Carnival Legend to Homeport in Galveston in 2025

Carnival Legend to Homeport in Galveston in 2025

Carnival Cruise Line announced that the Carnival Legend will be homeporting in Galveston in 2025, offering Western Caribbean sailings ranging from four to ten nights.

In addition, the Carnival Legend will offer two Panama Canal voyages, according to a statement.

“Carnival Legend’s deployment in Galveston strengthens our already robust portfolio of sailings from Texas, adding more variety to the offered itineraries, as well as another ship choice, and more opportunities for cruises to Mexico and other Western Caribbean that fit any vacation length,” said Fred Stein, Carnival’s vice president of revenue planning and deployment.

From the fall of 2025 through early 2026, the Carnival Legend will alternate between shorter and longer itineraries. Among the available sailings is a five-day voyage that visits Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico. Seven newly available 10-day itineraries feature ports of call in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Mahogany Bay, Roatan; Belize and Cozumel, Mexico.

Additionally, an eight-day Christmas sailing departing on December 18, 2025, will visit Mahogany Bay, Roatan; Belize and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.

Ahead of its move to Galveston, the ship will sail a 16-day Carnival Journeys sailing departing from San Francisco on October 6, 2025. Ports of call include Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and Puntarenas, Costa Rica before transiting the Panama Canal, and then Cartagena, Colombia before arriving in Galveston. A second 14-day Carnival Journeys cruise sails roundtrip from Galveston and departs on February 2, 2026. Ports of call include Montego Bay, Jamaica; Aruba; Curacao; Cartagena, Colombia; Colon (Panama Canal), Panama; Limon, Costa Rica and Cozumel, Mexico. Additionally, the Carnival Legend will offer three 10-day Panama Canal sailings departing on Oct. 27 Dec. 8, 2025, and March 16, 2026.

The Carnival Legend’s Galveston cruises open for sale on September 21.

5 Interesting Carnival Cruise Line Itineraries Taking Place This Year

5 Interesting Carnival Cruise Line Itineraries Taking Place This Year

With a fleet of 25 cruise ships and a global reach, Carnival Cruise Line is sailing from all major U.S. homeports in addition to having a presence in Europe and Australia.

Cruise Industry News selected some of the most interesting cruises being offered by the U.S.-based company still to take place in 2023.

Greenland and Canada from Baltimore
Ship: Carnival Legend
Date: August 13, 2023
Length: 14 nights
Homeports: Baltimore (United States)
Complete Itinerary: Sydney, St. Anthony and Corner Brook (Canada); Qaqortoq and Nanortalik (Greenland)

The Carnival Legend will offer a series of unique 14-night cruises to Greenland and Canada in August and September. Departing from Baltimore, the vessel is set to sail to the Arctic region, with itineraries that include visits to at least five ports.

On August 13, for instance, the vessel sails from Maryland on a two-week voyage that features stops at Sydney, St. Anthony and Corner Brook, in Canada, as well as Qaqortoq and Nanortalik, in Greenland.

British Islands and Ireland
Ship: Carnival Pride
Date: September 1, 2023
Length: Nine nights
Homeports: Dover (England)
Complete Itinerary: Greenock (Scotland); Dublin and Cork (Ireland); Belfast (Northern Ireland); Liverpool (England); and Holyhead (Wales)

Continuing its summer program in Europe, Carnival Pride is offering a nine-night cruise to the British Islands in September.

Sailing roundtrip from the Port of Dover, in England, the port-intensive itinerary sails to all of the major countries that are part of the United Kingdom, in addition to Ireland. Destinations set to be visited include Greenock, Dublin, Belfast, Liverpool, Holyhead and more.

Southern Caribbean with the Carnival Celebration
Ship: Carnival Celebration
Date: September 9, 2023
Length: Eight nights
Homeports: Miami (United States)
Complete Itinerary: Oranjestad (Aruba); Kralendijk (Bonaire); and Willemstad (Curaçao)

Adding more destinations to its regular cruise schedule, the Carnival Celebration is offering a few longer sailings to the Southern Caribbean during the remainder of the year.

