The upcoming September 15, 2022 Carnival Journeys cruise of Carnival Miracle, a 15-night roundtrip sailing from San Francisco to Hawaii, has had an itinerary change and will no longer be visiting all the previously planned Hawaiian ports.
Kauai has been dropped from the ship’s itinerary, and the days of the visits to other ports have been altered. Kona has also been added to the schedule.
Overall Itinerary Changed
Carnival Miracle will be leaving on its Hawaiian journey from San Francisco on September 15 and will still be returning on September 30, but little else of the ship’s Hawaiian visit remains the same as previously planned for the voyage.
The Spirit-class vessel will still cruise for four days at sea before reaching Hawaii, but three of the four days of visits to different Hawaiian ports are now different.
Originally, Carnival Miracle was scheduled for the following time in Hawaii:
- Tuesday, September 20 – Kauai – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 21 – Honolulu – 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Thursday, September 22 – Maui – 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Friday, September 23 – Hilo – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Now, the ship’s itinerary has been changed and the first three port visits are different. The new schedule is as follows:
- Tuesday, September 20 – Honolulu – 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 21 – Maui – 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Thursday, September 22 – Kona – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Friday, September 23 – Hilo – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Guests should note that not only have the days of visiting Honolulu and Maui changed, but the ship will also arrive in Maui one hour later than previously scheduled. If guests have booked independent shore tours while visiting these islands, it will be necessary to make appropriate changes.
Shore tours booked through Carnival Cruise Line will automatically be adjusted for the day and time changes.
After island-hopping in Hawaii, the ship will enjoy four days at sea to return to the Pacific Coast, spend Wednesday, September 28 in Ensenada, Mexico from 3-8 p.m., and have one final day at sea before returning to San Francisco on Friday, September 30.
No Explanation or Compensation
No explanation has been offered for the change in Carnival Miracle‘s itinerary, and guests may be understandably upset at missing out on “The Garden Isle” during their cruise, which is always a popular stop that epitomizes the tropical paradise vibes Hawaii is known for.
It is possible the change is due to conflicts with other vessels, though no other cruise ship is scheduled for Kauai on September 20. The port does handle other marine traffic, however, and could be concerned with security arrangements, congestion, or other logistical difficulties related to other port business.
Another possibility is engine issues with Carnival Miracle, as Kauai is the furthest port west in the island chain that the ship is scheduled to visit. This is somewhat unlikely, however, as the ship is showing no time changes for its other port calls for this lengthy journey and no engine difficulties have been reported.
No compensation is being offered to guests for the itinerary changes, though pre-booked shore tours for Kauai arranged through Carnival Cruise Line will be refunded and port fees will be adjusted for the changes.
Cruise lines have full authority to change a ship’s itinerary for any reason, including operational concerns, weather, or safety, without any compensation necessary.
The 88,500-gross-ton Carnival Miracle can welcome as many as 2,124 guests at double occupancy and up to 2,680 passengers when fully booked.
The ship has a great deal to offer guests on these lengthy Carnival Journeys itineraries, including all the classic favorites – the Punchliner Comedy Club, Guy’s Burger Joint, RedFrog Rum Bar, BlueIguana Cantina, Bonsai Sushi Express, Waterworks aqua park, miniature golf course, Spa Carnival, and more.
