A mechanical issue on Carnival Horizon delayed the ship’s return to Miami and forced passengers booked on the next sailing to board late Sunday evening instead of the scheduled morning.
Carnival Horizon developed a mechanical issue affecting the ship’s cruising speed while near the end of an eight-night Southern Caribbean cruise with speeds dropping into the single digits at times.
The ship was originally scheduled to arrive in Miami at 8:00 AM on Sunday, November 16, but Carnival notified passengers the return would be delayed to mid-afternoon.
The late arrival created a domino effect for passengers booked on the ship’s next sailing, a six-night Western Caribbean cruise scheduled to depart Sunday, November 16.
Rather than morning embarkation slots, Carnival shifted all terminal arrival appointments to evening hours, with check-in times lasting until 10:00 PM.
All passengers were required to be on board by 10:30 PM, with the ship planning to depart shortly after embarkation and supply loading were completed.
The ship ultimately left Miami just before 1:00 AM on Monday, November 17.
Carnival provided a one-day pro-rated refund of the cruise fare, along with one-day pro-rated refunds for any pre-purchased beverage packages, gratuities, and Wi-Fi packages.
Itinerary and Repairs
Carnival’s technical teams continued working on the mechanical issue, with technicians boarding the ship to work alongside the crew.
The Horizon is expected to arrive in Cozumel on Tuesday, November 19.
Carnival said that all onboard features and dining venues remained fully operational and passengers were safe throughout the delayed return to PortMiami.
Earlier this year, Carnival axed a transatlantic crossing for Horizon and instead putting the ship in dry dock in June 2026.
