Carnival Cancels Splendor Cruise Scheduled for 2027

Posted on 6 July, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Cancels Splendor Cruise Scheduled for 2027

Carnival Cruise Line cancelled a cruise scheduled to take place onboard the Carnival Splendor in 2027 due to a change in the ship’s drydock schedule.

According to a statement sent to affected passengers, the September 1, 2027, itinerary will no longer go ahead.

Sailing from Singapore to Sydney, the repositioning voyage included visits to destinations in Indonesia and Australia, such as Lombok and Darwin.

In addition to crossing the Equator, the Carnival Splendor was also scheduled to sail to Benoa, Cairns, Airlie Beach and Moreton Island before returning to its Australian homeport.

Carnival said the cancellation was necessary due to a change in the ship’s drydock, which is scheduled for August 2027.

“We apologize for this disappointing news, but we have a variety of alternatives and are confident you will find another Carnival cruise that is filled with an equal amount of fun,” the company said.

According to the statement, passengers’ cruise rates will be protected on a comparable sailing, in similar accommodations.

For those rescheduling their sailings, the company will also offer a $50 per person onboard credit to a maximum of $100 per stateroom.

The company said the amount will be posted to passengers’ onboard accounts during their new cruise.

Guests are requested to contact the company by July 3, 2026, to discuss alternative departures, Carnival added in its statement.

Those who do not wish to reschedule their cruise will receive a full refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased items.

The amounts will be returned to guests’ original forms of payment after July 3, 2026, the company explained.

Sailing from Sydney on a year-round basis, the Carnival Splendor offers a series of two- to 12-night cruises to destinations in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Queen Mary 2 Takes Center Stage in NYC for July 4

Posted on 6 July, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Queen Mary 2 Takes Center Stage in NYC for July 4

Cunard marked a landmark moment today as the Queen Mary 2, took center stage in New York Harbor for Sail4th 250, which is said to be the center piece of the United States’ 250th Independence Day celebrations.

Anchored in a prime position, the Queen Mary 2 gave guests front-row views of one of the most significant Fourth of July celebrations ever staged, featuring the largest gathering of tall ships and naval vessels ever seen in New York City.

The celebration drew national attention as NBC’s TODAY broadcast live from Queen Mary 2, with Jenna Bush Hager reporting from the ship during the historic festivities.

The day featured the International Parade of Sail, with more than 100 vessels parading through the harbor, including 47 tall ships from 20 nations, sailing from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge past the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge.

Guests also witnessed an International Naval Review, during which a Navy vessel formally acknowledged the anchored fleet of 37 U.S. and allied naval ships. The celebrations continued with a military flypast led by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels featuring more than 150 aircraft, including the Red Arrows, and a spectacular fireworks display lighting up the iconic Manhattan skyline.

Carnival Magic: 15 Years of Service for Carnival Cruise Line

Posted on 29 June, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Magic: 15 Years of Service for Carnival Cruise Line

The Carnival Magic recently celebrated 15 years of service for Carnival Cruise Line after being delivered on April 27, 2011.

As a sister to the 2009-built Carnival Dream, the 3,650-passenger ship was built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

At the time of its delivery, the Carnival Magic became the 100th ship across Carnival Corporation’s then 10 cruise brands.

Following a traditional handover ceremony, the vessel sailed for Venice to kick off its maiden voyage, which departed on May 1, 2011.

Sailing to Barcelona, the open-jaw itinerary included visits to destinations in Croatia, Italy, Spain and Monaco, such as Dubrovnik, Messina, Livorno and Monte Carlo.

The ship continued to offer itineraries in the Mediterranean through most of its inaugural season, operating itineraries to additional destinations in the region.

Ahead of its first sailing, the Carnival Magic was also officially named during a ceremony at the Venice Cruise Terminal.

Lindsey Wilkerson, a former St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patient who served as ambassador for the organization, was chosen as the ship’s godmother.

Soon after its first season in Europe, the Carnival Magic repositioned to Galveston for seven-night cruises to the Western Caribbean.

According to Carnival, the 130,000-ton vessel was the largest cruise ship sailing year-round from the Texas homeport at the time.

The Carnival Magic later sailed from other U.S. homeports, including Port Canaveral, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Norfolk and New York City.

In 2023, the ship returned to Miami to kick off a year-round schedule of six- to eight-night cruises to the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

Still being offered in 2026, the deployment features itineraries that visit destinations like Grand Turk, Curaçao, Puerto Plata and Celebration Key.

The Carnival Magic also became the second ship in the company’s fleet to introduce the new “From Sea to Shining Sea” crest.

Created in homage to the United States’ 250th anniversary, the patriotic feature was revealed in May and will be added to all of the company’s U.S.-based vessels.