Which Carnival Cruise Ships Have Resumed Operations?

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Now that Carnival Cruise Line has resumed operations after 16 months of being hold, this is the place to keep track of which Carnival cruise ships have restarted. There will be protocols in place, and the details may differ depending on where each ship is sailing from.

19 Carnival Cruise Ships Currently Sailing

As the cruise industry makes a comeback, things will be moving fast as more and more Carnival cruise ships resume operations through the remainder of 2021. We’re going to keep you updated and let you know what cruise ships are sailing now and bringing back the fun from various homeports around the United States.

So far, cruises have restarted with 15 ships with Carnival Vista out of Galveston, Carnival Horizon out of Miami, and Carnival Breeze became the third on July 19 out of Galveston. Carnival Miracle became the fourth to resume and the first in the fleet to begin Alsaka sailings from Seattle.

Mardi Gras finally commenced sailings on July 31 out of Port Canaveral, Florida, rounding out the July ships that restarted. In August, the first ship to restart was the Carnival Magic, the second to resume out of Port Canaveral. Carnival Sunrise became the second to begin sailings out of Miami on August 14. On August 21, Carnival Panorama became the first cruise ship to restart sailings from California.

“Having half of our U.S. fleet back in operations provides positive economic impact in our homeports and port of call destinations, along with giving our guests their much-needed vacations and helping our crew support their families back home,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We couldn’t have accomplished this without the support of our travel advisor partners, business partners and port and destinations partners.”

Also Read: Further Carnival Cruise Line Cancellations and Restart Update

Carnival Pride became the first ship in the fleet to resume in September and the first to restart out of Baltimore, Maryland. On September 19, it was a double restart for the cruise line with Carnival Glory resuming from New Orleans and Carnival Dream resuming from Galveston.

Following her Alaska season and restarting from Seattle, Carnival Miracle started sailings from Long Beach at the end of September 2021. Carnival Freedom also brought back the fun by restarting from Miami on October 9. Carnival Elation became the first of the older Fantasy-class vessels to resume from Port Canaveral on October 11, 2021.

The newly upgraded Carnival Valor became the second vessel to resume from New Orleans on November 2, 2021. Carnival Legend became the second ship in November to resume for the first time since suspensions started. The ship replaced Carnival Pride by restarting on November 14 from Baltimore. Carnival Pride then shifted to begin Tampa sailing on the same day.

Even more vessels have returned to service toward the end of 2021 with Carnival Conquest resuming from Miami on December 13 and then on the same day, the much-anticipated Carnival Radiance began guest operations from Long Beach in California.

Carnival Liberty brought back the fun and welcomed guests onboard earlier than expected in Miami on December 19, 2021. Carnival Sunshine also returned to service earlier than expected to cater to Carnival Horizon guests by restarting from Fort Lauderdale on December 19 too.

Carnival Sunshine from Miami and Fort Lauderdale

Itโ€™s not Charleston, South Carolina, from where Carnival Sunshine sailed her first cruise as expected, but instead Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. The Carnival cruise ship will be replacing Carnival Horizon on one voyage, while the second and third voyages will operate from Miami, Florida.

Carnival Sunshine Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Khairil Azhar Junos / Shutterstock.com

December 19, Carnival Sunshine restarted operations with a seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise with ports of call in Princess Cays in the Bahamas, San Juan in Puerto Rico, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic. The vessel then repositioned to Miami for the second cruise. This five-day cruise visits Grand Turk, which finally opened for cruise ship visitors, and Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic.

The last of three cruises from Florida will sail on December 31, with calls in Aruba, Curaรงao, and Bimini in the Bahamas. From January 13, Sunshine will be making her way to her original home Port of Charleston, South Carolina, for a series of cruises to the Bahamas and the Eastern Caribbean.

Carnival Liberty from Miami

The Conquest-class cruise ship was originally scheduled to return to service in early 2022 but with Carnival Horizon having to undergo an urgent dry dock to fix her maximum cruising speed issues, Carnival Liberty is back sailing!

Carnival Liberty Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: lazyllama / Shutterstock

Carnival Liberty restarted from the cruise capital of the world on December 19, 2021. The first, seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise included calls at Amber Cove, St. Thomas, San Juan, and Grand Turk.

She will sail a total of five cruises from south Florida. Other Carnival Liberty cruises include a 5-day Eastern Caribbean cruise, a 6-day Western Caribbean cruise, and two 8-day cruises to the Southern Caribbean, which includes calls to the Dutch Caribbean Islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao on the January 8 cruise, and calls to Aruba, Curacao, and La Romana and Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic. 

