carnival cruise ship being scrapped

Photos of abandoned, stripped cruise ships show how deeply the cruise industry is sinking

• Photos of unused cruise ships getting stripped for parts show how the cruise industry is struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• Maintaining cruise ships that aren't in use is very expensive, so many cruise companies are selling part of their fleet for scrap.
• Since the pandemic hit, the number of cruise ships being dismantled for scrap has increased. 
• Because many shipyards had to close due to lockdowns, there's a waiting list for cruise ships to get dismantled around the world.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories .

The travel industry is hurting as the coronavirus pandemic ravages on, but the US cruise industry, in particular, has been hard hit.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a no-sail order in March, which it changed to a " conditional sailing " one on November 1. This means that cruises could accept passengers, but only after making significant changes to their health and safety protocols. Most cruise companies voluntarily renewed the no-sail order through 2020 as they figure out these new measures.

Ahead of the coronavirus pandemic, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world's largest cruise industry trade association, which represents 95% of the global cruising industry, projected that 32 million passengers would set sail in 2020 and that the industry was creating an economic impact of $53 billion in the US , and $150 billion worldwide.

The CLIA now estimates that "each day of the suspension of cruise operations in the US results in a total loss of approximately $110 million in economic activity and up to 800 American jobs."

For the shipbreaking industry, however, this means big business.

Photos of cruise ships being dismantled into scrap metal at bustling shipbreaking yards around the world illustrate just how deeply the cruise industry is hurting right now.

Photos of unused cruise ships getting stripped for parts show just how much the cruise industry is struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Nicola Mulinaris, the communication and policy officer at NGO Shipbreaking Platform, told Insider that they've seen an increase in the number of cruise ships getting scrapped since the pandemic hit.

Source: NGO Shipbreaking Platform

He explained that cruise ships can be "extremely costly to maintain if they're not operational."

Consequently, cruise companies, many facing financial troubles, are downsizing their fleets.

Source: WESH

Carnival lost $2.9 billion last quarter, the New York Times reports. It has canceled trips into 2021 and is cutting 18 of its ships, per Good Morning America.

Source: The New York Times , Good Morning America

Three of those ships, the Inspiration, Imagination, and Fantasy, are being dismantled at the Aliaga Ship Recycling Facility in Turkey, alongside two other cruise ships.

Almost 2,000 people are working to dismantle the five ships in Turkey, according to the New York Times.

Source: The New York Times

Mulinaris said that because many shipyards had to close due to lockdowns, there's even a waiting list for cruise ships to get dismantled around the world.

In the past, cruise companies sold their ships to smaller companies, but because of the pandemic, no one can afford to buy them — nor would they want to.

Cruise companies are also afraid of strengthening the competition, said Mulinaris, "so it becomes quite appealing to recycle the vessels and get money out of it."

Generally speaking, cruise ships will sell their ships to scrap dealers through a broker. These will then pay the shipyards for their work, and make money selling scraps.

According to Mulinaris, 90% of a conventional vessel is steel, which is recyclable. But machinery and furniture can also be sold.

"It's a treasure chest in there," an antique store owner told the New York Times about cruise ship interiors. "These are not regular ships; they are luxurious floating museums with many precious items inside."

Depending on where the ships are sold and scrapped, cruise ship companies could be paid between $150 to $400 per ton.

Carnival sent its ships to get scrapped in Turkey: While the prices there per ton are on the low end, according to Mulinaris, the working conditions are better and the recycling process more environmentally friendly.

A cruise ship can take up to 10 months to dismantle, but it depends on both the vessel and the shipyard.

"Everything is taken out piece by piece, from the light bulb to the piano and swimming pool to the golf course," Kamil Onal, chairman of the Ship Recyclers' Association of Turkey, told the New York Times.

Usually, ships are cleaned, stripped of anything that can be sold, then cut into small blocks, taking care to avoid hazardous materials. These pieces are then usually lifted away by crane, one by one.

Sometimes they are carried away by hand.

Shipbreaking is dangerous work.

Besides the obvious risks of sustaining injuries from operating heavy machinery, getting crushed, or falling, ships are also filled with flammable gases that can cause explosions and toxic elements like asbestos and lead.

According to data by NGO Shipbreaking Platform, there have been 397 deaths in shipbreaking yards since 2009.

Source: Off the Beach

Shipbreaking is also bad for the environment. As it can be difficult to contain pollutants, oil spills, sludge, and heavy metal, contaminated debris are common side effects.

Governments and organizations such as Mulinaris' NGO are working hard to improve working conditions for shipbreakers and to ensure more environmentally sound practices.

Cruise companies are working to turn things around, however, and are working to get passengers on the ocean as soon as safely possible with measures like mock cruises to test safety measures.

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How $300 million Carnival cruise ships are demolished in Turkey

Looking to cut costs as COVID-19 ravaged the cruise industry, Carnival Cruise Line sold six ships for scrap. At the Aliaga ship-breaking yard in Turkey, Carnival's Fantasy, Imagination, and Inspiration ships are in the process of being demolished. Here, workers cut apart and recycle every piece of these massive ships. It's one of most dangerous jobs in the world. And it's only gotten harder as more cruise ships arrive on Aliaga's shores.

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Over and Out: Six Cruise Ships Scrapped So Far in 2022

• April 16, 2022

While a total of nine cruise ships were scrapped in 2021 , six cruise ships have already been beached during the first four months of 2022 for recycling purposes.

