Carnival Fascination, formerly known as Fascination and under her current name Century Harmony, has reached her final destination on a beach in Pakistan. The vessel will be broken up into scrap metal in the upcoming months at the ship-breaking yard in Gadani.
It’s a sad end for the Fantasy-class cruise ship, which, until recently, was due to start a new career sailing in China for Century Cruises. Century Harmony arrived in Pakistan on February 9 and was beached today, February 18.
25 Years of Fun
The beaching of Century Harmony on February 18 means the end of an illustrious career at sea. For 25 years, she sailed the seven seas offering guests fun at sea and many happy memories of vacations at sea. Now, all that awaits her is a few months on a beach in Pakistan, where workers will slowly start stripping her down until there is nothing left.
Photo Credit: Century Cruises
The Fantasy-class cruise ship is 70,367 gross tons with a guest capacity of over 2,000 and 920 crew members. Built at the Helsinki New Shipyard, she was floated out in 1994. Initially named Fascination, the Carnival prefix was only added later to the Fantasy-class as a part of a Carnival Cruise Line rebranding program.
As Carnival Corporation developed plans to rejuvenate the fleet, it meant the end for the Fantasy class cruise ship. She was laid up in Cadiz, Spain, during the pandemic.
In November 2020, Carnival Fascination was sold to Chinese cruise operator Century Cruises, which renamed her Century Harmony, and intended to use her in addition to the various river vessels the company has sailing the Yangtze River in China. The strict measures in place in China prevented those plans.
Photo Credit: Tony Davis (Flickr)
Following a short period where the plans changed to make the vessel a floating hotel, she was sold off to a Singaporean trading company which sold her off as scrap metal. She arrived at the Gadani ship-breaking yard on February 9 and was beached today, February 18.
Only Three Fantasy Class Ships Left
With Carnival Fascination being scrapped, there are only three Fantasy-class ships left of the original eight. Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Imagination, and Carnival Fantasy have all been scrapped during the pandemic.
Carnival Sensation will not be returning to sea, and this week it became clear she is also heading for the scrapyard. She is heading for the shipbreaking yard in Aliaga, Turkey, where the three other Fantasy-class ships have also been scrapped.
That leaves Carnival Elation, currently sailing out of Port Canaveral; Carnival Paradise, sailing out of Tampa, Florida; and Carnival Ecstacy, currently sailing out of Mobile, Alabama. However, for Carnival Ecstacy, the end is also near. Carnival Cruise Line announced she would be retiring in October of this year.
All this has to do with the rejuvenation efforts underway at Carnival Corporation. The company wants to be carbon-neutral by 2050 and has started the transition to more effective and more environmentally friendly LNG-powered cruise ships.
It looks like one of Carnival’s oldest ships will be scrapped rather than being sold to continue service for another cruise line. Carnival Sensation is heading for the scrapyard in Turkey, according to reports.
Carnival Sensation to Be Scrapped
Another Fantasy-class cruise ship is set to reach the end of service and not continue sailing after leaving the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. According to a report by TradeWinds, the cruise line has gone for a quick sale, with Carnival Sensation being sold for scrap.
With parent company Carnival Corporation opting for EU-approved green shipbreaking facilities, it’s likely the Carnival cruise ship will be heading for the Aliaga in Turkey. The ship-breaking yard in Aliaga has already scrapped three other Fantasy-class cruise ships that were sold off due to the impact of the global pandemic in 2020.
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line announced in January that Carnival Sensation would be leaving the fleet but did not say whether she would be scrapped or sold to another cruise line. It was also announced that sister ship Carnival Ecstasy would leave the fleet after its final voyage from Mobile, Alabama, on October 5, 2022.
Carnival Sensation has not returned to operations since the industry-wide pause started in March 2020. Since then, the vessel has been in a warm layup, hoping to welcome guests again from the Port of Mobile. Even though Carnival Sensation never return to operations, she has been used recently to house crew members positive with COVID.
Days of the Fantasy-Class Are Numbered
Carnival Corp has already made it clear that it’s shifting to a more efficient fleet by offloading its much older ships and growing with more environmentally friendly vessels.
In a recent letter to shareholders from Carnival Corporation Chairman Micky Arison, “Our decision to accelerate the exit of 19 ships as part of our fleet optimization strategy resulted in a more efficient fleet overall and lowered our planned capacity growth to approximately 2.5% compounded annually from 2019 through 2025, down from 4.5% annually pre-COVID-19. We achieved a unit cost benefit from the removal of these less efficient ships from our fleet which will grow from the delivery of the larger and more efficient ships.”
