When something goes wrong that a cruise ship can't handle with onboard personnel, drastic steps are often taken. Sometimes, the ship changes its itinerary and heads for a port that has whatever is needed to solve the problem.

Carnival Cruise Line cruise directors work with various department leaders to set the entertainment schedules on the ships. Scheduling can be tricky as some choices force others. A parade that goes through the central areas of the ship,

Cruise lines reserve the right to change itineraries as needed, and it’s not uncommon for some of the details of a cruise you’ve booked to change before the ship actually sails. As an example, I took my family on a Christmas cruise a couple years ago on Carnival Magic.