As summer rolls on, we start to have a clear view of what Carnival cruise ships are resuming sailings, and which we have to wait a little longer. Three ships are already operating from Galveston and Miami, while we only have one more week to go before Mardi sets sail with guests for the first time.
The last week has been dominated by Carnival Cruise Line’s announcement that it plans to start up an increasing number of ships over the next few weeks and hope to have its entire US-based fleet operational by the end of the year.
Also Read: When Will Cruises Resume in 2021?
What Can We Expect for July and August
Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon, and Carnival Breeze have resumed sailing already this month, and we have another two ships to go.
Carnival Miracle will be sailing to Alaska on 7-day itineraries from July 27. The vessel will call at Tracy Arm Fjord; Skagway; Juneau; and Ketchikan sailing to and from Seattle. Of course, while the start in Alaska is another milestone and one that many have been looking forward to, the big news for this month is surely Mardi Gras.
Carnival’s newest vessel, the LNG powered 180,000 tonnes, and 5,282 passenger Mardi Gras will sail from her homeport of Port Canaveral on July 31. The cruise ship is the biggest in the Carnival lineup and seen as a gamechanger. Her first cruise will see Mardi Gras sail from Port Canaveral on an itinerary calling at San Juan, Puerto Rico, Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, and Nassau in the Bahamas.
By the end of July, we will have five Carnival cruise ships in operation, but the fun doesn’t stop there. Carnival aims to take full advantage of the busy summer months, in August Carnival Magic, Carnival Panorama, and Carnival Sunrise will start-up operations. The cruises for these ships look as follows:
- Carnival Magic will sail from Port Canaveral. The newly painted and dry-docked ship will be sailing on four- and five-day cruises to The Bahamas and Caribbean from August 7 until October. These are the cruises previously scheduled for Carnival Elation.
- Carnival Sunrise will sail from Miami on August 14, sailing four- and five-day cruises to The Bahamas and Caribbean.
- Carnival Panorama will sail from Long Beach, California, on August 21, sailing her seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises.
More Fun To Come In September and October
September and October will see eight more ships operating from US ports, divided equally over both months. Additional homeports that the cruise line will add include New Orleans, Baltimore, and Mobile, Alabama. Some ships have seen some changes over the last week; check our dedicated article on these changes to find out more. The following ships and cruises are on the program:
Carnival Glory
- 1st Itinerary: 7-day voyage from New Orleans to Key West, Freeport, and Nassau
- Homeport: New Orleans
- First available date: September 5, 2021
Carnival Pride
- 1st Itinerary: 7-day voyage from Baltimore to Nassau, Half Moon Cay, and Freeport
- Homeport: Baltimore
- First available date: September 12, 2021
Carnival Dream
- 1st Itinerary: 6-day itinerary from Galveston to Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel
- Homeport: Galveston
- First available date: September 19, 2021
Carnival Miracle
- 1st Itinerary: 4-day voyage from Los Angeles (Long Beach) to Catalina Island and Ensenada
- Homeport: Long Beach
- First available date: September 27, 2021
Carnival Conquest
- 1st Itinerary: 3-day Bahamas cruise to Nassau
- Homeport: Miami
- First available date: October 8, 2021
Carnival Freedom
- 1st Itinerary: 8-day cruise from Miami to St. Maarten, St. Kitts, San Juan, and Grand Turk
- Homeport: Miami
- First available date: October 9, 2021
Carnival Elation
- 1st Itinerary: 5-day cruise from Port Canaveral to Amber Cove and Grand Turk
- Homeport: Port Canaveral
- First available date: October 11, 2021
Carnival Sensation
- 1st Itinerary: 4-day cruise from Mobile to Cozumel
- Homeport: Mobile, Alabama
- First available date: October 21, 2021
By the end of the year, Carnival Cruise Line hopes to have a majority, or even all its US-based vessels sailing again. Whether that happens depends on various factors, but this is certainly not unrealistic with the positive changes we’ve seen over the last weeks.
