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Disney Cruise Line has released its full fall 2026 and spring 2027 itineraries, offering West Coast and Texas families more sailings from San Diego and Galveston, as the Disney Wonder will leave Australia in favour of a winter program in North America.
Early bookings open Aug. 25, 2025, for select Disney Cruise Line Castaway Club members, and general bookings open Sept. 2, 2025. For additional information, visit disneycruise.com.
For the first time, San Diego will welcome two Disney Cruise Line ships.
The Disney Magic will set sail in California for two months with three-, four-, five-, six- and seven-night voyages in October and November 2026, before transitioning to Texas on a 14-night voyage from San Diego to Galveston featuring stops in Puerto Vallarta, Cartagena and Grand Cayman.
Joining the Disney Magic for seven months in San Diego, the Disney Wonder will offer three- and seven-night cruises between October 2026 and April 2027, stopping at Catalina Island in California, as well as Cabo San Lucas, Ensenada and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Late 2026 and early 2027 will welcome an extended season of Disney cruising from Texas. The Disney Magic will set sail from the Lone Star State with four-, five- and seven-night voyages from November 2026 to April 2027. Several itineraries also include a Bahamian vacation with time at Disney Castaway Cay and Nassau.
Two Cruise Ships Plug Into San Diego’s Shore Power
The Port of San Diego announced that on Friday, for the first time, two cruise ships can now simultaneously use shore power in San Diego rather than running their diesel engines while at berth.
Previously, only one cruise vessel could plug in. On Friday, the Disney Wonder and the Insignia from Oceania Cruises were the first two cruise vessels to use shore power at the same time in San Diego.
The port said in a statement that it is committed to being a good neighbour. Having two shore power outlets at the cruise ship terminals will result in at least a 90 per cent overall reduction of harmful pollutants (while the ships are docked) such as Nitrous Oxides (NOx) and Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) as well as a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The Port is also meeting California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations that require essentially all cruise ships calling on California ports to use shore power beginning January 1, 2023.
Doubling shore power at the cruise terminals is among many electrification efforts underway in support of the Port’s Maritime Clean Air Strategy (MCAS), the most ambitious clean air strategy of its kind in the state, and likely in the entire country, the port said.
The MCAS and its “Health Equity for All” vision represents the Port’s commitment to environmental justice, specifically cleaner air for everyone who lives, works, and plays on and around San Diego Bay.
Azamara has announced its 2025 World Voyage aboard the Azamara Onward.
The 155-night cruise will take place aboard the ship, departing from San Diego, California.
The vessel will visit 37 countries before ending the cruise in Southampton, United Kingdom.
The announcement comes following the success of Azamara’s 2024 World Voyage which was sold out with a waitlist.
“We are thrilled to have our second world cruise aboard Azamara Onward. With 60% of ports on this sailing being different from those on our 2024 world voyage, this itinerary was carefully curated to give even the most well-travelled guests a new perspective on the world,” said Carol Cabezas, president of Azamara.
“Our 2025 world cruise invites travellers to not only see the world but also take their time in each destination and make memories that will last long after the journey has ended,” Cabezas concluded.
The Azamara Onward’s itinerary will include 15 overnights and 31 late stays in ports, allowing guests to explore each destination. The 2025 World Voyage will also include 13 complimentary land events starting with a gala in San Diego.
Highlighted destinations of Azamara Onward’s itinerary include Honolulu, Hawaii, Samoa and Tonga, Sydney, Australia, Stewart Island, New Zealand, Benoa, Bali, Bangkok, Thailand, and Semarang, Indonesia.
Azamara’s 2025 World Voyage will also offer $25,000 in exclusive amenities including $4,000 in onboard credit, a premium beverage package for two, weekly laundry service, and $3,000 for shore excursions, among other amenities.
Bookings for Azamara’s 2025 World Voyage are currently open to trade partners, loyalty guests, and past-world travellers only.
Here Are Holland America Line’s Homeports For 2023
MS Nieuw Amsterdam arriving in the port of Vancouver, Photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)
With its entire fleet in service again, Holland America Line is planning an expansive global deployment in 2023.
