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13 Former Carnival Ships – Where Are They Now?

Sarah Bretz, Contributor

• November 17, 2020
• 2.8K shares

Carnival Cruise Line, formed in 1972, is known today as the most popular cruise line in the world.

Since its conception, the cruise line has had eleven ships that are no longer sailing with them, five of them added to the list after the cruise industry shut down in 2020.

Some have been scrapped, and some continue to sail under other cruise lines today.

Check out a bit of history behind the twelve former ships and see where they are now.

1. Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras was sold to Carnival from Canadian Pacific in 1972 and was just over 18,000 gross registered tons. She sailed under the Carnival flag until 1993 and was then sold to Epirotiki.

Many names and a few cruise lines later, the ship was laid up and ultimately sold for scrap in 2003. She was in service for a total of 42 years.

In 2021, Carnival will debut the new Mardi Gras , the largest ship in the fleet. It will feature BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, as well as a variety of new dining and bar venues.

2. Carnivale

Before being sold to Carnival in 1976, Carnivale was called Queen Ann Maria for the operator Greek Line. In 1993, Carnival transferred her over to a subsidiary cruise line, Fiesta Marina Cruises.

After a few other cruise lines and the ultimate name of Topaz sailing under the Peace Boat Organization, she was retired and laid up in April 2008.

The ship was beached in India to be scrapped that summer, and the process was completed in 2009.

3. Festivale

Carnival acquired Festivale in 1977 from the South African Marine Corporation. She was originally a mail service ocean liner, but when Carnival bought her, they refit her into a cruise ship in Japan for $30 million.

A few cruise lines later, she ended up with Premier Cruise Line, sailing under the name Big Red Boat III . When Premier went bankrupt in 2000, the ship was seized, and Big Red Boat III was ultimately scrapped in 2003.

4. Tropicale

Tropicale was a monumental ship for Carnival, as she was their very first new build. She began sailing in 1982, mainly in the Caribbean.

The ship was then transferred to Costa as Costa Tropicale , then to P&O Australia as the Pacific Star.

After that, she was sold to Pullmantur Cruises, refurbished, and sailed as Ocean Dream . As of 2012, Ocean Dream left Pullmantur and was chartered to Peace Boat.

In January 2021, the ship was scrapped.

Holiday was Carnival’s second purpose-built cruise ship. Constructed in Denmark, Holiday entered service in 1985. In 2003, she was refurbished, and in 2005, during Hurricane Katrina, she was used as temporary housing for victims of the storm.

She sailed from Alabama to the western Caribbean until 2009, when she was transferred to the fleet of Iberocruceros, another cruise line owned by Carnival Corp. and renamed Grand Holiday .

After that, she was transferred to the Ibero Cruises fleet and was transformed into a floating hotel for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. In 2014, she was sold to the British cruise line Cruise & Maritime Voyages and sailed for them under the name Magellan .

After CMV ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy in July 2020, Greek ferry operator SeaJets purchased Magellan at auction in October 2020 for $3.4 million.

Seajets is planning to turn the ship into a floating hotel in Liverpool for the 2021 Grand National, but she was resold for scrap due to high operating costs. She was renamed Mages and sailed to Alang, India, for scrapping in January 2021.

6. Celebration

Celebration was built for Carnival in 1986 in Sweden. She sailed for them until 2008, when she underwent a refurbishment and began sailing for Iberocruceros as the Grand Celebration .

In May 2014, she was transferred to Costa, and after a very short-lived run (she was actually sold the day before her first Costa cruise), she was acquired by the newly formed Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line to begin sailing in February 2015.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line sold the ship in November 2020 , and she was beached in Alang, Turkey, on January 14, 2021, for scrapping.

Jubilee was built in Sweden in 1986 for Carnival Cruise Line, and Celebration and Holiday were her near-sister ships. In 2004, she was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia and renamed Pacific Sun .

In 2012, Pacific Sun left P&O and was sold to HNA Cruises, who named her Henna . She sailed for them until November 2015, when HNA shut down operations after three years of losing money.

The ship was sold and scrapped at the Alang, India yard in 2017.

Read More: Former Carnival Cruise Ship Getting Scrapped

8. Carnival Fantasy

Fantasy was the first ship in Carnival’s new Fantasy class when she entered service in March 1990. Built at Kavaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland, the ship initially sailed Caribbean cruises from Miami.

In 2007, the ship was re-christened Carnival Fantasy and refurbished in 2008, 2016, and 2019. She sailed for Carnival for 30 years until the cruise industry shutdown in March 2020.

