Carnival Miracle May 27th itinerary has changed - staying in Tampa until Tuesday nigh

Not sure what you mean that the ship "received a entire new system". Miracle has had azipods since newbuild, and still has azipods. While in drydock, ships with azipods routinely exchange the thrust shaft sub-assembly for a reconditioned one, but that is no guarantee that it still wouldn't break down 2.5-3 years later, especially given that these are the older version of azipods.

 

I highly doubt there is a "concealed" security threat involved. As for "staff shortages", there are pools of crew waiting in their home countries for the call from the crewing agencies to get right on a plane and get to the ship. Unless the ship had a hundred unexpected crew quit with little notice (they normally don't because then they have to pay their own way home), this isn't the issue.

 

Given that the last drydock was in 2015, and that Miracle is under 15 years old, I suspect this is the statutory UWILD (Underwater Inspection in lieu of Drydock), since this is the last UWILD Miracle can do. After 15 years, UWILDs are no longer acceptable, and the ship must drydock twice in 5 years. This can take 2-3 days of divers examining and filming virtually every inch of the ship that is underwater. Frequently, this is done over 2-3 turn-around days, but Carnival may have found themselves up against the time frame limit and had to do it all at once. It requires the sufficient dive infrastructure to get the inspection done, and the necessary visibility in the water, as well as the required permits to do the inspection from the port. This will also involve things like polishing the propellers and renewing zinc anodes that require permitting (removal of the marine growth on the propellers is an EPA regulated task)(welding in port requires permits from the USCG).

That is great information thank you but if that is the case then Carnival just needs to come clean. Some of us had to put in over 5 months in advance to get this time off and due to work can't reschedule. I just expect honesty no more no less. Again thanks for the great info.

Cannot believe that Carnival is not coming clean as to why the delay. We live local, diamond passengers and will have a good time whether docked in Tampa or on an island.

The reason for delay is one issue, I am also curious about the prorate statement versus two day refund. Might be the same, but representative told us adjustments would be made once on ship. Carnival is not exactly a leader in refunds so this whole deal is interesting.

I called WFLA to see if they could find out what is really going on.

Might help if others did the same.

Fun reasons for delay: Captain lost the map, Chef ate his own food and has food poisoning, propeller keeps falling off.

Feel free to contribute delay reasons.

Carnival said take you rate without taxes and divide by seven then add two days that will be your refund amount plus the two port fees so you should be able to get a ruff amount you will be getting back.

That is great information thank you but if that is the case then Carnival just needs to come clean. Some of us had to put in over 5 months in advance to get this time off and due to work can't reschedule. I just expect honesty no more no less. Again thanks for the great info.

I don't really understand why folks think the cruise line has to tell every detail of what goes on. Do you demand this level of transparency with all businesses you have dealings with? Carnival has said it is required maintenance, why do you need more detail? I understand you cannot reschedule your vacation, but does knowing exactly what type of maintenance is being done, or even why the vacation is having the itinerary changed going to change whether you take the partial cruise or cancel?

I don't really understand why folks think the cruise line has to tell every detail of what goes on. Do you demand this level of transparency with all businesses you have dealings with? Carnival has said it is required maintenance, why do you need more detail? I understand you cannot reschedule your vacation, but does knowing exactly what type of maintenance is being done, or even why the vacation is having the itinerary changed going to change whether you take the partial cruise or cancel?

Thank you.

I don't really understand why folks think the cruise line has to tell every detail of what goes on. Do you demand this level of transparency with all businesses you have dealings with? Carnival has said it is required maintenance, why do you need more detail? I understand you cannot reschedule your vacation, but does knowing exactly what type of maintenance is being done, or even why the vacation is having the itinerary changed going to change whether you take the partial cruise or cancel?

I equate being told about maintenance to this mode of transportation the same as I do about my automobile.

On a cruise, you are paying for a service, not a mystery about delays? Same goes with flights etc...

For Maintenance is a very generic reason. Not an explanation.

