My wish granted: New Itineraries from Galveston for 2024/25

[Lee Cruiser]

20 hours ago, starstruck05 said:

I wish we could get it out of NOLA but I'm still excited.

Wish N.O. would get some different itineraries as well.  It is the only port to which we drive.  We like these 9 day itineraries out of Galveston, but with the extra day for flight and such, we probably won't be able to do them anytime soon.

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, Eli_6 said:

I have never seen a cruise going to ABC out of Galveston before on Carnival. And this is the first PC cruise from Galveston I have seen offered during school break.

 

I said "some of those." I was primarily referring to Montego, Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay, Belize, Cozumel being one cruise and Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Belize, Cozumel being another cruise. Nothing new with those ports.  One of the eastern ones is the same with just a Grand Turk added. 

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Saint Greg

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, ARcruisin2 said:

I'm with you... most seem to be just a combination of current east/west Caribbean offerings. The partial Panama Canal one does pique my interest tho...

 

Yeah I'm going to do a PC at some point. It's always a very limited selection of dates. Mostly in the winter when I don't cruise as much. There is a March one...at over $250/day for an interior on a very old ship.

[huntnewt]

2 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

I have never seen a cruise going to ABC out of Galveston before on Carnival. And this is the first PC cruise from Galveston I have seen offered during school break.

Is this a true PC? I have noticed that some cruises may be sold as PC, but just have Colon (Panama Canal) listed, whereas others say Panama Canal Partial Transit insetad.

[ChuckF]

We did the Panama Canal excursion out of Colon, and actually think it was more insightful going through the locks on a smaller vessel than going through on a cruise ship. And with the guides, more informative.  But it is definitely a "been there, done that" sort of experience. 

[Eli_6]

18 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I said "some of those." I was primarily referring to Montego, Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay, Belize, Cozumel being one cruise and Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Belize, Cozumel being another cruise. Nothing new with those ports.  One of the eastern ones is the same with just a Grand Turk added. 

 

I wasn't trying to be snarky. I apologize if it came off that way. I am just more excited to NOT be going to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize, and Roatan.  Here lately, they haven't even been going to Jamaica or Cayman very much...probably because the Vista can't make it there with her propulsion issues and the Breeze mainly does 4 and 5 day cruises.  I know the Dream offers some 8 days to the Bahamas and there have been a few extended cruises but they have always been when my kids are in school. I don't like taking anything longer than a 7 day without my kids for a variety of reasons...mainly because I have learned the hard way that too much time left with grandparents and the chances go up that someone will get sick or have an accident...and then MY trip is ruined. 

[Eli_6]

On 3/3/2023 at 6:27 AM, Jasonsterling said:

I don't know... these look fine but there's no way I could do any of them- lol. With weekends I only have nine days off total from work and with travel days to and from the port it wouldn't work. Plus the Miracle is a really old and much smaller ship. It's not that much larger than the Fantasy class. So, less dining and activities and a dated decor, unless they've radically remodeled it. It's "okay" but I'd rather see some 7 day options and failing new ports because I know they can only reach so much in seven days, they should be working with port side vendors for something new to do. It feels like the excursions haven't changed in decades.

A couple of the 9-day Friday departures would have you only having to take 5.5 days off of work because they cruise Friday-Sunday.

 

I think the problem is that out of Galveston, the ships can't reach much else other than the same old ports in 7 days. 

[firefly333]

21 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

I have never seen a cruise going to ABC out of Galveston before on Carnival. And this is the first PC cruise from Galveston I have seen offered during school break.

Jan 13 2024 dream goes to A and C of ABC. Close. 

 

I saw the prices and sorry I was omg. I'm doing rcl radiance 10 days march 27 for about 1k. Those on miracle are way way more. Nice stops, every other cruise. Not good for b2b. Every good one is very high priced. I had radiance 10 days nice ports for $800 but couldnt go. So next month colon Panama and Columbia on rcl radiance for much less.

 

Carnival is getting so pricey.  Yikes. 

 

I'm planning a move to florida. Can so these stops so much cheaper. 

 

If they come down I'm interested but not non refundable at these prices so far out. Hope to move in 2024. 

Edited March 4, 2023 by firefly333

[stobe1]

On 3/3/2023 at 12:55 PM, ARcruisin2 said:

I'm with you... most seem to be just a combination of current east/west Caribbean offerings. The partial Panama Canal one does pique my interest tho...

Be Careful. If this is the itinerary you are referring to, it is NOT a partial transit. There is a port of call at Colon, Panama which will likely have excursions for a canal transit or tour of some sort, but the ship itself will not be doing the transit.  Don't book this itinerary falsely thinking the ship will be going through the locks.

 

You would have to book the reposition cruise from San Francisco to get a transit of the locks and it would be a full transit, otherwise, currently there is no itinerary on Miracle from Galveston doing a partial transit 

Edited March 5, 2023 by stobe1

[stobe1]

On 3/3/2023 at 12:55 PM, ARcruisin2 said:

I'm with you... most seem to be just a combination of current east/west Caribbean offerings. The partial Panama Canal one does pique my interest tho...

I should have also said you need to look for Panama Canal itineraries that say "partial transit" if that is what you are looking for.

[staceyglow]

For those of you complaining about the "same old ports", where exactly do you expect Carnival to go from Galveston? The ships can only go so fast, and there are only so many ports they can visit in that time.

[Jasonsterling]

21 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

A couple of the 9-day Friday departures would have you only having to take 5.5 days off of work because they cruise Friday-Sunday.

 

I think the problem is that out of Galveston, the ships can't reach much else other than the same old ports in 7 days. 