In July 2020, Carnival sold the ship, and it was scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey.

LAST LOOK: Remembering Carnival Fantasy [PHOTOS]

9. Carnival Ecstasy

Carnival Ecstasy debuted in 1991, and it is the second ship in the Fantasy Class.

As one of the most versatile and popular vessels in the “Fun Ship” fleet, her over-the-top Joe Farcus-designed interiors became a fan-favorite, including the iconic 1934 Rolls-Royce Saloon, which was later relocated to the Gateway on Carnival Celebration.

In February 2022, Carnival announced the retirement of Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Sensation from the fleet. Unlike Sensation, Ecstasy resumed its regular service in Mobile, Alabama, from March to October 2022.

It is the only ship out of the six other retired Fantasy-class ships that offered a farewell cruise season to its guests.

The last voyage happened from October 10 to 15, 2022. In November 2022, the ship arrived at the Aliağa scrapyards in Turkey for scrapping.

10. Carnival Sensation

Launched in 1993, the Carnival Sensation was one of the early stars of Carnival Cruise Line’s Fantasy-class ships. Built in Finland, she joined her sisters Fantasy, Ecstasy, and Imagination in bringing a more casual and fun-focused approach to cruising.

Back then, she was considered quite the modern marvel, boasting features like the seven-deck-high neon-splashed atrium, a tiered lido deck, and even a 24-hour pizzeria. Her inaugural season saw her setting sail from Miami, whisking passengers away to the Bahamas and the Caribbean on sunny escapes.

Over the years, the Sensation saw several renovations and updates, adding balconies to cabins and sprucing up public spaces. She also switched home ports a few times, spending stints in Tampa and Port Canaveral before returning to Miami.

In 2022, the Sensation’s time came to an end. After nearly 30 years of service, she was sold for scrap.

11. Carnival Fascination

Fascination entered service in 1994 as the fourth member of Carnival Cruise Line’s Fantasy class. The ship was built, like her sisters, in the Kavaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland. She was re-christened Carnival Fascination in 2007.

In her 26 years of operating for Carnival, she received refurbishments and upgrades in 2006, 2010, and 2013. Fascination cruised from New York, San Juan, and Jacksonville.

In July 2020, Fascination entered long-term layup status and was sold to a disclosed buyer, later revealed to be an Asian company, for use as a floating hotel. In November, she underwent a name change from Carnival Fascination to Century Harmony .

However, due to strict Chinese policy, the ship wasn’t able to sail. In October 2021, she was sold for scrap and arrived at Gadani, Pakistan, in February 2022 as Y Harmony .

12. Carnival Imagination

Like her Fantasy-class sisters, Imagination was built at Kavaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland. The ship entered service in 1995 and most recently sailed Mexican Riviera itineraries from Long Beach, California.

The ship was renamed Carnival Imagination in 2007 and was refurbished most recently in 2016.

The vessel entered long-term layup status in July 2020; Carnival announced the ship had been sold for scrap in August 2020 and was sent to the scrapyard in Aliaga, Turkey.

Last Look: Remembering Carnival Imagination [PHOTOS]

13. Carnival Inspiration

Built in 1996 at the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland, Inspiration was the fifth entry in the Fantasy class. Renamed Carnival Inspiration in 2007, the ship was most recently refurbished in 2010.

The ship sailed Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach, California. After the cruise industry shut down in March 2020, Carnival announced in July that the ship and Carnival Fantasy had been sold for scrap and sent to the shipbreakers in Aliaga, Turkey.

Last Look: Remembering Carnival Inspiration [PHOTOS]

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What Happened to Carnival Ecstasy? Retired Cruise Ship Arrives in Turkey

For more than 30 years, Carnival Ecstasy took literally millions of passengers on vacation, with trips sailing all over Mexico, the Caribbean, and The Bahamas. That means millions of passengers have a happy memory of the ship and many likely wonder where is it now?

The ship has arrived in Turkey, with signs pointing to it being broken up, signaling its end of life as a cruise ship.

Ecstasy First Sailed in 1991

Carnival Ecstasy first began sailing for the cruise line in 1991, and at that time, it represented a groundbreaking new ship. As part of the Fantasy class, the ship came in at about 70,000 gross tons and carried roughly 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.

In the past three decades, however, a lot has changed in the cruise industry. For example, Carnival’s newest ships carry about 5,300 passengers at double occupancy and measure about 180,000 gross tons. In other words, there’s a significant difference between old and new ships.

