Carnival Cruise Line Opens New Sailings Out of Long Beach for 2027/2028

Carnival just revealed its 2027/2028 schedule for Carnival Radiance, to offer more West Coast sailings on the 2,984-passenger ship.

While other ships like Carnival Firenze will move from the West Coast to Miami and New York in 2027, Carnival is keeping Radiance in Long Beach to continue its popular “short and fast” runs to Mexico.

The New Dates

The newly opened bookings cover sailings from May 3, 2027, through April 2028. The schedule focuses on the quick turnarounds for long weekend cruises.

• 3-Day Cruises: Departs Fridays for a direct run to Ensenada.
• 4-Day Cruises: These include stops at Catalina Island and Ensenada.
• Holiday Special: A 5-day Christmas cruise on Dec. 23, 2027, that adds a stop in Cabo San Lucas.
• Ensenada Focus: A unique sailing on Jan. 3, 2028, that hits Ensenada twice back-to-back.

Port Facelift

By the time some these 2027/28 sailings begin, the new Ensenada Bay Village should be open. Carnival announced the $26 Million Facelift for Ensenada in December last year.

Right now, the cruise line is hoping to have all of the enhancements completed by 2028, so not everything may be finished by the time some of the early 2027 summer sailings roll around.

It’s a massive project right at the pier that will feature zip lines, local dining, and a “resort” atmosphere, turning the port into a destination in its own right.

Carnival also just signed a 15-year deal with the City of Avalon, which is located on Catalina island. This partnership has been in place for 25 years, and the goal it to make sure that any and all tourism brought in by the cruise line is sustainable.

Carnival Radiance has been sailing out of Long Beach for several years now, so this announcement makes the Sunshine-class ship a sort of staple to the Los Angeles area for those quick getaways.

Currently, the 102,000 gross ton ship stays busy with a mix of 3-day and 4-day Baja Mexico trips, 5-day Mexican Riviera cruises, and occasional 14-day sailings to Hawaii.