Carnival Cruise Line cancels another cruise over schedule changes
Carnival Cruise Line is once again navigating shipyard schedule changes for dry dock ship maintenance and refurbishment - and canceling a unique repositioning cruise as a result.
Following a wave of cruise cancellations in 2025 across multiple ships and sailings due to dry dock schedule changes, Carnival just notified passengers booked on one 2027 cruise that their vacation has unfortunately been canceled for the same reason.
Every cruise ship undergoes routine dry dock maintenance and refurbishment every few years, which requires taking the ship out of service for a few weeks. When dry dock dates shift, it can spoil plans for multiple sailings. So far, it appears that only one 16-day voyage has been impacted by the latest shipyard schedule change.
The cancellation of the 16-day sailing comes a few months after Carnival canceled another 2027 cruise on the same ship for a full-ship charter, according to Cruise Passenger.
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Carnival Splendor repositioning cruise canceled due to dry dock change
On June 18, Carnival Cruise Line canceled a rare 16-day Southeast Asia repositioning voyage from Singapore to Sydney scheduled to depart on Sept. 1, 2027, due to dry dock schedule changes.
"Due to a change in the dry dock schedule for Carnival Splendor in August 2027, we are sorry to inform you that your voyage from Singapore to Sydney, departing 1st September 2027, has been cancelled," Carnival informed passengers booked on the sailing in an email shared by Cruise Passenger.
To help passengers rebook another cruise, Carnival is protecting their cruise rates on comparable sailings in similar accommodations. The cruise line is also offering an onboard credit of up to $100 per stateroom to those who rebook.
Related: What to expect when embarking a Carnival cruise ship
Passengers who decide not to rebook on another sailing will receive full refunds of their cruise fares and any pre-purchased items. Luckily, the sailing is more than a year away so passengers likely haven't made travel arrangements for the cruise yet, making it easier to adjust their vacation plans.
It's unclear at this time whether the ship's dry dock, scheduled from Aug. 15 – 31, 2027, is being postponed or if Carnival is extending the ship's time in dry dock for more extensive ship updates.
Carnival Splendor is a popular but dated ship that sails in Australia year-round
Launched in 2008, the 3,000-passenger Carnival Splendor will be about 20 years old in 2027, which could mean Carnival determined that the ship requires more updates than originally planned. Many passengers say the ship could use an interior design overhaul.
"Splendor was [built at] the height of Carnival's gaudy period. That said, it's a pretty serviceable ship once you get used to the bling. Good layout, ample public space, restaurants with enough space between the tables. In 10 or 15 years all their gaudy ships will be retired or refitted," billynj wrote in a thread in the CarnivalCruiseFans Reddit community about the ship's decor.
Carnival Splendor sails year-round in Australia, a region where Carnival plans to scale back cruises in 2028 due to its challenging operating environment. While the cruise line is moving Australia-based Carnival Adventure to North America for half the year beginning in 2028, Carnival Splendor and Carnival Encounter are scheduled to maintain year-round deployments in Australia and New Zealand.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line releases 2026 Halloween cruise schedule
From its home port in Sydney, Carnival Splendor offers a variety of itineraries, including two- to five-night getaways with calls to Moreton Island, Philip Island, Eden, and Tasmania, as well as longer vacations like nine- to 10-night sailings to Vanuatu and New Caledonia and eight- to nine-night Great Barrier Reef cruises.
The canceled 16-day repositioning cruise from Singapore was a unique one - a Carnival Journeys cruise to Southeast Asia, leading to major disappointment for passengers booked on the rare sailing. However, the ship's earlier 15-day repositioning cruise from Sydney to Singapore for the dry dock is still available to book on the Carnival website, which could be a suitable alternative for some cruisers.
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This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 12:01 PM.