Coronavirus continues to impact travel. Carnival Cruise Line cited construction delays caused by COVD-19 has changed the completion date of their much awaited new ship. The 180,000 ton Carnival Mardi Gras cruise ship has been moved from an August debut, to a target date of February 6, 2021. The Mardi Gras is 35% larger than the recently launched Carnival Panorama cruise ship. Depending on its final measurements, it will rank seventh or eighth among the biggest cruise ships ever built. Mardi Gras is the first Carnival ship to have a roller coaster, new suite categories and the first Emeril Lagasse restaurant at sea. Another unique feature is that it will be the first ship from North America that will operate on liquid natural gas.
Several departures for the Mardi Gras between November 14th. 2020 & January 30, 2021 have been cancelled. “While we had hoped to make up construction time on Mardi Gras over the summer, it’s clear we will need extra time to complete this magnificent ship,” Carnival president Christine Duffy said in a statement. “We share our guests’ disappointment and appreciate their patience as we work through this unprecedented time in our business and the lives of so many people.”
In other Carnival related news…
The Carnival Radiance was being refurbished and is also delayed. She will not be ready until Spring 2021 now. The Carnival Breeze cruise ship is being moved from Ft. Lauderdale to Port Canaveral to cover the itineraries for the Radiance from November 8, 2020 to April 24, 2021. This means that anyone booked on the Carnival Breeze out of Ft. Lauderdale from November 7, 2020 to March 7, 2021 is out of luck as these sailings are being cancelled.
Guests that were booked on the Carnival Breeze out of Ft. Lauderdale from March 13, 2021 to April 24, 2021 will now sail on the Carnival Magic on the same itinerary, but departing from the Port of Miami. Confused yet? This is the type of thing your travel agent would be notified of and could assist you with making any changes needed.
Carnival Magic’s transatlantic and European itineraries from March 13, 2021, to May 3, 2021, have also been canceled.
