Carnival Freedom Returns To Service With New Look

Once again sporting an iconic winged funnel, the Carnival Freedom marked its return to service by welcoming guests onboard in Barcelona, Spain, for a 14-day transatlantic voyage to its homeport of Port Canaveral, Fla.

The ship underwent an extensive refurbishment that included the installation of the new funnel, the addition of the signature Carnival red, white and blue hull livery and other enhancements, the company said in a press release.

Earlier this month, the 2,980-guest ship entered its 16-day dry dock at the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain. The ship’s transformation is a milestone for the shipyard. While the yard’s team members have worked on other projects across the fleet, this is the first time they have designed and manufactured a Carnival funnel.

Among the other enhancements is a newly installed Heroes Tribute Bar, which is an expanding venue across the Carnival fleet and honors military veterans and active-duty service members. Carnival Freedom now also features a Dreams Studio, where guests can capture memories that become keepsakes from their cruise with the help of Carnival’s photography staff. Some of the other work includes an expansion to the ship’s casino, and renovations and upgrades across the ship’s staterooms and public areas.

Carnival Freedom’s two-week-long transatlantic Carnival Journeys cruise from Spain is offering guests an unforgettable journey that includes visits to Valencia, Malaga and Las Palmas, Spain as well as Bermuda. From Port Canaveral, the ship offers four- and five-day sailings to destinations in The Bahamas, such as Nassau and Princess Cays, as well as other Caribbean destinations, including Grand Turk. Many new itineraries were recently opened for the ship, and among them are sailings that feature Carnival’s upcoming exclusive destination, Celebration Key, as a port of call beginning in 2025.

Carnival Pride Kicks Off European Season

The Carnival Pride sailed on Sunday on her first sailing of the Europe summer season, sporting the signature Carnival red, white and blue hull design for the first time, after undergoing extensive enhancements that include bow-to-stern upgrades to enhance accessibility on the ship for guests with disabilities.

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy and Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse visited the ship in Barcelona before she set sail.

“I’m so proud of our team. They have done amazing work refreshing and enhancing Carnival Pride just in time for her Europe sailings,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We welcome everyone on Carnival ships, so we are happy we’ve completed the work to make the ship accessible to those with disabilities. I’m also delighted to see the addition of the Heroes Tribute bar since it has been popular with our guests and has resonated well with military service members and their families.”

The 2,680-guest Carnival Pride has been undergoing enhancements since April 28 and returned to service with several additional Carnival offerings and other improvements, including a new Heroes Tribute Bar, Chef’s Table, Dreams Studio, and Carnival Adventures Shop. In addition, the ship’s steakhouse has been refreshed and re-named Fahrenheit 555, the casino expanded and the spa rebranded to the Cloud 9 Spa and Fitness Center.

The first guests sailing Carnival Pride from Barcelona are embarking on an incredible 12-day sailing, with ports of call including Lisbon, Portugal; Le Havre (Paris), France; and Zeebrugge (Brussels), Belgium.

Celebrity Reflection Debuts New Look After Drydock at Chantiers Naval de Marseille

The Celebrity Reflection became the latest ship to showcase Celebrity Cruises’ new look following a drydock in France.

After spending over ten days at the Chantier Naval de Marseille, the 2012 vessel is now sporting a blue-coloured hull that was first introduced by the Celebrity Edge in 2018.

Part of the company’s new livery, the look is now present on ten of the 12 Celebrity Cruises large cruise ships.

During its recent shipyard visit, the Reflection also underwent maintenance and technical upkeep, in addition to regulatory and class work.

Set to cross the Atlantic for a winter season in the Caribbean, the Solstice-Class ship recently completed its tenth year in service.

First introduced in 2012, the 126,000-ton vessel is slightly larger than its four sister ships and features an extra deck with additional public areas and cabins.

Among its facilities are a glass-enclosed pool deck, a selection of ten dining venues – including five speciality restaurants – and a three-deck main theatre.

The Reflection also features Celebrity’s unique Lawn Club, an outside deck with a half-acre real grass lawn, as well as the exclusive Reflection Suite.

The two-bedroom accommodation offers a total of 150 square meters of space, in addition to a distinctive, all-glass shower extending out over the edge of the 3,030-passenger ship.

With its new blue hull, the Reflection is set to offer week-long cruises to the Caribbean during Celebrity’s 2022-2023 winter season.

Departing from Fort Lauderdale every Sunday, the vessel will sail an alternating schedule of Western and Eastern Caribbean voyages.

Itineraries include visits to popular destinations in Mexico, Belize, Honduras, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, The Bahamas and more.

For the 2023 summer, the Reflection is slated to return to Europe for a series of seven- to ten-night cruises to the Mediterranean.