As the pandemic still shows its effects on the industry, the vessels were sent to two scrapyards, which are now performing the dismantling processes in order to repurpose and sell off building materials, fixtures and technical parts.

For a full list of vessel transactions, ship withdrawals and historical scrapping data, please see the Secondhand Market Report by Cruise Industry News.

Here are the six ships that have exited the market:

Fuji (ex-Fuji Maru) Capacity: 326 Tonnage: 23,235 Year Built: 1989 Last Operator: Mitsui O.S.K. Passenger Line Beaching Date: January 2022 Breaking Yard: Gadani, Pakistan

After several years out of service, the former Fuji Maru was finally beached in 2022. Previously operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Passenger Line, a Japanese cruise operator, the vessel arrived at the Gadani Shipbreaking Yard in January.

Century Harmony (ex-Carnival Fascination) Capacity: 2,040 Tonnage: 70,367 Year Built: 1994 Last Operator: Century Harmony Cruises (never entered service) Beaching Date: February 2022 Breaking Yard: Gadani, Pakistan

The former Carnival Fascination was beached for scrapping in February , more than a year after being sold off by Carnival Cruise Line. Initially set for a new life in Asia , the Fantasy-class vessel was prepared for its new role during a drydock in China, but never entered service for its new owners.

Oriental Dragon (ex-Sun Viking) Capacity: 882 Tonnage: 18,455 Year Built: 1972 Last Operator: Metropolis Cruise Co Beaching Date: February 2022 Breaking Yard: Gadani, Pakistan

As the last surviving sister of Royal Caribbean’s original trio of ships , the former Sun Viking was beached for scrapping in February. Most recently serving as a casino ship in Asia, the 1972-built vessel enjoyed a long career with service for several operators – including Star Cruises and Hyundai. 

Carnival Sensation Capacity: 2,040 Tonnage: 70,367 Year Built: 1993 Last Operator: Carnival Cruise Line Beaching Date: April 2022 Breaking Yard: Aliaga, Turkey

After being retired by Carnival Cruise Line in February , the Carnival Sensation sailed directly to a breaking yard in Aliaga, Turkey.

The ship was then beached in early April , joining other three Fantasy-class vessels that were dismantled at the same scrapyard – the Carnival Fantasy, the Carnival Inspiration and the Carnival Imagination.

Delphin Capacity: 470 Tonnage: 16,214 Year Built: 1975 Last Operator: Passat Kreuzfahrten Beaching Date: TBD Breaking Yard: Aliaga, Turkey

A former soviet cruiseferry, the Delphin has been reportedly sold for scrapping in March , as a result of an auction to settle debts of its former owners.

Laid-up in Croatia since 2015, the 1975-built vessel is expected to be beached in Turkey soon, ending a cruising career that included service for various German operators.

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Unfinished and unwanted 9,000-passenger cruise ship to be scrapped

Lower hull of Global Dream II to be disposed of after shipbuilder filed for bankruptcy

What was meant to be one of the world’s largest cruise ships is being prepared for its maiden voyage – to a scrapyard.

Global Dream II , which was designed to hold more than 9,000 passengers, had almost been completed at a shipyard on Germany’s Baltic coast. However, the shipbuilder MV Werften filed for bankruptcy in January 2022 and the administrators cannot find a buyer for Global Dream II.

The German cruise industry magazine An Bord reported that the lower hull of the liner is to be disposed for scrap price.

The administrator Christoph Morgen reportedly told a press conference on Friday that the ship needed to be moved out of MV Werften’s Wismar shipyard by the end of the year because the yard had been sold to Thyssenkrupp’s naval unit, which plans to build military vessels there.

Demand for cruise ships has collapsed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Global Dream II and its sister ship Global Dream – which is not being scrapped for now – would have been the world’s largest cruise ships by passenger capacity when complete.

At 208,000 tons they would have been jointly the sixth largest cruise ships by size, just behind Royal Caribbean’s five Oasis-class ships.

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Carnival cruise ship rescues nearly 30 people from adrift vessel

A Carnival Cruise Line ship rescued nearly 30 people who were stuck at sea on Sunday.

The crew on Carnival Paradise saved 28 Cuban nationals who were signaling for help on a vessel that was adrift around 2:30 p.m. The cruise ship was headed from Tampa, Florida, to Roatan in Honduras at the time.

“The bridge team onboard spotted the vessel and turned the ship around to rescue them,” Carnival said in a news release . “All were taken aboard, given food and were seen by the medical team.” The cruise line also notified the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West and officials in Roatan.

The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

The ship was set to visit Roatan on Monday. Carnival Paradise is on a five-day Caribbean cruise that departed from Tampa on Saturday, according to CruiseMapper .

The news comes after Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Apex ship rescued seven people in a small vessel adrift between Cuba and Mexico earlier this month. Another Carnival ship, Carnival Jubilee, also rescued two people stuck in a kayak off the coast of Mexico’s Isla Mujeres in January.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

• Cruise Knowledge

47 Photos of Carnival Imagination Before Being Scrapped

Peter Knego

• November 13, 2023

In early September 2020, the Carnival Imagination was the latest vessel to be run ashore at Aliaga, Turkey, where she is being stripped and prepared for demolition.

In what is now becoming a distressingly familiar final maneuver, Carnival Imagination was rammed through a narrow opening between her partially demolished sister, Carnival Fantasy and a small coaster.

In the metal-crunching process, she sideswiped the Fantasy , shearing off lifeboat davits and smashing railings and bulwarks that will soon be reduced to piles of scrap metal. 

