwhile, the passengers already in Europe will receive reimbursement for the expenses related to the cancelled cruise.

These guests will be eligible to receive a refund of two nights of hotel accommodation (up to $300 per night) and food per diem of US$100 per day, per person, beginning on Friday.

Carnival is also covering airline fees in case the passengers decide to return home now.

“Based on when we can make the repairs and return the ship to Dover, we may be able to operate a revised itinerary with a shorter cruise that will end in Dover on the originally scheduled debarkation date of Sunday, July 30,” the company added.

If a shorter cruise does go ahead, Carnival will provide a prorated refund of the original cruise fare, in addition to offering a to-be-determined amount of onboard credit.

Carnival is also said to be exploring any availability on seven-day cruises onboard its sister brands out of Southampton on July 22.

Passengers currently onboard in Germany, meanwhile, can opt to return to the United Kingdom or to stay onboard.

“Our team has been busy exploring all options to get you back to the UK so you can catch your return flights home or continue your vacation in Europe,” the company said in a statement delivered onboard.

“We cannot project when the Carnival Pride will depart for Dover, but for those guests with flexibility, you may stay on the ship until Dover if that is an option for you,” the letter said, adding that the extended period onboard won’t have any cost to the guest.

All passengers who boarded the vessel on July 9 will also receive a one-day prorated refund of their cruise fare plus a 25 per cent future cruise credit.

Weinstein: More Carnival Cruise Line Capacity Generating Outsized Returns

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Moving two former Costa Cruises ships originally built for sailing Asia to the Carnival Cruise Line brand in North America has been an instant success, said John Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation, speaking on the company’s second-quarter earnings call.

Weinstein said that Carnival Cruise Line will amount to about a third of Carnival Corporation capacity in 2023 and 2024, compared to approximately 25 per cent pre-pandemic.

The Venezia debuted in New York earlier in June and is the first of two ships that will operate under the ‘Fun Italian Style’ branding, with the Firenze set to join the fleet next year, sailing from Long Beach.

“These transfers are part of our portfolio management strategy, which is contributing to Carnival Cruise Lines’s capacity, growing 22 per cent more than pre-pause expectations. And Costa’s capacity is reduced by 36 per cent, compared to pre-pause expectations,” Weinstein explained.

“The added capacity to Carnival Cruise Line will not only generate outsized returns for the company but rightsizing the Costa brand is also having these desired effects of supporting its revenue profile confirmed by recent booking and pricing trends,” he said.

“We remain committed to our strategy of owning a portfolio of world-class brands, many of which are truly dedicated to specific markets and it’s clear the strength of this portfolio is now shifting into high gear.”

Photo: Antonio Silva

Carnival Pride Kicks Off European Season

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The Carnival Pride sailed on Sunday on her first sailing of the Europe summer season, sporting the signature Carnival red, white and blue hull design for the first time, after undergoing extensive enhancements that include bow-to-stern upgrades to enhance accessibility on the ship for guests with disabilities.

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy and Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse visited the ship in Barcelona before she set sail.

“I’m so proud of our team. They have done amazing work refreshing and enhancing Carnival Pride just in time for her Europe sailings,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We welcome everyone on Carnival ships, so we are happy we’ve completed the work to make the ship accessible to those with disabilities. I’m also delighted to see the addition of the Heroes Tribute bar since it has been popular with our guests and has resonated well with military service members and their families.”

The 2,680-guest Carnival Pride has been undergoing enhancements since April 28 and returned to service with several additional Carnival offerings and other improvements, including a new Heroes Tribute Bar, Chef’s Table, Dreams Studio, and Carnival Adventures Shop. In addition, the ship’s steakhouse has been refreshed and re-named Fahrenheit 555, the casino expanded and the spa rebranded to the Cloud 9 Spa and Fitness Center.

The first guests sailing Carnival Pride from Barcelona are embarking on an incredible 12-day sailing, with ports of call including Lisbon, Portugal; Le Havre (Paris), France; and Zeebrugge (Brussels), Belgium.