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Cruise: New Orleans, San Francisco

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New Orleans: Carnival Expands Short Cruise Program

Carnival Cruise Line will expand capacity on its short cruise program from the Port of New Orleans by 34 percent when Carnival Triumph replaces Carnival Elation next spring. 

Carnival Triumph will shift to New Orleans to launch year-round four- and five-day cruises to Mexico beginning April 4, 2016. The four-day "long weekend" cruises depart Thursdays and call at Cozumel; the five-day cruises depart Mondays and Saturdays for Cozumel and Progreso. Carnival Triumph will also offer a special three-day cruise round-trip from New Orleans April 8-11, 2016.

Carnival Triumph will join Carnival Dream which operates year-round seven-day cruises from New Orleans. Together these two ships are expected to carry 450,000 guests annually from New Orleans.
 
"New Orleans is one of our fastest-growing cruise markets and deploying Carnival Triumph not only expands capacity on this highly attractive short cruise program but also provides our guests with a variety of on-board innovations and our valued travel agents with an exciting new choice to market to their clients," said Carnival President Christine Duffy.

"The repositioning of the Carnival Triumph illustrates the popularity of year-round cruising from New Orleans and Carnival Cruise Line’s confidence in the Crescent City," said Port of New Orleans President and CEO Gary LaGrange, PPM®. "Carnival continues to expand its capacity in New Orleans, and they are truly a great partner for the port and the city's tourism and hospitality industry."


The 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph, pictured at sea, will reposition to New Orleans in spring 2016.
Photo/Carnival Cruise Line


San Francisco Featured on World Cruise Itineraries of P&O, Cunard Cruise Ships

Three prominent cruise ships visited the Port of San Francisco in recent weeks on round-the-world cruises. All three – P&O Cruises’ Acadia by P&O Cruises and Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria by Cunard Line – are operated by Carnival Corporation brand companies. 

"San Francisco is delighted to welcome these world cruise ships to our port," said Monique Moyer, Executive Director of the Port of San Francisco. "Many of the city’s most popular destinations are just a short walk from our cruise terminals."

The 951-foot Arcadia sailed from Southampton (UK) on January 6 heading west, with stops in Spain, the Azores, and the Caribbean, before transiting the Panama Canal, followed by two ports in Mexico, arriving in San Francisco on January 30. 

The nearly 2,000 guests and 1,000 crew members on board enjoyed a two-day stay at San Francisco’s new James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27, with the prospect of excursions to Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, Muir Woods and Napa Valley wineries, to name just a few.

The 965-foot Queen Elizabeth began her 112-day round-trip voyage in Southampton on January 10, following a similar westward route. Under the command of Captain Alistair Clark, the ship is visiting 38 ports in 25 countries, sailing over 38,000 nautical miles. Queen Elizabeth arrived in San Francisco on February 7, also for an overnight call. 

The most recent world cruise visitor to San Francisco was the 965-foot Queen Victoria, under the command of Captain Peter Philpott. This 103-night voyage departed from Southampton on January 20, arriving in San Francisco on February 19. Queen Victoria is due to return to Southampton on May 3 to coincide with the arrival of Cunard Line’s other two ships, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary 2.

Cunard North America President Richard Meadows noted: "San Francisco has held historical significance for Cunard since 1942, when the original Queen Elizabeth visited as part of her war duties, and she also underwent a refit. Later, in 1978, Queen Elizabeth 2 made her maiden call to San Francisco, visiting a dozen times more in subsequent years." 

A fourth Carnival Corp. ship, P&O’s 886-foot Aurora, will visit San Francisco in March for an overnight call on a 105-night South America and Pacific voyage.

This year the port expects to host 82 cruise calls and 300,000 cruise passengers at its Pier 27 and Pier 35 cruise terminals, up from 73 calls and 256,410 passengers in 2014. 


P&O’s Arcadia sails under San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
Photo/Jake Tomlinson
 

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