Guests booked on the highly anticipated Christmas and New Year’s sailings of Carnival Panorama will be thrilled to learn that the repairs to the ship’s engines have been completed and the vessel is already on the move to have her whale tail reinstalled.
There should be no further cruise cancellations, and the ship will be ready to welcome guests for her December 23, 2023 departure.
Carnival Panorama Engine Repairs Complete
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald confirmed on Monday, December 11 that Carnival Panorama‘s emergency engine repairs have been completed, and the ship will be able to make her next scheduled sailing, departing Long Beach, California on Saturday, December 23 with no further cancellations or delays.
“I have great news and glad tidings of joy,” Heald said. “The ship has completed the work, all the chief engineer and the people helping have completed the work on the starboard side azipod.”
Carnival Panorama first developed engine trouble in early November, and it was determined the ship could not complete her Mexican Riviera itineraries as planned because her maximum cruising speed was dramatically impacted. Instead, the decision was made to remove the ship from service for emergency repairs, and ultimately, six cruises were cancelled.
Now that the repairs have been completed, satellite tracking data shows the vessel moving down the Columbia River on her way to the coast as she has already left the dry dock facility in Portland, Oregon. Heald thanked everyone involved in these emergency repairs, ensuring that the ship can promptly return to service.
“The great news is that everything is on schedule for her to return,” he said.
The work was completed early on Monday, December 11, and the ship left promptly on her way to Victoria, British Columbia for her whale tail to be remounted on her funnel, the final step before Carnival Panorama can return to service.
The 133,868-gross-ton, Vista-class ship can welcome 4,008 guests at double occupancy, or up to 5,097 passengers when fully booked. Also onboard are 1,450 international crew members to ensure that every sailing is an enjoyable one, packed with Carnival’s signature fun.
Whale Tale to Be Reinstalled
Before the ship can welcome guests again, Carnival Panorama must have her iconic “whale tail” funnel reinstalled. The funnel, along with the tallest parts of the ship’s radar and communications array, was removed prior to the ship traveling up the Columbia River to Portland. There are two low bridges that cross the river and the funnel did not have adequate clearance to safely navigate beneath those bridges.
Read Also: Broken Carnival Cruise Ship Makes Her Way Under Columbia River Bridges
Once the ship has cleared those bridges once again, she will have her funnel reinstalled in Victoria, where it was initially removed.
It should be noted that the winged funnel – a characteristic of every Carnival cruise ship since Tropicale debuted in 1982 – is largely a stylistic piece, and the cruise line’s ships can operate with just a straight stack when necessary.
This was the case with Carnival Freedom, when that ship’s funnel was damaged in a fire in May 2022. The starboard side wing of the funnel was melted away, and the top part of the funnel was removed so the ship could continue to sail with a modified straight funnel.
Carnival Freedom received her new whale tail during a scheduled dry dock in October 2023 in Cadiz, Spain.
Carnival Panorama‘s December 23 sailing is a 7-night Mexican Riviera sailing with calls to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Cabo San Lucas. Now that the cruise is sure to go ahead, it will be a very celebratory holiday sailing indeed.
