By
Rebecca Gibson |
Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) has introduced a new deployment programme to reinforce its position, and increase its capacity in the Port Canaveral and New Orleans cruise markets in 2014.
Under the new programme, Carnival will increase its capacity in New Orleans by 22 per cent, with the arrival of the 3,646-passenger Carnival Dream, which will operate three different year-round, seven-day Caribbean cruises from April.
After completing its European season in November 2013, Carnival Sunshine will also make its North American debut with a series of seven-day Caribbean cruises from New Orleans until April 2014.
Following its New Orleans season, the 3,006-passenger vessel – which recently underwent a US$155 million transformation – will operate a year-round schedule from Port Canaveral that includes various port-intensive seven- and eight-day eastern and western Caribbean cruises. It will also offer five-day departures calling at ports in Florida, the Caribbean and the Bahamas. .
This move will increase the line’s capacity in Port Canaveral by almost a third, as it become the only operator to offer three year-round ships from the port. Passengers visiting the Floridian port will be able to choose between seven different itineraries and visit 14 destinations throughout the Bahamas and Caribbean. It also marks the first time the line will have a ship – Carnival Sunshine – in central Florida featuring all of the Fun Ship 2.0 bar, dining and entertainment innovations.
Currently based in Miami, Carnival Liberty will also operate a year-round schedule of five-day Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, calling at Key West, Nassau and Freeport. It will also offer two different eight-day voyages – one visiting Grand Turk, St Thomas, Tortola, and St. Maarten; and the other calling at southern Caribbean destinations including Aruba, Curacao and Grand Turk.
“These deployment changes will enable us to offer our guests even more exciting Carnival cruise vacation choices from Central Florida and the Gulf region and significantly enhance our leadership positions in the Port Canaveral and New Orleans markets,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO.
Florida’s port of Tampa will also see changes to its homeporting ships.
Replacing Carnival Legend, Carnival Pride will join Carnival Paradise to homeport at Florida’s Port of Tampa from December. As part of its Tampa-based programme, the 2,142-guest ship will sail seven-day cruises calling at Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Roatan’s Mahogany Bay and Belize, until April 2015.
“We are pleased and appreciate Carnival Cruise Line’s continued support of Tampa Bay,” said Paul Anderson, Tampa’s CEO and port director. “Carnival has long said that Tampa Bay has the right atmosphere for successful cruise operations, and is an extremely important partner, we look forward to many more great announcements in the future.”
Carnival Legend will remain in Tampa until August, before repositioning to Australia to operate seasonal voyages from Sydney alongside Carnival Spirit.
Carnival Glory will remain in Miami and begin year-round, seven-day eastern and western Caribbean voyages from November 2013. Alternating weekly and offering a new Saturday departure, the ship will call at a range of destinations including Grand Turk, Nassau, Cozumel and Belize.