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Fantasy, the original ship in the class and purpose-built for Carnival, was the first to be scrapped due to the pandemic at the Aliaga scrapyard. The vessel was beached in July 2021. Carnival Inspiration then arrived at the same facility for scrapping in August 2020. Carnival Imagination was the third in the same class to be beached for scrapping in Turkey in September 2020.
Carnival Cruise Line also sold off Carnival Fascination, but with Chinese-based Century Cruises making the purchase, the hope was that she would remain in service. However, the Chinese cruise line has now decided to sell the vessel for scrap. Carnival Fascination arrived at the Gadani ship-breaking facility in Pakistan just days ago.
With Carnival Ecstasy’s future in question on whether she will be scrapped or continue service under a new operator, there will only be two Fantasy-class vessels reaming in the fleet. Carnival Paradise and Carnival Elation are still set to sail for the foreseeable future.
Carnival Sensation will be a missed ship as she’s been offering fun-filled cruise vacations since entering service in 1993. The vessel was built at the Kvaerner Masa-yards in Helsinki, Finland, at 70,367 gross tons. The ship has a guest capacity of 2,052 and 920 crew members.
The former Carnival Fascination cruise ship has reached the end of her long and productive life, as she arrived in Gadani, Pakistan, on February 9, 2022, to be beached and scrapped. This marks the end of the vessel’s service and a distinguished career that spanned more than 25 years and two cruise lines.
Carnival Fascination at Scrapyard
Workers are already aboard the vessel as it approaches the ship-breaking yard in Gadani, Pakistan, preparing the ship for scrapping. This can involve removing items that may be able to be resold, such as lighting fixtures and other electronics, furniture, china, appliances, and more.
The ship will then be broken into pieces, with the material sold for reuse. It is likely that some of the metal, after recycling, may one day end up as part of a new cruise ship that will continue to delight passengers with the same fun and vitality that Carnival Fascination brought to travelers for so many years.
While several of her sister Fantasy-class vessels were scrapped quickly, Carnival Fascination first seemed to find new life as she was purchased by Century Cruises in November 2020. Her name was to be changed to Century Harmony, and the ship was rumored to be refitted for service as a floating hotel in Asia.
Unfortunately, the new owners of the once grand cruise ship were unable to financially maintain the vessel as the pandemic pause wore on and travel in Asia did not resume quickly.
The ship was sold again, this time to be scrapped, as her value as raw material far exceeds the value she could bring after necessary refurbishments and renovations to continue sailing.
Notable Service
Carnival Fascination – originally named Fascination until the prefix Carnival was added to all ships in the fleet in 2007 – was the fourth of the Fantasy-class ships built for Carnival when she entered service in July 1994.
She was constructed at the Helsinki New Shipyard in Finland, and spent most of her years with Carnival Cruise Line sailing Caribbean itineraries from various homeports, including New York, New York; Miami and Jacksonville, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Bridgetown, Barbados.
Photo By: Carnival Cruise Line
The ship received various upgrades and renovations during her time in the Carnival fleet, including the addition of technology, updated staterooms, and, in 2015, the WaterWorks water park with the Splash Zone and Twister Waterslide.
Her final renovation was in 2018, when Guy’s Burger Joint, the BlueIguana Cantina, Cherry on Top, and other dining venues were added.
Over the years, Carnival Fascination offered Fun Ship getaways to millions of passengers and visited a wide range of ports of call. Yet some of her most memorable service was near the end of her tenure with Carnival Cruise Line.
In October 2017, the ship was chartered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to house relief workers in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This was in response to the devastation from Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, and Carnival Fascination served as home to workers restoring the islands until early February, 2018, after which she entered her final drydock.
Carnival Fascination Cruise Ship (Copyright: Tony Davis)
Carnival Fascination ceased sailing, along with the entire Carnival fleet, when the cruise line ceased operations in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At first, she was on hold with anticipation of resuming service, but as the worldwide crises continued, Carnival Fascination was laid up with no firm date for a return to service.
In September 2020, Carnival Cruise Line announced that the ship would be retired, part of a restructuring of the Carnival fleet that involved removing several older, less efficient vessels from operation.
This step had already been planned for the future, but the financial challenges of the pandemic accelerated the fleet’s restructuring and Carnival Fascination was placed on the market.
Last of the Fantasy Class
The scrapping of Carnival Fascination is one step closer to the end of Carnival Cruise Line’s popular Fantasy-class vessels. Her sister ships Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Inspiration, and Carnival Imagination were all sent to the Aliaga ship-breaking facility in Turkey.
Carnival Fascination Cruise Ship (Copyright: Tony Davis)
Earlier this month, Carnival Cruise Line provided an update on two more Fantasy-class vessels. Carnival Sensation will not be returning from the pandemic shutdown, and the vessel has already been listed for sale. Carnival Ecstasy is still currently sailing, but will complete her final voyage and leave the fleet October 10, 2022.
