Carnival Panorama Propulsion Issues (Again)

[JT1962]

https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-ship-suffers-issue-itinerary-impacted/91465
 

 

[nwcruiselover]

I read about that too.  I hope they’re able to get the problem fixed soon.  Lots of people are awaiting their New Year’s Eve cruise on Panorama.  I’m booked on the 1/7/23 and 1/14/23 cruises so crossing my fingers.

[cruisingguy007]

I wonder if this is why they switched the alternating itineraries and the Jan 21st is the last Cabo-first seven day sailings?  

[Itried4498]

5 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

I wonder if this is why they switched the alternating itineraries and the Jan 21st is the last Cabo-first seven day sailings?  

The preferred 7-day Mexican Rivera itinerary is PV first, then Mazatlan, then Cabo.  My educated guess is that this is because the Northbound journey is significantly rougher than the Southbound journey, leading Carnival - and most other cruise lines - to put the two sea days on the Southbound itinerary.  Otherwise, port times are much better stopping at Cabo first (10am arrival and 7pm departure vs. 6am arrival and 2pm departure).

 

I’ve noticed that Carnival generally schedules Cabo first only when two other ships (generally Carnival Corp) are scheduled at Cabo on Thursday.

[cruisingguy007]

3 hours ago, Itried4498 said:

The preferred 7-day Mexican Rivera itinerary is PV first, then Mazatlan, then Cabo.  My educated guess is that this is because the Northbound journey is significantly rougher than the Southbound journey, leading Carnival - and most other cruise lines - to put the two sea days on the Southbound itinerary.  Otherwise, port times are much better stopping at Cabo first (10am arrival and 7pm departure vs. 6am arrival and 2pm departure).

 

I’ve noticed that Carnival generally schedules Cabo first only when two other ships (generally Carnival Corp) are scheduled at Cabo on Thursday.

 

The preferred seven day is most certainly not Cabo last, of this I assure you. Who wants shorter port days and a butt-crack early arrival? Nothing like an excursion early in the morning to ruin both your morning and the evening before arrival. Not for me. That's also probably one of the reasons the Jan 21st is nearly sold out, last seven day of the year with the ideal schedule. Only a few eight day cruises will have it for the rest of the year. Glad I booked one of those when I did now too. All the other Panorama cruises are Cabo last cruises which is less than ideal. 

[luv2kroooz]

Sorry to hear about this. Vista class ships continue to be hit with these types of issues.

[spencercoop]

According to the schedule the Panorama was supposed to leave Cabo at 3pm,. not 7pm as the article stated.  So it looks like they left an hour early.

[ATL_Miami_Cruiser]

The dreaded Vista class propulsion issue. If it is the azipod issue I hope the manufacturer fixed the design before installing them on other ships built after the Panorama.  

[spencercoop]

The Vista is having issues again.  I'm sailing on her next month and the itinerary was changed.

[chengkp75]

20 minutes ago, ATL_Miami_Cruiser said:

The dreaded Vista class propulsion issue. If it is the azipod issue I hope the manufacturer fixed the design before installing them on other ships built after the Panorama.  

Likely not.  These are the same (though smaller) as the ones on RCI's Oasis class, and RCI has learned that these will likely not last the 5 years between dry docks that newer ships schedule.  They have taken to making short dry docks to just maintain azipods in between the statutory dry dockings.  Carnival has to learn its own lessons.

Edited December 30, 2022 by chengkp75

[Itried4498]

9 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

The preferred seven day is most certainly not Cabo last, of this I assure you. Who wants shorter port days and a butt-crack early arrival? Nothing like an excursion early in the morning to ruin both your morning and the evening before arrival. Not for me. That's also probably one of the reasons the Jan 21st is nearly sold out, last seven day of the year with the ideal schedule. Only a few eight day cruises will have it for the rest of the year. Glad I booked one of those when I did now too. All the other Panorama cruises are Cabo last cruises which is less than ideal. 

