Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Mardi Gras to debut July 31 with more Carnival ships to cruise in August

CRUISE_Mardi_Gras_Port_Canaveral.jpg
Carnival's newest ship, Mardi Gras, now has a sail date: July 31 from Port Canaveral
Carnival Cruise Line's Mardi Gras is to begin sailing July 31, with additional ships now set for restart in August. The August sailings are to carry passengers vaccinated for COVID-19.

Mardi Gras will start seven-day cruises from Port Canaveral, with pre-inaugural sailings to the eastern and western Caribbean.

Carnival Magic from Port Canaveral

Carnival Magic will return from drydock — with its new livery — and sail from Port Canaveral on four- and five-day cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean that were previously scheduled for Carnival Elation, effective Aug. 7 through Oct. 7. Travelers booked on Carnival Elation will be reaccommodated on Carnival Magic and, because it is a larger ship, additional stateroom inventory is available.

Carnival Magic will also operate three new six-day cruises and one new eight-day cruise from Port Canaveral Oct. 11-31.

Sunrise from Miami

Carnival Sunrise will enter service from Miami Aug. 14, sailing four- and five-day cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean.

Panorama from Long Beach

Carnival Panorama will enter service from Long Beach, California, on Aug. 21, with its regular 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 July restart plans.

Other sailings canceled through August

Other ships will be paused through August, including  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).

Mardi Gras christening to come later

'We are very excited to finally welcome guests on Mardi Gras,' Carnival President Christine Duffy said. '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.'

Duffy also noted Carnival intends to expand its initial restart from Florida, Texas and Washington to California, with the return of Carnival Panorama from Long Beach in late August. 

'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,' she said.

Carnival will continue to ramp up more ships and homeports in September and beyond, bringing hundreds of crew on board each week to be vaccinated, complete Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-mandated quarantine and then begin work to prepare for passenger operations.