Carnival cruise fans setting sail from the Sunshine State have a new option now offering Port Canaveral departures, as Carnival Venezia has welcomed her first guests from her new Space Coast homeport.
The ship arrived at Port Canaveral in the early hours of Wednesday, December 18, 2024, finishing a successful 12-night Carnival Journeys itinerary that repositioned her from New York to Port Canaveral. Carnival Venezia visited the US Virgin Islands, Aruba, Curacao, and Grand Turk before her Florida debut.
The ship – now the sixteenth actively homeported ship from Port Canaveral – was welcomed by port executives with a traditional plaque exchange ceremony. Also in attendance was a special North Pole guest, as Carnival Venezia is also in the midst of holiday sailings that guests love.
“We’ve have had a long and successful partnership with Carnival Cruise Line for nearly 35 years,” said Port Canaveral CEO Captain John Murray. “We’re very proud of our collective growth and thrilled to play a role in their continuing success with Carnival Venezia added to our incredible lineup of homeported ships.”
The “Carnival Fun, Italian Style” ship is beginning her winter season from Florida with a 4-night Bahamas sailing, after which she will be offering a diverse selection of 7- and 14-night itinerary options.
Along the way, travelers will enjoy both the classic Carnival fun as well as the unique offerings the former Costa Cruises ship features.
“Our Venice-themed ship adds another truly dynamic offering, with a fresh Italian twist on our signature Carnival fun plus the same friendly service our guests love, and further enriches the variety of convenient options available to our loyal guests cruising from Orlando,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
“Our guests who sailed with Carnival Venezia from New York love the ship and its new experiences, and we know that she will add even more value to the Carnival offering in her new winter home at Port Canaveral.”
While Carnival Venezia is a Fun Ship through and through with Guy’s Burger Joint, the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, the Heroes Tribute Lounge, Fun Squad shenanigans, and more, she also has her own unique Italian flair.
From her distinctive architecture and decor – don’t miss the full-size gondola! – to unique menu items, the ship is unlike any other in the fleet. Guests won’t want to miss the specialty restaurant Il Viaggio for its authentic Italian fare or the sparkling wine and spritz bar Frizzante.
Activities onboard also showcase the ship’s uniqueness, including the elegant Venetian Mask Night party held on every sailing.
Sailing Carnival Venezia From Port Canaveral
Guests will be able to enjoy 7-night Western Caribbean sailings that visit Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel or Nassau, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman, depending on the departure date.
The ship is also offering 7-night Eastern Caribbean voyages to destinations such as Grand Turk, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Amber Cove, and St. Croix, also depending on departure date.
Of special interest are two special 14-night Carnival Journeys cruises that Carnival Venezia will be offering.
The first departs Port Canaveral on January 12, 2025 and is a Southern Caribbean voyage that will visit Antigua, Grenada, Barbados, and other outstanding and highly sought after destinations.
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The second Carnival Journeys is a bucket list Panama Canal sailing that will depart on February 23, 2025 with stops in Aruba, Colombia, Costa Rica, and more. Guests will also enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing the engineering marvel that connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
Carnival Venezia is the fifth of Carnival Cruise Line’s 27 active ships to be homeported from the Space Coast, joining Mardi Gras, Carnival Vista, Carnival Glory, and Carnival Freedom.
Combined, the five ships offer itineraries from 3-8 nights in length, with special longer sailings also occasionally on offer. Destinations include the Bahamas, Mexico, and nearly every Caribbean port cruise travelers dream of visiting.
Carnival Venezia will remain sailing from Port Canaveral through mid-May 2025, at which time she will return to New York for the summer and fall. The ship will be back sailing from the Space Coast in November 2025.
