More mechanical issues for Carnival Vista

[Knights on the Beach]

Vista came into Port Canaveral a couple hours late this morning and remains docked there at 7:15 pm. I'm seeing posts on social media saying that they'll be altering this week's itinerary from Aruba, Curacao and Grand Turk to Nassau, Freeport, Princess Cay and Half Moon Cay and are offering a full refund to those who want to cancel or a $400 OBC per stateroom to those who stay. After reading some of the rants from people who are opting to stay on the ship, I feel sorry for the crew - it's going to be a long 8 days for them. 

[Jamman54]

Well that stinks! We would stay on, especially if we had a Havana cabin! 😎

[HappySails4U]

Well that is interesting . . . .  We are booked for the August 24th sailing so certainly hope that they get the kinks soothed out  !!

[dolphinsfan246]

I was wondering why she was both late and had tug assist this morning. That explains a lot. I’d be disappointed at that port switch as well but I’d take the $400 and still enjoy myself. 

[DanJ]

The full refund looks to be in the form of a future cruise credit. I would have stayed on the cruise as well and enjoyed the 400 obc.

[Knights on the Beach]

2 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Well that stinks! We would stay on, especially if we had a Havana cabin! 😎

 

Same! I mean on the first leg of our B2B, we only got off the ship in one port and only for a couple hours. LOL

 

32 minutes ago, dolphinsfan246 said:

I was wondering why she was both late and had tug assist this morning. That explains a lot. I’d be disappointed at that port switch as well but I’d take the $400 and still enjoy myself. 

 

Tug assist to dock? I saw someone else mentioned that as well. We got up at 6:00 am and saw NCL Jade coming in. I figured we'd missed Vista because it's usually here around 5:30 but then I saw her making her way towards port when I was on the balcony for sunrise.

 

I would be disappointed in the change as well but we know all too well, ports are never guaranteed. We've had lots of changes over the years, sometimes for the better and sometimes not. Sometimes you just have to make lemonade out of lemons. 🙂

[dolphinsfan246]

1 minute ago, Knights on the Beach said:

 

Same! I mean on the first leg of our B2B, we only got off the ship in one port and only for a couple hours. LOL

 

 

Tug assist to dock? I saw someone else mentioned that as well. We got up at 6:00 am and saw NCL Jade coming in. I figured we'd missed Vista because it's usually here around 5:30 but then I saw her making her way towards port when I was on the balcony for sunrise.

 

I would be disappointed in the change as well but we know all too well, ports are never guaranteed. We've had lots of changes over the years, sometimes for the better and sometimes not. Sometimes you just have to make lemonade out of lemons. 🙂

Yes , the Port Canaveral tugs page was posting about bringing her in this morning. I thought it was very strange because the weather was calm. 

[VentureMan_2000]

Hope she's good to go by Sept 2025...

[Knights on the Beach]

I saw a tug approach Vista before it entered the port but we see them come and go all the time so I didn't think anything of it.

 

[chengkp75]

5 hours ago, Knights on the Beach said:

I saw a tug approach Vista before it entered the port but we see them come and go all the time so I didn't think anything of it.

If one azipod stops working, the ship loses all redundancy in steering, and so the USCG requires a tug escort for any ship without steering redundancy, from the sea buoy to the dock.

[Knights on the Beach]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

If one azipod stops working, the ship loses all redundancy in steering, and so the USCG requires a tug escort for any ship without steering redundancy, from the sea buoy to the dock.

 

Makes perfect sense. A few people posted last night claiming Vista had to be towed into port. So much drama on the FB pages. I also saw a video of unhappy people yelling at officers. I really feel for the Vista crew this week. 😞

[pe4all]

I always feel for the crew when itineraries get changed up suddenly for unexpected reasons.  I totally understand that people were looking forward to certain ports, but stuff happens.  We have been on several cruises where ports were missed due to mechanical issues, illness on board, weather, etc.  The A,C, GT itinerary is really good, and having it switched to the Bahamas stinks, but CCL giving the option to cancel for full refund (even if it is cruise credit) or $400 obc to stay on seems ok. Yes, there are flights and hotels to think about also, but travel insurance would hopefully cover that- if they have it.  

[kelkel2]

Wow, having been on that itinerary, that is a big change and pretty crappy. We would stay on board, just because we fly to port and probably have already spent so much money on our plans. But ugh, what a disappointment for the cruisers. 
 

[splintz]

I am on the Vista on this sailing. It does suck to lose the good ports, but vacation is still vacation. It didn’t seem like we left Port Canaveral until after 9pm. 
 

if you stayed on the cruise you received $400 obc per state room and 25% future cruise credit. 
if you left the cruise you received 125% future cruise credit. Or a full 100% full refund. And up to $200 per person for independent travel expenses. 

