- Carnival is switching the deployment of Carnival Sunshine to Galveston and Carnival Spirit to Tampa for the 2027–2028 season.
- The move adds capacity to the high-demand Galveston market, with Carnival Sunshine offering four- to 10-day sailings starting Nov. 2027.
- Carnival Spirit’s new Tampa deployment will include six eight-day Panama Canal itineraries and a 13-day Carnival Journeys cruise.
- Galveston itineraries will feature calls at destinations including Celebration Key, Grand Turk, and Limón, Costa Rica
Carnival Cruise Line announced a revision to its 2027–2028 deployment plan, involving the switch of two ships between Texas and Florida. The 3,000-guest Carnival Sunshine will be homeporting in Galveston, Texas, for the first time, replacing the Carnival Spirit. The Carnival Spirit will now be based in Tampa, Florida.
The primary objective of this move is to add passenger capacity in Galveston, a market where Carnival continues to see strong demand. The line will maintain its four-ship presence in Galveston, offering Carnival Sunshine four- to 10-day sailings starting in November 2027. These longer itineraries will visit a diverse array of destinations, including Cozumel, Grand Turk, Limón (Costa Rica), and Colón (Panama).
The Carnival Spirit’s move to Tampa allows for the introduction of new, longer Caribbean routes. The ship will offer six-, seven-, and eight-day Western Caribbean cruises, along with six specialized eight-day itineraries to the Panama Canal. A 13-day Carnival Journeys cruise visiting Aruba and Curaçao is also scheduled for January 2028. Carnival stated the change allows them to serve more guests in the high-demand Galveston market while diversifying the options available from Tampa.
