Carnival Magic: 15 Years of Service for Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Magic: 15 Years of Service for Carnival Cruise Line

The Carnival Magic recently celebrated 15 years of service for Carnival Cruise Line after being delivered on April 27, 2011.

As a sister to the 2009-built Carnival Dream, the 3,650-passenger ship was built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

At the time of its delivery, the Carnival Magic became the 100th ship across Carnival Corporation’s then 10 cruise brands.

Following a traditional handover ceremony, the vessel sailed for Venice to kick off its maiden voyage, which departed on May 1, 2011.

Sailing to Barcelona, the open-jaw itinerary included visits to destinations in Croatia, Italy, Spain and Monaco, such as Dubrovnik, Messina, Livorno and Monte Carlo.

The ship continued to offer itineraries in the Mediterranean through most of its inaugural season, operating itineraries to additional destinations in the region.

Ahead of its first sailing, the Carnival Magic was also officially named during a ceremony at the Venice Cruise Terminal.

Lindsey Wilkerson, a former St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patient who served as ambassador for the organization, was chosen as the ship’s godmother.

Soon after its first season in Europe, the Carnival Magic repositioned to Galveston for seven-night cruises to the Western Caribbean.

According to Carnival, the 130,000-ton vessel was the largest cruise ship sailing year-round from the Texas homeport at the time.

The Carnival Magic later sailed from other U.S. homeports, including Port Canaveral, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Norfolk and New York City.

In 2023, the ship returned to Miami to kick off a year-round schedule of six- to eight-night cruises to the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

Still being offered in 2026, the deployment features itineraries that visit destinations like Grand Turk, Curaçao, Puerto Plata and Celebration Key.

The Carnival Magic also became the second ship in the company’s fleet to introduce the new “From Sea to Shining Sea” crest.

Created in homage to the United States’ 250th anniversary, the patriotic feature was revealed in May and will be added to all of the company’s U.S.-based vessels.

 

Carnival Magic Repositions to Miami

Carnival Magic Repositions to Miami

Carnival Magic in Palma, Majorca photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr account)

The Carnival Magic arrived in Miami today to kick off a series of cruises to the Caribbean.

Sailing from its new year-round homeport in South Florida, the 3,650-guest vessel is set to offer a series of six- to eight-night itineraries to different destinations in the region.

The first cruise of the program includes six days cruising to the Eastern Caribbean, with planned visits to Half Moon Cay, in the Bahamas; Grand Turk, in Turks and Caicos; and Amber Cove, in the Dominican Republic.

Cruises to the Western Caribbean are also part of the program, including six-night itineraries to Mexico and Belize, and seven-night cruises to Mexico and Honduras.

The Carnival Magic is also set to cruise to the Southern Caribbean from Miami, offering eight-night itineraries that feature destinations in Aruba, Curaçao, and more.

Other ports of call included in the ship’s itineraries include St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Philipsburg, in St. Maarten, Nassau, in the Bahamas, and more.

With the Carnival Magic now based in Miami as well, a total of five Carnival Cruise Line ships are sailing from the South Florida homeport on a year-round basis.

The Carnival Celebration, the Carnival Horizon, the Carnival Conquest and the Carnival Sunrise complete the company’s fleet in PortMiami.

Offering three- to eight-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean, the vessels sail to popular destinations in the region, such as Nassau, Princess Cays, George Town, La Romana, Puerto Rico and more.

A sister to the 2009-built Carnival Dream, the Carnival Magic originally entered service in 2011. Built in Italy by the Fincantieri shipyard, the vessel offers several facilities and attractions, including a large casino, a multi-level theater and an extensive array of dining venues.

The Magic also boasts innovative features, including an outdoors sports complex named Sports Square and The Lanai, a wrap-around promenade with whirlpools that extend out over the ship’s sides.

Carnival Journeys Program Embarked Over 330,000 Guests Since 2015

Carnival Journeys Program Embarked Over 330,000 Guests Since 2015

More than 330,000 guests have sailed on a Carnival Journeys cruise since the program was launched in 2015.

According to Carnival Cruise Line, the number is set to grow significantly in the future, as the program adds more varied itineraries.

In 2025, the initiative will include several newly announced cruises onboard the Carnival Spirit and the Carnival Luminosa.

As a response to guests’ interest in these longer vacations and more adventurous experiences, the ships will offer new itineraries for the year, including a transatlantic crossing onboard the Spirit and a 29-day cruise to Japan and Alaska onboard the Luminosa.

