Carnival Corporation Cruise Brands Ramp Up Ad Spending

Carnival Corporation is ramping up advertising spending across its portfolio of brands, according to President and CEO Josh Weinstein, speaking on the company’s year-end and fourth-quarter earnings call.

He said it was a move to support future demand.

“I’ve actively been working with each brand on their strategies and road maps,” Weinstein said. “As a result, I’ve authorized our brands to take a significant step up in advertising activities, including a nearly 20 per cent increase in our investment this past quarter over 2019, to elevate awareness and consideration and to drive demand for both the near and the longer term. This should be particularly impactful with those new-to-cruise, where we draw about one-third of our guests, as we position to take share from land-based alternatives.”

For example, Weinstein said that Princess Cruises would source more heavily in North America than in prior years due to source market disruptions elsewhere.

And the results have been good, Weinstein noted, with record Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales results at a number of brands.

“We think that advertising has a good amount to do with that, to really reach first-timers, generate awareness, generate consideration, and do so in a meaningful way. We’ve got great brands, and we’ve got tremendous brands, but we need to do a better job getting the voice out. And this is a good way to do it. And it helps not just us, it helps our trade partners, it helps the bookings across the board.”

Venezia Completes Final Cruise for Costa Ahead of Joining Carnival’s Fleet

Set to debut for Carnival Cruise Line in 2023, the Costa Venezia is wrapping up its last sailing for Costa Cruises today.

Marking the end of a program in the Eastern Mediterranean, the 2019-built vessel returned to Istanbul to disembark passengers of its final cruise in the region.

After departing from the same port on Nov. 20, the 11-night voyage sailed to Turkey, Egypt and Israel, visiting Izmir, Kusadasi, Bodrum, Alexandria and Haifa.

The Vista-class cruise ship will now enter an operational pause before being officially added to the Carnival fleet.

During the period, it will be adapted to showcase what the U.S.-based company calls “Carnival Fun Italian Style.”

According to the brand, the new concept combines Carnival’s signature experience with the Italian theming of the ship.

Originally built for the Chinese market, the Venezia features public areas, facilities and décor inspired by the Italian city of Venice.

For instance, the ship’s main theatre was inspired by the Venetian La Fenice theatre, while the main atrium recalls the famous Piazza di San Marco.

Other themed areas include the main restaurants, which were dedicated to the typical architecture of Venetian alleys and feature original, life-sized gondolas made by local artisans.

While being prepared to launch service for its new operators, the ship will also receive some of Carnival’s signature activities and experiences, such as Carnival Waterworks, Piano Bar 88 and the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse.

Other additions include Bonsai Sushi, Seafood Shack, Cloud 9 Salon & Spa and the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat.

The Venezia also receives a new livery that mixes Costa and Carnival colours, highlighted by the Italian brand’s yellow funnel.

Renamed Carnival Venezia, the 135,500-ton ship is set to launch a year-round program of cruises departing from New York City in June.

A second ship is being added to the “Carnival Fun Italian Style” lineup in 2024, with the debut of the Carnival Firenze.

Carnival Opens Sales for New Venezia, Year-Round Cruising from NYC

Carnival Cruise Line today opened reservations for the inaugural season of its next new ship, the Carnival Venezia, which will begin sailing year-round from New York City starting June 15, 2023, and will showcase “Carnival Fun Italian Style,” the company said.

The ship will offer guests a wide range of sailing options, with 10 different cruise durations and 22 unique itineraries featuring visits to 25 ports across 14 countries.

“Our summer season in New York has been extremely popular, so increasing our offerings with a larger, newer ship that sails year-round provides the opportunity for more guests in the tri-state area and beyond to enjoy the convenience of sailing right from Manhattan,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Carnival Venezia will give guests our signature fun, combined with Italian theming, to beautiful destinations from The Bahamas and the Caribbean to Bermuda and Canada.”

Following a 15-day trans-Atlantic Carnival Journeys cruise from Barcelona that departs on May 29, 2023, the Carnival Venezia will sail a variety of cruises from New York’s Manhattan Cruise Terminal, and for the summer will alternate between sailing four-, five- six- and eight-day sailings to the Caribbean, Bermuda and ports in Canada and New England, including Halifax and Saint John.

Beginning Sept. 29, 2023, the ship will alternate between operating eight- to 12-day cruises to the Eastern Caribbean, Southern Caribbean and The Bahamas, visiting destinations like St. Thomas, San Juan and Aruba, along with four of Carnival’s private destinations: Half Moon Cay, Princess Cays, Amber Cove and Grand Turk. In addition, Carnival Venezia’s nine-day cruises will feature Miami as a port of call.

Sample Cruises: 

  • Nine-Day sailing to Miami and the Bahamas (10/14/2023) – Miami, Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport, Bahamas
  • 10-day Eastern Caribbean sailing (1/23/2024) – Princess Cays, Bahamas; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; Amber Cove, Dominican Republic and San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • 12-day Southern Caribbean Carnival Journeys sailing (2/11/2024) – Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Maarten
  • 15-day Caribbean Carnival Journeys sailing (9/29/2023) – Grand Turk, Aruba, Curacao, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Maarten and St. Thomas

Built-in 2019 and set to undergo enhancements before entering service, Carnival Venezia will be home to many of the activities and experiences guests enjoy aboard other Carnival ships, including Carnival Waterworks, Piano Bar 88, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi, Seafood Shack, Cloud 9 Salon & Spa and the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat.

In 2024, Carnival Cruise Line will welcome a second Carnival Fun Italian Style ship, when the Carnival Firenze joins the fleet, scheduled to sail year-round from Long Beach, Calif.