Carnival says ‘paint project’ to blame for foul odors and sickness on cruise ship returning to Norfolk – The Virginian-Pilot

An “exterior paint project” on the Carnival Magic cruise ship sparked a Coast Guard investigation Thursday into a “foul odor” and illness among passengers.

There are no reports of immediate distress on the vessel, according to a tweet from the Coast Guard’s Mid-Atlantic Division.

“Some guests aboard the Carnival Magic were affected by an odor from an exterior paint project yesterday. The ship’s crew responded quickly and provided assistance to guests,” a Carnival Cruise spokesperson said Thursday. in a press release.

The nearly 4,000-passenger ship departed Norfolk on Saturday for its second voyage since the pandemic, according to a schedule of port calls from Nauticus. He returned Thursday morning. All passengers had disembarked Thursday afternoon, the Carnival spokesman said.

The boat was the first to take off from Norfolk since 2019, when it set sail on May 15, and is the largest to ever leave Virginia.

Asked to comment on the nature of the smell reported on the ship, a Coastguard spokesman declined to give a description. A Nauticus spokesperson also could not be reached for comment.

Gavin Stone, [email protected]

Ali Sullivan, 757-677-1974, [email protected]