The other ships in the forlorn fivesome include the former Royal Caribbean Monarch of the Seas , the former Sovereign of the Seas, and the Carnival Inspiration .

A fourth Carnival ship, the Carnival Fascination , has also just been sold, presumably to suffer the same fate if they can find an open slot for her on that crowded beach.

Carnival Imagination Specifications 

Built-in 1995 as the Imagination, much of Carnival Imagination ’s “thunder” was stolen by the four identical ships that came before her. However, it could be argued that it gave her a slight edge on the following three . 

Even though the Imagination was well precedented, she emerged at a pivotal time in the development of Carnival Cruise Lines, which would eventually eclipse all other cruise lines as the world’s largest.

READ: Former Royal Caribbean Ship Arrives Scrapyard

Aside from some smaller Soviet ships, “Five of Eight” was part of the largest platform of cruise ships built to date and led to even larger ships in more expansive platforms that followed. 

For ship lovers, the idea of so many vessels being cut from the same mold is not terribly exciting but for big cruise lines, such uniformity keeps the product, mechanics and other operating systems interchangeable and consistent.

Despite her indistinguishable architecture and layout, the Imagination boasted her own unique interior stylings, thanks to the unbounded creativity of designer Joseph Farcus. 

READ: Design on the High Seas by Joseph Farcus 

Farcus applied a “classical and mythological” concept to the Imagination’s public areas. While slightly more restrained than the four sisters that preceded her, she was still quite an eye-popper.

The Imagination was built by Kvaerner-Masa shipyards in Helsinki, Finland. The eight-member ships platform was considered the world’s most extensive peacetime shipbuilding program, lasting from 1989 through 1998.

The contract was signed in March 1992, and the first steel for hull number 488, soon named Imagination , was cut in the spring of 1993.

The ship was floated out in October 1994 and completed in late April of the following year.  Imagination was christened by Jodi Dickinson, wife of Carnival’s then-CEO Bob Dickinson, in June of 1995.

In 2007, the ship’s name was given the “Carnival” prefix and subsequent refits saw modifications, such as the addition of a water park, the City Sports Park, an atrium bar and the overhaul of several interior venues.  

Here is a deck-by-deck tour of the ship in her latter-day Carnival Imagination configuration, from top to bottom.

The Carnival Imagination had ten passenger decks, beginning at the top with Sun Deck. Initially, Sun Deck featured a sheltered games court and a jogging track that ran through the base of the radio mast. 

In later years, this space featured the City Sports Park golf putting course, although the jogging track was retained.

The next level, Sports Deck, began with the gym and Spa Carnival, leading aft to the top level of the seven-deck tall atrium. 

The Camp Carnival children’s playroom occupied the aft interior portion of this level, overlooking the atrium. This space was a pair of private owner’s suites on some of the Fantasy-class ships.

The aft portion of the Sports Deck surrounded the funnel base. This teak-lined space was once a nude sunbathing deck, and in recent years, it has provided access to the Carnival Waterworks slides.

Verandah Deck began with an open-air observation platform that extended via the bridge wings over the ship’s side.

A block of 34 staterooms, including 26 verandah suites, followed.  

Verandah Deck continued with open terraces surrounding the midships pool area, leading to the base of the Waterworks and a large sunning terrace at the ship’s stern.

Lido Deck began with the bridge and officers’ accommodations. The midships portion was a partially shaded open deck area with a pool and a bandstand that in later years, were served by the Blue Iguana Tequila and RedFrog Rum bars. 

The Horizon Bar and Grill continued from there with an alfresco and enclosed casual buffet dining venue seating 722 guests.

The Promenade Deck featured a full level of public rooms, beginning with the double-deck Dynasty Lounge, a showroom seating 1,300 guests with sightlines that were somewhat compromised by numerous support beams. 

Decorative elements included pearwood handrails, wrought iron balusters with Medusa heads and Venetian glass mosaic tilework.

The seven-story Grand Atrium was just aft of the Grand Lounge. Initially, it featured a kinetic sculpture by Leonard Jankow as its centerpiece, that was later replaced with the Lobby Bar.

Continuing from the Grand Atrium, Imagination Boulevard linked all of the ship’s Promenade Deck public rooms via a wide passage on the starboard side with decorative flourishes that included Napoleonic sphinxes, Venetian glass tile and granite decking and tabletops.

The El Dorado Casino occupied a large portion of Promenade Deck immediately aft of the Grand Atrium on the port side.

Next up, the Shangri-La Nightclub was originally all about classical Renaissance forms reinterpreted with a modern flair. In recent years, the space was given a more generic look.

The Illusions Disco followed Shangri-La, leading to the Pinnacle Club with its long bar and a staircase descending to the Spirit Dining Room. This space was later reconfigured as the Alchemy Bar.

The Xanadu Lounge concluded the interior spaces on Promenade Deck. It was a cabaret-style showroom that featured winged busts of the Roman God Mercury on either side of the proscenium.

The far aft end of Promenade Deck, originally dedicated to a children’s wading pool and deck, was the adults-only Serenity enclave in recent years.

Atlantic Deck began with the lower level of the Dynasty show lounge and continued aft with a balcony overlooking the Grand Atrium that featured the Galleria Shopping Mall and a pair of smaller public rooms. On the aft/port side, there was the Mirage Bar, with its purple and yellow spheres.

Across from the Mirage Bar on the starboard side, the Curiosity Library featured antique bookshelves and Bellini-style pillars inspired by St. Peters in Rome. 

