Nov. 15 update: Carnival resumes from Tampa, NCL from CanaveralNov. 15 update: Carnival resumes from Tampa, NCL from Canaveral

Carnival Cruise Line on Sunday resumed passenger operations from Tampa with Carnival Pride. Carnival Paradise is also due to begin sailing from Tampa in March.

A 'Back to Fun' event involved Carnival’s VP Guest Operations Sarah Beth Reno, Carnival Pride Capt. Rino Costanzo and Port Tampa Bay EVP and Chief Commercial Officer Raul Alfonso, with two passengers cutting a ribbon to begin embarkation.

Carnival Pride departed on a seven-day western Caribbean cruise with calls at Costa Maya, Cozumel, Belize City and Mahogany Bay in Roatán.The ship will also offer six- and eight-day cruises.

Carnival was the first cruise line to sail from Tampa year-round in 1994 with the since-retired Tropicale, carrying 28,000 passengers a year. The line has since increased passenger capacity nine-fold.

 Alfonso estimated a ship like Carnival Pride generates an average of $334,000 in passenger and crew onshore spending per call. 

Norwegian Escape became NCL's eighth ship to resume service

NCL resumes Port Canaveral service

Norwegian Escape on Saturday began sailing from Port Canaveral as the eighth ship in Norwegian Cruise Line's 17-strong fleet to resume service.

NCL has carried more than 110,000 passengers worldwide as part of its comeback, President and CEO Harry Sommer said.

Norwegian Escape will sail seven-day eastern Caribbean voyages to Tortola, St. Thomas and Great Stirrup Cay. On Dec. 23, the ship will embark on an 11-day holiday journey spending Christmas Day at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and New Year's Eve at St. Thomas, along with calls at Barbados and Antigua.