Carnival Splendor Returns to Sydney with Upgrades After Drydock

Carnival Splendor Returns to Sydney with Upgrades After Drydock

The Carnival Splendor is set to return to Sydney on September 9, showcasing a range of new upgrades after undergoing a drydock in Singapore, according to a press release.

The ship now features enhanced dining venues, refurbished staterooms and a new red, white, and blue hull design that includes a Southern Cross motif—an element familiar to P&O Cruises Australia ships that will soon join the Carnival fleet.

Kara Glamore, Carnival Cruise Line Australia vice president, said: “From her beautiful new look outside to the upgraded amenities and new entertainment onboard, Carnival Splendor has more fun to offer our guests sailing from Sydney than ever before.”

Among the ship’s new offerings are the new and updated menus from grill restaurant Mad Sizzle, the Indian restaurant Masala Tiger and other dining venues, such as Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse.

Refurbishment extends to the staterooms, where balconies have been fully upgraded and suites now feature new whirlpool tubs.

Wellness amenities have also seen improvements, with updates to the basketball court, jogging track and gym equipment, as well as a refreshed Thalasso therapy pool at Cloud 9 Spa.

Families will find new excitement in the revamped Carnival waterpark, featuring waterslides and the Splashy Cove children’s play area. The mini-golf course has also been fully refreshed, and Camp Ocean and Club 02 now offer new video gaming areas.

The casino and retail shops have been refreshed for more entertainment. Carnival Splendor has also introduced the new Playlist Productions show, “Dear Future Husband,” which premiered in Australia earlier this year. The interactive pop musical follows a wedding adventure onboard a Carnival cruise. After the show, guests are invited to join the cast for a wedding reception-themed party.

By March 2025, the ship will be joined by Carnival Luminosa and two additional sister ships, the Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter, which will be renamed the Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter following their transition from P&O Cruises Australia.

Carnival Splendor Resumes Service After Drydock

Carnival Splendor Resumes Service After Drydock

The Carnival Splendor is resuming service today after undergoing routine maintenance at a shipyard in Singapore.

Sailing from the Marina Bay Cruise Terminal, the Carnival Cruise Line vessel is offering a repositioning cruise back to its homeport in Australia, Sydney.

The 16-night voyage features visits to six destinations in Indonesia and Australia, including Jakarta, Bali, Lombok, Darwin, Airlie Beach and Moreton Island.

After arriving back in Sydney on September 6, 2024, the Carnival Splendor is set to resume its regular schedule in the South Pacific.

Sailing from the port, the 2008-built ship offers a series of three- to 11-night itineraries to various destinations across the region, including New Caledonia, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Tasmania and the Great Barrier Reef.

In addition to regular maintenance, the Carnival Splendor also received new dining options, updated amenities and refreshed spaces during its 19-day shipyard stay.

While in the drydock, the 113,300-ton ship also saw the addition of Carnival Cruise Line’s new livery, which includes a navy-blue hull with red and white accents.

As a nod to its operations in Australia, the hull of the Splendor features a Southern Cross representation near its stern.

Similar to the “Sailing Stars” livery introduced by P&O Australia in 2017, the symbol represents a five-star constellation that is visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

Set to be absorbed by the company in 2025, the brand will play a relevant role in Carnival’s future in the region.

In March, the Carnival Splendor will be joined in Australia by two former P&O ships, the Pacific Encounter and the Pacific Adventure.

Currently sailing from Brisbane and Sydney, the 2,600-guest sister ships will continue to operate a year-round schedule in the region after being transferred to the fleet of the U.S.-based brand.

Completing Carnival’s offerings in the South Pacific, the Carnival Luminosa also operates seasonally out of Brisbane.

Photo: Cruise Beyond SG

Carnival Confirms Dates for Fleetwide Rollout of New Dining Menus

Carnival Confirms Dates for Fleetwide Rollout of New Dining Menus

Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald confirmed the rollout schedule for the company’s new dining room menu.

