Cruise travelers are always looking for new and unique destinations to visit on their favorite cruise lines, and Carnival Cruise Line has hinted that some very enticing options may soon be available for future cruises. These new itineraries are only being considered in the very early planning stages, but are exiting prospects for future Carnival sailings.

Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald recently asked followers of his popular Facebook page about the new destinations and itinerary options. He said that many of the ideas have come from guest suggestions and requests.

“The Beards are working on some exciting voyages to compliment our bread and butter 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 day Caribbean and Mexican Riviera cruises,” Heald noted.

The first option being considered is a more extensive collection of Carnival Journeys sailings ranging from 12-30 days. These longer cruises typically visit more unique ports of call, and because of that, are often on smaller ships that can more easily maneuver into such ports.

Repositioning cruises, such as Carnival Luminosa moving between Australia and Alaska, are one type of Carnival Journeys sailing, while trips to Hawaii from Long Beach are another. Possible options for future longer sailings might be more detailed Caribbean itineraries, South America destinations, European explorations, Greenland cruises, and more.

Heald also offered 3- and 4-day cruises on one of the cruise line’s Excel class ships – Mardi Gras , Carnival Celebration , and Carnival Jubilee – as another potential new itinerary option. While no destinations were mentioned, such short cruises would typically be to the Bahamas, Cozumel, or Ensenada, depending on the ship’s homeport.

Mardi Gras is currently offering 6-, 7-, and 8-night Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, while Carnival Celebration is homeported in Miami with similar 6-, 7-, and 8-night Caribbean sailings.

The new Carnival Jubilee is homeported from Galveston , offering 7-night Western Caribbean cruises from the Lone Star State.

Next, Heald suggested the possibility of a “special voyage to Antarctica” but with no other details. Such a once-in-a-lifetime cruise might be a longer sailing that could depart from a US homeport, or might depart from a South American port for a shorter option.

One of the most exciting options (my personal favorite) that Heald hinted at would be a New York to Southampton transatlantic cruise , roundtrip, with two days docked in London for more exploration. While Carnival already offers one-way transatlantic sailings, a roundtrip option would be very attractive to guests who prefer not to arrange international airfare.

The last suggestion was the possibility of a larger Carnival ship – Dream, Vista, or Excel class – in Europe during the summer season. Larger ships typically have more features and amenities, and of course have greater passenger capacities to welcome more guests aboard.

For 2024, Carnival Legend is offering European itineraries with departures from Barcelona, Dover, and Civitavecchia (Rome). In 2025, Carnival Miracle will be offering similar European options. Both ships are 85,942-gross-ton, Spirit-class vessels that can welcome just 2,124 guests per sailing.

The only other time Carnival cruise guests can visit European ports of call on a Carnival cruise ship are when the vessels are on their way to dry dock at a European shipyard or just restarting service after such refurbishment. These updates only happen every few years for each individual ship.

These suggestions of potential new itineraries come just a couple of weeks after Heald hinted at a possible world cruise , which would be a first for the popular cruise line.

2025 Itineraries Selling Fast

While none of these new itineraries are yet confirmed for future seasons, Heald has noted that 2025 bookings are filling up fast and travelers are interested in booking cruises further out.

“With 2025 bookings so strong and many cruises almost sold out it is no surprise I am asked a lot about when we will announce 2026 cruises and itineraries,” Heald said. “We should start announcing them sometime in the autumn of this year.”

New seasons are typically announced in batches, such as Alaska cruises announced at once, Europe sailings opened at another time, and so forth. Booking early has many advantages for travelers, including a wider selection of departure dates, itinerary options, and stateroom choices.

Which of the new itinerary possibilities are you most interested in, and how early would you be willing to book such a cruise? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive boards !