Carnival Radiance from Long Beach

The Carnival Radiance completed a massive $200 million transformation during a dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, and was formerly known as the Carnival Victory. Following the upgrade, the vessel made its way back to the US and restarted operations from the Long Beach Cruise Terminal on December 13.

Carnival Radiance Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line

Carnivalโ€™s newly transformed will continue to sail the west coast with three-day and four-day voyages. Carnival Panorama is also sailing from Long Beach after restarting on August 21, 2021, and Carnival Miracle, which resumed sailing from the port on September 27, 2021.

Carnival Conquest from Miami

Following a 21-month hold, Carnival Conquest finally returned to service by welcoming guests at the Port of Miami on December 13, 2021. The vessel departed on a four-day voyage to the Bahamas, including a call at the private destination of Princess Cays.

Carnival Conquest Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: SeregaSibTravel / Shutterstock.com

The ship will continue to offer a range of three- and four-day cruises to the Bahamas for the remainder of the year and through 2022. She joins two other vessels currently sailing from the port, including Carnival Sunrise, which restarted on August 14, and Carnival Freedom on October 9.

Carnival Legend from Baltimore

The Spirit-class Carnival cruise ship replaced the Carnival Pride on November 14 to resume cruise operations for the first time since the start of suspensions in 2020.

The first guests were welcomed on board for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which officially brought back the fun to the Carnival cruise ship. Carnival Legend departed on a seven-day Bahamas voyage that included a call at Nassau, Princess Cays, and Freeport.

Carnival Legend Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Ideal Stock PhotographyA / Shutterstock.com

The newly refurbished vessel is now sailing a range of cruises to the Bahamas through the end of the year. In 2022 there will be even more cruise choices to the Caribbean and even to Bermuda in summer 2022. Carnival Legend will also be showcasing her new red, white and blue livery after completing a dry dock in September 2021.

  • Resumed Cruises: November 14, 2021
  • Homeport: Baltimore, Maryland
  • First Cruise Back: 7-Day Bahamas Cruise

Carnival Valor from New Orleans

On November 2, Carnival Valor became the second Carnival cruise ship to restart operations from New Orleans, Louisiana. The ship welcomed guests on board for the very first time since suspensions first started in March 2020.

Carnival Valor departed on a five-day Western Caribbean cruise that included a call at Cozumel and Progreso, both in Mexico. The ship then completed the first voyage back on November 6 in Port NOLA.

Carnival Valor Crew
Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Valor will continue to sail four- and five-day voyages from Louisiana for the remainder of 2021 and through 2022. There will also be a 6-day New Yearโ€™s cruise departing on December 31, 2021, with visits to Mexico.

The Carnival cruise ship has been waiting to restart cruises since first arriving back in the U.S. on September 1. The ship arrived in Miami, Florida, after completing a drydock upgrade that took place in Marseille, France, and was completed toward the end of July 2021.

  • Resumed Cruises: November 2, 2021
  • Homeport: New Orleans, Louisiana
  • First Cruise Back: 5-Day Western Caribbean Cruise

Carnival Elation from Port Canaveral

Carnival Elation became the first Fantasy-class vessel to resume cruise operations on October 11, 2021. The ship has remained on hold for 19 months but finally welcomed guests back on board at the ship’s homeport of Port Canaveral in Florida.

Carnival Elation Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Stanislav Khokholkov / Shutterstock.com

The first voyage back took guests on a five-day itinerary to Nassau in the Bahamas and Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and returned back home on October 16, 2021. Carnival Elation will alternate cruises to the Eastern Caribbean and the Bahamas, making stops in popular spots like Princess Cays, Nassau, and Resorts World Bimini.

Carnival Elation joins Carnival Magic and the new Mardi Gras, which have already restarted from the port.

  • Resumed Cruises: October 11, 2021
  • Homeport: Port Canaveral, Florida
  • First Cruise Back: 5-Day Eastern Caribbean Cruise

Carnival Freedom from Miami

After remaining on hold since March 2020, Carnival Freedom finally restarted operations on October 9 from the cruise capital of the world, PortMiami in Florida. Guests were welcomed back on onboard following a Back to Fun ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by the ship’s captain and cruise director TJ Partida.

Carnival Freedom Restarts Cruises from Miami
Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line

The Conquest-class ship resumed with an eight-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary including calls at Philipsburg in St Maarten, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic.

