Carnival to Reveal More Details on Destiny in November

Carnival to Reveal More Details on Destiny in November

After revealing the name and initial details of the new Carnival Destiny, Carnival Cruise Line will announce more about the new ship later this year.

According to the company’s President Christine Duffy, a further announcement is scheduled for this November.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the first Ace-class vessel will carry the name previously used by the 1996-built Destiny.

“It’s back (to the future) but it’s looking forward because we are very excited to cut the steel on our beautiful Carnival Destiny,” Duffy said in an interview with Carnival’s Brand Ambassador John Heald.

“The next big update will probably come in November and then we’ll be talking more about it and putting out a link for people to learn more as we go forward,” she continued.

Carnival announced the name and first details of the new ship during an event at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, on July 10, 2026.

In addition to introducing the first details of the first Ace-class ship, the gathering celebrated the partnership between the company and the shipbuilder.

According to John Heald, the event also marked the 30th anniversary of the delivery of the original Carnival Destiny.

Captain Giovanni Gallo, who brought the ship out of the shipyard for its inaugural season, was also present in Monfalcone.

“Thirty years ago, I was a young cruise director onboard… and a lot of the crew members and I will have memories of a pretty rough crossing across the Atlantic but mostly of the pride and the extraordinary pomp and circumstance that came with delivering the ship,” Heald said.

Then the world’s largest cruise ship, the 101,000-ton vessel, was the first built for Carnival by the Italian shipyard.

Fincantieri later built over 15 vessels for the U.S.-based brand, including the Carnival Panorama, which was the latest Carnival newbuild delivered by Fincantieri in 2019.

Carnival and the shipyard are now working together again for the three Ace-class vessels that are set to be delivered between 2029 and 2031.

Carnival to Introduce New Cruise Card Design; Updated Milestone Program

Carnival to Introduce New Cruise Card Design; Updated Milestone Program

Carnival Cruise Line is introducing a new design for its Sail & Sign cards, as well as a new milestone recognition system as part of the new Carnival Rewards loyalty program.

In a recent interview with the company’s Brand Ambassador John Heald, President Christine Duffy detailed the changes.

“We know how important it is to recognize our guests’ loyalty, and I’m excited to share that in the new program we are actually changing the way we count milestones,” she explained.

Instead of taking into consideration the number of cruises each guest has taken, the new system will be based on the number of days spent onboard.

“For people who tend to take longer cruises, it used to take them just as long as someone who has taken shorter cruises to get to the milestones,” Duffy added.

“With the new program, passengers will be able to achieve milestones faster using days sailed rather than just counting individual cruises,” she continued.

Once a guest opts in for the new program, past cruises will be converted into days, she added, noting that rewards for milestones also changed.

Passengers will receive 5,000 Carnival Rewards points once they achieve 50 days sailed with the company.

The program also offers 10,000 points for guests who reach 100 days onboard, as well as an additional 10,000 points when reaching 500 days sailed.

Carnival is also offering onboard recognitions, commemorative coins, onboard credit, and other rewards.

After the initial milestones, passengers will receive an additional 10,000 points every time they add another 100 days to their count.

As part of the changes, the company is also introducing redesigned Sail & Sign cards, which will now include the number of days passengers have sailed with Carnival.

With a vertical design, the new cards will also feature the Carnival Rewards logo, in addition to different colors for each of the program’s tiers.

Duffy also explained that passengers who are part of the company’s current loyalty program have until the end of 2030 to take advantage of unused benefits.

“They’ll still have to opt in to the new program; their number of total days will show on the card, and then they can work towards the new milestone on the new program,” she said.

First introduced by the company in mid-2025, the Carnival Rewards is set to take effect in September 2026.

The new system replaces the VIFP Club, which has been in use since 2012, and is a point-based reward loyalty program.

Duffy highlighted the new system, noting that the new points can be redeemed for “almost anything onboard,” from shore excursions to spa treatments, specialty dining and beverage packages.

Passengers can also earn points at the company’s private destinations of Celebration Key and RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay.