We actually sailed aboard Ecstasy from Mobile, Alabama on one of its last cruises . Our opinion is that the ship felt like a time capsule. It had been well-maintained but had a dated feel. Bright colors were everywhere, and there were also lots of mirrored surfaces. Having the ship be in such a dated ’90s style — but still looking kept up — made it unique.

But there’s no argument that there was less to do, see, and eat aboard the ship. As the cruise industry has evolved, what’s expected on a modern cruise ship has changed. Still, we enjoyed the cruise tremendously even though sailing on an older, smaller ship was a completely different experience.

Nearly 5.5 Million Passengers and Last Cruise in October 2022

During the pandemic, Carnival Corporation (the parent company of Carnival Cruise Line) announced that many ships would be leaving the fleet in an effort to turn to a more modern and efficient lineup. And after cruises returned to sailing following the pandemic pause, Carnival announced in early 2022 that Ecstasy would also be leaving the fleet later in the year.

Following the announcement that Carnival Ecstasy would be retired, the ship repositioned to Mobile, Alabama from March 2022 until its last cruise in October. There, it sailed four and five-night cruises to Mexico.

As mentioned, we were fortunate enough to sail one of its final cruises, and you can see our experience in the video below:

At the last sailing on October 10, 2022, Carnival held a celebration for the ship and its final cruise. There, it was shared that nearly 5.5 million passengers sailed on Ecstasy over its 30+ years in service, across more than 2,300 voyages. During its life, the ship also sailed from eight different homeports, ranging from Miami to Los Angeles.

Sailed to Turkey to the Aliaga Ship Breaking Yard

Following its last cruise with passengers from Alabama, Carnival Ecstasy then embarked on what seems to be its final voyage.

According to CruiseIndustryNews.com , the ship was “sold to Turkish ship breakers” in order to be broken apart and salvaged. In fact, this was a fate that met a number of ships during the pandemic pause when companies like Carnival Corporation made their fleets more lean by removing older ships.

Ship-tracking website CruiseMapper.com shows Carnival Ecstasy sitting off the coast of the Aliaga Ship Breaking Yard in Turkey after Ecstasy sailed across the Atlantic Ocean following its last cruise in the United States:

This ship-breaking yard is well-known to retired Carnival ships. In fact, a satellite photo on Google Maps shows two of Ecstasy’s sister ships beached and in the process of being broken apart. The distinctive Carnival funnels are still visible.

While we have not seen an official word from Carnival, all signs point to Carnival Ecstasy being scrapped in Turkey. But at least one part of the ship will live on.

A few months ago the 1934 Rolls Royce car that had sailed on the ship parked next to the Rolls Royce Café aboard Ecstasy was removed from the ship and placed on the new Carnival Celebration . There, it will continue to have a prominent place for millions more passengers to see.

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Here’s What Happened to Carnival’s Retired Fantasy-Class Ships

• December 28, 2022

With the Ecstasy completing its final cruise last October , a total of six cruise ships have now left the Carnival Cruise Line fleet since mid-2020.

All part of the eight-ship Fantasy Class, the vessels were sold off by Carnival Corporation over the last three years. Here’s what happened to them:

Carnival Fantasy Year Built: 1990 Original Cost: $225,000,000 Capacity (at 100% occupancy): 2,044 Tonnage: 70,367 Exit Date: July 2020 Status: Scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey

The Carnival Fantasy was among the first ships to leave the Carnival Cruise Line fleet during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time the oldest ship in the company’s fleet, the 1990-built vessel was sold directly to Turkish scrappers.

After leaving the United States and sailing straight to the Aliaga Ship Breaking Yard, the Fantasy was beached for scrapping in July 2020.

Carnival Inspiration Year Built: 1996 Original Cost: $270,000,000 Capacity (at 100% occupancy): 2,040 Tonnage: 70,367 Exit Date: July 2020 Status: Scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey

Sold alongside the Fantasy, the Carnival Inspiration was also beached for scrapping after leaving the Carnival Cruise Line fleet.

Like its sister ship, the 1996-built vessel sailed directly to Aliaga, arriving at the Turkish breakers in August 2020.

Carnival Imagination Year Built: 1995 Original Cost: $330,000,000 Capacity (at 100% occupancy): 2,040 Tonnage: 70,367 Exit Date: September 2020 Status: Scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey

Initially placed on a long-term lay-up status , the 1995-built Carnival Imagination ended up sold to scrappers in 2020.

In September of that year, the Fantasy-Class ship joined its two sister ships in Aliaga, Turkey , starting its recycling process.

