Following a lengthy delay that stretched into the early afternoon due to heavy fog, Carnival Paradise was finally able to enter Tampa Bay just after 2 p.m. on Thursday, December 19.

The ship had originally been scheduled to return to Port Tampa Bay at approximately 8 a.m., but was unable to enter the bay when heavy fog made visibility all but impossible.

This complicates navigation up the bay, and the US Coast Guard closed the channel until the fog cleared and marine traffic could safely resume.

Instead, Carnival Paradise spent the morning and early afternoon just outside Tampa Bay, first circling in a holding pattern and later just waiting for the fog to clear.

In the meantime, Carnival Cruise Line communicated to incoming guests about the delay, but was unable to offer a firm time for embarkation for the next sailing, a 4-night Western Caribbean sailing with a visit to Cozumel, Mexico.

Just after 2 p.m., the ship was able to begin her journey back toward the cruise terminal, which takes 3-4 hours, depending on the ship’s exact position and other local traffic. By 6 p.m., Carnival Paradise was able to dock as planned – 10 hours later than originally planned.

As the ship got underway, incoming guests were notified about their revised embarkation time and offered guidance about arriving at the cruise terminal, albeit much later than they may have liked.

“We know you are eager to get on board for the start of your weekend getaway. The day has been long, and we truly appreciate the patience and understanding you are showing during this weather-related delay,” the email notification read.

“The ship will be arriving early evening and we must allow debarking guests to leave the cruise terminal and parking facility before we can accommodate your arrival. We kindly ask for your cooperation with the revised schedule.”

The original cruise terminal arrival appointments that guests selected had ranged from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Due to the extensive delay, however, all appointments are now shifted significantly, with the first appointments not starting until 8 p.m.

All passengers must be checked in at the cruise terminal no later than 11 p.m. in preparation for departure. It is expected that the ship will depart shortly after embarkation is finished.

While this is a much later departure than expected, the first day of the sailing is a day at sea. It is common for cruise ships to sail more slowly during sea days to offer lower winds for outdoor deck activities. This makes it easy for the vessel to adjust her speed to compensate for the delay as she heads for Mexico.

“We expect to keep our visit to Cozumel as scheduled,” the email confirmed.

Carnival Paradise should be in Cozumel from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 21.

Onboard this evening, dinner will be offered as open seating – no assigned tables or times – in the main dining rooms as well as the Lido Marketplace buffet so all guests can enjoy a delicious meal. Announcements will be made when staterooms are ready for guests.

Compensation Offered for Lengthy Delay

Because of the loss of nearly the entire first day of the 4-night voyage, Carnival Cruise Line is offering all incoming guests a $25 on board credit that will be posted to individual Sail and Sign accounts. This covers the Thursday lunch that guests would otherwise have been able to enjoy onboard if embarkation had happened as scheduled.

Furthermore, a one-day, pro-rated refund of all pre-cruise packages will also be processed. This includes any pre-paid gratuities, drink packages, and Wi-Fi packages.

Read Also: What Is the Carnival CHEERS! Package?

It should be noted that weather-related delays are outside the cruise line’s control and the company is not obligated to provide any credits for such difficulties. Most cruise lines, however, do offer some compensation to ease travelers’ frustration.

Fog-related delays are common in Tampa during the winter months, when air and water temperatures as well as high humidity quickly foster conditions for very thick fog. Fog can also be a challenge for the Port of Jacksonville, which also has a lengthy stretch of river ships that must carefully navigate to reach the cruise terminal.

Unfortunately, such delays are impossible to predict, particularly since cruisers often book their oceangoing getaways months if not years in advance.

To be prepared, travelers should always plan for any onward travel, such as flights, later in the day or even the next day if possible, or consider travel insurance that may help reimburse for delay-related expenses.

The holiday season is a crazy time, and many people are eager to take advantage of any assistance they can find with preparations – including gift wrapping services that can save time and hassle.

One cruise guest is upset, however, that such a service is not offered onboard Carnival ships during the holiday season, as they plan to bring gifts to exchange during their Christmas cruise.

The irate traveler reached out to Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, about the lack of such a convenience and what they think this indicates about Carnival’s level of service to its guests.

“Why does Carnival not offer a gift wrapping service? We are joining on the Vista for Christmas. I am told on good authority that Carnival does not have gift wrapping,” the guest wrote.

“Really John! I am not able to pack a few gifts already wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper so what is Carnival expecting me to do!!? … This is very disappointing and this is very poor service.”

Heald has been answering a variety of holiday-related questions in the past few weeks, from the ship’s seasonal decorating schedules to Christmas activities onboard to special dining menus and more.

This particular guest will be further disappointed to learn that a gift wrapping service is not available onboard. They can, however, still bring wrapped gifts to exchange on their cruise.

“I thought I would share this because while we do not have a gift wrapping service on the ship you can bring pre-wrapped gifts on board, that is not a concern,” Heald confirmed. “Please make sure you don’t wrap any toy weapon or anything that can could be mistaken for something like that but you can bring them wrapped.”

Carnival Vista is departing Port Canaveral on her Christmas cruise on Sunday, December 22, 2024. The 6-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary will be visiting Half Moon Cay on Christmas Eve, Grant Turk on Christmas Day, and Amber Cove on Boxing Day before return to Florida on December 28.

Cruising With Christmas Gifts

It should be noted that if passengers are flying to their cruise embarkation port, they will need to ensure any gifts they pack in their luggage comply with TSA and security guidelines.

As for wrapping, if gifts may be a security concern at either the airport or the cruise port, they will need to be unwrapped to be checked.

“We know that passengers will be traveling with gifts, and that’s okay,” the TSA has stated. “However, we strongly recommend that instead of wrapping gifts with paper and tape that the gifts be placed in gift bags or gift boxes with tissue paper. That way, if the item triggers an alarm, our officers can easily resolve the alarm without needing to unwrap the gift.”

Cruise guests who are driving to their ship can more easily bring along wrapped gifts, but gift bags are a more convenient and security-friendly wrapping option recommended by many experienced travelers.

“Bring gift bags and put them in. No scissors or tape needed.”

“Bring gift bags and some tissue paper in your suitcases. It will not add too much weight and put your gifts in those things.”

“Bring gift bags and tissue (leave them flat) and fix them when you get on board.”

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Clarifies Strict Policy for Crew Member Gifts

Other travelers have different solutions for Christmas cruise gift exchanges. Many cruisers leave gifts at home and deal with presents either before or after their sailing. If they do want to exchange gifts onboard, they choose just 1-2 small gifts for the holiday tradition.

Now, if Carnival Cruise Line were to offer cruise-themed gift wrap, bags, and bows onboard for sale during the holiday season, that would make all the difference for a festive Christmas cruise!