Carnival to add 2 new ships in 2023

[phoneman69]

10 hours ago, Moviela said:

Did Heald indicate one of the new builds will homeport in Cleveland?

 

Offering Great Lake Cruises Awesome !! But were do you hide a ship in the winter ?

[Aplmac]

7 hours ago, CruzinKristin said:

Perhaps with the addition of these new ships,

we will begin to see sailings out of San Juan again?  

A girl can dream.  I miss that itinerary.

 

There's a bunch of Barbados islanders

who have been regularly taking advantage

of the facility of boarding at Barbados,

about halfway thru the 7-day cruise.

You get straight on, your cabin is always ready -even at 10 a.m.
How cool is that?

Used to be that only about 40 cabins boarded weekly at Barbados

but I'm not sure of more recent allocations

 

For decades, Carnival used to dock at Barbados on Wednesday.

When you saw the whale tail, you knew it was Wednesday.

But recently/Fascination they switched that to Friday at Barbados.

 

----------------

 

LONG Time ago, the itinerary looked like this!

 

 

[lizord]

59 minutes ago, toad455 said:

The majority of the Costa fleet were build from Carnival molds.

 

Costa Atlanitca & Mediterranea - Spirit-class(both sold to Carnival China)

Costa Fortuna & Magica - Destiny/Triumph class

Costa Luminosa, Venezia, Firenze & Deliziousa - Vista-class

Costa Diadema - Dream-class

I think the Luminosa and Deliziousa are a modification of the panamax Holland/Cunard Vista Class. I hope there is a chance we will see more Costa ships coming to CCL as the fantasy class is retired, maybe those ships sold to the chinese line will make their way over to CCL, people love the spirit class.

[CruiseAdict218]

1 hour ago, MamallamaAndDaddy said:

Is the Magica nice?

 

Yes, see post #39 for a video, it's like a mirror image almost. 

 

6 minutes ago, lizord said:

I think the Luminosa and Deliziousa are a modification of the panamax Holland/Cunard Vista Class. I hope there is a chance we will see more Costa ships coming to CCL as the fantasy class is retired, maybe those ships sold to the chinese line will make their way over to CCL, people love the spirit class.

 

Would make sense for them to add Fortuna to the Sunshine Class as well, giving a total of 5. Both Fortuna and Magica are about half the age of the remaining Fantasy Class. 

[lizord]

I don't think this has been brought up in this thread but what happens to the Magica's funnel? Do they build a new CCL Funnel on top? They could do a retro look and just repaint it.  It would be exciting to see CCL bring back the older taller funnels, which I prefer, compared to the newer fatter ones on the dream/vista class

[Tapi]

At one point in time I was considering Costa Mágica for a Med cruise, and the one thing that I remember reading repeatedly is that it has a cigarette stench that will not go away. I hope that, if that’s true, Carnival can get rid of it with the refurb. 

[tidecat]

Cruise Industry News reports AIDAcara has been sold to an undisclosed buyer. So AIDA has now lost its oldest ship and a future newbuild.

[AtSeaWithChris]

13 hours ago, CruiseAdict218 said:

Both are exciting, though I am wondering where Magica will be deployed too, also hope they don't down play her interiors. 

Maybe they will throw New Orleans a bone. 

[xDisconnections]

14 hours ago, toad455 said:

The Costa Magica is a sister-ship of the old Destiny/Triumph-class. So I'd assume she'll be in a long dry dock and become part of the Radiance class?

Lipstick on a pig.

[AtSeaWithChris]

6 hours ago, CruiseAdict218 said:

 

4 Fantasy Class ships equals about 8,224 capacity 

3 Mardi Gras Class equals about 15,846 capacity 

1 Costa Magica (Sunshine Class) equals 2,985 capacity 

 

Rough estimates, but this I suppose allows them to expand capacity while cutting out old outdated tonnage, I suspect Ecstasy and Sensation will be sold around 2024-2025, or they want to expand to other ports as you mentioned. 

 

 

Ecstasy will be 32 and Sensation 30 by then so highly possible.

Just before the pandemic Carnival was saying they could get years and years out of each ship. 

[SNJCruisers]

5 hours ago, lizord said:

  It would be exciting to see CCL bring back the older taller funnels, which I prefer, compared to the newer fatter ones on the dream/vista class

So, what you're basically saying is that you like Carnival's funnels to have more length rather than girth?  😉

[jimbo5544]

7 hours ago, MamallamaAndDaddy said:

Just before the pandemic Carnival was saying they could get years and years out of each ship. 