The Carnival Spirit is also set to offer a 15-day roundtrip cruise to Hawaii from Seattle. Departing in September 2025, the Carnival Journey will include visits to Honolulu, Oahu; Kahului, Maui; Nawiliwili, Kauai; and Hilo in Hawaii, as well as Victoria, British Columbia.

With the new offerings, over 85 upcoming Carnival Journeys are available for booking, Carnival Cruise Line said, which could see over 230,000 guests embarking from now through 2025.

The Carnival Journeys program of longer cruise itineraries offers guests more opportunities to see the world, Carnival said, from ocean crossings and Panama Canal transit.

The initiative also includes special sailings featuring destinations in the Caribbean, Greenland, Hawaii, New Zealand, Japan, Tahiti, Southeast Asia and Alaska.

Earlier this month, the Carnival Legend set sail on a 14-night cruise to Greenland. Sailing roundtrip from Baltimore, the itinerary featured visits to two destinations in the Arctic Island, as well as three ports of call in Canada.

In 2024, the Journey’s portfolio includes cruises a selection of longer itineraries onboard the Carnival Spirit, the Carnival Radiance, the Carnival Pride, the Carnival Liberty, the Carnival Dream, and other ships.

Carnival Debuts New Dinner Menu Onboard Carnival Dream

Carnival Debuts New Dinner Menu Onboard Carnival Dream

Carnival Cruise Line is launching its new dining room offerings onboard the Carnival Dream on Tuesday, June 20.

The updated offerings include new entrees, appetizers and desserts as well as steakhouse selections. 

Some of the featured dishes that will be served onboard the Carnival Dream include:

• Beef Spring Roll with noodles and honey barbeque sauce;
• Hawaiian Shrimp Poke with avocado, edamame, rice and creamy spicy sauce;
• Southern Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes and scallions;
• Spaghetti Carbonara with parmesan and garlic;
• Eggplant Cutlet la Parmigiana with mozzarella, basil and crushed tomatoes;
• New York Strip Loin Steak;
• Grilled Lamb Chops;
• Nana Cream Pie;
• A selection of ice cream and sorbet.

 

Carnival Cruise Line announced earlier this month that it will be enhancing its main dining room offerings in the upcoming months to feature nearly 60 new entrée presentations on rotation across the fleet.

The updated menus were created by Carnival’s culinary team led by Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse.

Carnival Dream Resumes Service in Galveston

Another Carnival Cruise Line vessel is resuming service today as the Carnival Dream welcomes guests back in Texas. The 2009-built Galveston-based ship is kicking off a series of six-and eight-night cruises to the Eastern Caribbean and The Bahamas. 

On its first cruise, the Carnival Dream is sailing on a six-night Western Caribbean itinerary that features visits to three ports in Mexico and Belize. The first stop is Costa Maya, followed by Belize City and Cozumel.

Cozumel – an island in Mexico’s Quintana Roo region surrounded by coral reefs – is one of the highlights of the cruise.

Carnival Dream’s itineraries through December will include other popular ports in the region, such as Half Moon Cay, Roatán and Key West. Two other Carnival ships are currently homeporting in Galveston: the Carnival Breeze and the Carnival Vista.

First, of a series of three ships known as the Dream Class, the Carnival Dream entered service in 2009. At the time, the vessel ushered a new era in “Fun Ship” cruising, offering a unique host of innovations and features.

Among the ship’s highlights is an expanded Carnival WaterWorks aqua park with one of the longest waterslides at sea. The 3,650-guest vessel also introduced entertainment options such as a comedy club and a half-mile wrap-around outdoor promenade, complete with whirlpools that extend over the ship’s sides.

Other features include 19,000 square feet of space dedicated to children and families, in addition to a wide variety of formal and casual dining options – a made-to-order pasta venue, a 24-hour pizzeria, a sushi bar, and a burrito station.

The Carnival Dream was upgraded with Carnival’s new hull colours when it went into drydock in July. According to the company, the livery is inspired by the design that debuted on the new Mardi Gras, while serving as a homage to maritime tradition with patriotic red, white and blue hues – also the colours of Carnival Cruise Line. 

The Carnival Dream is the 10th ship to resume service for Carnival Cruise Line after the COVID-19 operational pause.

It also became one of the three ships to resume service for the company this month. On Sept. 12, the Carnival Pride reentered service in Baltimore, kicking off a series of cruises to The Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean.

Also resuming service today, the Carnival Glory is currently embarking on its first cruise from New Orleans after an 18-month pause.

