Carnival Cruise Line has promoted another of the fleet’s cruise directors to the leadership position of Fleet Cruise Director, bringing more experience and perspectives to this unique role.

Popular cruise director Erin Weigand is taking on the new role in just a few weeks and is the first female cruise director to be tapped for this promotion.

Another Fleet Cruise Director Chosen

Just two years ago, Carnival Cruise Line introduced the brand new leadership role of “Fleet Cruise Director” and to date, three notable cruise directors have been promoted to the new position. Now, a fourth popular cruise director will step into that bigger role as Erin Weigand has announced her promotion.

“It’s a-boat time I shared some news,” Weigand said on her popular Facebook page. “I am beyond thrilled to begin the next step of my Carnival career as Fleet Cruise Director!”

Her current contract as cruise director of Carnival Freedom was set to extend through June 17, 2024, but now Todd Evans will be returning to the ship on March 30 to take over as Weigand moves on to her new role. Cruise director schedules regularly shift as crew member contracts change and career plans evolve.

Weigand’s Career With Carnival

Erin Weigand began her career with Carnival Cruise Line in April 2015 as part of the entertainment staff, eventually moving up to a cruise director in November 2018. She has been part of the fun aboard Carnival Spirit, Carnival Sunrise, the now-defunct Carnival Sensation, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Dream, and other vessels.

Weigand is a dedicated and enthusiastic leader, eager to help all her fellow crew members bring their very best to Carnival Cruise Line.

“I am so honored to be a part of such a unique and talented group of people, all of us bringing something different and special to the role,” Weigand has said of her experience as a cruise director. “What we do as CD’s is not always easy. But I can tell you this… Every one of us does it because we absolutely LOVE it.”

Weigand will undoubtedly bring her love of cruising and enthusiasm for the guest experience to her new leadership role, helping train, motivate, and collaborate with other cruise directors for new activities and events across the Fun Ship fleet.

Other Carnival Fleet Cruise Directors

Three other cruise directors have been promoted to the leadership position of Fleet Cruise Director in the past two years. Mike Pack was first in early 2022, followed by Chris “Donkey” Salazar in March 2023. The most recent promotion was given to Chris “The Flying Scotsman” Williams in November 2023.

Erin Weigand is the first female Fleet Cruise Director, and will undoubtedly bring her own unique perspectives and ideas to the role, helping further expand training options and expertise that can be shared with all Carnival cruise directors.

Typical duties of Fleet Cruise Directors include onboard trainings, serving as mentors to new cruise directors, developing new activities and programming, conducting staff assessments and evaluations, and more.

The position is a shoreside role, and Fleet Cruise Directors are not assigned to a specific vessel. Instead, they may travel to different ships at different times, and may even fill in if necessary to cover vacations or other cruise directors’ reassignments.

They are also part of events on land helping promote Carnival Cruise Line – such as when Weigand was part of the New Year’s Eve festivities in Times Square to welcome 2024.

The promotion of more popular cruise directors into these leadership roles shows how useful the position is for Carnival Cruise Line, though there is no confirmation of how many Fleet Cruise Directors the cruise line intends to have on staff at any given time.

This Valentine’s Day, Carnival Cruise Line is making waves with its largest-ever vow renewal event, inviting couples to celebrate their love aboard its fleet. With Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal at the helm, love is in the air.

A Valentine’s Day to Remember Across the Carnival Fleet

Carnival Cruise Line has taken Valentine’s Day celebrations to new heights with its fleetwide vow renewal ceremony. On this day of love, couples aboard all Carnival ships, from Carnival Elation to its newest ship Carnival Jubilee, had the unique opportunity to reaffirm their love for each other in a special ceremony.

Virtually officiated via a big screen on deck by none other than Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal, the February 14, 2024, event was marked by joy and romance.

This year’s celebration, notably grander thanks to the addition of two new ships to the Carnival fleet, Carnival Venezia and Carnival Jubilee, allowed even more couples to participate in the festivities

“People meet, get engaged, and get married on Carnival cruise ships and our Valentnine’s Day vow renewals are an extension of how couples love to cruise with Carnival,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We’re delighted to offer this ceremony to more guests than ever before.”

Tradition and Expansion

Carnival Cruise Line’s Valentine’s Day vow renewals have become an anticipated annual tradition, drawing couples to celebrate their love in a unique and memorable way.

Each ceremony is followed by an onboard reception that includes a DJ, champagne toast, and even an onboard kiss-cam.

