Carnival Expands West Coast Cruises

Carnival Cruise Lines announced that it will expand its capacity on the West Coast with the introduction of year-round three and four-day cruises on the 2,052-passenger Carnival Imagination from Long Beach, Calif., beginning Jan. 26, 2014.

Imagination will offer three-day cruises to Ensenada, Mexico, departing on Thursdays, and four-day voyages to Catalina Island and Ensenada departing on Sundays. The vessel's sister ship, Carnival Inspiration, will continue to offer a similar program from Long Beach with three-day cruises departing on Fridays and four-day cruises on Mondays. Additionally, the seven-day Mexican Riviera and 15-day Hawaii programs from Long Beach currently operated by the Carnival Splendor through Feb. 3, 2013 will continue on the Carnival Miracle seasonally from October 2013 through April 2014.  Together, the ships will carry approximately 550,000 guests annually from Long Beach -- more than any other cruise operator.

"Carnival's West Coast cruises are exceptionally convenient and popular, particularly for guests from California and other areas within easy driving distance of Long Beach," said Gerry Cahill, president and CEO. "Carnival is the only cruise line to offer a year-round short cruise program from the West Coast and, with the addition of the Carnival Imagination, there will be even more cruises and departure dates to choose from."

Prior to the start-up of its new West Coast schedule, Imagination will sail a 16-day Panama Canal cruise departing Miami Jan. 10, 2014. In addition to a full transit of the Panama Canal, the ship will call in Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Cartagena, Colombia; Punta Arenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

As imagination goes west, Carnival Ecstasy, currently sailing from Port Canaveral, Fla., will reposition to Miami to take over Imagination's present three- and four-day Bahamas/western Caribbean itinerary. A sister ship to Imagination, the Ecstasy features a number of balcony staterooms, which is a 'first' for a Carnival ship operating short cruises from Miami, Ecstasy's first voyage will depart Jan. 10, 2014. Three-day cruises departing Fridays visit Nassau, the Bahamas, and four-day cruises departing Mondays visit Key West, Fla., and Cozumel, Mexico.

Reservations are currently being accepted for the new schedules on both the Carnival Imagination and Carnival Ecstasy.

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