Carnival Fascination Year Built: 1994 Original Cost: $315,000,000 Capacity (at 100% occupancy): 2,040 Tonnage: 70,367 Exit Date: September 2020 Status: Scrapped (February 2022) in Gadani, Pakistan

At first escaping the breakers, the Carnival Fascination left the Carnival fleet in September 2020 .

Renamed Century Harmony, the 1994-built vessel was acquired by Asian interests who reportedly planned to transform it into a floating hotel.

Following a period laid-up in Asia, however, the vessel was sold again in late 2021, ending up beached for scrapping in Pakistan a few months later .

Carnival Sensation Year Built: 1993 Original Cost: $250,000,000 Capacity (at 100% occupancy): 2,040 Tonnage: 70,367 Exit Date: February 2022 Status: Scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey

After dropping plans to add the ship back to revenue service, Carnival Cruise Line decided to retire the Carnival Sensation in early 2022 .

Following a few weeks anchored off Bahamas, the Fantasy-Class ship followed the path of its former fleet mates, sailing straight to Turkey for scrapping .

Carnival Ecstasy Year Built: 1991 Original Cost: $275,000,000 Capacity (at 100% occupancy): 2,040 Tonnage: 70,367 Exit Date: October 2022 Status: Scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey

Unlike its sister ships, the Carnival Ecstasy left the Carnival fleet after resuming revenue service in early 2022 .

Following a farewell season out of Mobile, the 1991-built ship completed its last cruise for the brand last October , being retired soon after.

A few weeks later, the Ecstasy also ended up beached for scrapping in Aliaga, Turkey .

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Here's Your Chance to Buy a Retired Carnival Cruise Ship

One of Carnival's earliest cruise ships is going up for auction in the UK.

Why buy a dream home or a yacht when you can have an actual cruise ship?

According to The Points Guy , London-based ship auctioneer CW Kellock & Co. is listing one of Carnival Cruise Line ’s earliest vessels, the Holiday , next month. If you happen to have a couple million dollars lying around, it could be all yours.

The former Carnival vessel also sailed for Cruise & Maritime Voyages under the name Magellan since 2015, according to The Points Guy, though it still retained its signature winged funnel (also known as the “whale tail”) that Carnival is known for. The British company has since shut down due to the coronavirus, leaving the Holiday / Magellan without a crew.

The vessel originally set sail in 1985. It weighs 46,052 tons, can cater to 1,860 passengers, and generally had between 660 and 670 crew members on board, according to the listing on the CW Kellock and Co. website. Its length is between 727 and 733 feet and has 12 decks.

It’s currently the second oldest Carnival ship that still exists today. CW Kellock & Co. has a number of other vessels that are going up for auction in October, including the Vasco Da Gama , the Columbus , the Astor , and the Marco Polo , according to CruiseHive . All of these vessels other than the Marco Polo are docked in Port Tilbury in Essex, England.

Anyone who wishes to make a bid can also set up an inspection of the ship with CW Kellock & Co., The Points Guy reported. All bids must be submitted to the company by Oct. 19, 2020. There is currently no pre-auction price estimate for the ship, though The Points Guy estimates it will be for several million dollars.

Bidders should submit their offer in a sealed envelope with the vessel’s current name (Magellan) on it via mail to CW Kellock & Co Ltd, 5th Floor, 2 London Wall Buildings, London EC2M 5PP, U.K., or emailed to directly to kellock@eggarforrester.com, The Points Guy reported.

For more information, visit the CW Kellock & Co. website .

Carnival Cruise Line Confirms Retirement of Two More Ships

Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed the retirement of two more cruise ships. Carnival will say goodbye to Carnival Sensation and Carnival Ecstasy .

The cruise line also outlined several itinerary and deployment changes.

Sensation and Ecstasy are Leaving Carnival’s Fleet

Earlier this week, Carnival Cruise Line announced the retirement of its two oldest vessels.

Ecstasy, built-in 1991, and Sensation , built-in 1993, will be retired by the end of 2022.

Carnival Sensation was set to resume operations on March 7, 2022. However, we now know Sensation will not return to operations. Since the industry-wide pause of cruise ship operations following the Covid-19 pandemic, the vessel has been sidelined. Although the ship was initially scheduled to return early this year, it will instead be retired, with Carnival Ecstacy taking over the ship’s itineraries.

Carnival Ecstasy will now take over Carnival Sensation’s sailings from Mobile, Alabama, beginning March 7, 2022. The Fantasy-class vessel will operate from the Port of Mobile through October 10, 2022. Following the October 10, 2022 sailing, Carnival Ecstasy will retire from Carnival’s fleet.

