Passengers aboard Carnival Vista experienced an unforeseen interruption during their voyage as the ship faced mechanical issues while docked in Puerto Rico. The incident was highlighted by a passenger, who shared an update via social media.

“We are currently on the Vista in Puerto Rico, and the ship broke down,” he posted, indicating that the vessel was temporarily immobilized due to technical problems.

The specifics of the mechanical issues have not been fully disclosed by Carnival Cruise Line, but the disruption caused Carnival Vista to overnight in Puerto Rico on its May 7 call as engineers worked on repairs.

Originally set to depart from San Juan at 5:30 p.m., the ship did not depart until about 7:30 a.m. on May 8. The unscheduled overnight has resulted in Carnival Cruise Line rearranging the itinerary of its 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise.

The cruise line said in a statement to Cruise Hive, “Carnival Vista’s engineers resolved a technical issue that caused a delayed departure from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The ship’s itinerary has been modified, changing the order in which it visits St. Thomas and St. Maarten on Wednesday and Thursday, to maximize guests’ experience.”

Carnival Vista is currently sailing directly to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands a day ahead of schedule. It will sail to Philipsburg, St. Maarten on May 8 before returning to Port Canaveral on May 12.

Details regarding shore excursions were not revealed, but traditionally, any changes or cancellations to excursions booked through Carnival Cruise Line are remediated by the cruise line and require no further effort from passengers. Guests who booked private excursions must contact providers to make changes and cancellations.

Propulsion Problems Growing on Vista-Class

Carnival Vista’s current journey began in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, on May 4, 2024. Sailing first to Puerto Plata/Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic on May 6, the nearly 4,000-passenger, 133,500-gross-ton ship sailed into San Juan, as scheduled, on May 6. Passengers disembarked for what was intended to be a 7-hour call.

As passengers re-embarked, chatter began to erupt when Carnival Vista did not depart on time, with many sharing they would rather be at port dealing with technical issues than at sea.

Passengers received word from the captain during the evening that the ship was experiencing mechanical issues and that the crew was working on repairs. Further updates shared on social media reported the issues to be related to propulsion.

This is not the first time a Carnival Vista-Class ship has experienced propulsion issues. Carnival Vista, Carnival Panorama, and Carnival Horizon have each experienced propulsion system issues and additional technical challenges. Each event has also resulted in itinerary changes, as well as cruise cancellations.

Carnival Vista’s propulsion problems were first noted in 2016 during a sailing from New York on November 16. The issue caused the ship to replace a Grand Turk call in Turks and Caicos with one in Nassau, Bahamas. In addition, three cruises were canceled in June 2019, and the ship was put into unscheduled dry dock for repairs of the system.

It wasn’t long before propulsion problems returned, with more itinerary changes enforced due to problems in May 2022.

Read Also: What Is Wrong With Carnival’s Vista-Class Ships?

Vista-Class ships from Carnival use Azipod Drive propulsion systems located outside of the vessel. This means, when it requires repair or maintenance, it cannot be accessed via the engine room and instead requires more complex repairs.

Despite the setbacks, Azipods are considered the best for fuel efficiency and maneuverability, which is why the cruise line continues to use it as its propulsion system.

Showing what the US Air Force is capable of, the 920th Rescue Wing (RQW) of the Air Force successfully executed a high-stakes medical evacuation from a cruise ship over 350 nautical miles off the eastern coast of the United States. 

On May 4, 2024, the 920th Rescue Wing, Air Force Reserve Command’s only combat search and rescue wing, received an urgent request for assistance. A medical emergency onboard the cruise ship Carnival Venezia necessitated the patient to be taken off the ship and brought to shore to receive the type of care not available onboard.

Carnival Venezia had set sail from New York on April 26 for a 10-day cruise to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. After calls to Nassau, Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, and Amber Cove, the ship was underway to homeport New York when an emergency happened onboard, forcing the Captain to make a call for help. 

The Air Force 920th Rescue Wing answered the call. The wing is trained and equipped to locate and recover U.S. Armed Forces personnel during both peacetime and wartime, while this is not necessarily what you would associate with a guest onboard a cruise ship, the service men and women stepped up anyway.

Based at Patrick Space Force Base in Florida, Air Force personnel quickly assembled a comprehensive rescue force comprising two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft, and expert teams of combat rescue officers and pararescuemen.

Captain Dylan Gann of the 301st Rescue Squadron, who piloted one of the rescue helicopters: “Everyone in the wing mobilized with exceptional speed. By uniting our efforts, we saved crucial time, delivering life-saving assistance six hours ahead of other response teams. Our collective determination and efficiency ensured the successful rescue and transport of the individual in need.”

The entire rescue mission became a combined effort by pilots of the two helicopters and airplanes, weather experts back at the base to plot the best possible route, and flight doctors to find the right treatment facility for the patient

According to the 920th Rescue Wing, one of the most challenging aspects of the mission was the need for multiple helicopter air-to-air refuelings due to the distance between the vessel and the Air Force Base. At 350 nautical miles or 403 land miles, Carnival Venezia was out of reach of the safe flying distance that an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter can do.

A Helicopter Air-to-Air Refueling (HAAR) involves a probe from the helicopter connecting to a drogue on the HC-130J aircraft, allowing the transfer of fuel mid-flight. This technique is important to ensure the helicopters can operate for extended periods over open water.

Carnival Venezia Guest Brought to Safety

Upon reaching the Carnival Venezia, the mission commander assessed the situation while two HC-130Js circled overhead. The HH-60s approached the ship and lowered pararescuemen to prepare the patient and his mother for evacuation. The patient received immediate medical attention in the helicopter and while underway to the hospital.

Lieutenant Colonel John Lowe, commander of the 920th Operations Group: “This is what ready now looks like. These real-world missions are what our countless hours of training have prepared us for. Rescue was able to plan and execute this mission without hesitation.”

“This combined arms team is highly trained in their field while understanding what role they play in the bigger picture and led to the successful completion of the mission.” 

The two helicopters and the two support aircraft flew over 1200 nautical miles to ensure the Carnival Venezia guest reached safety and received the medical care needed.

The fact that the guest was saved, is a feat in itself. While the US Coast Guard is known to perform medivacs from cruise ships regularly, this is typically done much closer to land. With the distance from land, the 920th Rescue Wing proved to be more than capable of fulfilling the role.

Carnival Venezia returned to New York City on May 6 and has since set sail on her next voyage, an 11-night cruise to St. Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk, Amber Cove, and Half Moon Cay.