At the moment, Carnival Paradise and Carnival Elation are the last two Fantasy-class ships that are planned to remain in the Carnival fleet, carrying on the proud tradition of these popular vessels.
Most travelers departing on a cruise from San Diego opt to drive to the port and use convenient San Diego cruise parking, either at or near the port. One of the things that’s unusual about cruising from the Port of San Diego is that there are no official cruise parking lots at the port.
However, there are plenty of options for private cruise parking lots. We’ve lined up the options to help you find the closest, cheapest and best San Diego cruise parking currently available.
Compared to other major cruise ports, you’ll find San Diego cruise parking is very affordable as there is plenty of competition. We cover long-term cruise parking, handicapped parking, covered parking and oversized vehicle parking close to the port, waterfront and downtown San Diego.
Some include shuttle transport to the cruise port while other budget parking lots expect you to arrange a taxi or Uber ride.
Cruisers can also find budget long-term parking near the airport which is less than 5 miles from the cruise port. Also, many San Diego hotels offer free cruise parking as part of a Stay, Park and Cruise package. This is a smart option if you plan to arrive the day before your cruise departure.
Cruise parking packages include a night’s stay, parking for the duration of your cruise and transport to and from the cruise port. You won’t have far to travel either; the luxury Wyndham San Diego Bayside is located right across the street from San Diego’s two cruise ship terminals.
San Diego cruise port has two terminals dedicated to cruise ships. These are at the B Street Pier (1140 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego) and at Port Pavilions on Broadway pier (1000 N. Harbor Drive)
The address for driving directions to San Diego cruise port is: Port of San Diego, “B” Street Cruise Ship Terminal, 1140 Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101.
Getting to San Diego Cruise Terminal by Car
From the North
From I-5 southbound, take the exit for the San Diego International Airport.
Continue straight on to Kettner Boulevard.
Turn right on Laurel Street.
After crossing over Pacific Highway, stay in the left lane (or you will find yourself actually heading to the airport!)
Turn left on Harbor Drive and follow the signs to San Diego cruise terminal.
Traveling from the North and South (alternate route)
From I-5 (north or southbound) exit at Front Street exit and head south.
Turn right on Broadway.
Turn right again onto Harbor Drive and follow the signs to San Diego cruise terminal.
Best Cruise Parking Closest to San Diego Port
San Diego Cruise (Photo Credit: Rich Koele / Shutterstock)
Wyndham San Diego Bayside Garage
Situated right across from the cruise port, parking does not get more convenient than theWyndham San Diego Bayside Garage! Attached to the luxury Wyndham hotel, the parking company prides itself on top customer service and is happy to provide luggage assistance. Self-parking is in a secure lot and valet service is available for an additional $3 per day. There is a complimentary shuttle service or you can walk across the street to the cruise terminal check-in.
Distance from port: 0.1 miles
Address: 1355 N. Harbor Drive
Tel: (619) 544-8360
Price per day: $14 (Valet $17)
Shuttle: Yes free
ACE Parking
ACE Parking is just 2 blocks from San Diego cruise terminals making parking very convenient. It’s also very easy to reach from I-5. Bookings must be made ahead of time and your reservation ticket must be placed in the windscreen so that attendants can verify your booking. It’s a short stroll across the street to the cruise terminals and the start of your voyage or take a taxi for the short trip.
Distance from port: 0.4 miles
Address: 1109 Pacific Hwy
Tel: (619) 233-6624
Price per day: $20
Shuttle: No
BRIC North Garage
Another San Diego cruise parking lot right opposite the cruise terminal is BRIC North Garage. Their brand new covered parking lot is below the Spring Hills Suites Hotel and operates 24/7.
Distance from port: 0.1 miles
Address: 900 Bayfront Court
Tel: (619) 535-0327
Price per day: $16
Shuttle: No
BRIC South Garage
This BRIC South Terminal San Diego cruise parking lot is also opposite the cruise terminal and Broadway Pier. Located under the InterContinental Hotel, it is operated privately by ACE Parking and is not connected to the hotel. There is a height limit of 7 feet. You can easily park and walk across the road to the cruise terminal with your luggage.
Distance from port: 0.1 miles
Address: 901 Bayfront Court
Tel: (619) 535-0327
Price per day: $16
Shuttle: No
Columbia Garage
Columbia Garage offers San Diego cruise parking in a secure garage. Take a ticket to open the barrier and self-park before checking in at the parking office next to the entrance. Although they do not operate a shuttle, they do offer a convenient private ride to the cruise terminal. At check-in, customers receive a prepaid voucher for an Uber taxi ride to and from the cruise port (value up to $10 each way).
