Mask-wearing has been a controversial topic for cruise travel since the pandemic state of emergency first required onboard masking as part of health and safety protocols.

Now, Carnival Cruise Line is inviting guests to wear masks aboard one ship in a fun way – for a “Venetian Mask Night” aboard the upcoming Carnival Venezia.

New Theme Night Aboard Carnival Venezia

In honor of the new ship’s Italian connections and specifically its Venetian heritage, Carnival Cruise Line is introducing “Venetian Mask Night” aboard Carnival Venezia. The new theme night will be the ship’s first elegant evening, traditionally the second night of each sailing.

Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald announced the new theme with a bit of whimsy.

“I am not here to tell you that you have to wear a face mask on your cruise,” Heald said. “Unless you are on the Carnival Venezia.”

Venetian Mask Night is planned as an elegant special event aboard the Italian-styled ship. Guests are welcome to bring their own Venetian-style masks to wear, or may purchase unique Carnival-themed masks with classic Venetian flair.

“We will of course have them on board for sale for you all,” Heald explained. “These will include our own FUN Italian Style Carnival themed masks as in red, white and blue. Plus there will be the more traditional Venetian masks available as well.”

The first elegant evening is also the date for the Captain’s Celebration when guests can meet and mingle with the ship’s master, Captain Claudio Cupisti, who hails from Viareggio, Italy – a coastal community 150 miles southwest (241 kilometers) of Venice.

Elaborate masks are sure to be on display throughout the evening, and other onboard activities may also center around masks throughout each sailing, though additional details have not yet been revealed. Heald has indicated that more details about Venetian Mask Night will be revealed in the days ahead as Carnival Venezia nears her debut on May 29, 2023.

About Venetian Masks

Classic Venetian masks originated with the Carnival of Venice, a traditional festival that dates from the Middle Ages and celebrates Venetian history and culture dating back for nearly 900 years.

The classic masks are elaborately designed, full-face or partial masks, often decorated with gold leaf, feathers, beading, and gems. Some masks depict the wearer’s occupation or social station, while others are clever disguises.

Gaudy headdresses or other accents are also frequently part of the masks, and entire costumes may coordinate with the most elaborate masks. Some masks also feature beak-like noses, or may be worn either tied around the head or held in front of the face with a stick.

Italian Style Aboard Carnival Venezia

Mask-wearing is not the only bit of Italian flair that will be found exclusively aboard Carnival Venezia. The ship, which is currently undergoing renovation in Cadiz, Spain, to update her spaces with Carnival accents, will preserve much of her Italian styling.

Of particular interest is the Canal Grande Restaurant, the ship’s aft main dining room on Decks 3 and 4, where a full-size gondola is a stunning showpiece displayed in a gorgeous canal setting.

Italian-inspired architecture and décor can be found throughout the ship, such as in the main atrium, Piazza San Marco, with marble columns and luxurious gold accents.

The ship will also be home to a new specialty restaurant, Il Viaggio, with classic Italian dishes on a delicious menu that “tours” guests through the tastes of Italy with regionally-featured dishes.

The 135,225-gross-ton Carnival Venezia will begin sailing from New York after her transatlantic crossing from Barcelona, scheduled to depart Spain on May 29.

From the Big Apple, the ship will offer Bermuda, Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean, and Canada/New England cruises, given interested guests a wide variety of itineraries during which to enjoy every moment of Carnival fun, Italian-style.

Carnival Pride is currently in dry dock for upgrades and maintenance, and among the planned changes are rebranding the steakhouse and removing the occasionally controversial David statue from the space, as well as adding other new venues to the ship.

The revitalized Spirit-class ship is due to reenter service from May 28, 2023 and will spend the summer and early autumn in Europe before returning to North America.

Carnival Pride Dry Dock Update

Carnival Pride is currently laid up for dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, as different spaces are being revitalized and upgraded and the ship is generally being refreshed. General onboard maintenance and other interior upgrades are all part of this dry dock stay.

The most significant upgrades during the month-long dry dock will be the addition of three completely new venues to the vessel: the Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge, the Carnival Adventures Shop, and the Dreams Photo Studio.

Furthermore, the ship’s current steakhouse, David’s, will be rebranded to the familiar Carnival favorite Fahrenheit 555, and in doing so, the occasionally controversial replica of Michelangelo’s statue of David will be removed from the ship. While the replica does now bear a modest fig leaf over David’s most private bits, the statue has occasionally raised the ire of more conservative cruisers.

Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald has commented on the upgrade, confirming the removal of the statue.

“The Steakhouse will be redesigned to become the Fahrenheit 555 as we have on most of the fleet. This means we have to say ‘ciao’ to David,” Heald said. “I know he and his now covered dangly bits have been a feature there since the ship was delivered in 2002 but it is time for David to retire.”