Carnival Cruise Line to Bring Back More Ships in September and October

Carnival Cruise Line announced today that three more ships will resume guest operations in September, and another four in October, which brings the total number of ships in operation for the Carnival Cruise Line fleet to 15

Carnival said in a press release will continue to operate all its ships as vaccinated cruises through at least October.

The three ships for September are the Carnival Glory from New Orleans, starting Sept. 5, the Carnival Pride from Baltimore, starting Sept. 12, and the Carnival Dream from Galveston, starting Sept. 19.

In October, the four additional ships to restart will be the Carnival Conquest from Miami, effective Oct. 8, the Carnival Freedom from Miami, effective Oct. 9, the Carnival Elation from Port Canaveral, effective Oct. 11, and the Carnival Sensation from Mobile, effective Oct. 21.

"We are very excited about our restart and greatly appreciate the support of our guests, travel agents and port and destination partners," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "By the end of July, we will have five ships in our restart plan, including the introduction of service on Mardi Gras, and we are seeing a great combination of strong demand and strong guest satisfaction scores tied to the positive guest experience onboard."

Carnival is also notifying guests and travel agents of an extension in its pause of operations through Sept. 5 for the Carnival Pride from Baltimore, Sept. 11 for the Carnival Dream from Galveston, Oct. 4 for the Carnival Conquest from Miami and Oct. 16 for the Carnival Sensation from Mobile.

Cruises on the Carnival Sunshine from Charleston, the Carnival Ecstasy from Jacksonville and the Carnival Liberty from Port Canaveral will be cancelled through Oct. 31.

In addition, a three-day cruise on the Carnival Miracle from Long Beach on Sept. 24 is being cancelled, and then the Carnival Miracle will begin sailing from Long Beach on Sept. 27.

Carnival said will continue to welcome unvaccinated guests onboard, but all unvaccinated guests including children under the age of 12, will be subject to pre-cruise and pre-embarkation testing and testing again prior to debarkation (on cruises longer than four days) along with a $150 per person charge to cover the costs of testing, reporting and health and safety screenings.

Carnival also said it is limiting the operation of its supervised youth programs to vaccinated children and youth 12 years and older. Unvaccinated guests departing from Florida (effective July 31) and Texas (effective Aug. 2) will also need to show proof of travel insurance coverage, based on the itineraries being sailed and the requirements of ports and destinations visited. These additional measures will be in place through at least October but may be extended based on guidance from public health and medical advisors and the requirements of destination partners.

"The decision to sail with vaccinated voyages was a difficult one to make, and we recognize this is disappointing to some of our guests especially the many families with children under the age of 12 who we love to sail, and who love to sail with us," said Duffy. "It's important to remember that this is a temporary measure given the current circumstances. In consultation with our medical experts and advisors, we've determined this plan is in the best interests of the health and safety of our guests, crew and the destinations that we bring our ships to. It's very important that we continue to maintain the confidence of our destination partners so that we can provide our guests with the optimal cruise experience and sail our itineraries."

"Our plan envisions successfully bringing back our entire fleet by the end of the year, returning to full service – most especially for the millions of families who sail with us – and building back our business for the benefit of our guests, employees and the tens of thousands of jobs and local businesses that depend on our company. We will continue to offer exemptions to our unvaccinated guests on a limited, capacity-managed basis within 14 days of sailing as we finalize the vaccinated guest count. The more bookings we initially secure for our cruises with fully vaccinated guests, the more exemptions we can ultimately offer for those unvaccinated guests already booked and those wishing to sail," Duffy added.

Carnival Dream Gets New Hull Design

The Carnival Dream has become the latest Carnival Cruise Line ship to be adorned with a new hull design, joining the Carnival Magic and the Carnival Glory which were completed over the past few weeks.

According to a press release, the Dream got the new colors in a drydock in Marseilles, France.

The livery is inspired by the design that debuted on the line’s newest ship, the Mardi Gras while serving as “an homage to maritime tradition with patriotic red, white and blue hues, also the colours of Carnival Cruise Line,” the cruise line said.

The next ship in line is the Carnival Valor, which is currently in drydock with work scheduled to be done by the end of July, marking the fourth ship to feature the new livery. Going forward, the new design will be added across all Carnival Cruise Line ships, the cruise line said.

Here Are All Of Carnival Cruise Line's Homeports For 2021

Carnival Legend

Big Thank you to https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/ 

Carnival Cruise Line has the most U.S. homeports of any cruise brand, plus a seasonal operation in Europe and year-round cruising in Australia.