Carnival has not released details on whether the two cruise ships will be scrapped 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.”

Deployment Changes

Carnival is making several changes to its upcoming ship deployments. The cruise line is canceling the planned operations of Carnival Splendor from June 10, 2022, through September 26, 2022.

Carnival Spirit will be redeployed in Jacksonville, taking over Carnival Ecstasy’s itineraries from March 7, 2022, through April 9, 2022. The next two sailings following April 9 are canceled, and a new ship will be reassigned to Jacksonville for the itineraries beginning April 23, 2022. That announcement will be made shortly.

Carnival is canceling planned Australian operations of the Carnival Splendor from June 10, 2022, through September 26, 2022, and of the Carnival Spirit from June 5, 2022, to October 5, 2023. The cruise line will announce details for returning to Australian sailings when they are confirmed.

As part of the updated deployment plan, the Carnival Sensation will not restart guest operations and leave Carnival’s fleet with Carnival Ecstasy picking up the ship’s itineraries.

Carnival Ecstasy’s last cruise in guest operations will be the October 10, 2022 departure from Mobile, and both ships will leave the Carnival fleet.

Marcello De Lio

Marcello's been cruising since he was 12 years old. He loves the freedom that cruising provides, meeting new people, and exploring amazing new ships. Marcello created High Seas Cruising to share his passion for cruising and travel with readers and grow a community of passionate voyagers.

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Why I'm sad Carnival Cruise Line is retiring its smallest ship

Carnival Cruise Line 's oldest and smallest ship, the 2,052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy, isn't the most awe-inspiring cruise vessel afloat. Not by a long shot.

Its top deck lacks the sort of splashy, family-fun attractions found on newer Carnival ships, such as sprawling water parks, ropes courses, high-in-the-sky pedal rides and — on Carnival's new flagship Mardi Gras — even a roller coaster . Few of its cabins offer balconies, which can make them feel claustrophobic.

At 31 years of age, it also just feels ... worn out. Time has taken its toll.

But despite all of that, I find myself struck with sadness this week that Carnival Ecstasy is on its final voyage for the line.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

For starters, it's a reminder that I, too, am getting old. I'm old enough to remember when Carnival Ecstasy was one of the newest and most advanced cruise ships in the world. I've been writing about cruising for so long that I can recall writing about — and sailing on — Carnival Ecstasy when it was one of the cruise world's bright young things.

That's not the main reason, however, that I feel a tinge of melancholy this week upon thinking about the retirement of a ship that is bumping up against the end of its useful life. Cruise ships are built to last about 30 years.

What the retirement of Carnival Ecstasy from the Carnival fleet represents to me is the latest nail in the coffin of what I like to call the era of the intimate floating megaresort — emphasis on intimate.

Carnival Ecstasy is one of the last remaining vessels at the big mainstream lines such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line that dates back to a time when megaships were big but not that big.

Designed to carry around 2,000 vacationers as compared to the 6,000-plus that the biggest cruise ships carry today, they were vessels of a size that offered a lot of amenities (hence, the megaship moniker) but still felt cozy and not too crowded.

Related: The ultimate guide to Carnival Cruise Line

On these ships, you were vacationing with a significant number of other people, for sure, but not nearly as many as you'll find on modern-day vessels.

There was a more human level of interaction on the smaller big ships of Carnival Ecstasy's heyday that — to my regret — is fast disappearing. You'd run into the same people more often and experience entertainment in more intimate spaces. You'd become more familiar with the crew.

When it came time to pour off the ship into a port, there would be fewer of you rushing to the same tourist sites.

When megaships weren't quite so mega

Carnival Ecstasy was, notably, one of eight similar Carnival vessels unveiled between 1990 and 1998 that elevated the line into the big leagues of the North American tourism business.

At the time Carnival Ecstasy debuted, Carnival had just a handful of ships — all significantly smaller and with fewer amenities. The arrival of the vessel and its seven sisters in quick succession in the 1990s helped drive the growth of the cruise industry in North America and catapulted the line into a major tourism company.

These were ships that, in a more comprehensive way than Carnival's earlier vessels, offered up lots of decktop pool and lounge areas, as well as sprawling interior public areas full of bars, showrooms, restaurants and shops.

Related: The 8 classes of Carnival ships, explained

Along with a new series of so-called Sovereign-class ships at rival Royal Caribbean that were roughly the same size, they were the megaships of their day.

