Carnival Cruise Line has officially set sail from the Port of Baltimore once again, with Carnival Pride leaving on her very special 14-night sailing to Greenland on Sunday, May 26, 2024.

It has been a long two months since the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge that closed the port to marine traffic, but now the Port of Baltimore is back with passenger cruising.

This particular sailing of Carnival Pride is significant as it is a highly-anticipated Carnival Journeys cruise, a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list voyage for many travelers. Carnival Cruise Line did reach out to booked guests recently, confirming the Baltimore departure and ensuring that everyone is aware of the challenges visiting Greenland can have.

It was a picture perfect morning as Carnival Pride pulled in to Port of Baltimore on Sunday, with both passengers and crew eager to return to the ship’s planned homeport. The port view does look different, however, without the iconic bridge in the background.

Port of Baltimore celebrated Carnival Pride‘s return, welcoming the ship back to her year-round homeport with live music and local authorities to greet guests.

“Baltimore loves a good Carnival and today a special one came into town!” the port announced on social media. “The Port of Baltimore’s Deputy Director of Business Development & Cruise, Cynthia Burman, welcomed Carnival Cruise Line’s Pride back to our Cruise Maryland terminal for the first time since the Key Bridge collapse.”

The 87,071-gross-ton, Spirit-class Carnival Pride entered service in2002 and can welcome 2,124 guests at double occupancy, and is also home to more than 900 international team members proud to ensure everyone aboard has an amazing cruise vacation.

The ship is homeported year-round from Baltimore, offering Eastern Caribbean, Bermuda, and Bahamas 7-night sailings. The ship also offers select departures to Canada and Greenland, especially in the spring and fall, when the region’s natural beauty is an amazing tourism draw.

Carnival Pride also offers the occasional Panama Canal cruise, with the next one departing on January 12, 2025 with calls to Half Moon Cay, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Panama, and Grand Turk.

Similarly, some Southern Caribbean sailings are on offer, including visits to St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Aruba, and Curacao. Carnival Pride‘s next Southern Caribbean sailing departs on November 3, 2024.

For the past two months, Carnival Pride has managed to maintain her itineraries, but temporarily departing from Norfolk, Virginia instead. Carnival Cruise Line has provided complimentary bus service for guests between Baltimore and Norfolk in the meantime. On her May 19 departure, the ship left from Norfolk but returned to Baltimore to finish the cruise on May 26.

Not the Only Cruise Line

While the cruise port is happy to see Carnival Cruise Line back at the Cruise Maryland terminal, Carnival Pride is not the only ship that has returned to Baltimore.

Royal Caribbean International’s Vision of the Seas resumed sailing from Port of Baltimore one day earlier, on May 25, 2024. The first sailing of the 78,717-gross-ton ship is a 5-night Bermuda itinerary. The ship also offers 9-night Bermuda cruises that include calls to Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

Also on Vision of the Seas‘ upcoming schedule are Canada and New England cruises in the autumn, select Southern Caribbean itineraries, and unique Southeast Coast/Bahamas cruises that will visit Port Canaveral and Charleston, depending on departure date.

As with Carnival Pride, Vision of the Seas is also homeported year-round from the Port of Baltimore. The Port of Baltimore is also frequently a homeport for American Cruise Lines smaller, regional ships that offer Chesapeake Bay sailings in different sailings.

Social media can be a great way to find insider tips from frequent cruisers, but passengers need to be very cautious about what advice they believe and what seems unlikely. Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald recently had to debunk a “tip” for the cruise line’s Excel-class ships that could be dangerous for some passengers.

The so-called tip involves an upholstered “box” in staterooms aboard Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee. The boxes are positioned under the small vanity area in each stateroom, and have a removable lid. The interior is white and looks similar to some models of simple coolers.

“It appears somebody on another Facebook group page has been informing people that the box on the Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee cabins is in fact a cooler/refrigerator,” Heald said. “This has resulted in people complaining that theirs is not cooling their drinks and possibly in one case their medication.”

