Major cruise line cancels planned sailings, upending vacations: 'Definitely a disappointment'

Carnival Cruise Line has canceled 11 sailings on its Carnival Firenze ship, which were all scheduled for fall 2026.

"Due to changes to itinerary plans, we have canceled sailings aboard Carnival Firenze scheduled between Oct. 12, 2026, and Nov. 16, 2026," Carnival said in a shared statement with Fox News Digital.

The cruise cancellations are connected to a redeployment effort, according to a statement by the company to booked guests. 

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Carnival is planning to redeploy its Firenze ship from Long Beach to Miami in early 2027, followed by a permanent move to New York City in the summer of 2027, it said. The vessel will offer voyages to the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Canada, TravelAge West reported.

The redeployment will include a Carnival Journeys Southern Caribbean voyage departing from Miami in May 2027 before it leaves for New York City, according to Cruise Industry News.

"Guests booked on the affected sailings, as well as their travel advisors, have been notified directly. We have apologized to our impacted guests and are offering them the option to rebook another," the statement continued.

Carnival Firenze was scheduled to operate three- and four-night cruises due to depart from Long Beach.

Gene Sloan, cruise director at The Points Guy, said these kinds of itinerary changes aren't unusual.

"It's definitely a disappointment for customers who are booked on the existing sailings that get canceled. But given the sailings on Carnival Firenze are 7-8 months out, it probably doesn't affect a huge number of people," Sloan told Fox News Digital.

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"In general, shorter sailings get booked up closer to departure dates."

Carnival is working closely with booked passengers to find a similar voyage, it said. In the event that those passengers do not want to change their itineraries, they will receive a full refund.

Carnival cruise passengers have the option of booking comparable sailing in similar accommodations, along with an onboard credit, Carnival said.

"Guests who choose not to reschedule will receive a full refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased items to the original form of payment," the statement concluded.

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If booked passengers schedule a comparable sailing by March 25, 2026, they will receive a $50 per person onboard credit, according to Yahoo Travel.

After the March 25 deadline, reservations will be automatically canceled and a full refund will be issued, the same source said. 

The Carnival Firenze debuted in April 2024. It's known for its "Fun Italian Style" cruising, inspired by the city of Florence. 

It had been operating year-round out of Long Beach, California.

The Firenze can accommodate around 4,126 passengers at double occupancy, with a maximum capacity of roughly 5,245 to 5,260 guests, according to the company. 

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The ship features Italian-themed décor and dining - such as the Terrazza staterooms and Amari cocktail bar - and familiar favorites such as Guy's Burger Joint.

Carnival also notified booked guests this week of another change in California. Several 2026 voyages on the Carnival Panorama will have a revised schedule implemented.

Carnival Panorama also departs from Long Beach and visits Mexican Riviera ports, including Mazatlán, La Paz and Cabo San Lucas.

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None of the destinations have been removed, but the company changed the order of port calls, port times and some departure and return times from Long Beach, according to CruiseHive.

In recent weeks, many cruise lines have been thrown into chaos after the killing of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho" and most recently due to the Iran conflict.

Safety concerns rattled cruise passengers after the U.S. government issued security warnings for Mexico Feb. 22. Puerto Vallarta was of particular concern to cruise ship operators.

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Additionally, thousands of passengers were on ships in Doha and Dubai during the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Cruise lines have been facing the volatility in oil prices during the industry's busiest booking period, known as the "wave season," which runs between January and March. It typically sees operators offering special deals and discounts for trips.

These cruises tend to run during the third quarter and have a disproportionately large contribution to cruise operators' incomes, according to Lizzie Dove, an analyst at Goldman Sachs.

Dove noted that the oil shock could affect Americans' bookings to Europe, particularly for higher-priced transatlantic trips.

Eric Revell of FOX Business contributed reporting.