But, as noted above, they were a fraction of the size of today's megaships. At 70,367 tons, Carnival Ecstasy was one of the biggest cruise ships in the world when it debuted in 1991. It's now less than half the size of the world's biggest cruise ships, including Mardi Gras. The new Carnival flagship measures 181,808 tons and can carry 5,282 passengers at double occupancy (6,465 with every pulldown bunk and pullout sofa filled).

Over the years, cruise ships have just gotten bigger and bigger. This is in part because bigger ships are more economical for lines to operate. There are economies of scale that make them a better business proposition. But, more than that, it's because bigger ships are what a significant portion of the cruising public wants.

As any executive at Carnival, Royal Caribbean or Norwegian will tell you, the mantra of would-be cruisers for years has been "give me more onboard options" — more decktop amusements, more bars, more restaurants, more showrooms. To deliver on this, the companies had to go bigger with the ships. For many megaship-loving cruisers, bigger is better.

I will stipulate the fact that, when it comes to megaships, the newer, bigger vessels have a lot more to offer. For the ultimate megaship experience, it's hard to beat a vessel such as Royal Caribbean's 236,857-ton Wonder of the Seas — the world's largest cruise ship. This is a ship so big that it has multiple main pool areas, a kiddie splash zone, surfing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court and even a zip line. And that's just on its top deck . Inside the vessel, you'll find more lounges, bars, restaurants and shops than you can imagine, plus a huge casino, spas, theaters and even an ice-skating rink.

But I still have a special fondness for the smaller megaships of old, such as Carnival Ecstasy — and it's not just because I miss the intimacy that many of the megaships of the 1990s (and even the 2000s) offered.

These smaller megaships also are more versatile, able to sail out of smaller ports such as Mobile, Alabama (the home of Carnival Ecstasy until this week), that might not be able to support a bigger vessel. They also can access smaller destination ports such as Havana, Cuba, that aren't reachable by bigger ships. Should Havana ever reopen to North American-based cruise ships again, only smaller ships such as Carnival Ecstasy would be able to pull right into its harbor.

The end of the 'small' megaship era

Until just a few years ago, we all could "have our cake and eat it, too" when it came to big and small megaships. There were ever more truly massive megaships rolling out, but many of the smaller megaships that dated to the late 1980s and 1990s still were around.

That all has changed quite suddenly in just the past three years, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

An industrywide shutdown lasting more than a year and plunging bookings prompted many of the biggest cruise lines including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Holland America and Princess to retire many of their oldest ships, which were also their smallest ships.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Carnival ship

Carnival, notably, entered the COVID-19 downturn with all eight of its small Fantasy class ships still sailing. In early 2020, the eight vessels accounted for about a third of the entire Carnival fleet. Within months, though, Carnival had announced the quick retirement of four of the eight vessels , and earlier this year it retired a fifth vessel in the series .

After this week's sailing of Carnival Ecstasy ends Saturday, it will become the sixth of the original eight Fantasy-class ships to leave the Carnival fleet.

As of next week, there will be just two of these small Carnival ships left, the 2,130-passenger Carnival Elation and the 2,124-passenger Carnival Paradise. Both date to 1998, making them significantly younger than Carnival Ecstasy, and they are a tad bigger in size.

Carnival's sister brand Holland America removed four of its oldest, smallest ships during the COVID-19 downturn, amounting to a 29% reduction in the size of its fleet. Princess Cruises has removed five of its older, smaller ships from its fleet in the past three years.

The COVID-19 crisis also saw the retirement of Royal Caribbean's two smallest ships , Empress of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas.

In short, the landscape of relatively small, intimate ships among the big mainstream lines has changed drastically over the past few years. And, to me, that's something to lament, even if it's a natural part of the evolution of the cruise business.

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Carnival Cruise Line to retire two more Fantasy-class cruise ships

Carnival Cruise Line has announced plans to retire two more of its Fantasy-class cruise ships, with Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Sensation set to leave the fleet this year.

Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Sensation, the two oldest and smallest cruise ships in the Carnival fleet, will be retired in the coming months, according to the cruise line.

Carnival Sensation, which is still in lay-up following the COVID-19 shut down of the global cruise industry in 2020, will be sold off and will never sail again for Carnival.

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Carnival Ecstasy, which was brough back into service last year, will sail her final cruise with Carnival Cruise Line on October 10th, 2022, from Mobile, Alabama.

Carnival Ecstasy is currently cruising roundtrip from Jacksonville, Florida, operating 4- and 5-night cruises to the Caribbean, visiting Nassau and Princess Cays in the Bahamas.

The additional cruise ship retirements come after Carnival Cruise Line last year sold off several of its Fantasy-class cruise ships, part of a wider fleet consolidation program across the Carnival Corporation group , which owns nine cruise lines.