And they probably meant that.  There were no plans to scrap the ships they did, they were ALL profitable and serving ports (for the most part) that large ships could not get to.  Their plan of the most US homeports was serving them well.  To me, the reason why thing changed is clear, and we all know what that is.  As we emerge from the dark abyss, there will be lots of changes, hopefully most new build related. 

[jsglow]

29 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

And they probably meant that.  There were no plans to scrap the ships they did, they were ALL profitable and serving ports (for the most part) that large ships could not get to.  Their plan of the most US homeports was serving them well.  To me, the reason why thing changed is clear, and we all know what that is.  As we emerge from the dark abyss, there will be lots of changes, hopefully most new build related. 

That's very well said.  Numerous secondary ports were well served by those workhorses.  I, for one, absolutely love the older and somewhat smaller ships.  You'll never catch me on a RCCL Oasis Class ship.  Personally, I'm more excited about the Magica and what her transformation might bring to the table.  Sixty some days until my Sunrise cruise!

[AtSeaWithChris]

2 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

And they probably meant that.  There were no plans to scrap the ships they did, they were ALL profitable and serving ports (for the most part) that large ships could not get to.  Their plan of the most US homeports was serving them well.  To me, the reason why thing changed is clear, and we all know what that is.  As we emerge from the dark abyss, there will be lots of changes, hopefully most new build related. 

Yep, I agree, it's just crazy that within 4-5 months after Arnold said they would run a ship as long as it is profitable that they ran them aground. Totally understand that too. I wonder if that sentiment is the same post pandemic. I think the pandemic may have implications with sizes of ships and numbers of passengers going forward. Bigger is not always better. 

[CruiseAdict218]

11 hours ago, tidecat said:

Cruise Industry News reports AIDAcara has been sold to an undisclosed buyer. So AIDA has now lost its oldest ship and a future newbuild.

 

Wouldn't be the first time Carnival snagged a future new build (Splendor & Panorama) 😉 

 

11 hours ago, MamallamaAndDaddy said:

Maybe they will throw New Orleans a bone. 

 

Taking a Sunshine would be a step down, unless they bring a Dream Class back in terms of size and capacity.

 

11 hours ago, MamallamaAndDaddy said:

Just before the pandemic Carnival was saying they could get years and years out of each ship. 

 

I don't think that is a false statement, Carnival had to cut costs to survive; 30-40 years old is about average for most ships. On the flip side, moving Costa Magica to the Sunshine Class is an easy way to extend her life, she probably faired on the average side but now in terms of profit could move to the top since Sunshine transformations have proven popular (for the most part). 

[tidecat]

Remember when the Radiance was originally going to be the fourth ship in Galveston as of May 2021? Something tells me this might be Costa Magica's next gig.

 

If LNG in Galveston is a go, "XL 3" would likely slide in to Vista's spot - the last Vista sailing available to book is October 28, 2023. Carnival could then move Vista to Fort Lauderdale or New Orleans (with a Conquest ship to Fort Lauderdale). Both Glory and Valor have sailings open through April 2024, so it's a coin toss as to who gets bumped.

 

Moving Vista to New Orleans would also put Havana cabins available in a fifth port (Long Beach, Miami, Port Canaveral, Galveston, New Orleans). Miami would be the only port with both a Vista-class and XL-class ship, and therefore have two ships with Havana cabins). If "XL 3" is ready before November 2023, she can make the rounds in New York, Europe, etc.

[Lee Cruiser]

20 minutes ago, tidecat said:

Remember when the Radiance was originally going to be the fourth ship in Galveston as of May 2021? Something tells me this might be Costa Magica's next gig.

 

If LNG in Galveston is a go, "XL 3" would likely slide in to Vista's spot - the last Vista sailing available to book is October 28, 2023. Carnival could then move Vista to Fort Lauderdale or New Orleans (with a Conquest ship to Fort Lauderdale). Both Glory and Valor have sailings open through April 2024, so it's a coin toss as to who gets bumped.

 

Moving Vista to New Orleans would also put Havana cabins available in a fifth port (Long Beach, Miami, Port Canaveral, Galveston, New Orleans). Miami would be the only port with both a Vista-class and XL-class ship, and therefore have two ships with Havana cabins). If "XL 3" is ready before November 2023, she can make the rounds in New York, Europe, etc.

I think another large ship in Galveston makes sense.  At one time before covid, Carnival had two ships running seven day itineraries.  One ship did Saturday to Saturday cruises and another did Sunday to Sunday.  I believe that it is safe to say that the port can certainly support another ship. Personally, I would also love to see a ship out of N.O. that offered Saturday to Saturday seven day cruises.  I can't do Sunday to Sunday and I'm not wild about the five day itineraries from N.O. or Galveston.

