Carnival Cruise Ship In Trouble With Engine Difficulties

Carnival Panorama has developed engine difficulties that have impacted the ship’s maximum cruising speed, and as a result, two ports of call have been cancelled on her current sailing.

No other onboard systems are impacted, and the ship will still be able to return to Long Beach, California on schedule for debarkation on Saturday, November 11, 2023.

Carnival Panorama Skipping Ports of Call

Guests onboard Carnival Panorama have been notified of an itinerary change that is resulting in two out of three ports of call being cancelled on the ship’s current cruise. The sailing departed Long Beach, California on Saturday, November 4, on what was to have been a 7-night Mexican Riviera itinerary.

The cruise was originally scheduled to visit three popular ports of call – Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Cabo San Lucas. Now, however, two of those stops have been cancelled.

“The ship has developed an issue that is affecting its maximum cruising speed only,” a letter delivered to guests’ staterooms explained. “Regrettably, due to the reduced speed, we will not be able to visit Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán.”

Carnival Panorama will still call on Cabo San Lucas, but the visit has been changed to Wednesday, November 8 from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. instead of as originally planned on Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The extra 90 minutes in port will give guests slightly more time to explore the vibrant and scenic destination, as it is now the only port of call on the week-long cruise.

It must be noted that the ship’s safety systems and onboard operations, including hotel operations, food and beverage, and entertainment, are not impacted by the technical issue.

Only the ship’s maximum cruising speed of 22.6 knots (26 miles per hour / 42 kilometers per hour) is affected, which changes the distance the vessel can sail and still keep her schedule.

Compensation Offered

All shore excursions purchased through Carnival Cruise Line for Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán are being automatically cancelled and refunded to guests’ onboard accounts.

The ship’s Shore Excursions team is working with tour operators in Cabo San Lucas to adjust booked tours to Wednesday rather than Thursday, but guests will be notified if such adjustments are not possible.

As compensation for missing ports of call, all staterooms are also being given a $400 onboard credit to use for drinks, specialty dining, spa treatments, or other onboard purchases.

“We apologize for this situation and appreciate your understanding,” the letter, signed by Captain Carlo Queirolo, concludes.

Previous Engine Issues

This is not the first time Carnival Panorama has had engine issues impacting her cruising speed and planned itineraries.

In early June, the ship was delayed returning to Long Beach because of engine issues, which created embarkation delays for the next sailing. Further sailings at that time were also impacted with adjusted itineraries to compensate for the reduced speeds.

Onboard engineers are always able to work to correct technical problems, but occasionally special parts or different expertise may be required for permanent repairs. It is unclear whether or not this current issue with Carnival Panorama is an extension of her earlier difficulties or a new technical problem.

At this time, it is unknown whether or not additional upcoming sailings of the ship may be affected, though guests booked on sailings in the next few weeks will want to stay alert to possible itinerary changes or delays.

Carnival Panorama also experienced very similar issues in August 2021, with adjustments to port visit times and delayed returns to Long Beach. The same types of problems were also noted in December 2022.

The 133,868-gross-ton, Vista-class ship can welcome 4,008 guests at double occupancy, or as many as 5,146 passengers when fully booked. Also onboard are more than 1,400 crew members to ensure that all travelers have a memorable and fun cruise vacation, despite any unexpected difficulties.