Other planned changes include a complete refreshment of the spa and stateroom changes to create more accessible cabins.

Carnival Pride has not had a significant dry dock since 2019. The ship first joined the Fun Ship fleet in 2002.

Hull to Be Repainted, New Livery Added

One of the most immediately visible projects for Carnival Pride‘s dry dock will be repainting the classic white hull into the new red-white-and-blue livery colors that first debuted in 2021 with Mardi Gras.

Over the past two years, the new livery colors have been added to multiple vessels as they enter scheduled dry docks and the hulls can be completely repainted.

The upcoming “Costa by Carnival” vessels Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze will have similar new livery, but in blue-and-gold colors that pay homage to their original Costa colors. Carnival Luminosa, the first ship to have transferred from Costa Cruises to Carnival Cruise Line, has the red-white-and-blue livery.

Return to Service

Carnival Pride is scheduled to return to service and welcome guests into her newly refreshed and updated spaces on May 28, 2023.

Her first sailing will be a 12-night, one-way cruise from Barcelona, Spain to Dover, England, calling on various ports in Spain, Portugal, France, and Belgium along the way.

For the summer and early fall, the ship will remain homeported in Dover offering different European itineraries, before moving to Rome for a few sailings in September and October. On October 28, 2023, Carnival Pride will reposition from Rome to Tampa, Florida, which will remain her homeport through early April 2024.

From Tampa, the revitalized ship will offer 6-, 7-, and 8-night Western Caribbean sailings, including select partial Panama Canal voyages. Ports of call include Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, and Costa Maya, depending on departure date.

Carnival Pride is now one of the older ships in the Carnival fleet, but still delivers exceptional experiences for everyone aboard. The 88,500-gross-ton ship can welcome 2,124 guests at double occupancy, or up to 2,680 guests when fully booked an all berths filled. An international team of 910 crew members provides great service for all passengers.

A guest has been successfully evacuated from Carnival Dream for a very unusual medical reason – ingesting a battery. The incident occurred on Saturday, May 6, 2023, shortly after the ship departed Galveston for its current sailing. The evacuation was done by the US Coast Guard (USCG).

Guest Evacuated From Carnival Dream

The call for a recommended medical evacuation from Carnival Dream came in at 7:22 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, just hours after the ship had departed Galveston, Texas, on an 8-night Eastern Caribbean sailing.

An 86-year-old male guest was reported to be experiencing gastrointestinal issues and other “side effects from ingesting a battery,” according to a news release from the Coast Guard. The onboard medical team evaluated the passenger and consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended the medevac.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston was dispatched to the cruise ship, which was approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Galveston at the time.

The helicopter crew was able to successfully hoist the passenger aboard and transported them to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. The guest’s condition is reported as stable, but in order to preserve their privacy and that of their friends, family members, and any traveling companions, no further details have been released.

Carnival Dream has continued on its sailing with no appreciable delay, with port visits scheduled to Key West as well as Freeport, Half Moon Cay, and Nassau in The Bahamas. The 128,250-gross-ton ship will return to Galveston on Sunday, May 14.

How Does Battery Ingestion Happen?

The reasoning for the medical evacuation – “side effects from ingesting a battery” – is an unusual one, as most medical evacuations relate to possible stroke-like or cardiac conditions, progressive illnesses that may worsen during a guest’s cruise vacation, or sudden injuries that require advanced treatment.

Onboard medical centers are able to treat most minor conditions and less severe injuries, but more complicated cases or those requiring extensive care do require evacuation to land-based facilities that have more specialized equipment and staff available.

It is not clear whether the battery ingestion was confirmed or only suspected for this particular medical evacuation, but depending on the type of battery and the guest’s other health concerns, surgery may be required to remove the foreign object.

It is possible that the battery in question could have been a small button cell type of battery, also called a coin cell, coin battery, button battery, or watch battery.

These small, flat batteries are less than an inch wide and are commonly used in car key fobs, pedometers, watches, or hearing aids, and could possibly be mistaken for a pill or piece of candy.

If accidentally ingested, these batteries could react with bodily fluids – such as stomach acid, mucus, or saliva – strongly enough to complete a live circuit and burn tissues such as the esophageal lining or blood vessels. Some batteries may also contain mercury, cadmium, or other toxic substances; prompt removal is essential.

No details have been released about the exact type of battery used in this incident or how or when it was inadvertently ingested.

Carnival Dream has also recently been in the news for another medical evacuation just days ago, when sudden poor weather nearly caused the USCG helicopter to crash while attempting a medevac on April 29. A second crew was able to be dispatched when the weather cleared, and that evacuation was completed successfully.