[SNJCruisers]

Since Carnival seems to be in love with Galveston, more than likely that will be the destination of the 3rd Excel ship.

If they were going to choose based upon amount of potential cruisers within a 3 hour drive, they would choose NYC, but I don't  think there are any LNG refueling areas close by.

[Moviela]

Even aside from our politicians in DC, America is blessed with  an abundance of clean burning cheap natural gas. While current large marine engines cannot run on 100% LNG the prospect of significantly lower emissions is a siren call to ship operators who face daunting, often unreasonable, pressure from the "green" cultists.

 

Shell has agreed to provide LNG in Port Canaveral via barge (until shore side facilities are built) and can provide similar service to many US ports. While the current concentration is on facilities to ship LNG to other countries, as more and more ships are built to burn LNG port bunkering infrastructure will be built.   

[chengkp75]

On 6/23/2021 at 10:05 AM, SCBarker said:

Largest LNG terminals would be Beaumont (no cruise port), Corpus Christi, (no cruise port), and Freeport (adjacent to Galveston)

Regardless of where the LNG "export" terminals (re-liquifaction) are, that does not necessarily indicate where the cruise lines will base.  The terminals mentioned are designed to liquify natural gas and load it on ships, so there will need to be LNG bunker tankers built to transport the LNG from the terminal to where ever the ship home ports.  This is just like at PEV, where the LNG will come from a terminal in Savannah, GA, and be shipped down to initially be bunkered directly to the ships, and later to be pumped to storage tanks at the dock for delivery to the ship.

[RWolver672]

On 6/23/2021 at 6:32 PM, kwokpot said:

If you didn't tell me this was a Costa ship I would swear that it was Carnival. There's virtually nothing different about the ship to distinguish it from a Carnival ship. Even the cabin furnishing are the same!

 

No whale tail.  You can spot a Carnival ship from quite a ways away just by the whale tail.

[Indytraveler83]

On 6/24/2021 at 12:17 AM, MamallamaAndDaddy said:

Just before the pandemic Carnival was saying they could get years and years out of each ship. 

 

I feel like what we are seeing is a reaction to rapidly changing times:

 

Pre-pandemic the idea was to not spend too much money and run old tonnage as far as possible. Carnival was profitable, but starting to lag behind RCI's aggressive new builds. 

 

During the pandemic, they quickly shed the least profitable (and I'm guessing most costly to repair and keep running) ships in a bid to slash costs, survive the unknown and prepare for what everyone thought would be a slow return to cruising. 

 

Now they are seeing insane (and unexpected)  demand as folks want to travel again, causing them to decide the best model forward is to take advantage of it, re-grow the fleet and try not to get too far behind RCI in new builds. 

[AtSeaWithChris]

13 hours ago, tidecat said:

Remember when the Radiance was originally going to be the fourth ship in Galveston as of May 2021? Something tells me this might be Costa Magica's next gig.

 

If LNG in Galveston is a go, "XL 3" would likely slide in to Vista's spot - the last Vista sailing available to book is October 28, 2023. Carnival could then move Vista to Fort Lauderdale or New Orleans (with a Conquest ship to Fort Lauderdale). Both Glory and Valor have sailings open through April 2024, so it's a coin toss as to who gets bumped.

 

Moving Vista to New Orleans would also put Havana cabins available in a fifth port (Long Beach, Miami, Port Canaveral, Galveston, New Orleans). Miami would be the only port with both a Vista-class and XL-class ship, and therefore have two ships with Havana cabins). If "XL 3" is ready before November 2023, she can make the rounds in New York, Europe, etc.

This seems like a likely scenario.

[lostsoulcruiser]

The LNG powered ship to Galveston makes perfect sense given all the LNG in the area (Freeport is close).  They could move the Vista to New Orleans which now has two Conquest class ships (the Dream used to homeport there) or use one of the ships for continual Carnival Journey type voyages.  You have to admit, for us Gulf area cruisers, the port selection is getting stale on 7 day trips. 

 

How about we take John Heald up on his view to put the ship in Cleveland and we can name it the Edmond Fitzgerald? (Hopefully without the wreck).

[lostsoulcruiser]

BTW, the expansion of Carnival line by two ships and the shrinking of other Carnival Corporation divisions by two ships makes you wonder about the future of those other lines.  Will they ultimately be folded into other lines at Carnival as part of a re-organization ?