Latest news with #CarnivalSplendor
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
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Miami Herald
Sailors recount their life-saving rescue by Carnival cruise ship
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 dogs. Related: Video: Carnival cruise ship rescues refugees in distress Carnival 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 crew. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. Carnival 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. Related: Man climbs Carnival cruise ship; cruiser injured during excursion "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. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. "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: Carnival Cruise Line answers controversial tipping questionCarnival Cruise Line passengers targeted by more travel scamsCarnival Cruise Line cruisers debate controversial elevator issue 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.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Couple speaks out after dramatic rescue by Carnival cruise ship crew
A couple is speaking out after a Carnival cruise ship rescued them, their crew and their dogs after their catamaran was damaged at sea in the South Pacific. Dustin Leonard and Helena Franczak had set sail on a journey of a lifetime -- traveling the globe on their catamaran. They were joined by two crew members and their three dogs. 'We've had the dream to try and sail around the world. And we got off to a bit of a bumpy start,' Leonard told 'Good Morning America.' Disney Cruise ship rescues 4 people off sinking catamaran in Bermuda The catamaran crew were heading to Fiji when a violent storm struck, stripping the masts off their vessel and leaving them stranded and battered by towering waves and lightning more than 170 nautical miles from the island of New Caledonia. 'Everyone was quite scared,' Leonard recalled. 'I was like, 'Everybody, calm down, listen to me. At the moment, we are safe. Yes, this is not good. This is actually quite bad.'' After shooting a flare in the sky, the crew noticed a large cruise ship -- the Carnival Splendor -- in the distance. Following a five-hour diversion, Capt. Eduardo Ferrone of the Carnival Splendor and his crew pulled off the daring rescue on May 22. Ferrone compared the dramatic event to riding an elephant through a china shop. 'Approaching with such a huge vessel on a small catamaran, it is really something that you need to do carefully because it takes a little mistake ... and you may sink them,' said Ferrone. 72-year-old who had 4 strokes on cruise ship speaks out after rescue The crew on the cruise ship reached the catamaran and pulled Leonard, Franczak, their two crew members and their three dogs to safety. 'We were on our tiny boat. We saw this floating city just coming at us and then they throw a rope ladder and I looked at it. I'm like, OK, we're gonna have to climb that and it was tricky,' Franczak said. Once on board the Carnival Splendor, the couple said the dogs became instant celebrities among the cruise passengers as they strolled the decks. 'That feeling as soon as you get on the cruise ship, there's all the staff members there and you just kind of felt this massive relief,' said Leonard. Leonard and Franczak have since gotten engaged and joked they nearly got married on the Carnival Splendor. Couple speaks out after dramatic rescue by Carnival cruise ship crew originally appeared on
3 days ago
- Entertainment
Couple speaks out after dramatic rescue by Carnival cruise ship crew
A couple is speaking out after a Carnival cruise ship rescued them, their crew and their dogs after their catamaran was damaged at sea in the South Pacific. Dustin Leonard and Helena Franczak had set sail on a journey of a lifetime -- traveling the globe on their catamaran. They were joined by two crew members and their three dogs. 'We've had the dream to try and sail around the world. And we got off to a bit of a bumpy start,' Leonard told 'Good Morning America.' The catamaran crew were heading to Fiji when a violent storm struck, stripping the masts off their vessel and leaving them stranded and battered by towering waves and lightning more than 170 nautical miles from the island of New Caledonia. 'Everyone was quite scared,' Leonard recalled. 'I was like, 'Everybody, calm down, listen to me. At the moment, we are safe. Yes, this is not good. This is actually quite bad.'' After shooting a flare in the sky, the crew noticed a large cruise ship -- the Carnival Splendor -- in the distance. Following a five-hour diversion, Capt. Eduardo Ferrone of the Carnival Splendor and his crew pulled off the daring rescue on May 22. Ferrone compared the dramatic event to riding an elephant through a china shop. 'Approaching with such a huge vessel on a small catamaran, it is really something that you need to do carefully because it takes a little mistake ... and you may sink them,' said Ferrone. The crew on the cruise ship reached the catamaran and pulled Leonard, Franczak, their two crew members and their three dogs to safety. 'We were on our tiny boat. We saw this floating city just coming at us and then they throw a rope ladder and I looked at it. I'm like, OK, we're gonna have to climb that and it was tricky,' Franczak said. Once on board the Carnival Splendor, the couple said the dogs became instant celebrities among the cruise passengers as they strolled the decks. 'That feeling as soon as you get on the cruise ship, there's all the staff members there and you just kind of felt this massive relief,' said Leonard. Leonard and Franczak have since gotten engaged and joked they nearly got married on the Carnival Splendor.
Washington Post
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
A catamaran with three dogs was in danger. A cruise ship saved them.
