Carnival Legend docks in Tampa

[Sarge6870]

The Carnival Legend and its approximately 2,500 passengers and 930 crew members has docked in Tampa after moving slower than normal because of propulsion problems.The issue forced the cancellation of a stop at the Grand Cayman Islands.

The Legend is still expected to depart as scheduled on a Caribbean cruise later Sunday afternoon with a modified itinerary, Carnival officials said Friday. The ship, however, joins the Elation, Dream and Triumph as the fourth Carnival Cruise Lines ship in five weeks to experience problems at sea.

Corporate officials portrayed Carnival's trio of troubles last week as mostly normal incidents that would not have drawn intense media attention had they occurred over a longer period of time.

However, the first and most serious of the recent events – the shipboard fire aboard the Triumph in the Gulf of Mexico in mid-February – led to a review throughout Carnival's fleet of redundant shipboard systems designed to contribute to safety.

Cruise line officials predicted they'll turn to a well-known practice to lure back customers during times of bad publicity: discounts. "I do think there will be price promotions," Carnival chief operating officer Howard Frank said in a conference call Friday.

The Legend is one of five cruise chips to serve the Port of Tampa during the height of the Caribbean cruise season. Carnival operates two ships year around, while three other companies operate during the peak season, which is nearing its end. Any fallout from the Legend's problems, which forced cancellation of a port call Friday at Grand Cayman so the ship could arrive in Tampa on schedule while traveling at slower speeds, could take weeks to surface. Carnival officials attributed the Legend's trouble to problems with a combination propulsion and steering unit.

Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen said the problem will slightly change the itinerary for the ship's scheduled Sunday departure from Tampa for another seven-day cruise. Instead of stopping in Grand Cayman, the ship will stop in Costa Maya, he said. "The other ports on the itinerary, including Cozumel, Belize and Mahogany Bay, Roatan, remain as scheduled,'' Gulliksen said. "The ship's safety systems and hotel services are all functioning normally."

Legend passengers on the current cruise will receive a $100-per-person credit, a refund on pre-purchased shore excursions for Grand Cayman and half off a future Carnival cruise, the company said.

Those scheduled to sail Sunday were given the option of canceling and receiving a full refund or rescheduling for a future departure date. Miami-based Carnival Corp. is the parent company of 10 cruise brands, including Carnival Cruise Lines and Costa Cruises, the Southern European company whose cruise ship Costa Concordia struck a reef off the Tuscan Island of Giglio in January 2012, killing 32 people.

SOURCE: tbo.com

[Sarge6870]

"Corporate officials portrayed Carnival's trio of troubles last week as mostly normal incidents that would not have drawn intense media attention had they occurred over a longer period of time." . I totally agree with this statement!! Planes are delayed and diverted EVERYDAY yet you NEVER hear of the constant reporting of that. With so many things going on in the world today, the media...ALL OF THE MEDIA need to find some REAL stories to report for a change!!! The only people in my mind that would have these cruise ship issues deter them from cruising are new people to the cruising industry. Only 8 months till MY cruise!!! Just my opinion!!!

[WeCruiseToo]

So, instead of stopping at Grand Cayman for a few hours, I get a relaxing day at sea, $100 to spend, and half off my next cruise? Sign me up – I’ll take that deal any day!

[Jan115]

I agree ... Any extra day at sea is a good one, in my book!

[jacketwatch]

Very generous compensation I think for missing only one port. I wonder how much money the ship makes by having folks on board for an extra day vs. the money lost by cancellation of excursions?

For me it remains to be seen if this spate of mech. problems is weird coincidence or due to lax maintenence procedures. Maybe we will never know.