Carnival Cruise Line is set to expand its offerings for the 2026/27 season, bringing new cruise options from two key homeports—Galveston, Texas, and Jacksonville, Florida.
Carnival Miracle from Galveston, Texas
This move aims to offer more travel options to the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Mexican ports. A key part of this expansion is moving the Carnival Miracle ship from Seattle to Galveston.
This includes a 16-day cruise through the Panama Canal, stopping in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and Puntarenas, Costa Rica. This will be the ship’s second season from Galveston, offering exciting trips for different traveler interests.
Last December, Carnival Jubilee started sailing year-round voyages from Galveston, increasing Carnival’s capacity at the port by over 300,000 annually.
Carnival Elation in Jacksonville, Florida
The Carnival Elation will keep running year-round from Jacksonville, giving travelers steady chances to explore the Caribbean and The Bahamas. This expansion is part of Carnival’s plan to grow in important homeports and meet the needs of today’s cruise fans.
The increase in cruise activity is expected to boost local tourism and help the economies of Galveston and Jacksonville, creating new jobs and business opportunities.
The economic benefits go beyond the cruise line, helping homeport cities with more tourism, jobs, and business growth.
Carnival Cruise Line has been sailing from Jacksonville, Florida, since 2004, when the Carnival Miracle became the first ship to offer voyages from the city’s JAXPORT Cruise Terminal.
Cruise Ports Steeped in History with Carnival
Since then, Carnival has provided year-round cruises from Jacksonville, primarily serving the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Meanwhile, Carnival has had a presence in Galveston, Texas, since 2000, starting with the Carnival Celebration.
Over the years, Galveston has grown into one of Carnival’s major homeports, with multiple ships offering cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico, and beyond, catering to the demand for convenient departures from the Gulf Coast region.
Jacksonville will also expand with Norwegian Cruise Line in 2025, when Norwegian Gem starts sailing from North Florida.