Distance from port: 0.6 miles
Address: 1050 Columbia St
Tel: (619) 814-4200
Price per day: $12
Shuttle: No – Uber voucher provided
Budget Cruise Parking San Diego Port
Port of San Diego, California (Photo Credit: Gerald Peplow / Shutterstock)
Manchester Grand Hyatt Garage
The Manchester Grand Hyatt Garage offers low-cost cruise parking (minimum 4 nights) less than a mile from the cruise terminal. Self parking only in a large secure garage. No pre-booking required; simply take a ticket when you enter the garage and pay at the ticket booth when you return from your cruise. This budget cruise parking lot does not operate a courtesy shuttle to the cruise port and customers must use a taxi or Uber to transport themselves and their luggage to the terminal.
Distance from port: 0.7 miles
Address: 1 Market Place
Tel: (619) 358-6658
Price per day: $6
Shuttle: No
Horton Plaza
Horton Plazacruise parking in San Diego is a well-priced option within easy reach of the cruise terminals. On arrival at the garage, take a ticket to access the garage on Fourth Ave and F Street. It’s open 24/7. Park in one of the reserved stalls next to the office and check-in. A shuttle will transport you the short distance to the ship.
Distance from port: 1.0 miles
Address: 814 Fourth Ave
Tel: (619) 233-1491
Price per day: $12
Shuttle: Yes
Bayfront Garage
Located beneath the Hilton, Bayfront Garage offers San Diego cruise parking just a short taxi ride from the cruise port terminals. It offers self parking in a secure covered garage. They do not operate a shuttle so you need to arrange a taxi or pick one up outside the hotel.
Distance from port: 1.6 miles
Address: 1 Park Blvd
Tel: (619) 321-4369
Price per day: $10
Shuttle: No
Four Points by Sheraton San Diego Little Italy
Four Points by SheratonSan Diego Little Italy offers well-priced San Diego cruise parking in a covered garage with valet service. Open 24 hours a day, the price includes a complimentary shuttle service to and from the cruise port. Payment is on arrival at the lot.
Distance from port: 1.0 miles
Address: 1617 1st Ave
Tel: (619) 239-9600
Price per day: $10.95
Shuttle: Yes
San Diego Cruise Parking at the Airport
The Port of San Diego is just 5 miles from San Diego Lindberg (SAN) Airport and there is plenty of long-term parking available at or near the airport. The downside is that once you have parked, you will need to catch a taxi or Uber to transport you and your luggage to the port.
If you’re traveling as a family or group, it could be smart to drop your passengers and luggage off and then for the driver to take the car to the airport to park. Although the official long-term parking at the airport is $32 per day, there are several options nearby offering much cheaper prices.
San Diego International Airport (Photo Credit: 4kclips / Shutterstock)
San Diego Airport Parking Co.
San Diego Airport Parking offers uncovered long-term parking close to the airport. Book online with free cancellation option. It has excellent reviews from past customers. There is a courtesy shuttle to the airport and the cruise port, making this a popular choice with consistently low priced cruise parking.
Distance from port: 2.7 miles
Address: 2771 Kurtz Street
Tel: (619) 574-1177
Price per day: $11
Shuttle: Yes
Laurel SAN Airport Parking
Operating 24/7 as a covered self parking business near San Diego Airport, Laurel SAN Airport Parking is a longstanding business with five star reviews. There’s a free shuttle service to the airport but not to the cruise port. It offers 24 hour security and camera surveillance.
Distance from port: 1.1 miles
Address: 1025 W. Laurel St
Tel: (619) 233-0412
Price per day: $10.99
Shuttle: No
WallyPark San Diego Garage Airport Parking
Just 5 minutes from San Diego Airport, WallyPark Garage offers secure cruise parking and airport parking from its central location. It has a choice of options including outdoor self-parking from $13.95 per day, covered self parking from $14.95 and covered valet parking from $16.95 per day. It runs a free airport shuttle every 5 minutes but cruisers will need to take a taxi or Uber to and from the port.
Distance from port: 1.6 miles
Address: 3298 Kettner Blvd
Tel: (619) 295-2832
Price per day: from $13.95
Shuttle: No
San Diego’s Park, Shuttle and Fly
San Diego Park Shuttle and Fly is a family-owned company offering the low prices for San Diego cruise parking at the airport. The parking lot is open and staffed 24/7 and provides safe and secure parking for cruisers and flyers.
Distance from port: 0.9 miles
Address: 3405 Pacific Hwy
Tel: (619) 291 1234
Price per day: $20.99
Shuttle: Yes
San Diego Cruise Parking for Disabled Passengers
Disabled person parking in San Diego is free in certain places for vehicles displaying a special license plate or official placard. These include in specially marked parking spaces, next to a blue curb denoting handicapped parking. Next to a green curb (limited parking time) and an on-street metered spots. The maximum length of time permitted is 72 hours.