Many guests enjoy having extra drinks in their stateroom, perhaps cans of their favorite soda that may not be available onboard, and a refrigerator or cooler could be handy for a chilled beverage. This is not what these upholstered boxes are, however.

“They are not coolers. They are stools and they are storage units,” Heald explained. “Turnaround the top lid and you have a side table.”

If guests had been attempting to store temperature-sensitive medication in the boxes – actually storage ottomans – that could have dangerous results if the medication were to spoil from being kept too warm. Similarly, cruisers with very young children might have attempted to store infant formula or baby foods improperly, which could lead to spoilage and illness.

Read Also: Will Carnival Cruise Line Ban Cruising Ducks?

A quick examination of the ottoman would have debunked this unlikely tip, as it is obvious there is no cord, plug, battery pack, or other power source that would keep the interior cool. Furthermore, there is no drainage valve or other outlet for meltwater if it were to have been filled with ice like a standard cooler.

Select staterooms on all Carnival ships do have mini-bars with coolers, though they are not always sufficient to store medicine with precise temperature needs. Travelers can contact Carnival Cruise Line’s Special Needs team to request assistance with storing medicine if necessary.

“Portable medi-coolers are available in limited quantities, and on a first-come, first-served basis with a refundable rental deposit required,” the cruise line’s special needs webpage states. “If a cooler is not available, our Medical Center can assist guests with refrigeration needs (accessible during operating hours of the Medical Center only) or you may bring your own personal-size cooler for this purpose.”

Guests can also request an ice bucket from their cabin attendant to chill drinks if desired, or get a glass of ice from the buffet drink stations onboard.

Debunking Tips and Rumors

While it can be helpful to get advice from other cruisers, it is important to recognize that not all such advice may be accurate, as everyone’s travel experiences are different.

Carnival Cruise Line has frequently debunked different rumors, such as whether or not the cruise line is banning all mobility scooters (it isn’t), how travelers can get free cabin upgrades on embarkation day (they can’t), and the ever-popular towel animals are being discontinued (they aren’t).

When in doubt, travelers should not consult social media, but rather should seek out information directly from Carnival Cruise Line’s website, or even contact John Heald with questions. As Brand Ambassador, he answers hundreds of questions every day on all sorts of topics and can direct travelers to accurate information.

Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Radiance rescued 25 people from a small, stranded boat off the Pacific coast of Mexico on Saturday, May 25, 2024. The ship was initially contacted by the US Coast Guard (USCG) about the small vessel’s distress call, and immediately responded to divert to the boat’s location.

A total of 25 people were on the small boat, including three children. The overloaded boat did have an outboard motor, but it appeared to be non-functioning or out of fuel. There was also inadequate room for supplies onboard the small craft. Some, though not all, of the individuals were wearing life jackets.

Once the refugees were brought aboard the cruise ship, they were provided with food, water, and medical assistance as needed. A rendezvous was arranged with USCG officials so they could be turned over to the proper authorities, as is standard procedure for these types of rescue operations.

There are no reports of injuries among those rescued, and the ship’s daily operation was not significantly affected by this essential diversion.

The 102,232-gross-ton, Sunshine-class Carnival Radiance – formerly Carnival Victory prior to a refit in 2021 – was enjoying a day at sea as part of her current 3-night Baja Mexico sailing. The short delay for the rescue has not had an impact on the ship’s itinerary, and she is visiting Ensenada on Sunday, May 26 as planned.

Carnival Radiance is homeported year-round from Long Beach, California. She offers cruises from 3-6 nights visiting Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, and Catalina, as well as occasional 14-night Carnival Journeys cruises to Hawaii.

Various other Carnival ships have rescued refugees in recent months. On April 21, Carnival Paradise rescued 27 individuals near Cuba, and on February 24, Carnival Celebration rescued 20 people in a small boat in the Florida Straits north of Cuba.

