Wednesday, April 9, 2025
As Royal Caribbean shifts its focus to larger ships, it is stepping away from one of its key East Coast ports, creating a prime opportunity for Carnival Cruise Line to fill the void and cater to growing demand.
Cruisers who have long been loyal to Royal Caribbean may soon find themselves turning to Carnival for the ease of year-round sailings from a nearby port they can drive to, eliminating the need for flights to reach a Royal Caribbean cruise. Just weeks after Royal Caribbean announced it would end its operations from Baltimore, Carnival is now ready to seize the opportunity.

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Royal Caribbean will relocate its Baltimore-based ship to Fort Lauderdale in 2026, leaving a gap at the port. In response, Carnival is planning to send a larger Conquest-class vessel to Baltimore by 2027, capable of carrying about 1,000 more passengers than the ship currently operating year-round from the the city to destinations in The Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.
Carnival recently celebrated two decades of operations from Baltimore, securing a five-year contract extension with the port, which includes an option to renew for another five years. This expansion is part of Carnival’s broader strategy to continue serving secondary markets and to provide vacation options for the 50% of Americans who live within five hours of a Carnival departure port.

Carnival’s strategy also includes expanding its cruise offerings from Mobile, Alabama, starting in the spring of 2027. The company plans to transition its seasonal schedule to year-round service, which had been suspended during the pandemic. Mobile will join Norfolk, Virginia, in becoming a year-round cruise hub. Carnival recently launched year-round cruises from Norfolk to The Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Eastern Caribbean.
As Carnival continues to grow, it has found support from the City of Norfolk, which temporarily hosted Carnival’s Baltimore operations after the collapse of the Key Bridge. With Baltimore’s limited clearance preventing larger ships from docking, many travelers are excited for the chance to sail on a larger Carnival ship that will bring more amenities and expanded travel options to the port.

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Tags: bahamas, baltimore, bermuda, caribbean, Carnival Cruise line, Carnival Pride, cruise expansion, cruise news, royal caribbean, Travel News

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