CCL-Carnival Cruise Line on November 14, 2022, announced it would more than double its homeporting/departures out of Norfolk (Virginia USA) in 2023. The extended homeporting season will last 6 months - from May through October.
The announcement is the first step toward a proposed year-round program from Norfolk VA starting in 2025, as the City of Norfolk and CCL leaders discuss necessary terminal/port improvements to support an expansion of cruise operations.
With plans to welcome ~100,000 passengers in 2023, CCL’s increase in operations is expected to bring the highest volume of cruise passengers in the history of Norfolk’s Half Moone Cruise Center.
The 2023 offerings are already on sale and include 4- to 10-day roundtrips on Carnival Magic. Itineraries include The Bahamas, Bermuda, Eastern Caribbean, Canada and New England.
CCL has been sailing out of Norfolk since 2002 and Carnival Magic, which started sailing seasonally for the first time in May 2022, became the largest cruise ship to embark guests from the port, after the enhancements to Norfolk’s Half Moone Cruise Center. The ship has max passenger capacity 4724 and offers various cabin types and grades, multiple dining options, Cloud 9 Spa, signature entertainment, and the Serenity (adults-only sundeck).
The company’s plan to deploy Carnival Magic for a longer homeporting in Norfolk VA is part of a larger expansion of its mid-Atlantic operations. In June 2023, the company will begin offering year-round sailings from NYC when Costa Venezia joins the fleet as Carnival Venezia. It will allow Carnival Magic to remain in Norfolk VA for half the year.