All cruise lines will respond to rescue needs, whether the individuals at risk are refugees, fishermen, pleasure boats, or any other person who requires assistance.

Read Also: Former Carnival Cruise Ships, Where Are They Now?

What Happens to Rescued Refugees?

Carnival Cruise Line recently helped clarify what happens during these types of rescue operations, and corrected misconceptions about how refugees may or may not be treated once onboard the cruise ship.

“They do not get a free cruise. They do not get to walk around the Ship in any guest areas or even crew area,” explained John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador. “They are confined to one area, under the watch of our security team. They are given food, water, and medical assistance. They are transferred to a United States Coast Guard Ship.”

It should be noted that rescued refugees are not “allowed into [the US]” for free, but are turned over to the appropriate authorities. In the vast majority of rescue cases, the individuals will be repatriated back to their home countries.

“We do have to rescue them because it is the law. Yes, we rescue them because it is the right thing to do,” Heald said of this Carnival Radiance rescue. “Bravo Captain and crew. This is another shining example that we will always be there for those in peril on the sea.”

Yes, at times rescue operations may interfere with a cruise ship’s itinerary, causing a minor delay and possibly shortening time in the next port of call. It is rare, however, that a port of call would be completely cancelled due to a rescue, though it can happen.

Ultimately, the protection of life and rescuing individuals who are so desperate for a better life that they would flee their homes in ill-equipped, shoddy watercraft under dubious conditions is always worth a very slight interruption to a vacation.

In an unexpected turn of events following the sudden cessation of Air Vanuatu’s operations on May 10, 2024, thousands of travelers were left stranded across the idyllic South Pacific archipelago, famed for its pristine beaches, lush rainforests, and active volcanoes.

Enter Carnival Cruise Line, which stepped in with a remarkable rescue after seeing cries for help on social media. On May 23, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Splendor, a 113,323-gross-ton ship on a 9-night South Pacific cruise, offered safe passage to eight Australians and one New Zealander stranded on Santo, Vanuatu’s largest island.

“Helping these people get home safely reflects our commitment to community support and humanitarian aid,” said Carnival Cruise Line Australia’s vice president Kara Glamore. “We are so pleased to provide this group a safe and enjoyable return home.”

Carnival Splendor, which had departed from Sydney on May 19, continued its voyage with its new passengers in tow, calling in Vila, Vanuatu, on May 24. Carnival Splendor will return to Syndey with its new passengers on May 28.

Originally slated to call in Lifou, New Caledonia, during the sailings, the ship spent more time in Vanuatu than scheduled after political unrest broke out on the French territory located just south of Vanuatu.

The unrest included riots and assaults, which resulted in curfews and the closure of businesses and the international airport. A state of emergency was declared on May 15.

Why were travelers stranded in Vanuatu?

Air Vanuatu, the national airline of Vanuatu, entered voluntary liquidation earlier in May, resulting in the cancellation of all flights and leaving travelers scrambling to find ways off the island to return to their home countries.

The airline, which operated a small fleet of four aircraft, had faced significant challenges, including labor shortages, rising operational costs, and disruptions caused by extreme weather.

Meanwhile, on May 17, P&O Cruises Australia’s Pacific Adventure extended a similar lifeline to 16 young Australian Rotary members and their chaperones who had been volunteering in Vanuatu.

“P&O Cruises Australia is delighted to help this inspiring group of students get home,” said Peter Little, P&O Cruises Australia’s senior vice president. “We are proud of our Australian heritage that extends back more than 90 years, and answering a call to help young Australians stranded a long way from home is the right thing to do.”

Read Also: Carnival Ship Rescues 27 People Adrift at Sea in the Caribbean

The 109,000-gross-ton Pacific Adventure, on a roundtrip journey from Sydney, continued its itinerary, calling in Mystery Island, Vanuatu, before returning to Syndey on May 23, providing the volunteers with a much-deserved holiday after 12 days of hard work.