Sailing from Carnival’s Terminal F in PortMiami, this eight-night cruise, for instance, is set to depart in September and features visits to the ABC Islands: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

Return to Mobile
Ship: Carnival Spirit
Date: October 6, 2023
Length: Eight nights
Homeports: Mobile (United States)
Complete Itinerary: Bimini, Freeport, Nassau and Half Moon Cay (Bahamas)

The Carnival Spirit will mark Carnival Cruise Line’s return to Mobile after a year-long gap. Starting in October, the 2001-built vessel will offer new itineraries from the Alabama homeport.

The first cruise of the program, for example, is an all-Bahamian trip that features visits to Bimini, Freeport and Nassau. Before returning to Mobile, the eight-night cruise also pays a visit to Half Moon Cay, one of Carnival Corporation’s private destinations in the country.

Mexican Riviera with La Paz
Ship: Carnival Panorama
Date: November 18, 2023
Length: Eight nights
Homeports: Long Beach (United States)
Complete Itinerary: La Paz, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta (Mexico)

Stepping away from its regular seven-night itinerary to the Mexican Riviera, the Carnival Panorama is offering a few longer sailings later this year.

On November 18, for instance, the ship sails from Long Beach on an eight-night cruise that, in addition to Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, adds a visit to another port of call: La Paz.

Carnival Legend Completes 20 Years in Service

Carnival Legend Completes 20 Years in Service

Carnival Legend photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Twenty years ago, the Carnival Legend arrived in New York City for its debut in the United States.

The first of two cruise ships that entered service for Carnival Cruise Line in 2002, the Spirit-Class vessel docked in a stateside port for the first time on September 22, 2022.

On that day, the Legend concluded a 15-night transatlantic crossing before kicking off its first cruise to Canada and New England.

The 11-night voyage included visits to Boston, Portland, Quebec City, Sydney and Halifax before returning to New York City.

As part of its inaugural program, the Legend offered additional itineraries departing from New York City as well as cruises departing from Philadelphia and Baltimore in October.

The 2,100-guest vessel then arrived in Fort Lauderdale – the homeport for its first winter season in the Caribbean – in November.

Prior to its arrival in the United States, the Legend became the first Carnival ship to offer cruises in Europe.

Soon after being delivered from Kvaerner Masa-Yards in August, the ship sailed two different cruises to Northern Europe and the Baltic.

Continuing Carnival’s Spirit Class, the Legend followed the 2001-built Carnival Spirit and the 2001-built Carnival Pride. A fourth vessel in the series, the Carnival Miracle, entered service in 2004.

Designed with a multi-deck atrium, a glass-enclosed pool deck and a large number of cabins with private balconies, the ship underwent a major refurbishment in 2014.

The multi-million-dollar renovation included the additions of the Green Thunder, one of the steepest and fastest waterslides at sea; the tropics-inspired RedFrog Pub; and a full-service sushi restaurant called Bonsai Sushi.

Currently sailing from Baltimore, the Legend last saw a drydock in 2021. At the time, it received Carnival’s new livery, as well as general maintenance and upkeep.

In addition to the Carnival Legend, the Carnival Conquest also debuted in 2002.

Carnival Cruise Line Bookings Double After Relaxing Protocols

Carnival Cruise Line Bookings Double After Relaxing Protocols

Carnival Cruise Line said today that its booking activity for Monday, Aug. 15 was nearly double the level for the equivalent day in 2019, citing demand after announcing last Friday that it was revising pre-cruise vaccination and testing requirements will allow more guests to cruise.

Carnival announced simplified protocols last Friday that eliminated pre-cruise testing requirements for vaccinated guests and eliminated the exemption request process for unvaccinated guests, who now will only need to show a negative test result at embarkation – effective for cruises departing on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, or later on voyages less than 16 nights. 

"We have previously disclosed strong occupancy projections for the summer, and our bookings through the end of 2022 have also been very solid," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "With the further alignment of protocols to other vacation choices, our guests are booking the remaining 2022 inventory and getting a head start planning for 2023. Mid-August is typically not a busy month for cruise bookings. Still, it's clear that pent-up demand for Carnival has not been satisfied and guests are responding very favourably to our updated protocols."