Users of the company’s Mastercard credit card earn points with everyday spending as well, Duffy added.

Carnival Extends Zero Proof Package to All 2026 Sailings

Carnival Extends Zero Proof Package to All 2026 Sailings

Carnival Cruise Line is extending its Cheers! Zero Proof package to all sailings set to depart in 2026, according to Brand Ambassador John Heald.

In a social media update, he said that the option is now available for booking online via the company’s website and app.

“We did open the Cheers! Zero Proof program for 2026,” Heald said, noting that the package is a “fabulous” option for guests.

“It is worth every penny. For a seven-day cruise, it costs, with gratuities and everything included, just over $200,” he added.

Heald explained that the package includes unlimited milkshakes, sodas and non-alcoholic beverages, such as non-alcoholic beers and spirits, frozen virgin cocktails and special coffee drinks.

“From the hundreds of comments I received overnight, I can say that a lot of guests are going to take immediate advantage of that,” he added.

“I don’t drink, so I can understand why it is so popular,” he continued, noting that Cheers! Zero Proof offers non-drinking guests an opportunity to have a package similar to Carnival’s traditional Cheers! and enjoy a wide array of non-alcoholic beverages.

Heald also noted that while the package is available for cruises sailing from Australia, it does not include special coffees for sailings in the region.

While passengers can take advantage of an unlimited number of beverages per cruise, drinks must be ordered with a ten-minute interval.

“This is one of the ways that we control the program; it’s the fair way for us to control it,” Heald explained.

Described as a bundle that offers a variety of premium, alcohol-free refreshment options, Cheers! Zero Proof was introduced by Carnival in September 2025.

The package was first available for sailings departing through last December. Heald later said that Carnival was expected to extend the offering for more cruises in 2026.

Carnival to Sell Freshly Baked Pastries Across Fleet

Carnival to Sell Freshly Baked Pastries Across Fleet

Carnival Cruise Line is introducing a new offering of made-to-order pastries onboard its ships, according to Brand Ambassador John Heald.

In a social media post, he said that the snacks are currently being sold during breakfast onboard 11 vessels, including the Carnival Jubilee and the Carnival Celebration.

For a small fee, guests can order freshly fried doughnuts, beignets and churros, along with a wide choice of flavours and toppings.

Options include a choice of two or five doughnuts for $4 and $8, respectively, as well as four New Orleans-inspired beignets for $3.50.

Passengers can choose from different fillings and toppings, including powdered sugar, Boston cream and chocolate sauce.

Other options include golden churros rolled in cinnamon sugar, with five pieces for $3 and ten pieces available for $5.

Carnival is also offering a breakfast combo that allows guests to choose from two doughnuts and four beignets for $7.

Heald noted that the new offering is being rolled out across the Carnival fleet and will be available on all of the company’s North American ships within the next couple of weeks.

Other ships currently offering the pastries include the Mardi Gras, the Carnival Vista, the Carnival Horizon, the Carnival Panorama, the Carnival Firenze, the Carnival Venezia, the Carnival Magic, the Carnival Dream and the Carnival Breeze.

Depending on the vessel, the pastries are served in different locations onboard, including Street Eats, Sweet Spot or Seafood Shack.

Heald said that guests onboard can find more information about the product on the HUB App or the Funtimes journal.

In related news, Carnival recently introduced a new choice of coffee-to-go, which can be ordered as part of a new functionality of the HUB App.

The pick-up service is available from the Java Blue Café during morning hours on board selected ships of the fleet.

 

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.

Carnival Cruise Line Extends Homeport COVID Testing Through Year-End

Carnival Cruise Line has extended the availability of coronavirus testing at its homeports through the end of December 2021. This was announced in a Facebook post by the cruise line’s brand ambassador John Heald.

The testing is available for vaccinated guests who sail from Galveston, Baltimore, New Orleans and Long beach through DocGo and for vaccinated passengers sailing from Miami, Port Canaveral and Tampa via Rapid Cruise Testing.

Appointments must be made online and are non-refundable at the price of $100 per person.

