Another Carnival cruise ship heads for the scrappers
It's official: Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Ecstasy won't be making a comeback with another cruise operator.
The still-loved, 31-year-old cruise ship, which sailed its final voyage for Carnival earlier this month, has filed a trip plan for Aliaga, Turkey, the site of a major ship scrapping operation that has become the final resting place for such notable vessels as Princess Cruises' Pacific Princess — the original "Love Boat."
On Monday, ship tracking sites showed Carnival Ecstasy crossing the Atlantic just southeast of Bermuda, on its way to the Mediterranean and Turkey.
A spokesperson for Carnival on Monday confirmed to TPG that Carnival Ecstasy was on its way to Turkey for "recycling."
Built in 1991, Carnival Ecstasy is the line's oldest vessel and one of the last remaining ships in Carnival's hugely successful, eight-ship Fantasy-class series that debuted in 1990 and was instrumental in the growth of the cruise industry.
At the time Carnival Ecstasy arrived, Carnival had just a small number of ships. The arrival of the vessel and its seven sisters between 1990 and 1998 catapulted the line into the big leagues of North American tourism.
Related: Why I'm sad Carnival is retiring its oldest ship
For many years, the Fantasy-class ships formed the core of the Carnival fleet. However, Carnival has rapidly phased them out to cut costs since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020.
Carnival retired four of the eight Fantasy-class ships soon after the COVID-19 pandemic began, and earlier this year it removed the fifth vessel in the series from its fleet — Carnival Sensation.
Carnival Ecstasy is the sixth of the original eight Fantasy-class ships to depart the Carnival fleet.
While still much beloved by Carnival fans, in part for their intimate size, the Fantasy-class ships notably lack a large number of balcony cabins — the cabin type that everyone wants these days. Most of the cabins on these ships are ocean-view cabins that only offer a window or a porthole, or windowless inside cabins.
Related: The ultimate guide to Carnival ships and itineraries
The Fantasy-class ships also have relatively fewer amenities and venues than the newer and bigger Carnival ships.
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At 70,367 tons, Carnival Ecstasy was one of the biggest cruise ships in the world when it first began sailing. Its passenger capacity of 2,052 people, based on double occupancy, was a lot at the time. Now it doesn't even come close to cracking the list of the 50 biggest cruise vessels, some of which can hold more than 5,000 people. Cruise ships have gotten bigger and bigger over time.
Carnival's newest ship, the recently unveiled Mardi Gras, is more than twice as big as Carnival Ecstasy at 181,808 tons. It can carry 5,282 passengers at double occupancy (6,465 with every pulldown bunk and pullout sofa filled).
Related: The 8 classes of Carnival ships, explained
Carnival Ecstasy was one of the most productive ships in Carnival history, having sailed more than 2,300 voyages in 31 years from eight home ports — Miami, Port Canaveral and Jacksonville, Florida; Galveston, Texas; Long Beach, California; New Orleans; Charleston, South Carolina; and Mobile, Alabama.
The line has said it carried nearly 5.5 million passengers over its long career.
With the departure of Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival is left with just 23 vessels in its fleet. However, the line will soon take delivery of a 24th vessel, the 5,282-passenger Carnival Celebration. The ship is currently under construction at a shipyard in Italy.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.