Carnival Vista cruise canceled: What to know about the ship's repairs, when it will sail

Passengers who sailed on a Carnival Vista ship last month and are waiting to get a refund because the sailing itinerary changed – stop waiting.

There’s no refund coming.

Once guests were on board the Carnival Vista on Aug. 10 , they were informed the ship’s cruising speed was limited due to a technical issue. Crew members informed passengers if they disembarked before the ship left port, they would get a full refund.

“The vast majority did (stay onboard),” said Matt Lupoli, Carnival's senior manager of public relations.

What options were Carnival Vista passengers given?

The ship was originally schedule for an 8-night southern Caribbean cruise with stops in places like Aruba, Curacao and Turks and Cacaos.

Instead, it headed to the Bahamas visiting Nassau, Princess Cays and Freeport.

Passengers were given two options:

• Option 1: Disembark and get a full refund
• Options 2: Remain on the cruise and get an undisclosed amount of onboard credit as well as credit for a future cruise.

Some passengers who remained on the cruise are saying they deserve a refund to make up for the difference in the cost of the cruise they purchased and the cruise the got. Carnival officials said that’s what the credits are for.

The guests were given an option to either sale with the credits or get a refund. Those who sailed with the credits are not eligible for a refund.

When will Carnival Vista sail again from Port Canaveral?

Engineers continue working on the ship and it’s expected to be repaired in time for a sailing scheduled to leave Sunday.

The Sept. 15 itinerary includes Half Moon Cay, Bahamas as well as Grand Turk and Amber Cove before returning to Port Canaveral on Sept. 21.

An eight-night southern Caribbean cruise that was supposed to leave Port Canaveral on Sept. 7 was canceled. The thousands of affected passengers received a refund, plus a future cruise credit.

The Carnival Vista has a double-occupancy capacity of 3,934 passengers; a full capacity of 4,977 passengers; and a crew of 1,450. It began sailing in 2016.

How common is it for Carnaval cruise ships to have technical issues with cruising speed?

Although this is not a common issue, it has happened before.

The last time was on the California-based Carnival Panorama in November 2023. That ship was out of commission for multiple sailings.

Spitzer is a Trending Reporter. She can be reached at MSpitzer@Floridatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Carnival Vista cruise canceled: What to know about the ship's repairs, when it will sail