Carnival Cruise Line is gearing up for a special celebration next year. The company announced it will commemorate America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, with special itineraries across 10 vessels from different home ports.
Cruisers can sign up for three- to eight-day cruises departing from San Francisco, Long Beach, New York City, Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, and Miami.
On the big day, seven vessels will gather near Celebration Key, while the remaining three will meet at Ensenada’s western coast. The festivities at sea will feature patriotic deck parties and entertainment, including themed food and drinks.
East Coast Birthday Sailings
- Carnival Conquest and Carnival Glory offer three-day itineraries that leave on July 3, 2026. Conquest sails from Miami, while Glory starts its journey from Port Canaveral.
- Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Elation will host four-day sailings to the Bahamas beginning July 2, 2026. Sunrise will come from Miami, while Elation will depart from Jacksonville.
- Passengers can join the Carnival Celebration for a longer weeklong cruise. Its June 28, 2026 itinerary will begin in Miami and call on Nassau, Amber Cove, and Grand Turk.
- Carnival Vista has an eight-day Eastern Caribbean journey from Port Canaveral that starts on June 27, 2026. It will visit St. Thomas and San Juan.
- Carnival Venezia leaves New York on July 1, 2026. The eight-day voyage will pass by Half Moon Cay and Nassau.
West Coast Birthday Sailings
- Carnival Firenze offers a three-day Baja Mexico getaway from Long Beach during the July 4th weekend.
- Carnival Luminosa sails from San Francisco on July 2, 2026. Firenze and Luminosa will call on Ensenada.
- Finally, Carnival Radiance will head to Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas. The vessel will leave Long Beach on June 30, 2026, for a five-day Mexican Riviera cruise.
Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy said the planned events will help the company and its guests honor the birthday milestone. “Uniting our ships will multiply the fun and make America’s 250th birthday even more memorable for guests who celebrate at sea,” Duffy announced.
The cruise line already has an exciting line-up of sailings until 2027, with many offering visits to Carnival’s highly awaited destination in The Bahamas, Celebration Key.
When it opens in July 2025, the exclusive resort is expected to host up to 21,000 passengers daily and nearly four million guests annually.
