Currently undergoing dry dock refreshment in Europe, Carnival Liberty will not be returning to service as planned due to labor shortages and a shipyard change.
This means the ship’s first return sailing from New Orleans, originally scheduled to depart July 6, 2026, is now cancelled. Guests are being notified of the change just two weeks before they would have set sail.
The notification was emailed to guests on June 23, 2025, just 13 days before embarkation for the now-cancelled cruise. While the abrupt change is not the cruise line’s fault, it will certainly be a bummer for what would have been fantastic summer vacation plans.
“This past weekend, we were forced to move the vessel to a new shipyard to complete our work because of a labor work stoppage at the prior facility,” the email explained. “Regrettably, this situation will delay the ship’s departure from Europe by a few days, impacting its scheduled return to service.”
Carnival Liberty was originally in dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, but satellite tracking data shows the vessel en route to Marseille, France, where another shipyard facility will be able to complete the refurbishment work.
This means the July 6, 2025 cruise is now cancelled. That voyage was to have been a 7-night Bahamas itinerary from New Orleans, with stops at Key West, Freeport, and Nassau.
All booked guests will automatically receive full refunds for the cruise fare, port taxes, and any pre-paid add-ons, such as gratuities, internet connectivity, drink packages, and shore tours. Refunds will be processed back to the original form of payment.
The 110,400-gross ton, Conquest class Carnival Liberty was last refreshed in October 2021, when she received the now-iconic red, white, and blue hull livery and other general maintenance.
While the updates the ship is currently undergoing have not been revealed, it is common for hotel and public area upgrades and new venues to be added during extensive dry dock operations. Carnival Liberty may be slightly delayed to welcome guests again, but she will be fresh and looking like new when she does.
At this time, the ship’s July 13, 2025 departure – a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary visiting Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel – is on schedule and planned to move forward without changes.
Because of the last-minute nature of the cancellation, Carnival Cruise Line is also providing guests with a 100% future cruise credit (FCC) in addition to the full refund. The credit is just for the cruise fare, but is a way to entice guests to rebook on another Carnival cruise vacation.
The FCC must be redeemed no later than June 30, 2026 but can be used on any departure open for sale. This means guests can rebook on any ship, not just Carnival Liberty, for any homeport, itinerary length, or sailing date.
The credit cannot, however, be used for a deposit or any onboard charges. If guests choose a new cruise with a higher price than the FCC, they must still pay the difference – as is standard with these types of offers.
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In addition to the refund and the future cruise credit, Carnival Cruise Line will also reimburse guests up to $200 per person for non-refundable airfare or air change fees.
Supporting documentation must be provided for reimbursement consideration, which is not guaranteed depending on airline policies or travel insurance coverage.
While it is not commonplace for dry docks to be shifted and overrun planned schedules, it does happen. This can be a risk travelers take when they want to be on the first sailing after an update.
