More Europe! Cruise giant Carnival unveils more far-flung itineraries — including one with a twist
Exciting news, Carnival Cruise Line fans: You're getting more options for a sailing in Europe.
The Miami-based cruise giant on Tuesday announced it would position one of its 27 ships, the 2,124-passenger Carnival Legend, in the region for nearly six months in 2026.
The deployment will include Carnival's first-ever solar eclipse cruise — an 11-night sailing from Dover, England, kicking off Aug. 9, 2026. The voyage will include a day positioned at sea to watch a relatively rare total solar eclipse that will be mostly visible from a small portion of the Atlantic Ocean.
The solar eclipse will occur Aug. 12, 2026, across a narrow arc of the ocean between the coast of Spain and Iceland.
Carnival Legend's eclipse sailing also will bring stops in Le Havre and Le Verdon (the port for Bordeaux) in France; St. Peter Port, Guernsey; Vigo, Spain; Lisbon and Leixoes (the port for Porto) in Portugal; and Zeebrugge (the port for Brussels) in Belgium.
In addition to the solar eclipse cruise, Carnival Legend will sail eight more Northern Europe voyages from Dover, with itineraries that range from nine to 12 nights. It'll also operate six Mediterranean cruises out of Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) in Italy.
The Mediterranean cruises will be either nine or 12 nights in length.
Known for its focus on cruises out of North American ports, Carnival offers relatively few sailings in Europe, making these itineraries somewhat rare.
Carnival also positioned Carnival Legend in Europe for this summer and plans to send a single ship (the 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle) to Europe for an extended summer season in 2025.
Two other Carnival ships — Carnival Valor and Mardi Gras — will operate transatlantic cruises to and from Europe in 2025 as they head to and from overhauls at shipyards.
In its Tuesday announcement, Carnival said Carnival Legend would kick off its 2026 Europe season May 24, 2026, with a 14-night transatlantic voyage from Miami to Dover.
In addition to sea days, the transatlantic sailing will bring calls at Liverpool, England; Holyhead, Wales; and Dun Laoghaire (the port for Dublin) in Ireland.
Related: The ultimate guide to Carnival Cruise Line ships and itineraries
Sailings from Dover will bring calls at Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Some of the voyages will also include stops in the British Isles, and one sailing will focus on Iceland with four stops in the country.
The Scandinavia and Baltic cruises, which are part of the deployment, will visit Germany, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium.
The six sailings from Civitavecchia will include stops across Italy, various Greek islands, Turkey and Croatia.
Among the highlights of the Mediterranean sailings will be visits to Istanbul and Kusadasi in Turkey. The latter port is the gateway to the famed ancient ruins of Ephesus.
The schedule includes stops at Piraeus (the port for Athens) and Mykonos in Greece, as well as visits to Naples, Italy, and Split and Dubrovnik in Croatia.
Carnival Legend will end its deployment in Europe in 2026 with a 14-night return journey across the Atlantic beginning Nov. 1, 2026. The sailing will begin in Civitavecchia and end in Tampa with calls at Cartagena and Malaga, Spain, plus Gibraltar and Bermuda.
Carnival is just the latest major cruise line to announce a solar eclipse sailing for 2026. In recent weeks, Holland America has announced three eclipse-watching cruises for 2026. Windstar Cruises, Princess Cruises and Atlas Ocean Cruises also have announced plans for solar eclipse sailings.
Related: Best solar eclipse cruises for 2026
Carnival Legend is one of Carnival's four Spirit Class ships. The line often uses the four vessels for its more far-flung itineraries.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® 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 Rewards® 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® 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 Rewards® 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. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 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 you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® 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 Rewards® 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.