Carnival Ship’s Dry Dock Delay Forces Last-Minute Cruise Cancelation

Cruise ship cancelations are never fun to deal with, but dry dock issues can often be unpredictable.  In this case, Carnival Cruise Line is going above and beyond to compensate disappointed cruisers.

Carnival Liberty will not be returning to service as scheduled after its dry dock in Europe.  Recent changes have led to the unexpected cancelation of its July 6, 2025, sailing from New Orleans.

Guests booked on the now-canceled voyage received email notifications just 13 days before their planned departure date.

Related: Carnival’s Dry Dock Schedule, 2025-2027

Unexpected Shipyard Shift Causes Delay

The change in plans is due to some reported labor issues overseas.  According to these reports there was a worker’s strike at the shipyard in Spain.

Carnival’s executive vice president of maritime and new builds, Ben Clement, went to Cádiz to negotiate with strikers, and now the vessel is at a different facility in France.

Carnival explained the situation in an email to impacted passengers:

“As you may know, Carnival Liberty is currently in dry dock in Europe for scheduled maintenance. This past weekend, we were forced to move the vessel to a new shipyard to complete our work because of a labor work stoppage at the prior facility. Regrettably, this situation will delay the ship’s departure from Europe by a few days, impacting its scheduled return to service, and we are sorry to inform you that your voyage has been cancelled.”

Satellite tracking data shows that the 3,756 max capacity ship is in Marseille, France, where another facility, Chantier Naval de Marseille, will complete the refurbishment work.

Compensation for Passengers

The canceled voyage was a 7-night Bahamas itinerary from New Orleans, with scheduled stops at Key West, Freeport, and Nassau. Carnival is offering the following compensation to guests:

• Full Refunds: All booked guests will automatically receive a full refund for their cruise fare, port taxes, and any pre-paid add-ons, such as gratuities, internet connectivity, drink packages, and shore tours. Refunds will be processed back to the original form of payment.
• Future Cruise Credit (FCC): In addition to the full refund, Carnival is providing a 100% future cruise credit (FCC) for the cruise fare. This credit must be redeemed no later than June 30, 2026, and can be used on any Carnival cruise, allowing guests to rebook on any ship, homeport, itinerary length, or sailing date.
• Airfare Reimbursement: Carnival will also reimburse guests up to $200 per person for non-refundable airfare or air change fees, provided supporting documentation is submitted for consideration.

While the specific updates being made to Carnival Liberty haven’t been fully disclosed, dry dock operations commonly include extensive hotel and public area upgrades, as well as the addition of new venues.

The ship last received an update in October 2021.

At this time, the Carnival Liberty‘s July 13, 2025, sailing – a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary – remains on schedule.