However, in garages and off-street parking lots where disabled parking spaces are marked, all patrons must pay the usual charges.
Once you reach the cruise terminal, there are wheelchair friendly elevators and customer service representatives on hand to assist.
Best San Diego Hotels with Stay and Cruise Parking Packages
San Diego (Photo Credit: Ovidiu Curic / Shutterstock)
Wyndham San Diego Bayside
Wyndham San Diego Bayside is one of the closest luxury hotels to the cruise port, so it makes sense to book a package that includes a comfortable night’s stay with free cruise parking. There are various different packages available, so check with the hotel before booking. Generally a package works out cheaper than a night’s stay plus cruise parking in the adjoining lot at $14 a night.
Distance from port: 0.1 miles
Address: 1355 N. Harbor Drive
Tel: (619) 544-8360
Price per day: $14 (Valet $17)
Shuttle: Yes
Other San Diego hotels worth checking out for Stay, Park and Cruise packages include:
Comfort Inn at the Harbor
The Dana on Mission Bay
The Pacific Inn
FAQs
How much to park at the cruise terminal in San Diego?
Prices for San Diego cruise parking range from $6 to $20 per day. Some businesses include complimentary shuttle transport to and from the cruise port.
Where’s the best place to park for cruise from San Diego?
For convenience, there are several cruise parking lots just across the street from the cruise terminals. These include the Wyndham San Diego Bayside Garage attached to the luxury Wyndham hotel, BRIC North Garage and BRIC South Garage. They are all within walking distance of San Diego cruise terminals.
Can I park near the San Diego cruise terminal?
Yes, there are several cruise parking lots just across the street from the cruise terminals. These include the Wyndham San Diego Bayside Garage, BRIC North Garage and BRIC South Garage. They are all just a short walk from the cruise terminal.
The uncertainty about Crystal Cruises’ future continues to unfold, and both Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony have now been arrested in Freeport, Bahamas. With little official communication from the cruise line, however, much of the detail about this confusing situation is being relayed from crew members who remain on board the ships at this time.
All Three Crystal Cruise Ships Arrested
Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, both of which debarked their passengers in Bimini in recent days, were arrested in the waters off Freeport, Bahamas in the evening hours of February 4, 2022. Shortly after authorities boarded Crystal Symphony, the ship’s captain made the following announcement:
“The ship has been placed under arrest by the local authorities over some unpaid bills, and as bad as it sounds it’s actually quite a good thing to happen. We’ve been told that this will not affect any personnel movement. So the crew movement and the crew sign offs will go as planned, and we are in process of preparing this. So some unfortunate news but it was actually quite expected.”
Federal U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles had granted the arrest order for Crystal Symphony on January 20, 2022, shortly after the ship’s parent company, Genting Hong Kong, filed for bankruptcy. At that time, the ship diverted from its planned debarkation in Miami and instead debarked passengers in Bimini.
Images Via: Crystal Cruises
Part of the debts detailed in the original Crystal Symphony arrest order as well as the bankruptcy filing amount to $4.6 million in unpaid fuel invoices.
In light of the ongoing difficulties for the cruise line, Crystal Serenity was denied entry into Aruba a few days later, and that ship also headed to Bimini to debark its passengers on January 31.
The third ship in the fleet, Crystal Endeavor, finished its Antarctica itinerary on February 4, and has now been placed under arrest in Ushuaia, Argentina, according to Cruise Law News. Because legal offices are closed over the weekend, that ship is temporarily in limbo until Monday, according to a social media post from a passenger on board.
Crew Reactions
While there are no passengers remaining aboard Crystal Symphony or Crystal Serenity, crew members are still aboard and waiting for arrangements to return home. There is some uncertainty about where crew members will be able to debark, and how travel arrangements can be made for the internationally diverse crews to return to their home countries.
When fully staffed, Crystal Symphony would have 545 crew members aboard, while the larger Crystal Serenity would have 655 crew members.
No details about how many crew members currently aboard either ship have been released, but it can be challenging to make travel arrangements for several hundred crew members at once.
Another difficulty can be when different ports and transit countries may have different COVID-19 testing and vaccination protocols in place. Crew members would need to meet those requirements before they are permitted to travel home.
On board the ships, crew members have reached out through social media to report that accommodations are comfortable and January crew salaries are being processed. What is most uncertain, however, is where the ships may travel for crew to debark, though all crew members are expected to be heading home within a week, other than a skeleton crew to operate the vessels.
Ships to Be Sold?
