Carnival Spirit Offers Panama Canal Cruise Ahead of Summer in Alaska

Posted on 25 April, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Set to operate in Alaska during the summer, the Carnival Spirit is currently offering a 16-night Panama Canal to the Pacific Northwest.

After completing its winter schedule in the Caribbean, the Carnival Cruise Line vessel left Miami on its repositioning voyage on April 16.

Cruising all the way to Seattle, the one-way itinerary features visits to ports in three different countries: Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico.

In addition to doing a complete transit of the Panama Canal, the Carnival Spirit is visiting Cartagena de Indias, Santa Marta, Puntarenas and Cabo San Lucas before arriving in Washington.

The 2001-built ship is then set to kick off its summer program in Alaska.

Beginning on May 2, the Spirit offers a series of seven-night cruises to the Last Frontier which also includes visits to Canada.

During the four-month program, the vessel will visit popular destinations in the region including Skagway, Ketchikan and Juneau.

Sailing roundtrip from Seattle, the Carnival Spirit also offers scenic cruising of the Tracy Arm Fjord, as well as visits to Victoria.

The schedule is part of Carnival’s 49-departure, three-ship summer season in Alaska, which also features the Carnival Luminosa and the Carnival Miracle.

Upon completing its Alaskan program in September, the Carnival Spirit is set to offer an additional Panama Canal cruise. Sailing from Seattle to New Orleans, the 16-night repositioning voyage precedes the ship’s debut in Mobile.

During the 2023-2024 winter, the Spirit is set to offer a series of different itineraries departing from the Alabama port.

Ranging from six to eight nights, the cruises sail to different parts of the Caribbean and the Bahamas, including Mexico, Honduras and Belize. In the Bahamas, the ship is set to visit Bimini, Freeport, Nassau and Princess Cays.

As the lead ship of Carnival’s Spirit Class, the Carnival Spirit originally entered service in 2001. Designed with a multi-deck atrium, a glass-enclosed pool deck and a large number of cabins with private balconies, the 2,100-guest ship was followed by the Carnival Pride, the Carnival Legend and the Carnival Miracle.

Carnival Luminosa Arrives in Brisbane Ahead of New Season

Posted on 1 November, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

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.

Here Are Holland America Line’s Homeports For 2023

Posted on 16 October, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

MS Nieuw Amsterdam arriving in the port of Vancouver, Photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

With its entire fleet in service again, Holland America Line is planning an expansive global deployment in 2023.

In addition to strong programs from its traditional homeports in the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe, the company is also returning to its long-haul, intercontinental itineraries during the year.

Offering round-trip cruises from U.S. ports, Holland America is also returning to the Amazon, the South Pacific, Africa and more.

Other highlights of the year include a summer program in Canada and New England, as well as returns to South America, Asia, the Far East and more.

Here’s a look at the company’s planned homeports and their ships for 2023:

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Ships:

– Eurodam (January to April/October to December);
– Nieuw Amsterdam (January to April/October to December);
– Nieuw Statendam (January to April/November and December);
– Rotterdam (January to March/October to December);
– Volendam (January to April);
– Zaandam (January to April/October to December);
– Zuiderdam (January to May/October to December).

Seattle, Washington

Ships:

– Eurodam (April to September);
– Westerdam (May to October).

San Diego, California

Ships:

– Koningsdam (January to March);
– Volendam (October and November);
– Zaandam (January to April).

Whittier, Alaska

Ships:

– Nieuw Amsterdam (May to September);
– Noordam (May to September).

Boston, Massachusetts

Ships:

– Zaandam (May to September);
– Zuiderdam (August and September).

Canada

Ships:

– Koningsdam: Vancouver (April to October);
– Nieuw Amsterdam: Vancouver (April to September);
– Noordam: Vancouver (May to September);
– Volendam: Vancouver (May to September);
– Zaandam: Montreal (April to September);
– Zuiderdam: Quebec City (September).

Europe

Ships:

– Nieuw Statendam: Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Copenhagen, Piraeus and more (April to October);
– Noordam: Barcelona, Lisbon, Trieste, Piraeus and more (April to October);
– Rotterdam: Amsterdam and Rotterdam (April to September);
– Zuiderdam: Rotterdam (May to July).

Australia and New Zealand

Ships:

– Noordam: Sydney and Auckland (January to April/October to December).

Asia and Pacific

Ships:

– Westerdam: Singapore, Yokohama and Hong Kong (January to April/October to December).

South America

Ships:

– Oosterdam: San Antonio and Buenos Aires (January to March/November and December).