Carnival Imagination

Cruise ship built in 1995

Carnival Imagination leaving PortMiami

History
Name|

* Imagination (1995–2007)
* Carnival Imagination (2007–2020)

Owner| Carnival Corporation & plc
Port of registry|

* 1995–2000: Panama City,  Panama
* 2000–2020: Nassau,  Bahamas

Builder|

* Kvaerner Masa-Yards
* Helsinki New Shipyard
* Helsinki, Finland

Yard number| 488
Laid down| June 30, 1993
Launched| October 1994
Sponsored by| Jodi Dickinson
Completed| June 8, 1995
In service| 1995–2020
Out of service| March 2020
Refit| 2007, 2016
Identification|

* Call sign: C6FN2
* IMO number: 9053878
* MMSI number: 309933000

Fate| Sold for scrap, 2020[1]
Notes| [2]
General characteristics
Class & type| Fantasy-class cruise ship
Tonnage|

* 70,367 GT
* 7,180 DWT

Length| 855 ft (261 m)
Beam| 103 ft (31 m)
Draft| 7.80 m (25 ft 7 in)
Decks| 14
Installed power|

* 2 × Sulzer-Wärtsilä 8ZAV40S
* 4 × Sulzer-Wärtsilä 12ZAV40S
* 42,240 kW (combined)

Propulsion| Two propellers
Speed| 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity|

* 2,056 passengers (lower berths)
* 2,634 passengers (all berths)

Crew| 920

Carnival Imagination (formerly Imagination) was a Fantasy-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line from 1995 to 2020. Built by Kværner Masa-Yards at its Helsinki New Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland, she was floated out on July 1, 1995, and christened Imagination by Jodi Dickinson.[2] During 2007, in common with all of her Fantasy-class sisters, she had the prefix Carnival added to her name.[3]

The ship underwent an extensive multimillion-dollar renovation in September 2016.[4]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Carnival Cruise Line suspended all North American itineraries from March 14 to April 10, 2020.[5] In July 2020, as a result of Carnival Cruise Line reducing fleet capacity, Carnival Imagination entered a long term lay-up status, with no planned date for the ship to enter back into service.[6]

By August 26, 2020, the vessel had filed a cruise plan for Aliağa, Turkey, the location of several ship breaking facilities. Some industry sources indicated that the vessel would be scrapped.[7][8] The vessel arrived in Aliağa on September 14, 2020 and was beached on 16 September.[9][10] From September 2020 until February 2023 she remained beached awaiting scrapping; some sources claimed that an unnamed hotel had been trying to acquire some of her fittings that would otherwise be damaged or destroyed during the scrapping process. The scrapping process began in February 2023.

Waterslides aboard the Carnival Imagination

## Areas of operation

[edit]

Prior to entering into a long term lay-up in July 2020, she sailed three- and four-day itineraries from Long Beach, California, to Catalina Island, California, and to Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

## Incidents

[edit]

### Collision with Carnival Fantasy

[edit]

In July 2011, Carnival Fantasy struck Carnival Imagination while performing a maneuver for mooring. Carnival Imagination was docked when the incident occurred. Minor hull damage was sustained to both ships' sterns, and no injuries were reported.[11]

### Coronavirus Pandemic

[edit]

During the coronavirus pandemic, the CDC reported, as early as April 22, 2020, that at least one person who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 had tested positive within 14 days after disembarking.[12]

### Sale of the vessel

[edit]

Carnival announced to investors in late July 2020 that it planned to remove the "less efficient" of its ships from the fleet; most of the 15 would be sold and a few would be "recycled". While the Carnival Imagination had been said to be heading for long-term layup, some industry insiders believed that Carnival would dispose of this vessel.[13][14]

In late August, media reports indicated the ship had filed a plan to travel to Aliağa, Turkey, where she would likely be scrapped. Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Inspiration were already at the scrap yards in that city.[7][8] The ship left the US for the last time on August 27, 2020 heading towards Aliağa. She arrived at Aliağa on September 14, 2020.[15]

Based on a photograph accompanying an article in The New York Times October 30, 2020 entitled "Where Cruise Ships Go to Die" the Carnival Imagination is being scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey.