In addition to strong programs from its traditional homeports in the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe, the company is also returning to its long-haul, intercontinental itineraries during the year.
Other highlights of the year include a summer program in Canada and New England, as well as returns to South America, Asia, the Far East and more.
Here's a look at the company's planned homeports and their ships for 2023:
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Ships:
- Eurodam (January to April/October to December); - Nieuw Amsterdam (January to April/October to December); - Nieuw Statendam (January to April/November and December); - Rotterdam (January to March/October to December); - Volendam (January to April); - Zaandam (January to April/October to December); - Zuiderdam (January to May/October to December).
Seattle, Washington
Ships:
- Eurodam (April to September); - Westerdam (May to October).
San Diego, California
Ships:
- Koningsdam (January to March); - Volendam (October and November); - Zaandam (January to April).
Whittier, Alaska
Ships:
- Nieuw Amsterdam (May to September); - Noordam (May to September).
Boston, Massachusetts
Ships:
- Zaandam (May to September); - Zuiderdam (August and September).
Canada
Ships:
- Koningsdam: Vancouver (April to October); - Nieuw Amsterdam: Vancouver (April to September); - Noordam: Vancouver (May to September); - Volendam: Vancouver (May to September); - Zaandam: Montreal (April to September); - Zuiderdam: Quebec City (September).
Europe
Ships:
- Nieuw Statendam: Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Copenhagen, Piraeus and more (April to October); - Noordam: Barcelona, Lisbon, Trieste, Piraeus and more (April to October); - Rotterdam: Amsterdam and Rotterdam (April to September); - Zuiderdam: Rotterdam (May to July).
Australia and New Zealand
Ships:
- Noordam: Sydney and Auckland (January to April/October to December).
Asia and Pacific
Ships:
- Westerdam: Singapore, Yokohama and Hong Kong (January to April/October to December).
South America
Ships:
- Oosterdam: San Antonio and Buenos Aires (January to March/November and December).
Princess Ships Returning to the United States Ahead of Restarts
The Diamond Princess and the Sapphire Princess are returning to the United States. After several years of sailing in Asia and the Pacific, the vessels are currently sailing to Los Angeles ahead of their service restarts in North America.
Out of service since early 2020, the Diamond Princess will be the first to arrive, on August 4.
The 2004-built cruise ship welcomes guests back on September 1 for a series of San Diego-based sailings.
The program includes cruises to the California Coast, the Baja Peninsula, the Sea of Cortez and Hawaii, marking the first time the vessel sails from a U.S. port since 2013.
In November, the Diamond is also offering a 20-night cruise to Central America that features visits to Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala.
The Sapphire Princess, meanwhile, is set to arrive in Los Angeles on August 20. Completing the Princess Cruises restart, the ship is resuming service on September 24.
Also out of service since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2,600-guest ship is offering four- to 15-night cruises to Mexico, Hawaii and the California Coast from its Los Angeles homeport. The program marks the ship’s return to the U.S. after an eight-year gap.
In December, the Sapphire heads to South America for cruises to Patagonia, Antarctica and the Falklands.
After initially being laid up in Southeast Asia, both ships had been anchored off Cyprus since mid-2021.
With the Diamond and the Sapphire resuming service, the entire Princess Cruises fleet will sail with guests again.
Over the past months, 13 Princess cruise ships resumed service as well, bringing the company back to other areas such as Australia, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.
Guided tours led by local experts and historians are available in each port, and the company has also introduced a series of premium tours developed by its shore excursions team, such as Turtles and Iguanas and Salsa and Margaritas.
"Guests have given Ocean Victory rave reviews on her inaugural Alaska season, and our Pacific Coast sailing provides a final opportunity to experience this unique vessel in 2022 before she returns to North America again next year," said Isis Ruiz, chief commercial officer, American Queen Voyages. "This itinerary exploring the Western coastlines of Mexico and Costa Rica will provide spectacular vistas and a variety of experiences guests have come to cherish from American Queen Voyages, which combines science, history, wildlife and adventure.”
