Carnival Liberty Drydock Delay Forces Cruise Cancellation

Carnival Cruise Line has canceled the upcoming July 6, 2025, sailing of the Carnival Liberty, a seven-night cruise from New Orleans to the Bahamas and Florida, due to unexpected delays in its European drydock schedule.

The 2005-built Conquest-class vessel had been undergoing routine maintenance and upgrades at the Navantia shipyard in Cádiz, Spain.

However, a labor strike led by local metalworkers on June 18–19 significantly disrupted operations. Further slowdowns by subcontractor teams escalated delays, and by June 21 a skeleton crew undocked the ship to avoid further disruption.

Carnival’s Executive VP for Maritime and New Builds, Ben Clement, personally traveled to Cádiz to negotiate a resolution with the shipyard and unions.

To complete the refit, the Liberty has now been rerouted to Chantier Naval de Marseille in France, where similar work was carried out earlier this year. AIS data confirmed its arrival in Marseille on June 24.

While it continues its technical and interior updates, including public venue enhancements like the new Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge, the delay means it won’t return to New Orleans in time for the scheduled departure.

Booked passengers received notice via email on June 23, just 13 days before embarkation. In addition to automatic full refunds for cruise fares, port taxes, and any pre‑purchased add‑ons (like drink packages, Internet, excursions, and gratuities), Carnival is offering 100 percent future cruise credit to be used across its fleet by June 30, 2026.

Guests are also eligible for reimbursement of up to $200 per person for non-refundable travel expenses, such as air change fees, provided they submit supporting documentation.

Affected travelers are reminded that any compensation already received from other parties (e.g., travel insurers or airlines) may affect their Carnival reimbursement eligibility. Meanwhile, the Liberty’s July 13 sailing, a Western Caribbean voyage to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, remains on schedule.

In response to these challenges, Carnival has taken further action: it is demanding €4.5 million from Navantia to cover costs incurred from the drydock disruption and is reconsidering future repair work at the Cádiz facility, possibly impacting eleven additional scheduled dockings.

While the news is understandably disappointing for passengers, it reflects broader operational risks in large-scale cruise maintenance. Guests impacted by the cancellation will receive comprehensive compensation, and Liberty will emerge from its refit refreshed and ready for service, albeit on a revised schedule.