I think I would want to know exactly what maintenance is required so I could try to calculate what might go wrong that could cause even more of the cruise to be spent in Tampa. Yes, I am aware that I know nothing about the process, but I would still try to analyze the chances of a longer delay (for those of us with excessive attention to detail, OCD, worriers, etc). For instance, it was an extremely cold winter and now an unusually rainy spring so far; could that inspection go forward with lots of thunderstorms?

You may have more issues than maintenance. Mother Nature is stirring up trouble in the Southern Gulf and its headed North.

Do not need to know on what page of the maintenance manual relates to the Carnival problem.

A few hours at a port or an airport is business as usual. A two and one-half day delay is different. Carnival is responsible to explain what is going on.

Add to fun reasons why a delay:

Carnival mechanics should check on You Tube "How to fix an ocean liner"

I equate being told about maintenance to this mode of transportation the same as I do about my automobile.

 

On a cruise, you are paying for a service, not a mystery about delays? Same goes with flights etc...

 

For Maintenance is a very generic reason. Not an explanation.

So, when a flight is delayed, do you get a description of the breakdown or the maintenance being done, or do they just say "we're delayed for a maintenance problem" or "we've had to change aircraft due to a mechanical problem". That's been my experience.

I think I would want to know exactly what maintenance is required so I could try to calculate what might go wrong that could cause even more of the cruise to be spent in Tampa. Yes, I am aware that I know nothing about the process, but I would still try to analyze the chances of a longer delay (for those of us with excessive attention to detail, OCD, worriers, etc). For instance, it was an extremely cold winter and now an unusually rainy spring so far; could that inspection go forward with lots of thunderstorms?

Do not need to know on what page of the maintenance manual relates to the Carnival problem.

A few hours at a port or an airport is business as usual. A two and one-half day delay is different. Carnival is responsible to explain what is going on.

Add to fun reasons why a delay:

Carnival mechanics should check on You Tube "How to fix an ocean liner"

Here you are confusing "maintenance" with "repair". Maintenance is work done to equipment to keep it from breaking down. An oil change on your car is "maintenance", do you worry that when you take your car in to change the oil, this might be an indication of future breakdowns, or worry that they might not finish the oil change in time for you to pick up the kids? Sometimes, maintenance can be done with the ship in service, because unlike your car, there is redundancy of equipment. Sometimes, it can't, so the ship needs to be out of service. How well Carnival handled the customer service aspect of this, the notification, the timing of the itinerary change, etc., I don't comment on, that's not my area of expertise.

So, when a flight is delayed, do you get a description of the breakdown or the maintenance being done, or do they just say "we're delayed for a maintenance problem" or "we've had to change aircraft due to a mechanical problem". That's been my experience.

In my 40 years of flying experience....I got a detailed explanation 80% of the time..... With aircraft, you can have another plane arrive in a few hours, not a day. A cruise ship....not so much???

We don't know what the unforeseen issue is, but it seems to me that they've handled the customer service end as well as they possibly could have with the option of a pro-rated refund if you sail and a full refund if you don't. That ignores the other arrangements they've made.

We don't know what the unforeseen issue is, but it seems to me that they've handled the customer service end as well as they possibly could have with the option of a pro-rated refund if you sail and a full refund if you don't. That ignores the other arrangements they've made.

The other arrangements "may" or "may not" changeable without a fee....hotels, transportation etc....

As long as you can board the ship on time, it should not be a problem. But.... if not..... a completely different animal, sort of speak...:):)

The other arrangements "may" or "may not" changeable without a fee....hotels, transportation etc....

 

As long as you can board the ship on time, it should not be a problem. But.... if not..... a completely different animal, sort of speak...:):)

By "other arrangements", I meant the other amenities being provided by Carnival. The shuttles and the concert.

I agree, for those with airfares booked, there is much less flexibility and more inconvenience. As a local I am biased to forget that stuff. :p

In my 40 years of flying experience....I got a detailed explanation 80% of the time..... With aircraft, you can have another plane arrive in a few hours, not a day. A cruise ship....not so much???

