ISO Insider Information (lol)- will Paradise be receiving any upgrades (Alchemy) by 4/2024?!!?

[TheMettins]

I have a credit that needs to be used... so I'm looking to sail close to home and the only option is the good old Paradise... while we enjoy her, we miss the Specialty Restaurants (we aren't fond of the MDR... salads and sushi take-out get old even on a short 5 night cruise 😂) and Alchemy Bar.  Not sure where they could squeeze in a Specialty Restaurant, but Alchemy would be an easy update.  

 

Any upgrade chit chat out there?

 

🙂 

[mz-s]

Unlikely, she just got out of her most recent drydock just before she returned to service and it will be several years before her next one. I would be surprised if they drydock her again before April 2024.

[Indytraveler83]

To be honest, I'd be surprised if they ever upgrade Paradise again.  At the rate they are retiring the Fantasy class, I doubt they do anything more than they have to before it retires.  I also wouldn't be totally shocked if you end up with a different ship in 2024 at the rate they are shuffling things around.

[TheMettins]

2 minutes ago, Indytraveler83 said:

 I also wouldn't be totally shocked if you end up with a different ship in 2024 at the rate they are shuffling things around.

Not a lot of options to fit under the Skyway- would love a swap to Spirit Class!

[Lee Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, Indytraveler83 said:

To be honest, I'd be surprised if they ever upgrade Paradise again.  At the rate they are retiring the Fantasy class, I doubt they do anything more than they have to before it retires.  I also wouldn't be totally shocked if you end up with a different ship in 2024 at the rate they are shuffling things around.

That was exactly what I was thinking.  Looks like they are moving on from the Fantasy class.  Certainly don't see them spending more money upgrading it.

[Indytraveler83]

1 minute ago, TheMettins said:

Not a lot of options to fit under the Skyway- would love a swap to Spirit Class!

That's certainly a possibility.  Carnival has already pulled the Spirit back to the US, and seems to be ready to use the Spirit class for ports with size restrictions.  

 

I could be wrong as well though.  The Elation and Paradise are the only Fantasy class ships that got Azipods.  I don't know much about ship mechanicals, but I do know they hold a huge advantage over the older design, and may influence Carnival to keep those two around a bit longer.

[mz-s]

39 minutes ago, Indytraveler83 said:

That's certainly a possibility.  Carnival has already pulled the Spirit back to the US, and seems to be ready to use the Spirit class for ports with size restrictions.  

 

I could be wrong as well though.  The Elation and Paradise are the only Fantasy class ships that got Azipods.  I don't know much about ship mechanicals, but I do know they hold a huge advantage over the older design, and may influence Carnival to keep those two around a bit longer.

 

It really just becomes a matter of time as at the end of the day these vessels are approaching 30 years old. Sunshine in particular has likely completed her last drydock as a Carnival vessel.

[Indytraveler83]

3 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

It really just becomes a matter of time as at the end of the day these vessels are approaching 30 years old. Sunshine in particular has likely completed her last drydock as a Carnival vessel.

 

I'm actually quite curious to see what they do with Sunshine.  Carnival treated the conversion as if it was a "new" vessel, and certainly invested far more into her than a normal drydock.

 

How that plays out will be interesting to see.

[tampabrat22]

I haven't heard anything but agree with the others that I don't see anymore upgrades to the Paradise. We will be sailing on her this Monday, its been a long time since we have done the small ships but we are gonna make the best of it.

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, Indytraveler83 said:

 

I'm actually quite curious to see what they do with Sunshine.  Carnival treated the conversion as if it was a "new" vessel, and certainly invested far more into her than a normal drydock.

 

How that plays out will be interesting to see.

The 2012 reinvention certainly made her more appealing over the past decade but she’s still a 26 year old vessel at the end of the day.

[Indytraveler83]

13 minutes ago, mz-s said:

The 2012 reinvention certainly made her more appealing over the past decade but she’s still a 26 year old vessel at the end of the day.

 

Absolutely true.  But does Carnival plan on sticking to the typical 30ish year lifespan for that hull, or so they think the reinvention justifies keeping it active much longer?

 

I'm not saying they should.  But Sunshine seems like an experiment, and I'll be curious to see what they actually do.