In addition, Carnival Freedom will be sailing six-day Eastern Caribbean cruises to Half Moon Cay, San Juan, and Amber Cove. There will also be a Southern Caribbean offering including visits to Aruba, Curacao, and the Dominican Republic.

  • Resumed Cruises: October 9, 2021
  • Homeport: Miami, Florida
  • First Cruise Back: 8-Day Eastern Caribbean Cruise

Carnival Miracle from Long Beach

The Spirit-class cruise ship already restarted service when the ship started sailing to Alaska from the Port of Seattle in July 2021. With a limited Alaska season, Carnival Miracle has now redeployed with cruises out of Long Beach, California.

Carnival Cruise Ship Funnel
Photo Credit: VIAVAL TOURS / Shutterstock.com

The vessel welcomed guests onboard at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal on September 27. Guests got to enjoy a four-day Mexican Riviera itinerary including calls at Avalon at Catalina Island and Ensenada in Mexico. Carnival Miracle then completed the voyage back home on October 1.

The ship will continue to offer three- and four-day sailings for the remainder of the year and joins Carnival Panorama, which already resumed cruises from the port in August 2021.

  • Resumed Cruises: September 27, 2021
  • Homeport: Long Beach, California
  • First Cruise Back: 4-Day Mexican Riviera Cruise

Carnival Dream from Galveston

The Port of Galveston is leading the restart of operations with Carnival Dream now becoming the third Carnival cruise ship to resume operations. The vessel departed on September 19 on its first cruise with guests in 18 months.

Carnival Dream Cruise Ship
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line

After a “Back to Fun” ribbon-cutting ceremony, the first guests were welcomes on board and the ship departed on a six-day Western Caribbean Caribbean cruise including calls at Costa Maya in Mexico, Belize and Cozumel, and Mexico. A range of itineraries to the Caribbean and the Bahamas will continue through the remainder of the year.

Carnival Dream joined Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze, which have already resumed operations from Galveston.

  • Resumed Cruises: September 19, 2021
  • Homeport: Galveston, Texas
  • First Cruise Back: 6-Day Western Caribbean Cruise

Carnival Glory from New Orleans

After the two initial sailings were cancelled due to the impact of Hurricane Ida on the city of New Orleans, Carnival Glory finally became the first cruise ship to resume from the city on September 19.

A “Back to Fun” event was held in the terminal before the first guests stepped onboard the newly refurbished vessel. Carnival Glory is among the earliest to receive the cruise line’s new red, white a blue livery, which is gradually rolling out across the fleet.

Carnival Glory in New Orleans
Photo Credit: Port NOLA

The Conquest-class vessel departed on a week-long Western Caribbean cruise including calls at Mahogany Bay in Islan Roatan, Honduras, Belize, and Cozumel in Mexico. The ship is returning back to New Orleans on September 26. On November 1, sister ship Carnival Valor will also join by offering cruises from the city.

Carnival Cruise Line expects to carry 400,000 passengers annually from the port which is more than any other operator. Between both ships, they will offer six-, seven and eight-day sailings to the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Mexico. There will also be shorter four- and five-day cruises along with a 14-day Carnival Journeys cruise.

  • Resumed Cruises: September 19, 2021
  • Homeport: New Orleans, Louisiana
  • First Cruise Back: 7-Day Western Caribbean Cruise

Carnival Pride from Baltimore (Currently from Tampa, Florida)

Carnival Pride became the ninth Carnival cruise ship to resume operations on September 12 and the first to restart out of Baltimore, Maryland. The spirit-class vessel brought back the fun to the city with a ribbon-cutting ceremony which was attended by Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy.

The ship departed on a seven-day itinerary from the Cruise Maryland Terminal in Locust Point to the Bahamas. The first voyage included calls at Half Moon Cay, Bimini, and Freeport, all in the Bahamas.

Carnival Pride Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: Eric Glenn / Shutterstock.com

Carnival Pride won’t remain sailing from Baltimore for too long as sister ship Carnival Legend will take over in November. Carnival Pride will then shift to restart operations out of Tampa, Florida.

From Baltimore, the cruise line is offering six-and seven-day cruises to Bermuda and the Bahamas, eight-day voyages to Canada/New England and to the Caribbean. There will also be a 14-day Carnival Journeys sailing to the Panama Canal and the Souther Caribbean along with a Carnival Sailabration cruise in March 2022 to celebrated Carnival’s 50th birthday.

