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Carnival reveals plans for unusual new Panama Canal cruises

Gene Sloan
Gene Sloan
Cruise team lead
As TPG's cruise team lead, Gene Sloan oversees the site's cruise content and also writes many of TPG's main cruise guides. He has spent nearly 30 years writing about cruise ships and cruising, and he is one of the world's best-known authorities on the topic.
Aug. 22, 2024
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4 min read
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Carnival reveals plans for unusual new Panama Canal cruises
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Cruise giant Carnival is about to add a new routing to its lineup of Panama Canal cruises — one that no line has ever offered before.

Scheduled to kick off in 2026, the one-way sailings through the iconic waterway will begin in Mobile, Alabama, and end in Seattle, or vice versa.

It'll be the first time that Carnival or any other line has offered sailings connecting the two cities, which are both cruise hubs.

For now, Carnival plans just two voyages on the new routing, both on the 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit.

Both of the sailings will be just over two weeks long — far longer than most Carnival sailings. The first of the two voyages will start April 12, 2026, in Mobile and end 16 days later in Seattle. The second of the voyages will begin Oct. 8, 2026, in Seattle and end 16 days later in Mobile.

In addition to a transit through the Panama Canal, both of the sailings will include stops at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; and Cartagena, Colombia.

The voyages will take place as Carnival Spirit temporarily repositions from Mobile to Seattle for a summer season of cruises to Alaska.

Carnival Spirit is one of two ships that Carnival plans to deploy to Seattle in 2026 for sailings to Alaska.

Related: The 8 classes of Carnival Cruise Line cruise ships, explained

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Carnival this week said the 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle will also sail to Alaska out of Seattle in 2026.

Carnival Miracle will reposition to Seattle for the 2026 Alaska season from Tampa with a 16-day repositioning cruise through the Panama Canal. As is the case with Carnival Spirit's Panama Canal itineraries, it'll feature stops at Cabo San Lucas, Puntarenas and Cartagena.

After a summer of sailings to Alaska out of Seattle, Carnival Miracle will reposition to Galveston, Texas, with another 16-day cruise through the Panama Canal that stops at Cabo San Lucas, Puntarenas and Cartagena.

The latter trip will begin in Seattle on Sept. 26, 2026.

When based in Seattle, Carnival Miracle will mostly sail seven-day Alaska sailings that depart every Thursday. They'll bring visits to Tracy Arm Fjord for glacier viewing and the Alaskan towns of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. There also will be a stop at Victoria in British Columbia.

Related: The 6 best Alaska cruise shore excursions — from heli-hiking to whale watching

Additionally, Carnival Miracle will offer two longer Alaska sailings: a nine-day trip that adds a visit to Sitka, Alaska, and a 10-day trip that adds a stop at Icy Strait Point, Alaska.

Carnival Spirit will offer a similar seven-night itinerary to Alaska as Carnival Miracle when based in Seattle.

Carnival Spirit also will operate a single 15-day voyage out of Seattle to Hawaii. Beginning Sept. 23, 2026, the voyage will bring calls at Honolulu on Oahu, Nawiliwili on Kauai, Kahului on Maui and Hilo on Hawaii Island, as well as a visit to Victoria, British Columbia.

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Featured image by CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.