On a stormy night in the South Pacific, four sailors and three dogs huddled in the cabin of a bucking catamaran. They were adrift, nearly 200 miles off New Caledonia, with no engines or radio communication. The mast had snapped, and the dangling pieces were bashing and scraping against the hull. One big wave could shatter their protective armor. With a mix of hope and resignation, the ship's owners, Dustin Leonard and Helena Franczak, called for help. Then, cuddling their dogs, they waited for a response. About 100 miles away, captain Edu Ferrone was steering the Carnival Splendor toward the cruise ship's next port in Vanuatu. He had learned of the distressed sailboat and was weighing the comfort of his passengers against the perilous predicament of the sailors. Five hours later, a massive vessel emerged from the darkness and sidled up next to the tiny boat. 'We see this beautiful floating city coming toward us,' said Franczak, 'and we're like, 'Yes!'' On May 14, Leonard, 38, and his fiancée, Franczak, 39, set sail from Queensland, Australia, on the 42-foot catamaran La Vita. Their crew included Julieta Zapata and Ivan Boueke, hired deckhands who would help with night watch. They also brought their French bulldogs, Juno and Potato, and an Alaskan klee kai named Wiggle — all salty dogs. 'They love boat life so much,' said Franczak, who documents their adventures on the YouTube channel Sailing Barking Cat. 'Every day at sunset, they chase each other and run around the boat.' If a storm is brewing while they are at anchor, Wiggle will sit on the bow and contemplate the sky like an ancient mariner. For their maiden voyage, they planned to sail to Fiji. A storm was forecast two days out, but they were confident they could outpace it. Leonard, who founded a wine company, said the first few days were challenging. Large swells and blustery winds knocked them around, but the voyage was otherwise smooth. Then trouble hit. First, the engine's starboard battery died. Soon after, the port battery started to overheat. The boat was 'rocking like a rodeo,' Leonard said, so they had to wait a day to attempt a repair. They called their diesel boat mechanic on shore, but the engines were kaput. 'This is like a seven- to eight-day trip and we're not even halfway done, and we have no engines,' Leonard said on a Zoom call aboard the Splendor, which was docked on Mystery Island in Vanuatu. 'We still have the sails, so we start sailing and are making good progress.' They were inching closer to New Caledonia when a surprise storm blindsided them. The tempest kicked up the waves to more than 16 feet and wind to 40 knots. Rain pummeled the sailboat, and lightning electrified the sky. They were drenched and worried about getting electrocuted, so they engaged the autopilot and hunkered down in the cabin, all seven of them strapped into life jackets. 'We thought we were gonna get through it,' Leonard said, 'but then all of a sudden …' A gust knocked a wind instrument off the mast, severing their line to critical information. It was 'hairy,' Leonard said, but they pressed forward. Until the mast broke in two like a brittle branch. They activated the emergency beacon, or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, alerting search-and-rescue units of their dire situation. They still had Starlink; however, the cloud cover was so thick, they had to wait for a clearing in the sky before they could send coordinates to rescue operations. 'We are in trouble, we need help, we lost the mast, we are in the danger of taking water anytime,' Franczak recalled of their urgent message. 'Help!' After departing a few days earlier from Sydney, Ferrone was sailing at a leisurely pace when he learned of the sailboat in distress. In an email to The Washington Post from the cruise ship, he said he was surprised to read the communication from Nouméa's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, and he immediately grew concerned about the passengers' safety in such treacherous conditions. 'As a dog lover, I also thought about those little creatures,' Ferrone said. Ferrone said he checked the catamaran's position on the nautical chart; it was roughly on the cruise ship's course to Vanuatu. Moving at a steady clip of 20 knots, the Carnival Splendor reached La Vita around 5 a.m. To help guide the cruise ship in the darkness, La Vita deployed flares that illuminated the sky. Because of the rough conditions, Ferrone did not want to dispatch lifeboats. Instead, he gently maneuvered the 113,573-ton cruise ship next to their boat and tied up to them. Ferrone described the approach as 'entering a china shop on the back of an elephant.' The dogs were first off, handed over to crew members on deck. The humans used a rope ladder and had to time their escape to the movement of the waves. 'If you missed and slipped in between the cruise ship and the boat, it'd be instant death,' Leonard said. Franczak lost her footing and was hanging on by her hands. Crew members yanked her up by her arms. Leonard, the captain of the ship, was the last to evacuate. Once onboard the cruise ship, the rescued party, who had had enough time to pack a bag of essentials, were screened by security. The housekeeping, food-and-beverage and medical staff provided them with blankets, food, water and medical attention. They also received two cabins and WiFi, free of charge, and an invitation to dine with the captain. Over dinner, Ferrone casually mentioned that he could marry the engaged couple at sea. (During the rescue, Franczak lost the diamond in her engagement ring.) Their dinner mates, who included several of the ship's engineers, shared harrowing tales of other at-sea rescues. 'They save a lot of sailors,' Franczak said. 'Everybody had a lot of stories. There was like eight or nine rescues.' Last week, for example, Carnival Paradise rescued five people from a small boat south of Cuba. The dogs, who have become a star attraction, earning cuddles from cruisers and crew members, have free range of the ship except for the dining areas. Room service delivers their canine-friendly meals, such as sweet potato and chicken. To cool off, they splash around in a kiddie water park. The couple are waiting for their insurance company to approve a tow and hope to be reunited with their catamaran in Nouméa. Once La Vita is back in service, they plan to sail to Vanuatu, Fiji and Indonesia. On their odyssey, they will likely cross paths with cruise ships. When they do, Franczak said, 'we will wave and send them lots of love.'