San Diego, California to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Date: October 3, 2022 Duration: 8 days Calls on: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and La Paz, Mexico Fare: Starts from $2,499 per guest with a $300 onboard credit
Holland America's Noordam Resumes Service After Two Years
The Noordam is reentering service for Holland America Line today in Florida.
After a 25-month hiatus, the 2006-built cruise ship is resuming commercial service with two repositioning cruises ahead of a summer program in Alaska.
First, the vessel is offering first a Panama Canal cruise. The 17-night voyage sails from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego and features visits to eight ports in Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico.
Once on the West Coast, the Noordam embarks on a four-night Pacific Coastal itinerary that links San Diego and Vancouver, with a stop in Victoria.
The vessel then starts its summer season in the Last Frontier, offering open-jaw cruises between Vancouver and Whittier.
Called “Glacier Discovery," the vessel’s regular itinerary includes calls in Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, in addition to cruising at the Glacier Bay and the Hubbard Glacier.
Concluding its Alaska program, the Noordam departs on a special 34-night repositioning voyage to the South Pacific in October.
The itinerary sails to Sydney and features calls in Hawaii, Kiribati, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Tonga and Australia – where the ship is poised to spend the next winter season.
The Noordam originally entered service in 2006 as the fourth ship in a series of four 82,000-ton cruise ships known as the Vista Class.
In 2019, the 1,900-guest vessel was subjected to a major refurbishment that included several upgrades to its cabins and public areas.
Suites were also refreshed with new soft goods, furniture and bathrooms and other areas such as the Pinnacle Grill, the Pinnacle Bar, the Greenhouse Spa and Salon, the Dining Room and Lido Market received extensive enhancements.
The Port of San Diego will welcome the return of cruise lines and cruise passengers on Friday, October 1, when the Disney Wonder and Grand Princess will be the first sailings out of San Diego since spring 2020. The Disney Wonder is setting sail for a four-day cruise beginning in San Diego to Cabo San Lucas and back. The Grand Princess sailing will begin in Los Angeles on September 30 and stop in San Diego on October 1 on its way to Ensenada and back to Los Angeles.
The port said it currently anticipates more than 100 cruise calls through May 2022. Those calls will primarily be from Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Disney Cruise Line.
According to a prepared statement, health and safety is a top priority. To safely resume cruising, the port said it is working with the cruise lines, along with various other local, state, and federal agencies to put extra precautions in place to minimize community spread of and exposure to COVID-19.
In conjunction with the cruise lines, precautions include that all crew members and eligible guests must be fully vaccinated (currently ages 12 and up; in special and rare cases, medical exemptions may be allowed, but Celebrity, Holland America, and Princess must maintain that at least 95% of all guests are vaccinated; Disney Cruise Line will be testing all guests on embarkation days).
All unvaccinated guests must provide negative PCR test results between three days and 24 hours before embarkation day. All persons must complete a health screening form to declare they have been vaccinated, are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, and had a recent negative COVID-19 test result (if pre-testing was required by the cruise line).
All persons must wear a face covering while inside the cruise ship terminal.
Whenever possible while in the cruise terminals, all persons are strongly encouraged to social distance from other persons, not in their own travelling party.
To prevent an influx of passengers and to help ensure social distancing, the cruise lines have implemented a passenger appointment system for check-in/screening times.
The port will be fully cleaning and disinfecting the terminals immediately following each embarkation and disembarkation, plexiglass partitions have been installed in some areas, and hand sanitiser will be available throughout the terminals.
San Diego is California’s third busiest cruise port behind Long Beach and Los Angeles. And, according to the port, each homeported cruise has an economic impact of $2 million. While a single in-transit call (one stop on the cruise itinerary) generates a total impact to the region of nearly $600,000.
Holland America Set for U.S. Cruising with 6 Ships from San Diego and Port Everglades
Holland America Line announced it is set to restart cruising out of Port of San Diego in California beginning with a season of cruises to Mexico, Hawaii and along the California coast aboard Koningsdam and Zuiderdam.
