Carnival Adjusts 2027 and 2028 Plans for Sunshine and Spirit

Carnival Cruise Line has updated its deployment strategy for 2027 and 2028, announcing that the Carnival Sunshine will now be based in Galveston, Texas instead of the CarnivalSpirit.

Under the revised plan, the Spirit will shift to Tampa, Florida. Carnival noted that positioning the 3,000 guest Sunshine in Galveston increases capacity to match the region’s rising appetite for cruise travel.

“We’re excited to introduce Carnival Sunshine to Galveston for the first time and bring Carnival Spirit to Tampa,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “This move allows us to serve more guests in Galveston where we continue to see strong demand and introduce new, longer Caribbean itineraries for guests sailing from Tampa.”

By adding the Carnival Sunshine, the company continues its four ship presence in Galveston, offering a selection of four to ten day Caribbean cruises beginning in November 2027. Shorter options will feature stops in Mexico, such as Cozumel and Progreso. Longer trips will cover a more extensive list of ports including Cozumel, Belize, Celebration Key, RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, Limón in Costa Rica, Colón in Panama, Isla Tropicale, Roatán, Grand Cayman and Montego Bay.

The Carnival Sunshine will also introduce eight new voyages, including a special 10 day itinerary calling at Cozumel, Isla Tropicale, Montego Bay and Grand Cayman.

From Tampa, the Carnival Spirit will run six, seven and eight day Caribbean routes, visiting destinations such as Belize, Isla Tropicale, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios, Cozumel and Progreso.

The Spirit will further operate six eight day cruises to the Panama Canal, stopping in Limón, Grand Cayman and Colón. On January 30, 2028, the ship will depart on a 13 day Carnival Journeys sailing that includes Grand Cayman, Limón, Colón, Aruba, Curaçao and Ocho Rios.