Duffy reiterated in a press release that Carnival remains committed to the health and safety of guests, crew, and the communities it visits, and will continue to work with medical experts and public health officials to refine its protocols responsibly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Carnival Cruise Line Announces Ship Restarts For January and February 2022

Carnival Cruise Line announced plans for more ship restarts for January and February, as it works towards the return of its full fleet sailing from U.S. homeports in the spring of 2022, according to a press release.

With 17 ships scheduled to be operating by year-end, Carnival Sunshine will restart from Charleston on Jan. 13 and Carnival Liberty from Port Canaveral on Feb. 11.

With today's announcement, Carnival's U.S.-based operations will cover the following homeports and ships by February, and represents 90 per cent of Carnival's U.S.-based capacity:

• Galveston: Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream and Carnival Vista
• Miami: Carnival Freedom, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Conquest
• Port Canaveral: Mardi Gras, Carnival Elation, Carnival Magic and Carnival Liberty (effective Feb. 11)
• New Orleans: Carnival Glory and Carnival Valor
• Long Beach: Carnival Panorama, Carnival Radiance and Carnival Miracle
• Baltimore: Carnival Legend
• Tampa: Carnival Pride
• Charleston: Carnival Sunshine (effective Jan. 13)

"Our restart plan continues to excel across all metrics, and we are looking forward to completing the restart of the fleet in the new year," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "We appreciate the support and patience of our guests, travel agents and port and destination partners who have been key to this successful restart."

Duffy said that Carnival continues to carefully monitor the status of public health and adjust its operating protocols accordingly. "We are optimistic that vaccines will be approved for children between the ages of 5-11 before the end of the year and we look forward to welcoming more families back on board," she added. As it relates to ships operating in January and February, Carnival will continue to operate vaccinated cruises under its current protocols.

Cruises on Carnival's three remaining U.S.-based ships – Carnival Ecstasy from Jacksonville, Carnival Paradise from Tampa, and Carnival Sensation from Mobile – have been cancelled through February.

In addition, Carnival Splendor from Sydney, Australia is cancelled through Feb. 7, and Carnival Spirit from Brisbane, Australia is cancelled through Feb. 20.

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.

Royal Caribbean Ship Arrives in St. Vincent to Help Evacuate

The Serenade of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International arrived in St. Vincent on Friday to help evacuate residents following the eruption of the La Soufrière volcano.

It's one of two ships on the scene from Royal Caribbean Group, as the company also sent the Celebrity Reflection to help, while Carnival Cruise Line sent two ships as well: the Carnival Legend and Carnival Paradise.

"Love and huge respect to our crew who, as always, come together in unimaginable ways," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, in a Facebook post.

"Over the next few days, they’ll be welcoming guests, preparing provisions, and providing medical attention. I am so proud of our team and all the teams behind the scenes from Royal, Celebrity, and Carnival Cruises working day and night to make sure we assist the people of St. Vincent in any way we can."

 

CARNIVAL EXTENDS SUSPENSION AND PUSHES BACK MARDI GRAS LAUNCH

The launch of Carnival Cruise Line’s new ship Mardi Gras has been pushed back a month after the company further extended its suspension of sailings.

The vessel will now begin operating from Port Canaveral from 29 May – amended from 24 April.

 

Carnival has now cancelled all US departures through to 30 April and all Australian operations until 19 May.

 

The line has also has axed European itineraries for Carnival Legend which were due to begin in May and operate through to 31 October.

 

Booked guests and travel agents are being notified directly of the cancellations about taking a future cruise credit and onboard credit package or a full refund.

 

Carnival president Christine Duffy said: “Our guests and travel agent partners continue to express their loyalty to Carnival and their desire to get back on our ships as soon as they can, and we are heartened by the booking demand and activity we continue to see.

 

“We are certainly committed to welcoming them back as quickly as possible, but unfortunately we have determined it’s going to take a while longer, and the situation in Europe will also impact Mardi Gras’ departure to the U.S., and Carnival Legend’s itineraries in Europe.”

 

Meanwhile, Carnival Corporation’s Italian brand Costa has announced plans to resume operations on 13 March.

 

Costa said current Covid restrictions do not allow guests to “enjoy an adequate on-shore experience and the ability to fully explore the itinerary’s destinations".

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).

---

Miami

Ships:

- Carnival Conquest (March to December);

- Carnival Freedom (October to December);

- Carnival Horizon (March to December);

- Carnival Sunrise (March to December).

