Savvy cruise passengers frequently log in to their cruise line’s website to browse new sailings, update their bookings, make payments, or reserve extras for their upcoming cruises, such as drink packages, internet access, or specialty dining reservations.
Carnival Cruise Line guests were not able to do any of that through the morning and into the early afternoon of Saturday, December 14, 2024, however, due to a technical glitch on the cruise line’s website.
Planned “technical maintenance updates” were ongoing for Carnival.com but had been expected to be completed by 6 a.m. Eastern Time.
Unfortunately, as many guests investigated the website, as well as the Carnival Hub app, they found numerous glitches that prevented any new bookings or reservations. Different travelers reported the website freezing, logins failing, missing information, and other problems.
The glitches were not confined to a single web browser and were impacting guests in all different time zones and for sailings on a variety of ships in the Carnival fleet.
So extensive were the difficulties that it came to the attention of John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s official Brand Ambassador. Heald regularly addresses guest concerns through his popular Facebook page, and he was inundated with frustrated guests early on Saturday.
“Many of you have written to me with a dollop of frustration that our website is still down despite the banner headline saying it would be back by 6 a.m. Miami time,” Heald said at approximately 10 a.m.
“I’ve spoken to the beards who sincerely apologize and they are working furiously to get this back up as soon as they can. My sincere apologies and I will let everybody know as soon as it’s working again.”
Guests continued to report website outages as late as 3 p.m., with frustration continuing to build – especially for those setting sail soon.
The website and app outages made it challenging for guests to check in for their upcoming departures or make last-minute reservations such as for specialty dining, shore tours, or drink packages.
This was especially frustrating for travelers who had hoped to use onboard credit for such purchases and take advantage of special deals only available online.
In the meantime, the website’s update message invited guests to explore other social media channels to connect with Carnival Cruise Line through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and more.
It should be noted, however, that none of those social media channels are useful for checking in, printing boarding passes, adjusting bookings, or making reservations.
Heald did respond to later comments that if guests were unable to buy last-minute packages, such as the Cheers! Beverage Package, at the pre-cruise price, that price would be honored for onboard purchases.
This is likely to only apply to sailings over the next day or two, however, as the glitch has now been fixed and travelers with upcoming sailings are free to make their purchases online with ease.
What Updates Did Carnival Make to Their Website?
It is not unusual for corporations to update their websites or even plan technical maintenance that will completely shut down their website for a brief period of time.
This is usually done at times when the site is less busy, though it can be challenging to find such an interval with one of the world’s largest and most popular cruise lines.
Read Also: Carnival’s Faster to the Fun (FTTF) – Is It Worth It?
Many such updates are behind-the-scenes upgrades to security, site efficiency, and other details that users may not immediately notice.
With this update, however, Carnival Cruise Line has also streamlined its header with new categories and a larger search bar.
One person commented to Heald that she attempted to purchase the internet package for an upcoming sailing, but Carnival told her they were doing upgrades:
“I tried buying internet for my upcoming cruise and it won’t let me select onboard credit. I called Carnival she said they was doing system upgrades and onboard credit wouldn’t show at this time but that was two days ago. I’m guessing they are still doing upgrades.“
The new header will make it easier for guests to browse through Carnival.com, as well as quickly access their bookings for easy management. Access to the cruise line’s loyalty VIFP program is also faster, giving people an easier way to look for the best deals and special offers.
This is not the first time the Miami-based cruise has suffered from a glitch that has impacted guests. In June 2024, Carnival had issues with online check-ins related to different time zones.
In September 2023, the cruise line upgraded its booking system, but when it came back online, cruises displayed incorrect pricing, causing some confusion for many.
