Tag Archives: Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Freedom Battles Fire in Bahamas

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he Carnival Freedom suffered a fire on Saturday afternoon while sailing in stormy weather in the Bahamas.

Unconfirmed eyewitness reports posted to social media said the fire was due to a lightning strike, with the crew quickly getting the fire under control and eventually putting it out.

Video posted from passengers aboard showed the portside of Carnival’s whale-tail funnel on fire. Carnival Cruise Lien said on social media that part of the funnel had then fallen onto the open deck.

The ship reported the fire just after 3:00 p.m. local time while it was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, heading to Freeport after a cancelled call to Princess Cay due to weather.

http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/6349626885112 

Carnival said the U.S. Coast Guard has been notified and that it had activated the company’s response team to support the ship’s crew.

“There are no operational issues with the ship’s systems and the ship is expected to arrive to Freeport on Sunday morning,” Carnival said in a statement posted on social media.

“The captain has made multiple announcements to guests and crew and advised all but essential safety personnel to stay away from all open decks. There are no injuries. The port side portion of the funnel has fallen onto Deck 10 and the fire response is putting out the flames.”

Carnival also said it did not expect any impact to the next Carnival Freedom voyage scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral on Monday, March 25.

Of note, the this is the same ship that had a funnel fire in 2022, with Carnival having to replace the funnel at a drydock in Spain late last year.

Carnival Unveils Details for Celebration Key’s Paradise Plaza and Calypso Lagoon

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Carnival Cruise Line revealed details for Paradise Plaza and Calypso Lagoon, two of the five portals at its new Celebration Key destination on Grand Bahama set to debut in July 2025.

Paradise Plaza will feature a promenade, a 10-story-high Suncastle, live music and more. Destination information will help guests decide how they want to spend their day, whether by playing water sports, joining shore excursions or relaxing. There is also a Bahamian-themed fountain and ice cream shop.

The adult-friendly Calypso Lagoon, located west of Paradise Plaza, offers guests a chance to engage in athletic activities or take a dip in the freshwater lagoon surrounded by loungers, daybeds or cabanas.

On one side of the lagoon, guests will find a bar with nearly 50 swings so guests can dip their toes in the cool water while enjoying Bahamian cocktails. Additional bars are located around Calypso Lagoon as well as two full-service restaurants and casual snack shacks.

A section of Calypso Lagoon and the adjacent beach will be reserved for adults only. In this area, guests will find a swim-up bar with a DJ keeping the energy going all day.

“When guests see our Suncastle as they arrive at Celebration Key, they’ll know immediately they’re in for big FUN. Paradise Plaza will be the perfect welcome spot and will set the tone for the entire visit to this truly unique destination. These new details show the creative design that’s gone into the development of each portal, with Calypso Lagoon alone offering a wide variety of options to fill the day while honoring the beauty of Grand Bahama and celebrating Bahamian culture,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

Carnival Cruise Line Announces New Enhancements

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Carnival Cruise Line announced a series of new enhancements in time for the new year, from a revamped Chef’s Table and a dedicated cooking class to online improvements.

Dedicated Cooking Class with Chef Lagasse’s Favorites

Debuting onboard the Carnival Jubilee as part of the Carnival Kitchen offerings, the Carnival Culinary Center features a dedicated cooking class curated by Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse. Guests will learn to create a three-course meal with recipes selected by Emeril, including his New-New Orleans Pasta, Shrimp and Okra Gumbo with Filé and Strawberries Romanoff.

Chef’s Table Revamps with New Menu and Wine Selections

Carnival launched a new option for its Chef’s Table, a VIP culinary experience featuring a multi-course dinner hosted by the Executive Chef onboard. The experience starts with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for a group of 14, followed by a tour to see the galley in operation and a dinner of appetizers, entrees and desserts. The Chef’s Table 2.0 menu offerings are available fleetwide.

“Behind The Fun” Ship Tours Now Available Online

Carnival’s “Behind The Fun” tours will now be available for bookings pre-cruise on Carnival.com starting Jan. 1.

The new option will be rolled out fleetwide. To book, guests need to select the tour as a shore excursion under their ship’s homeport. An accessible, abbreviated tour is also now available for guests with disabilities.

New HUB App Feature

To simplify debarkation, the cruise line added a new feature to the HUB App. Guests no longer need to pick up zone tags for their luggage but can indicate a debarkation time via the app. Guests should list the number of bags to be placed outside their stateroom so the tags can be delivered directly to them.

VIFP members and suite guests will still receive special tags with priority debarkation as normal, and travelers who prefer not to use the app can still follow the traditional debarkation process.