---

Jacksonville

Ships:

- Carnival Ecstasy (March to December).

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Tampa

Ships:

- Carnival Paradise (November and December);

- Carnival Pride (November and December).

---

Galveston

Ships:

- Carnival Breeze (May to December);

- Carnival Dream (March to December);

- Carnival Freedom (March to April);

- Carnival Vista (March to December).

---

Mobile

Ships:

- Carnival Sensation (March to December).

---

New Orleans

Ships:

- Carnival Glory (March to December);

- Carnival Valor (November and December).  

---

Baltimore

Ships:

- Carnival Legend (November and December);

- Carnival Pride (March to October).

---

Charleston

Ships:

- Carnival Sunshine (March to December).

---

San Diego

Ships:

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

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San Francisco

Ships:

- Carnival Miracle (April to September).

---

Seattle

Ships:

- Carnival Freedom (April to September).

---

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).   

---

Australia

Ships:

- Carnival Spirit: Brisbane (June to December);

- Carnival Splendor: Sydney (March to December).

When Carnival Cruise Line Ships Are Expected to Start Sailing Again

Carnival Cruise Line has said it intends to start cruising again with some ships in mid-May, while other itineraries and ships are projected to start service again later this year.

A look at the expected first sailing of each Carnival ship as the cruise industry gets back into service (all information is subject to change due to the COVID-19 crisis):

Carnival Breeze
Date: May 16, 2020
Homeport: Port Canaveral
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Amber Cove, St. Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk

Carnival Conquest
Date: May 15, 2020
Homeport: Miami
Length: 3 nights
Itinerary: Nassau

Carnival Dream
Date: May 16, 2020
Homeport: Galveston
Length: 5 nights
Itinerary: Costa Maya and Cozumel

Carnival Ecstasy
Date: May 14, 2020
Homeport: Jacksonville
Length: 4 nights
Itinerary: Freeport and Nassau

Carnival Elation
Date: May 16, 2020
Homeport: Port Canaveral
Length: 5 nights
Itinerary: Nassau, Princess Cays and Grand Turk

Carnival Fantasy
Date: May 16, 2020
Homeport: Mobile
Length: 5 nights
Itinerary: Costa Maya and Cozumel

Carnival Fantasy

Carnival Fascination
Date: May 15, 2020
Homeport: Bridgetown, Barbados
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts and St. Lucia

Carnival Freedom
Date: May 17, 2020
Homeport: Galveston
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Roatán, Belize City and Cozumel

Carnival Glory
Date: May 17, 2020
Homeport: New Orleans
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel

Carnival Horizon
Date: May 16, 2020
Homeport: Miami
Length: 8 nights
Itinerary: Aruba, Bonaire, La Romana and Amber Cove

Carnival Imagination
Date: May 14, 2020
Homeport: Long Beach
Length: 3 nights
Itinerary: Ensenada

Carnival Inspiration
Date: May 15, 2020
Homeport: Long Beach
Length: 3 nights
Itinerary: Ensenada

Carnival Legend
Date: November 15, 2020
Homeport: Tampa
Length: 7 night
Itinerary: Grand Cayman, Roatán, Belize City and Cozumel

Carnival Legend

Carnival Liberty
Date: May 15, 2020
Homeport: Port Canaveral
Length: 3 nights
Itinerary: Nassau

Carnival Magic
Date: May 17, 2020
Homeport: Miami
Length: 6 nights
Itinerary: Half Moon Cay, Amber Cove and Grand Turk

Carnival Miracle
Date: October 4, 2020
Homeport: San Diego
Length: 4 nights
Itinerary: Catalina Island and Ensenada

Carnival Panorama
Date: May 16, 2020
Homeport: Long Beach
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta

Carnival Paradise
Date: May 14, 2020
Homeport: Tampa
Length: 4 nights
Itinerary: Cozumel

Carnival Pride
Date: May 17, 2020
Homeport: Baltimore
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport

Carnival Radiance
Date: November 8, 2020
Homeport: Port Canaveral
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Cozumel, Belize City, Roatán and Costa Maya

Carnival Radiance

Carnival Sensation
Date: May 14, 2020
Homeport: Miami
Length: 4 nights
Itinerary: Key West and Cozumel

