We all know Carnival Cruise Line has been in the news quite a bit lately. Heck, I was there when it all started on the Triumph. In the last couple of weeks, Carnival has had 3 other ships with “issues.” So what gives? Should we trust Carnival? What’s the real story?
What began with the engine fire on the Carnival Triumph on February 10th, and continued with so-called “issues”on Carnival Dream, Elation, and Legend, has left us all wondering if we should ever take our family on a cruise again.
Through all of the media hype over the last month since Carnival Triumph, it’s important to remember that there have been no injuries or deaths reported on any of the Carnival cruise ships. Cruising remains one of the safest, most cost effective ways to vacation with your family.
Now is probably the safest time to step on any cruise ship due to the extra safety measures and precautions that are being instituted due to recent media coverage. None of the cruise lines want a mishap to deal with now…
If you are still a little wary of jumping on a cruise ship. No worries. I understand. Give it some time, this too shall pass.
But if you are ready to shop for your next cruise vacation, now is the time to book because there are some AMAZING deals out there. Cruise deals like I’ve never seen before! Keep reading…
I witnessed firsthand how the “reports” from the Carnival Triumph were blown out of proportion in some of the media reports. Carnival is taking every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of their guests. Who can blame them if they seem to be a little “overcautious” with the three ships noted below? Carnival Corporation is THE LARGEST fleet at sea. Did you know they own 50% of the ships sailing in the ocean? Did you know they are launching a comprehensive FLEET WIDE inspection of their ships?
Because we have heard all kinds of reports in the news this past week, we would like to share an update with you regarding the status of Carnival Dream, Legend and Elation and clarify many misconceptions that are being driven by confusing and, in many cases, inaccurate media coverage. We would also like to update you on the status of Carnival’s ongoing internal review in the wake of the Carnival Triumph incident.
The following update to last week’s incidents comes directly from Carnival Corporation:
Carnival Dream
As of Saturday evening, we will have nearly completed the process of flying all guests from St. Maarten to either Orlando or their final destination via a combination of 21 charter flights and multiple commercial air flights. Additionally, we are providing some 600 hotel rooms in Orlando as needed based on travel plans, along with all motor coach transportation needs. Once all guests have left the ship, Carnival Dream will make preparations to sail back to Port Canaveral with the crew on board and we expect to sail on Sunday.
The ship’s power plant, propulsion and hotel systems are fully operational. Aside from some periodic interruptions to restroom and elevator service for a few hours Tuesday night, at no time have any of the ship’s systems and services not been functional. One public restroom was taken offline for cleaning Tuesday evening, but otherwise there were no issues with sanitation functionality or cleanliness on the vessel. Reports to the contrary are completely false.
We have had permission from all necessary regulatory authorities to depart from St. Maarten and sail to Port Canaveral since earlier this week. However, it was our decision not to sail with guests on board without a functioning back-up emergency generator. Upon arrival in Port Canaveral early next week, we will install a replacement emergency generator, followed by the appropriate inspections and approvals to operate our next scheduled voyage on Saturday, March 23rd.
Carnival Legend
Carnival Legend is experiencing a technical issue with the ship’s propulsion system which is having a minor effect on the ship’s maximum speed which is being reduced by a few nautical miles per hour versus normal capacity. The ship’s safety systems, steering and all hotel services are functioning normally and the ship, which has been achieving speeds of 19 knots, is scheduled to arrive in Tampa on time tomorrow morning.
On Sunday afternoon, Carnival Legend is expected to depart on schedule while technicians continue to make progress on the repairs. The ship is expected to operate its normal itinerary with the exception of one port – Grand Cayman – which is being replaced by Costa Maya. Any guests wishing not to proceed based on the change to one port of call have been given the option of cancelling and receiving a full refund.
Carnival Elation
At no time has the Carnival Elation been under tow or required the assistance of a tug boat. The ship continues to operate its normally scheduled itineraries. The ship is experiencing a minor technical issue with the steering function of one of its two redundant Azipod propulsion units and the tug that is trailing the ship while it travels on the Mississippi River is purely a precautionary measure. The ship is scheduled to return on time from its current voyage on Monday. Repairs are expected to be fully completed prior to the ship’s departure for its next cruise on Monday afternoon.
Our Commitment to Safety and Security
We would like to sincerely apologize to our guests for the disruption to their vacation plans as a result of these occurrences. The cause of each one is unrelated although we take each of them very seriously. As always, the safety of our guests and crew is our foremost priority. Carnival Cruise Lines carries some 4.5 million passengers a year and operates thousands of cruises without incident. Our historical safety record is outstanding. We have comprehensive maintenance programs in place that meet or exceed all regulatory standards and requirements.
We are committed to learning from any incident that may occur on one of our vessels to apply lessons learned and prevent future occurrences. We are presently conducting a comprehensive fleet-wide review that encompasses multiple operational areas, systems and training. We have assembled an expert team from across the company, as well as a variety of outside experts to complete the assessment. We expect to make an announcement early next week on the initial steps of our implementation program based on the results of our review. In the meantime, we are confident that we will continue to provide our guests with a safe, fun and memorable vacation experience and look forward to welcoming them on board.
So, if you are ready to sail again, or give cruising a try at SUPER LOW prices…
This week only (through March 22nd), Carnival Cruise Line is offering it’s lowest prices of the season, as a way to thank both past guests and new, for continuing to trust their brand for vacations. The Carnival Magic (pictured above) sails from Galveston on 7-night cruises…at FABULOUS prices…this week especially.
Family Cruises offer great perks like:
- Allowing you to unpack once, while visiting several different ports/destinations
- Including the price of your room, food, entertainment, transfers, activities all in one price — no surprises
- Free kids activities and childcare, so Mom & Dad can have some time alone.
- Offering a variety of itineraries and cabin categories to fit every budget and taste.
If you are ready to look into a family cruise on Carnival and want to take advantage of these “never before seen” rates for summer cruises, please fill out our Vacation Request Form for a FREE Quote. or email us at info@CruiseTherapy.net
Bon Voyage!
I
am a travel consultant
Great article about Carnival and it’s corporate response to the string of problems they’ve been stricken with. My wife and I are avid cruisers and we love Carnival! So much of the news/internet info about the problems with Carnival ships is overhyped/sensationalize BS. I really liked reading the response from Carnival’s corporate office. THanks.