Carnival Splendor is set to remain within the Carnival Cruise Line fleet instead of transferring to P&O Australia.
Carnival Australia has revealed that Carnival Splendor will be staying within the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. The ship was originally set to leave the fleet in late 2019 to sister cruise line P&O Australia but this will no longer happen.
The news comes in addition to several adjustments affecting the Australian cruise market from Carnival Corp and its cruise brands. Golden Princess which is owned by Princess Cruises will be transferred to P&O Cruises down under in 2020. The ship will also have the new Ocean Medallion tech, the first in the region. Ruby Princess will also replace Golden Princess deployments in Australia to serve the cruise line interests in the region.
Carnival Cruise Line will have two ships based out of Australia. Carnival Australia Executive Chairman Ann Sherry has said that two ships will be based there full-time from 2020. Details on the Carnival cruise ship deployment will be announced in May 2018.
Carnival Splendor is the only ship of its class in the fleet at 133,300 gross tons and carrying over 3,000 passengers at double occupancy. At the moment the ship is based out of Port Everglades, Florida sailing Caribbean cruises.