What Happened to the Cruise Ship Fantasy?

By Michael Ferguson

The Carnival Cruise Line’s Fantasy ship had a series of unfortunate events in the first half of 2019, leading to its eventual decommission. On March 22, 2019, it was on its way to the Bahamas when it struck an unidentified object near the entrance to Mobile Bay in Alabama. The impact created a hole in the hull of the ship, causing it to take on water and list severely.

The Coast Guard was called in and they were able to get the ship safely back to port. Upon inspection, it was found that the damage was extensive enough that repairs would be too costly and time consuming. The Carnival Cruise Line decided that instead of repairing the ship, they would decommission it.

The Fantasy had been a part of Carnival’s fleet since 1990 and had gone through several refurbishments over its nearly 30-year service life. It had a loyal following among repeat customers who enjoyed its smaller size and cozy atmosphere.

Carnival Cruise Line did not immediately replace the Fantasy with another vessel. Instead, they shifted some of their other ships around to fill in for the Fantasy’s absence. This meant that some cruises were canceled or shortened due to lack of availability.

What Happened To The Cruise Ship Fantasy?

The Carnival Cruise Line’s Fantasy ship suffered extensive damage from an unknown object near Mobile Bay in Alabama in March 2019. Repairs were deemed too costly and time consuming so Carnival decided to decommission the vessel instead. While its loyal customers were sad to see it go, Carnival shifted their other ships around so cruises could continue without interruption.