Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests booked on three upcoming sailings, each for a different vessel, about itinerary changes. Alterations include port reversal orders, a port cancellation, and adjusted times in a popular Mexican destination.

Carnival Adjusting Itineraries on Three West Coast Ships

Three different Carnival ships, including what will be the newest ship in the fleet at the time, are having select itineraries adjusted. The impacted sailings are aboard Carnival Radiance, Carnival Firenze, and Carnival Panorama. Each affected sailing has a different departure date and different changes to the itinerary.

Carnival Radiance Itinerary Change

The Sunshine-class Carnival Radiance (formerly Carnival Victory) will sail a reversed itinerary for its November 25, 2024 departure, a 6-night Mexican Riviera sailing roundtrip from Long Beach, California. The itinerary was initially planned to visit Cabo San Lucas first, followed by Ensenada.

Now, the ship will sail the route in reverse, visiting Ensenada before Cabo San Lucas. The port time in Ensenada remains unchanged from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the time in Cabo San Lucas has been adjusted by arriving an hour earlier and departing two hours earlier, a net change of just one less hour in the popular port. The call remains an overnight visit.

Carnival Firenze Itinerary Change

Just months after she joined the Fun Ship fleet in May 2024, Carnival Firenze is having the itinerary adjusted for the ship’s November 29, 2024 departure. That particular sailing is a 3-night voyage roundtrip from Long Beach, visiting Ensenada, Mexico.

The port day was originally to have been on Sunday, December 1, but instead will now be on Saturday, November 30. Sunday, the last full day of the short weekend getaway, will now be a day at sea. No change has been made to the in-port visit hours, which remain from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Carnival Panorama Itinerary Change

The Vista-class Carnival Panorama will not be sailing the originally planned itinerary for her November 30, 2024 departure. The impacted cruise is a 6-night Mexican Riviera sailing with calls in Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada.

The changes for this cruise are very similar those for Carnival Radiance, with reversing the order of calls to enjoy Ensenada prior to Cabo San Lucas and adjusting the times in Cabo but still keeping the overnight visit.

The original itinerary had the ship in Cabo San Lucas from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. the next day, while now the visit will be from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. None of the three impacted sailings have their homeport times – setting sail or returning home – changed.

Why So Many Changes?

There has been no explanation given for the itinerary changes for these three ships, all on the same week. Because Ensenada is the port most impacted, port operations may be a factor, such as other marine traffic, pier maintenance, channel dredging, or similar work that may impact when ships can safely visit.

Because the changes are being made more than a year in advance, booked guests have ample time to change any independent tour arrangements they may have already planned. Many tour operators will not even confirm reservations so far in advance, so any difficulties should be minimal.

During the same time period during late November and early December 2024, ships from Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, and Norwegian Cruise Line are also scheduled to visit Ensenada, and it is possible they may see similar itinerary changes.

The changes to Cabo San Lucas – leaving the port earlier than planned – are likely an operational decision to ensure the cruise ships can safely make their way back to Long Beach without overstressing their engines. Cabo San Lucas is approximately 925 miles (1,490 kilometers) sailing distance from Long Beach. Easier cruising speeds also promote better fuel efficiency.

Just days after floating out and touching water for the first time, Carnival Jubilee has received her iconic red-white-and-blue winged funnel, giving her that very classic Carnival look that has adorned every ship since Tropicale. This brings the ship one step closer to her debut and marks the ongoing construction of her finishing details.

Cranes Lift and Place Carnival Jubilee Funnel

The winged funnel, designed in the early 1980s by longtime Carnival Cruise Line designer Joe Farcus, was lifted into place on Carnival Jubilee on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

The addition took place as the ship is now docked alongside the outfitting pier at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, where on Friday, July 21, Carnival Jubilee was first floated out and entered the next phase of her construction. At that time, it was revealed that the ship also sports a Texas star on her bow, a first-in-fleet distinction for Carnival Cruise Line.

