Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed this Pride of Carnival will make a shortened 6-night voyage following the completion of its renovation, and the new voyage will end as previously scheduled in Dover, UK on Sunday, July 30. This is welcome news for guests who have decided to remain on board or wait in hope that another voyage may be possible, instead of canceling the entire voyage.
Pride of Carnival Travel Shortcut
The first trip Pride of Carnival was supposed to start on Friday, July 21, from Dover, UK. The 9 night tour was scheduled for calls at Edinburg, Kirkwall, and Stornoway in Scotland; Belfast in Northern Ireland, Holyhead in Wales, and Cork in Ireland, before returning to Dover.
Now, guests have been informed that the ship will instead make a short, 6-night voyage calling at Belfast, Holyhead, and Cork, with two days at sea.
While this change is surprising, it is far from banning navigation, which was once feared until the repair of the ship was tried, the craftsmen were brought on board, and the repair was completed. The timing of the ship’s return to Dover – now docked in Kiel, Germany while undergoing repairs – also had to be considered.
“We hope to complete the repairs and return the ship to Dover on Monday morning,” email read. “We are pleased to share that we are able to operate a short-haul cruise from Dover on Monday, July 24, and return as originally scheduled on Sunday, July 30.”
Much of the confusion surrounding the ride has been caused by the number of backpackers already riding. Pride of Carnival, as well as tourists who have already arrived in Europe before joining them on July 21 to leave. Those tourist plans require accommodation, and while some tourists have decided to simply cancel their trip, others have chosen to wait to make arrangements and hope to leave.
Other Payments Before Departure
At this time, guests still have several options. Every passenger who chooses to board the ship will receive a three-day refund for their cruise, including taxes, fees, missed trips, and pre-paid packages such as drinks, Wi-Fi, or gratuities. All guests on shorter cruises will also receive a $500 (USD) stateroom credit.
Passengers who have already arrived in Europe will receive additional hotel accommodation and meals for Sunday, July 30 (after already receiving compensation for Friday and Saturday), to tide them over until boarding the train on Monday.
Any travelers who have not yet flown to Europe are still eligible for hotel and meal reimbursements on Sunday, as well as refunds for flight changes if flights are rescheduled. Carnival admits that doing this can be difficult at the end of the busy summer season, but I still want to offer it.
Non-cruise guests will still receive a full, 100% refund on their cruise, 100% future cruise credit (FCC) as previously provided. The FCC must be redeemed by July 31, 2024, and can be used for anything Carnival Cruise Line sailing.
Guests Must Call To Leave
In a previous statement, Carnival Cruise Line indicated that all guests who had not sailed to Europe before. Pride of Carnival If they have trouble navigating the ship they will be automatically refunded for their trip.
This has changed, however, based on the revised itinerary. All guests wishing to cancel are asked to call the cruise line or their travel agent by 11:59 pm on Friday, July 21, 2023 to confirm the cancellation and refund. This will help to clarify how many people will be on the 6 night trip and speed up refunds for those who cancel.
Pride of Carnival Repair
Pride of Carnival developed problems with the ship’s navigation that affected the ship’s maximum speed Tuesday evening, July 18. Due to the state of affairs, the ship returned to Kiel, Germany for emergency repairs, and ended the last scheduled port of call for the 12-day cruise.
While repairs were being made, guests on board were allowed to leave the ship to explore Kiel (which they had already visited at the start). The ship now sits they moved to the cargo port to receive the other scheduled shipshowever, and guests must remain on the boat unless they abandon their cruise plans and decide to leave for home.
The 88,500-gross, Spirit-class vessel can accommodate 2,124 guests at double occupancy, and 2,610 passengers when fully booked. Carnival has not confirmed how many guests are on the ship or how many have decided to disembark, but summer seasons are popular and ships are often full during these months.
