Carnival Cruise Line has updated its pre-cruise testing protocols, specifically as they relate to sailings to The Bahamas.

This had caused some confusion in recent days, as other cruise lines have not required testing on shorter cruises with Bahamian ports of call, but Carnival still mandated tests for all passengers, regardless of vaccination status or cruise length, if visiting The Bahamas.

No Testing Required for Some Passengers

In an update to his Facebook page, Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald has shared a letter from Christine Duffy, president of the line. The letter has also been sent to booked Carnival guests and shared with travel partners.

“We are pleased to share that our COVID protocols continue to evolve,” Duffy said. “Effective August 8, 2022, guests should be guided by the following COVID-19 testing requirements related to cruises visiting The Bahamas.”

On cruises 5 nights or less, vaccinated passengers do not need to present a pre-cruise COVID-19 test result of any kind. This is a change from the clarification Carnival Cruise Line provided just three days ago.

Unvaccinated passengers, however, must still show a negative test result to be permitted to sail, even on shorter sailings. This may be either a supervised PCR or antigen test, and it may be taken up to three days before embarkation.

All guests age 2 and older – regardless of vaccination status – must present a negative test result for any Carnival cruise, to The Bahamas or any other destination, if the sailing is 6 nights or longer.

As with all of Carnival’s health and safety protocols, these requirements can and likely will continue to evolve, and the cruise line remains in contact with its destination ports to ensure compliance with all local protocols.

“We remain, as always, committed to the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we serve,” the message concludes.

Less Confusion

This clarification is a welcome notice for guests booked on upcoming short sailings to The Bahamas.

Previously, Carnival Cruise Line did require testing for all passengers visiting the popular island nation, despite The Bahamas having no mandate for travelers to present negative test results upon entering the country. That requirement was ended in The Bahamas on June 19, 2022.

As other cruise lines have ended their own testing mandates for shorter sailings, no other cruise line has continued to require testing for sailings to The Bahamas, in line with the nation’s own health and safety protocols.

The Bahamas is a very popular Caribbean destination for shorter cruises from multiple Florida homeports, with ports of call in Nassau, Freeport, and Bimini. Several cruise lines also have leased Bahamian islands for their own private resorts, including Royal Caribbean International’s Perfect Day at CocoCay, Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay.

Carnival Cruise Line and other lines in the Carnival family use Half Moon Cay as a private destination in The Bahamas, as well as Princess Cays.

Private islands were never exempt from The Bahamas protocols, but as of June 19, there has been no testing mandate to visit these tropical destinations.

It must be noted, however, that the Travel Requirements webpage for The Bahamas, does state, very clearly, “These protocols are subject to change at any time in response to new COVID-19 measures.”

Should the island nation choose to reinstate testing requirements for visitors, cruise lines will also have to modify their protocols to be able to continue visiting Bahamian ports of call.

As this situation remains ever fluid, cruise passengers should stay in close contact with their cruise line about all updated protocols and requirements for upcoming sailings.

Carnival Corporation will be rolling out Service Power Packages across its global fleet to achieve its 2030 sustainability goals and 2050 aspirations to become carbon neutral. 

The power packages will enable Carnival Corporation to save up to 150 million USD per year on fuel costs and includes upgrades to lighting onboard, more efficient air conditioning systems, and automation of ship systems.

Carnival Corporation to save $150 million in annual fuel cost

Cruise companies are investing heavily into making their ships more efficient, ensuring that they manage the goals set out in the 2050 sustainability goals, which include being carbon neutral by that year. 

To achieve this, Carnival Corporation will be rolling out new power-saving packages across the global fleet through 2023. Cruise lines that will benefit from the upgraded systems include Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK), and Cunard.

Once installed, the new upgrades will be able to deliver fuel savings of up to 5-10% per year, cutting greenhouse emissions by more than 500,000 metric tons. The program will not just mean environmental benefits; the financial upside is considerable.

