Tag Archives: Costa Luminosa

Carnival Luminosa Kicks Off Inaugural Season in Alaska

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The Carnival Luminosa is kicking off its inaugural season in Alaska today.

After joining the Carnival Cruise Line fleet in late 2022, the 2009-built ship is also embarking on its maiden cruise in the United States.

Sailing roundtrip from Seattle, the vessel’s first Alaska voyage features visits to three ports in Alaska: Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.

Before returning to its Washington homeport, the seven-night cruise also includes scenic cruising at the Tracy Arm Fjord, in addition to a visit to Victoria, in Canada’s British Columbia.

The itinerary is set to be repeated through mid-September – when the Carnival Luminosa sails to Australia via a 30-night transpacific cruise.

Part of Carnival’s three-ship summer program in Alaska, the 2,260-guest vessel is set to offer a total of 19 cruises in the region.

Sailing from San Francisco and Seattle, respectively, the Carnival Miracle and the Carnival Spirit will also spend the next months in the Last Frontier.

Transferred from the Costa Cruises fleet, the Carnival Luminosa spent its inaugural season with Carnival in Australia.

Between November 2022 and April 2023, the ship offered a series of itineraries to South Pacific, New Zealand and more departing from Brisbane.

Before debuting, the Carnival Luminosa was subjected to a refit that added Carnival’s signature features to its public areas and staterooms.

Among the new additions are extra dining venues, including the company’s Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and the upscale Chef’s Table.

The Luminosa also received the Bonsai Sushi Express, as well as Carnival’s new blue, red and white hull livery and different new entertainment venues.

Among them are The Punchliner Comedy Club, the Limelight Lounge, the Piano Bar 88 and the Alchemy Bar.

Other new venues added to the 92,700-ton ship include the RedFrog Rum Bar, the adults-only sundeck Serenity Retreat and the Cherry on Top candy shop.

Carnival Luminosa Arrives in Brisbane Ahead of New Season

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The Carnival Luminosa arrived in Queensland last week at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal, while it will become the first Carnival ship to depart from the port, according to a press release.

From November 2022 to April 2023, the Carnival Luminosa will set sail from Brisbane across 28 voyages and it will visit a number of Queensland destinations, including Airlie Beach and The Great Barrier Reef. From May 2023, the ship will reposition to Seattle before returning to Queensland later that year, according to Carnival Cruise Line.

“Brisbane is the first market globally to experience the big, bright, fun that Carnival Luminosa has to offer and we thank Queenslanders for their patience, love and support,” said Kara Glamore, vice president, of Carnival Cruise Line Australia.

Carnival revealed some of the ship’s features earlier this month, including a 10-deck-high atrium, a multi-million dollar bronze sculpture by the world-renowned artist Fernando Botero, a sunset bar, a two-deck-high sky dome, and one of the largest spas and thermal areas in its fleet.

“Having a Brisbane-based ship has been a goal of ours for quite some time and it’s only appropriate that our ship in the Sunshine State is packed with natural light, plus the hospitality and fun that Carnival is famous for,” added Glamore.

Upon arrival in Brisbane, 61 of the Luminosa’s windows were lit with “We ❤ QLD” across her 290m+ length, sending a special message to locals.

Carnival Luminosa Visits Singapore on Its Way to Australia

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After being converted into a Carnival Cruise Line ship in Europe, the Carnival Luminosa continued its month-long voyage to Australia with a visit to Singapore, which was captured by the Singapore Cruise Society in these photos.

With no passenger onboard, the 2009-built vessel recently spent a day docked at the Asian port before departing for Brisbane – its new homeport.

Set to arrive at the Australian port later this month, the Luminosa will then start its maiden voyage on November 6.

On the day, the 2,260-guest ship departs Brisbane on a seven-night Great Barrier Reef cruise. In addition to two days at sea, the itinerary includes visits to Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas and Willis Island.

In the region through mid-April, the Carnival Luminosa offers additional cruises to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific before repositioning to Alaska for a summer program in 2023.

Before returning to Australia for the 2023-2024 season, the ship is also slated to sail Carnival’s longest-ever cruise.

The 30-day transpacific voyage sails from Seattle to Brisbane and features visits to Alaska, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Transferred from Costa Cruises in September, the former Costa Luminosa blends Carnival’s service, food and signature features with the look and elements of its former operator.

While being prepared for its debut, the 92,000-ton vessel saw some of its public areas transformed to offer the signature experiences and spaces of the U.S.-based cruise line during a recent drydock in Italy.  

Keeping its décor and most original design elements, the ship received new venues like The Punchliner Comedy Club, Limelight Lounge, Piano Bar 88, Alchemy Bar, RedFrog Rum Bar, Serenity Retreat and more.

In addition to Carnival’s new hull livery, the Luminosa also saw the addition of new dining venues such as Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Chef’s Table and Bonsai Sushi Express.

Following the Luminosa, two additional Costa ships – the Costa Venezia and the Costa Firenze – are set to join the Carnival fleet over the coming years.