Beginning January 2014 Carnival Cruise Lines will expand 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, CA. The 1995 built Carnival 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. The sisters join the Carnival Splendor who operates on 7-night Mexican itineraries.
This is rather surprising seeing that only a few years ago, lines were deserting CA due to poor bookings.
The Carnival Ecstasy will leave Port Canaveral and assume the Carnival Imagination’s position with 3/4-night Bahamas trips from Miami.
In order to get the Imagination to the West Cost, the Carnival Imagination will sail a one time only 16-night Panama Canal cruise from Miami to Long Beach.