“Seeing Carnival Jubilee sport the Carnival funnel, the quintessential symbol she’s a ship made for fun, is a gratifying milestone that builds on the excitement after just watching her float out and reveal another important symbol – the Texas star on her bow that signals her Texas pride,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

Finishing construction now continues aboard Carnival Jubilee as the ship prepares for her first sea trials, predicted to happen in August. Those tests will thoroughly examine all of the ship’s technical operational systems, including propulsion, navigation, maneuvering, and safety features.

In the meantime, the BOLT roller coaster is being installed around the iconic funnel, and other details are being completed such as decking, painting, exterior awnings, and interior design.

New Features Aboard Carnival Jubilee

A jubilee is a fun and festive celebration, and guests will certainly find a lot to celebrate aboard Carnival Jubilee when she sets sail in December 2023, offering 7-night Western Caribbean itineraries with as many as 5,374 guests onboard at double occupancy, or up to 6,631 travelers when fully booked.

The 183,521-gross ton ship will be home to Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse’s third restaurant at sea, Emeril’s Bistro 717, joining the spectacular Emeril’s restaurants already found on Carnival Jubilee‘s Excel-class sister ships, Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration. Two new immersive zones have also been designed exclusively for Carnival Jubilee – Currents and Shores.

Popular favorite venues also return aboard Carnival Jubilee, including delicious dining like Rudi’s Seagrill and Cucina del Capitano, Guy’s Burger Joint, Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse, and Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken restaurant.

The Carnival Seaside Theater will showcase blockbuster movies, the two-story Jubilee Theater will offer spectacular production shows, and the expansive Serenity area will be a calm and relaxing adults-only retreat, along with much, much more.

A Classic Carnival Symbol

The classic “whale tale” winged funnel has been an instantly recognizable feature of every Carnival cruise ship since the line’s first new build, Tropicale, joined the fleet in 1982.

The three earlier ships that began the cruise line, Mardi Gras, Carnivale, and Festivale, were purchased from other cruise lines and did not have the winged funnel, though their straight funnels still sported the red-white-and-blue coloration.

Worth Reading: Cruise Guest’s Bold Gender Reveal Plan Involving Ship Funnel Gets Denied

Today, only one ship in the Carnival fleet temporarily lacks the funnel – Carnival Freedom‘s funnel was damaged during a fire while the ship was docked in Grand Turk in May 2022. The damage was repaired but for now the ship has a straight funnel reminiscent of those on the earliest Carnival ships. A new whale tail will likely be installed when the ship enters its next dry dock.

Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests booked aboard two upcoming cruises on Carnival Dream that the port of call visit in Jamaica has been changed.

While the ship will still be visiting the tropical island nation, it will be arriving at a different port than originally scheduled. Furthermore, on one of the sailings, port time at another stop has been adjusted.

Itinerary Changes for Carnival Dream

Guests setting sail on the 130,000-gross ton Carnival Dream on the October 21, 2023 and January 13, 2024 departures have received notification of a slight itinerary change to their cruises, with port swaps for both sailings in Jamaica.

The October 31 cruise is a 14-night Eastern Caribbean sailing from Galveston, Texas, calling on Key West, Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, St. Croix, and Jamaica. The original port planned for Jamaica was to have been Montego Bay, but that has now been swapped for Falmouth.

Likewise, the January 13 cruise is a 14-night sailing as well, with plans to visit Jamaica, Aruba, Curacao, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Cozumel, Mexico.

For this sailing, the original Jamaica port was to have been Ocho Rios, but will now be Falmouth as well. Another change to this itinerary is a slight modification for the port times in Colon, Panama, though the ship is still visiting the port.

No explanation is given for these changes, but it is not unusual for cruise lines to tweak itineraries to provide the best possible experience for their guests. Such port swaps may be due to an overcrowded port, when another port has fewer ships and can therefore offer a more exclusive visit.

In general, Falmouth is the least-visited of the three Jamaican ports, but still welcomes cruise ships year-round.

Port construction or pier maintenance projects, harbor dredging work, and other operational needs may also impact whether or not a cruise ship can keep an original itinerary, and those needs may not be known when the cruise is initially planned and offered for booking.

