A Trio of Carnival Ships to Make Galveston Their Home

Carnival Cruise Lines, which already homeports two ships in Galveston, will add a third year-round ship in the Texas port when Carnival Freedom launches a 7-day cruise schedule in February 2015. Marking the first time that a cruise line has deployed three year-round ships in Texas, Carnival’s repositioning of Carnival Freedom represents a 38 percent capacity increase for the line in Galveston, carrying more than 600,000 guests a year from that port, the most of any cruise operator. Prior to its arrival in Galveston, Carnival Freedom is undergoing a previously announced makeover that will add an array of innovative new features that are part of the line’s fleetwide Fun Ship 2.0 product enhancement initiative.

Carnival Freedom will join Carnival Magic, which offers 7-day Caribbean cruises, and Carnival Triumph, sailing 4- and 5-day departures to Mexico. Together, these three ships will operate nearly 200 4- to 7-day voyages annually from Galveston, providing consumers with an array of cruise lengths, departure days, and itineraries for “Fun Ship” cruising from Texas.

“Galveston is already one of our most popular embarkation ports and with Carnival Freedom we’re not only dramatically expanding capacity in the market but also providing consumers with yet another exciting opportunity to experience our spectacular Fun Ship 2.0 innovations on a Texas-based ship,” said Gerry Cahill Carnival president and CEO. “In partnership with the Port of Galveston and the local community we have been able to increase our passenger counts five-fold since we first launched service from Galveston in 2000. Additionally, we are extremely grateful for the support of our travel agent partners who have played a key role in the growth of our Texas cruise program,” he added.

Carnival Freedom will kick off its new schedule from Galveston with a special 6-day Caribbean voyage to Costa Maya, Mexico; Belize; and Cozumel departing Feb. 15, 2015. Following the 6-day voyage, Carnival Freedom will launch year-round 7-day departures from Galveston Feb. 21, 2015, encompassing three different itinerary choices that visit beautiful ports throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida. Carnival Freedom’s week-long itineraries from Galveston include:

• Exotic western Caribbean voyages departing Saturdays to Cozumel; Belize; and Mahogany Bay, Roatan
• Western Caribbean voyages departing Saturdays with stops at Montego Bay, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cozumel
• Eastern Caribbean sailings departing Saturdays visiting Key West, Fla.; and Freeport and Nassau, The Bahamas

In addition, Carnival Freedom will offer a series of 4- and 5-day cruises from Oct. 24 through Nov. 21, 2015; and Jan. 16, 2016 through Feb. 13, 2016. Four-day cruises visit Cozumel, while 5-day cruises call at Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico.

Prior to its Galveston arrival, Carnival Freedom will sail a unique 12-day repositioning cruise departing Fort Lauderdale Feb. 2 and arriving in Galveston on Feb. 14, 2015. The one-time voyage will feature port calls at five Caribbean island destinations: St. Kitts, St. Lucia; Curacao; Aruba; and Grand Cayman, each of which boasts white-sand beaches, a variety of watersports opportunities, and an array of shopping, dining and sightseeing experiences.

Carnival Conquest, currently based in Miami, will assume Carnival Freedom’s year-round 6- and 8-day Caribbean schedule from Fort Lauderdale, beginning Jan. 18, 2015.

Reservations are currently being accepted for Carnival Freedom’s new Galveston-based program. Carnival Conquest’s new sailings from Fort Lauderdale will open for booking on April 29. For additional information visit Carnival.com.

Image: Carnival Freedom in Key West © CruiseDiva.com