Carnival Cruise Line Announces New Summer Sailings & First Cruise for Mardi Gras

(Latest Update: June 18, 2021) Carnival Cruise Line today announced additional plans for resuming cruising this summer from ports across the U.S. In addition, Carnival today unveiled that Mardi Gras will officially sail its inaugural voyage on July 31, 2021, operating 7-day Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral. 

“We are very excited to finally welcome guests on Mardi Gras,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.  “With our desire to preserve summer vacations for our Mardi Gras guests, we are going to find a later date to formally christen her so that we can operate these pre-inaugural sailings just as soon as we can.”

Here’s what we know so far about these newly announced itineraries from Carnival: 

• Carnival Magic will return from its dry dock and homeport from Port Canaveral to offer four- and five-day cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean that were previously scheduled for Carnival Elation, effective Aug. 7 - Oct. 7.  Guests already booked on Carnival Elation will be re-accommodated on Carnival Magic, and because she is a larger ship. Carnival Magic will also operate three new six-day cruises and one new eight-day cruise from Port Canaveral between Oct. 11-31, 2021. 
• Starting Aug. 14, Carnival Sunrise will enter service from Miami sailing four- and five-day Bahamas and Caribbean cruises. 
• Carnival Panorama will enter service from Long Beach on Aug. 21, sailing seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises.
• Carnival Vista and Breeze (from Galveston), Carnival Horizon (from Miami), and Carnival Miracle (from Seattle to Alaska) will continue with their cruises through August that are part of the line’s already announced restart plans in July.

Guests, including children who are age-eligible for vaccines, will need to be vaccinated and show proof of vaccination in advance of boarding for all July and August sailings, as well as sailings on Mardi Gras. According to current CDC guidelines, vaccinated guests will not be required to wear face masks or physical distance while on board. However, masks are required at the cruise terminal during embarkation. Vaccinated guests may participate in Carnival-sponsored tours or independent activities. There is an exemption process to accommodate a small number of guests (5%) who are unable or ineligible to be vaccinated (children under 12 and other exceptions as required by federal law). These passengers must submit a request and be approved by Carnival prior to sailing. 

“We are excited to resume our West Coast operations and intend to sail Carnival Panorama with vaccinated guests starting August 21.  We are working with state and local officials to finalize the necessary plans,” continued Duffy. 

In addition to these new sailings, Carnival has extended its pause for the following ships through Aug. 31, 2021: Carnival Pride (Baltimore), Carnival Sunshine (Charleston), Carnival Dream (Galveston), Carnival Ecstasy (Jacksonville), Carnival Liberty (Port Canaveral), Carnival Conquest (Miami), Carnival Sensation (Mobile) and Carnival Glory (New Orleans).

Carnival will be continuing to announce plans to resume more ships and from more homeports in September and beyond. The line has been busty bringing hundreds of crew onboard each week to be vaccinated, complete a CDC-mandated quarantine, and start work to prepare for guests to return. 

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