Here's a look at the company's planned homeports for 2021:

Port Canaveral

Ships:

- Carnival Breeze (March to April);

- Carnival Elation (March to December);

- Carnival Liberty (March to December);

- Carnival Magic (November and December);

- Mardi Gras (April to December).

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Miami

Ships:

- Carnival Conquest (March to December);

- Carnival Freedom (October to December);

- Carnival Horizon (March to December);

- Carnival Sunrise (March to December).

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Jacksonville

Ships:

- Carnival Ecstasy (March to December).

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Tampa

Ships:

- Carnival Paradise (November and December);

- Carnival Pride (November and December).

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Galveston

Ships:

- Carnival Breeze (May to December);

- Carnival Dream (March to December);

- Carnival Freedom (March to April);

- Carnival Vista (March to December).

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Mobile

Ships:

- Carnival Sensation (March to December).

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New Orleans

Ships:

- Carnival Glory (March to December);

- Carnival Valor (November and December).  

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Baltimore

Ships:

- Carnival Legend (November and December);

- Carnival Pride (March to October).

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Charleston

Ships:

- Carnival Sunshine (March to December).

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San Diego

Ships:

- Carnival Miracle (March and April/October to December).

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San Francisco

Ships:

- Carnival Miracle (April to September).

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Seattle

Ships:

- Carnival Freedom (April to September).

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Long Beach

Ships:

- Carnival Panorama (March to December);

- Carnival Radiance (November and December).

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Europe

Ships:

- Carnival Legend: Barcelona (May and October), Dover (June to August), and Civitavecchia (August to October).   

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Australia

Ships:

- Carnival Spirit: Brisbane (June to December);

- Carnival Splendor: Sydney (March to December).

Carnival to restart operations from three U.S. ports

The Carnival Dream will sail from Galveston starting Aug. 1.

Carnival Cruise Line plans to resume service on Aug. 1 with sailings from Miami, Port Canaveral and Galveston on eight ships. 

Carnival is calling it the first phase of its resumption plan. The cruise line’s operations pause will extend in all other North American and Australian markets through Aug. 31.

The cruise line said that any resumption of cruise operations “is fully dependent on our continued efforts in cooperation with federal, state, local and international government officials.”

Carnival has not provided itinerary details, but plans to launch the Carnival Dream, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Vista from Galveston; the Carnival Horizon, Carnival Magic and Carnival Sensation from Miami; and Carnival Breeze and Carnival Elation from Port Canaveral.

Carnival said it would “engage experts, government officials and stakeholders on additional protocols and procedures to protect the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we serve. We appreciate the understanding and support of our guests and travel agent partners and look forward to welcoming them on board as the environment for travel and tourism improves.”

The line also announced additional cancellations beyond Aug. 31 on the Carnival Spirit, which cancelled its Alaska cruises from Seattle as well as its Vancouver-Honolulu cruise on Sept. 25 and Honolulu-Brisbane transpacific cruise on Oct. 6.

In a first, Carnival to base four ships in Galveston

As the Carnival Radiance, the ship will have 115 additional cabins plus new bars and restaurants.

The Carnival Radiance will be deployed in Galveston in the spring of 2021, putting four Carnival Cruise Line ships in the Texas port year-round for the first time.

The Radiance is the current Carnival Victory, a ship that will undergo a $200 million bow-to-stern renovation and name change.

In Galveston, the Radiance will be joined by the Carnival Breeze, currently sailing from Port Canaveral, as well as the Carnival Dream and Carnival Vista. Together, the ships will carry an estimated 900,000 passengers a year.

In a 38-day drydock, the Radiance will get a Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse, the Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant, a Bonsai Sushi, a RedFrog Pub, and the first Big Chicken restaurant created by Carnival's chief fun officer, Shaquille O'Neal.

Starting May 14, 2021, the Radiance will alternate five-day Galveston cruises to Mexico with three different nine-day itineraries as well as a pair of eight-port 14-day Carnival Journeys cruises.

The 7-year-old, 3,690-passenger Carnival Breeze will become the largest ship to operate a short cruise program from Galveston. The Carnival Dream will shift to six- and eight-day Caribbean voyages while Carnival Vista will continue with seven-day Caribbean cruises.

Steady Growth for Carnival in Galveston

The Carnival Radiance and Breeze will join the Vista and Dream sailing from Galveston year-round in May 2021, Carnival Cruise Line announced today.

“We’ve been undergoing steady growth in Galveston since we started sailing there in 2000 with one ship,” said Fred Stein senior director of revenue planning and fleet development, Carnival Cruise Line.