After first debuting in June, the enhanced dish selection will be introduced to the remainder of the fleet on a gradual basis, with dates as follows:

• Carnival Radiance: August 18, 2023
• Mardi Gras: August 19, 2023
• Carnival Breeze: September 2, 2023
• Carnival Panorama: September 2, 2023
• Carnival Celebration: September 9, 2023
• Carnival Valor: September 18, 2023
• Carnival Miracle: September 28, 2023
• Carnival Glory: October 1, 2023
• Carnival Liberty: October 2, 2023
• Carnival Sunshine: October 19, 2023
• Carnival Elation: October 21, 2023
• Carnival Magic: October 22, 2023
• Carnival Paradise: November 9, 2023
• Carnival Freedom: November 11, 2023
• Carnival Spirit: November 25, 2023
• Carnival Legend: December 3, 2023

 

Two additional ships, the Carnival Luminosa and the Carnival Splendor, will receive the new dining menu at the start of 2024, Heald said.

The Carnival Pride and the Carnival Venezia are also scheduled to get the new menus, he added, but the rollout dates are still to be confirmed.

Debuting later this year, the new Carnival Jubilee will receive the new offerings soon after entering service in December.

Carnival’s new dining room menu debuted in June onboard the Carnival Dream. With new entrees, appetizers and desserts, the updated offering was later rolled out to other vessels in the fleet, including the Carnival Conquest, the Carnival Horizon, the Carnival Sunrise and the Carnival Vista.

According to the company, the enhanced menu brings more variety, with nearly 60 new entrée presentations on rotation fleetwide.

New main dining room menus will also include offerings from popular speciality dining restaurants, in addition to larger portion offerings for certain entrees, the company added.

Duffy 'Thrilled' to Have Full Carnival Cruise Fleet Back in Service

Duffy 'Thrilled' to Have Full Carnival Cruise Fleet Back in Service

With the departure of the Carnival Splendor from the Port of Seattle today, Carnival Cruise Line is celebrating the restart of its entire fleet of ships.

The company said that it becomes the first major cruise line in the U.S. to achieve that milestone.

The Carnival Splendor is the 23rd and final Carnival ship to welcome guests back onboard after Carnival’s resumption of cruising from the U.S. last July.  Guests are set to depart from Seattle, Wash. today on an eight-day Alaska cruise.

The Carnival Splendor’s summer itineraries to Alaska are part of a three-ship deployment, along with Carnival Spirit from Seattle and Carnival Miracle from San Francisco – the largest-ever cruise program Carnival has sailed to Alaska. 

“With Carnival Splendor beginning operations today from Seattle, Carnival Cruise Line is thrilled to have our entire fleet of 23 ships back in service, providing more opportunities for our guests to enjoy our signature fun while travelling to beautiful vacation destinations,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We are especially excited to expand our Alaska program this season with three ships bringing more than 100,000 guests – including more than 6,000 this week – from Seattle and San Francisco to awe-inspiring Alaska ports.”

To commemorate the line’s return to service from Seattle with Carnival Splendor, Carnival Cruise Line hosted its “Back to Fun” event at the Port of Seattle to officially welcome the first guests onboard. Duffy checked off Carnival Splendor on a tally board listing the 23 Carnival ships, signifying the completion of the Carnival fleet’s restart.  Today’s departure is one of 49 cruises to Alaska. Destinations include Ketchikan; Sitka; Skagway; Icy Strait Point; Victoria, BC; and scenic cruising through Tracy Arm Fjord (stops vary depending on cruise date).

Beginning with the Carnival Vista restarting service on July 3, 2021, in Galveston, Carnival has completed its full fleet return in just 10 months. Carnival is operating from 12 U.S. homeports including Miami, Galveston, Port Canaveral, Long Beach, Baltimore, New Orleans, Tampa, Charleston, Jacksonville, Mobile, Seattle and San Francisco, providing guests with a wide range of cruising options. Additional seasonal service from Norfolk, Va., and New York City will start in May and June respectively.

Carnival cancels November cruises from Miami and Port Canaveral  

Carnival Splendor

Carnival Cruise Line has cancelled the remaining cruises for the six ships operating from Miami and Port Canaveral in November 2020.

The cruise giant has also cancelled five cruises scheduled to operate on Carnival Splendor from Sydney, between January 16 to February 8, 2021.

Carnival had previously cancelled all but PortMiami and Port Canaveral departures for the rest of the year because of a no-sail order by the US Centers for Disease Control. It has now determined that November 2020 operations will not be feasible.

