ShipsBy Patrick Karsh
Carnival Spirit came back to Seattle a day late this month after a technical problem at sea. The ship's 15-night Hawaii cruise was cut short by one day, and the next voyage lost a stop in Mexico. Carnival is paying back part of the fare and adding onboard credit.
That is according to Cruise Industry News, which quoted Carnival's letter to guests on October 7.
What happened
Carnival Spirit left Seattle on September 23 on a Carnival Journeys cruise. The route took in Honolulu, Nawiliwili, Kahului and Hilo in Hawaii, and Victoria in Canada.
Carnival said an issue on October 3 needed more repair time. The ship had been due back in Seattle early on October 8. Instead, the line said, its return "will be delayed until Friday, October 9." In practice, that meant one day less of vacation for guests on board, and a longer wait for the people boarding next.
The next cruise changes too
The late return pushed into the ship's next trip. That is a 16-night cruise from Seattle to Mobile, Alabama, which moves the ship from the West Coast to the Gulf of Mexico. The route includes a full transit of the Panama Canal and calls in Central America and the Caribbean.
To keep its slot at the canal, Carnival dropped Cabo San Lucas. Puntarenas in Costa Rica and Cartagena in Colombia stayed on the plan. Carnival said it would send new boarding times for the October 9 departure before the cruise.
The canal slot explains the choice. Ships book set times to cross, and a missed slot can mean a long wait. Cutting one Mexican port protects the rest of the route.
What guests get back
Carnival's letter set out the compensation for guests on the shortened Hawaii trip and the changed repositioning cruise. As reported by Cruise Industry News, it includes:
- A pro-rated refund of the cruise fare and of prepaid packages, such as Wi-Fi and drinks.
- A refund for any Cabo San Lucas shore tours booked through Carnival.
- $250 in onboard credit per cabin.
- Automatic changes to flights booked through Carnival's FLY2FUN program.
- Up to $200 per person for guests who booked their own air, toward change fees and other travel costs that cannot be refunded.
Carnival also said: "We know this is disappointing news and we apologize for these unexpected adjustments."
What to do if you are affected
If you booked your own flights, keep every receipt. The $200 cap is per person, and you will need proof of what the change cost you. Write down the date you were told about the delay, too.
If your tour in Cabo was with an outside company, Carnival's refund will not cover it. Contact that company directly and ask about its cancellation terms.
Finally, check your onboard account near the end of the cruise. Make sure the $250 credit and any package refunds have posted before you leave the ship.
Why this matters for future bookings
Long one-way cruises and repositioning trips have little slack. When one sailing runs late, the next one often pays for it. That is not unique to Carnival. But it is a good reason to buy travel insurance for a long cruise and to avoid tight flight times on the day you get off.
My take
Carnival's package here is fair, and the $250 credit plus a pro-rated refund is more than some lines offer. If I were on the canal trip, losing Cabo would sting less than missing the canal itself. Still, I would never book a nonrefundable flight home on the same morning a long repositioning cruise ends.
Related reading
Photo: Carnival Spirit at Ogden Point, Victoria, British Columbia, in May 2025 · Jack Adamenko, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons