What Crew Members Say About Carnival-Venezia

Over the weekend leading into February 9, 2026, numerous cruise vessels belonging to Carnival Cruise Line faced severe IT system malfunctions, leading to significant delays in departures and disruptions in onboard services. On the evening of February 8, at least seven Carnival ships remained docked long after their scheduled sailing times. These included the 'Carnival Celebration', 'Carnival Pride', 'Carnival Sunshine', 'Carnival Venezia', 'Carnival Spirit', 'Carnival Liberty', and 'Carnival Panorama'. Notably, the 'Carnival Celebration', which was expected to set sail from Miami at 3:30 p.m. for a week-long Caribbean journey, ultimately departed nearly eight hours late, getting underway around 1:00 a.m. the following day.

In a dramatic nighttime rescue, a 73-year-old passenger on the Carnival Venezia experienced a medical emergency, prompting a swift response from the U.S. Coast Guard on September 22, 2025. The incident unfolded approximately 30 miles off the coast of Atlantic City, with authorities receiving the distress call just after 10 p.m. A Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched and arrived on the scene at around 11:35 p.m. to airlift the man to a nearby hospital for urgent care. The Carnival Venezia, which had set sail from New York at 4 p.m. earlier that day, was able to continue its scheduled nine-day Caribbean cruise without any disruption to its itinerary, thanks to the rapid and skilled actions of the Coast Guard team.

On October 6, 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard executed a vital medevac operation to rescue an 85-year-old woman from the Carnival Venezia, situated about 98 nautical miles from Cape Lookout. The intervention was prompted by a distress call received by the Sector North Carolina Command Center after the woman exhibited concerning stroke-like symptoms. Responding promptly, a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston, South Carolina, arrived at the scene, hoisted the patient aboard, and transported her to Wilmington Airport. Upon arrival, she was swiftly handed over to local Emergency Medical Services, who then took her to the New Hanover Wilmington Regional Medical Center. At the time of the incident, the Carnival Venezia was on a voyage to the Bahamas. For more details and a video of the operation, visit the Coast Guard's press release at https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3928906/multimedia-release-coast-guard-medevacs-woman-from-cruise-ship-approximately-98/

On August 22, 2024, a 56-year-old woman was airlifted by a US Coast Guard helicopter crew from the Carnival Venezia, located approximately 52 miles east of Toms River, New Jersey. The medevac operation was initiated after watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New York received an urgent report on August 21 around 7:50 p.m. regarding a passenger in critical medical distress. After consulting with the duty flight surgeon, a decision was made to conduct a medical evacuation for enhanced care. A team from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, operating an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, was dispatched and arrived at the scene around 10:30 p.m. Thursday. The crew successfully performed a hoisting operation, ensuring the patient was safely transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in New Jersey for further treatment. At this time, the patient's condition remains undisclosed.

On May 10, an incident occurred aboard the Carnival Venecia when a crew member fell overboard while performing maintenance tasks at the ship's hull during routine emergency drills in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Although not participating in the drills, the individual lost his footing and entered the water unexpectedly. Prompt action from the ship's officers initiated a swift rescue operation. A rescue boat was dispatched to the scene, successfully retrieving the crew member with no significant injuries. Remarkably, the incident did not interrupt the cruise ship's operations, allowing the Carnival Venecia to proceed smoothly on its journey to San Juan on May 11.