The company said: “Carnival continues to work on protocols and procedures that would allow for the resumption of cruise operations, with a gradual, phased-in approach, designating Miami and Port Canaveral as the first two homeports for embarkations.

“Cruises currently scheduled for December from those two homeports remain in place for the time being while Carnival evaluates options.

“However, guests booked on cruises in December out of Miami and Port Canaveral still have the ability to voluntarily cancel their reservation and receive the same offer that all other impacted guests are receiving, which includes a combination future cruise credit (FCC) and onboard credit (OBC), or a full refund.”

Carnival is notifying guests and travel agents about the five cruises on Carnival Splendor from Sydney that have been cancelled.

Carnival Australia Poised for Big Season

Carnival Australia Poised for Big Season

Carnival Australia announced that it is is on course for one of its biggest summer cruise seasons ever, featuring more than 600 calls to ports around the nation as well as the local debut of two new ships, the Ruby Princess and Carnival Splendor.

The season kicked off this week as the Majestic Princess sailed into Sydney following stops in Darwin and Brisbane. 

Her arrival marked the start of 625 calls to 34 different ports around Australia by 19 ships from the seven cruise lines represented by Carnival Australia: Carnival Cruise Line, P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises UK and Seabourn.

Carnival Australia President Sture Myrmell said the 2019-20 cruise season would feature an exciting range of ships as well as 50 inaugural port visits around the country for ships across the company’s cruise lines, according to a statement.

"This is going to be a summer cruise season to remember, with our cruise lines offering Australian holidaymakers a fantastic range of new itineraries and new ports across 19 great ships,” Myrmell said. “In fact the number of local port visits by our ships has grown by more than 50 per cent compared to the summer season 10 years ago, underlining not only the growing popularity of cruising but also how much cruising has become part of the tourism fabric of our nation.” Carnival

On her second season Down Under, the Majestic Princess’s arrival not only marks the start of the summer cruise season but the largest in history for Princess in this region, featuring a record 141-day deployment in Western Australia as well as cruising from the east coast.

Myrmell said highlights of the season also include the first Australian visit by the Ruby Princess which will arrive in Sydney on October 23, 2019, and the Australian debut of the Carnival Splendor, which will sail into her new homeport of Sydney on December 10, 2019. Her arrival means that Carnival Cruise Line will now have two full-time ships based Down Under.

Other inaugural ship and cruise line visits over the summer include Carnival Cruise Line’s first call to Adelaide (Carnival Spirit February 29, 2020); Cunard’s first call to Esperance in Western Australia, (Queen Elizabeth on December 9, 2020); Seabourn’s first call to Portland (Seabourn Encore on March 14, 2020) and Holland America’s first calls to Moreton Island (Maasdam on December 1, 2019); Portland (Maasdam on January 2, 2020) and Phillip Island (Maasdam on January 3, 2020).

24-day cruise to be longest in Carnival history

Carnival Splendor.

Carnival Cruise Line said it plans to offer a 2019 cruise of 24 days, the longest in its 46-year history.

The transpacific cruise is scheduled to depart Long Beach on Oct. 5 and arrive in Singapore on Oct. 30.

The voyage aboard the Carnival Splendor will feature extended port calls in Maui and Honolulu. It will then visit Guam; Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- the first time the line has visited these destinations on a ship departing from North America.

Carnival also announced two other longer cruises for 2019 aboard the Carnival Miracle -- a 13-day Panama Canal transit from Tampa to Long Beach and a 14-day Hawaii cruise roundtrip from Long Beach.

Why Carnival Panorama’s New Homeport Matters

PHOTO: Carnival Cruise Line commemorates the expansion of the Long Beach terminal. (photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)

In a surprise move, Carnival Cruise Line just unveiled that it would be homeporting its upcoming new vessel—the 2019 Carnival Panorama—on the U.S. west coast year-round from Long Beach, California.

This is major news because such a deployment hardly ever happens, though it certainly should.

To give a clear sense of how infrequently Southern California is the base for a brand new cruise ship, it’s the first time Carnival has opted for it in two decades. I was on site at the newly expanded Long Beach terminal over the weekend to hear the news from Carnival President Christine Duffy firsthand, and I was both astonished and delighted.

