Carnival Cruise Line to get third Vista-class ship in 2019

Carnival Vista

Carnival Cruise Line will grow and update its fleet in 2019 via a ship swap with sister brand P&O Cruises Australia.

Carnival will add a sister ship to the Carnival Vista, a vessel that was originally designated for Carnival Corp.’s P&O Cruises Australia brand. The Carnival Splendor, which was delivered in 2008, will be transferred in 2019 to P&O Cruises Australia in conjunction with the change.

The new ship, as yet unnamed, will be the third in the class, which was launched last year with the debut of the Carnival Vista. The second in the class, the Carnival Horizon, is also to sail for Carnival Cruise Line and is scheduled for delivery in 2018.

The 133,500 ton Vista ships carry 3,954 passengers at double occupancy and are 18% bigger than the Carnival Splendor, which carries 3,006 passengers.

In a statement, Carnival president Christine Duffy said the addition of additional Vista-class ships would enable Carnival to offer the Vista-class experience from different homeports and create new itinerary options.

Specific itinerary, homeport and ship details for the third vessel have yet to be announced.

The Vista “has proven to be the most innovative and popular ship we’ve ever introduced,” Duffy said.

Carnival sending a second ship to Tampa

Image result for carnival miracle cruise

Carnival Miracle joins Splendor at Tampa

Carnival Cruise Line said it will deploy a second ship year-round from Tampa, designating the Carnival Miracle for seven-night Caribbean cruises from the port, starting in 2018.

Also, Carnival said it will put a bigger and newer ship, the Carnival Splendor, in Long Beach to do seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises.

The 2,124-passenger Miracle will join the Carnival Paradise in Tampa and will do extended stays in Cozumel, along with a broader array of excursions there.

The 3,006-passenger Splendor will replace the Carnival Miracle, joining the Carnival Inspiration and Carnival Imagination in Long Beach, where Carnival is in the process of expanding its terminal.

The Splendor will sail a 13-day Panama Canal cruise departing Miami on Jan. 14, 2018, and become the first Carnival ship to use the new locks opened this year.

Carnival said the Splendor will also sail two 14-night round trip Hawaii cruises in 2018 from Long Beach.

Carnival Breeze’s Galveston deployment moved up

Carnival Breeze

Carnival Cruise Line will reposition the Carnival Breeze to Galveston next May, seven months earlier than originally planned.

The 3,690-passenger ship will sail seven-day cruises from the Texas port, with the first departing on May 8, 2016.

The Breeze will replace the 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic, which will shift to Port Canaveral, Fla., and assume the Carnival Valor’s seven-day cruise schedule, beginning April 23, 2016.

The 2,980-passenger Valor will offer a new series of five- and eight-day cruises from Port Canaveral, beginning June 4, 2016.

The Breeze’s current six- and eight-day Caribbean cruise program from Miami will be taken over by the 3,002-passenger Carnival Splendor on May 1, 2016.

Reservations are open for the new itineraries.