Carnival Triumph to Home Port In New Orleans
Carnival Cruise Lines will increase capacity by 34% when the 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph replaces the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy from New Orleans in November 2009. Carnival said it is the only line with a year-round cruise program from the Big Easy.
Carnival announced that the Carnival Fantasy will be moving to Mobile, AL, its year-round homeport for Mexico cruises beginning in November 2009 with the Holiday, presently operating from Mobile, being transferred to Carnival Corp.'s Spain-based Iberocruceros brand.
Carnival Triumph will introduce new seven-day Eastern and exotic Western Caribbean schedules to complement the line's popular four- and five-day cruises to Mexico. Bookings are now open.
The Carnival Triumph's seven-day cruises will depart on Saturdays, with exotic Western Caribbean voyages visiting Belize City; Isla Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel; and Eastern Caribbean cruises calling at Key West, Freeport and Nassau. Four-day cruises will depart Thursdays to Cozumel, while five-day cruises will depart Mondays and Saturdays to Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico.
Carnival Triumph will operate 65 departures annually from New Orleans, carrying approximately 200,000 passengers - the most of any cruise line, according to Carnival's announcement today.
"We're very pleased to bring a newer, larger ship to New Orleans as well as expand our operations with new seven-day western Caribbean itineraries that will provide exciting new 'Fun Ship' vacation options," said Terry Thornton, Carnival's senior vice president of marketing planning. "In addition to serving as an excellent homeport for Carnival for nearly 15 years, New Orleans is a one-of-a-kind vacation destination and we're delighted to continue our relationship with this wonderful city," he added.
"The Port and the entire New Orleans tourism community is thrilled by Carnival's decision to homeport the Carnival Triumph here," said Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange. "This community has demonstrated its resilience and proven once again it is an international tourist destination. This business decision by a valued partner such as Carnival only reiterates the bright future of cruising in New Orleans."
Carnival Triumph will make its New Orleans debut with a special four-day cruise departing Tuesday, Nov. 10, then launch its new year-round four-, five- and seven-day schedule beginning with a weeklong voyage departing Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009.