Latest news with #CarnivalCruise
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Carnival Cruise Line cruisers debate controversial elevator issue
Carnival Cruise Line cruisers debate controversial elevator issue originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. If you haven't sailed on a cruise ship equipped with an advanced elevator system, you might not be aware that not all elevators are the traditional push-button variety. It's a clear industry trend for smart elevators to be installed on newer cruise ships. In Carnival's fleet, they have been added to a handful of ships, including the Carnival Horizon, Carnival Vista, and a few elevators are designed to reduce congestion in the elevator lobbies and reduce wait times. Instead of getting on an elevator and then hitting the button for the desired floor, smart elevators have no buttons whatsoever. The basic idea is that you'll use a touchscreen in the elevator lobby to input your desired floor and the number of people in your party. The screen will then assign you an elevator, and if you get on that elevator when it arrives, it will take you to your destination. There are some obvious benefits to this. At least once per cruise on ships with traditional elevators, I encounter a situation where I get on an elevator, only to find out that someone has hit all of the buttons and it will be stopping at every floor (to be fair, at times it has been my young children who have done that). Smart elevators eliminate this problem. On the other hand, there are some pain points. As one example, let's say that you request an elevator to the lido deck, and once you get on, you remember you're meeting your party on the promenade deck. You can't simply hit the correct button – you have to get off, use the touchscreen again, and wait for another elevator. There can also be a learning curve, as getting on the wrong car or failing to select the correct number of passengers can be an inconvenient seems like there really is no middle ground. Cruisers either love the smart elevator systems on cruise ships or absolutely detest them. Carnival Brand Ambassador recently received a comment from one of his Facebook followers, stating 'Put the smart elevators on every ship. They are awesome. They really do work and take the annoyance away from ship elevators. Put them on every ship.' As Heald often does, he used this comment to conduct a poll among his followers to determine whether cruisers agree with the comment. After about 54,000 votes, the result was clear – although many cruisers haven't yet been on a ship equipped with smart elevators, of those who have, cruisers agreed that they should be on all Carnival cruise ships – and by a three-to-one the comments on Heald's poll, it sounds like the technology is well-received, but the biggest obstacle is educating the passengers on how to use them properly. As one example, Heald follower Don DeMarte said 'It's not the elevators that are annoying. It's the passengers that refuse to learn them that are the issue. Walking up with four or five in your party and requesting only one spot kills the whole system.' More Carnival cruise news: Carnival Cruise Line plans to bring back popular app feature Carnival Cruise Line sounds the alarm on new scam Carnival Cruise Line shares strict bathroom warning Kate Hanson agreed. 'The smart elevators are amazing, but rarely do people know how to use them correctly. Maybe at muster, the crew members should mention that they have smart elevators and people have to push it number of times for the number of people. Because they aren't doing it!' And Donna Speaks Meade said, 'Smart elevators are great once you learn how to use lol. They seem to disperse crowd[s] faster.' To be fair, as smart elevators start to become more of a standard feature on cruise ships and not just something you'll find on a handful of vessels, more cruisers will become accustomed to how they are designed to be used. But even for now, it sounds like they are a clear improvement over traditional elevator technology. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on May 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Carnival Cruise Line celebrated for heroic rescue
Carnival Cruise Line celebrated for heroic rescue originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. Just a week after Carnival Paradise rescued a group of refugees from an adrift vessel near Cuba, another Carnival Cruise Line ship's crew sprang into action to make a dramatic rescue on the other side of the world. Carnival Splendor was sailing south of New Caledonia in the South Pacific during an eight-day cruise from Sydney when the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Noumea alerted them of a distress call from a disabled catamaran carrying four people and three Splendor was five hours away from the catamaran and immediately rushed to their aid in the middle of the night, as cruise ships will always do when they learn of anyone in peril at sea. One of the rescued couples, who feared for their lives while stranded on board the disabled catamaran, have since recounted the frightening ordeal and the cruise ship's extraordinary response, in a touching letter addressed to the entire Carnival Cruise Line Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald shared the letter from rescued sailors Juli and Ivan on his popular Facebook page that's followed by more than 600,000 Carnival cruisers. 'To all the Carnival crew, we are Juli and Ivan, two Argentinians 25 years old, traveling around the world for one year. We got the opportunity of crossing from Australia to Fiji in a catamaran, a bit more than a month ago, and from what you all know, it didn't end as expected,' the letter began. The sailors detailed how they ended up adrift at sea hundreds of miles from land.'After 8 days of crossing the ocean and having lost both engines, we were caught in a storm, which first made us think we were going to get hit by lightning and ended up breaking our mast in two after 50 knots of wind surprised us. 200 nautical miles away from New Caledonia, and this being our first passage, we were frightened to death,' they explained. The sailors reported contacting every coast station they could, but did not receive a reply for hours until the voice of Carnival Splendor Captain Eduardo Ferrone brought them hope. 