A Look at Carnival’s New Year-Round Cruises Out of Norfolk

Posted on 12 January, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

The Carnival Sunshine is launching a year-round deployment out of Norfolk in February, following a drydock in Europe.

Cruise Industry News takes a closer look at the new cruise schedule, which includes itineraries to the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Bermuda.

Debut Voyage
Ship: Carnival Sunshine
Date: Feb. 11, 2025
Length: 5 nights
Homeport: Norfolk (United States)
Itinerary: Freeport and Bimini (Bahamas)

The Carnival Sunshine is set to debut the new deployment in Norfolk on Feb. 11, 2025, after completing a drydock in France.

For its first sailing from the port, the ship offers a five-night cruise to the Bahamas. In addition to two days at sea, the itinerary includes visits to Freeport and Bimini before returning to Virginia.

Eastern Caribbean
Ship: Carnival Sunshine
Date: Six sailings between May and July 2025
Length: 8 nights
Homeport: Norfolk (United States)
Itinerary: Grand Turk (Turks and Caicos); Amber Cove (Dominican Republic); and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

The new schedule for the Carnival Sunshine includes various sailings to the Caribbean, including this eight-night itinerary to Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

With six departures scheduled for 2025, the cruise will sail to the Eastern Caribbean and visit Grand Turk, Amber Cove, and San Juan.

Bahamas
Ship: Carnival Sunshine
Date: 9 departures between March and December 2025
Length: 6 nights
Homeport: Norfolk (United States)
Itinerary: Bimini, Nassau and Freeport (Bahamas)

The new deployment also features sailings to the Bahamas, visiting six destinations in the island country.

One of the itineraries is a six-night cruise with nine departures scheduled for 2025, featuring visits to Bimini, Nassau and Freeport.

Bermuda
Ship: Carnival Sunshine
Date: Seven sailings between July and October 2025
Length: 6 nights
Homeport: Norfolk (United States)
Itinerary: Two days in King’s Wharf (Bermuda)

For the summer, the Carnival Sunshine adds cruises to Bermuda to its schedule. Seven sailings to the island nation are scheduled for 2025, departing between July and October.

In addition to three days cruising in the North Atlantic, the itineraries feature an overnight visit to King’s Wharf.

Celebration Key
Ship: Carnival Sunshine
Date: Three sailings between September and December 2025
Length: 6 nights
Homeport: Norfolk (United States)
Itinerary: Bimini, Nassau and Celebration Key (Bahamas)

Starting in September, Carnival will offer cruises to its new private destination on Grand Bahama Island, Celebration Key, departing from Norfolk.

As part of one of its itineraries to the new port, the Carnival Sunshine sails for six nights and also visits Nassau and Bimini. Three departures are scheduled for 2025.

Queen Anne Departs Southampton for Maiden World Voyage

Posted on 11 January, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Queen Anne arrives at Historic Liverpool, photo credit Spacejunkie2 – Flickr

The Queen Anne set sail on her 107-night maiden world voyage from Southampton on January 9, 2025.

Spectators gathered to witness the ship’s 9 p.m. departure, highlighted by a fireworks display.

The 3,000-passenger ship will make its first stop in New York on January 17, 2025.

Over the course of 107 nights, the Queen Anne will visit 30 ports across 18 countries. Destinations include Miami, San Francisco, the Panama Canal, Honolulu, Auckland, Sydney, and Hong Kong. Guests will also cross the International Date Line on February 12, experiencing the rare event of “jumping through time.”

The itinerary also includes overnight stops in New York, Honolulu, Sydney and Singapore, with Queen Anne returning to the south coast on April 27, 2025.

Katie McAlister, president of Cunard, said: “This is a significant moment for Cunard as Queen Anne begins her maiden world voyage. Her first visit to the USA should be to New York, a city that has long been at the heart of Cunard’s story. This voyage celebrates our heritage while offering guests the opportunity to explore the world in the style and luxury only Cunard can provide. Queen Anne truly reflects the evolution of our brand, and this journey will be an unforgettable experience for all on board.”

Fred. Olsen’s Bolette Featured in Susan Calman’s ‘Cruise of a Lifetime’

Posted on 5 January, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Bolette will be featured in an upcoming episode of Susan Calman’s Cruise of a Lifetime on Channel 5 in the UK later this month.

The episode features Calman as she embarks on an eight-night journey to the Norwegian Fjords, departing from Liverpool. The cruise includes stops in Olden, Ålesund, Åndalsnes and Geiranger, with scenic sailings through Nordfjord, Geirangerfjord, and past the Seven Sisters Waterfall.

During the sailing, Calman participates in various activities, including visiting the Briksdal Glacier and kayaking in the Brosundet Canal. Onboard, she joins guests in a behind-the-scenes tour of the food stores, laundry and galley to meet with the crew and learn more about cruise operation.

Samantha Stimpson, CEO at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are all incredibly excited to see our flagship Bolette make her Channel 5 debut later this month. It was a pleasure to welcome Susan aboard our fleet for the first time, and I’d like to thank her for the time she spent with our guests and our crew.

“As a business, our heritage stems from Norway, and we are well known for our sailings to this beautiful part of the world. Our fleet really comes into its own in the heart of the fjordlands thanks to the smaller size of our ships, which allow us to reach the depths of the fjords that aren’t accessible to larger vessels. To be able to share this experience far beyond those who joined us onboard for this cruise is a truly exceptional opportunity.”