  • Resumed Cruises: September 12, 2021
  • Homeport: Baltimore, Maryland
  • First Cruise Back: 7-Day Bahamas Cruise

Carnival Panorama from Long Beach

Carnival Panorama became the eighth Carnival cruise ship to resume operations and the first to restart sailings from California on the U.S. West Coast. Following a “Back to Fun” ribbon-cutting ceremony in the terminal and welcoming guests onboard, the third-Vista class vessel departed the Long Beach cruise terminal at around 4:30 PM on August 21, 2021.

Carnival Panorama in Long Beach, California
Photo Credit: Howard Freshman / Shutterstock.com

The first cruise was a seven-day itinerary including calls at Puerta Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas, all in the Mexican Riviera. It’s the first time any cruise ship has returned to the ports since the cruise industry shutdown in March 2020.

Carnival Panorama will continue to offer sailings from Long beach year-round and will be joined by the Carnival Miracle in fall 2021. The Carnival Panorama cruise ship is among the newest in the fleet at 133,500 gross tons and a guest capacity of 4,008 at double occupancy. However, the vessel is only sailing at 70% capacity, following the CDC guidelines.

  • Resumed Cruises: August 21, 2021
  • Homeport: Long Beach, California
  • First Cruise Back: 7-Day Mexican Riviera Cruise

Carnival Sunrise from Miami

Carnival Sunrise became the seventh ship in the fleet to restart operations and it comes after the Sunshine-class vessel has remained on hold for more than 17 months. The ship departed out of Miami, Florida on Saturday, August 14, and is also the second Carnival cruise ship to begin sailings from PortMiami, the cruise capital of the world.

Carnival Sunrise Cruise Ship
Photo Credit: photos with me / Shutterstock.com

The first cruise back is a five-day Western Caribbean and Bahamas itinerary that includes a call to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, marking the first cruise ship to return to the Caribbean islands since it closed to cruises in 2020. Bimini in the Bahamas is the second port of call with the vessel then arriving back home on August 19.

Carnival Sunrise will continue to offer four- and five-day Caribbean cruises for the remainder of 2021.

  • Resumed Cruises: August 14, 2021
  • Homeport: Miami, Florida
  • First Cruise Back: 5-Day Caribbean and Bahamas Cruise

Carnival Magic from Port Canaveral

Carnival Magic became the sixth ship in the fleet to restart operations, and it comes after the vessel has remained on pause for 17 months. The ship departed on August 7 from Port Canaveral, Florida, on a five-day sailing including calls to the cruise line’s private island of Half Moon Cay, the popular port of Nassau, and the stunning destination of Bimini, all located in the Bahamas.

Carnival Magic With New Livery
Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line

The Dream-class vessel will continue to offer sailings to the Bahamas and the Caribbean well into 2022. The ship will have Carnival’s Have Fun. Be Safe protocols in place to make sure everyone on board remains safe.

Carnival Magic is one of the most recently updated ships in the fleet and the first to receive the new red, white and blue livery during dry dock. The ship is all fresh and features a new non-smoking casino that has replaced the conference room.

  • Resumed Cruises: August 7, 2021
  • Homeport: Port Canaveral, Florida
  • First Cruise Back: 5-Day Bahamas Cruise

Mardi Gras from Port Canaveral

On July 31, Mardi Gras became the fifth ship in the fleet to begin sailings and the first to resume out of Port Canaveral in Florida. It was also the first pre-inaugural voyage for the new Carnival cruise ship after a long-awaited debut for nearly one year.

Carnival Mardi Gras Cruise Ship
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line

The ship, which is the first in the fleet powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), departed the new Cruise Terminal 3 at 6:00 PM on a seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise including three sea days and calls in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Amber Cove, Dominican Republic and Nassau in the Bahamas.

Also Read: Carnivalโ€™s Mardi Gras Cruise Ship – Everything You Need to Know

The ship is offering week-long Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises departing every Saturday. The Western itinerary includes three days at sea and vitis to Cozumel, Mexico; Costa Maya, Mexico and Mahogany Bay at Isla Roatan, Honduras.

Mardi Gras is the most anticipated new cruise ship of 2021 and features the first roller coaster at sea. She’s got tons of new venues and experiences compared to other ships in the fleet. The vessel is 180,800 gross tons with a guest capacity of 5,282 at double occupancy, along with 1,735 crew members.

  • Resumed Cruises: July 31, 2021
  • Homeport: Port Canaveral, Florida
  • First Cruise Back: 7-Day Eastern Caribbean

Carnival Miracle from Seattle (Currently from Long Beach, California)

On July 27, Carnival Miracle became the fourth in the fleet to restart operations and the first in the fleet to begin cruises in Alaska. The Spirit-class vessel departed the Port of Seattle on July 27 at approximately 4:00 PM to bring back the fun to the U.S. west coast.