Heald asked Carnival guests to use the homeport testing services only if they “exhausted all other ways to get tested such as tests by your local pharmacy, monitored home tests etc.”

“This will be more affordable plus most importantly it will give you peace of mind knowing you already have your negative result 48 hours before your fun starts,” Heald explained.

Any appointment made with the testing centres and not taken will not be refunded in December, according to him.

“The reason for this is that we had people not show up and then ask for a refund which in turn meant that people who wanted appointments could not get them. So, for December there will be no refunds made,” Heald explained.

Carnival Cruise Line Changes Face Mask and Testing Rules Fleetwide

Carnival Cruise Line has changed its face covering and testing policies, according to Brand Ambassador and Senior Cruise Director of Carnival Cruise Line, John Heald.

From Aug. 7, all guests will be required to wear face masks indoors. This includes elevators, shops, casinos, restaurant halls and queuing areas.

“In any (indoor) area where many people are gathered and when you're not eating or drinking, we are going to require you to wear a face mask, and this is for all guests, not just those who are unvaccinated,” said Heald in a Facebook video.

Additionally, from Aug. 14, all cruises will require all guests to test negative for coronavirus within three days before the sailing.

“That is for all guests, (including) fully vaccinated,” Heald said. “You are going to need a negative antigen test taken within three days of your cruise, and you'll need to show proof of this.”

Heald explained that Carnival had to introduce these rules in order to “keep cruising going.”

“This is what we have to do, and we ask for your understanding … We have to be careful, and we have to get this right, and we will continue to make whatever changes we need to in order for the fun to continue,“ Heald explained.

According to him, guests cruising with Carnival Cruise Line in the next few months will be notified about the change soon.

The Carnival Pride Oct. 31 sailing will have different rules, Heald noted.

Carnival Cruise Line Back and Sailing from Miami

Carnival Cruise Line kicked off its first cruise in almost 16 months from PortMiami today with the departure of Carnival Horizon.

It's the second Carnival ship back in cruising action in two days as the Vista sailed from Galveston on Saturday.

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy, Carnival Corporation President and CEO Arnold Donald and Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald kicked off the festivities with a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially welcoming guests onboard. Prior to Duffy’s remarks, a moment of silence was held to honour those affected by the tragedy in Surfside.

“PortMiami is our number one homeport in terms of ships and passenger embarkations and today’s return to cruising with Carnival Horizon represents an important first step in getting our company back to business while infusing much-needed capital to the thousands of workers who rely on the cruise industry for their livelihood,” said Duffy. “The past year has been challenging to say the least and I wish to thank our state and local officials, PortMiami, and our business partners and suppliers for their incredible support and patience during this time.”

“The restart of cruise ships from Miami is an exciting day for Miami’s longshoremen. We have approximately 800 members at PortMiami and their wages dropped as much as 80% during the nearly 16-month cruise suspension. Today with Carnival Horizon’s first sailing, we get back to work and look forward to supporting our families again,” said Torin Ragin, president, International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1416.

Carnival Horizon will set sail today at 4 p.m. for a six-day cruise with stops in Amber Cove (Dominican Republic) and the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay.

In addition to Carnival Horizon’s departure this afternoon, Carnival Vista departed Galveston yesterday, with Carnival Breeze departing from Galveston July 15 and Carnival Miracle kicking off the line’s Alaska season from Seattle July 27. Mardi Gras, the line’s newest ship, sets sail from Port Canaveral on July 31. Other ships in the Carnival fleet will begin service in August.

Next Vista-class ship to be named Carnival Panorama

Carnival Cruise Line's new Vista-class ship debuting in November 2019 will be named the Carnival Panorama.

Vista-class ships are the largest constructed for the line and hold 3,954 passengers; the Panorama's sister ships are the Carnival Vista and the Carnival Horizon, which is set to make its debut in April.