Accessed via a passage running between the Mirage Bar and Curiosity Library, the Pride Dining Room, named for the Seabourn Pride (a deluxe Seabourn cruise ship that the Carnival Corporation owned ), was the first in a pair of 650-seat restaurants on Atlantic Deck.

The Spirit Dining Room, the aft complement to the Pride and also named for a former Seabourn ship (the Seabourn Spirit ), featured circular motifs and a silver color scheme versus the triangles and gold of the Pride.

PHOTOS: 21 Images of Carnival Inspiration’s Final Day

Save for the bottom level of the Grand Atrium with its reception and shore excursion offices, the Lobby Bar and an art gallery on Empress Deck, the remaining decks (Upper, Main and Riviera) were dedicated to accommodations.

Twenty-Eight suites with in-hull balconies were the ship’s largest and most expensive digs, featuring a full bath with tub/jacuzzi, a walk-in closet, a sitting area, and a bedroom, in addition to verandahs.

Standard ocean view staterooms and interiors rounded up the accommodations onboard the Carnival Imagination . 

Saying Farewell to an Old Friend

It is hard to believe the Carnival Imagination and her slightly newer sister, the Carnival Inspiration , will no longer be regular visitors at Long Beach’s cruise terminal. However, who would have imagined a year ago the world of cruising would be where it is now?   

The Imagination and the Inspiration are scheduled to be replaced by the soon-to-be rebuilt Carnival Radiance (former Carnival Victory ), which is still partially stripped at a Spanish shipyard. 

History: How Carnival Inspiration Changed The Game

She was more a player than a game-changer. Her sister Fantasy was the real game-changer, introducing eight ships featuring spectacular atriums to the Carnival fold.

Fun Facts About The Carnival Inspiration

• Christened by Jodi Dickinson, the now ex-wife of former Carnival CEO Bob Dickinson.
• Imagination was the first Carnival Cruise Line ship to offer a 24-hour pizzeria.

Past Incidents

 None of note.

Refurbishments

Various refits over the years saw the addition of the Carnival Waterworks, the Alchemy Bar, RedFrog Rum Bar, Blue Iguana Tequila Bar, Club O2 and Circle C (children’s play rooms) and other fleetwide fixtures.

Sister Ships

(note:  all were given the “Carnival” prefix in 2007)

The Final Days

Early this year, w hen Carnival announced the sale of the Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Inspiration , the initial plan was to have the Carnival Imagination and Carnival Fascination put into a cold layup with no immediate plans to return them to service.

After the first two ships were beached for scrapping and Carnival’s planned return to cruising was further delayed, the Carnival Imagination was the next to go. She sailed off to Curacao, where, like the other two ships, she was stripped of some equipment then deadheaded to Aliaga.  

There are some rumors that the 1994-built Carnival Fascination may be going to another operator but time will soon tell whether she joins her sisters on that very crowded beach in Turkey.

Other ships in our Last Look series :

• Carnival Fantasy
• Carnival Inspiration
• Monarch of the Seas
• Sovereign of the Seas

Photos courtesy of Peter Knego/ MidShipCentury.com

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Carnival Cruise Ship Catches Fire for Second Time in 2 Years After Passengers Report Lightning Strike

The incident marks the second time in two years this particular ship has caught fire. It has caused the cancellation of two upcoming voyages

A Carnival cruise ship’s exhaust funnel caught fire on Saturday during a trip to the Bahamas, causing the company to cancel its next two voyages.

This is the second time in less than two years that the Carnival Freedom, based in Port Canaveral, Fla., has been impacted by a fire.

"Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought, and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," Matt Lupoli, Carnival Cruise Line's senior manager of public relations, told Florida Today in a statement. "The funnel has been stabilized for the ship’s return to Port Canaveral overnight to disembark guests, and then it will go to the Freeport shipyard on Monday afternoon to begin the required repairs."

PEOPLE has reached out to Carnival, but did not immediately hear back.

While the cause of the fire is still being investigated, Carnival noted in a post on X Saturday that eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike.

One of the cruise’s passengers, Heath Barnes, posted footage of the incident on Facebook Saturday afternoon.

In a statement to TMX, Barnes said it had been storming on and off and he was on one of the ship’s upper decks when he experienced “the loudest thunder and lightening [sic] I have ever heard.”

After he returned to his cabin for about 15 minutes, his nephew and two friends came to tell him the ship was on fire.

“I thought they were giving me a hard time but I got up and went out on the balcony and sure enough the flames and smoke was pouring out of the tail,” he continued, adding that he took the videos from his balcony before travelers were asked to stay indoors.

Related: Carnival Cruise Ship Catches Fire During Visit to Turks and Caicos Islands

Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald addressed the incident on Facebook, acknowledging that those impacted by the cancellations “will be feeling very disappointed.” 

“And I want to add my apologies and my assurances that when you rebook using your full refund and your 100% future cruise credit, that the crew will be standing by to give you all the Fun you deserve,” he added.

Related: 2 Holland America Line Crew Members Killed During Onboard 'Incident' in the Bahamas

In May 2022, the Carnival Freedom caught fire during a five-day cruise to Turks and Caicos.

At the time, Carnival Cruise Line verified that a fire broke out in the funnel of the ship while it was in Grand Turk.

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The company said its "emergency response team quickly activated and extinguished" the flames.

"All guests and crew are safe, and the ship's guests were cleared by local authorities to go ashore," Carnival added.

The 948-foot Carnival Freedom, built in 2007, can hold just over 3,500 passengers, according to Cruise Mapper .

