Carnival Cruise Line announced that it had signed a 5-year agreement with Norfolk VA for seasonal homeporting at Half Moone Cruise Center - 2020 through 2025. The deal was signed by Kenneth Alexander (Norfolk City Mayor) and Terry Thornton (Carnival’s Senior VP of Nautical and Port Operations).
As part of the agreement, Norfolk has agreed to invest at Half Moone Cruise Center to accommodate larger ships and provide an enhanced passenger experience including a boarding bridge that will streamline the embarkation/debarkation process as well as a host of other improvements.
Alexander and Thornton also announced that Carnival Magic will become the largest cruise liner to ever homeported in Norfolk VA. In 2021, the vessel launches a series of 12 voyages and will carry around 50,000 passengers.
Carnival Magic's 2021 schedule from Norfolk offers from longer Caribbean cruises to short-breaks to Bahamas and Bermuda. The new schedule includes:
- May 16 and June 5: 6-day voyages to Freeport, Nassau, Half Moon Cay
- May 22 & 31, June 11, October 4 & 30: 5-day cruises visiting Freeport and Nassau
- May 27: 4-day long weekend cruise to Bermuda returning on Memorial Day
- September 29: 5-day cruise to Bermuda (Kings Wharf)
- October 9: 8-day cruise to Grand Turk, San Juan Puerto Rico, St Thomas USVI
- October 17: 6-day cruise to Bermuda
- October 23: 7-day cruise visiting Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, and Nassau.
Prior to the start-up of her Norfolk schedule in 2021, Carnival's Magic will offer a series of Mediterranean sailings and undergo a 2-week drydock in Cadiz Spain before repositioning to the United States.