Thinking about a Caribbean cruise in 2028 or 2029? Carnival has just made the choice considerably bigger. The line has opened more than 300 sailings from Port Canaveral, spread across five ships and ranging from quick Bahamas getaways to two-week Caribbean adventures.
The new programme covers Carnival Breeze, Carnival Firenze, Carnival Festivale, Carnival Glory and Mardi Gras. Together they'll offer routes to the Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean and Southern Caribbean.
Short breaks or a proper Caribbean escape?
For a three-to-five-day holiday, Carnival Glory and Mardi Gras are the main options. Every Carnival Glory sailing in the new programme includes Celebration Key, Carnival's exclusive destination in the Bahamas.
For a week at sea, Carnival Breeze and Carnival Firenze will rotate through Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Stops across the programme include San Juan, St Thomas, Belize, Cozumel and Amber Cove. Meanwhile, Carnival Festivale will offer six- and eight-day itineraries, with Southern Caribbean options including Aruba and Curaçao.
The longer voyages caught my eye
There are also four 14-day Carnival Journeys departures aboard Carnival Breeze, scheduled between October 2028 and February 2029. Their routes cover 13 destinations across the Southern Caribbean, including Barbados, Grenada, Dominica, Martinique, St Lucia and St Kitts.
Those longer itineraries are the standout for me. Short Bahamas trips are brilliant for a quick escape, but two weeks gives you time to settle into ship life and experience a much wider range of islands.
Carnival says the new programme includes more than 200 visits to Celebration Key, alongside calls at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Puerta Maya and Isla Tropicale. Exact ports and sailing dates vary, so it's worth comparing individual itineraries rather than assuming every ship visits the same places.
Source: Carnival Cruise Line official announcement, 5 November 2026. See our Port Canaveral guide and Caribbean cruise guide.