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Read the original article on People .

Here are all the cruise ships we've lost to the COVID-19 crisis

It's been a tough 12 months for hardcore cruise fans -- and not just because cruising at many lines has been completely shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cruise lovers also have had to grapple with the unexpected news that some of their favorite cruise ships were never coming back.

For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's new cruise newsletter

Facing a huge drop in revenue due to the cruising hiatus and spiraling financial losses , many of the world's biggest cruise lines over the past year have shed a significant number of ships from their fleets in what amounts to permanent downsizing.

Holland America , for instance, has permanently removed four of its 14 ships since last summer -- a 29% reduction in its fleet size. Princess Cruises since September has removed five ships from its fleet (two of which already had been scheduled to leave). The brand now is down to just 14 vessels.

In a few cases, entire cruise lines -- all relatively small ones -- have shut down permanently , with most or all of their vessels unlikely to ever return to service.

Not all the ships are gone forever

In many cases, the ships that cruise lines have shed from their fleets have been sent to scrapyards to be disassembled. They'll never sail again.

But in some cases, the vessels have been sold to another cruise line or a ferry company. That means that when cruising resumes, they may have a second life operating as a cruise ship or a ferry somewhere else in the world.

One deacquisitioned vessel -- Princess's Sun Princess -- is destined for an even more unusual future. It has been sold to a Japan-based non-government organization (NGO) that runs educational programs designed to promote peace around the world.

One bright spot in all the downsizing for cruise fans is that not all cruise companies have been shedding ships. Among major lines resisting the trend to downsizing -- at least so far -- are Norwegian Cruise Line , MSC Cruises , Oceania Cruises , Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn , Silversea and Celebrity Cruises .

Still, it's been an unprecedented year for fleet downsizing. Here, a look at some of the most notable ships that the cruise world has lost, organized by line:

Carnival Cruise Line

The world's second-biggest cruise line by passenger capacity has shed four of its oldest ships over the past year. All four were from the line's once-iconic Fantasy Class series. The eight ships in the series began debuting in 1990 and for many years were the workhorses of the Carnival fleet, helping the brand grow from a small line into the cruising colossus that it is today.

Carnival Fantasy

Sailing since: 1990

Status: Scrapped

Carnival Fantasy was the first of eight Fantasy Class vessels at Carnival that debuted in the 1990s, innovative for their time. At around 70,000 tons, it was one of the world's largest ships when it first began cruising. But it has been eclipsed over the years by far bigger, more modern vessels with more amenities. By comparison, Carnival's newest ship -- the 5,282-passenger Mardi Gras -- measures 181,808 tons.

Unlike more modern vessels, Carnival Fantasy lacks a large number of balcony cabins -- the type of cabins everyone wants these days. Balcony cabins were much rarer three decades ago when it was built.

Based until recently in Mobile, Alabama, Carnival Fantasy carried 2,052 passengers at double occupancy.

Carnival Fascination

Sailing since: 1994

Status: Sold to Century Harmony Cruise Ltd. (renamed Century Harmony)

Like Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Fascination was a Fantasy Class ship built in the 1990s. For many years, it sailed for Carnival out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, though it originally debuted in New York. It had been scheduled to replace the Carnival Fantasy in Mobile, Alabama, next year.

The ship's new owner, a Chinese company, reportedly plans to turn the vessel into a floating hotel.

Carnival Imagination

Sailing since: 1995

Status : Scrapped

Carnival Imagination was a fixture in recent years in the port of Long Beach, California, where it was based for short, inexpensive getaways to Ensenada, Mexico.

Like Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Fascination, it was one of Carnival's eight Fantasy Class ships. Unlike some of the others, it had been retrofitted over the years with extra balcony cabins. But that wasn't enough to keep it from the scrappers during the past year's downturn.

Like its sisters, Carnival Imagination measured about 70,000 tons and held just over 2,000 passengers, based on double occupancy.

Carnival Inspiration

Sailing since: 1996

Like its recently scrapped sister ship Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration was most recently based at the Port of Long Beach in California, and it was a favorite among Californians looking for an inexpensive short getaway. Like Carnival Imagination, it sailed quick trips to Mexico.

Carnival Inspiration carried 2,056 passengers, based on double occupancy, and measured about 70,000 tons.

Holland America

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted Holland America's managers to cut back the line's fleet sharply. In all, the brand has lost four ships over the past year -- nearly a third of the vessels it operated at the start of 2020.

With their departures, Holland America now only has 10 ships -- fewer than it has had in many years. That said, Holland America is scheduled to get its 11th ship later this year with the debut of the 2,668-passenger Rotterdam. Currently under construction at a shipyard in Italy, the vessel was ordered long before the coronavirus crisis began. It'll take the place of a ship of the same name that was one of the four that left the fleet in recent months.

The four vessels that have left the Holland America fleet over the past year include its three oldest vessels — Maasdam, Veendam and Rotterdam. All were built in the 1990s.

Sailing since: 1992

Status: Sold to Seajets (renamed Aegean Myth)

Maasdam's small size -- it measured just 55,000 tons and carried 1,258 passengers -- made it a favorite in the Holland America fleet among cruisers who like the intimacy of smaller ships. But its small size also made it a prime target for the chopping block. Smaller ships generally are less efficient and less profitable than bigger ships.

Its new owner, Seajets, is a Greek/Cypriot ferry company operating ferry services in the Aegean Sea.

