Carnival Sunshine Leaving Norfolk, VA in May 2027

Carnival Cruise Line will soon be rotating ships in Virginia, as the Carnival Sunshine departs Norfolk and the Carnival Freedom steps in to operate local itineraries.

After nearly two years sailing from the Half Moone Cruise Center, the Sunshine will conclude its Norfolk deployment in May 2027. The ship first arrived in February 2025, offering five- to nine-night cruises to destinations across the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas, with calls including Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Celebration Key and King’s Wharf.

Despite leaving Virginia, the Sunshine is not being retired. Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald confirmed on social media that the vessel will be reassigned to another, yet-to-be-revealed homeport. “She will still be with us, still bringing the fun and I will be here to share anything with you as soon as I can,” he explained.

Built in 1996 at Fincantieri as the Carnival Destiny, the 101,000-ton vessel underwent a complete transformation in 2013, emerging as the Carnival Sunshine. The refit modernized its staterooms and public areas, boosted capacity to 3,000 guests, and introduced new attractions such as the three-level Serenity adults-only solarium and the Alchemy Bar.

Meanwhile, the Carnival Freedom will take over from Norfolk with six- to eight-night itineraries beginning in 2027. Carnival highlighted the lineup as the most varied ever offered from the port, featuring destinations in the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Canada — including Southern Caribbean favorites like Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire and Grenada.