Carnival Vista cruises cancelled to fix thruster

Carnival Cruise Line has cancelled three July departures of the 3,934-passenger Carnival Vista to fix a propulsion problem. The Vista is a relatively new ship that entered service in May 2016.

The problem left the ship only able to operate at reduced speeds. Carnival said the Vista has been operating on revised itineraries the last two cruises because one of its two azipod thrusters is not operating normally.

The cruises cancelled are the Vista’s July 6, 13 and 20 departures from Galveston, Texas. Guests will get a full refund of cruise fares and any pre-purchased excursions.

Carnival is offering a credit of 100% of the fare paid towards the cost of a future Carnival cruise. It has also offered up to $200 per person for independent air expenses or change fees.

“We sincerely apologize for the unanticipated disruption to your vacation plans. We are deeply disappointed that we will not be able to deliver the cruise we had planned for you,” a Carnival guest letter said.

Carnival said the seven-day cruise scheduled to depart on June 22 from Galveston will now be an eight-day cruise departing June 23.  The cruise scheduled for June 29 will now depart on July 1 and will be a similar eight-day cruise. After that, the ship will be out of service for 17 days while all azipod thruster bearings are replaced.

In a conference call with analysts about 2019 second-quarter earnings, Carnival Corp. CFO David Bernstein said fixing the problem will take longer than it might otherwise have because damage to the drydock at the Grand Bahama Shipyard made it unavailable.

The drydock was damaged when a crane collapsed while making repairs to the Oasis of the Seas in April.

In its second-quarter earnings statement, Carnival said 2019 earnings would be reduced by $62 million to $74 million by “voyage disruptions related to Carnival Vista.”

Disney to add new features to Fantasy

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Cruise Industry News

Disney Cruise Line today announced a number of new features coming to the Disney Fantasy following her spring drydocking at Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport.

In Disney’s Oceaneer Club there will be the new Star Wars Command Post, in addition to the Marvel Super Hero Academy.

“These new Star Wars and Marvel offerings onboard the Disney Fantasy are the newest addition to a growing list of exciting innovations that allow guests to interact with these universes throughout Disney experiences on land and at sea,” said Disney, in a prepared statement.

There is also a new food and beverage venue: the Sweet on You ice cream shop, near the family pool.

On the shopping side, Disney will welcome Tiffany & Co., with an exclusive store aboard the Disney Fantasy.

The innovative new enhancements debut on Disney Fantasy sailings starting May 17, 2017.

Royal Caribbean curtails Adventure of the Seas renovation

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Adventure of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International is scaling back renovations to the Adventure of the Seas, citing extensive hurricane damage at the Grand Bahamas Shipyard in Freeport, where the work was scheduled to take place.

Freeport suffered the greatest destruction anywhere in the Bahamas from Hurricane Matthew’s pass last month.

Royal Caribbean said the Adventure will still exit drydock on Nov. 14, but without many of the improvements that had been planned. Some will be added on the first few sailings after drydock.

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Grand Bahama Dockyard

In a letter to travel partners, Royal Caribbean said work will continue on the Dual Racer water slides, FlowRider and Splashaway Bay aqua park with a new opening date of Dec. 10.

Royal Caribbean said its premium steakhouse, Chops Grille, won’t open on the Adventure until early next year. In the meantime, Giovanni’s Table will offer select items on the Chops menu.

Plans to add Izumi, a Japanese restaurant, have been shelved.

Also, the introduction of new suites and staterooms “is no longer possible at this time,” the letter said. Royal Caribbean and travel partners will be contacting guests who had booked those rooms to discuss re-accommodation.

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Boleros Latin Lounge

Improvements that will open for the initial sailing after the drydock include Boleros Latin lounge and the two-story mini-golf course.

In addition to storm damage at the shipyard, Royal Caribbean cited the global rerouting of cargo ships carrying equipment and materials as a factor in the modified renovation plan.

Launched in 2001, the Adventure of the Seas is a Voyager-class ship. In 2014, it received “Royal Advantage” upgrades, including an outdoor movie screen, digital signage, ship-wide WiFi, new Concierge and Diamond lounges, and the changeover of the Portofino restaurant to Giovanni’s Table.