The upcoming Carnival Firenze has officially been opened for bookings for its first sailings in 2024 and 2025. The renovated “Carnival Fun Italian Style” vessel will be homeported from Long Beach, California, and will offer a wide range of west coast itineraries ranging from 3-7 nights.
Carnival Firenze Opens for Bookings
The soon-to-be Carnival Firenze is now open for its first reservations as part of the Fun Ship fleet, beginning in May 2024. The ship will sail year-round from Long Beach, California, and bookings can be made from its first departure on May 2, 2024 through sailings in April 2025.
The very first cruise is to be a 5-night voyage, leaving Long Beach on Thursday, May 2, and visiting both Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico, with two days at sea for guests to experience all the Italian vibes and Carnival fun of the renovated ship.
“Carnival Firenze is named after the spectacular city of Florence, Italy. She was designed to evoke the same charm and beauty found in Florence and she’ll also pack in plenty of Carnival fun, which will be brought to life by the friendly and dedicated team members that make cruises across our fleet memorable,” said Christine Duffy, Carnival Cruise Line president.
A total of 15 itinerary options with varying days of departure are now available for Carnival Firenze, and all will visit some of Mexico’s most vibrant and charming ports of call, including Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlรกn, and Cabo San Lucas.
Of special interest are the 6-night sailings, which will spend two days in Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, one of the most beautiful destinations along the Mexican Riviera. There, guests can enjoy a number of excursions, from meeting dolphins to camel rides to snorkeling, pirate ships, beach resorts, luxury sailing, and more.
Along with Mexican ports of call, Carnival Firenze will also visit Catalina Island, a luxury destination off the southern California coast and home to amazing snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities, as well as other exploration opportunities.
Carnival Firenze Style
The Vista-class, 135,156-gross-ton Carnival Firenze will be the third ship transferred to the Carnival fleet from Costa Cruises, bringing with it distinctive Italian flair but with Fun Ship familiarity and amenities.
Carnival Luminosa was the first ship to be transferred from Costa Cruises, but without the overall Italian Style flair. She is now sailing South Pacific and Australian itineraries from Brisbane. The vessel will move to Seattle for the 2023 Alaska sailing season, but will return to Australia in the fall.
Carnival Venezia, which was just transferred to the Carnival fleet on March 22, 2023, is the first vessel that will truly incorporate the “Carnival Fun Italian Style” theme. She will be homeported year-round from New York beginning in mid-June, after a two-month transformation that will add Carnival venues and branding to the ship.
Carnival Firenze will undergo a similar transformation, preserving a good deal of her Italian personality in the refit. This will give guests a completely new ship to experience, with architecture, venues, and artistry very distinctive from other Carnival vessels, including Italian-themed restaurants, bars, and entertainment.
Other Carnival Ships From Long Beach
While West Coast cruise lovers are thrilled to have a new ship planned to homeport in the region, other Carnival ships will not vanish from Long Beach when Carnival Firenze arrives.
As of March 2023, more than a year before the debut of Carnival Firenze, three other Carnival ships are sailing from Long Beach: Carnival Radiance, Carnival Panorama, and Carnival Miracle.
“This truly stunning ship will serve as a great new cruise vacation option from Long Beach, joining Carnival Panorama and Radiance, and offering a range of sailing lengths to Baja Mexico and the Mexican Riviera,” Duffy said of Carnival Firenze’s debut.
While Carnival Panorama and Carnival Radiance will remain in Long Beach, Carnival Miracle will move to San Francisco for both the 2023 and 2024 Alaska seasons, offering a unique homeport option for that sought-after destination.
In fall 2024, Carnival Miracle will move to Galveston, Texas to offer longer Caribbean from that port. Deployment plans for Carnival Firenze beyond April 2025 have not yet been announced.