Status: Sold to Seajets (renamed Aegean Majesty)

Like Maasdam, Veendam had a lot of fans at Holland America due to its intimate size. Measuring just 57,000 tons, it was part of the same Statendam Class to which Maasdam belonged, although it held slightly more passengers -- 1,350 at double occupancy.

Like Maasdam, Veendam also was sold to Seajets, the Greek/Cypriot ferry company.

Sailing since: 1997

Status: Sold to Fred. Olsen Cruises (renamed Borealis)

Holland America's flagship up until last year, the 1,404-passenger Rotterdam was the sixth vessel to carry the Rotterdam name at Holland America -- a storied line that has its roots in the 1800s.

Measuring about 61,000 tons, Rotterdam was slightly bigger than Maasdam and Veendam. It was part of the line's somewhat newer Rotterdam class.

Its new owner, Fred. Olsen Cruises, is a British line catering almost entirely to British cruisers.

Sailing since: 2000

Status: Sold to Fred. Olsen Cruises (renamed Bolette)

British line Fred. Olsen Cruises also acquired the 1,380-passenger Amsterdam from Holland America, renaming it Bolette. Together, the two ships are replacing two older, smaller Fred. Olsen vessels (Boudicca and Black Watch) and will take over their itineraries once the line resumes sailings.

The replacement of the two ships is increasing Fred. Olsen's overall capacity by about 30%, making it one of the few lines that actually has grown considerably in size on a passenger capacity basis during the recent cruise industry shutdown.

Princess Cruises

The Princess fleet has undergone a significant downsizing over the past year with five ships departing. Three of the ships — Sun Princess, Sea Princess and Pacific Princess — were sold as part of an effort to cut costs during the coronavirus-caused global shutdown. Two others — Golden Princess and Star Princess — already had been scheduled to leave the Princess fleet even before the coronavirus pandemic began (though their departures were accelerated). As previously planned, Golden Princess and Star Princess were transferred to a Princess sister company, P&O Cruises Australia.

With the departures, Princess is down to just 14 vessels.

Sun Princess

Status: Sold to Peace Boat (renamed Pacific World)

Unveiled in 1995, the 2,000-passenger Sun Princess was the oldest vessel in the Princess fleet and -- at 77,000 tons -- one of the smallest, too. That made it a logical pick for downsizing.

Its new owner, Peace Boat, is a Japan-based international NGO working to promote peace, human rights and sustainability. It offers cruises that have a program centered on experiential learning and intercultural communication.

Sun Princess, notably, had a turn as a TV star. The ship appeared as the backdrop in 1998 and 1999 for 27 episodes of "Love Boat: The Next Wave."

Sea Princess

Sailing since: 1998

Status: Sold to Sanya International Cruise Development Co. Ltd. (renamed Charming)

A sister to Sun Princess, the 2,000-passenger Sea Princess also was one of the oldest and smallest ships in the Princess fleet. Both of the ships were part of the same Sun Class at Princess with vessels that measured around 77,000 tons.

Its new owners, a China-based company, plan to use it to start a new China-based cruise line for domestic cruising.

Pacific Princess

Sailing since: 1999

Status: Sold to investment firm Sycamore Partners to sail for Azamara

Far smaller than any other Princess ship, Pacific Princess had been an outlier in the line's fleet for some time. Measuring just 30,277 tons, it was nearly five times smaller than the latest Princess vessels such as the one-year-old Sky Princess . It holds just 680 passengers at double occupancy — more than 80% fewer than the newest Princess ships.

Built in the late 1990s for long-defunct Renaissance Cruises, Pacific Princess was a sister to seven other "R-class" vessels that now form the core of the fleets of Oceania and Azamara. It's built more for the sort of intimate, smaller-ship, destination-focused cruising that those two lines offer.

Sycamore Partners, which announced plans to buy the ship in January, plans to incorporate it into the Azamara fleet, which it also is in the process of buying .

Note that this Pacific Princess should not be confused with the original Pacific Princess, which famously served as the backdrop for the original "Love Boat" series of the 1970s and 1980s. That ship was scrapped in 2014.

Golden Princess

Sailing since: 2001

Status: Transferred to P&O Cruises Australia (renamed Pacific Adventure)

The 2,600-passenger Golden Princess was one of a long line of Grand Class vessels at Princess that helped define the brand over the past two decades. Even after its departure (and the departure of the Star Princess; see below), the Grand Class vessels still represent the majority of the Princess fleet.

Princess announced in 2017 that Golden Princess would eventually be transferred to P&O Cruises Australia, an Australia-based line owned by the same parent company. But the transfer was moved up after the industrywide shutdown to cruising operations due to COVID-19.

Star Princess

Sailing since: 2002

Status: Transferred to P&O Cruises Australia (renamed Pacific Encounter)

Like Golden Princess, the 2,600-passenger Star Princess has been transferred a bit earlier than expected to Princess sister line P&O Cruises Australia. But with cruising in Australia mostly shut down, it has yet to sail for its new owners.

The ship was part of the same Grand Class series that included Golden Princess, and it was for many years one of the line's premier vessels.

Royal Caribbean

The world's largest cruise line by passenger capacity has removed two vessels from its fleet over the past year, leaving it with just 24 ships for now. The two vessels -- Empress of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas -- were the lines oldest and smallest ships and increasingly outliers in its fleet. Empress of the Seas, notably, measured just 48,563 tons — three to four times smaller than the big, amenity-filled ships that Royal Caribbean has been rolling out in recent years. Still, both of these vessels were much-beloved by Royal Caribbean fans, in part due to their smaller size.

