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Carnival Corp. brands are resuming regular Bahamas calls

carnival ecstasy at half moon cay
Carnival Ecstasy called at Half Moon Cay this week PHOTO: Carnival Cruise Line
With Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays having had little impact from Hurricane Dorian three Carnival Corp. brands will have more than 250 sailings to the Bahamas through year’s end.

Calls by Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises will help support the country’s tourism industry, a vital economic driver.

Carnival Cruise Line is already calling

The Carnival brand has scheduled stops at most Bahamian ports of call, including 41 planned calls to Nassau and Carnival Corp. private island destinations Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays, for the remainder of September. Eight Fun Ships will make an estimated 204 calls through the remainder of the year, visiting Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays.

Freeport, on badly hit Grand Bahama Island, is still not accessible, however.

Princess Cruises from Oct. 9

Princess has 19 sailings scheduled to the Bahamas through the end of 2019, including visits to Princess Cays. The brand will return to the region with Crown Princess’ arrival on Oct. 9, followed by sailings on Caribbean Princess, Regal Princess and the new Sky Princess, entering in October, which will begin calling at Princess Cays in December.

Holland America Line starting Oct. 21

Holland America Line is scheduled to return to the Bahamas Oct. 21 when Zuiderdam calls at Half Moon Cay. Through the end of 2019, HAL has 46 scheduled cruises to the Bahamas on seven ships.

‘We are excited to let travelers know the Bahamas welcomes them with open arms,’ Carnival Corp. Chief Communications Officer Roger Frizzell said. ‘For those in the Bahamas who have been impacted, our hearts continue to be with them, and we will continue to do our part in providing relief aid and supporting our long-time partners and friends as they work to recover and begin the rebuilding process.

Carnival Liberty and Carnival Pride stopped at Freeport this week to deliver relief supplies, including dozens of pallets of water, generators, chain saws, prepared meals and medical supplies. The corporation also began an initiative last week to collect and deliver donated food and supplies through a partnership with Tropical Shipping and The Bahamas National Emergency Agency.

335 tons of supplies delivered so far

Through the effort, an estimated 335 tons of food and relief supplies have been delivered to Freeport to date.

Carnival Corp. and its philanthropic arm, Carnival Foundation, its nine cruise line brands and the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation have pledged $2m in funding and in-kind support for relief efforts.