To arrest a cruise ship doesn’t mean handcuffs and jail cells, but all three Crystal vessels are on temporary hold as their legal status is settled. This can mean the unpaid fuel bills must be settled, which can be done if a ship is sold.
Photo Credit: Vytautas Kielaitis / Shutterstock
A sale listing for a 1995 cruise ship has appeared on the website Yacht World, a database brokers use to sell all types of luxury vessels. The listing in question details the cruise ship as having a guest capacity of 960 passengers, which is the double-occupancy capacity of Crystal Symphony.
Other stats in the listing also correlate with the published stats of Crystal Symphony, and the photos with the listing are of the cruise ship. The ship’s name, however, is not included in the listing, only stock numbers.
No sales price is listed, but the broker managing the sale has additional listings for Carnival ships, including Carnival Ecstasy, as well as recognizable ships from other popular cruise lines.
Carnival Cruise Line has announced further details on recent ship deployment changes and that two Fantasy-class cruise ships will leave the fleet. This follows a major update just days ago on the Carnival Spirit returning to the U.S. and details on Carnival Sensation and Carnival Ecstasy.
Carnival Cruise Update
The cruise line has provided a further update on ships still waiting to resume operations, including additional details on an update released on February 1, 2022. The new update covers Carnival Sensation and Carnival Ecstasy leaving the fleet, another ship to take over cruises from Jacksonville following Carnival Spirit, and additional cancellations for Australia.
Cruises from Mobile
Carnival Ecstasy is still scheduled to take over Carnival Sensation sailings from Mobile, Alabama, on March 7, 2022. The Fantasy-class vessel will remain sailing from the Port of Mobile through October 10, 2022. The scheduled sailings from Mobile from October 15, 2022, through September 30, 2023, have been canceled, and Carnival is set to announce new plans for cruise operations from the port in the future.
Photo Credit: Joni Hanebutt / Shutterstock
As the cruise line previously announced, we already knew that Carnival Sensation, which was originally set to resume cruises from Mobile on March 7, 2022, was to remain on hold even further.
However, that has now changed as Carnival Sensation, which entered service for the cruise line in 1993, will no longer return to operations. The cruise line has also announced that Carnival Ecstasy, which entered service in 1991, will also leave the fleet after completing her final voyage on October 10, 2022. It’s not known if the two Fantasy-class vessels have been sold for scrap or purchased by another cruise line.
“Our guests have remained passionate and supportive throughout the restart and 2022 gives us plenty of reasons for enthusiasm and excitement as we reach full operations in the U.S., prepare for our 50th birthday celebration, and await the arrival of Carnival Celebration this fall,”said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Our very loyal guests, our vibrant homeport strategy and our fleet of popular ships are strengths to our advantage as we adapt to changing opportunities and circumstances.”
Photo Credit: Rodnie Smith / Shutterstock
Cruises from Jacksonville
With Carnival Ecstasy being redeployed to Mobile in early March, it does mean that Carnival Spirit will still replace the voyages out of Jacksonville, Florida, from March 7, 2022.
The ship will continue to sail from the port through April 9, 2022. The following two sailings are canceled as a new ship being assigned from the fleet will begin sailings from Jacksonville on April 23, 2022. Carnival has not confirmed which ship will take over, but it could be one of the remaining two Fantasy-class vessels, Carnival Elation or Carnival Paradise.
Cruises from Australia
When it comes to Australia, Carnival Spirit is set to return down under once the cruise industry is allowed to resume. With the Spirit-class vessel operating in the U.S., the ship’s sailings in Australia are canceled from June 5, 2022, to October 5, 2023.
Carnival Splendor, an Australian-based Carnival cruise ship, will remain on hold even further, with cruises canceled from June 10, 2022, through September 26, 2022.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch planned for January 30, 2022, was scrubbed just seconds before launch because of a cruise ship in the hazard area. The launch has been rescheduled for today, January 31, and the cruise has been unaffected.
Cruise Ship Scrubs Launch
SpaceX had planned to launch a Falcon 9 rocket into orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:11 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 30, but a cruise ship in the hazard area forced the launch to be scrubbed.
The rocket’s payload, the Italian Space Agency’s COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite, is part of a fleet of remote sensing spacecraft to monitor shipping traffic, natural disasters, and climate change.
The scrub call went out at T-minus 34 seconds from launch, with the launch director calling, “Hold! Hold! Hold! Aborting launch auto. This is the launch director calling a hold. We have a red range for a fouled range, with a ship in the hazard area.”
SpaceX confirmed the scrub shortly thereafter on Twitter with the following statement: “Standing down from today’s launch of COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM2 due to ship in the hazard area; team is setting up for next opportunity tomorrow, January 31 at 6:11 p.m. EST.”