The cruise line has expanded the season with the addition of six new cruise departures for Zuiderdam and two new cruises on Koningsdam, offering a total of 40 cruises from San Diego from September 2021 through April 2022.
Holland America Line also is looking toward cruising in the Caribbean with four ships, according to a press release.
All sailing roundtrip from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the season will begin Oct. 23, 2021, with Nieuw Amsterdam. The ship will be joined by the new Rotterdam Nov. 3, Eurodam Nov. 14 and Nieuw Statendam Nov. 21.
Caribbean cruises range in length from four to 14 days, span the entire region and include a call at Half Moon Cay.
“San Diego has always been an incredible homeport for our ships, and we are eager to restart on the West Coast with two ships operating an expanded season, including the debut of Koningsdam on these itineraries and close-to-home California cruises that our guests are going to love,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “We’ve also been anticipating announcing our plans for the Caribbean and we’re thrilled to have four ships in the region, including our new Rotterdam. Cruising is back and having vaccinated ships for these cruises in 2021 ensures that we can deliver the experience just how our guests remember and expect. We’re ready to cruise!”
Highlights of the 2021-2022 San Diego Cruise Season:
Zuiderdam: Sept. 18, 2021, to April 22, 2022: 17 cruises from San Diego — eight Mexico, four California coast, three Hawaii and two Panama Canal.
Koningsdam: Oct. 10, 2021, to April 3, 2022: 23 cruises from San Diego — 15 Mexico, six California coast and two Hawaii cruises.
Seven-day cruises along the California coast include a new itinerary that calls at Catalina, Santa Barbara and San Francisco for a late evening stay, along with Ensenada, Mexico. Additional “Classic California Coast” cruises include California calls at Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Avalon, and at Ensenada.
A new 21-day Panama Canal cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam from Seattle, Washington, to Fort Lauderdale departs Oct. 2 and includes calls at San Diego; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Fuerte Amador (Panama City), Panama;; Oranjestad, Aruba; and Half Moon Cay.
All seven-day “Mexican Riviera” cruises feature three Mexican ports of call: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas.
“Mexico and Sea of Cortez” itineraries are between nine and 12 days and call at a combination of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas, Guaymas, Topolobampo, Pichilingue (La Paz) and Loreto, Mexico.
“Circle Hawaii” cruises are 17 or 18 days and call at the Hawaiian ports of Lahaina, Hilo, Honolulu, Nawiliwili and Kona, and Ensenada.
Two 14-day cruises through the Panama Canal from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale on Zuiderdam depart Jan. 2 and Jan. 30, 2022.
Highlights of the 2021-2022 Caribbean Cruise Season:
Nieuw Amsterdam: Oct. 23, 2021, to April 7, 2022: 24 cruises to the eastern, western and southern Caribbean. All itineraries are seven days except a nine-day holiday cruise departing on Dec. 30.
Rotterdam: Nov. 3, 2021, to April 10, 2022: The ship kicks off its maiden season in the Caribbean with a series of 22 cruises, ranging from three to 11 days covering a wide offering of Caribbean ports.
Eurodam: Nov. 14, 2021, to April 10, 2022: 15 departures, including 12 10- and 11-day Panama Canal Sunfarer cruises featuring a partial Panama Canal exploration of Gatun Lake and three seven-day eastern Caribbean itineraries.
Nieuw Statendam: Nov. 21, 2021, to March 27, 2022: 15 cruises to the eastern, western, southern and tropical Caribbean ranging from seven to 11 days.
All itineraries include a call at Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private Bahamian island.
The crew from Holland America Koningsdam Get COVID-19 Vaccines at San Diego
Holland America Line crew members from Koningsdam received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination today at the Port of San Diego in California, according to a statement.
Arranged in partnership with Sharp HealthCare, a not-for-profit regional health care group, 118 crew came ashore to be vaccinated.
During a brief ceremony, Captain Henk Draper, master of Koningsdam, remarked how the crew vaccinations were a welcome step as the ship waits to resume cruising.