[topaz123]

We were on Vista Late July cruise. Had problems with air conditioning....elevator heat was huge. Saw lots of mechanical crew going in and out of rear area access....I think this issue was worsening....

[DanJ]

When they say the FCC must be redeemed by Aug 2025, does that mean you must book a cruise with that FCC by then or actually sail by then? The only time I have faced this was for our cruise that was affected by 9-11. Sailing from New York on Sept 15, 2001, the cruise was moved to Boston. We were offered a 100% FCC but we had to sail within 18 months and the whole reason we had booked that cruise was my wife got pregnant and this was going to be our last couple vacation for quite some time. We did go on the cruise, even though we had to drive from Ontario to Boston instead of fly to NYC and we did get a bunch of OBC as well out of it, and it was a strange feeling with only 750 passengers on the ship. 

[Knights on the Beach]

1 hour ago, splintz said:

I am on the Vista on this sailing. It does suck to lose the good ports, but vacation is still vacation. It didn’t seem like we left Port Canaveral until after 9pm. 
 

if you stayed on the cruise you received $400 obc per state room and 25% future cruise credit. 
if you left the cruise you received 125% future cruise credit. Or a full 100% full refund. And up to $200 per person for independent travel expenses. 

 

I think this is fair and it's better than what was posted in FB groups. We were on a B2B on Vista in April and the second leg was Aruba, Bonaire and Grand Turk. I agree it would have been disappointing to change to the Bahamas but we would have stayed on too (and we live right by the port).

 

I think I saw that Vista pulled away from the dock at 9:03 last night. It was straight out in front of us at 9:15. Please keep us posted about your cruise this week if you can. I hope you have a great time and good weather! If Melissa is still onboard bartending at the atrium bar she is fantastic! I think our other favorites left Vista already.

[n6uqqq]

It sure would be nice if Carnival could list FCC credits on our Carnival dot com account. As of now nothing is ever listed so whether one has a FCC is unknown unless a call is made. They should be more transparent in this regard. My Southwest account is teeming with credits and it is nice to be aware of it. 

[staceyglow]

1 hour ago, n6uqqq said:

It sure would be nice if Carnival could list FCC credits on our Carnival dot com account. As of now nothing is ever listed so whether one has a FCC is unknown unless a call is made. They should be more transparent in this regard. My Southwest account is teeming with credits and it is nice to be aware of it. 

Our PVP keeps track of that stuff for us. 

[PlanoTim]

11 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

If one azipod stops working, the ship loses all redundancy in steering, and so the USCG requires a tug escort for any ship without steering redundancy, from the sea buoy to the dock.

Thanks for the info.  Would the steering redundancy also be lost if a cruise ship had a rudder and two shaft propellers and lost one (like from a motor or electrical failure)?

[pe4all]

7 hours ago, splintz said:

I am on the Vista on this sailing. It does suck to lose the good ports, but vacation is still vacation. It didn’t seem like we left Port Canaveral until after 9pm. 
 

if you stayed on the cruise you received $400 obc per state room and 25% future cruise credit. 
if you left the cruise you received 125% future cruise credit. Or a full 100% full refund. And up to $200 per person for independent travel expenses. 

Seems pretty generous to me.

[n6uqqq]

1 hour ago, pe4all said:

Seems pretty generous to me.

I agree, going to Princess Cay and HMC isn't the worst thing in the world. For some Nassau and Freeport would be debatable 🤣 but the $400 dollars of OBC can soften the blow with some day drinking while staying on the ship. 

[bg2310]

I have to say I've been pleasantly surprised with the options Carnival provides when something like this occurs! They seem to be generous and go a bit above and beyond to work with you and compensate passengers for the inconvenience and disappointment.

 

I would definitely not complain about $400 OBC and be quite satisfied to accept! Alcohol will sure help to get over such disappointment or negative experience. 🤣

[chengkp75]

4 hours ago, PlanoTim said:

Thanks for the info.  Would the steering redundancy also be lost if a cruise ship had a rudder and two shaft propellers and lost one (like from a motor or electrical failure)?

No, because the ship would still have two rudders, and each rudder has two steering systems, so you have 4 times the redundancy.  So, even if the port propeller failed, and both systems on the starboard rudder failed, you would still have the port rudder (though steering with a rudder not in line with the prop is not efficient), with two redundant steering systems.

[jsglow]

20 hours ago, DanJ said:

When they say the FCC must be redeemed by Aug 2025, does that mean you must book a cruise with that FCC by then or actually sail by then? 

It's the former Dan. We were part of the crowd that was impacted by Panorama cancellations last November/December. In that case, one needed to BOOK a future cruise by November 2024 sailing anytime on the schedule thereafter.