The fuel savings will enable Carnival Corporation to save over $150 million yearly, a massive amount, and welcome with rising fuel prices worldwide. 

The company’s emission-reducing efforts started already back in 2011 when the world’s largest cruise line saw the most significant amount of pollution in its history. Since then, the company has removed several older vessels from its fleet, invested $350 million in energy efficiency improvements, and introduced six LNG-powered cruise ships:

Bill Burke, chief maritime officer for Carnival Corporation: “Based on our improved fleet composition, including adding six industry-leading LNG-powered ships, and our previous investments to increase efficiency and reduce emissions, our absolute carbon emissions peaked in 2011 despite significant capacity growth over the past decade. These tailored Service Power Packages further build on those efforts as part of our comprehensive approach to sustainability.”

What Upgrades Will Carnival Corporation Make?

The upgrades, already installed on several ships, will continue through 2023 until all of the vessels in the fleet are covered. They include comprehensive upgrades to the HVAC systems onboard each vessel, which accounts for more than 25% of the ship’s energy consumption.

Air will also be filtered using new air filtration systems and ultraviolet-C treatment throughout. Carnival will install state-of-the-art LED lighting systems, reducing power consumption and heat generated by lighting. 

All new systems will be controllable from shoreside, ensuring that improved instrumentation and automated management systems can be maintained and operated remotely, which will guarantee all systems work at peak performance at all times. 

Carnival has committed itself to achieving several environmental goals that will be beneficial to the company financially and decrease the impact the cruise ships have on the environment. These include reducing carbon emission intensity by 20% from its 2019 baseline by 2030, and supporting its efforts and aspirations to achieve net carbon-neutral ship operations by 2050.

Carnival Cruise Line notified passengers on August 4, 2022, that their October 2023 cruises aboard Carnival Paradise have been canceled due to the need for the ship to enter dry dock.

While no details were provided about why the ship is being put into dry dock, impacted guests are being offered compensation options.

Multiple Cruises Canceled

Cruises from October 8 through October 26 next year aboard Carnival Paradise have been canceled.

The letter sent to impacted guests states, “In our continuous efforts to enhance our product, Carnival Paradise has now been scheduled for dry dock. As a result, we’re sorry to inform you that your reservation has now been canceled.”

The canceled cruises are a series of 4-5 night Western Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries, all departing from the Fantasy-class vessel’s homeport of Tampa, Florida. In total, five sailings are now canceled.

According to the dates given, Carnival Paradise will resume sailing for the planned October 30, 2023 departure, a 6-night Western Caribbean sailing calling on Key West, Florida; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and George Town, Grand Cayman.

Options to Rebook

Guests whose reservations are now canceled can choose to rebook on a comparable sailing at a different date, or even on a different vessel if they prefer. The new booking will carry price protection from the original fare if guests opt for similar accommodations and a sailing that does not exceed the length of the original cruise.

“We have a variety of other cruise alternatives and are confident you will find another Carnival cruise that is filled with an equal amount of FUN,” the letter reads.

Holiday cruises, sailings to Alaska or Hawaii, European itineraries, and chartered voyages are not eligible for the price protection.

Passengers who choose not to rebook will receive a full refund of their cruise fare as well as any pre-purchased items, such as pre-paid gratuities, Chef’s Table reservations, spa treatments, shore excursions, or drink packages.

Refunds will be returned to the original form of payment but may take up to three weeks to be processed through individual banks. Guests must make their selection by August 18, 2022.

“We sincerely apologize for this change and thank you for your understanding. We look forward to having you sail with us,” the letter concludes.

Dry Dock Plans

While the letter does not outline what upgrades or renovations are planned for Carnival Paradise during the upcoming 2023 dry dock, it is not unusual for a variety of hotel upgrades to be part of these operations. This may mean updating and replacing all linens, carpeting, lighting, or other upgrades to staterooms and public areas.

Dry dock operations often include larger projects that are difficult to handle while guests are onboard, such as refinishing the open deck spaces, re-theming bars or lounges, or renovating complete spaces into new venues.

Carnival Paradise last had minor refurbishments in October 2021 while out of service for the industry-wide shutdown. Those refurbishments included routine hotel maintenance, cosmetic enhancements, and adding the new red-white-and-blue hull livery to the vessel. The ship was one of the last in Carnival’s fleet to resume service, welcoming guests again on March 12, 2022.

In early 2018, the 71,925-gross-ton vessel had a more extensive month-long dry dock, which added Deck 14 to the ship’s bow, with 36 new suites and oceanview staterooms. The ship’s miniature golf course was also relocated to the new Deck 14, and the WaterWorks aquapark was added to the ship’s aft Veranda Deck (Deck 11).

At that time, the popular Guy’s Burger Joint was added to the ship, along with several other Carnival-branded dining options and bars – the BlueIguana Cantina, RedFrog Rum Bar, and BlueIguana Tequila Bar.

Carnival Cruise Line is well known for its casual brand of fun, with a wide variety of games and activities that encourage passengers to simply let loose and enjoy their cruise vacations.

One iconic game that has been a poolside mainstay for years, however, will not be played anymore – the Hairy Chest Contest has been retired.

Hairy Chest Contest Ends

The Hairy Chest Contest was a popular poolside game typically held mid-ship on the Lido Deck, often on a sea day when the deck would be crowded with onlookers and potential participants.

When cruising restarted in July 2021 after the industry-wide shutdown, the Hairy Chest Contest did not resume, and at first it was thought to be due to safety concerns.

Because the contest involves some close contact between participating guests – both the “hairiest chest” contenders as well as the game’s judges – it was likely removed from daily activities to better promote social distancing.

Carnival Cruise Line has now confirmed, however, that the event will not be returning, and that its retirement is “to provide a more family-friendly pool atmosphere,” according to the cruise line, which responded to Cruise Hive.

It is true that the Hairy Chest Contest could get rowdy, even raunchy, depending on the participants joining in. Not only were contestants judged based on their natural hairiness, but different rounds of the competition often included Tarzan-like yells to “Jane” to prove manliness, as well as showing off dance moves that could be provocative and inappropriate for younger guests.

The exact rounds of competition and how they were encouraged often depended on the individual cruise director or Fun Squad member directing the competition. Crowd approval often escalated for more risqué performances, encouraging even more potentially offensive behavior.

Fan Reactions

During the pandemic shutdown, Carnival Cruise Line may have been testing the popularity of the Hairy Chest Contest with loyal cruisers.

In September 2020, brand ambassador John Heald asked about the Hairy Chest Contest on his Facebook page, specifically: “Do you still think the Hairy Chest Contest has a part to play in our fun times on board?”

By sheer polling as indicated by emojis (a popular way to gauge reactions on social media), 82% of respondents favored keeping the event, while just 18% agreed that it should be ended.

Sentiment in the comments at the time indicated that a lot of people agree the contest can get inappropriate, even vulgar. If other people enjoy it, however, many people commented that it should be kept, and no one is forced to participate or watch the game.

Many people also shared fond memories of the game, such as beloved relatives who have since passed having won or participated, or else it being a great time to get involved in a silly and memorable way.

Alternative Activities

In lieu of the Hairy Chest Contest, Carnival Cruise Line is likely to try out a variety of more family-friendly activities. “Our cruise directors and Fun Squads have new and existing lido activities to offer,” the spokesperson confirmed. The new lido activities include:

• Red’s Challenge: Red’s Challenge is a RedFrog Bar-themed Lido event, in which four teams compete amongst each other.
• Guess That Groove: A team competition game that combines music from all genres and decades into an interactive party.
• Pool and Deck Games: There are multiple pool games, including S-pool-ing Bee, Dolphone Race, Alphabet Soup, Synchronized Swimming, and Perfect Partners.