At the time, Carnival Cruise Line indicated that it would not be getting rid of all its Fantasy-class cruise ships , which retain a fiercely loyal following among many long-time guests of the line.

The retirement of Ecstasy and Sensation leaves just two such vessels in the Carnival fleet (Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise).

Elation and Paradise are slightly larger than Ecstasy and Sensation at 71,909 gross tons versus 70,367, while the two ships being retired are also older, having been built in 1991 and 1993 respectively.

The retirement of the two ships has also necessitated a number of itinerary changes. Carnival Ecstasy will reposition to Mobile for departures from March 5th through October 10th, 2022.

The retirement of the two ships has necessitated a number of itinerary changes for Jacksonville and Mobile

Cruises from Mobile that were planned for the Carnival Sensation from October 15th, 2022 through September 30th, 2023 have been cancelled.

Carnival has indicated it will be announcing a new operating plan for Mobile cruises in the coming months.

Carnival Spirit will replace Carnival Ecstasy in Jacksonville for departures from March 7th through April 9th, 2022. The next two cruises are being cancelled, and then a new ship will be assigned from the Carnival fleet to Jacksonville for the Ecstasy itineraries, effective April 23rd, 2022.

“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, 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,” she added.

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Categories: News

Tagged as: Carnival Cruise Line , Carnival Ecstasy , Carnival Sensation

Published by Shaun Ebelthite

Founder and editor of Cruise Arabia & Africa. I try to create the best news and information specifically for cruise passengers taking cruises to and from Dubai (where I live) and South Africa (where I was born). You can contact me at shaun(at)cruisearabiaonline.com. View all posts by Shaun Ebelthite

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The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse is impacting cruises and could cause up to $10 million in losses for Carnival

By Caitlin O'Kane

Updated on: March 28, 2024 / 10:22 PM EDT / CBS News

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse  has impacted cruise travel in Baltimore. Carnival Cruise Line had to temporarily move its Baltimore operations to Norfolk, Virginia, as the Baltimore Harbor has been closed to marine traffic — which could cause up to a $10 million monetary loss for the company. 

The company's ship, Carnival Legend, was scheduled to return to Baltimore on  Sunday, March 31, but guests will instead go to Norfolk. There will be a complimentary bus service to get back to Baltimore from that port, Carnival announced on Tuesday . The drive between these cities could be up to five hours long. 

The upcoming Carnival Legend cruise on March 31 will depart and return to Norfolk. 

"Our thoughts remain with the impacted families and first responders in Baltimore," Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement. "We appreciate the pledge made by President Biden today to dedicate all available resources to reopen Baltimore Harbor to marine traffic as soon as possible. As those plans are finalized, we will update our future cruise guests on when we will return home to Baltimore, but in the meantime, we appreciate the quick response and support from officials in Norfolk."

"We will continue to actively monitor the situation and look forward to getting back to Baltimore as soon as possible," a Carnival spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News.

As for the impact on business, the spokesperson told CBS News the company expects a less than $10 million impact on both adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization as well as its adjusted net income for the full year 2024. 

Cruise Lines International Association , the largest cruise industry trade association, says 12 cruise ships made 115 trips through Baltimore in 2024. And in 2023, about 444,000 cruise passengers moved through the port, the 29th largest in the U.S.

Other cruise companies like Royal Caribbean and American Cruise Lines also have ships that go to Baltimore, however, it is unclear if those lines have been impacted yet. CBS News reached out to several cruise companies for comment. 

The bridge collapsed around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday when a cargo ship, called the Dali , lost power and crashed into one of the bridge's columns. The ship made a mayday call ahead of the crash and first responders were able to prevent cars from driving onto the bridge, but eight construction workers  were on the structure pouring concrete.

Two of the construction workers were recovered alive, but the other six were presumed dead on Tuesday. Two bodies were found in a construction vehicle  submerged in the water on Wednesday. 

Following the incident, Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and President Biden said the federal government would pay for the entire cost of reconstructing the bridge, which is still sitting in the river, on top of the cargo ship, which had 22 people on board – none of them harmed.

Baltimore is the ninth-busiest port in the nation and handled a record 11.7 million tons of cargo last year,  the Associated Press reports. More than 50 shipping and cruise ship companies do business with the port, mainly moving cars, coal, wood, steel, aluminum, home appliances, furniture, sugar and liquefied natural gas. 

"For everybody who is buying cars, for everybody who is (buying) farm equipment, we're the largest port in the country that does that," Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said . "So this is not just impacting Maryland."

