Carnival Cruise Lines announced that march 2013, they will reposition the Carnival Miracle to the West Coast while the Carnival Splendor goes the other way to New York. Now the Miracle is a panamax ship but the Splendor is a post-panamax ship (i.e. too big for the canal.) Therefore the 113,323grt Splendor will sail 3 South America cruises going from California to the East Coast. The Miracle will be able to use the shortcut and sail through the Panama Canal. The Miracle will replace the Carnival Spirit. UPDATE:Carnival full press release after the break.
On the other hand…
Royal Caribbean International will reduce its South American winter 2012/2013 capacity to only one ship. The lone vessel will be the 2,074-passenger Splendour of the Seas. They will relocate the cousin ship Vision of the Seas to Port Everglades for 10-11 night Caribbean.
Carnival Cruise Lines announced several exciting itineraries for the 2013 season designed to offer more fun and memorable cruise options on both coasts.
Next spring, the company will reposition Carnival Miracle to the West Coast following a special Panama Canal voyage, and bring Carnival Splendor to New York, following three spectacular South America cruises.
The 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle will shift to the West Coast in spring 2013 to operate the line’s Alaska and Hawaii cruises, currently offered on the Carnival Spirit, which is being repositioned to Australia to operate the line’s first cruises from that country. Carnival Miracle will also operate a seasonal Mexican Riviera program featuring the seven-day itinerary currently available on Carnival Splendor.
In turn, the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor will reposition to New York to assume Carnival Miracle’s year-round eight-day Caribbean schedule beginning in March 2013, representing a capacity increase of 41 percent with this newer vessel. Before making its Big Apple debut, Carnival Splendor will offer three fantastic 13- to 18-day South America voyages from February to March 2013.
“Carnival Miracle, which recently emerged from a refurbishment that included the addition of an exclusive Serenity adults-only retreat and other enhancements, will provide guests with a fresh and exciting choice for West Coast cruising,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO. “At the same time, Carnival Splendor will provide a newer, larger ship on our year-round program from New York and during the course of its repositioning will offer three South America cruises that visit some of the region’s most spectacular and sought-after destinations,” he added.
Exciting South America and Panama Canal Cruises
The repositioning of these two ships has provided an opportunity to offer a number of exciting voyages to South America and the Panama Canal.
Carnival Splendor will offer three South America voyages in February and March 2013. A 17-day “South America Explorer” cruise will depart Long Beach Feb. 3 and arrive Santiago (Valparaiso), Chile, Feb. 20, 2013, visiting Cabo San Lucas and Huatulco, Mexico; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Quito (Manta), Ecuador, where guests can embark on an excursion to the Galapagos; Lima (Callao), Peru, offering an opportunity to visit Machu Picchu; and Arica, Chile.
A 13-day “Fjords, Glaciers & Patagonia” voyage will operate from Santiago (Valparaiso) to Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 20 to March 5, 2013, calling at Puerto Montt, Chile, before cruising the Chilean Fjords and Darwin Channel. This breathtaking itinerary is followed by calls at Punta Arenas, Chile; Ushuaia and Puerto Madryn, Argentina; and Montevideo, Uruguay.
An 18-day “Brazilian & Caribbean Splendor” voyage sailing from Buenos Aires to New York March 5-23, 2013, will feature ports that include Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife, and Fortaleza, Brazil; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands.
Carnival Miracle will operate a 15-day Panama Canal cruise from New York to Long Beach March 16-31, 2013, positioning the vessel for its year-round West Coast deployment. In addition to the unforgettable experience of transiting the Panama Canal, the cruise will visit beautiful and historic destinations in five different countries, including Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands; Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Carnival Miracle to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexican Riviera
Carnival Miracle will operate seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach featuring the seaside resort town of Puerto Vallarta and a special two-day visit to beautiful Cabo San Lucas. These popular cruises will be offered in April 2013 and from October 2013 through April 2014.
Carnival Miracle will reposition from Long Beach to Seattle in spring 2013 to operate the line’s seven-day “Fun Ship” Alaska program. Following a special eight-day Alaska cruise from Vancouver to Seattle departing April 29, the week-long voyages will depart from Seattle every Tuesday from May 7 to Sept. 10, 2013, calling at the scenic Alaska destinations of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, as well as Victoria, British Columbia, and cruising Tracy Arm Fjord. This unforgettable Alaskan experience will offer consumers myriad opportunities to explore and enjoy the awe-inspiring scenery and wildlife of The Last Frontier.
Carnival Miracle will offer several 15-day Hawaii cruises in 2013 and 2014. Three cruises will operate roundtrip from Long Beach with departures on Oct. 19 and Dec. 7, 2013, as well as Jan. 18, 2014. There will also be a 15-day Hawaii cruise from Long Beach to Vancouver departing April 14, 2013 and another from Vancouver to Long Beach departing Sept. 17, 2013. These voyages feature some of the Aloha State’s most beautiful and breathtaking ports of call, including Hilo, Kona, Nawiliwili, Kahului, and Honolulu.
Carnival Splendor to Cruise Year-Round From the Big Apple
Beginning March 23, 2013, Carnival Splendor will launch a year-round schedule of eight-day Caribbean cruises from New York with three uniquely different itineraries that showcase the brilliant diversity of destinations throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida. The eight-day itineraries include Bahamas/Florida cruises with port calls to Port Canaveral (Orlando), Fla., Nassau and Freeport, The Bahamas; Eastern Caribbean departures with visits to San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. and Grand Turk; and Exotic Eastern Caribbean cruises to the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk and Nassau. There will also be a special seven-day Bermuda cruise departing April 16, 2013.