Carnival Legend leaves on latest voyage as company launches review

Carnival’s Legend cruise ship has left on its latest voyage while technical issues are still being resolved.

The cruise giant has confirmed it is conducting a comprehensive fleet-wide review which will encompass multiple operational areas, systems and training following three ships being hit by technical problems in as many days.

Carnival Legend had to cancel a stop in the Cayman Islands and make its way slowly back to Tampa, arriving slightly ahead of schedule on Sunday.

The cruise line also had to fly 4,363 passengers home this weekend after cancelling a cruise on Carnival Dream, after technical problems at St Maarten left passengers stranded during its last leg of a seven day cruise.

Carnival Elation also suffered a ‘minor technical issue with a steering function’.

The technical problems on three more Carnival cruise ships come only a month after an engine fire on Carnival Triumph left passengers stranded.  

Carnival chairman, Micky Arison, had just finished saying support from the travel trade had helped it recover booking levels following the Carnival Triumph problems at the company’s first quarter results last week, when these new issues emerged.

Guests who were on board Carnival Dream will receive a refund equivalent to three days of the voyage and 50% off a future cruise, while passengers scheduled to sail on the cancelled cruise due to depart this week will receive a full refund and 25% off a future seven-day cruise.

Passengers who were on the Carnival Legend will receive a $100 per person credit and a full refund on pre-purchased shore excursions for Grand Cayman, plus 50% off a future Carnival cruise.

Carnival said Carnival Legend would depart on schedule while technicians make progress on the repairs.

It stressed Legend’s safety systems, steering and services onboard are functioning normally

In a statement it added: "Carnival Elation also experienced a minor technical issue with the steering function of one of its two redundant Azipod propulsion units and a tug is trailing the ship while it travels on the Mississippi River purely as a precautionary measure.

"The ship is scheduled to return on time from its current voyage on Monday.  Repairs are expected to be fully completed prior to the ship’s departure for its next cruise on Monday afternoon."

It added that Carnival Dream will sail back to Port Canaveral with the crew on board once all guests had left the ship.

It said: "It was our decision not to sail with guests on board without a functioning back-up emergency generator.  Upon arrival in Port Canaveral, we will install a replacement emergency generator, followed by the appropriate inspections and approvals to operate our next scheduled voyage on Saturday, March 23rd."

Unveiling the group’s first quarter results last week, chairman and CEO, Micky Arison said: "Despite considerable attention surrounding the Carnival Triumph, we had been encouraged to see booking volumes for Carnival Cruise Lines recover significantly in recent weeks.

"Attractive pricing promotions, combined with strong support from the travel agent community and consumers who recognize the company’s well-established reputation and quality product offering, were driving the strong booking volumes."

Even without these additional problems, Carnival admitted cumulative advance bookings for 2013 are down on last year and said economic uncertainty in Europe continues to hinder yield growth.

In the first quarter, Carnival swung to a quarterly profit but posted lower revenue per cabin and cut its profit and revenue forecast for the year.

Its shares fell 2.3% to $34.90.

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