Carnival Cruise Line has cancelled a number of sailings aboard two of its vessels due to dry dock rescheduling for 2026.
The itinerary cancellations impact multiple Caribbean itineraries on Carnival Horizon and Carnival Magic during the spring of 2026. In addition, one unique repositioning cruise was cancelled.
Based on an email sent to affected Carnival Cruise Line guests, Carnival Magic will now enter dry dock between April 18, 2026 and May 24, 2026. Originally, Carnival Magic was scheduled to enter dry dock in the fall of 2025.
With the dry dock schedule getting pushed back, Carnival Magic will now offer Caribbean sailings at the end of 2025. The cancelled sailings for the spring of 2026 include a variety of itineraries for 6-night to 8-night cruises. Currently, Carnival Magic sails year round from Miami, Florida to the Caribbean.
In addition, Carnival Dream’s 13-night transatlantic sailing during the summer of 2026 has been cancelled. The original itinerary was meant to depart on June 15, 2026 from Barcelona, Spain and conclude in Miami, Florida. The itinerary featured stops in Alicante (Spain), Malaga (Spain), Gibraltar (UK) and Carnival’s new private island, Celebration Key in the Bahamas.
In an email to impacted customers, Carnival Cruise Line said, “We have had to reschedule Carnival Magic’s dry dock to the spring of 2026 and we’re sorry to inform you that your cruise has been cancelled.”
(Email from Carnival Cruise Line shared on Reddit to r/CarnivalCruiseFans by affected guest)
At this time, Carnival Cruise Line has not announced the details about what work will be done aboard the two ships during dry dock. Both of these vessels are older ships in Carnival's expansive fleet. Cruise lines perform routine maintenance on their vessels every five years to ensure the cruise ships run smoothly and safely.
Carnival Dream debuted in 2008 as the first ship in her namesake class and received dock work back in 2021. Similarly, Carnival Magic was originally built in 2011 as a Dream class ship and also received her last refurbishment in 2021.
However, there is a small silver lining to the dry dock rescheduling. Because Carnival Magic will be cruising throughout the fall, Carnival has added new sailings that will be hosted by Carnival’s brand ambassador, John Heald.
Now, Heald will be hosting his annual fan cruises in the fall now aboard Carnival Magic. Loyal fans of the brand ambassador will be able to attend exclusive events and activities throughout the sailing, which is now scheduled to take place on November 15, 2025. The 6-day cruise will be an Eastern Caribbean itinerary to Amber Cove, Princess Cays and Nassau (Bahamas).
Compensation and Rebooking
Guests booked on these cancelled itineraries received a few options from the cruise line. Carnival Cruise Line will provide guests with full refunds for their cancelled cruise fares, including any pre-purchased items. In addition, the cruise line promised to assist passengers with finding new sailing alternatives.
“We have a variety of alternatives and are confident you will find another Carnival cruise that is filled with an equal amount of fun. Our team is ready to discuss options and rebook you on another voyage right away,” stated the cruise line.
According to the email received by guests, Carnival Cruise Line will protect the passengers’ cruise rates for comparable sailings. The reservation must also be booked in similar accommodations for the same number of days of the original booking.
However, rate protection does not apply for certain destinations and itineraries. Carnival Cruise Line clarified to guests, “Rate protection will not be applied if rebooking holiday departures, cruises to Alaska, Europe, Hawaii, and chartered sailings.”
Guests who choose to rebook will also receive $50 onboard credit per passenger and each stateroom can only receive $100 onboard credit per stateroom.
Those wishing to receive a full refund to not need to take any action. Carnival Cruise Line said, “If you don’t wish to reschedule, there is no need to call us. A full refund of your cruise fare and any pre-purchased items will be issued to your original form of payment after (May 1, 2025). This also applies to Early Saver reservations. Refunds could take up to three weeks to process through your bank.”
However, some guests on these cancelled sailings have shared their frustration and disappointment with the news. In particular, some guests are having issues finding comparable voyages for rebooking.
In a thread posted to the CarnivalCruiseFans thread on Reddit, one impacted cruiser voiced their frustration about rescheduling their cancelled cruise.
The user shared, “I cannot find any 6-day comparable sailings during the middle of May 2026 leaving out of Miami. Carnival’s website shows only one 6-day sailing in the beginning of May on the [Carnival] Horizon and none the rest of the month. I cannot find any comparable [itineraries] that [fit] my schedule.”
Other commenters shared their dismay for the onboard credit compensation provided by Carnival Cruise Line. One commenter said, “50 bucks credit each total is a joke.” Another cruiser agreed, writing, “For real. 50 dollars gets nothing.”
In addition, guests booked on the now-cancelled transatlantic cruise have voiced their disappointment with trying to rebook their cruise. One cruiser shared on Facebook to Heald, “Our first transatlantic cruise was canceled yesterday, very sad. Totally have no clue how we can replace this cruise when no similar cruises are available for the months we need to cruise.”
“We were sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Miami. I know the drydock has been changed and nothing can be done, but I just needed to vent a little bit, John Heald,” continued the cruiser.
Similarly, another traveler expressed their frustration with trying to rebook a comparable sailing. The affected cruiser shared, “We were just on the phone with Carnival for nearly an hour regarding the cancellation of the Carnival Horizon in June 2026.”
“They're being unusually restrictive about this in terms of what they're counting as a comparable sailing. There is literally nothing that we can shift to that fits our schedule and Carnival's restrictions,” continued the poster.
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on over 45 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