I know of the 7 day Mexican Rivera’s history since 2000, and somewhere in the high 90% has Carnival operated the itinerary with Cabo as the last stop.  Nearly every time the itinerary schedules Cabo first, it’s because of congestion (generally other carnival Corp. ships) at Cabo or sometimes PV on the days the ship is normally scheduled (Thursday in Cabo or Tues in PV status quo).  Not a big coincidence that when other cruise lines were avoiding the Mexican Rivera, the itinerary scheduled Cabo last every single time.  So yes, it’s the preferred routing :).

 

Yes, the early Cabo timings are inconvenient, but that’s small potatoes to having two miserable sea days (instead of one) headed North.  Plus, the “Cabo sampler” probably leads to more people wanting to return to Cabo, and Carnival is scheduling more 5/6 day itineraries with overnights than it has ever before.

[cruisingguy007]

59 minutes ago, Itried4498 said:

I know of the 7 day Mexican Rivera’s history since 2000, and somewhere in the high 90% has Carnival operated the itinerary with Cabo as the last stop.  Nearly every time the itinerary schedules Cabo first, it’s because of congestion (generally other carnival Corp. ships) at Cabo or sometimes PV on the days the ship is normally scheduled (Thursday in Cabo or Tues in PV status quo).  Not a big coincidence that when other cruise lines were avoiding the Mexican Rivera, the itinerary scheduled Cabo last every single time.  So yes, it’s the preferred routing :).

 

Yes, the early Cabo timings are inconvenient, but that’s small potatoes to having two miserable sea days (instead of one) headed North.  Plus, the “Cabo sampler” probably leads to more people wanting to return to Cabo, and Carnival is scheduling more 5/6 day itineraries with overnights than it has ever before.

 

I've only ever done Cabo first and I wouldn't consider the day 6 sea day miserable at all, it's quite enjoyable and very pleasant usually. It's only day 1 and day 7 that can be cold/windy. Cabo is the premiere stop for many folks, it's not small potatoes to have a 6:30am- 2pm (back on board time) and the hassle of a tender. That's ludicrous. There are plenty of two day Cabo trips for anyone who wants one. It's really the closest port in the Mex Riv so that makes sense for 5/6 day cruises. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree about preference but I'd never choose a Cabo last sailing over a Cabo first sailing.  

Edited December 30, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[allinwonderland]

9 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree about preference but I'd never choose a Cabo last sailing over a Cabo first sailing.  

Agreed. My first Panorama trip back in September was a Cabo-first route and I can't imagine I'd want to even get off the ship that day if I did a Cabo-last itinerary (excursions would mean waking up at the crack of dawn, stuff in the marina doesn't open that early, and honestly the marina's kind of expensive and tourist trap-y already). Plus I think I prefer my two sea days at the end so I still have a little more vacation after the ports are done.

 

I'm going on the 1/21 sailing which thankfully is Cabo-first, but if they're not doing those anymore, I'm going to be seriously sad. Might still go again (Panorama is a great value of a vacay for me) but wouldn't prefer it if given the choice.

[jsglow]

We did Cabo first probably a decade ago on Splendor. Unfortunately our stop in Mazatlan was cancelled because that was the week the drug cartels decided to make an 'example' of the local government officials. Umm, no thank you.

[nwcruiselover]

Looks like the Panorama made it to Long Beach on time, and the next cruise is set to leave this afternoon.  Hopefully the problem has been solved.

[cruisingguy007]

16 hours ago, allinwonderland said:

Plus I think I prefer my two sea days at the end so I still have a little more vacation after the ports are done.

 

I'm going on the 1/21 sailing which thankfully is Cabo-first,

 

I also like having that full day 6 sea day, it allows for maximum enjoyment after the port visits. Day 7 is not really a full day for me, it's usually wind down day. See you on board on the 21st, looks like we are sailing full!