CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES TO OFFER NEW ‘FUN SHIP’ CRUISE VACATION OPTIONS FROM MIAMI
Carnival Imagination to Operate Three and Four-Day Cruises;
Carnival Destiny Offers Four- and Five-Day Cruises Beginning in Sept. 2008;
MIAMI (August 20, 2007) – Carnival Cruise Lines will expand its short cruise offerings from Miami with the 2,052-passenger Carnival Imagination and 2,642-passenger Carnival Destiny operating new itineraries beginning next fall.
The 70,000-ton Carnival Imagination – which will become the first Carnival ship to be completely remodeled under the line’s “Evolutions of Fun” enhancement program this fall – will sail on year-round three- and four-day cruises from Miami beginning Sept. 22, 2008.
Additionally, the Carnival Destiny will be the industry’s only 100,000-plus-ton-cruise ship to offer year-round four- and five-day cruises when it launches this program from Miami Sept. 27, 2008. This 101,353-ton “Fun Ship” will offer a one-of-a-kind vacation experience that will include four-day weekend cruises and five-day trips to exciting destinations. Plus, the Carnival Destiny will offer a wide selection of affordable balcony staterooms -- a feature not widely available on other ships in the short cruise market.
These new deployments represent the latest enhancements to Carnival’s highly popular three- to five-day cruise programs which comprise roughly half of the line’s departures. Carnival is the industry leader in three- to five-day vacations, with 25 different itineraries departing from 10 different U.S. homeports.
“With an unmatched combination of convenience, value and affordability – and more departure points than ever before – our three- to five-day cruises continue to be in high demand,” said Vicki Freed, Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “‘Fun Ship’ cruising is all about choice and Carnival Destiny and Carnival Imagination – each of which offers unique on-board facilities and features – provides today's busy consumers with exciting new cruise getaways on two popular Miami-based cruise programs,” she added.
Carnival Imagination’s New Itinerary, ‘Evolutions of Fun’ Upgrades
Carnival Imagination’s new program begins Sept. 22, 2008, and encompasses three-day cruises departing Fridays and overnighting in Nassau, The Bahamas, and four-day cruises departing Mondays and calling at Key West and Cozumel, Mexico.
In addition to a variety of all-inclusive dining, entertainment and activity options, Carnival Imagination will undergo an extensive renovation this fall, with the addition of the new Carnival WaterWorks aqua park featuring a massive 300-foot-long cascading waterslide and double-lane racing waterslide, along with a redesigned resort-style pool area and a new Serenity adults-only deck area.
Carnival Imagination’s “extreme makeover” will also include fully remodeled staterooms and suites including new bathrooms, flat-screen televisions in staterooms and select public areas, an atrium lobby bar, updated sound and lighting systems in various lounges and clubs, coffee bar, nine-hole miniature golf course, new art and photo galleries, New York-style deli in the Lido restaurant and purpose-built conference facilities.
These upgrades are part of Carnival’s $250 million “Evolutions of Fun” program, cruising’s most ambitious ship refurbishment and product enhancement initiative that is resulting in a dramatic transformation of Carnival’s eight Fantasy-class vessels.
Carnival Destiny’s New Four- and Five-Day Program
On its new four- and five-day schedule beginning Sept. 27, 2008, the 101,353-ton Carnival Destiny will depart Thursdays on four-day “long weekend” cruises to Key West, Fla., and Cozumel, Mexico. Five-day cruises departing Mondays visit Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands; the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay and Nassau, The Bahamas. Five-day cruises departing Saturdays visit George Town, Grand Cayman; and Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Carnival Destiny will also offer a special one-time six-day cruise from Miami on Sept. 21, 2008, calling at Key West, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios.
Carnival Destiny will feature four swimming pools, Carnival’s signature “Twister Waterslide,” a duty-free shopping mall, a 15,000-square-foot health club, and 18 lounges and bars, including a three-deck-high theater showcasing lavish revues.
Expansive facilities and activities for children and teens – part of the line’s “Camp Carnival” and “Club O2” programs, respectively – along with a variety of dining options, including two formal restaurants, a casual poolside eatery featuring a 24-hour pizzeria, a patisserie and complimentary 24-hour stateroom service, are also available.
now this sounds interesting. However, I'm still wondering if "Carnival Destiny" might end up as the startup ship for Carnival's intended joint-venture with TUI in 2009, as Carnival Corp. has been saying that TUI Cruises will receive a very large ship from a Carnival Corp. affiliate.
Hi Raoul,
I get all these other updates, but somehow I guess I missed that one: Carnival's intended joint-venture with TUI in 2009.
Not sure, but Carnival hasnt stated what will take the Destiny's place when she leave SJ. I wouldnt think they would pull out all together. Also, they havent stated what they are going to do with the Celebration when they take her out of Jacksonville. Oh well it will be interesting to see what happens.
Carnvial Corp. & plc and TUI, Europe's largest tour operator, plan to form a joint-venture in which Carnival (through its affiliate Costa Crociere / Società di Crociere Mercurio) will hold 75% with TUI owning the remaining 25%. Carnival's AIDA brand will become part of the joint-venture and a new brand, TUI Cruises, will be established for the German market.
The closing of the deal has been delayed, as Germany's Federal Cartel Office has been having a close eye on the intended joint-venture and hasn't apporved it, yet.
Originally Carnival intended to order a 3,000-passenger ship for TUI Cruises with delivery scheduled for 2010, but the slot was lost as a result of the delays and now Carnival plans to move a "relatively modern" and very large ship to TUI Cruises in 2009. It is expected that this could be either "Carnival Destiny" or "Grand Princess", as these are Carnival's oldest mega liners.
Hey Carol. I was just wondering if you knew anything about a new ship called the Dream. My PVP and I were talking the other day, but she said there is not much info on it. It is supposed to cruising to Europe. I was just wondering if anyone has heard about this.
__________________
Fascination-September 2007 Key West and Cozumel
Spirit-August 2010- Alaska
well I can only hope is not one of the smallest vessels the one that substitude carnival Destiny...
Some people in Puerto Rico had been telling rumors about it will be the carnival Victory but I dont bilieve it.
I am sorry but if we get stock with one of the smallest I will have to say good bye to carnival
The caribbean Sea is difficult to travel and small vessel won't work here...
Also if you go to carnival.com you cannot book carnival destiny during 2008 from PR so maybe is soner than I expected
Linear Mode