Norwegian Cruise Line got the ball rolling in part when it announced it would be introducing its upcoming Norwegian Bliss in Alaska. However, it is only going to be there for a few months per year, alternating to the Caribbean in the off-season. In between, it too will be making several stops in Los Angeles for Mexican Riviera roundtrips from the port of San Pedro.

Helping, of course, is a resurgence of interest in Mexico itself. Carnival has always remained committed to the region: Even during the downturn, the brand was sending its Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration on short getaway cruises to Ensenada and its Carnival Miracle farther south on weeklong voyages.

Now that the company has expanded its Long Beach terminal, it has replaced the Miracle with the larger Carnival Splendor for 2018 and will again swap out for the even bigger Carnival Panorama in 2019.

Previously, the east coast was predominantly earmarked for new vessels with hand-me-downs eventually making their way west. The recent Carnival Vista will move to Galveston as this year’s new Carnival Horizon comes to Miami. So if anything, it was expected that California might be next to get the Vista the year after with the Horizon shifting to Texas if the Panorama had gone to Florida.

Instead, the Panorama is going to Los Angeles. I’ve always believed that passengers interested in the latest ships would follow wherever they go—not just to the world’s cruise capital of Miami—and it would seem Carnival agrees.

Best of all, it might only be the start of a trend.

Carnival is also working on an Ensenada development project set for completion in 2020. Very few details have been revealed thus far, but it is said to be a unique dining, retail and attraction complex too, “make Ensenada one of the West Coast’s premier destinations,” according to Carlos Torres de Navarra, Carnival’s vice president, strategic and commercial port development.

Knowing how much vacant space exists pier-side in the Mexican port, that could potentially foreshadow a Grand Turk- or Amber Cove-type environment complete with the likes of a Margaritaville, swimming pool and waterslides immediately off the ship. (If nothing else, one can at least dream.)

It’s also not just Carnival that could follow suit. Plus, only Long Beach and San Pedro as homeports and Mexico and Alaska as destinations have thus been discussed off the west coast. Within the broader Carnival Corporation, Holland America Line is dedicated to departures from my hometown San Diego, with the brand leaving for Hawaii as well. Additional corporate cousin Princess Cruises also features the Cali coast from San Pedro.

These and other companies that call on California (like the Disney Cruise Line) could surely expand west with ever new ships as their fleets continue to grow. Already looking good for the future, cabin categories are selling out on Norwegian Bliss’ L.A. departures.

Should such demand sustain, I predict more fresh ships will follow and start a trend accordingly.

Carnival LIVE Concert Series Welcomes Carly Rae Jepsen

PHOTO: Carly Rae Jepsen takes her music aboard a Carnival cruise ship this February. (photo via Flickr/Julio Enriquez)

Grammy Award-nominated, multi-platinum, singer/songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen—who has sold more than 20 million singles worldwide—will perform a free concert aboard Carnival Splendor in February 2018 as part of the Carnival LIVE Concert Series.

The concert marks the first time the cruise line is collaborating with Universal Music Group and Brands (UMGB), the brand strategy and partnership division of Universal Music Group.

While the concert is a departure from previous Carnival LIVE performances—in that it is free and open to all guests sailing on Carnival Splendor’s February 17, 2018, seven-day voyage—it continues the line’s mission of bringing the best in live entertainment to the seas and providing guests an opportunity to enjoy captivating performances by top artists in a memorable setting.

The concert will take place on Carnival Splendor’s Lido Deck February 18 while the ship is at sea during a week-long Mexican Riviera cruise that operates round-trip from Long Beach, California. The voyage features a day-long call at Puerto Vallarta and two days at Cabo San Lucas.

Jepsen broke onto the music scene in 2012 with her major label debut Kiss that included the smash hit “Call Me Maybe.” This song climbed to #1 on the iTunes Singles charts in more than 47 countries and earned her Grammy Award nominations for Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year.

After earning rave reviews starring in the Broadway production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, she released her next album, E·MO·TION, which received critical acclaim and featured the Billboard Top 40 hit “I Really Like You.”

