Guests Informed of Itinerary Changes for Three Carnival Ships

Carnival Cruise Line is adjusting the sailing itineraries of three of their ships, necessitating changes for various sail dates in 2024 and 2025 aboard Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Venezia, and Carnival Mardi Gras.

Adjustment to Caribbean Itineraries

Carnival Cruise Line has notified guests of upcoming itinerary adjustments for several sailings involving different vessels in the fleet. These changes, detailed in a recent cruise line communication, include changes to sail dates, port calls, and times at various destinations.

The changes affect three Carnival Sunshine sailings, three Carnival Venezia sailings, and one Carnival Mardi Gras sailing. Carnival did not give any reason for the changes, simply writing to passengers, “Thank you for your understanding.” 

Carnival Sunshine Itinerary Shifts

The first affected journey is with Carnival Sunshine, departing from Miami on October 19, 2024. It has replaced its originally scheduled stop at Half Moon Cay, The Bahamas, with a visit to Princess Cays on October 21. 

Both calls are private destinations for Carnival Corporation, with Half Moon Cay often used by Holland America Line and Princess Cays dedicated to Princess Cruises. Until the new Celebration Key opens in 2025, Carnival Cruise Line guests share these two destinations.

Additionally, the 3,002-passenger Carnival Sunshine changed the days visiting Bimini and Freeport with modified port times. This affects the 2025 round-trip Miami cruises to The Bahamas, the Eastern Caribbean, and the Western Caribbean scheduled on May 11, May 25, June 8, and June 22.

The itinerary adjustments necessitate revised port times to accommodate the altered distances between destinations. The ship will also see changes to the dates it visits Nassau, Bimini, and Celebration Key during Carnival Sunshine’s September 28, 2025 sailing.

Carnival Venezia Itinerary Shifts

For the 135,225-gross-ton Carnival Venezia, which debuted in June of 2023, passengers sailing in 2025 from Port Canaveral, Florida, will find modifications to itineraries for its February 2, March 16, and April 13 sailings.

In February, Carnival Venezia has adjusted the days it visits Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, with modified port times. It has also replaced its call in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands with a visit to St. Croix, adjusting the port time and date.

Passengers aboard the March 16 sailing will find an originally scheduled visit to Grand Turk has been replaced with a call in Amber Cove, in the Dominican Republic. This change also affects port times. San Juan’s time in port has also been adjusted, due to the change in distance.

For the April sailing, Carnival Venezia has reversed the order of port visits and modified port times. Instead of sailing first to Grand Turks, San Juan, and then St. Thomas on its roundtrip voyage from Port Canaveral, it will first call on St. Thomas.

Carnival Mardi Gras Itinerary Shift

The 7-day Eastern Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral aboard Carnival Mardi Gras will also see an itinerary reversal for its February 15, 2025, voyage.

Originally scheduled to sail first to Grand Turk, Amber Cove, and Nassau on its roundtrip journey, it will now lead with Nassau.

Shore Excursions and Adjustments

Travelers have ample time to adjust excursions booked on affected cruises, and Carnival will automatically adjust pre-purchased shore excursions booked through Carnival. In the event of a port cancellation, Carnival automatically refunds the original form of payment.

Passengers are advised to review shore excursion options to make new bookings, and any passengers who booked excursions on their own are advised to contact their provider to make any necessary changes. 

Most tour operators do not confirm excursions this far in advance, so changes should be easy to make. However, no reimbursement will be offered for any non-refundable bookings.