Carnival Cruise Line is not just focused on resuming cruise operations but also on updating ships, including the new red, white, and blue livery. The latest ship in the fleet to receive the new look is the Carnival Valor, now heading back to North America.
Carnival Valor Photos After Dry Dock
Carnival Valor has completed her dry dock, which took place at the shipyard in Marseilles, France. The upgrade took place between July 7 and July 28, and this is now the fourth ship in the fleet to receive the new livery design during a dry dock. Carnival Magic, Carnival Glory, and Carnival Dream have already received their new liveries in the last few months.
Also Read: Third Carnival Cruise Ship Receives Shiny New Livery During Dry Dock
The new hull design is inspired by the deep blue officer uniforms and the iconic colors of the Carnival funnel. With multiple cruise ships recently looking rusty while remaining on hold during the global suspension of operations, the new livery design is a welcome change.
In addition to the new livery, Carnival Valor also had some routine hotel maintenance and enhancements done. This usually includes new carpeting, fresh paint in some areas, work on tiles, and other minor updates.
With Carnival Valor already completing its dry dock, the vessel is heading back toward North American. Cruise Hive has some exclusive photos of the ship, thanks to photographer Tony Davis. The photos were taken when the ship made a stop in Gibraltar on August 8, 2021. This is the first time the Carnival cruise ship got to truly show off the new livery.
The ship can be seen at the Gibraltar Cruise Terminal, located on the northern arm of the main harbor area. The terminal was completed in 1997 and is often used by cruise ships transitioning between the Mediterranean and North America. The port’s central location at the British Overseas Territory on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula is also good for ships heading the other way towards Asia.
In December 2020, the former Carnival Fascination spent some time in Gibraltar before heading to her new home in China for a refurbishment under new owner Century Cruises. Work had already started changing the ship’s name, but due to remaining on hold for so long in Cadiz, Spain, Carnival Fascination was not looking so fresh.
For Carnival Valor, the ship has already departed Gibraltar, and according to our Cruise Ship Tracker, is sailing across the Atlantic for the Bahamas. The vessel is scheduled to arrive in the Bahamas on August 22.
The ship is not part of Carnival’s initial restart plans for September or October, but the cruise line has already said that the fleet will be back sailing by the end of 2021. Currently, Carnival Valor is scheduled to restart operations in November out of New Orleans, Louisiana.
The first cruise back is a five-day Western Caribbean itinerary that includes calls at Cozumel and Progreso. This will also be the first time guests will experience the upgraded ship and enjoy the new livery.
Carnival Cruise Line has not yet confirmed which ships are sailings through November and December, so dates and itineraries could still change.
Carnival Valor last underwent a dry dock in 2016, which added all the FUN 2.0 enhancements that are popular across the fleet, including venues such as Guy’s Burger Joint and the Alchemy Bar. The ship is 110,000 gross tons and has a guest capacity of 2,980 at double occupancy and 1,180 international crew members.