More cruises coming to Norfolk: Carnival announces year-round sailings beginning in 2025
Carnival Cruise Line will expand to offer its first-ever year-round sailings from Norfolk in 2025.
For the first phase of the expansion, Carnival Sunshine will offer 6- and 8-day sailings to popular destinations in the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean from Feb. 18, 2025 through April 2025. The cruise line plans to open additional itineraries in the coming months, a spokesperson said.
“This positions Norfolk as a major destination for visitors from across the country,” Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander said. “It will have a tremendous economic impact on this region.”
Cruise itineraries departing from Norfolk include stops in: Nassau, Freeport, Half Moon Cay, Bimini, Amber Cove, Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays.
“Carnival Sunshine is the perfect ship to usher in this next step for service expansion from Norfolk’s Half Moone Cruise Terminal, and as we work closely with city and port officials on our plans to increase from seasonal to year-round operations, we’re delighted to open these sailings for sale, so guests from all over the southeastern U.S. can start doing some planning of their own for 2025,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
With Carnival’s expanded cruise service, a spokesperson for the city said Norfolk anticipates welcoming more than 280,000 unique passenger visits in 2025, as guests begin and end their cruise vacations from the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center.
Nauticus Executive Director Stephen Kirkland said the cruise line’s expansion is “a game changer.”
“Regular, year-round cruising from Norfolk expands our passenger market far beyond the Mid-Atlantic,” Kirkland said. “We will see visitors flying in and out of town for these sailings, further expanding the economic benefits these cruises provide to Norfolk and the greater Hampton Roads region.”
On average, each cruise passenger spends $125 while in port, said Rehn West, a Norfolk spokesperson.
Norfolk is preparing for an increase in pre- and post-hotel overnight stays, additional transportation needs, and passenger spending at restaurants and businesses.
Norfolk and Carnival officials announced last month the cruise line will extend its service in 2023 for a full six-month period from May through October — more than doubling its sailings in 2022. To prepare for year-round service, Carnival will pause sailings from Norfolk in 2024 to allow for needed terminal and infrastructure enhancements at Half Moone.
Carnival Sunshine accommodates more than 3,000 guests and is expected to bring approximately 100,000 guests to Norfolk in 2025. The ship currently operated out of Charleston, South Carolina.
Caitlyn Burchett, caitlyn.burchett@virginiamedia.com