Jepsen also starred as the iconic Pink Lady, "Frenchy," in FOX's four-time Emmy award-winning musical GREASE: LIVE. Most recently, she voiced the character of Odette in the animated movie “LEAP!" “LEAP!” featured Jepsen’s song “Cut To The Feeling,” which has been hailed by critics as a top song of 2017 and showing up on year-end lists for Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Billboard, Noisey and more.

Jepsen joins an impressive lineup of Carnival LIVE artists who run the gamut of musical genres, from rock, country, R&B and pop, as well as some of the biggest names in comedy. Previous Carnival LIVE artists include music superstars Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood and comedians Jim Gaffigan and Chris Tucker.

“While I’ve performed all over the world and on Broadway, I’ve never performed on a cruise ship before, and I’m really looking forward to a night with my fans in what promises to be a unique venue for an incredible night,” Jepsen said.

“We’re delighted to have Carly bring her signature brand of pop music to guests sailing aboard Carnival Splendor,” said Sarah Beth Reno, Carnival’s vice president of entertainment. “A free open-air concert on Lido Deck is an exciting new twist for Carnival LIVE, and we can’t wait for our guests to experience this one-of-a-kind entertainment concept in an entirely new setting,” she added.

Carnival slates 14-day Alaska sailing on Splendour

Carnival slates 14-day Alaska sailing on Splendor

Picture of Carnival Splendor in Alaska.

Carnival Cruise Line said its Carnival Splendor will offer a 14-day Alaska cruise from Long Beach, Calif., in 2018.

The voyage will depart Aug. 25 and return Sept. 8, 2018.

In addition to a full day at Hubbard Glacier and Icy Strait Point, the cruise will feature calls in Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau and Sitka, Alaska, along with a daylong call at Victoria, British Columbia. 

The itinerary is part of the Carnival Journeys longer-duration sailings. Activities will on photography, cooking and arts and crafts, and a 1980s-themed "Throwback Sea Day" will be offered, as well.

The cruise is open for booking with website prices ranging from $1,369 for an inside cabin to $3,459 for a suite.

P&O Cruises Australia Loses Vista Class Newbuilding

P&O Cruises Australia Loses Vista Class Newbuilding

Carnival Corporation has revealed that the new 133,500 gross ton cruise ship, originally designated for P&O Cruises Australia brand, will join Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet in late 2019.

The 4,200-passenger ship, being the third vessel in the company’s Vista class, is currently under construction at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard in Italy.

The ship’s name, homeport and itinerary details will be announced at a later date, according to Carnival.

Instead of the Vista-class cruise ship, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Splendor, built in 2008, will be transferred to P&O Cruises Australia in late 2019, the company said.

The first Vista-class ship, the 133,500 gross ton Carnival Vista, was handed over to Carnival Cruise Line in April 2016.

Carnival Cruise Line has now two additional ships joining its fleet – Carnival Horizon, which is scheduled to be delivered in March 2018, and the third, yet-to-be-named Vista-class vessel.

Earlier this year, Carnival Corporation finalized contracts with Fincantieri to build five new cruise vessels, including the one intended for P&O Cruises Australia, as part of a memorandum of agreement signed in 2015.

Including the five new ship orders with Fincantieri, Carnival Corporation has a total of 16 new ships scheduled to be delivered between 2016 and 2020.

Carnival Splendor To Make Drastic Move To P&O In 2019

Carnival Splendor To Make Drastic Move To P&O In 2019

Carnival Splendor will be transferred to P&O Australia 

Carnival Cruise Line has just revealed that its vessel, Carnival Splendor, will be transferred to P&O Cruises Australia in late 2019.

The move is to boost guest capacity and maintain the line’s growth in the Australian market. The 113,000gt Carnival ship is 50% larger than P&O’s biggest ship and will accommodate 3,000 guests.

P&O Cruises Australia president, Sture Myrmell, stated: ‘Welcoming a transformed and renamed Carnival Splendor to the P&O Cruises’ fleet in 2019 on the back of the addition of Pacific Explorer in mid 2017 cements our position as Australia’s leading cruise line and the only true home grown Australia brand’.

‘In four years P&O Cruises will have doubled capacity by welcoming four ships- Pacific Aria, Pacific Eden and Pacific Explorer as well as the additional ship in 2019- as part of the remarkable evolution of the brand’.

