A fresh wave of mechanical issues has disrupted voyages for several major cruise lines, with Cunard, Carnival Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises all forced to delay arrivals, amend itineraries, or cancel sailings in the second half of November 2025.
The problems, centred largely around propulsion systems limiting ship speed, have affected thousands of guests on both sides of the Atlantic.
Queen Mary 2’s Repairs Trigger Knock-On Delays and Port Changes
Cunard Line’s flagship Queen Mary 2 first encountered difficulty during a Northern Lights cruise earlier in November, when a technical defect in a propulsion pod forced the ship to divert to Bremerhaven rather than Hamburg for repairs.
The unexpected change also caused the cancellation of a short Southampton mini-cruise.
The ship did, however, manage to depart Southampton on 19th November for her scheduled transatlantic crossing to New York. Yet the earlier problems continued to ripple into subsequent voyages.
When Queen Mary 2 arrived in Brooklyn on 26th November, she was roughly an hour behind schedule, leading Cunard to instruct embarking guests to arrive two hours later than originally planned to ease congestion.
The Caribbean sailing that followed has also required itinerary changes.
The call to St Kitts on 4th December has been cancelled entirely, with the ship instead extending its visit to Barbados into an overnight stay from 2nd–3rd December.
The stop in St Lucia has been shifted to 4th December to accommodate the adjusted schedule.
Cunard has not explicitly confirmed that propulsion problems prompted the reshuffle, but the operational constraints align closely with the earlier defect.
Carnival Conquest Delayed by Overnight Mechanical Trouble
Carnival Cruise Line has faced its own round of propulsion issues. Shortly after Carnival Horizon suffered significant speed limitations in mid-November, guests aboard Carnival Conquest were informed on 20th November that the ship had developed a mechanical issue restricting its speed overnight.
As a result, Conquest arrived several hours late at Celebration Key on 20th November during a 4-night Bahamas cruise from Miami. Carnival shortened the port stay and issued $50 onboard credit per stateroom.
Although Conquest appears to have resumed normal operation on subsequent sailings, Carnival has not confirmed the root cause of the incident.
These disruptions follow earlier propulsion problems on the same vessel in January, when engine difficulties delayed its return to port.
MSC Meraviglia Adjusts Bahamas Itinerary Due to Speed Restrictions
MSC Cruises’ MSC Meraviglia has likewise been affected, with planned maintenance reducing the ship’s speed ahead of its 30th November Bahamas cruise from New York.
Guests received notification on 24th November that key ports would be impacted:
- Port Canaveral arrival on 2nd December moved from 1 pm to 5:30 pm, with all excursions cancelled due to limited time ashore
- Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve arrival on 3rd December shifted from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., though the stay was extended to 8:30 p.m.
- Calls to Nassau and the scheduled return to New York on 7th December remain unchanged
Meraviglia has experienced similar propulsion-related issues previously, including an itinerary cancellation in May 2025 when divers carried out underwater repairs in Portland, Maine.
MSC is compensating guests with automatic refunds for cancelled excursions and $100 onboard credit per person (up to $200 per cabin).
A Common Thread: Ageing Propulsion Systems Across the Industry
While each situation differs, the clusters of issues highlight how ageing tonnage, high year-round utilisation, and complex propulsion technologies can converge to create operational challenges.
Queen Mary 2’s pod design has a long history of complications, Carnival’s Vista-class ships have had recurring propulsion limitations, and MSC Meraviglia required propeller blade replacement earlier in the year.
For guests, the recent wave of disruptions serves as a reminder that mechanical problems – though frustrating – are an unavoidable reality in the world of modern cruising.
Cruise lines continue to stress that safety remains the top priority, and flexibility is essential when unexpected repairs alter the best-laid travel plans.
TODAY’S BEST CRUISE DEALS!
Don’t miss these offers…
Related Posts
- Where Is A Cruise Ship Engine Located?
- Two Carnival Ships Hit By Propulsion Issues – Delays & Cancellations
- Radiance of the Seas Suffers Serious Propulsion Issue – Cruises Cancelled
P&O Cruises To Offer Five-Berth Cabins From 2026
P&O Cruises is expanding options for larger families, introducing new five-berth staterooms on three of its biggest ships. The news comes just weeks after the cruise line announced it was…
MSC Cruises Expands Family Entertainment At Ocean Cay Ahead of 2026
MSC Cruises has announced a major expansion of family-friendly entertainment at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, its private island in The Bahamas, with new activities rolling out from January 2026….
Iona Departure Delayed After Banana Cargo Spill
P&O Cruises’ flagship Iona faced an unusual departure delay from Southampton after dozens of shipping containers – many packed with bananas – fell overboard from a cargo vessel nearby. The…
Carnival Unveils Major New Development, Transforming Ensenada Into A Top Cruise Destination
Ensenada, long considered the obligatory West Coast port call rather than a highlight of Mexican itineraries, is set for a major upgrade. Carnival Cruise Line has announced a new waterfront…
