A Carnival Cruise Line ship bound for the Mexican Riviera was forced to remain in port overnight after a technology failure disrupted its scheduled departure from Long Beach, California.
Carnival Firenze was due to sail on a six-night roundtrip cruise on 15th December 2025, but guests were informed that a connectivity issue had affected onboard systems, preventing the ship from leaving as planned. The exact cause of the problem has not been publicly detailed.
Passengers reported that the ship was scheduled to depart at 3pm, but remained docked well into the evening. As of the morning of 16th December 2025, Carnival Firenze was still alongside in Long Beach although it did depart later that day.
“I’m currently on ship in LA, and we were supposed to leave the port at 3PM but it’s 6PM and we still haven’t left. Is this normal?” one guest posted on Reddit on the day of departure.
“They said their whole system crashed when we were entering on the boat. Also, my app isn’t working at all and isn’t recognizing that I have a booking, and also the wifi isn’t connecting for any guests,” the passenger added.
Other guests onboard reported similar issues, including the Carnival Hub app being unavailable and ship-wide network problems.
Itinerary Changes Likely After Delayed Departure
The outage raised immediate concerns for both guests and crew, as onboard systems manage everything from bookings and shore excursions to dining reservations and internet access.
An announcement made onboard during the afternoon of 15th December acknowledged that the ship’s departure could be delayed and outlined potential changes to the itinerary.
Carnival Firenze was originally scheduled to arrive in Cabo San Lucas on 17th December 2025 for an overnight stay, before calling at Ensenada on 20th December and returning to Long Beach on 21st December.
Guests were told that if the ship departed later on 15th December, the itinerary would be adjusted, with Ensenada moved to 16th December, followed by Cabo San Lucas on 18th and 19th December.
However, if the ship was required to remain in port overnight, which ultimately occurred, Carnival Firenze would sail directly to Cabo San Lucas for its planned overnight stay. Further details regarding the remainder of the cruise were to be shared once the ship was underway.
As of 17th December, the ship has bypassed Ensenada, presumably cancelling the port as it travels to Cabo San Lucas.
Carnival Thanks Guests for Their Patience
Some guests sought updates from Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, who frequently communicates with passengers via social media.
Responding on 16th December 2025, Heald said he did not yet have new information but reassured guests that further updates would come directly from the ship.
“I don’t have any news yet. Thank you so much, the Captain will be in touch with everybody on board and I’m sure everybody will continue to have a wonderful time. Thank you for your patience,” Heald wrote.
He later said, “It is Internet connectivity, and I know the teams are working very hard, but I can also say without doubt that the guests are having so much fun,”
Carnival Firenze joined the Carnival Cruise Line fleet in April 2024 following its transfer from sister brand Costa Cruises. The 4,126-guest ship is one of two Italian-inspired vessels introduced by Carnival, alongside Carnival Venezia, which now sails from Port Canaveral.
Both ships were refurbished prior to entering service with Carnival, retaining their Italian design elements while adding the popular dining venues, bars and entertainment options found across the wider Carnival fleet.
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