Shipping companies and automakers will likely divert ships heading to Baltimore to other East Coast cities, experts say, according to the AP.

Ships waiting to get into Baltimore were stalled after the incident, with many drifting in the North Atlantic, waiting to be assigned to a new port, according to Windward Maritime, which analyzes maritime data. 

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said rebuilding the bridge  won't be easy or cheap. "That does not necessarily mean it will take five years to replace, but that tells you what went into that original structure going up," he said. "We need to get a sense of the conditions, of the parts that look ok, to the naked eye, but we just don't know yet, especially in terms of their foundational infrastructure."

Caitlin O'Kane is a New York City journalist who works on the CBS News social media team as a senior manager of content and production. She writes about a variety of topics and produces "The Uplift," CBS News' streaming show that focuses on good news.

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News | Baltimore-bound cruise passengers arrive in…

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News | Baltimore-bound cruise passengers arrive in Norfolk

NORFOLK — It is safe to say that most of the Carnival Legend cruise passengers did not think their vacation would end this way.

The sun had not yet risen as the cruise ship — which departed Baltimore’s port several days ago — docked at 4 a.m. Sunday at the Half Moon Cruise and Celebration Center. Downtown was quiet, many still asleep or attending a sunrise Easter service, as an impressive fleet of charter buses circled the cruise center. By 6:45 a.m., the ship’s passengers were working on their next phase of travel. For many, that meant a four-hour bus ride back to Baltimore.

Ships typically return to the port from which they leave, but when disaster struck midway through the cruise, staff had to work fast to find a port available to receive vacationers. The solution: Norfolk.

During the trip, officials closed the Port of Baltimore to all incoming and outgoing ship traffic after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning when it was struck by a container ship. The bridge carrying Interstate 695 collapsed in moments, sending several vehicles into the Patapsco River.

Last week, Carnival Cruise Line announced the ship will operate out of Norfolk, and Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas will do the same. Each ship can carry more than 2,000 people.

Lines of sun-kissed cruise-goers towing suitcases began to form as the sun crested over the horizon, many donning Carnival-themed attire and fresh sunburns.

The weather Sunday morning in the Mermaid City was likely much different than conditions they were enjoying in the Bahamas just days ago. Cab drivers parked alongside buses, waiting on customers, and some spoke to each other about how Sunday was likely to be a money-maker as cruise passengers opted to rent cars or fly back to Baltimore instead of braving the bus ride.

Sandy Crow, of Manassas, and her sister Kathy Grant, stood outside Nauticus, waiting for Crow’s husband to pick them up. Crow said she heard about the bridge collapse from another passenger.

“What a tragedy,” she said.

Crow said she has been to Norfolk before, highlighting the Norfolk Mac and Cheese Festival, and the two had been celebrating a sisters’ trip together over the past week. After finding out about their future arrival in Norfolk, Crow said driving home was the preferred option.

“The captain and the whole crew was so good communicating with us. Within a day, we knew we where were going to be. It was all handled beautifully,” Crow said. “It’s about three hours (to Manassas). It’s better than taking a bus for four or five hours, and then it would be another two hours. My husband just said, ‘I’ll just drive down there.'”

As cruise ships reroute to Nauticus, the Port of Virginia is ready to receive diverted cargo traffic from the Port of Baltimore. The collapsed bridge blocks the only channel in and out of the port on the Patapsco River.  The port will be unable to receive shipping traffic until the channel is cleared , and stands to lose an estimated $15 million per day in economic activity.

Some passengers who spoke to The Virginian-Pilot said they heard the news of the tragedy from the captain, and the crew handled it the best they could. Despite the tragedy, many said the trip was still a good one although it is ending differently than they had originally planned.

For other passengers, the trip does not even end in Baltimore. Jackie Plum and her family took their Spring Break trip out of Baltimore, but they are actually from Michigan.

“When they announced that the the bridge collapsed, I think the cruise ship handled it really well. They made it as stress free as possible,” she said. “We kind of changed our plans at the last minute because so (the reroute) is adding, like, an extra four hours to our drive. Now, we have to go four hours back to Baltimore and then eight hours to Michigan. We were trying to get off the ship as fast as we can, and at the last minute, we decided to rent a car at the airport.”

For the foreseeable future, Norfolk will be welcoming more passengers, including a Royal Caribbean cruise later this week on April 4.

“You know what? Stuff happens,” Crow said. “The only thing I’m upset about is people lost their lives.”

Eliza Noe, [email protected]

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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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