Also on hand were Rafael Castellanos, commissioner of the Port of San Diego, and Brett McClain, executive vice president and COO of Sharp HealthCare.
“Today is an incredible day, not only for our team members on Koningsdam but for our entire organization as we continue to take the necessary steps to get back to cruising,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “We extend our deepest gratitude to Sharp HealthCare for vaccinating our crew, and to everyone at Port of San Diego for offering the terminal and allowing us to make this process safe and smooth.”
On Thursday, May 20, Sharp HealthCare also will vaccinate 179 crew aboard Noordam, which will be at a nearby anchorage just off Coronado for the day. Likewise, 231 crew from Nieuw Amsterdam will receive Pfizer vaccines from healthcare provider Ambulnz on Friday, May 21, while the ship is alongside San Pedro, California.
Starting in October 2021 through April 2022, Koningsdam and Zuiderdam will homeport out of San Diego for a season of cruises to Hawaii, Mexico, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South Pacific. In total, fours ships will make 35 calls: Koningsdam in its inaugural season in San Diego (21 calls), Zuiderdam (12 calls), Eurodam (one call) and Nieuw Amsterdam (one call).
Hospital Ship ‘Mercy’ Steaming to Los Angeles to Assist with COVID-19 Response
The USNS Mercy, a Navy hospital ship, departs the Naval Station San Diego and heads to the Port of Los Angeles to aid local medical facilities dealing with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients, in San Diego, California, U.S., March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake
The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy departed her homeport at Naval Station San Diego today and is now underway to Los Angeles in support of the nation’s COVID-19 response effort.
USNS Mercy left port with over 800 Navy medical personnel and support staff who will help treat non-COVID-19 patients aboard, and relieve local hospitals ashore by providing medical care including general surgeries, critical care and ward care for adults, the Navy said in a statement.
“This will allow local health professionals to focus on treating COVID-19 patients and for shore-based hospitals to use their Intensive Care Units and ventilators for those patients,” it said.
Mercy is the first of two Mercy-class hospital ships operated by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command. It’s primary mission is “to provide an afloat, mobile, acute surgical medical facility to the U.S. military that is flexible, capable and uniquely adaptable to support expeditionary warfare. Mercy’s secondary mission is to provide full hospital services to support U.S. disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.”
The Mercy-class hospital ships are equipped with 1,000 hospital beds, 11 general operation suites, 15 patient wards and 80 intensive care beds, according to the Navy’s website.
A crew of over 70 civil service mariners operate and navigate the ship, load and off-load mission cargo, assist with repairs to mission equipment and provide essential services to keep the “medical treatment facility (MTF)” up and running. Mercy’s MTF is an embarked crew of medical personnel from the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, which is responsible for operating and maintaining one of the largest trauma facilities in the United States.
“This global crisis demands the whole of government response, and we are ready to support,” said Capt. John Rotruck, Mercy’s Military Treatment Facility commanding officer. “Mercy brings a team of medical professionals, medical equipment, and supplies, all of which will act, in essence, as a ‘relief valve’ for local civilian hospitals in Los Angeles so that local health professionals can better focus on COVID-19 cases. We will use our agility and responsiveness as an afloat Medical Treatment Facility to do what the country asks, and bring relief where we are needed most.”
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, as of Monday, there have been 536 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, including seven deaths and 90 hospitalizations.
“We’ve seen a dramatic increase over the last 48 hours and sadly, we expect positive case counts to rise dramatically over the next three weeks,” said Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County Public Health Director.
Statewide, California now has 1,733 confirmed cases and 27 deaths.
Carnival Cruise Line kicked off 2019 with its first-ever float in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., ahead of the arrival of the new Long Beach-based Carnival Panorama later this year,
Modelled after the new 133,500-ton Vista-class ship, the float cruised down the five-mile parade route this morning delighting the crowd of 700,000 who gathered along with the float riders to a Carnival nine-piece band playing “Uptown Funk” and “I’ve Got a Feeling” as well as the estimated 80 million television viewers.