The Panorama will feature a Havana section, complete with staterooms inspired by the tropics and a Cuban-themed bar and pool. It will have a Family Harbor section, as well, with larger accommodations and dedicated lounge. Also onboard will be a Cloud 9 Spa and the Ocean Plaza, a dining and entertainment venue with seating both indoors and outside.

Dining venues will also be located both inside and outside on the ship. The Panorama will have venues like the Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse, Liberty Bar and Bonsai Sushi.

As far as entertainment, the ship will feature the Skyride, a bike-ride-in-the-sky attraction; a WaterWorks aqua park; and a SportSquare recreation area.

"Carnival Panorama is the perfect name to reflect the design inspiration of our Vista-class ships providing more venues and opportunities to connect with the sea," Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy said. "Carnival Panorama will offer a wide variety of fun indoor and outdoor experiences along with exciting one-of-a-kind features that will provide our guests with a lifetime of wonderful vacation memories."

Carnival said the Panorama's homeport, itineraries and new features will be announced at a later date.

Cruisers Split on Carnival Pool Change

PHOTO: Havana Pool, Carnival Vista, Carnival Cruise Line.

Carnival Cruise Line has announced that several pools on its ships that were previously exclusive to adults have now been opened to all families onboard.

Carnival brand ambassador John Heald made the announcement on Facebook, where he revealed that the Conquest, Glory, Valor, Liberty and Freedom Conquest-class ships, as well as the Splendor and Victory, would have their aft pools available to all passengers.

While some adults may be perturbed by the news, Heald reminded travelers that the Freedom, Glory, Liberty, Splendor, Valor and Victory cruise ships all had Serenity adults-only areas. In addition, the Conquest vessel was scheduled to add a Serenity area during dry dock in October.

“There were a number of ships in the fleet on which all pools were already family friendly.  The change on the particular ships in question was made based on the high volume of families on board at this time of year, although, we very much appreciate the view of those who like having an adults-only pool option,” a Carnival spokesperson said in a statement to TravelPulse.

“With limited exception, our ships have adult- only Serenity decks which we very much encourage those guests who want a kid-free environment to enjoy. We are currently evaluating our plan going forward with respect to the aft pools.”

Regardless of the cruise line’s reasoning or justification of the decision, it has caused backlash from some customers, with an actual online petition started to convince Carnival to turn the aft pools back into adult-only areas.

As for how travelers are responding on the website Cruise Critic's Carnival forum, many posters are strongly against the decision, with over 85 percent of responders saying they would rather have aft pools exclusive to adults.

“Do they have to deny the adults a pool where we can be free of kids splashing around and jumping in?” user "firemanbobswife" said on the Cruise Critic forum. “I love kids as I have my own and don't have anything against them in general. It's just that it's nice to be able to get away from them all.”

There may be plenty of complaints, but other cruise enthusiasts are simply indifferent to the decision.

“It honestly doesn't faze me. We have cruised as a family the last 7 years. Our kids are now 16 and 20,” user Moosevilleco said. “There were times we spent maybe an hour in the adult pool on a sea day. I actually prefer the Serenity area. Maybe this will help with the overcrowding of the hot tubs.”

Cruisers Split on Carnival Pool Change

PHOTO: Havana Pool, Carnival Vista, Carnival Cruise Line. (photo by Mark Leppert)

Carnival Cruise Line has announced that several pools on its ships that were previously exclusive to adults have now been opened to all families onboard.

Carnival brand ambassador John Heald made the announcement on Facebook, where he revealed that the Conquest, Glory, Valor, Liberty and Freedom Conquest-class ships, as well as the Splendor and Victory, would have their aft pools available to all passengers.

While some adults may be perturbed by the news, Heald reminded travelers that the Freedom, Glory, Liberty, Splendor, Valor and Victory cruise ships all had Serenity adults-only areas. In addition, the Conquest vessel was scheduled to add a Serenity area during dry dock in October.

“There were a number of ships in the fleet on which all pools were already family friendly.  The change on the particular ships in question was made based on the high volume of families on board at this time of year, although, we very much appreciate the view of those who like having an adults-only pool option,” a Carnival spokesperson said in a statement to TravelPulse.

