Carnival Paradise

Paradise in Catalina
History
Name:
  • Paradise (1998–2007)
  • Carnival Paradise 2007
Owner: Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator: Carnival Cruise Lines
Port of registry: Panama City,  Panama[1]
Route: Western Caribbean
Builder:
Cost: $300 million[2]
Yard number: 494
Laid down: 1996
Launched: January 29, 1998
Sponsored by: Paula Zahn
Christened: 1998
Completed: 1998
Acquired: October 29, 1998
Maiden voyage: November 1998
In service: December 6, 1998–present
Refit: 2008
Identification:
Status: In service
Notes: [1][3]
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Fantasy class cruise ship
Tonnage:
Length: 262.00 m (859 ft 7 in)
Beam: 31.50 m (103 ft 4 in)
Height: 115 ft 6 in (35.20 m)
Draft: 7.80 m (25 ft 7 in)
Decks: 10
Installed power:
Propulsion: Two ABB Azipod propulsion units
Speed:
  • 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph) (service)
  • 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) (maximum)
Capacity:
  • 2,052 passengers (lower berths)
  • 2594 (all berths)[2]
Crew: 920[2]

Carnival Paradise (formerly Paradise) is a Fantasy-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. Built by Kværner Masa-Yards at its Helsinki New Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland, she was floated out on January 29, 1998, and christened as Paradise by Paula Zahn.[3] During 2007, in common with all of her Fantasy-class sisters, she had the prefix Carnival added to her name.[4]

From September 2004 to December 2011, the vessel sailed out of Long Beach, California, doing three- and four-day Baja Mexico cruises that visited Catalina Island and Ensenada. Currently, she sails from Tampa, Florida, offering four and five night cruises to the Western Caribbean, visiting Grand Cayman and Cozumel replacing Carnival Inspiration.

History

Carnival Paradise was built to be the world's first completely non-smoking cruise ship and she was entered into service supported by several anti-smoking and cancer-prevention groups. "No smoking" signs were placed prominently on both sides of the ship and on the stern under the name.

Non-smoking rules were strictly enforced. No smoking materials of any kind were permitted aboard. If anything was seen or found, the passenger was fined $250 and put off at the next port (transportation home to be provided at passenger's own expense). Due to poor revenue, Carnival decided to discontinue the smoke-free ship in December 2003 because they claimed that non-smokers tend to not drink or gamble as much as those accustomed to smoke.[5]

Scheduled to arrive in the Port of Long Beach, California, on September 20, 2004, her arrival was delayed due to several major hurricanes (see 2004 Atlantic hurricane season). Her cruise through the Caribbean and Panama Canal, and up the Mexican coast was further hindered by more hurricanes. After having skirted the bad weather with minimal inconvenience, Paradise arrived in Los Angeles in the early morning, docking at the Long Beach terminal of Carnival Cruise Lines, which was the building that had housed the Spruce Goose. Later that day, the nonsmoking signs were painted over. She still boasts one of the strictest smoking policies in the fleet.

After her arrival in Long Beach, she became popular among younger cruisers looking for a more casual and affordable alternative to the longer more structured lines, with her 3-day and 4 day cruises to Ensenada, Mexico and Santa Catalina Island, California.

Carnival Cruise Lines retrofitted Carnival Paradise with the first “earth-friendly” dry-cleaning system, which uses environmentally safe detergents and reduces hazardous chemical runoff. In addition, Carnival has also been at the forefront of engine design, and their new class of ships features a “highly efficient” diesel-electric propulsion system known as the “enviro-engine”, which nearly eliminates visible smokestack emissions.

In late 2011, Carnival moved Carnival Paradise to Tampa, replacing the Carnival Inspiration, which went to California. Currently, Carnival Paradise takes 4 and 5 night voyages to Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico.[6]

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Asklander, Micke. "M/S Paradise (1998)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2008-03-28.
  2. 1 2 3 Ward, Douglas (2006). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. pp. 479–480. ISBN 981-246-739-4.
  3. 1 2 Smith 2010, p. 46.
  4. ↑ Dake, Shawn J. (January 2008). "Cruise Ships 2007 the year in review" (PDF). Ocean Times. Steamship Historical Society of America: Southern California Chapter. 12.1: 2–8.
  5. ↑ Dickinson, Bob; Andy Vladimir (2008). "Coming About". Selling the Sea (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-471-74918-9.
  6. ↑ "Carnival Paradise Itineraries". Cruise Critic. Retrieved July 6, 2016.

Bibliography

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