Cruise lines adjust ship deployments and add regional itineraries
Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises are expanding or shifting sailings across the Caribbean, Mexico, Asia-Pacific and Canary Islands.
Carnival Cruise Line bases ships year-round or seasonally in Port Canaveral, Galveston, New Orleans, Long Beach, Norfolk and Manhattan, with many deployments focused on shorter Caribbean, Mexico and Bahamas itineraries. Carnival Venezia moved from New York to Port Canaveral for week-long Caribbean cruises.
Industry reports indicate Carnival Miracle is among the ships being repositioned to Gulf Coast ports such as Galveston for four- to seven-night Western Caribbean and Mexico routes. Reports also say Carnival ended its Charleston operations and moved Carnival Sunshine to Norfolk.
Carnival Corporation’s annual filings described Celebration Key, its purpose-built Grand Bahama Island destination, as expected to open in summer 2025. The filings also outlined plans for another pier in 2026.
Other cruise companies have announced additional regional programs. Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas debuted from Port Canaveral in 2024 with three- and four-night sailings. Norwegian Cruise Line announced more than 30 Asia-Pacific, Australia and New Zealand voyages scheduled between 2024 and 2026, including new turnaround ports in Cairns and Lautoka. MSC Cruises also announced Canary Islands itineraries for the winter 2024 and 2025 seasons.