Carnival Cruise Line is making adjustments for impacted shore tours as well.

“Pre-purchased Carnival shore excursions will be automatically adjusted based on these changes,” the email read. “If a port was cancelled, they will be automatically refunded to the original form of payment.”

Guests who have booked independent excursions will need to contact their tour provider for cancellation options or to see if arrangements can be made for the different port arrival. Because the ports of call are not too distant from one another, alterations may be possible depending on the tour operator’s service range.

About the Jamaican Ports of Call

While Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, and Falmouth are all on Jamaica’s northern coast, they are significant distances from one another.

Montego Bay is the westernmost port destination, and is approximately 21 miles (34 kilometers) from Falmouth. Depending on the shore excursion and exact time in port, many options for guests may be preserved with this port swap.

Ocho Rios, however, is the easternmost of the three ports. It is roughly 45 miles (73 kilometers) from Falmouth, which means more excursions and shore tour options may be impacted for the swap on the January 13, 2024 sailing.

All three ports of call do offer fun options for visiting cruisers. In Falmouth, top tours and things to do include historical tours of the town’s amazing architecture, rafting on the Martha Brae River through the mangrove forest, visiting the iconic Dunn’s River Falls, rum factory tours, or enjoying the region’s spectacular beaches.

Carnival Cruise Line regularly visits all three ports in Jamaica. In the next few months, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Vista, Carnival Glory, and Carnival Paradise all have Jamaica on their coming itineraries.

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has suspended the search for a guest who went intentionally overboard from Carnival Elation over the weekend. The guest has not been recovered, as search efforts over more than 1,300 square miles failed to locate the missing male passenger.

Search Ends for Overboard Guest

The search has ended for the missing passenger from Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Elation, now identified as 30-year-old Jaylen Hill.

After thoroughly searching a total of 1,347 square miles in the vicinity of where Hill jumped from the ship, rescue crews were unable to locate the missing passenger. The search has been called off “pending any further developments,” the USCG has stated.

As with any overboard incident, a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the circumstances of the event, including whether or not there may have been foul play or any safety malfunctions. Onboard security members have reviewed video footage of Hill jumping overboard, however, and it does appear to be intentional.

Read Also: What Happens During a Cruise Ship Overboard Alarm?

Various assets from the USCG were utilized in the search efforts, including the 87-foot cutter Tarpon from St. Petersburg, a Hercules C-130 aircraft from Clearwater, and an Ocean Sentry HC-144 plane from Miami. Each unit conducted multiple sweeps of the search area.

“We offer our deepest condolences to the Hill family,” said Petty Officer Eric Rodriguez, USCG District 7. “Our crews take our life saving mission very seriously. Any time we can’t bring a loved one home to their family is a pain we all feel.”

The decision to end a search and rescue operation is never an easy one, and depends on several factors. Weather conditions, the overall length of the search, number of search teams and vehicles, survivability assessments, and other factors are all taken into consideration.

Carnival Elation was not involved in the search efforts, as the overboard was not reported for several hours and the ship was already significantly far from the probable search area, en route back to its Jacksonville, Florida homeport. There was no impact on the ship’s return to Jacksonville or on the departure for the next sailing.

The 70,367-gross ton, Fantasy-class ship was finishing a 4-night sailing to The Bahamas when the overboard occurred, and has already departed on her next cruise, a 5-night Bahamas itinerary that will call on Nassau and Princess Cays.

Recent Overboards

Carnival Elation is not the only cruise ship to report an overboard situation so far in 2023. A guest went overboard from Carnival Magic in late May, and that search was sadly suspended after 60 hours with unsuccessful results.

Similarly, a guest overboard from Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas in late April was suspended after several days, roughly 500 miles south of Hawaii.

Some search missions do end on happier notes, however. On Sunday, June 25, 2023, a guest accidentally overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas was quickly rescued thanks to the fast actions of the crew.

Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with the Hill family and friends at this sad time.