It isn’t too often that a cruise ship that is more than 20 years old gets to make a maiden visit to a port of call she has never seen before. That is just what Carnival Spirit was able to do on Friday, January 24, 2025, however, with her very first ever visit to Curacao.
The ship departed from Mobile, Alabama on a 12-night Southern Caribbean Carnival Journeys sailing on Saturday, January 18, first visiting Grand Turk and then Aruba before her arrival in Willemstad, Curacao.
The Port of Curacao welcomed Carnival Spirit with the maritime tradition of a plaque exchange ceremony. In attendance at the momentous occasion were local authorities, representatives of Customs and Immigration, the Curacao Tourist Board, the Curacao Ports Authority, and the ship’s officers.
The ship has now received her commemorative plaques for the new port visit, and in exchange, offered iconic “whale tail” funnel sculptures to different representatives and dignitaries.
Such items are often exchanged whenever a vessel first visits a new port, whether the ship is brand new or, like Carnival Spirit, has been sailing for decades. Photos, sculptures, maps, flags, and other items may be exchanged in gestures of goodwill and welcome.
These items are then displayed onboard the ship, and make an astonishing gallery cruise travelers can browse to see just where their ship has visited, and when those visits occurred.
This visit is particularly notable as cruise tourism continues to rise throughout the Caribbean. Travelers are eager for unique destinations, and Curacao is on the top of many cruisers’ wish lists for places to visit.
“The arrival of Carnival Spirit highlights Curaçao’s growing appeal as a key Caribbean cruise destination,” the Curacao Ports Authority noted.
As part of an extended Carnival Journeys sailing, this visit is sure to be a memorable one for many travelers aboard. Carnival Journeys cruises are longer voyages that offer more immersive, specialized activities and entertainment to truly highlight the unique destinations the ship visits.
After Curacao, Carnival Spirit will continue on to Jamaica and Grand Cayman before returning to Mobile on Thursday, January 30.
Sailing to Curacao
Curacao is a lovely destination, but its location more than 1,100 miles from the US makes it challenging for cruise ships to reach on typical 7-night or shorter sailings. Longer cruises can reach the tropical island, depending on how many other ports they plan to visit.
Part of the coveted A-B-C itinerary – Aruba-Bonaire-Curacao – the lovely Dutch Caribbean island has amazing features for travelers to enjoy, including the grottos of Hato Caves, the historic Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge, spectacular marine wildlife, and much more.
While Carnival Spirit was the only ship visiting Curacao on January 24, a variety of vessels from multiple cruise lines have enjoyed the port destination just this month.
Ships calling on Willemstad in January have included Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Beyond, Holland America Line’s Eurodam, Princess Cruises’ Island Princess, Virgin Voyages Resilient Lady, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva, and Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas.
Two other Carnival ships that have visited the island this month: Carnival Horizon on January 9 and again on January 23, as well as Carnival Magic on January 14.
Carnival Miracle, Carnival Vista, Carnival Venezia, and Carnival Celebration will all visit Curacao in the next few months, all on longer Carnival Journeys cruises.
Carnival Spirit first entered service in 2001 and has sailed all around the world, including in Alaska, Europe, the Mexican Riviera, Australia, and more. She is currently the fifth oldest ship in Carnival’s 27-ship fleet.
Read Also: Carnival Ships by Age – Newest to Oldest
Her current sailing is her last itinerary before she will enter dry dock for updating and revitalization. She will return to service with her March 16, 2025 departure – a 14-night one-way transatlantic cruise from Barcelona to Miami. From Miami, she will immediately depart for Seattle on a 15-night sailing that will take her through the Panama Canal.
Carnival Spirit will spend the 2025 Alaska sailing season offering 7-night itineraries to explore the Last Frontier before returning to Mobile in October. Her next visit to Curacao will not be until January 2026, on another 14-night Southern Caribbean Carnival Journeys cruise.