A newbuild originally designed for P&O Cruises Australia will now join the Carnival fleet as the third in its Vista Class whilst Carnival Splendor will be transformed into P&O Cruises Australia.

Myrmell continues: ‘We benefit from being part of a global organisation with a worldwide fleet of cruise ships that ensure we have the flexibility to make the most of opportunities in our region and to adjust our strategies accordingly. Having reviewed the market, we believe a 3,000 passenger ship is the right sized ship for the P&O fleet to drive further sustained growth in our market.’

P&O Cruises Australia hopes that Carnival Splendor will enable it to maintain its position as the region’s largest and longest-serving cruise operator.

Before joining the fleet, Carnival Splendor will be refurbished ‘to reflect the P&O look-and-feel and build in the experiences core to our offering’, Myrmell said. And while P&O’s desire to grow its position in an increasingly competitive market was the core reason for the change in plans, Myrmell has further stated that other longer term factors could not be ignored in the recent market review.

Carnival Splendor will join P&O at the end of 2019 and more details regarding the ship’s features and itineraries will be revealed in due course.

Carnival Cruise Line to get third Vista-class ship in 2019

Carnival Vista

Carnival Cruise Line will grow and update its fleet in 2019 via a ship swap with sister brand P&O Cruises Australia.

Carnival will add a sister ship to the Carnival Vista, a vessel that was originally designated for Carnival Corp.'s P&O Cruises Australia brand. The Carnival Splendor, which was delivered in 2008, will be transferred in 2019 to P&O Cruises Australia in conjunction with the change.

The new ship, as yet unnamed, will be the third in the class, which was launched last year with the debut of the Carnival Vista. The second in the class, the Carnival Horizon, is also to sail for Carnival Cruise Line and is scheduled for delivery in 2018.

The 133,500 ton Vista ships carry 3,954 passengers at double occupancy and are 18% bigger than the Carnival Splendor, which carries 3,006 passengers.

In a statement, Carnival president Christine Duffy said the addition of additional Vista-class ships would enable Carnival to offer the Vista-class experience from different homeports and create new itinerary options.

Specific itinerary, homeport and ship details for the third vessel have yet to be announced.

The Vista "has proven to be the most innovative and popular ship we've ever introduced," Duffy said.

Carnival sending a second ship to Tampa

Carnival Miracle joins Splendor at Tampa

Carnival Cruise Line said it will deploy a second ship year-round from Tampa, designating the Carnival Miracle for seven-night Caribbean cruises from the port, starting in 2018.

Also, Carnival said it will put a bigger and newer ship, the Carnival Splendor, in Long Beach to do seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises.

The 2,124-passenger Miracle will join the Carnival Paradise in Tampa and will do extended stays in Cozumel, along with a broader array of excursions there.

The 3,006-passenger Splendor will replace the Carnival Miracle, joining the Carnival Inspiration and Carnival Imagination in Long Beach, where Carnival is in the process of expanding its terminal.

The Splendor will sail a 13-day Panama Canal cruise departing Miami on Jan. 14, 2018, and become the first Carnival ship to use the new locks opened this year.

Carnival said the Splendor will also sail two 14-night round trip Hawaii cruises in 2018 from Long Beach.

For cruising, a low-key start to hurricane season

By Tom Stieghorst

Consider Hurricane Arthur a kind of warm-up exercise for the 2014 hurricane season, which has five months to go.

Cruise lines had to pay serious attention to Arthur, but didn’t have to do much in the end.

Unlike many Atlantic hurricanes, the storm was never a threat to the Caribbean, and Florida barely had time to get worried about it before Arthur departed for points north.

But hurricanes tend to conform to patterns in a given season, pushed by atmospheric and climate conditions. So the cruise ports up and down the East Coast might want to do a little extra planning now in case another Arthur forms.

For what it’s worth, hurricane experts are forecasting a relatively mild season due to cooler than normal tropical Atlantic sea temperatures and the ongoing formation of an El Nino current in the Pacific Ocean.

One atmospheric scientist, Robert Gray of Colorado State University, is calling for 10 named storms, four hurricanes and one major hurricane in the Atlantic this season, which stretches officially until Dec. 1.

