Guests planning to board Carnival Vista for the ship’s February 25, 2023 departure will see a slight delay for embarkation, due to a medical disembarkation from the previous cruise that means the ship will be returning to Galveston later than originally planned.
This will also mean that guests departing the ship on Saturday may have difficulty making flights for travel home if applicable.
Carnival Vista Delayed for Medical Debarkation
Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests booked on the next sailing of Carnival Vista, scheduled to depart on Saturday, February 25, 2023, to inform them of an embarkation delay, similar to a recent delay aboard Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas.
“Last night, Carnival Vista deviated course to disembark a guest who needed urgent medical care ashore,” the email read. “As a result, the ship will be arriving into Galveston later than scheduled tomorrow, and embarkation for your cruise will be revised.”
The medical debarkation was on Thursday night, but no further details have been released about the nature of the emergency in order to safeguard the privacy of the guest and their family or traveling companions.
No definite window for the ship’s arrival into Galveston has been confirmed, but tracking data estimates the ship’s time to dock at approximately 11:30 a.m. This would mean a delay of 3-4 hours from the originally scheduled 8 a.m. arrival. Undoubtedly the ship’s master will attempt to bring the ship in earlier if possible, but other marine traffic and local weather conditions must be taken into consideration.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and provide you with an update by 7:00 AM (CT) tomorrow,” the email explained.
Guests are being advised not to arrive at the cruise terminal until they receive that final update. Text alerts will be sent with information and can help booked guests stay informed as quickly as possible.
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Any travelers who booked Carnival’s transfer services from local airports will have their transfer times automatically adjusted based on the revised embarkation time, which may mean longer waits in the airport before proceeding to the cruise terminal. This can help relieve congestion at the terminal and keep both debarkation and embarkation as smooth and efficient as possible.
The February 25 sailing of Carnival Vista is a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary, calling on Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; and Roatan Island, Honduras. Because there is a day at sea prior to the first port visit, it is unlikely that any other changes will need to be made to the ship’s next cruise other than the delayed embarkation.
Onboard While Delayed
While guests waiting for the next cruise will have a slightly longer wait than anticipated, guests onboard Carnival Vista for the extra hours have different considerations, depending on the length of the delay.
Meal service and onboard activities will continue, with the ship’s Fun Squad quickly planning new games, dance lessons, or trivia contests to offer guests something to do during their extra time onboard if necessary. The casino may be open for a limited time, or extra retail sales could be offered.
While every cruise line will handle similar delays in whichever manner is best for the situation, guests may also be granted free internet access to help rearrange flights or other post-cruise plans as well.
Medical delays can happen at any time on any cruise, and guests should always plan for some flexibility in the pre- and post-cruise travel arrangements.
Carnival, for example, recommends that guests returning home the same day as a cruise ends book a flight no earlier than five hours after the ship is scheduled to arrive in port to minimize the risk of missing a flight if there is a slight delay, traffic or transportation problems, or other complications.
Cruise travel insurance can often help with expenses related to ship delays, and many experienced cruisers prefer to book flights at least a day or two ahead or after a cruise to ensure there is plenty of time in case of flight delays, cancellations, or missed connections.