Empress of the Seas

Status: Sold to Cordelia Cruises (renamed Empress)

Royal Caribbean's oldest ship was increasingly an outlier in the line's fleet, which is increasingly dominated by giant mega-ships that are chock full of amusements . At 48,563 tons, Empress of the Seas was nearly five times smaller than Royal Caribbean's big Oasis Class vessels .

Called Nordic Empress when it originally debuted in 1990, Empress of the Seas also was 30 years old, which is old for a Royal Caribbean ship.

Notably, Royal Caribbean already had removed Empress of the Seas from its fleet once before, in 2008, when it transferred the vessel to the Royal Caribbean-affiliated Spanish line Pullmantur. But Royal Caribbean brought Empress of the Seas back to its fleet in 2016 to operate sailings to Cuba , which only can be done by smaller ships due to limitations at Cuban ports. Cruises from the U.S. to Cuba have since ceased due to changing government policy.

Empress of the Seas' new owner, Cordelia Cruises, is a start-up cruise line in India.

Majesty of the Seas

Status: Sold to Seajets (renamed Majesty)

Sailing for Royal Caribbean since 1992, Majesty of the Seas was the second-oldest ship in the line's fleet. It also was the line's only remaining Sovereign Class vessel -- the Sovereign Class is an iconic series of ships that helped revolutionize the cruise industry. Two other Sovereign Class vessels that originally sailed for Royal Caribbean were transferred years ago to Royal Caribbean-affiliated Pullmantur.

Measuring just 74,077 tons, Majesty of the Seas was popular with Royal Caribbean fans who prefer smaller ships. It carried 2,350 passengers at double occupancy. It sailed out of New Orleans .

Majesty of the Seas' new owner, Seajets, is the same Greek/Cypriot ferry company that bought Holland America's Maasdam and Veendam.

Costa Cruises

The downsizing at Costa Cruises over the past year has been nearly as sharp, on a percentage basis, as the downsizing at Holland America. Four ships have left Costa's fleet, leaving the brand with just 12 vessels.

Costa NeoRomantica

Sailing since: 1993

Status: Sold to Celestyal Cruises (renamed Celestyal Experience)

Dating to 1993, this was Costa Cruises' oldest ship. At 56,869 tons, it also was the line's smallest ship. Those two factors made it an outlier in the Costa fleet and a prime target during the line's recent downsizing. Costa's newest vessel measures more than 185,000 tons.

The ship was part of Costa's Classica Class series and held 1,578 passengers at double occupancy.

It's been sold to Celestyal Cruises, which is known for cruises in the Greek Isles and will sail under the name Celestyal Experience.

Costa Victoria

Unveiled in 1996, this 1,928-passenger vessel was one of the first ships to face the scrappers as cruise lines began cutting vessels in 2020. It was only 23 years old at the time, which was unusually young for a modern-day cruise ship to be scrapped. It had spent its entire career sailing for Costa Cruises.

Measuring 77,000 tons, Costa Victoria was part of the line's Victoria Class series.

Costa Atlantica

Status: Transferred to CSSC Carnival Shipping (Carnival China)

The 2,114-passenger Costa Atlantica has been transferred to CSSC Carnival Shipping, a joint venture between Costa's parent company, Carnival Corp., and two Chinese entities, the Chinese sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corporation and Chinese shipbuilder China State Shipbuilding Corporation. Together they are developing a new cruise brand for the Chinese market.

Costa Atlantica was, notably, the first modern cruise ship to be purpose-built for Costa. It's a sister ship to the four Spirit Class vessels operated by Carnival, a sister brand. It measures about 85,000 tons.

Costa Mediterranea

Sailing since: 2003

Like Costa Atlantica, the 2,114-passenger Costa Mediterranean will be sailing in Asia for a new line aimed at Chinese travelers that will be jointly owned by Carnival Corp. and two Chinese entities.

The 85,000-ton ship also is a sister vessel to the four Spirit Class ships at sister line Carnival.

P&O Cruises

British line P&O Cruises has removed a single ship from its small fleet since the coronavirus crisis began, the 2,000-passenger Oceana. That leaves it with six vessels.

Status: Sold to Seajets (renamed Queen of the Oceans)

Longtime Princess fans will remember Oceana as the Princess ship Ocean Princess. When it originally debuted in 2000, it sailed under the Princess banner with that name. But its time under the Princess banner didn't last long. In 2002, it was transferred to sister line P&O Cruises and sailed for P&O Cruises right up until early last year.

In another tie to Princess, Oceana is a sister to the Sea Princess and Sun Princess mentioned above, which have just recently left the Princess fleet. Like those vessels, it measures about 77,000 tons and carries around 2,000 passengers, based on double occupancy.

The company that bought Oceana, Seajets, is the same Greek/Cypriot ferry company that bought Holland America's Maasdam and Veendam, and Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas.

P&O Cruises Australia

Australian-focused P&O Cruises Australia (a sister line to British-focused P&O Cruises as well as Princess) has shed two ships over the past year but also gained two (from Princess, see above).

Pacific Dawn

Sailing since: 1991

Originally ordered by long-defunct Sitmar Cruises, this 2,016-passenger ship began life sailing for Princess after Princess bought Sitmar. It initially sailed as the Regal Princess and was part of the original Crown Class designed by legendary Italian architect Renzo Piano. It transferred to the P&O Cruises Australia fleet in 2007.