Aptly named “Come Sail Away,” the 55-foot-long ship-shaped float featured floral-inspired reproductions of signature Carnival features like the iconic red and blue funnel, a water park and fun-filled Lido Deck party, and the line’s newest attraction -- the first-ever trampoline park at sea, in partnership with Sky Zone with jumpers on a working trampoline built into the front portion of the float.
The float also included a replica of the Carnival AirShip flying overhead, just like the blimp that will embark on a month-long tour of California to promote Carnival’s continued expansion in Long Beach, as well as new cruise options from San Diego and San Francisco.
Designed by Carnival’s in-house creative team and Fiesta Parade Floats, construction of the maritime marvel began in mid-November and encompassed 10 designers collectively working hundreds of hours right up until parade time.
Dozens of volunteers, including Carnival travel agent partners, joined the designers to decorate the float.
“We’re the number one cruise line from the West Coast and what better way to celebrate this distinction and the arrival of Carnival Panorama than by our first-ever Rose Parade which truly captures the essence of what Choosing Fun on a Carnival cruise is all about,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
Puerto Vallarta Welcomes Return of Carnival Miracle
The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board has announced the return of Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Miracle to Puerto Vallarta after a seven-year absence.
Connecting San Diego and Puerto Vallarta, the ship is scheduled to make its first call in December 2019.
For the 2019-2020 winter season, the Carnival Miracle will offer 10 voyages from the Port of San Diego. The schedule kicks off on December 1, 2019, with a seven-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera featuring calls at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas.
Other cruise lines that sail from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta include Holland America Line and Disney Cruise Line.
For 2018, Puerto Vallarta is projecting 154 calls with 404,734 passengers, up from 145 calls in 2017.
According to the tourism board, calls to the destination are expected to increase annually and Puerto Vallarta’s International Port (API) is committing $22 million for an extensive renovation and construction project to the port infrastructure.
In charge of the project is the local company, Puerto Mágico PV. The work will cover La Hacienda, a new passenger centre, a Tequila distillery, an art gallery, artisan shops, a cultural centre; El Nido, a new commercial centre with a food court, a 400-car parking lot; and what is set to be the biggest aquarium in Latin America. The port will also be accessible to non-passenger, open to visitors and local residents. The project is scheduled to be unveiled before the end of 2018.
Disney Cruise Line will offer an expanded two-month season from San Diego in 2019, sailing to Baja and the Mexican Riviera as the company today announced some of its 2019 deployment.
There are also cruises to Southern Caribbean from San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to the company. From January to May, all cruises departing from Florida feature a stop at Castaway Cay.
Bookings open to the public on Nov. 2, 2017.
More details on 2019 itineraries can be found on the Ports and Itineraries for 2019 page of disneycruise.com.
The Disney Wonder returns to San Diego for an extended season from March to May 2019, with a variety of cruises to Mexico, including two-, four-, five- and seven-night voyages.
Most sailings to Mexico’s Baja peninsula call on Ensenada. Two-night cruises to Ensenada boast Friday departures from San Diego for a weekend experience.
Four- and five-night Baja options include a visit to Cabo San Lucas.
Seven-night sailings to the Mexican Riviera call on Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlán.
In January, three special Disney Wonder cruises from San Juan sail to the Southern Caribbean. The Disney Wonder arrives in San Juan after a five-night journey departing Jan. 9 from Galveston, Texas, with a stop in Falmouth, Jamaica.
On Feb. 3, a four-night cruise aboard the Disney Wonder takes guests from San Juan to Port Canaveral, Florida.
The Disney Fantasy continues to sail seven-night Caribbean voyages, with Eastern Caribbean itineraries visiting the Virgin Islands of Tortola and St. Thomas, and Western Caribbean cruises calling on Cozumel, Mexico, Grand Cayman and Falmouth.
The Disney Dream embarks on three- and four-night Bahamian cruises to Nassau and Castaway Cay and the Disney Wonder will alternate similar three- and four-night itineraries throughout February.
