Plans for the next wave of a summer restart of US sailings has been outlined by Carnival Cruise Line.
Carnival plans to operate the August sailings with vaccinated passengers.
New ship Mardi Gras will make its delayed entry into service with pre-inaugural sailings from July 31 from Port Canaveral to the eastern and western Caribbean. The ship will be named at a later date.
Carnival Magic will return from dry dock with a new hull design to run four and five day cruises from August 7 to the Bahamas and Caribbean from the same Florida port that were previously scheduled for smaller ship Carnival Elation.
Carnival Magic will also run three new six-day cruises and one new eight-day cruise from Port Canaveral from October 11.
Carnival Sunrise will re-enter service from Miami from August 14, sailing four- and five-day cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean.
Carnival Panorama will be deployed from Long Beach in California on August 21 sailing seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises.
Carnival Vista and Breeze from Galveston, Carnival Horizon from Miami and Carnival Miracle from Seattle to Alaska will continue with their cruises in August as part of the line’s restart plans in July.
However, Carnival has extended its pause for other ships until the end of August includingCarnival Pride (Baltimore), Carnival Sunshine (Charleston), Carnival Dream (Galveston), Carnival Ecstasy (Jacksonville), Carnival Liberty (Port Canaveral), Carnival Conquest (Miami), Carnival Sensation (Mobile) and Carnival Glory (New Orleans).
The line said: “Guests and travel agents are being advised of the August schedule plans and Carnival will be providing more details directly to them next week on guidelines and protocols.”
Company president Christine Duffy said: “We are very excited to finally welcome guests on Mardi Gras.
“With our desire to preserve summer vacations for our Mardi Gras guests, we are going to find a later date to formally christen her so that we can operate these pre-inaugural sailings just as soon as we can.”
She added: “We are excited to resume our West Coast operations and intend to sail Carnival Panorama with vaccinated guests starting August 21. We are working with state and local officials to finalise the necessary plans.”
Carnival aims to continue ramping up more ships and homeports from September, bringing hundreds of crew on board each week to be vaccinated, complete US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-mandated quarantine and then begin work to prepare for passengers and return to operations.
Duffy said: “Our focus remains on the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we serve and visit.
“We are taking a deliberate approach so we can execute with excellence and deliver a fun experience to our guests, who have been tremendously patient and supportive throughout this pause.”