Read Also: Carnival to Expand Fleet, Orders New Excel Class Cruise Ship

Throughout the day, each ship offers a variety of Valentine’s Day-themed activities, from special trivia contests and romantic Dive-In movies perfect for date night to the always entertaining “Love & Marriage” show.

Couples on board also enjoy making specialty dining reservations, indulging in decadent desserts, and sharing sunset kisses on deck. Last year, more than 1,220 weddings and vow renewals took place under the Carnival banner.

A Year-Round Celebration of Love

Carnival’s dedication to celebrating love extends beyond Valentine’s Day, offering couples the chance to renew their vows all year round.

With a variety of personalized packages and itineraries, starting at $825 for a basic package and $1,450 for a deluxe package, Carnival can accommodate engagements, weddings, honeymoons, or vow renewals.

These ceremonies are performed by the ship’s captain in a special location and include a keepsake certificate signed by the captain, photography services, and room for guests.

Moreover, Carnival Cruise Line recently announced its upcoming Celebration Key private island in the Bahamas and is adding an exclusive events pavilion dedicated to hosting weddings and vow renewals.

The new island destination, scheduled to open in July 2025, is already a highly anticipated addition to Carnival’s itinerary and will offer something for everyone, from couples enjoying the adult-only areas that will feature a premium private club, to family-friendly offerings like splash pads, waterslides and a zipline course.

In an exciting development, Carnival Corporation has unveiled plans for a new addition to its Carnival Cruise Line fleet. A fourth Excel class vessel has been ordered from the popular Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, and the vessel will be sister to Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee.

Carnival’s Fleet Expansion

Carnival Cruise Line is embarking on an ambitious expansion of its cutting-edge Excel-class fleet with the construction of a new, state-of-the-art cruise ship.

The forthcoming vessel, designed as a sister ship to the acclaimed Carnival Jubilee, delivered in 2023, is poised to make its grand entrance into the fleet in 2027, marking another milestone in Carnival’s maritime history.

This new addition, which will span approximately 344 meters and boast a gross tonnage of around 180,000, is set to enhance the cruising experience for over 6,400 guests.

Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation, highlighted the significance of this expansion, saying, “Building on our strong performance and growing momentum around the world, we are excited to resume our newbuild program and work to further enhance our global fleet.”

He added that the new ship “will wow Carnival Cruise Line’s guests.”

Unveiling the New Vessel

Since Carnival Jubilee‘s addition to the fleet, speculation had been building that Carnival Corporation was adding a new ship after leaked reports showed potential Excel-class size orders at the Fincantieri shipyard.

Carnival Cruise Line’s latest addition is poised to offer expansive staterooms, multiple dining options ranging from casual eateries to fine-dining restaurants, and entertainment venues catering to all ages.

The ship will also feature Carnival’s signature attractions, including water parks, sports courts, and wellness centers.

Said Bernd Eikens, CEO of Meyer Group, owners of Meyer Werft shipbuilders, “We are honored to continue to partnership with Carnival Corporation, bringing to life another groundbreaking vessel that pushes the boundaries of cruise ship design and functionality.”

In line with Carnival’s commitment to sustainability, the new ship will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), significantly reducing its carbon footprint by reducing emissions of sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. The ship’s design also will incorporate energy-efficient systems.

Carnival’s Excel-Class Ships

Carnival Cruise Line currently operates three Excel vessels, including Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and, most recently, Carnival Jubilee.

Delivered in 2020 as the first ship in North America to be powered by LNG, and introduced the world to the first-ever rollercoaster at sea, Mardi Gras has a capacity for 6,500 passengers and 2,000 crew members and a weight of 181,808 gross tons.

Carnival Celebration, positioned in Port Miami, Florida, accommodates 5,374 passengers and 1,735 crew, with a tonnage of 183,521, and was launched in 2022.

Carnival Jubilee, the newest additional to the fleet, debuted in Galveston, Texas, in December 2023, accommodating 5,374 passengers and 1,257 crew members. It was voted Best New Cruise Ship of 2023 in Cruise Hive’s annual awards.

“Our Excel-class ships have been a tremendous addition to the Carnival fleet and proven very popular with our guests,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

“As the world’s most popular cruise line, this new ship enables us to continue the growth of our incredible fleet as we welcome our loyal guests back to cruise more frequently and attract new-to-cruise guests to experience all that a Carnival cruise has to offer,” Duffy added.