The ship was noted as a cruise liner making its way to the no-go zone that the Coast Guard was unable to clear out of the area before T-minus zero.
Because this launch required a precise liftoff time in order to meet its exact polar orbit destination for satellite deployment, the launch window was instantaneous and could not be delayed even for a few minutes to escort the ship from the restricted area.
This launch has already been delayed three times because of poor weather conditions. It is now rescheduled for Monday, January 31, 2022, at 6:11 p.m. The launch window remains instantaneous.
Which Ship?
The exact cruise ship that caused this delay has not been identified. Two cruise ships departed from Port Canaveral Sunday evening – Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, followed by MSC Meraviglia.
Harmony of the Seas left the port at approximately 5 p.m., turning south once it was out to sea, beginning a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing. MSC Meraviglia departed Port Canaveral at 6 p.m. to begin a 4-night Bahamas cruise, and was photographed sailing alongside Jetty Park in Port Canaveral just after 6 p.m., not yet clear of port channel.
Joe Bolm hoping to see the SpaceX launch as MSC Meraviglia departs Port Canaveral at 6:08 p.m., January 30, 2022 – Photo Courtesy of Betty Leatherwood Bolm
Because of these ship positions, and because the no-go zone was downrange of the launch site, it is most likely Harmony of the Seas that was responsible for the launch scrub, though either ship could have impacted the launch.
Keeping Cruise Ships Away From Launch Operations
The launch hazard area for ships is different for a polar orbit launch than a launch to the east or northeast, such as for flights heading to the International Space Station.
A Coast Guard investigation of this incident is underway, as all ships are required to be aware of launch operations and to steer clear of restricted areas during launch windows. Space Launch Delta 45, headquartered at Patrick Space Force Base south of Port Canaveral and in command of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, issues launch hazard area maps and coordinates prior to every launch.
Hazard Area – January 30, 2022 SpaceX Launch – Space Launch Delta 45
Space Launch Delta 45 had issued a statement earlier in the month advising mariners to be aware of an increase in southerly launch trajectories and the hazard areas implemented for those launches.
“Due to the unique southerly trajectories, there will be a larger potential impact to air and sea traffic along the southeast coast of Florida. We ask that all pilots and mariners double-check their Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) and Notices to Mariners (NOTMAR) to ensure they are fully aware of all pending launch activities,”said Maj. Jonathan Szul, Director of Operations, 1st Range Operations Squadron in the statement issued January 4, 2022.
There have been multiple southerly launch trajectories in January 2022, and more will undoubtedly be planned throughout the year. Whether or not cruise ships can impact launch operations depends on the dates of launches, the timing of launch windows, if launches must be instantaneous, and if the rocket boosters will be landed back at Cape Canaveral.
When launch trajectories are focused in other directions, cruise ship passengers can get amazing views of launches as their ships depart Port Canaveral.
Cruise travelers are happy to celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day – January 27 – with the deliciously decadent melting chocolate cake that is so popular on Carnival Cruise Line. But even if you’re not on a Carnival cruise, you can still enjoy this treat today, thanks to Chef Russel Gomes from the Carnival Kitchen aboard Mardi Gras, who has shared the secrets behind this phenomenal dessert.
Carnival’s Famous Melting Chocolate Cake Recipe
Carnival’s melting chocolate cake is surprisingly easy to make with just a few ingredients. Because the cake is intended to have that ooey-gooey center, the recipe uses less flour than a traditional cake.
“It is the perfect way to top off any meal. It’s a classic dessert and loved by everyone.” said Gomes. “Even a novice baker can make this delicious cake!”
Ingredients:
Note – The recipe below yields four servings.
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 ounces sweet (milk) chocolate
6 ounces unsalted butter, melted
4 eggs (room temperature)
3 ounces granulated sugar
2 ounces all-purpose flour
Powdered sugar (optional – for serving)
To make your chocolate melting cake…
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until uniform.
Add the sugar to the eggs, whisking gently until combined.
Add the flour to the sugar/egg mixture, whisking in carefully until there are no lumps. Set aside.
Slowly melt all chocolate, and while warm, add the melted butter, stirring carefully to blend.
Add the warm chocolate/butter mixture to the eggs, whisking constantly.
Pour the mix into greased ramekins, baking-safe cups, or soufflé dishes until 3/4 full.
Place the filled cups onto a water bath tray (water should completely cover the bottom of the tray).
Bake in an oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.
Serve while warm, and just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
Tips for the Perfect Melting Chocolate Cake
While Carnival’s melting chocolate cake is easy for anyone to create, some extra tips can make it extra delicious. It is important to use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients precisely, or else the recipe proportions may be off and the texture will not be correct. It is also critical to use good quality chocolate for the best flavor and texture, as less expensive chocolate may not melt as smoothly and will not have as rich a flavor.
