In addition to the month of cancelations just announced for Carnival Vista, Carnival Cruise Line has also canceled a month of sailings for Carnival Sunrise, as well as several cruises canceled for Carnival Miracle. One ship will be undergoing a dry dock, while the other will be sailing an alternative itinerary instead of its original schedule.
Carnival Sunrise to Dry Dock in February 2024
Carnival Sunrise has now been scheduled for an extended dry dock in early 2024, and impacted guests and travel advisors are being contacted about the canceled sailings, which include all voyages from February 1 through and including March 4, 2024.
Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald addressed the cancelations, including Carnival Vista‘s canceled cruises, on his Facebook page.
“Dry dock planning is done in advance but sometimes we do have to change plans and so some of you have had your cruises canceled for 2024 on these two ships,” Heald said.
During the dry dock period, Carnival Sunrise was to have been sailing 4-5 night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami. After the maintenance and refreshment, the ship will return to Miami, and will remain at the South Florida homeport at least through the end of 2024.
No details of the dry dock plans have been released, but such an extensive time period indicates some major work to be done on the ship. This is likely to include upgrades to public spaces as well as technical upgrades and other work to keep the ship at her peak.
Formerly Carnival Triumph, the ship was completely renovated in Cadiz, Spain in a massive $200 million transformation in 2019 to become Carnival Sunrise, but has not had a significant dry dock refreshment since.
Carnival Miracle Cruises Canceled
In addition to the cruise cancelations for Carnival Vista and Carnival Sunrise, the Spirit-class Carnival Miracle has also canceled cruises, but for a different reason.
Carnival Cruise Line has rescheduled Carnival Miracle for a 14-night “Carnival Journeys” sailing to Hawaii, departing on Sunday, January 21, 2024.
This means the ship’s previously scheduled cruises must be canceled to accommodate the new sailing. The new Hawaii cruise will still depart from Carnival Miracle‘s homeport, Long Beach, California.
The canceled sailings are from January 21, 2024 through and including January 30, 2024, after which the ship will resume its previously planned Baja Mexico and Mexican Riviera itineraries, with another Carnival Journeys cruise to Hawaii departing on February 17, 2024.
Carnival Journeys sailings are longer, more immersive itineraries visiting dream destinations. Onboard activities, including entertainment performances, trivia, and in-stateroom movies are often themed to the destination, and special menu items will also be related to ports of call.
The new sailing to Hawaii, which includes visits to Maui, Honolulu, Kauai, and Hilo as well as Ensenada, Mexico, is now on sale.
Compensation for Impacted Guests
Guests impacted by the cancelations for any of the three vessels have several options for compensation. Though the now-canceled sailings are more than a year away, many travelers plan cruises well in advance and will now need to adjust their plans.
First, guests may choose to rebook on a comparable sailing to their canceled cruise, whether on the same ship at a later date or on a different vessel. The cruise rate will be protected in similar accommodations, and guests will also receive onboard credit to use on the new sailing if they rebook no later than Tuesday, December 27, 2022.
Guests should note that rebooking price protection does not apply to charter cruises, holiday sailings, or cruises to Alaska, Europe, or Hawaii – even for the canceled Carnival Miracle sailings that are, in fact, being replaced with the new Hawaiian cruise.
If guests prefer not to rebook, they will receive a full refund, including all fees, taxes, and pre-paid items such as shore tours, spa treatments, and drink packages.
Refunds will be processed back to the original form of payment, but may take up to three weeks to process, depending on individual guests’ bank policies.
