Carnival pulls cruise ship until January

That means roughly 30,000 people will be canceling their trips on the Splendor from Long Beach to the Mexican Riviera, a very big deal for the local cruise business. The ship, which was disabled after an engine fire, should be back running come the first of the year, but until then there will be some losses for local tourism (hotels, restaurants, provisions, etc.). A study estimates that Carnival spends about $45 million a year on supplies purchased from Long Beach-area vendors. With no additional cruises scheduled, that money is basically lost. From the Press-Telegram:

Passengers on the last cruise and everyone who booked trips through Jan. 16 are receiving full refunds for cruise and air travel costs, along with a 25-percent discount on any future voyage, said Carnival Spokesman Vance Gulliksen. "We realize how much guests look forward to their vacations and know that they are very disappointed by this news," Carnival President Gerry Cahill said in a statement. "We sincerely apologize to everyone who was scheduled to sail on these cancelled voyages and look forward to welcoming them aboard in the future."