Cruise giant Carnival just announced what may be its most unusual — and epic — itinerary ever
Carnival Cruise Line is about to operate what just may be its most off-the-beaten-path itinerary ever.
The world's second-largest cruise brand on Wednesday announced that its 2,826-passenger Carnival Luminosa would sail a one-time voyage from Brisbane, Australia, to Seattle, following an epic, roundabout transpacific route that would take it all the way up to Japan and then to Alaska.
Starting on April 1, 2024, the voyage will last 31 days, making it one of the longest cruises in Carnival's 50-year history.
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 mostly short cruises aimed at the local market; occasionally, the line will offer one-off cruises from European ports.
Transpacific cruises that start in Brisbane are rare for any line, not just Carnival. And transpacific cruises that start in Brisbane and include stops in Japan and Alaska are even rarer.
Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Carnival cruise
A pricey transpacific cruise
In another twist, the cruise will come with a price tag that, compared to the typical Carnival cruise, might seem astronomical.
As of Thursday morning, Carnival was listing the sailing on its website starting at $3,449 per person for the least expensive windowless inside cabin, based on double occupancy and not including $389.20 in taxes and fees.
That means booking the least expensive cabin on the sailing will set you back a minimum of $7,676.40. That's many times the typical starting rate of a Carnival cruise. Some of Carnival's most popular itineraries regularly sell at starting rates under $800 for two people.
Even when analyzing the cost on a per-day basis, the starting rate is more than double the cost of many Carnival cruises.
The route
Carnival Luminosa will make the journey as it repositions from Australia to Seattle to operate Alaska sailings for the summer of 2024.
The 31-day itinerary will kick off with six sea days in a row (yeah, you better like sea days) as the vessel heads across the Pacific to the American-owned Pacific island of Guam, a destination that draws relatively few cruise ships, for a day stop.
Then come two more sea days as the ship continues on to the Japanese island of Okinawa — a destination that no Carnival vessel has visited in the line's 50-year history.
From there, Carnival Luminosa will travel north to the Japanese ports of Hiroshima, Yokohama (the port for Tokyo), Aomori and Kushiro.
Four more sea days — and a crossing of the international date line (where you will lose a full day of your trip in an instant, alas) — will bring the ship to Alaska.
Alaska port calls include Seward, Juneau and Ketchikan, and Carnival Luminosa also will visit Alaska's Hubbard Glacier.
The trip ends in Seattle on May 1, 2024.
The voyage is just the latest unusually long, Pacific-focused voyage that Carnival has announced. Just last week, the brand revealed plans for a one-time, 18-night voyage from Long Beach, California, to Yokohama that also will take place in 2024.
Additionally, the line plans a 25-night voyage in 2024 from Singapore to Long Beach.
Both of the latter sailings will take place on the 4,008-passenger Carnival Panorama as it repositions to Asia for an overhaul at a shipyard.
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- 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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| 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.