'After two hours with no news, we received a call from your captain, saying he knew about our situation and that by doubling their speed in the middle of the storm, could reach us in just five hours. That was and will [for]ever be the best notice of our lives,' the letter emphasized.'After 5 hours, hoping the catamaran didn't sink because of the mast hitting us on every wave, we received the second-best call of our lives, from your captain asking us to drop the first flare, and straight away confirming he could see us,' the letter continued. Finally, Carnival Splendor reached them at 3 a.m., swiftly bringing them aboard the cruise ship and saving their lives. But what Carnival crew members did for them did not end there. 'What followed was just beyond reality,' the letter continued. 'This boat and its crew not only saved us but gave us all kindness, warmth, smiles, and attention which made recovering a completely different experience and a much easier one. There are no words to thank you all for being part of this recovery and exceeding expectations. Human values on board showed us better, and for that, we will be forever thankful.' More Carnival cruise news:The letter ended with heartfelt words of gratitude to Carnival Splendor's captain and several other crew members whom Juli and Ivan thanked by name. 'Special thanks to the Captain, Eduardo Ferrone, for being our guiding light in the middle of the ocean, giving us hope by making the call to save us and taking us back to land,' the emotional letter read. The rescued sailors went on to thank many other crew members who not only made sure they were safe, but who received them with exceptional kindness and concern for their health, well-being, and happiness. 'To all of you, thanks for the warm words and treatment, this would have been a different story if it wasn't for you," they added. "We will forever be grateful to Carnival Cruise Line.' (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on May 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Climate
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Carnival Cruise Line shares weather warning with passengers
Carnival Cruise Line shares weather warning with passengers originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. Although a disaster like the sinking of the Titanic is highly unlikely to happen today thanks to significant advancements in technology, ship construction, and other factors, it's a tragic event that the world will likely never forget. Naturally, anytime ice is mentioned in relation to a ship, some minds undoubtedly gravitate to the where many Carnival cruisers' minds went recently when they learned that one of the cruise line's ships was about to face treacherous icy waters on an adventurous voyage to the world's biggest island (and one of the iciest). Carnival Pride left Baltimore on May 25 to sail a 14-day Greenland and Canada cruise — one of the cruise line's specialty Carnival Journeys sailings — but shortly before passengers set off on their bucket-list adventure, they received a worrisome notification.'Captain Vito Giacalone and the entire Carnival Pride team are looking forward to welcoming you aboard for a voyage that will take you to the majestic landscapes of Greenland and Canada,' the cruise line began in an email to Carnival Pride passengers. Carnival wanted to notify passengers of precautionary measures being taken due to extra icy sea conditions present along their intended route. 'Ahead of embarkation Sunday, May 25, we are sharing the steps that are being taken to ensure your comfort and safety throughout the voyage. At present, in areas along our intended route, there is a significant presence of sea ice which could impact the itinerary,' the cruise line cruise line assured passengers that their experienced captain is aware of the conditions and well equipped to handle them. 'With support and guidance from our Fleet Operations center, Captain Giacalone has been closely monitoring real time sea conditions and weather forecasts for the region,' Carnival continued. 'He has much practice sailing the waters in the area, but he will also have experienced local pilots from Greenland on board.' Carnival also wanted passengers to know that the captain may need to alter their cruise itinerary as a result of the sea ice. 'Should any changes be necessary, Captain Giacalone will communicate them promptly. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we navigate this remarkable part of the world."Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald also addressed the icy situation on his popular Facebook page where he responds to hundreds of cruiser questions and concerns each day. 'Obviously we will see how the situation unfolds, but for now, the brilliant Captain Vito will do his very best to make sure guests get to Greenland where the locals are ready to welcome them,' Heald wrote. 'There is no better Captain to do this than my friend Captain Vito, but he will never ever put the ship's safety in jeopardy.' A few cruisers who made this awe-inspiring journey to Greenland with Captain Vito in the past also commented on the post to help reassure and encourage Carnival Pride passengers. More Carnival cruise news:'We were on this cruise last year, and Captain Vito and his ice pilots could not get us to land, but we were able to navigate a magnificent fjord in Greenland. We also were fog-bound in St. Anthony and were unable to shuttle to shore. But our stops in Corner Brook and Sydney were lovely, and Captain Vito (who may be the funniest man in Carnival's employ!) kept us safe and informed,' Jim Lee wrote. 'Qaqortoq was amazing. A Journey cruise is like sailing on an adventure to the New World but with all of the comforts of home and more. Sailing in style that explorers could only dream of,' Chris Idenouye added. 'Go with the flow, savor every moment, accept the unexpected with grace and dignity. You are experiencing something that millions can only dream of.' Passengers making this year's voyage seem to be well prepared to embrace the adventure — and its challenges. 'We have been told from the beginning that there is a chance we might not make a port or two. We understand safety comes first. I'm sure it will be a wonderful 14 days, no matter what,' Lilly N Dave's Adventures noted. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on May 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Carnival Cruise Line cancels more cruises, adds adults-only cruises