The line went to three ships out of Galveston in 2015, with the Vista taking the place of the Breeze recently and adding more berths to the market.

“The next level of growth is adding a fourth ship,” Stein continued.

The four ships will mean Carnival is posting a 25 per cent increase in berths out of Galveston, according to Cruise Industry News data, with over 13,000 berths based in the Texas port in 2021.

Demand comes via 37 million people within a 500-mile drive, according to Stein, and many who fly in from the West Coast to Houston.

The Radiance, which will be converted from the Carnival Victory after a $200 million drydock next year, is moving to Galveston from Port Canaveral, while the Breeze comes over from Port Everglades for her Texas return.

The Freedom will be redeployed elsewhere, with an announcement expected soon.

All told, Carnival could carry nearly one million guests from Galveston on 235 itineraries in 2021, ranging from five to 14 days.

Stein said the port’s infrastructure can handle the four ships, and parking capacity was more than sufficient. 

The Radiance will concentrate on mainly five-day cruises, but three new nine-day options are available that depart on Fridays. Stein said these voyages were ideal as they offered a nine-day vacation, but for the most guest, only a week off work.

One nine-day option will call at Cozumel, Limon (Costa Rica), and feature a partial Panama Canal transit or a visit to Colon (Panama), while another features Key West, Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau. The third voyage calls at Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan), Belize, Costa Maya and Cozumel.

“This is the most differentiated content we have been able to offer from Galveston,” Stein told Cruise Industry News. 

The company is also offering two 14-day Carnival Journeys sailings, featuring eight ports each. 

“Those offer a lot of differentiated port content you wouldn’t get on a short cruise,” Stein said.

The Carnival Breeze will move into the short cruise rotation, sailing year-round four- and five-day itineraries.

“The Breeze has been in Galveston for quite a while,” Stein said. “She is very popular in Texas and will take on the four- and five-day cruises that the Dream is doing.”

Four-day “weekend” cruises leave on Thursdays and call in Cozumel while five-day cruises depart on Mondays and Saturdays with calls at Cozumel and either Progreso or Costa Maya. 

The Dream will move to a new six- and eight-day cruise schedule in May 2021 while the Vista will sail week-long cruises on two separate Western Caribbean itineraries.

Carnival plans to carry its 8 millionth guest from Galveston in early 2021.

2000 to 2020

Carnival started year-round cruising out of Galveston in 2000 with the Carnival Celebration, which was based in the port and offered four- and five-day Western Caribbean sailings at the time.

At the time, the Miami-based brand was the first major cruise line to base a ship year-round out of Galveston. Carnival made a five-year deal in 2000 and in return, the port invested in renovating its passenger terminal and building a parking facility for 1,100 cars.

It’s been all growth then, with the Jubilee joining the Celebration in 2002. 

The ships got bigger over time, and two ships became three in 2015, with 2021 set to see four ships sailing year-round for Carnival from Galveston.

Carnival increases capacity for short cruises

Carnival Cruise Line will raise the number of cabins devoted to short cruises out of Galveston and New Orleans in 2019.

It will send the 2,974-passenger Carnival Valor to New Orleans and the 3,646-passenger Carnival Dream to Galveston, representing capacity increases of 10% and 22%, respectively, for the four- and five-day itineraries there.

In Galveston, the Carnival Dream replaces the Valor and will join the Carnival Freedom and Carnival Vista, which repositions to Galveston in fall 2018.

The Valor will swing to New Orleans to replace the Carnival Triumph, which will be repositioned to a port to be determined.

Four-day cruises depart Thursdays and visit Cozumel. Five-day voyages depart Mondays and Saturdays, calling at Cozumel and Progreso. Some five-day itineraries from Galveston feature Cozumel and Costa Maya.

The Carnival Dream recently underwent a refurbishment that added Guy's Pig and Anchor Bar-B-Que, the pharmacy-themed Alchemy Bar, the BlueIguana Cantina Mexican restaurant and the full-service Bonsai Sushi restaurant.

Valor last year added Guy's Burger Joint, the Caribbean-themed RedFrog Pub, SkyBox sports bar, an Alchemy Bar and the poolside RedFrog Rum Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar.

Exclusive Glimpse: Carnival's Biggest Ever Ship Officially On The Horizon

Exclusive Glimpse: Carnival's Biggest Ever Ship Officially On The Horizon

Carnival Cruise Line has just revealed the very beginning of the construction of their 26th ship in their fleet.

