Home Ports

RADIANT BEGINNINGS

Carnival Radiance gets a brilliant start in its inaugural year, sailing from not just one home port but from three. Even more exciting, it kicks off its second year by adding Galveston to its home bases.

FASTER TO THE FUN

We get it: Boarding and disembarking the ship is not the most fun thing you’ll ever do. That’s why there’s Faster to the Fun, a special shore excursions package that gives you priority status for check-in, luggage delivery, diniing reservations and more. It’s available for all Carnival Radiance home ports, when you book your next cruise.

GALVESTON CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU

CAN’T WAIT TO COME BACK: GALVESTON

How do you top an inaugural year of fun, exciting exploration?

If you’re Carnival Radiance, you move to one of the world’s busiest and most popular cruise ports: Galveston, Texas.

Carnival Radiance will reposition to Galveston in May 2021 to begin sailing to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America, including the Panama Canal. The move will bring to four the number of Carnival ships home-ported in Galveston; the ship will join Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream and Carnival Vista.

With these four ships, Carnival will carry an estimated 900,000 guests annually from Galveston — more than any other cruise operator — providing an unprecedented variety of cruise durations, destinations and amenities from Texas.

“Carnival is already the most popular cruise line from Galveston, attracting vacationers from all across the Southwest and beyond,” says Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “With these enhancements, we’re providing our guests with more voyages, more destinations and more choices from Texas than ever before.”

PERFECT MATCH

Galveston port officials are just as excited about the repositioning as Carnival. “As North America’s fourth busiest cruise port, the Port of Galveston is pleased to welcome Carnival Radiance,” says Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves CEO and port director. “Since Carnival made Galveston its home port almost 20 years ago, more than 7.5 million Carnival passengers have embarked from our wharves. As we grow, we’ll continue to focus on delivering great service to Carnival and its passengers.”

Itineraries are subject to change, but Carnival plans to offer a full schedule of five- to 14-day voyages. The schedule kicks off with a 12-day Carnival Journeys cruise from Port Canaveral through the Panama Canal. Destinations from Galveston include Belize, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, Key West, Limón, Mahogany Bay, Nassau and Progreso. In late 2021 and early 2022, the ship will offer 14-day Carnival Journeys cruises throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America and the Panama.

GALVESTON

It’s easy to see why so many visitors flock to Galveston, one of the most beautiful cities in Texas. The island city is known for its ornate Victorian architecture and for the oleanders that blanket gardens and green spaces each spring. (It’s called the Oleander City, in fact.) The 36-block historic downtown holds more than 100 shops, restaurants and galleries, as well as intriguing museums dedicated to Galveston’s maritime heritage and its place in the Texas oil industry.

BEFORE AND AFTER YOUR CRUISE, TRY THESE ACTIVITIES:

Stroll the historic downtown; seafood lovers will have plenty of choices at lunch.

Visit one of the city’s many museums.

Ride the Ferris wheel or the roller coaster at the historic Pleasure Pier.

NEW YORK CITY

The city so nice they named it twice: New York, New York, the cultural and business capital of the United States — some say of the world — offers an incredible array of things to do and see. Featuring world-class museums, performing-arts venues and restaurants, the five boroughs that make up the city are famous for a vibrant and unmatched multiculturalism.

Before or After Your Cruise

Take a bite out of the Big Apple with one of these fun outings:

Explore the vast Grand Central Terminal and the ornate artistry of its design.

Have a picnic in Central Park.

Take in miles of breathtaking views from the top of the Empire State Building.

NORFOLK

With its proximity to Chesapeake Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and numerous river and streams, Norfolk gives new meaning to the phrrase “waterfront property.” It has a rich maritime heritage, perhaps most impressively as the home of Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world. But there’s lots more to this Southern charmer. The 400-year-old port city has a lively art scene, and the cuisine incljudes locally sourced ingredients and international flavords.

Before or After Your Cruise

You’re in for a fascinating few hours with one of these activities:

Taking a self-guided tour through 400 years of history on the Cannonball Trail.

Boarding the Battleship Wisconsin museum, an historic landmark.

Refreshing yourself at the Hermitage Museum and Gardens.

ALL GO FOR LAUNCH

Port Canaveral’s brand-new $163 million cruise terminal — known as the Launch Pad — is the home of Carnival’s next ship, Mardi Gras. The two-story, 187,000-square-foot terminal will feature a high-tech baggage processing facility and a state-of-the-art check-in and security area. The six-story parking garage will accommodate 1,800 vehicles.

“We’re building a great new terminal for an innovative new ship,” port CEO Capt. John Murray said at the project’s groundbreaking, “and we’re looking forward to welcoming home Mardi Gras.”

Added Carnival President Christine Duffy, “We’re proud, honored and excited that our newest and most innovative ship, Mardi Gras, will sail from the new Terminal 3. We are pleased to be the port’s number one cruise line and Mardi Gras promises to be a spectacular addition to the Space Coast.”

PORT CANAVERAL

Before or After Your Cruise

There’s more to Orlando than the gynormous theme parks. Try one of these ideas:

Head downtown for world-class shopping.

Explore one of the area’s many parks and nature attractions.

Taste the eclectic dining scene, ranging from fine French cuisine to craft breweries.