“With limited exception, our ships have adult- only Serenity decks which we very much encourage those guests who want a kid-free environment to enjoy. We are currently evaluating our plan going forward with respect to the aft pools.”

Regardless of the cruise line’s reasoning or justification of the decision, it has caused backlash from some customers, with an actual online petition started to convince Carnival to turn the aft pools back into adult-only areas.

As for how travelers are responding on the website Cruise Critic's Carnival forum, many posters are strongly against the decision, with over 85 percent of responders saying they would rather have aft pools exclusive to adults.

“Do they have to deny the adults a pool where we can be free of kids splashing around and jumping in?” user firemanbobswife said on the Cruise Critic forum. “I love kids as I have my own and don't have anything against them in general. It's just that it's nice to be able to get away from them all.”

There may be plenty of complaints, but other cruise enthusiasts are simply indifferent to the decision.

“It honestly doesn't faze me. We have cruised as a family the last 7 years. Our kids are now 16 and 20,” user Moosevilleco said. “There were times we spent maybe an hour in the adult pool on a sea day. I actually prefer the Serenity area. Maybe this will help with the overcrowding of the hot tubs.”

Carnival does the Ice Bucket Challenge, fleet wide

By Jerry Limone

Personnel on all 24 of Carnival Cruise Lines' ships, plus CEO Gerry Cahill, took the “Ice Bucket Challenge,” getting doused with ice water to create awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

John Heald, Carnival’s senior cruise director and well-known blogger, was the star of a three-minute video, getting drenched with a garbage can full of ice and water on the Carnival Miracle, then warbling “Let It Go” from the Disney movie “Frozen.”

Carnival is making a $100,000 donation to the ALS Association. Click to make a donation. 

Ken Muskat of MSC Cruises has plans to take the Ice Bucket Challenge on the MSC Divina while the ship is in port in Miami on Friday.

The Ice Bucket Challenge has gone viral on social media, and several celebrities and politicians have accepted the challenge.

Technology and the shipboard library

By Tom Stieghorst

The ship’s library has always been a small but special part of the cruise experience. But for how much longer?  

The library at sea, like libraries everywhere, is under siege by changing technology. And whether ships need to set aside space for libraries in the future is very much being debated as new ships are designed.

Carnival cruise director and blogger extraordinaire John Heald said in a recent posting that the library on the recent transatlantic crossing of the Carnival Legend was full of books.   

"One thing all those transatlantic crossings had in common was that the library, by the end of the first sea day, sat entirely empty," Heald wrote. “Here on the Carnival Legend, the bookcases are full.

"Yep, the book is dead, long live the Kindle. Every deck I walk on, I see young and old reading their Kindles."

Even on an ocean crossing with presumably few younger, tech-savvy passengers on the manifest, the library remains fully stocked, Heald said: “Wherever I am, I see older people and their parents absorbed in their Kindles.”

Perhaps that’s just Carnival. Maybe the magnificent libraries on the Cunard Line fleet have emptier shelves on their Atlantic trips. But on most ships where space is at a premium, the library is an endangered species.

At the next major drydock nothing prevents a ship’s library from being converted to some other use. Heald suggested perhaps a cigar bar (a suggestion likely made for for comic effect, but maybe not.)

The trend is on display on Carnival Sunshine, the ship Carnival renovated from stem to stern earlier this year. While the library wasn’t eliminated or converted to another use, it now shares space with a bar.
Carnival is in the process of designing the next ship to set sail under its red and blue banner, the Carnival Vista. With Kindles in the hands of passengers young and old, it may well be the first Carnival ship without a library.

In his post Heald referred to a bookstore in Miami that he said was possibly a Borders, which he liked to visit when he comes to Miami. “It would not surprise me that, when I return there in November, it’s become a Walgreens or worse, a gym,” he wrote.

If in fact it was a Borders, it closed two years ago, along with the rest of the chain’s stores.  The Borders on South Dixie Highway in Miami reopened last week as a Trader Joe’s specialty market. 

At least it’s not a gym.