MIAMI (March 10, 2011) — Carnival Cruise Lines today announced a unique and exciting new “Fun Ship” cruise program from Port Canaveral, Fla.
The 2,052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy will operate four- and five-day Bahamas cruises from the Space Coast beginning November 7, 2011. The move further bolsters Carnival’s position as Port Canaveral’s largest cruise operator with three year-round ships carrying approximately 600,000 guests annually.
“In addition to offering a convenient departure point for millions of consumers in the southeastern U.S., along with attractive port facilities and excellent flight options into nearby Orlando, Port Canaveral is an extremely popular homeport and we’re excited to provide our guests with some fantastic new cruise choices from Central Florida,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO.
On the Carnival Ecstasy’s new schedule, two different four-day itineraries will be offered, along with two different five-day itineraries.
Carnival Ecstasy will depart Thursdays on four-day ‘long weekend’ cruises visiting Nassau and Half Moon Cay or Freeport. Five-day cruises will depart Mondays and Saturdays and call at Nassau, Freeport and Half Moon Cay or Key West.
With Carnival Ecstasy’s new four- and five-day schedule, combined with year-round three- and four-day Bahamas cruises aboard Carnival Sensation and seven-day eastern and western Caribbean voyages on Carnival Dream, the line will offer an unprecedented array of cruise lengths and itineraries from Port Canaveral.
Prior to repositioning to Port Canaveral, the Carnival Ecstasy will continue to operate from Galveston, Texas through September 8, 2011 and then from New Orleans September 22 through November 5, 2011, as previously scheduled.
Carnival Elation from New Orleans
Carnival Elation will reposition from Mobile, Ala., to New Orleans to operate year-round four- and five-day western Caribbean cruises beginning November 5, 2011. On this route, four-day cruises will depart Thursdays and visit Cozumel, one of the Caribbean’s most popular ports, while five-day voyages will call at both Cozumel and Progreso.
Carnival Elation’s new schedule from New Orleans replaces the previously announced program from that port on the Carnival Ecstasy.
Carnival Elation will join the Carnival Conquest in New Orleans, marking the first time Carnival has operated two ships from New Orleans in six years. Carnival will be the only cruise line with two ships based year-round in New Orleans, carrying more than 350,000 passengers annually.
Guests with Current Reservations
As a result of these deployment changes, Carnival will no longer offer cruises from Mobile, Ala. Guests booked on those voyages will have the option of re-booking from an alternate homeport and receive a $25 per person onboard credit, or they can elect to receive a full refund.
Guests booked on cruises from New Orleans on the Carnival Ecstasy that will now be operated on the Carnival Elation are being automatically shifted to the Carnival Elation. Itineraries on the Carnival Elation will be identical to those that were scheduled for the Carnival Ecstasy. The two vessels are sister ships with largely similar features, amenities and staterooms. (Those guests who were booked in standard balcony staterooms on the Carnival Ecstasy – a cabin category not featured on the Carnival Elation – will be contacted individually to discuss their preferences.) The movement of bookings from Carnival Ecstasy to Carnival Elation will be completed by Friday, March 11, 2011.
New Reservations
Carnival will begin accepting reservations for the Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Elation’s new programs from Port Canaveral and New Orleans beginning Friday, March 11. For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.
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