If you prefer your melting cake a bit more on the runny side, shorten the baking time by 2-3 minutes. Similarly, if you prefer a denser cake with less of a liquid center, extend the baking time for 2-3 minutes.
Photo By: Carnival Cruise Line
Serving in Style
Carnival traditionally serves the melting chocolate cake lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. The ice cream is often topped with a crisp chocolate shard.
To give your melting cake some personalized flair, consider alternative serving options. Instead of sprinkling the cake with powdered sugar, try topping it with a light dusting of cocoa powder or cinnamon, or for a bit of crisp contrast, a gentle sprinkling of sea salt.
For garnish, add a pop of color to the cake by adding a side of fresh berries instead of the ice cream, or gently place a mint leaf on top of the cake. A curl of orange or lemon peel or even a sugared flower can be other elegant garnishes.
Carnival Cruise Line serves more than four million melting chocolate cakes annually. Now, you can enjoy this decadent treat right at home, no matter when your next Carnival cruise may be planned!
Guests boarding Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas on January 22, 2022, have already been advised of itinerary changes for their sailing. Unlike recent sailings that have been troubled with port cancellations, however, the changes for Allure of the Seas are only a rearranging of the planned ports of call on the original itinerary.
Allure of the Seas Itinerary Change
The January 22, 2022 sailing of Allure of the Seas is an 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. The ship’s original itinerary had it visiting Nassau in the Bahamas the first day, followed by a day at sea, then three ports in three consecutive days: Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas on January 25, Philipsburg in St. Maarten on January 26, and Basseterre in St. Kitts on January 27.
The cruise was then scheduled for two days at sea as it returned to Fort Lauderdale for debarkation on January 30.
An email sent to booked guests has advised of the new itinerary. No ports are cancelled and the days at sea as well as the call at Nassau remain the same. The trio of consecutive ports, however, has been reordered to call on Charlotte Amalie January 25 (no change), Basseterre on January 26, and Philipsburg on January 27.
Photo Credit: KJ Stylus / Shutterstock.com
In addition, the times in port have also changed for Basseterre, with an extra hour added before departure. This makes that port of call now from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., when previously it had been scheduled from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. No other times have been changed at this point.
Why the Changes?
These changes are not COVID-related, but the email, sent by Aurora Yera-Rodriguez, Assistant Vice President of Guest Experience at Royal Caribbean, states “Due to a berthing conflict, we’ve swapped the days we’ll visit Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.”
Berthing conflicts can occur when multiple cruise ships are scheduled to visit the same port of call on the same day, and the port facilities and local tour operators may not be properly equipped to handle all ships adequately depending on their size and guest capacities.
Allure of the Seas is an Oasis-class ship with a guest capacity of 5,484 at double occupancy, and 6,780 passengers when fully booked. While most cruise ships are not yet sailing at full capacity, a ship as large as Allure can still bring a tremendous number of guests to a port even while some cabins remain vacant.
Photo Credit: Ruth Peterkin / Shutterstock
When measured by full capacity, Allure of the Seas – along with her sister ship, Oasis of the Seas – is currently the largest cruise ship in the world.
According to the Port of Philipsburg’s web portal, six different cruise ships, including the original stop for Allure of the Seas, are scheduled for calls on January 26. Other ships that day include Sky Princess and Grandeur of the Seas, and when all scheduled ships’ guest capacities are added, the port could see well over 13,000 passengers in just a few hours.
On January 27, however, only two vessels are scheduled for Philipsburg, Celebrity Edge that can carry 2,918 passengers, and Club Med II, which carries just under 400 passengers. Even adding Allure of the Seas on that day, the overall guest arrivals will be far lower than with the ship’s original itinerary.
The port schedules for Basseterre are similar, with five ships with a total passenger capacity well over 17,000 – including Allure of the Seas – scheduled for Thursday, January 27, while only four other ships with a combined capacity of fewer than 10,000 are scheduled for Wednesday, January 28.
By shifting Allure to new dates, both ports can help alleviate crowding, which will also help promote better social distancing measures at the pier.
Shore Excursions to Be Adjusted
Any pre-paid Royal Caribbean shore excursions affected by this change are automatically being rescheduled for the appropriate day and updated tour information will be emailed to guests. New shore excursions can also continue to be pre-booked for any port of call on the itinerary through the Royal Caribbean website.
More Changes Ahead?
While the news of this itinerary shift is likely a relief to guests because no ports of call have yet been cancelled, Royal Caribbean International recently reminded guests of the importance of flexibility and the possibility of itinerary changes even while sailing. It is possible that this first itinerary change for Allure of the Seas may not be the last.