To kick off 2019, the Disney Magic continues sailing from Miami with four- and five-night voyages to the Bahamas, plus five-night Western Caribbean cruises.
What Would It Take for California to Lure a New Mega Cruise Ship?
PHOTO: Disney Cruise Line's Disney Wonder docked in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jason Leppert)
ByJASON LEPPERT
As a native resident of San Diego, I’ve recently lamented the lack of brand new cruise ships sailing from Californian home ports. Short of some more recent vessels passing through on repositioning cruises on their way to seasonal Alaska, most are older with the newest ships almost always being earmarked for Florida.
So, now I ask this: what could California and nearby destinations do to warrant the latest mega cruise ship sailing from the west coast?
Destinations
From Florida, the Caribbean is the classic destination with access now to countries from Cuba to Mexico, but there’s actually a greater variety leaving from Los Angeles or San Diego, also including Mexico. In fact, itineraries can feature Mexican Riviera, Hawaiian or California Coastal varieties, and, in the case of Holland America Line, some combo voyages feature two different routes consecutively. The bottom line, though, is the Caribbean is a more popular cruise destination than either of California’s accessible trio.
Thankfully, the Mexican Riviera is picking back up after a recent slump when it was perceived as dangerous for a period of time, but a wider selection of individual ports could help further. The number of available stops in the Caribbean is massive compared to frequented Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Adding to that list, however, are the likes of Acapulco which is also on the rebound and ports in the Sea of Cortez. The problem is that sailings to these areas are often longer than the week long sweet spot for cruise duration.
The solution though might be to feature at least one Sea of Cortez port in combination with fewer of the classic ports as well as developing them all to be more convenient. True of Hawaiian and Californian cities besides those in Mexico is that many can only be visited via tender. If Cabo San Lucas, Catalina or Lahaina, for instance, were to have docks, they would be more enticing to new mega cruise ships. Or perhaps newly developed ports could be an answer as well.
Homeports
The other variable in the equation are turnaround home ports themselves—that is: could San Diego and Los Angeles’ San Pedro and Long Beach handle high volumes of passengers embarking and disembarking?
Carnival is investing in its facility at Long Beach for this very reason to soon accept the larger 3,006-guest Carnival Splendor, but it would take more to be able to process 4,000-passenger-plus vessels like Norwegian Cruise Line’s upcoming Norwegian Bliss heading for Alaska. Seasonally, this new ship would’ve been ideal in California when not north, but it too opted for Florida in the winter.
If the facilities could scale up to support the newest cruise ships in California, there would be plenty of other conveniences to tout, especially in San Diego. The ease of transportation from America’s Finest City is exemplary. Nearly a stone’s throw away from the port is the train station and within only three miles is the international airport. In fact, it’s so close you can watch the planes take off and land from onboard the cruise ships just across the bay.
Ultimately, what would make it happen is a cruise line taking a chance to trust in the “build it, and they will come” philosophy. That is, Florida’s cruise traffic may be less a result of the Caribbean’s popularity and more a result of the newest ships drawing people there. If a cruise line decided to put their latest in California instead and of course the facilities existed to support them, cruise travellers would very likely follow to experience it wherever it goes.
Future ships that might still fit the bill in California are Carnival Cruise Line’s third Vista-class ship, Royal Caribbean International’s fourth Oasis-class ship or even Norwegian Cruise Line’s fourth Breakaway Plus-class ship.
With such a glut of new vessels coming online, surely one of them will eventually have to first make it to California.
Mexico's Pacific coast city of Mazatlan welcomed the arrival of 1,300 passengers aboard Holland America's Veendam on Nov. 12, signaling a return of cruise ships to the port city.
Cruise lines pulled out of Mazatlan in 2011 due to concerns about safety and security in the port area.
The Veendam sailed out of San Diego on Nov. 9 on a seven-day Mexican Riviera cruise. Passenger disembarked at a new cruise terminal.
Next to arrive will be Norwegian Cruise Lines' Norwegian Star. That ship will make five calls in Mazatlan on seven-day cruises departing Los Angeles on Dec. 22 and 29 and March 2, 9 and 16.