Carnival Horizon will be the second ship in the Vista class, along with Carnival Vista, and will officially arrive early 2018.

The ship is currently under construction at the Fincantieri Marghera shipyard in Italy and is still yet to hit some major construction milestones, including its first float out onto the water and the beginning of the fitting out phase.

Carnival have released images of what guests can expect from Carnival Horizon: below is the Atrium…

The 4000-passenger, 133,500-tonne cruise ship will offer signature Carnival features along with firsts-at-sea like the IMAX theatre, Skyride- an extraordinary peddled roller coaster bike ride, the biggest SportsSquare sport complex, Havana cabins complex with pool, lounge and individual bar, and Family Harbor staterooms too.

IMAX theatre…

Havana top view…

Havana pool area…

The line, long known for its abundance of entertainment, is not holding back on new fun features with Horizon; passengers will find SkyRide onboard, the industry’s first open-air, pedal-powered aerial ride. Riders will climb onboard a hanging bike and cycle their way around the 800ft suspended track, 150 feet above sea level.

An alternative for adrenaline-seekers will be the SkyCourse ropes circuit which will be a part of the SportSquare, along with SkyRide. This will include an indoor hangout, mini-bowling, The Clubhouse, Ping-pong, sports video gaming, arcade basketball and more. Guests can also expect the biggest Carnival WaterWorks park which will include an enclosed Kaleid-O-Slide water tube with 455ft of turns and twists.

The Clubhouse…

Families can delve into Camp Ocean where kids of the ages 2-11 can take part in a vast array of activities…

Penguin colony for ages 2-5…

Stingrays for ages 6-8…

Sharks for ages 9-11…

Dr Seuss’ Bookville…

Carnival’s signature Cloud 9 Spa is back…

Carnival Horizon offers two main dining rooms, Horizons and Reflections, and seafood lovers will also be pampered with the Seafood Shack. This will be brand new to Carnival fleet and will be a New England-inspired casual eatery located on the ship’s top deck.

Another option for guests will be Chef’s table, a dining experience that will afford a dozen guests to experience a multicourse dinner with the master chef, private cocktail reception and a tour of the galley. This exclusive option will typically take place in a non-traditional venue, such as the library or the galley.

Guests will also find a Bonsai Sushi Bar onboard…

The Lido Marketplace…

Ji Ji Asian Kitchen…

Blelguana Cantina…

Pizzeria del Capitano…

Guests can choose from a number of bars, such as the Piano bar…

The Red Frog Rum Bar…

The Alchemy Bar…

Carnival Horizon will debut in March 2018 as the 26th and largest ship in the line’s fleet, together with sister ship Vista and Dream-class vessels Breeze, Magic and Dream.

Jamaica Port Authority plans $40 million Montego Bay Upgrade

Montego Bay Cruise pier

The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) will spend $40 million to upgrade the country’s cruise ship port in Montego Bay according to local media reports. The upgrade is being designed to create a “regional, multi-purpose port” operators hope will host more cruise ships.  

Jamaica officials anticipates “homeporting” cruise ships for scheduled departures from the revamped Montego Bay facility, said Dr. Horace Chang, a ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation official, in a Jamaica Observer report.

“The current cruise ship pier has to be improved significantly to support the traffic we are going to have with home porting,” he said.

William Tatham, PAJ’s vice president of cruise shipping, said  Montego Bay “will have seven [ships] home porting, up from five” in the 2016-1017 season. Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream and Carnival Freedom will sail regularly from Montego Bay this fall and winter along with ships from MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises and several European cruise lines.

In an earlier interview on the government-run Jamaica Information Service (JIS) website, Chang said PAJ is placing “serious focus” on expanding and improving the resort city’s cruise shipping facilities. “We expect cruise shipping to grow in Montego Bay and not just cruises coming through, but home-porting in particular,” he said.

Montego Bay is the smallest of Jamaica’s three major cruise ship ports, hosting 210,000 cruise passengers in the 2014-2015 season, trailing Ocho Rios (400,000 passengers) and Falmouth (800,000) passengers according to PJA data.

Jamaica’s 1.5 million cruise passenger arrivals during the 2014-2015 season represents the country’s best-ever annual total and is a 20 percent increase over 2014. Overall cruise ship calls increased 19 percent to 433 compared with 363 in 2014, according to PAJ data.

The ports of Falmouth and Ocho Rios accounted for 44 percent and 32 percent, respectively, of ship calls and 52 percent and 30 percent of passenger arrivals