New Carnival Cruise Line ship Mardi Gras to sail maiden voyage July 31st

Carnival Cruise Line has finally revealed details of the maiden voyage for its new mega cruise ship Mardi Gras, with the ship due to sail its first passenger voyage from Port Canaveral on July 31st, 2021.

Mardi Gras’ week-long cruise will be the first of several visiting the Eastern and Western Mediterranean. As a result of the pre-inaugural cruises, Mardi Gras’ christening will be delayed further, according to a press release.

RELATED: Food faces seafood restaurant Rudi’s Seagrill to debut aboard Mardi Gras

RELATED: Carnival reveals impressive central atrium aboard mega-ship Mardi Gras

“We are very excited to finally welcome guests on Mardi Gras,” said Christine Duffy, President & CEO, Carnival Cruise Line. “With our desire to preserve summer vacations for our Mardi Gras guests, we are going to find a later date to formally christen her so that we can operate these pre-inaugural sailings just as soon as we can.”

Duffy also noted that Carnival intends to expand its initial restart from Florida, Texas and Washington to California, with the return of Carnival Panorama from Long Beach in late August.

“We are excited to resume our West Coast operations and intend to sail Carnival Panorama with vaccinated guests starting August 21st,” she said. “We are working with state and local officials to finalize the necessary plans.”

The announcement of Mardi Gras’ maiden cruise date was part of a wider announcement of Carnival Cruise Line’s expanded cruise resumption plans, with itineraries announced for Carnival Magic, Carnival Sunrise, and Carnival Panorama.

Carnival Magic from Port Canaveral

Carnival Magic will return from drydock with its new livery and sail from Port Canaveral on four- and five-day cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean. These itineraries were previously scheduled for Carnival Elation, and will sail from August 7th through October 7th.

RELATED: Carnival Magic completes dry-dock, debuting all-new Carnival livery

RELATED: Carnival doubles down as America’s cruise line with new hull art livery

Guests booked on Carnival Elation will be reaccommodated on Carnival Magic and, because it is a larger ship, additional stateroom inventory is available.

Carnival Magic will also operate three new six-day cruises and one new eight-day cruise from Port Canaveral from October 11th until the end of the month.

Carnival Sunrise from Miami

Carnival Sunrise will enter service from Miami on August 14th, sailing four- and five-day cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean.

Carnival Panorama from Long Beach

Carnival Panorama will enter service from Long Beach, California, on August 21st, with its regular seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises.

These new itineraries join Carnival Cruise Line’s already confirmed restart plans for July with Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze out of Galveston, Texas, Carnival Horizon out of Miami and Carnival Miracle out of Seattle to Alaska. These cruises will now sail through July and August.

With the good news comes the bad, however, as several ships will remain in hot lay-up. These include Carnival Pride (Baltimore), Carnival Sunshine (Charleston), Carnival Dream (Galveston), Carnival Ecstasy (Jacksonville), Carnival Liberty (Port Canaveral), Carnival Conquest (Miami), Carnival Sensation (Mobile) and Carnival Glory (New Orleans).