At the time of the industrywide shutdown in 2020, Pacific Dawn had been scheduled to be transferred to British line Cruise & Maritime Voyages in February 2021. But the collapse of Cruise & Maritime Voyages in July brought an end to those plans. For a brief period, efforts were underway to turn the ship into a floating village for digital nomads and crypto enthusiasts. But that quickly fell apart, and the ship was scrapped.

Pacific Aria

Status: Sold to Seajets (renamed Aegean Goddess)

The 1,258-passenger Pacific Aria was originally built as the Ryndam for Holland America, and it sailed for that line for more than two decades. It only was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia in 2015 (Holland America and P&O Cruises Australia share the same parent company).

Like the Pacific Dawn, Pacific Aria had been scheduled to be transferred to British line Cruise & Maritime Voyages. But the collapse of Cruise & Maritime Voyages in July brought an end to those plans. It was later sold to Seajets, the Greek-Cypriot ferry company.

Other ships

In addition to the ships above from relatively large lines, the coronavirus crisis has led to the scrapping or sale of quite a few vessels from smaller cruise companies -- including a few vessels that have been icons of the cruise world for many decades.

These vessels include all three ships that operated for Spanish line Pullmantur, which collapsed in June . One of the Pullmantur ships was the former Sovereign of the Seas , a legendary vessel in the history of modern cruising that originally sailed for Royal Caribbean. Though small by today's standards, it was considered the very first modern mega-ship. It was scrapped in July in a development that was heartbreaking for many long-time cruise fans .

Also scrapped was Pullmantur's Monarch, the former Monarch of the Seas. It was a sister ship to Sovereign of the Seas.

The collapse of British line Cruise & Maritime Voyages also has led to the scrapping of several ships -- specifically Columbus, Magellan, Astor and Marco Polo. Columbus originally sailed as Princess's Star Princess, and Magellan sailed as Carnival's Holiday.

Originally built as the ocean liner Aleksandr Pushkin in 1965, the Marco Polo was one of the oldest ocean liners still sailing until 2020.

Also recently scrapped was one of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line's two vessels: Grand Celebration. Unveiled in 1987, the ship originally sailed at Carnival as Celebration and it played an important role in that line's early years. In addition, one ship from British line Marella Cruises (Marella Celebration) has been scrapped. It originally sailed as Holland America's Noordam.

A second Marella vessel, Marella Dream, has been taken out of service. It had previously sailed for Home Lines as Homeric, for Holland America as Westerdam, and for Costa as Costa Europa.

The collapse of Indian line Jalesh Cruises in October also led to the scrapping of its only ship, a former Princess vessel. And the former Carnival ship Tropicale, which most recently was sailing for Peace Boat, also has gone to the scrappers.

Meanwhile, the fate of Fred. Olsen's newly retired Black Watch and Boudicca, which the line has replaced with two former Holland America ships (see the Holland America section above), is in doubt. Both are iconic cruise ships that originally sailed for the famed Royal Viking Line -- once the world's premier luxury line. But they are now are nearly 50 years old.

Bottom line

Well over three dozen cruise ships were scrapped or sold over the past year as cruise lines struggled to survive. When cruising eventually resumes, fans of such lines as Carnival, Princess, Holland America and Royal Caribbean will find that their favorite brands aren't quite as big as they once were. That said, many lines are moving ahead with long-established plans to add new, built-from-the-ground-up vessels over the next few years.

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Carnival cruise ship rescues 27 cuban migrants on rickety wooden boat bound for the us: report.

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A Carnival Cruise ship veered off course to rescue 27 Cuban migrants who were stranded on a rickety wooden boat in the waters between Florida and the island nation, according to a report.

Carnival Paradise had just set sail from Tampa when it spotted the desperate US-bound migrants about 20 miles off the coast of Cuba,

The ship set a course to intercept their decrepit craft with the high-seas rescue taking place around 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Fox News reported .

The cruise ship was bound for Roatan, Honduras when it spotted the Cubans.

All 27 were taken aboard the ship, where they were fed and given medical checkups.

The Carnival crew notified the US Coast Guard and officials in Roatan.

In a statement, Carnival put the number of rescued migrants at 28 and said the ship was still scheduled to arrive in Honduras on Monday but did not provide additional details.

Earlier this month, the US Coast Guard intercepted a ramshackle home-made boat off the Key West shoreline — and shipped all 16 migrants on board back to Cuba, officials said.

The barely-sea-worthy craft — the bow of a small wooden boat with the rest made of foam — was spotted by an eagle-eyed good Samaritan and picked up by the Coast Guard cutter Charles David Jr. on April 7,  according to a press release .

The migrants were taken aboard the cutter and shipped back to Cuba, the Coast Guard said.

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Carnival cruise ship out of Tampa saves nearly 30 people stranded at sea

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Carnival cruise ship rescued nearly 30 people who were stranded at sea after departing from Tampa over the weekend.

The crew on Carnival Paradise saved 28 Cuban nationals after they were spotted signaling for help on an adrift vessel around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Taylor Swift reveals what her song ‘Florida!!!’ is really about

“The bridge team onboard spotted the vessel and turned the ship around to rescue them,” Carnival said in a news release . “All were taken aboard, given food and were seen by the medical team.” Carnival Paradise notified the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West and Roatan officials.

The ship was set to visit Roatan, Honduras, on Monday after departing from Tampa on Saturday for a five-day Caribbean voyage, according to CruiseMapper .

WFLA reached out to Carnival for comment. At this time, it’s unclear if the rescued individuals will return to Tampa on the cruise.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.

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