Carnival Cruise Line has informed guests of several changes that will affect guests booked on cruises onboard four different ships on eleven sailings. The changes come after a range of itinerary changes in the last couple of months as ships are repositioned in other cruise areas.
The current round of changes has affected cruises for Carnival Splendor in Alaska, Carnival Miracle in Alaska, Carnival Magic with a changed port on one of its East Coast voyages, and Carnival Spirit in the Bahamas.
Itinerary Changes For Carnival Cruise Line Ships
Carnival has notified guests and travel advisors that several itineraries for four different ships have been changed. The eleven itineraries that have been affected are for cruises between May 2022 and November 2023. Carnival has not provided any specific reason for the changes.
Three ships have minor changes, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Magic, and Carnival Spirit. The most changes are for voyages onboard Carnival Miracle, with modifications to eight different sailings in Alaska.
Carnival Splendor
On May 2, 2022, it will be the first cruise in Alaska for Carnival Splendor and the first cruise since the global operation pause. There has been a slight change to the time in port for Juneau. The ship was scheduled to stay in Juneau until 8 PM but will now leave at 5 PM.
During her first cruise in more than two years, the vessel will also be cruising Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Icy Straight Point, Ketchikan, and Victoria, BC.
Carnival Magic
Carnival Magic will be sailing to Saint John, New Brunswick, on July 13, 2023. Instead of sailing to the Bahamas, this cruise will now be a four-night Canada & New England voyage.
Sailing from New York’s Manhattan Cruise Terminal, Carnival Magic will be spending a day at sea, a day in Saint John, New Brunswick, and another day at sea before returning to New York.
It is unclear why Carnival decided to sail to Canada instead of Bermuda on this voyage. Other Bermuda cruises are still scheduled as going ahead as planned.
Carnival Spirit
Sailing from Mobile, Alabama, on November 11, 2023, Carnival Spirit’s 8-day Bahamas cruise has two changes. Instead of visiting Half Moon Cay on November 16, the ship will be here on November 15.
The visit to Nassau, scheduled for November 15, will take place on November 16. The vessel will remain in port from 08:00 AM and leave again at 4:00 PM on both days.
Other ports during the 8-day voyage include Bimini and Freeport, while guests will have the pleasure of spending three full days at sea.
Carnival Miracle
The most changes to itineraries are for Carnival Miracle. The cruise ship will be sailing to Alaska from Long Beach and San Francisco, California.
A total of 8 voyages have been changed. Sailing May 31, 2022, from San Francisco, the new itinerary for this voyage includes Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria, BC, in that order.
Cruises with a departure date of April 23, 2023, and September 10, 2023, will visit Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Straight Point, Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord, Ketchikan, Victoria BC, sailing from Long Beach, California.
Cruises departing on May 15, June 12, July 10 and 24, and August 21, 2023, will be visiting Juneau, Skagway, Icy Straight Point, Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord, Victoria BC. It is important to know that the Carnival Miracle will be sailing cruises out of Long Beach and San Francisco, depending on the departure date.
A Record Year for Alaska?
It is unclear why Carnival is making so many changes to its itineraries, especially in Alaska. However, Alaska will be seeing a record number of ships visiting the area this summer. Carnival Cruise Line alone will be sending three ships to the region.
Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line to Have Biggest Deployment Ever in Alaska
Cruise ship schedules are packed in Alaska this summer; on some days, Ketchikan and Juneau expect as many as seven ships in port at a time.
Juneau has 639 cruise calls scheduled, Ketchikan is forecast to see 598 cruise calls, and Skagway could see 474 calls. It would make sense that Carnival has decided, or has been asked, to change itineraries for this reason.
As for visitor numbers, if all ships arrive at or near full capacity, which is expected this summer, it will be a record year for the state. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) says the ships this summer have a rough capacity of 1.5 million passengers, exceeding pre-pandemic numbers.
