Carnival Announces Special South America, Panama Canal Voyages in 2013

Carnival Cruise Lines recently announced several exciting itineraries for the 2013, including voyages to South America and the Panama Canal.

Next spring, the company will reposition Carnival Miracle to the West Coast following a special Panama Canal voyage, and bring Carnival Splendor to New York, following three spectacular South America cruises.

The 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle will shift to the West Coast in spring 2013 to operate the line’s Alaska and Hawaii cruises, currently offered on the Carnival Spirit, which is being repositioned to Australia to operate the line’s first cruises from that country. Carnival Miracle will also operate a seasonal Mexican Riviera program featuring the seven-day itinerary currently available on Carnival Splendor.

In turn, the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor will reposition to New York to assume Carnival Miracle’s year-round eight-day Caribbean schedule beginning in March 2013, representing a capacity increase of 41 percent with this newer vessel. Before making its Big Apple debut, Carnival Splendor will offer three, 13- to 18-day South America voyages from February to March 2013.

The repositioning of these two ships has provided an opportunity to offer a number of exciting voyages to South America and the Panama Canal.

Carnival Splendor will offer three South America voyages in February and March 2013. A 17-day “South America Explorer” cruise will depart Long Beach on Feb. 3 and at arrive Santiago (Valparaiso), Chile, Feb. 20, 2013, visiting Cabo San Lucas and Huatulco, Mexico; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Quito (Manta), Ecuador, where guests can embark on an excursion to the Galapagos; Lima (Callao), Peru, offering an opportunity to visit Machu Picchu; and Arica, Chile.

A 13-day “Fjords, Glaciers & Patagonia” voyage will operate from Santiago (Valparaiso) to Buenos Aires, Argentina, from Feb. 20 to March 5, 2013, calling at Puerto Montt, Chile, before cruising the Chilean Fjords and Darwin Channel. This itinerary is followed by calls at Punta Arenas, Chile; Ushuaia and Puerto Madryn, Argentina; and Montevideo, Uruguay.

An 18-day “Brazilian & Caribbean Splendor” voyage sailing from Buenos Aires to New York March 5-23, 2013, will feature ports that include Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife, and Fortaleza, Brazil; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos.

Carnival Miracle will operate a 15-day Panama Canal cruise from New York to Long Beach from March 16-31, 2013, positioning the vessel for its year-round West Coast deployment. In addition to the experience of transiting the Panama Canal, the cruise will visit beautiful and historic destinations in five different countries, including Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands; Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Visit the Carnival's agent portal at www.GoCCL.com or visit www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com.