Cruise giant Carnival is about to send a ship somewhere it almost never does
Carnival Cruise Line is offering something it almost never does: a cruise to Japan.
The world's second-largest cruise brand announced Wednesday that its 4,008-passenger Carnival Panorama would operate a one-time voyage from Long Beach, California, to Yokohama, Japan (the port for Tokyo), on Aug. 22, 2024.
The trip will be unusually long for a Carnival sailing â18 nights â and bring calls in both Alaska and Japan as the ship arcs around the top of the Pacific basin on its way to Yokohama.
As it sails up the coast of Alaska, the ship will visit Ketchikan, Endicott Arm Fjord, Sitka and Icy Strait Point. Calls in Japan will include the northern ports of Kushiro and Aomori. The itinerary includes 11 sea days, plus a day of scenic cruising in Endicott Arm.
The voyage comes as Carnival repositions Carnival Panorama to Asia for a month for an overhaul in a dry dock at a shipyard. No cruises are currently scheduled for the ship in September 2024.
After the monthlong stay in Asia, Carnival Panorama will return to North America by way of another unusual-for-the-brand itinerary announced Wednesday: a 25-day transpacific voyage from Singapore to Long Beach.
The latter trip will begin Oct. 12, 2024, and brings stops in Phu My, Vietnam (the port for Ho Chi Minh City); Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines; Guam; and the islands of Oahu and Maui in Hawaii as the vessel sails eastward across the Pacific to California.
Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Carnival ship
Such far-ranging itineraries are extremely rare for Carnival, which is known for its focus on short cruises out of U.S. ports. Nearly all the line's ships sail out of U.S. ports. The only regular exceptions are a small number of vessels deployed in Australia to offer cruises aimed at the local market; occasionally, the line will offer one-off cruises from European ports.
Among the ships Carnival deploys to Australia is its 3,012-passenger Carnival Splendor, which also will operate two unusually long itineraries in 2024.
In addition to announcing the long Carnival Panorama sailings Wednesday, Carnival said Carnival Splendor would operate a 15-night voyage from Sydney to Singapore on July 21, 2024, that would bring two stops in Indonesia in addition to several calls in Australia.
The ship will make a return voyage of 16 nights to Sydney on Aug. 24, 2024, which also will bring several stops in Indonesia.
Lke the Carnival Panorama sailings, the longer Carnival Splendor sailings also are related to the ship sailing to Asia for an overhaul in a dry dock at a shipyard.
As of Thursday morning, fares for the 18-night sailing to Japan started at $1,979 per person, not including taxes and fees. Fares for the 25-night sailing from Singapore to California start at $1,359 per person.
The long sailings to and from Singapore on Carnival Splendor start at $755 per person.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- The 15 best cruise ships for people who never want to grow up
- What to pack for your first cruise
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsÂŽ points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsÂŽ points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership RewardsÂŽ points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership RewardsÂŽ points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership RewardsÂŽ points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership RewardsÂŽ point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership RewardsÂŽ Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if youâre approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount â all with no credit score impact. If youâre approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsÂŽ points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsÂŽ points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership RewardsÂŽ points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership RewardsÂŽ points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership RewardsÂŽ points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership RewardsÂŽ point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay ItÂŽ lets you tap in the American ExpressÂŽ App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan ItÂŽ gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. Youâll know upfront exactly how much youâll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American ExpressÂŽ Gold Card. Thatâs up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American ExpressÂŽ Gold Card at U.S. Dunkinâ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American ExpressÂŽ Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five StarÂŽ Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind â backed by American ExpressÂŽ service and support. Only for American ExpressÂŽ Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.