Read Also: All Carnival Cruise Ships By Age – Newest to Oldest

Meyer Werft, renowned for constructing LNG-propelled cruise ships, will construct the new vessel. The shipbuilder has previously constructed nine cruise ships with LNG propulsion for four cruise lines in the Carnival Corporation portfolio, including AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Carnival Cruise Line.

Additionally, the group operates three shipyards in Finland and Germany, where the current Excel-class ships were constructed.

Carnival Vista has completed her dry dock refreshment and refurbishment in Cadiz, Spain, but poor weather during the ship’s transatlantic crossing to return to her Florida homeport is delaying her return to service by one day.

Guests booked on the first cruise will now be sailing a 2-night itinerary instead of the originally planned 3-night cruise with embarkation pushed back a full day, and travelers have been given some options for the inconvenience.

Carnival Vista Delayed

Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests booked on the first post-dry-dock sailing of Carnival Vista to alert them to a delay in the ship’s return to service.

Because of inclement weather in the Atlantic Ocean that has slowed the ship’s return to Port Canaveral, coupled with a slight delay leaving Spain, the cruise will now depart on Friday, February 16, 2024 rather than Thursday, February 15 as originally scheduled.

“We know you were looking forward to the full itinerary we intended to operate and sincerely apologize for this unexpected change of plans,” the email notification read.

Carnival’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, also noted the change via Facebook to ensure the word gets out to all guests.

“This means the ship will sail on a two day cruise rather than a three day,” explained Heald. “Obviously this will be a big disappointment and I truly am so very sorry.”

Guests should also note that embarkation times have been revised, with all embarkation appointments moved forward one hour. An 11-11:30 a.m. terminal arrival appointment will now be 10-10:30, for example.

Carnival Vista will now be visiting Nassau on Saturday, February 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. rather than on Friday, but will no longer have a day at sea.

Shore excursions for Nassau that have been booked through Carnival Cruise Line will be moved to accommodate the change in visit date. Passengers who may have made independent tour arrangements will need to contact their tour operators for options, including cancellation or adjustment if available.

Read Also: Carnival Vista Upgrade Details – What’s New Onboard?

Carnival Vista‘s Cruise Director, Marty Pitts, has reached out through social media to let guests know that the activities onboard the ship will still be moving forward, with plenty of great options for everyone to enjoy despite the shorter sailing.

“Myself and the team are so excited to have you onboard the ship,” Pitts said. “Let me tell you that 2-day cruise, we are going to have it jam-packed, full of fun events happening all around the ship.”

Options onboard will include the legendary Sail Away party as Carnival Vista departs Port Canaveral, giveaways at the Fun Ashore, Fun Aboard talk, live music, both family-friendly and adults-only comedy shows, a full production show, an atrium music party, and so much more, including the ever-popular ’80s Rock-and-Glow Party.

Compensation Offered

All guests on the now-shortened sailing will be receiving a pro-rated one-day refund of their cruise fare and other onboard expenses to account for the new cruise length. Carnival Cruise Line has also offered $50 (USD) of onboard credit for all guests (up to $100 per stateroom) to make up for the inconvenience.

If passengers need to reschedule flights for their new embarkation day, Carnival Cruise Line will provide up to $200 per person for reimbursement of non-refundable air travel change fees. Receipts documenting that change must be submitted to the cruise line for approval.

Travelers may also opt to cancel their cruise if they no longer wish to remain on the shortened sailing, but must contact Carnival Cruise Line or their travel agent before 9 p.m. on Wednesday, February 14 to confirm their cancellation.

There will be no penalties for the cancellation, and guests can choose either a full refund back to the original form of payment or a 100% Future Cruise Credit to book a different Carnival cruise.

No Additional Cruises Impacted

Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed that no additional cruises are impacted by this change, that it is just poor weather causing the ship to be slightly delayed as she returns to service.

“No other cruises or schedules will change, it is just this cruise,” said Heald.

The concern for future impacted sailings is a justified one, as Carnival’s Vista-class ships have a history of propulsion difficulties that impact sailing speeds and have led to adjusted itineraries and cancelled cruises.

Fresh from her 30-day dry dock, however, Carnival Vista is operating well and ready to show off new public spaces and upgrades for everyone aboard.

After the two-day sailing, the 133,500-gross-ton ship will offer a variety of 6- and 8-night Eastern Caribbean and Southern Caribbean cruises, and in July 2025, she will be one of the first vessels to visit Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line’s exclusive new destination on Grand Bahama Island.