And I've been flying for over 40 years as well. I've never heard them say, "we did a ground check, and found that the access panel door on the port engine has a closed indicator switch that is not working properly". All I've heard is "the ground crew found a problem and we're working on it". Maybe if I made a fuss about it, and they handed me off to the Captain or First Officer I might have gotten that. And because there are fewer cruise ships, and no spares, this means the company has to be more transparent when they are doing work to prevent the ship from breaking down? That aircraft I mentioned earlier is a "repair", while what Carnival is doing is "maintenance". Do you believe that the airlines continue to operate their aircraft until they breakdown, or do they pull them from service for "preventative maintenance"? Do they tell you that the aircraft you just got on was out of service for 3 days for a 10,000 hour overhaul? Don't think so. And while that aircraft didn't impact your travel, because there was a replacement aircraft, a ship needs to be pulled from service occasionally as well.

By the way, if you feel you need to know all the maintenance going on during your cruise, make sure to demand to know if all the diesel engines are available. Most ships operate several weeks a year with one of the diesel generators down for overhaul that can take 3-4 weeks. And the ship sails along with no one the wiser.

Here you are confusing "maintenance" with "repair". Maintenance is work done to equipment to keep it from breaking down. An oil change on your car is "maintenance", do you worry that when you take your car in to change the oil, this might be an indication of future breakdowns, or worry that they might not finish the oil change in time for you to pick up the kids? Sometimes, maintenance can be done with the ship in service, because unlike your car, there is redundancy of equipment. Sometimes, it can't, so the ship needs to be out of service. How well Carnival handled the customer service aspect of this, the notification, the timing of the itinerary change, etc., I don't comment on, that's not my area of expertise.

I am absolutely not trying to be argumentative, but... when I take my car in for an oil change, I know it is going to be finished in time because I am familiar with the process of oil changes and familiar with the condition of my car. Some of us have trouble with blind trust. We might be legitimately be called control freaks, or are overly cautious, but some people are just more comfortable having knowledge of the things that might affect them, especially in an adverse manner. Like kids who ask "why?" a hundred times a day :D

That being said, I have checked the price of this cruise several times because I would seriously consider going if the price was right. If this was going to be my only vacation of the year and I had transportation expenses, I wouldn't be interested. But as frequent cruisers who have annual passes to Busch Gardens and Adventure Island and live 90 minutes from the port, using a cruise ship as a hotel room in Tampa for a few days before a short cruise sounds good.

Also not trying to be argumentative, but when you get on a plane, or into a taxi (and more importantly an uber), do you ask when the last maintenance was done, when it was last taken out of service for inspection, and when it last broke down? I just don't see why cruise lines are held to different standards.

Also not trying to be argumentative, but when you get on a plane, or into a taxi (and more importantly an uber), do you ask when the last maintenance was done, when it was last taken out of service for inspection, and when it last broke down? I just don't see why cruise lines are held to different standards.

Please see the current thread on 4K cabin doors being redesigned as windows. Your input would be welcome.

I just don't see why cruise lines are held to different standards.

Because of the travel and hotel costs! We have all read about the "Triumph" issues, and no notice of itinerary changes, people flew in, drove in etc....

I wonder how many cancellations they've actually had on this cruise? We're still going, just curious!

I wonder how many cancellations they've actually had on this cruise? We're still going, just curious!

I’m guessing quite a few... casino is sending out these offers... too bad Air is $984 return lol

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We cancelled

According to the rep that I spoke to yesterday over half the ship has canceled

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Wonder if that was intention so they could get all the work completed. They now backed up the embarkation time by 3 hours. Oh well is what it is guess we can explore an empty ship.

We cancelled

According to the rep that I spoke to yesterday over half the ship has canceled

 

 

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So if Carnival personally contacts every passenger being impacted by this change and informs that the ship has a faulty canuter valve will you then be satisfied? Not sure why having the specifics would change the outcome. This is just silliness.

Now the weather seems to be a bigger issue!! Should make for an interesting week!! Ah well, when life hands us lemons, we'll definitely make lemonade!!