Carnival concludes record-breaking 2024 ship visit programme

A total of 250 agents joined events onboard the 2,124-guest Carnival Legend, during which they had the opportunity to tour the ship and sample lunch at the Lido.

Visits were held from June to August in Dover, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Belfast.

Jess Hartley, from Paramount Cruises, said: "I cannot fault our Carnival ship visit. We had free time to explore the ship, meaning we got first-hand experience into how our clients would spend their time onboard. We were also given plenty of insight into everything Carnival, broadening our knowledge. Ship visits enable us to bring the product to life for our clients."

Carnival also hosted 15 agents from Barrhead Travel for a one-off visit on Carnival Glory in May, in Barcelona. Jackie Corbett, who attended the event, said: “We had a fun-filled day onboard Carnival Glory, which was fresh from a dry dock. We had the opportunity to see a handful of newly refreshed staterooms and the updated public areas. The food was on another level - it was the best burger I have ever tasted.”

Iain Baillie, vice president international sales at Carnival Cruise Line, said: “Our record-breaking ship visit programme is evidence of our commitment to the trade and we’re delighted that so many agents were able to join us this summer. There is no substitute for first-hand experience, as it enables our trade partners to develop their brand knowledge and confidently promote Carnival to clients.”

Next year, Carnival Miracle will operate nine sailings from Dover, with nine, 12 and 15-day itineraries available. The line’s ship visit programme will be announced in due course.

Carnival has also revealed it will operate a solar eclipse cruise as part of its ex-UK 2026 summer season. The 11-day Carnival Journeys Eclipse voyage on Carnival Legend will depart Dover on August 9, with the solar eclipse taking place on August 12. The itinerary is part of a programme of nine cruises from Dover, with nine to 12-day voyages on sale now.