Carnival Cruise Line has released further details on future itineraries for the recently redeployed Carnival Elation, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Spirit, confirming where the ships will be based into 2023, and for one ship, even into 2024. Bookings will soon open for these ships, giving guests the opportunity to make their own plans to set sail on these Fun Ships.
Cruise Ship Homeport Assignments Extended
In a March 1 press release, Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed that Carnival Elation, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Spirit will continue their assignments as previously announced with redeployment plans that began due to Australia continuing to be closed to cruise ships.
Carnival Elation will remain homeported in Jacksonville, Florida, replacing Carnival Ecstasy, which is moving to Mobile, Alabama, before her retirement in October 2022.
Carnival Elation will continue to offer 4- and 5-day sailings to The Bahamas, and itineraries for additional cruise vacations from Jacksonville will soon be open into 2024. The 4-day itinerary visits Nassau and Freeport, while the 5-day itinerary visits Nassau and Princess Cays. These shorter cruises are always popular, offering quick getaways for a variety of travelers.
Carnival Freedom, which is redeploying to Port Canaveral in April 2022 to replace Carnival Elation, will remain at the central Florida homeport to offer 4- and 5-day itineraries through April 29, 2023.
Those 4-day sailings visit Nassau and Princess Cays, while the 5-day sailings are Eastern Caribbean itineraries, visiting either Amber Cove and Grand Turk or Nassau, Princess Cays, and Grand Turk, depending on the sailing date.
Carnival Spirit was to have been sailing in Australia, but with that country remaining closed to cruise travel at this time, was recently redeployed to North America. The ship will serve its 2022 summer season in Alaska, and afterward, will continue with 6- and 8-day Caribbean cruises from Miami, Florida, through April 8, 2023. Those cruises were previously assigned to Carnival Freedom.
After spending the winter in the Caribbean, Carnival Spirit will sail a Panama Canal Journeys cruise on April 16, 2023, arriving in Seattle, and will then be in Alaska again for the 2023 summer season. Those itineraries to be open for sale soon.
Why Move So Many Ships?
While it has been confusing with so many “dancing of the ships” redeployments, reshufflings, and reassignments, there are benefits for Carnival Cruise Line to be moving ships around. Bringing new ships to a port encourages local travelers, who may have already sailed several times on a previous vessel, to try out a new ship.
“We are very happy with the positive reception this redeployment plan has already generated from our guests and travel advisor partners,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “In combination with our successful restart, new ship assignments are creating excitement as we build momentum for a successful 2022 and beyond.”
Reassigning ships has also permitted the cruise line to bring Carnival Spirit back into service while cruises remain on hold in Australia. This continues to improve the cruise line’s restart of operations, offering more sailings to more guests eager to travel again.
Reservations Still Being Moved
The Carnival technical team is still swapping existing reservations to the new ship assignments, ensuring that booked passengers receive equivalent accommodations on the new vessels.
While those reservations are still being moved, the itineraries will remain closed for sale, and booked reservations will not be accessible for up to three weeks. An email sent to booked guests estimates that the reservation transfers will be complete by March 12, 2022.
Once the transfers are completed, booked guests and travel advisors will receive email confirmations, and the new reservations will be accessible on Carnival’s website.
Guests will also then be able to pre-book shore tours, spa treatments, drink packages, and other amenities. If guests have already booked those add-ons with their previous reservation, they will be moved to the new ship (if available).
Onboard credits will also automatically be moved to the new reservations, as will vaccination exemption requests. Guests should note that transferring a vaccination exemption request to a new booking is not a confirmation of that request.
Once the transfer of current bookings is complete, the new new ship assignments and itineraries will open for sale for more prospective guests to book their next Fun Ship vacations.