Carnival Miracle Restart
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line

The ship is now sailing seven-day cruises in Alaska, including a call at Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan, along with the stunning views of Tracy Arm Fjord. The offerings out of Seattle will continue into the middle of October 2021.

  • Resumed Cruises: July 27, 2021
  • Homeport: Port of Seattle, Washington
  • First Cruise Back: 7-Day Alaska Cruise

Carnival Breeze from Galveston

Carnival Breeze became the third ship in the fleet to resume sailings and the second out of Galveston, Texas. She departed from the Port of Galveston on July 17, bringing back the fun to guests who have been waiting more than 16 months to enjoy a cruise vacation with Carnival.

Carnival; Breeze Crew Welcome Back
Crew Welcome Back (Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line)

On her first voyage back in service, Carnival Breeze is sailing a four-day itinerary which includes a visit to Cozumel, Mexico. The ship will also be sailing a five-day voyage departing on Mondays and Saturdays, including a call to Cozumel, Costa Maya, or Progresso, all in Mexico.

The ship is sailing with fully vaccinated passengers and crew on board. However, there is an exemption that guests can request if they are ineligible for the vaccine. There are more strict protocols in place for these guests, including travel insurance and the cost of a test.

  • Resumed Cruises: July 17, 2021
  • Homeport: Port of Galveston, Texas
  • First Cruise Back: 4-Day Western Caribbean

Carnival Horizon from Miami

Carnival Horizon became the second ship in the fleet to restart cruises operations and the first to resume from PortMiami, Florida. Just like her sister ship, the fun returned with a ribbon-cutting ceremony which wasn’t just attended by the cruise line’s president but also brand ambassador John Heald.

Carnival Horizon in Miami, Florida
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line

Heald had originally been denied to fly to the US to join the ship, but thankfully for the hundreds that booked the Carnival Horizon because he would be on there, that was resolved.

The vessel departed PortMiami on July 4 and became the first ship in the fleet to begin cruises from the cruise capital of the world. Carnival Horizon’s first sailing back is a six-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary including visits to Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and the cruise line’s private island of Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas.

There was originally scheduled to be a call in Bimini, but that was canceled due to a curfew implemented on the island.

  • Resumed Cruises: July 4, 2021
  • Homeport: PortMiami, Florida
  • First Cruise Back: 6-Day Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean

Carnival Vista from Galveston

Carnival Vista became the first ship in the fleet to resume operations after more than 15 months on hold. The long-awaited day finally arrived on July 3 when the Carnival cruise ship departed from the Port of Galveston in Texas at around 4:00 PM. The cruises included stops at Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan), Cozumel, and Belize City.

Carnival Vista in Galveston, Texas
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line

The ship sailed with 2,960 guests, with 888 of those first-time cruisers with Carnival. There was a “Back to Fun” ribbon-cutting ceremony which Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy attended.

  • Resumed Cruises: July 3, 2021
  • Homeport: Port of Galveston, Texas
  • First Cruise Back: 7-Day Western Caribbean

Carnival Ships Currently on Hold

At the moment, there are 8 Carnival cruise ships on hold, and some of them are preparing to resume operations in the coming weeks. The entire fleet will be back in service by the end of March 2022.

  • Carnival Legend – Resuming from Baltimore on November 14, 2021
  • Carnival Pride – Resuming from Tampa on November 14, 2021
  • Carnival Conquest – Resuming from Miami on December 13, 2021
  • Carnival Radiance – Resuming from Long Beach on December 13, 2021
  • Carnival Sunshine – Resuming from Charleston on January 13, 2022
  • Carnival Liberty – Resuming from Port Canveral on February 11, 2022
  • Carnival Ecstasy – Resuming from Jacksonville on March 7, 2022
  • Carnival Paradise – Resuming from Tampa on March 12, 2022
  • Carnival Sensation – Resuming from Mobile on March 5, 2022
  • Carnival Spirit – Resuming in Australia in March 2022
  • Carnival Splendor – Resuming in Australia in March 2022
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Emrys Thakkar
Emrys Thakkar
The founder of Cruise Hive, Emrys has been reporting on the cruise industry since 2008. Expert insights and tips featured on a number of publications including The Express, Business Insider, Fodor's Travel and more. Worked for Carnival for 8 years and traveled to more than 34 countries and been on over 100 cruises.

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