A Full Circle Moment as Carnival Celebrates 35 Years at Port Canaveral
On June 7, 2025, Carnival Cruise Line threw an epic party to celebrate sailing out of Port Canaveral for 35 years.
The celebration took place onboard the 180,000 gross-ton Mardi Gras while at Terminal 3 in Port Canaveral, with members of the Canaveral Port Authority, the United States Coast Guard, and Brevard County in attendance.
In 1990, the original TSS Mardi Gras was the first ever Carnival Cruise Line vessel to sail out of Port Canaveral, so it was only fitting to celebrate the momentous occasion on the five-year-old Mardi Gras.
“Port Canaveral has been a cornerstone of Carnival’s success for 35 years,” shared Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line. “We’re proud to celebrate this incredible milestone alongside the community that has been such an essential part of our growth.”
During the event, David German, Port Canaveral’s Vice President of Cruise Business Development, presented Carnival with a framed Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners proclamation, which documented the economic growth that has come out of the partnership.
“We are proud to celebrate Carnival Cruise Line’s 35th anniversary of sailing from Port Canaveral and humbled by what this milestone represents,” added Port Canaveral CEO Captain John Murray.
Murray also sang Carnival’s praises, as the partnership between the two is Port Canaveral’s longest continuous cruise business relationship ever and has had a tremendous economic impact.
Carnival Cruise Line annually has about 300 departures out of Port Canaveral, and because of that, passengers contribute roughly $450 million to the region both before and after their cruises.
Also announced during the event was the cruise line’s donation of a hybrid pickup truck that will aid in the work being done through Keep Brevard Beautiful — a local nonprofit focused on environmental conservation.
This donation was made the same weekend as World Ocean Day (June 8) in an effort to highlight Carnival’s dedication to environmental protection and sustainability.
Mardi Gras arrived at Port Canaveral early on June 7, having just concluded a 7-night round-trip itinerary to the eastern Caribbean.
The ship then departed at 3:30 P.M. after the celebration concluded, and is now sailing an 8-night voyage to the southern Caribbean.
With cruising being more popular than ever, the partnership between Carnival Cruise Line and Port Canaveral shows no signs of slowing down.
Which Carnival Ships Homeport at Port Canaveral?
Currently, four ships from Carnival’s fleet homeport year-round at Port Canaveral, which currently include Mardi Gras, Carnival Vista, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Glory.
From November of 2025 to May of 2026, Carnival Venezia will be seasonally homeporting at Port Canaveral — which it will also be doing from November of 2026 through at least April of 2027.
Another exciting thing happening in 2027 is the deployment of Carnival’s newest ship to this very port!
The fourth Excel class, Carnival Festivale, is currently under construction and will include features that will be new to the entire Carnival fleet.
Beyond being powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), this vessel will feature the cruise line’s largest water park and special music-themed zones.
Read Also: What to Expect When You Go on a Carnival Cruise
While 2027 is a long way off, those cruisers sailing out of Port Canaveral this year will have many opportunities to visit Celebration Key, which is Carnival’s newest private destination.
Carnival Vista is scheduled to be the first ship to arrive in Celebration Key, which will be the third stop on its 8-night round-trip voyage that departs on July 12.
The ship will arrive on July 19 at 8 A.M., and passengers will get to enjoy an 11-hour day at the private destination, which is located in Grand Bahama.
While Carnival Vista may be the first ship to visit Celebration Key, all ships sailing out of Port Canaveral this year will also offer cruises with this particular stop.
The ongoing success of the partnership between the port and the cruise line has driven more opportunities.
As a result of the ongoing success of the partnership between the port and the cruise line, more offerings have been made available to cruisers — which is a win-win-win situation! Now, if only I could win at the onboard casino.
A Full Circle Moment as Carnival Celebrates 35 Years at Port Canaveral