Carnival Paradise, one of Carnival's oldest and smallest ships, successfully rescued 27 Cuban refugees who were adrift at sea near Cuba during a recent sailing in the Caribbean. The dramatic rescue took place on Sunday, April 21, 2024, while the cruise ship was en route to Roatan, Honduras, during its five-night Western Caribbean cruise itinerary.

The crew of Carnival Paradise, alert and vigilant, spotted a distressed small boat signaling for help at approximately 2:30 p.m. The ship promptly turned to render assistance and safely brought aboard 27 Cuban nationals from the overcrowded vessel. The incident occurred around 20 miles southeast of Los Cajuelos, Cuba's westernmost point.

The dilapidated boat, carrying makeshift sails that were not in use, was in poor condition and lacked adequate supplies for those on board. However, all the individuals were successfully transferred to Carnival Paradise without difficulty. Once aboard, they were provided with essential care, including food, water, and medical attention as needed.

Upon notification of the incident, the US Coast Guard Sector Key West and Roatan authorities were promptly informed. The refugees will be handed over to the authorities as soon as possible, following standard procedure in such cases.

Despite the rescue operation, Carnival Paradise's itinerary will remain unaffected. As the ship was on a scheduled day at sea, it will be able to adjust its speed later in the day or during the nighttime hours to compensate for the slight delay caused by the rescue intervention. Therefore, the ship is still expected to arrive in Roatan as planned on Monday, April 22.

This is not the first time that Carnival Paradise has come to the aid of those in distress. In the past few years, the ship has been involved in three separate rescue missions. In May 2019, the ship rescued a sailor whose vessel was taking on water near Cozumel. Additionally, during two separate incidents in the summer of 2022, the ship rescued individuals from an overcrowded rowboat and a makeshift raft near Cuba.

Carnival Paradise, which weighs 70,367 gross tons and belongs to the Fantasy-class, is homeported in Tampa, Florida. It offers Western Caribbean and Bahamas sailings, ranging from four to six nights. The ship visits various ports including Cozumel, Roatan, Belize, Nassau, and Bimini. Additionally, starting in August 2025, select itineraries will include a visit to Celebration Key, a new private Bahamas destination currently under construction on Grand Bahama Island.