“We were jumping for joy when P&O made their offer, after such a frustrating and stressful few days wondering how we were going to get home,” said Hive Rotary President Kellie Kadaoui. “This will be an exciting and wonderful way to finish our volunteering trip.”

In Vanuatu, efforts are underway to support additional stranded passengers, and other airlines, such as Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Fiji Airways, are working to assist affected travelers.

Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests booked in particular staterooms aboard Carnival Celebration for more than six months’ of sailings to remind them of the cruise line’s mobility scooter policy. The emails are being sent to guests booked in specific accessible staterooms and only apply to passengers traveling with a scooter.

The cruise line began sending these notifications more than two months ago for sailings on Mardi Gras. At that time, the notifications were being tested for effectiveness, and it now seems they are being rolled out to other ships.

Carnival Celebration a sister ship to Mardi Gras and the second ship in the Excel class. The sister ships – along with Carnival Jubilee – are the largest in Carnival’s fleet at roughly 182,000 gross tons and with passenger capacities of more than 5,200 guests at double occupancy.

“We have important information regarding your stateroom and its accessibility features for guests traveling with a scooter,” the email begins. “The stateroom you have secured does not accommodate all types of scooters.”

The email has been sent to all cruisers booked in these staterooms on Carnival Celebration‘s sailings from June 15 through December 29, 2024.

The notification goes on to note that scooters must be able to collapse for safe storage and may not be stored in public areas or corridors. Oversized scooters may not be allowed onboard if they will not fit in the booked stateroom.

Guests have three options under Carnival Cruise Line’s scooter policy. First, they may travel as planned with a collapsible scooter, or else choose to set sail without a mobility scooter. If that is not possible, guests will have to change their ship or sailing date in order to confirm a stateroom that can properly accommodate a larger scooter.

Finally, guests may cancel for a full refund if they prefer not to set sail or if there is no other preferred sailing that can accommodate their mobility scooter.

Carnival Cruise Line has begun more strictly enforcing its mobility scooter policies following a variety of complaints about corridors blocked with parked scooters. Not only does this cause problems for guests and crew members moving through the corridors, but it could be a serious hazard if an evacuation is necessary.

“We really are going to be working to make sure that for the safety of everyone on the ship that scooters must be kept in the cabins and never in the corridors,” said John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador.

Read Also: Carnival Ships by Size – Biggest to Smallest

While the cruise line does strive to be accessible to everyone and in fact is adding more accessible cabins to many of its ships, there are practical limits to what can be done. Furthermore, frequent cruisers have noted a dramatic increase in the numbers of scooters, including larger models, onboard ships in recent years.

It should be noted that Carnival Cruise Line is not banning mobility scooters, it is only enforcing the necessary size limits to ensure scooters are able to fit safely into staterooms.

“I don’t want to make this a bigger thing than it is,” Heald said with his characteristic British wit. “The decision has been made, it’s been for some a long time coming. Those are the rules.”

Mobility Concerns at Ports of Call

In addition to reminding guests about onboard scooter policies, Carnival is also vigilant about alerting guests to possible mobility concerns at select ports of call.

For example, Carnival Pride will be departing on Sunday, May 26 on a Journeys cruise to Greenland, a once-in-a-lifetime destination for many travelers. Because both ports of call in Greenland are tender ports, however, and the terrain in Greenland can be rough, the cruise line is ensuring guests know about the challenges.

“Like some of our destinations, facilities are not equipped for people with mobility limitations,” an email sent to booked guests said.

The email also noted that climbing stairs is necessary to board water shuttles and that resting areas are sparse at the ports of call. Any mobility scooters must also be collapsible to be accommodated onboard tender boats.

Any traveler who uses a mobility scooter, powered wheelchair, or similar assistive device should always contact their cruise line’s special needs or accommodations team well ahead of sailing to discuss challenges so their travels can be as smooth as possible.