Carnival Cruise Line cancels more cruises, adds adults-only cruises originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. "We are sorry to inform you that the above cruises, including yours, have been canceled.' That's a notice that most cruisers never expect to receive, but unfortunately, it's one that some Carnival cruise passengers were blindsided by it was some Carnival Magic and Carnival Horizon passengers who received this type of news in April, and now passengers booked on certain sailings on another ship have learned their cruises are canceled, too. Why is Carnival Cruise Line canceling cruises? It all stems from changes made to the schedule for Carnival cruise ship dry docks — changes that were likely outside of the cruise line's control, since the shipyard manages that schedule. Like most cruise lines' ships, Carnival cruise ships are scheduled to go to dry dock every few years for routine maintenance and updates. Cruise lines typically know far in advance when each ship will be out of service for its dry dock, and they plan their cruise itineraries around that. However, sometimes schedule changes happen. Unfortunately, when those changes happen, a few cruises usually get canceled as a result. And in this case, as some Carnival cruises were canceled, a few controversial new cruises were added too — adults-only sailings that break with family cruise line Carnival Magic, Carnival Conquest just had its dry dock postponed from 2025 to early 2026. Carnival Conquest, which sails short Bahamas cruises from Miami year-round, was originally scheduled to go to dry dock in late summer 2025. Now, the ship will go in January 2026 instead, resulting in the cancellation of multiple cruises that were scheduled to depart on the ship between Jan. 5 and Jan. 26, passengers will receive full refunds of their cruise fares and any pre-purchased items, but are also being offered the opportunity to book an alternative voyage. Carnival is protecting these passengers' cruise rates on comparable sailings in similar accommodations. If they rebook on another voyage, they will also receive an onboard credit of $50 per passenger ($100 maximum per stateroom). The cruise line is also reimbursing passengers up to $200 per person for any nonrefundable air expenses and/or change fees as the cruise line did as a result of Carnival Magic's dry dock schedule change, Carnival has now added additional sailings on board Carnival Conquest in August and September 2025 in order to fill the schedule gap left by the ship's postponed dry dock. Rather than add more of the ship's usual three- and four-day Bahamas cruises during that time, the cruise line decided to take the opportunity to add four specialty adults-only sailings that caught many cruisers by surprise. These adults-only cruises, which are similar to a few of the sailings already added on Carnival Magic, have been a hot topic among loyal Carnival cruisers, since they don't fit with Carnival's family cruise line image. More Carnival cruise news:It's important to understand, though, that the newly added SEA cruises — sailings exclusively for adults — are adults-only because they're casino cruises, which aren't for kids. The SEA cruises feature expanded casino access, casino-friendly ports, and other perks to help adult passengers maximize casino playing time. These Carnival SEA cruises also aren't open to the general public, at least not yet. Right now, they're only being offered to Carnival Players Club casino loyalty program members during an early-access period that runs until June 9. After that, the limited sailings will open to the public, if they're not already sold out. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on May 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Carnival Cruise Ship Rescues Four People Lost at Sea
Few things are as downright terrifying as the idea of getting lost at sea. Unfortunately for a small group aboard a catamaran sailing in the Pacific, this nightmarish scenario ultimately came to pass, leaving them stranded in the middle of the world's largest ocean. Luckily, help soon arrived in the form of a Carnival Cruise ship sailing the seven seas, who quickly answered a distress signal and rescued the stranded passengers in the middle of their scheduled cruise from Australia. According to ABC News, two couples and their three dogs were venturing through the South Pacific when their catamaran was disabled as a result of inclement weather. "We were stuck in an interesting position," one of the rescued passengers said. "We got demasted, lost our engines, and after we got demasted, it was stuck under the boat, and it was hitting it on every big wave." Heeding a distress call from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Nouméa, Carnival's Concordia-class ship, CarnivalSplendor, promptly set out to search for the drifting catamaran, embarking on a five-hour journey from the south of New Caledonia. Fortunately, the Splendor was able to reach the passengers before it was too late, inviting them onboard the luxury cruise ship before conditions on the open ocean grew even more perilous. "Luckily, Carnival, the captain here was an absolute legend came and he saved the day, and now the doggies get their first cruise," the catamaran passenger humorously added. The rescue comes less than a week after another Carnival cruise ship, the CarnivalParadise, picked up five men floating on a makeshift raft off the southern coast of Cuba. According to ABC, the 3,300-passenger ship will continue to operate under its pre-existing cruise schedule, making stops at Mystery Island and Noumea and eventually returning to Sydney on Tuesday. Carnival Cruise Ship Rescues Four People Lost at Sea first appeared on Parade on May 28, 2025