Other poolside activities already in place on Carnival cruise ships include ice carving demonstrations, towel animal invasions showcasing dozens of creations, and the cruise line’s charitable fundraiser, Groove for St. Jude, an afternoon deck party that raises money for the line’s long-term partner, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

It is likely that a number of different activities will be tested on different ships, with cruise directors sharing their experiences about which options are most popular. This could bring even more variety to the Lido deck aboard Carnival’s ships, with even more fun activities all passengers can enjoy.

In communications sent to travel partners, Carnival Cruise Line has announced some permanent changes to onboard dining venues across the fleet.

Many of these changes, which have been in place for some time already due to crew staffing shortages, will not have dramatic impacts for guests’ experiences, while others will be sorely missed.

Dining Cutbacks

Effective as of August 1, 2022, Carnival is cutting back on a wide range of dining services, venues, and operating times. These cutbacks are not as extreme as they may at first seem, however.

Carnival cruise ships will no longer have a 24-hour pizzeria. Instead, the Pizza Pirate or Pizzeria del Capitano (depending on the ship) will operate from 9 a.m. until 4 a.m., and will be closed for the five least busy hours of the 24-hour period. These operating hours, or a similar closure, have been in place for many weeks due to staffing shortages.

Guests craving a late night snack will no longer be able to enjoy Late Night Snacks in the Lido Restaurant, which had often been light fare from a single buffet line, but will be able to get Pizza Plus options instead. This includes the late night pizza as well as pasta, Caesar salad, and sandwich options from the pizzeria.

The popular Sea Day Brunch with its exclusive offerings in the main dining room, always a guest favorite, will be shortened by one hour, concluding at noon instead of 1 p.m. As with the pizzeria’s new shortened hours, this late hour is typically the least popular for brunch guests, and therefore will not impact many cruisers.

The fun vibe of Ocean Plaza, a fixture onboard seven Carnival vessels – Breeze, Dream, Horizon, Magic, Panorama, Sunshine, and Vista – will no longer be available with a light snack menu for breakfast and lunch.

Room service door hanger menus will no longer be available for placing outside stateroom doors to request breakfast. While room service offerings will not change, guests must now call room service to place their orders. This change may be one of the most missed for frequent cruisers who enjoy setting up a room service breakfast, but will be easily adapted for stateroom phone ordering.

Complimentary occasion cakes – popular for birthdays and anniversaries – will no longer be available during dinner in the main dining room. Instead, happy occasions will be marked by candles in a guest’s dessert of choice, ordered from that day’s menu selections – such as the popular warm chocolate melting cake.

While this may seem an extensive list of closures, cutbacks, and changes, it is not actually quite so drastic, and Carnival cruise ships still offer many tasty and tempting options for all tastes.

Gone – But Not Forever

Two popular dining treats are still paused throughout the Carnival fleet, but may be returning soon.

The extraordinary and delicious Chocolate Extravaganza buffet, typically offered on the last Fun Day at Sea, will continue to be paused at this time, but may return on future cruises.

This decadent buffet often includes a range of chocolate cakes, mousses, cookies, truffles, and more, as well as a chocolate fountain and graceful swans crafted from pastries and ice cream.

The Afternoon Tea Time, an elegant snack time and social hour, is still on hiatus, but will be returning. Similarly, the post-Military Appreciation event snacks will also return soon.

No firm dates have been established for these events to resume, but are likely to be brought back onto individual ships as staffing permits.

Already Back!

Two very popular dining options that were initially halted in mid-May have already returned – the exclusive Chef’s Table event resumed at the end of June, and the specialty restaurant Cucina del Capitano will reopen fleet-wide on August 6, 2022. Both are great hits with guests.

Chef’s Table is available on every Carnival ship, while Cucina del Capitano is available on nine vessels – Breeze, Horizon, Magic, Panorama, Radiance, Sunrise, Sunshine, Vista, and Mardi Gras.

Both will also be featured on the upcoming Carnival Celebration, as well as Carnival Jubilee in late 2023.