Imagination and USS John L. Hall in Key West.

## Citations

[edit]

1. ^ "Schiffsverschrottungs-Thread - Seite 75 - Kreuzfahrten-Treff.de - Forum". www.kreuzfahrten-treff.de.
2. ^ a b Smith 2010, p. 40.
3. ^ Dake, Shawn J. (January 2008). "Cruise Ships 2007 the year in review" (PDF). Ocean Times. 12 (1). Steamship Historical Society of America: Southern California Chapter: 2–8.
4. ^ "Carnival Cruise Line News". carnival-news.com. September 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
5. ^ Alexander, Curtis Tate and Bryan. "Coronavirus: Royal Caribbean pauses operations globally, major cruise lines suspend US ships". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
6. ^ "Carnival Cruise Line Announces Update to Fleet Plan - Carnival Cruise Line News". carnival-news.com. July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
7. ^ a b "Which Cruise Ships Will Be Scrapped Or Taken Out of Service Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic?". Cruise Critic. August 26, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020. "On August 26, the ship officially embarked on its last journey, sailing from Willemstad, Curacao, to Aliaga, Turkey, where it will be broken up."
8. ^ a b "Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Imagination is the 3rd to be scrapped". Cruise Mapper. August 26, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020. "The 2,056-guest Carnival Imagination filed a cruise plan for Aliaga, Turkey, the spot of a major ship scrapping operation that became the final resting place for notable vessels like Princess Cruises' Pacific Princess - the "Love Boat."
9. ^ "Carnival Imagination - Tankship, IMO 9053878, MMSI 309933000, Rufzeichen C6FN2, Flagge Bahamas - vesseltracker.com". www.vesseltracker.com.
10. ^ "Carnival Imagination Beached in Turkey for Scrapping". September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
11. ^ "Carnival Imagination accidents and incidents". cruisemapper.com. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
12. ^ "COVID-19 and Your Health". February 11, 2020. Archived from the original on April 22, 2020.
13. ^ "Another Carnival Cruise Line Ship To Be Scrapped". Cruise Radio. August 26, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
14. ^ "Carnival Corp. is shedding 15 ships across its fleets: Here's what it means for cruisers". Cruise Radio. August 26, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
15. ^ Thakkar, Emrys (September 14, 2020). "Carnival Cruise Ship Completes Final Journey Before Scrapping". Cruise Hive.

## References

[edit]

* Smith, Peter C. (2010). Cruise Ships: The World's Most Luxurious Vessels. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword Maritime. ISBN 9781848842182.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to IMO 9053878.

* Carnival Imagination official website

* v
* t
* e

Ships of the Carnival Cruise Line fleet

Current|

| Fantasy class|

* Carnival Elation
* Carnival Paradise

|

Spirit class|

* Carnival Spirit
* Carnival Pride
* Carnival Legend
* Carnival Miracle

Vista/Spirit hybrid class|

* Carnival Luminosa

Conquest class|

* Carnival Conquest
* Carnival Glory
* Carnival Valor
* Carnival Liberty
* Carnival Freedom

Concordia class|

* Carnival Splendor

Dream class|

* Carnival Dream
* Carnival Magic
* Carnival Breeze

Destiny class|

* Carnival Sunshine
* Carnival Sunrise
* Carnival Radiance

Vista class|

* Carnival Vista
* Carnival Horizon
* Carnival Panorama
* Carnival Venezia
* Carnival Firenze

Excellence class|

* Mardi Gras
* Carnival Celebration
* Carnival Jubilee

Grand class|

* Carnival Adventure
* Carnival Encounter

Former ships|

| Empress class|

* Mardi Gras
* Carnivale

|

Festivale class|

* Festivale

Tropicale class|

* Tropicale

Holiday class|

* Holiday
* Jubilee
* Celebration

Fantasy class|

* Carnival Fantasy
* Carnival Ecstasy
* Carnival Sensation
* Carnival Fascination
* Carnival Imagination
* Carnival Inspiration

Authority control databases: Geographic |

* MusicBrainz place

|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template