Carnival Freedom Signs On As Third Year-Round Ship in Galveston, Texas, Beginning February 2015

Carnival Cruise Lines will add a third year-round ship in Galveston when Carnival Freedom launches a seven-day cruise schedule in February 2015, marking the first time that a cruise line has deployed three year-round ships in Texas.

Carnival’s repositioning of Carnival Freedom represents a 38 percent capacity increase for the line in Galveston, carrying more than 600,000 guests a year from that port.

RELATED: Royal Caribbean Announces New York and Galveston Deployments for 2015-16

Prior to its arrival in Galveston, Carnival Freedom will undergo a previously announced makeover that will add new features that are part of the line’s fleetwide Fun Ship 2.0 product enhancement initiative.

With the addition of Carnival Freedom, Carnival will offer three ships sailing year-round from Galveston. Carnival Freedom will join Carnival Magic, which offers seven-day Caribbean cruises, and Carnival Triumph sailing four- and five-day departures to Mexico. Together, these three ships will operate nearly 200 four- to seven-day voyages annually from Galveston, providing consumers with an array of cruise lengths, departure days and itineraries for “Fun Ship” cruising from Texas.

Carnival Freedom will kick off its new schedule from Galveston with a special six-day Caribbean voyage to Costa Maya, Mexico; Belize; and Cozumel departing Feb. 15, 2015.

Following the six-day voyage, Carnival Freedom will launch year-round seven-day departures from Galveston Feb. 21, 2015, encompassing three different itinerary choices that visit ports throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida.

Carnival Freedom’s week-long itineraries from Galveston include: 

  • Western Caribbean voyages departing Saturdays to Cozumel; Belize; and Mahogany Bay, Roatan
  • Western Caribbean voyages departing Saturdays with stops at Montego Bay, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cozumel
  • Eastern Caribbean sailings departing Saturdays visiting Key West, Fla.; and Freeport and Nassau, The Bahamas

Carnival Freedom will also offer a series of four- and five-day cruises from Oct. 24 through Nov. 21, 2015; and Jan. 16, 2016 through Feb. 13, 2016. Four-day cruises visit Cozumel, while five-day cruises call at Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico.

In preparation for its Galveston arrival, Carnival Freedom will offer a 12-day cruise departing Fort Lauderdale Feb. 2 and arriving in Galveston on Feb. 14, 2015. The one-time voyage will include port calls at five Caribbean island destinations – St. Kitts, St. Lucia; Curacao; Aruba; and Grand Cayman, each of which has white-sand beaches, a variety of watersports opportunities and multiple shopping, dining and sightseeing experiences. 

Carnival Conquest, currently based in Miami, will assume Carnival Freedom’s year-round six- and eight-day Caribbean schedule from Fort Lauderdale, beginning Jan. 18, 2015.    

Reservations are currently being accepted for Carnival Freedom’s new Galveston-based program. Carnival Conquest’s new sailings from Fort Lauderdale will be open for reservations on Tuesday, April 29.

For more information, visit www.GoCCL.com.