Azamara Club Cruises' Quest will call in Mazatlan on Feb. 1 on a 12-day sailing out of Los Angeles on Dec. 29.
More than 18,000 cruise passengers will visit Mazatlan during the 2013-2014 cruise season, according to Frank Cordova, secretary of tourism for the state of Sinaloa.
Holland America Line’s (HAL) Statendam and Veendam will sail roundtrip from San Diego to Mexico, Hawaii and French Polynesia during the 2013-2014 season on newly expanded itineraries offering extended port stays, overnight calls and visits to picturesque locations.
“These cruises make it easy for travelers to visit extraordinary locales without the need for international air travel,” said Richard Meadows, executive vice president of marketing, sales and guest programs. “Each sailing features varied port calls including some overnights and enriching onboard activities that give our guests a very exciting and comprehensive Holland America Line vacation experience.”
The seven- and 12-day cruises to Mexico sail in November, December and March. Six weeklong Mexican Riviera itineraries onboard the Veendam call at Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, along with scenic cruising along Magdalena Bay, noted for its seasonal migration of California gray whales. Departure dates are Nov. 9, Dec. 21 and 28 (two holiday sailings) and March 9, 16 and 23.
A 12-day cruise onboard Statendam sails Dec. 4 and visits Cabo San Lucas, Pichilingue (La Paz), Loreto, Guaymas, Topolobampo and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Guests have extra time onshore in Puerto Vallarta with an overnight call, during which they can sample local cuisine, learn more about the country’s history or check out the area’s nightlife. This departure also includes scenic cruising in Magdalena Bay.
In Hawaii, the 17- to 35-day Circle Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas itineraries have departures this October and next February and April. Veendam offers four roundtrip San Diego itineraries, adding Kona as a port of call. These sailings have a leisurely pace that combines interesting ports with plenty of sea days to enjoy the amenities found onboard. The 17-day itinerary departs Nov. 16 and Jan. 4, and calls at Hilo, Honolulu, Nawiliwili, Lahaina and Kona. The 18-day cruises depart Dec. 3 and Jan. 21 and add an overnight in Honolulu.
Statendam’s three Circle Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas itineraries range in length from 29 to 35 days. Four calls in Hawaii, Maui and Oahu include an overnight in Honolulu and late departure from Lahaina. In French Polynesia, the ship visits Bora Bora, Raiatea, Tahiti, Moorea, Rangiroa and Nuku Hiva — the largest of the Marquesas Islands — with overnight stays in Bora Bora and Tahiti.
Departures from San Diego are scheduled on Oct. 4 and Dec. 16 for a 30-day special holiday cruise. Guests can also join the cruise in San Francisco on Oct. 2 or in Vancouver on Sept. 29 for 32-day and 35-day sailings, respectively. In 2014, the ship departs San Diego on Feb. 14 for a 29-day roundtrip itinerary, as well as April 15 on a 29-day roundtrip cruise. A 33-day itinerary that ends in Vancouver is also available for booking.
HAL is using the days at sea to enrich the cruising experience and prepare guests for the cultures they will encounter through lectures, classes, demonstrations and performances. For example, with the new On Location program, guests on cruises to Hawaii might learn how to hula, make a fresh flower lei or get a ukulele lesson from a local, while cruisers on sailings to Mexico are entertained by an authentic mariachi band during a Mexican fiesta on deck.
HAL’s Explore4 early booking promotion features a free Signature Beverage Package or beverage card, a free specialty restaurant dinner, free or reduced fares for third and fourth guests in the same stateroom and 50 percent reduced deposits for bookings on select 2014 cruises made before Oct. 15, 2013. Guests may receive all four offers when booking a qualified itinerary.
Cruise fares for Mexico itineraries start at $899 for a seven-day sailing and include Explore4 early booking promotion offers. Fares for Hawaii begin at $1,599 for a 17-day Circle Hawaii itinerary with Explore4 early booking promotions. Circle Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas cruises start at $3,699 per person.