Well, yes and no. 5.5 days is in fact 6 days, lol and that assumes flying down the day of the cruise which is ill advised at best and can't be done in half a day- I assume the ship would still leave late afternoon with the last passenger onboard by 3- so I couldn't put in half a day at work and get to the ship on time and I don't risk traveling down the day of in any event. So add another day to leave on Thursday. Which means I'd miss nearly half a week at work and then the entire next week at work and if anything went wrong with getting back to Galveston, like fog, then possibly the Monday following that. I try not to count on flying back the same day as we arrive back in port for the same reason I go a day early. As I stated originally I think Carnival should be working with port side vendors to create something new to do or maybe come up with new shipboard activities for those who'd rather remain on board then go ashore after several cruises.

[ARcruisin2]

On 3/4/2023 at 7:00 PM, stobe1 said:

I should have also said you need to look for Panama Canal itineraries that say "partial transit" if that is what you are looking for.

gotcha... thanks I was wondering about that wording

[ARcruisin2]

On 3/3/2023 at 2:33 PM, Saint Greg said:

 

Yeah I'm going to do a PC at some point. It's always a very limited selection of dates. Mostly in the winter when I don't cruise as much. There is a March one...at over $250/day for an interior on a very old ship.

geez... that doesn't sound like a good value.

I guess since new ships seem to be larger and larger, you are limited to older ones to fit through the locks, at least with the big 3 cruise lines. 

[Retiredmedic]

Nice, I'm just minutes away from the port of Galveston but no way would I take one of those. I'd have to come home and be put in traction for a month as the beds on Carnival are horrible.

[n6uqqq]

I took the bait and booked a 2025 9 day to the Keys, HMC. Grand Turk, and Freeport. Nothing that can't be done from FL but cheaper for me to get to TX and the extra sea days are nice for me. 

[talkorpi]

On 3/4/2023 at 7:11 PM, staceyglow said:

For those of you complaining about the "same old ports", where exactly do you expect Carnival to go from Galveston? The ships can only go so fast, and there are only so many ports they can visit in that time.

 

Well, I was bored a few weekends ago and did some calculations with speed and distance and whatnot on some voyage planning software and it's definitely possible.  The ships can reach Jamaica and Cayman (haven't really been doing that reliably since Vista is so slow).  They can also go to Key West but they don't stop there very often.

 

Even if Carnival would just mix up the rotation, it would be nice.  Its always either Cozumel, Belize/Costa Maya, Roatan or Cozumel, Cayman, Jamaica.  Maybe start doing things like Coz, Roatan, Cayman (you get the picture) - I know it would take longer but I would be willing to trade a couple hours of port time for some variety.

 

If you start getting into 8-day territory you can even do some further out ports.

Edited March 7, 2023 by talkorpi

[stobe1]

40 minutes ago, talkorpi said:

 

Well, I was bored a few weekends ago and did some calculations with speed and distance and whatnot on some voyage planning software and it's definitely possible.  The ships can reach Jamaica and Cayman (haven't really been doing that reliably since Vista is so slow).  They can also go to Key West but they don't stop there very often.

 

Even if Carnival would just mix up the rotation, it would be nice.  Its always either Cozumel, Belize/Costa Maya, Roatan or Cozumel, Cayman, Jamaica.  Maybe start doing things like Coz, Roatan, Cayman (you get the picture) - I know it would take longer but I would be willing to trade a couple hours of port time for some variety.

 

If you start getting into 8-day territory you can even do some further out ports.

They already do an 8 day/6 day rotation with the Dream out of Galveston that does the Key West/Bahamas run.

[ARcruisin2]

I've been hoping they would add some different itineraries for Jubilee...so you could enjoy a new ship and new mix of ports.  Guess they are trying it out on an older, smaller ship first.

[happy cruzer]

On 3/4/2023 at 7:00 PM, stobe1 said:

I should have also said you need to look for Panama Canal itineraries that say "partial transit" if that is what you are looking for.

Thank you for posting the warning.  I am looking at this cruise and it definitely makes a difference about partial transit vs. port visit.  I still may do the port visit but at least with my eyes open.

[ChuckF]

We did the Colon port and did an excursion through the canal on a ferry.  I think that was more interesting than actually going through on the cruise ship. The ferry was lower in the locks and you could see so much more of the lock operation than what you would be able to see from a bigger ship.  Of course the excursion cost a little extra and was a very long day.  But still something I'm glad I did. Once. 

[MedCruise_2022]

My husband and I are booked on Carnival Journeys – 12-Day Southern Caribbean from Galveston, TX  for 01/26/2025. So excited to go to the ABC islands (third time though for Cozumel)!

Edited May 10, 2023 by MedCruise_2022

[MedCruise_2022]

On 5/3/2023 at 4:43 PM, happy cruzer said:

Thank you for posting the warning.  I am looking at this cruise and it definitely makes a difference about partial transit vs. port visit.  I still may do the port visit but at least with my eyes open.

Carnival Pride out of Tampa will do Panama Canal Partial Transit. We are booked for Feb 17-25, 2024 (8 days), with ports of call to Limon and Cayman Islands. 

I think there are other departure dates..

[happy cruzer]

Tampa is a nice port.  We did a RCI cruise last Nov. from Tampa.  We enjoyed the city but we did have fog delay of 7 hours for cruise boarding - just like can happen in Galveston.  Have great time!

[MedCruise_2022]

1 hour ago, happy cruzer said:

Tampa is a nice port.  We did a RCI cruise last Nov. from Tampa.  We enjoyed the city but we did have fog delay of 7 hours for cruise boarding - just like can happen in Galveston.  Have great time!

Thanks for the info! Looking forward to our Panama Canal PT Cruise in Feb 2024 from Tampa, although  somewhat intimidated by long sea days. I prefer port-intensive cruises, haha!