Power Outage Delays Carnival Sunshine in Norfolk, VA

Carnival Sunshine’s return to its homeport of Norfolk in Virginia USA was postponed on Sunday, March 1, 2026, after a temporary power failure onboard.

In a statement to guests scheduled to embark, Carnival Cruise Line confirmed that the technical issue disrupted arrival and boarding plans for the ship’s next voyage.

“The Carnival Sunshine experienced a brief power outage, which was quickly resolved by the ship’s engineers,” the company said. “To comply with U.S. Coast Guard requirements to enter Norfolk, the ship must be assisted by tugboats, and this will result in an unplanned delayed arrival by early afternoon,” Carnival continued in the statement issued on Sunday.

Because of the delay, embarkation times were adjusted, with some terminal arrival appointments pushed back by up to three hours.

“Once the ship docks, guests from the returning cruise must leave the terminal and parking areas before we can accommodate your arrival,” the company explained.

Passengers who arrived at the terminal ahead of their revised check-in windows were asked to leave and return later. As a goodwill gesture, Carnival provided a $25 onboard credit per guest.

The cruise line also indicated that the delayed arrival would likely impact the ship’s departure time from Norfolk, which could lead to itinerary changes.

“Carnival Sunshine’s Captain, Antonio Gargiulo, and our Fleet Operations Center are reviewing the alternatives,” the company said, adding that guests would be updated once plans were finalized.

Carnival Sunshine is currently operating a six-night roundtrip cruise from Norfolk to the Bahamas. The original itinerary included stops in Nassau and Bimini, along with a call at Carnival’s private destination, Celebration Key in Grand Bahama.

“We apologize for this unexpected change of plans and thank you for your patience and understanding,” Carnival added.