Gray rates the probability of a major hurricane (category 3,4 or 5) striking the U.S. East Coast this year at 22% (the average is 31%) and the chance for a Gulf Coast strike at 23% (the average is 30%).

He says the chance of a major hurricane tracking through the Caribbean is 32%, compared with a 42% average for the past century.

Of course, Gray and other forecasters had egg on their faces last year when the stronger-than-expected season they forecasted failed to materialize. Gray predicted before the season that nine hurricanes would form, but only two showed up.

Arthur’s progress up the East Coast prompted some minor itinerary shuffling. The Carnival Splendor called in Bermuda rather than St. John over the weekend. The Norwegian Gem did an overnight in Nassau rather than calling on Great Stirrup Cay, to sail back to New York ahead of the weather.

But it’s worth pointing out that no one had their cruise vacation ruined by Hurricane Arthur, unlike the estimated 250,000 folks who planned to spend their Independence Day weekend in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The next named storm, according to the World Meteorological Association’s list for 2014, will be Bertha. Let’s hope she’s neither big nor bad.

And should the 2014 be a repeat of 2013, with only 13 named storms, the last one this year will be named Marco. Of course, if we only get to Josephine, Gray’s 2014 forecast will be right on the money.

Carnival to offer one-way Caribbean cruises from NYC

By Tom Stieghorst

Carnival Cruise Lines said it will diversify the itineraries of the Carnival Splendor, which sails from New York.

For the first time, it will offer a series of one-way cruises that go from New York to San Juan and vice versa.

The eight-day trips will stop in St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Anguilla and St. Maarten.
There will be six voyages, starting in October 2014.

Before that, Splendor will offer four-, five- and seven-day Canada/New England cruises running from June to October 2014.

The ship's mainstay routes will continue to be eight-day roundtrip cruises to Florida/Bahamas or the eastern Caribbean. 

Carnival to reimburse federal government for rescues

Carnival to reimburse federal government for rescues
By Tom Stieghorst

Carnival Corp. has decided to reimburse the U.S. government for the costs incurred by the Coast Guard and Navy in coming to the aid of two of its cruise ships that had engine fires.

Carnival will pay back the expenses related to the Carnival Triumph rescue in the Gulf of Mexico in February and a similar event off the California coast in 2010 involving Carnival Splendor.

In a prepared statement, Carnival said, "It should be clearly noted that at no point in time has Carnival stated it would refuse to reimburse federal agencies if they sought remuneration."

The Coast Guard has calculated its cost related to Carnival Triumph at $779,000 and the Splendor at $1.5 million. The Navy spent another $1.9 million, according to U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), who has pressed Carnival as to whether it would pay for the help it received.

In its statement, Carnival said that although no agencies have requested remuneration, "the company has made the decision to voluntarily provide reimbursement to the federal government."

Previously, Carnival had responded to Rockefeller in a letter from James Hunn, Carnival Corp.'s senior vice president of maritime policy. Hunn said that help for ships in trouble at sea is the universal obligation of the entire maritime community.

Carnival to deploy third ship in Long Beach, Calif.

By Johanna Jainchill

Carnival Cruise Lines will deploy a third ship from Long Beach, Calif, in 2014, expanding its West Coast short-cruise program.

The 2,052-passenger Carnival Imagination will operate three- and four-day cruises year-round from Long Beach beginning in January 2014. The Imagination will move from Miami, where it has been offering short cruises to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean.

The 2,052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy, currently sailing from Port Canaveral, Fla., will reposition to Miami to take the Imagination’s place.

Gerry Cahill, Carnival's CEO, said that Carnival is the only line to offer a year-round, short-cruise program from the West Coast, and that the sailings are especially popular with cruisers who drive to the port.

Carnival said it will carry approximately 550,000 guests annually from Long Beach in 2014, more than any other cruise operator.

The vessel will offer three-day cruises to Ensenada, Mexico, and four-day voyages to Catalina Island and Ensenada. The Imagination's sister ship, the Inspiration, will continue to offer similar three- and four-day cruises out of Long Beach.

Carnival’s seven-day Mexican Riviera and 15-day Hawaii itineraries, currently operated by the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor through February 3, will continue on the Carnival Miracle from October 2013 through April 2014.