Carnival Radiance Marks 25 Years in Service

Carnival Radiance has celebrated 25 years since joining the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, having been delivered on July 28, 2000.

Originally built at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard in Italy, the 101,509-ton vessel debuted as Carnival Victory, the third ship in Carnival’s Destiny class.

Her inaugural season began with a transatlantic voyage from Italy to New York, followed by short cruises to Canada, visiting ports such as St. John’s and Halifax. The ship also offered itineraries from Charleston during its debut year.

Over the next two decades, Carnival Victory sailed from a variety of U.S. homeports until early 2020, when she returned to Europe for an extensive refurbishment.

The project, initially planned for 45 days, was significantly delayed by the pandemic and eventually completed in late 2021. Carnival invested $200 million into the refit, introducing new venues and design updates.

Among the highlights was “Big Chicken,” a seagoing version of a restaurant concept created by Carnival’s Chief Fun Officer, Shaquille O’Neal. Following the upgrades, the ship was renamed Carnival Radiance and officially returned to service in December 2021, with a naming ceremony where Lucille O’Neal served as godmother.

Today, the 2,984-passenger ship operates from Long Beach, California, offering three- to five-night cruises to Catalina Island, Ensenada, and Cabo San Lucas as part of Carnival’s West Coast program.

Looking ahead, Radiance will expand its schedule in 2025 with two 14-night Carnival Journeys sailings to Hawaii in October and November. These longer voyages will visit Honolulu, Hilo, Kahului, and Nawiliwili.