Carnival Ecstasy

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Carnival Ecstasy Apr 7 2018.png
Carnival Ecstasy anchored off Princess Cays in 2018.
History
Name
  • Ecstasy (1991–2007)
  • Carnival Ecstasy (2007–present)
OwnerCarnival Corporation house flag.svg Carnival Corporation & plc
OperatorCarnival Corporation house flag.svg Carnival Cruise Lines
Port of registryPanama City,  Panama
RouteWestern Caribbean and Bahamas
Builder
  • Kvaerner Masa-Yards
  • Helsinki New Shipyard
  • Helsinki, Finland
Yard number480
LaunchedJanuary 6, 1991
Sponsored byKathie Lee Gifford
Completed1991
Maiden voyageApril 2, 1991
In service1991–present
Refit2009, 2014, January 2017, October 2019
Identification
StatusService suspended
Notes[1][2]
General characteristics
Class and type Fantasy-class cruise ship
Tonnage70,367 GT
Length855 ft (261 m)
Beam103 ft (31 m)
Draft7.80 m (25 ft 7 in)
Decks12
Installed power
  • 2 × Sulzer-Wärtsilä 8ZAV40S
  • 4 × Sulzer-Wärtsilä 12ZAV40S
  • 42,240 kW (combined)
PropulsionTwo propellers
Speed21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity
  • 2,052 passengers (lower berths)
  • 2,606 passengers (all berths)
Crew920

Carnival Ecstasy (formerly Ecstasy) 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 6, 1991, and christened Ecstasy by television hostess, entertainer and long time Carnival spokesperson Kathie Lee Gifford.[1] Her inaugural voyage began on April 2, 1991.[3] During 2007, in common with all of her Fantasy-class sisters, she had the prefix Carnival added to her name.[4] With the departure of the Carnival Fantasy in 2020, the Carnival Ecstasy is now the oldest ship in the fleet.

Areas of operation[]

Throughout her service Carnival Ecstasy has cruised from ports in the United States to Baja Mexico, the Bahamas and the Caribbean.[5][6][7][8]

After Hurricane Katrina, the ship spent six months in New Orleans serving as quarters for evacuees and relief workers.

Starting in May 2019, the ship cruised from Jacksonville, FL's JAXPORT Cruise Terminal to visit the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean.[9]

Accidents and incidents[]

Fire[]

On the afternoon of July 20, 1998, Ecstasy departed the Port of Miami, Florida, en route to Key West, Florida, with 2,565 passengers and 916 crew members aboard. A fire started in the main laundry room and spread through the ventilation system to the aft mooring deck, where mooring lines ignited. As Ecstasy was attempting to reach an anchorage north of the Miami sea buoy, the vessel lost power and began to drift. The master then radioed the U.S. Coast Guard for assistance. Six tugboats responded to help fight the fire and tow Ecstasy. The fire was brought under control by onboard firefighters and was extinguished about 9:09 PM. Fourteen crew members and eight passengers suffered minor injuries. One passenger required medical treatment as a result of a pre-existing condition and was categorized as a serious injury victim because of the length of her hospital stay. Losses from the fire and associated damages exceeded $17 million.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of fire aboard Ecstasy was the unauthorized welding by crew members in the main laundry that ignited a large accumulation of lint in the ventilation system and the failure of Carnival Cruise Lines to maintain the laundry exhaust ducts in a fire-safe condition. Contributing to the extensive fire damage on the ship was the lack of an automatic fire suppression system on the aft mooring deck and the lack of an automatic means of mitigating the spread of smoke and fire through the ventilation ducts. Passengers received a full refund and were offered a complimentary cruise for the inconvenience.[10]

Suicide[]

On July 1, 2007, David Ritcheson, the victim of the April 22, 2006 Harris County, Texas assault incident, jumped off the deck of Carnival Ecstasy and died.[11]

Refits[]

In January, 2017, the ship underwent a two week dry docking, at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, Bahamas.[12] The ship underwent a further 14 day dry dock in October, 2019, adding more venues and providing maintenance. The work was done again at Freeport, Bahamas.[13]

References[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b Smith 2010, p. 34.
  2. ^ "Carnival Ecstasy (8711344)". Equasis. French Ministry for Transport. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
  3. ^ "Carnival Ecstasy Fact Sheet – Carnival Cruise Line News". Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  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. ^ "Carnival Ecstasy Cruises; Carnival Cruise Line". Carnival. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  6. ^ "Carnival Half Moon Cay Cruises; Carnival Cruise Line". Carnival. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  7. ^ "Carnival Fantasy Cruises; Carnival Cruise Line". Carnival. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  8. ^ Carnival Sunshine to Offer Year-Round Cruises from Charleston
  9. ^ Cruises from Jacksonville FL Carnival Cruise Line. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Ten Years of Cruise Ship Fires - Has the Cruise Industry Learned Anything?". March 11, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  11. ^ "Cruise tragedy: Teen jumps ship". KHOU. July 1, 2007. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  12. ^ "Carnival Ecstasy Undergoes Multi-Million-Dollar Makeover, Emerges With Exciting New Dining And Beverage Concepts – Carnival Cruise Line News". Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  13. ^ "Carnival Ecstasy to Undergo Dry Dock at Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, Becomes First Cruise Ship to Use the Facility Since Hurricane Dorian – Carnival Cruise Line News". Retrieved January 18, 2021.

Bibliography[]

External links[]

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