Tag Archives: Carnival cruise

Carnival Horizon Completes Five Years in Service

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The Carnival Horizon is completing five years of service in March.

After being built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the Vista-class vessel was delivered to Carnival Cruise Line on March 28, 2018.

After leaving its building dock, the 4,000-passenger ship repositioned to Barcelona, Spain, where it departed on an inaugural Mediterranean cruise a few days later.

First, in a series of four sailings from the European port, the 12-night voyage included visits to different ports of call in Italy, Croatia and Malta.

After the short season in the Mediterranean, the Carnival Horizon crossed the Atlantic for the first time in May.

The vessel then spent the remainder of the summer, offering a schedule of four-night Bermuda and eight-night Caribbean sailings departing from New York City.

Before kicking service from the Big Apple, the Horizon was officially christened by its godmother musical artist and actress Queen Latifah on May 28, 2018.

After receiving raising donations both onboard and ashore, Carnival also donated $100,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the ceremony.

In late September, the ship repositioned to Miami – its current homeport – for a year-round program of six- and eight-night cruises to the Southern, Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Following the Carnival Vista, the Carnival Horizon debuted as the second in a series of three ships known as Vista Class.

According to Carnival, the vessels in the class were designed to connect guests to the ocean while offering “sweeping views and plenty to do both outdoors and indoors.”

Among the unique features of the Vista Class ships are the SkyRide, a suspended open-air cycling experience, and the Dreamscape, a three-deck-high LED sculpture in each vessel’s atrium.

In addition to these elements, the Horizon introduced two firsts for Carnival Cruise Line: the brand’s first Teppanyaki Restaurant and the first unit of Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse and Brewhouse.

Carnival Firenze Opens for Sale with Cruises from Long Beach

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Carnival Cruise Line announced that it has opened reservations for the inaugural season of the Carnival Firenze, which will offer year-round sailings from Long Beach, California from May 2024 through April 2025.

“Carnival Firenze is named after the spectacular city of Florence, Italy. She was designed to evoke the same charm and beauty found in Florence and she’ll also pack in plenty of Carnival fun, which will be brought to life by the friendly and dedicated team members that make cruises across our fleet memorable,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

“This truly stunning ship will serve as a great new cruise vacation option from Long Beach, joining Carnival Panorama and Radiance, and offering a range of sailing lengths to Baja Mexico and the Mexican Riviera.”

The new sailings feature 15 different itineraries of three to seven-day cruises. Sailings from Long Beach, California include:

  • A five-day Mexican Riviera Inaugural Cruise, departing on May 2, 2024, with calls in Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico;
  • A six-day Mexican Riviera Cruise, with multiple departure options and calls in Ensenada and two days in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico;
  • A seven-day Mexican Riviera Cruise, with multiple departure options and calls in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The Carnival Firenze will be the second ship to feature the all-new Carnival Fun Italian Style, after Carnival Venezia, which will make its debut in May 2023.

Carnival Corporation 2023 Preview

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Carnival Corporation is set for an eventful year in 2023 with a new product and new builds entering service.

Cruise Industry News looks into the most anticipated events taking place across the company’s nine brands over the next 12 months.

Carnival Fun Italian Style
Carnival Fun Italian Style is debuting in 2023, with the introduction of the Carnival Venezia in May.

Originally built for Costa Cruises, the vessel is set to offer a unique product, combining Carnival’s experience with special touches from the European country.

Following the Venezia, which will sail year-round from New York, the Carnival Firenze is also set to join the concept in 2024 and launch service from California.

Two Newbuilds
Two new builds are entering service for core Carnival Corporation brands in 2023.

Originally ordered for AIDA Cruises, the new Carnival Jubilee is currently being built in Germany by the Meyer Werft shipyard. Joining the Mardi Gras and the Carnival Celebration, the XL-Class ship will debut during the fourth quarter, offering Western Caribbean cruises out of Galveston.

A sister to the Seabourn Venture, the Seabourn Pursuit is set to become Carnival Corp’s second expedition ship. Under construction in Italy, the vessel is scheduled to enter service in October, ahead of a winter season in Antarctica.

In addition is a yet-to-be-named new build for Adora Cruises, Carnival’s joint venture in China.

More Efficient Fleet
While new ships enter service, Carnival continues to withdraw smaller and less efficient ships from its fleet.

In 2023, at least three vessels are set to be retired by the brands, including the AIDAaura, which will bid farewell to AIDA Cruises in September.

Two more ships from Costa Cruises are also expected to be withdrawn. The exits are part of an effort to right-size the brand in light of the continued closure of cruise operations in China – where Costa had significant capacity before the pandemic.

More Passengers Onboard
Carnival Corporation is expecting more passengers onboard its ships in 2023, with an aimed average occupancy rate of 90 per cent across its nine cruise brands in the first quarter.

The number is up from 54 per cent occupancy in the first quarter of 2022 when cruise operations were still being restarted across the globe.

Return to Asia and World Cruises
Following a three-year gap, several Carnival brands are returning to Asia in early 2023.

While Seabourn is set to offer a series of Southeast Asia itineraries during the entire winter season, Princess and Holland America are returning to Japan in the spring.

Several brands – including P&O, Cunard, Costa, Princess and Holland America – also resumed their world cruise itineraries in January, offering long global voyages that visit several international destinations and countries.

China Joint-Venture Debut
After years in the making, Carnival’s joint venture with CSSC is set to launch service in China in 2023.

Named Adora Cruises, the new brand will serve the local market, offering itineraries from several Chinese homeports.

In addition to two ships acquired from Costa, the joint venture is set to operate a pair of new builds, which are currently being constructed at a shipyard in Shanghai and are scheduled for 2023 and 2025 deliveries.