Carnival Spirit
Date: July 7, 2020
Homeport: Seattle
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Victoria

Carnival Splendor
Date: June 19, 2020
Homeport: Sydney, Australia
Length: 3 nights
Itinerary: No ports of call

Carnival Sunrise
Date: May 15, 2020
Homeport: Norfolk
Length: 5 nights
Itinerary: Nassau and Freeport

Carnival Sunrise

Carnival Sunshine
Date: May 16, 2020
Homeport: Charleston
Length: 5 nights
Itinerary: Nassau and Half Moon Cay

Carnival Valor
Date: May 14, 2020
Homeport: New Orleans
Length: 4 nights
Itinerary: Cozumel

Carnival Vista
Date: May 16, 2020
Homeport: Galveston
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel

Carnival to Make Monday Announcement on Operations

Carnival to Make Monday Announcement on Operations

Carnival Cruise Line will make an announcement on Monday regarding the company's return to service, according to a post on social media.

The company had voluntarily suspended operations earlier in March for a period of one month.

"While we previously indicated we would have a decision by Friday about our return to operations, we must move that announcement to Monday, March 30. We apologize for the delay and appreciate our guests' patience," the company said.

After All-Nighter, Carnival Glory Patched and Cruising

After All-Nighter, Carnival Glory Patched and Cruising

The Carnival Glory has sailed on her Christmas cruise from New Orleans after an all-night effort to repair damage to the ship following a collision in Cozumel with the Carnival Legend on Friday.

Crews worked through the night to enclose the aft dining room which took the brunt of the damage, removing damage and welding in new steel to cover the opening. 

The 2003-built ship departed a day late on her itinerary, but passengers were able to board on Dec. 22 as scheduled. The itinerary called for a sea day on Dec. 23 followed by calls in Cozumel, Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay before two more sea days and a conclusion in New Orleans on Sunday, Dec. 29.

Carnival honored refunds for guests that opted not to join the sailing. For passengers embarking, they received one day pro-rated refund and a $100 onboard credit per stateroom.

 

Carnival Corp. 2020 Outlook

Carnival Corporation provided adjusted earnings guidance for 2020 on today’s Q4 and year-end earnings call from $4.30 to $4.60 per share, compared to 2019 adjusted earnings of $4.40 per share.

Carnival President and CEO Arnold Donald said that he expects cruise revenues to be up approximately 5 percent on capacity growth year-over-year of 6.6 percent.

At this point, he said, the company is entering 2020 with a record booked occupancy position but at slightly lower prices.

Donald noted the headwinds Carnival has faced this year, some of which will continue into 2020, including the impact of Cuba being off limits to cruise calls, events in the Arabian Gulf, Hurricane Dorian, unscheduled drydocks and ship delays, compounded by a decline in market demand in Continental Europe, particularly Germany, while Southern Europe is also challenging.

Noting these as “unusual events,” Donald said they had had a $0.23 negative impact on 2019 earnings.

In order to improve the market situation and accelerate demand growth in Southern Europe, Donald said that two older ships are being removed from the Costa fleet in 2020, following the recent introduction of the new Costa Smeralda. He said the new ship is much more efficient than the ships being removed.

In the UK, Carnival has been able to grow revenue yield despite Brexit, and Donald noted that P&O Cruises’s New Iona is booking at a significant premium over other ships on comparable itineraries.

In North America, the Caribbean is strong and so is Alaska. However, Alaska is seeing what he called an over-concentration of capacity and will need to absorb another industrywide capacity increase of 10 percent in 2020, on top of a 15 percent capacity increase in 2019.

As for China, Donald said Carnival will focus on its new joint venture cruise line. Meanwhile, he said, Costa had a good year in China in 2019 and looks forward to another good year in 2020, with more direct business, but is also happy with its charter model.

Carnival will essentially have six new ships in six different markets for the full year in 2020, starting with the Carnival Panorama, which just entered service on the West Cost, the Costa Smeralda in Southern Europe; P&O’s Iona in the UK; the Enchanted Princess in Europe and North America; the Mardi Gras in Florida; and the Costa Firenze in China.

According to Donald, Carnival is also accelerating marketing and media spend in all of its key markets to drive demand in 2020.