Carnival Cancels 4 Caribbean Cruises

MIAMI —  Carnival Corp. last week canceled four sailings of its cruise ship Paradise to fix a mechanical problem. Paradise left Miami on July 16 for a seven-day Caribbean cruise and returned to port a few hours later after one of its two propulsion units broke down, reducing the ship’s speed and maneuverability. That cruise and those scheduled to depart today, July 30 and Aug. 6 were canceled.

The breakdown is the latest in a string of mishaps on ships run by Carnival, the world’s largest cruise operator. They include a fire in January aboard the Celebration and malfunctions in the propulsion system of the Destiny in February. Carnival Vice Chairman Howard Frank has said the problems have stopped some people from booking cruises. Weak demand this year has hampered Carnival’s earnings and caused the company’s stock to fall about 58%.