Carnival Passengers Get $100 Credit and New Itinerary After Ship Stuck in Port

Even though a cruise ship is a great place to be “stuck”, no one wants to miss out on a port of call because a technical issue.  But these problems pop up from time to time.

After Carnival Firenze lost a day off its voyage because of an IT problem, the ship is now racing towards its first port of call in Cabo.

Carnival Firenze was supposed to leave the Port of Long Beach on Monday, but some kind of technical or communication issue kept the ship in port until Tuesday at 1:20PM.  The extra night in port means that a port of call had to be cancelled.

Here is the latest on where things stand.

Why the Ship Was Stuck

While we still don’t know the full extent of the problem on the ship, passenger reports claimed that the Carnival Hub app was not working and the crew were using pens and paper to take food and drink orders.

Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador, John Heald commented that it was a connectivity problem.

“It is Internet connectivity, and I know the teams are working very hard, but I can also say without doubt that the guests are having so much fun,” Heald stated.

John Heald also replied to a comment on Facebook about the situation saying, “The team are doing everything they can and you’ll be hearing an announcement any moment now from the Captain letting you know some good news and I know that we will also be in touch and will take care of everybody.”

A few details about how the cruise line is helping make up for the inconvenience have now been shared.

What Passengers Are Getting

Since the cruise was shortened and a port was missed, Carnival is giving guests some money back to help make up for the trouble.  Although, it should be noted that the cruise was not necessarily shortened because passengers were still able to enjoy the ship while in port, even though the casino and shops were closed.

Passengers for this sailing have confirmed the following:

• $100 credit: Each cabin is getting a $100 credit to spend while they are on the ship.
• Refunds: Anyone who booked an excursion in Ensenada through Carnival will get their money back, along with any port fees or taxes for that stop.

And because this is a Carnival ship, we’re sure the cruise ship director and entertainers have kept busy making sure everyone on board still has a great time.

Full Speed Ahead

Because the ship got such a late start, it is now about a full day behind schedule. To get to Mexico as fast and still safely as possible, it looks like the ship is sailing near its top speed capabilities. 

Data from CruiseMapper shows Carnival Firenze is currently traveling around 22 knots, which is relatively fast for a ship with a gross tonnage of 135,000 and can accommodate 5,260 at max capacity.

To keep the trip on track, Carnival had to make some cuts:

• Ensenada is cancelled: The ship is skipping this stop entirely.
• Straight to Cabo: The crew is heading straight for Cabo San Lucas, with an expected arrival on Thursday, December 18.
• Heading home:  The cruise is still expected to get back to Long Beach on Sunday, December 21.

Carnival recently released some new details about the port that is being missed on this itinerary.  Ensenada is going to get a complete makeover with new swimming pools and thrill rides.  You can read about that here.