Carnival Fantasy Docked In Cozumel This morning Carnival Cruise Line announced several changes to fleet operations that are a result of the coronavirus pandemic pause in service. Here are the details of today's big announcement regarding Carnival's ships:
Sale of Two Ships
Carnival announced the Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Inspiration have been sold. Both ships are Fantasy class cruise ships. The Carnival Fantasy entered service for Carnival in 1990 and the Carnival Inspiration entered service in 1996. At the time of writing, the Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Inspiration are on their way to Turkey. Carnival's press release did not specify any further details about the future of these two ships.
(Note: I am aware of several places online saying these two ships may be scrapped, but I am trying to get Carnival to confirm this information. Until this is confirmed by Carnival, I don't want to publish information that could still change.)
Long Term Layup Of Two More Ships
Two more Fantasy class ships, the Carnival Fascination and Carnival Imagination, are going to be out of service for an indefinite period of time in long-term layup. This essential means the ships will stay with Carnival, but will not be used. The Carnival Fascination and Carnival Imagination are both Fantasy class ships. No timeline of events was released by Carnival to indicate when these ships might come back into service.
Carnival Sensation To Mobile
The Carnival Sensation will be deployed to Mobile to take over the Carnival Fantasy's existing cruise bookings and itineraries. Furthermore, the Carnival Fascination was originally scheduled to sail out of Mobile in 2022, but now these itineraries are being taken over by the Carnival Sensation as well. The Carnival Sensation will primarily sail 4 & 5 night cruises from Mobile, Alabama. Guests originally booked on the Carnival Fantasy or Carnival Fascination should have their booking automatically transferred to the Carnival Sensation. The ships are both Fantasy class ships and have similar layouts.
Carnival Sunrise Will Move From Port Everglades to Miami
The Carnival Sunrise will be moving from Port Everglades to Miami to take over the Carnival Sensation's short cruise itineraries. The Carnival Sunrise is a larger ship than the Carnival Sensation. Carnival's press release states guests booked on the Carnival Sunrise's 4 & 5 day itineraries out of Port Everglades will be automatically transferred to the Carnival Sunrise's 4 & 5 day itineraries out of Miami. It is unclear what Carnival did for guests already booked on the Carnival Sensation. If you are one of the affected passengers you should have gotten an email from Carnival.
Carnival Radiance Will Move To Long Beach, California
Since the Carnival Inspiration is being sold and the Carnival Imagination will be out of service due to the long term layup, the short cruises from Long Beach, California will be unavailable until 2021. In 2021 the Carnival Radiance will be launched into service in April 2021 and will take over short cruises that these ships previously did. Carnival's press release indicates guests booked out of Long Beach on the Carnival Inspiration & Carnival Imagination after April 22, 2021, will be accommodated to be on the Carnival Radiance. The Carnival Panorama will be the only ship out of Long Beach prior to April 2021 and this ship will focus on seven night cruises.
The Carnival Radiance was supposed to be transformed in spring 2020, but due to the pandemic the Carnival Victory to Radiance transformation was put on halt. Carnival hopes to finish the transformation in spring 2021 and launch this transformed ship.
Additional Service Pause For Australia Cruises
Carnival also announced an additional operational pause for Australia cruises. Guests scheduled to cruise between September 25 and October 29th now have their sailings cancelled.
This was a big announcement from Carnival and filled with information. I will be sharing additional information as I find out more. For more information I recommend you read Carnival's full press release (click here). You will be taken away from RyG's Cruise Guide and go to Carnival's news website.
Sale of Two Ships
Carnival announced the Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Inspiration have been sold. Both ships are Fantasy class cruise ships. The Carnival Fantasy entered service for Carnival in 1990 and the Carnival Inspiration entered service in 1996. At the time of writing, the Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Inspiration are on their way to Turkey. Carnival's press release did not specify any further details about the future of these two ships.
(Note: I am aware of several places online saying these two ships may be scrapped, but I am trying to get Carnival to confirm this information. Until this is confirmed by Carnival, I don't want to publish information that could still change.)
Long Term Layup Of Two More Ships
Two more Fantasy class ships, the Carnival Fascination and Carnival Imagination, are going to be out of service for an indefinite period of time in long-term layup. This essential means the ships will stay with Carnival, but will not be used. The Carnival Fascination and Carnival Imagination are both Fantasy class ships. No timeline of events was released by Carnival to indicate when these ships might come back into service.
Carnival Sensation To Mobile
The Carnival Sensation will be deployed to Mobile to take over the Carnival Fantasy's existing cruise bookings and itineraries. Furthermore, the Carnival Fascination was originally scheduled to sail out of Mobile in 2022, but now these itineraries are being taken over by the Carnival Sensation as well. The Carnival Sensation will primarily sail 4 & 5 night cruises from Mobile, Alabama. Guests originally booked on the Carnival Fantasy or Carnival Fascination should have their booking automatically transferred to the Carnival Sensation. The ships are both Fantasy class ships and have similar layouts.
Carnival Sunrise Will Move From Port Everglades to Miami
The Carnival Sunrise will be moving from Port Everglades to Miami to take over the Carnival Sensation's short cruise itineraries. The Carnival Sunrise is a larger ship than the Carnival Sensation. Carnival's press release states guests booked on the Carnival Sunrise's 4 & 5 day itineraries out of Port Everglades will be automatically transferred to the Carnival Sunrise's 4 & 5 day itineraries out of Miami. It is unclear what Carnival did for guests already booked on the Carnival Sensation. If you are one of the affected passengers you should have gotten an email from Carnival.
Carnival Radiance Will Move To Long Beach, California
Since the Carnival Inspiration is being sold and the Carnival Imagination will be out of service due to the long term layup, the short cruises from Long Beach, California will be unavailable until 2021. In 2021 the Carnival Radiance will be launched into service in April 2021 and will take over short cruises that these ships previously did. Carnival's press release indicates guests booked out of Long Beach on the Carnival Inspiration & Carnival Imagination after April 22, 2021, will be accommodated to be on the Carnival Radiance. The Carnival Panorama will be the only ship out of Long Beach prior to April 2021 and this ship will focus on seven night cruises.
The Carnival Radiance was supposed to be transformed in spring 2020, but due to the pandemic the Carnival Victory to Radiance transformation was put on halt. Carnival hopes to finish the transformation in spring 2021 and launch this transformed ship.
Additional Service Pause For Australia Cruises
Carnival also announced an additional operational pause for Australia cruises. Guests scheduled to cruise between September 25 and October 29th now have their sailings cancelled.
This was a big announcement from Carnival and filled with information. I will be sharing additional information as I find out more. For more information I recommend you read Carnival's full press release (click here). You will be taken away from RyG's Cruise Guide and go to Carnival's news website.