Carnival Cruise Line Planning Busiest Alaska Season Ever

Carnival Cruise Line is getting ready for its busiest season ever in Alaska, with three ships deployed to the Last Frontier for a total of 49 different sailings.

Along the way, guests will get to enjoy new and unique shore excursions, carefully curated children’s programs, and all the signature fun of an amazing Carnival cruise.

Three Carnival Ships in Alaska for 2023

Three Fun Ships will be sailing Alaska itineraries this summer, and all three ships are the popular Spirit-class vessels: Carnival Miracle, Carnival Spirit, and for the first time in North American waters since joining the fleet, Carnival Luminosa.

Carnival Miracle will be the first to set sail for Alaska when she leaves Long Beach on April 23 for a 14-night roundtrip sailing up the California coast to visit Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Tracy Arm Fjord, Ketchikan, and Prince Rupert, before returning to Long Beach on May 7.

The ship will then reposition to San Francisco for alternating 10-night Alaskan sailings and 4-night Baja Mexico cruises, a unique blend of opportunities for sailing from the Golden State. In September, Carnival Miracle will again return to Long Beach after another 14-night Alaska cruise.

Carnival Spirit will return to Alaska beginning on May 2, after a 16-night repositioning cruise from Miami to Seattle. From Seattle, the ship will offer 7-night roundtrip Alaska cruises for the season, with stunning visits to Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria, until her last Alaska sailing departs on September 12.

After the Alaska season, Carnival Spirit will reposition to Mobile via a 16-night one-way cruise from Seattle to New Orleans, and from Mobile she will offer a selection of sailings to The Bahamas and the Western Caribbean.

Carnival Luminosa will join her sister ships in Alaska for the first time, bringing Italian flair and Carnival fun to the Last Frontier. Currently homeported in Brisbane, the restyled ship will depart on April 13 for a 21-day sailing between Brisbane and Seattle, calling at ports in New Caledonia, Fiji, French Polynesia, and Hawaii along the way.

“I can’t wait to welcome our guests on board our stunning Carnival Luminosa, as she joins her beautiful sisters, Carnival Spirit and Carnival Miracle, for this year’s Alaska season,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

“There’s no better way to see the awe-inspiring natural wonder of Alaska than by cruise ship, and we anticipate making that happen for more than 100,000 guests this year.”

From Seattle, Carnival Luminosa will offer primarily 7-night roundtrip sailings, though the June 15 departure is a 6-night cruise and the June 28 departure is an 8-night voyage. Carnival Luminosa‘s cruises will visit Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria, though itineraries on the two special departures do vary slightly.

After the Alaska season ends, Carnival Luminosa will return to Brisbane via an epic 31-night cruise, visiting ports in Alaska, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia as she heads down under.

New Immersive Shore Excursions

No matter which ship guests choose for their fun Alaska sailings, Carnival Cruise Line has prepared unique and authentic tours.

In Prince Rupert, guests will have the opportunity for a full-day wildlife viewing adventure through Canada’s only grizzly bear sanctuary, or taking a jet boat through the temperate rainforest to enjoy a meal of fresh wild salmon cooked over a campfire at the base of 4,000-foot cliffs.

In Juneau, guests can enjoy up close wildlife viewing via high-speed expedition vessels and guided tours of Mendenhall Glacier, while in Skagway, the Ultimate Yukon and White Pass Railroad Adventure offers a picturesque tour of the Yukon River with tales of the Klondike Gold Rush.

In Ketchikan, a top tour is the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, a fun event for all ages that showcases real lumberjack skills and gets the audience involved in rooting for their favorite competitors.

In every port, guests will have additional tour options for wildlife adventures, hiking, historical sightseeing, shopping for authentic Alaskan crafts and artwork, and much more.

Family-Friendly Fun

While the ports of call are don’t-miss destinations in Alaska, Carnival guests don’t have to leave their ships to explore Alaska during their sailing. New Alaska-specific programming has been carefully designed for children and families, including the Great Alaskan Deck Party.

Local naturalists will be visiting Camp Ocean, Club O2, and Circle C on all Alaskan sailings, offering fun programs such as overviews of Alaskan wildlife, photography lessons to capture every view, square dancing with an Alaskan vibe, and Alaska-themed crafts.

Read Also: Icy Strait Point, Alaska – IDEAL Things to Do

Fun family competitions will also be part of the activity schedule, including an ice fishing challenge and a lumberjack challenge sure to get every family member involved in making once-in-a-lifetime memories on their once-in-a-lifetime Alaska cruise.

With so much to offer, the Last Frontier is sure to be the Fun Frontier with Carnival Cruise Line this summer.