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Carnival confirms second Excel newbuild, two ships sold, two laid up, homeport moves

CRUISE Carnival Radiance.jpg
Carnival Radiance (the transformed Carnival Victory) is to assume the short Baja Mexico itineraries previously served by Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration
Carnival Cruise Line confirmed a November 2022 delivery date for its second Excel-class, LNG-powered ship, the sale of two vessels and the lay-up of two others, plus several ships deployed to different homeports.

Fantasy-class exits, lay-ups

The 1990-built Carnival Fantasy and 1996-built Carnival Inspiration are indeed exiting, as rumored for days, while Carnival Fascination (1994) and Carnival Imagination (1995) will move to a long-term lay-up status, with no specific timeline identified for a return to operation. AIS data show Fantasy en route to Aliaga, Turkey, where there are ship recycling facilities, and Inspiration underway to nearby Izmir.

Second Excel newbuild

Meyer Turku confirmed the 2022 sister of 2021's Mardi Gras, for November. Bookings will open this fall, and it will operate from PortMiami, as previously announced.

Carnival Sensation to Mobile

Carnival Sensation will move from Miami to Mobile, Alabama, and take up itineraries previously assigned to Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Fascination, with passengers on those two ships being re-accommodated on Sensation. 

Carnival Sunrise to Miami

Carnival Sunrise will move from Port Everglades to PortMiami and assume the itineraries previously operated by Carnival Sensation, providing a larger, upgraded ship for short itineraries. Passengers booked on the Sunrise four- and five-day cruises from Port Everglades will be automatically moved to sailings from PortMiami.

San Juan, Barbados sailings canceled

Carnival Fascination itineraries from San Juan and Barbados have been canceled for 2020-2021 as the cruise line focuses its return to operations on mainland drive markets in the US.

Long Beach gets Carnival Radiance

Itineraries for Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration from Long Beach, California, have been canceled through April 19, 2021. Carnival Panorama will continue to operate seven-day cruises from Long Beach while Carnival Miracle will offer shorter itineraries from San Diego to Baja Mexico.

Carnival Radiance will now move directly from Europe after its $200m transformation from Carnival Victory and homeport in Long Beach in April 2021, where it will assume the short Baja Mexico itineraries previously served by Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration. Travelers booked on Imagination and Inspiration after April 22 will be re-accommodated on Carnival Radiance.

Operating pause extended in Australia

Separately, Carnival also notified its Australian customers that it has extended its operating pause in that country, canceling six cruises scheduled between Sept. 25 and Oct. 29 this year.