After sailing out of Port Canaveral for the last couple of years, a Carnival Cruise Line ship has come to New Orleans to offer 7-day sailings to the Caribbean.
Carnival Liberty just sailed her first voyage out of the Louisiana cruise port and will be homeporting at the new location through April of 2026.
The 2,974-passenger vessel recently came to New Orleans, offering the first cruise on May 6. The ship replaces Carnival Glory which is now homeporting in Port Canaveral.
This move brings new and exciting cruise options for travelers departing from the Big Easy.
New Cruise Offerings for New Orleans
Carnival Liberty is offering a variety of week-long cruise itineraries from New Orleans:
- Western Caribbean Cruises: These cruises will include stops at popular destinations such as Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico, Belize City in Belize, Montego Bay in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Mahogany Bay in Honduras.
- Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean Cruises: Another seven-night itinerary will take passengers to Nassau and Freeport in the Bahamas, providing a mix of relaxation and adventure in these beautiful islands.
Additionally, in December 2024, Carnival Liberty will sail on a unique 14-night Carnival Journey, which will include visits to Grand Cayman, Aruba, Curaçao, Cartagena, Colón, Puerto Limón, and Cozumel while sailing to the Panama Canal and the Southern Caribbean.
In 2025, Carnival Liberty is expected to offer itinerary visits to Carnival’s new private island, Celebration Key
Impact on New Orleans Cruise Industry
The arrival of Carnival Liberty is a significant boost for the New Orleans cruise industry. This repositioning is expected to attract more visitors to the city, benefiting the local economy.
Both Carnival Liberty and Carnival Glory are Conquest-class ships, and therefore the newly arrived ship has the same basic passenger capacity that local residents had with the previous Carnival ship.
Port officials and cruise industry experts are optimistic about this development. “We are thrilled to welcome Carnival Liberty to New Orleans,” said a spokesperson for the Port of New Orleans. “This addition not only provides more cruising options for travelers but also supports local businesses and contributes to the overall economic growth of the region.”
Carnival Cruise Line just recently celebrated 30 years of sailing out of New Orleans, the port mentioning that over 7 million passengers had sailed through the port during that time.
Other News in New Orleans Cruise Industry
Carnival Liberty’s arrival is part of a broader trend of increasing cruise activity in New Orleans. Another Carnival ship is helping to expand the cruise line’s presence in the city:
Carnival Valor: This ship will continue to sail from New Orleans, offering four- and five-night cruises to Mexico and the Western Caribbean, with itineraries visiting Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Puerto Progreso.
