Virginia will get its largest cruise ship ever as Carnival expands
There's big news for cruising fans in Virginia. Carnival Cruise Line revealed on Thursday plans to give the state its biggest cruise ship ever.
The world's largest cruise line by number of vessels announced it would base its 130,000-ton Carnival Magic in the city for several months in 2021. The 3,690-passenger ship will operate a series of 12 voyages to Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
Carnival Magic will become the biggest ship ever to sail out of Norfolk, the line said.
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Carnival Magic is taking the place of two smaller Carnival vessels that are sailing seasonally out of Norfolk this year: The 101,509-ton Carnival Sunrise and 101,509-ton Carnival Radiance. Together, the two smaller ships are operating seven voyages out of Norfolk in 2020.
Carnival has offered seasonal sailings out of Norfolk for nearly two decades, with a varying array of vessels.
Thursday's announcement came as Carnival signed a new agreement with the City of Norfolk that commits it to operating cruises out of the city for at least another five years.
As part of the agreement, the city will make upgrades to its Half Moone Cruise Center that include the addition of a new boarding bridge.
“Norfolk has been a valued partner for nearly 20 years, and we’re delighted to expand upon this relationship with this five-year contract that will bring exciting new choices from the Half Moone Cruise Center,” Carnival president Christine Duffy said in a statement. "Our cruises from Norfolk have been very well received by our guests, and this new agreement speaks volumes about our confidence in growing this market.”
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Carnival sailings out of Norfolk are primarily aimed at the local Virginia market and travelers from nearby states who drive to the city for the trips.
The leader in low-cost cruises out of U.S. ports, Carnival purposely deploys its vessels to a wider variety of U.S. “home ports” than other lines to make traveling to them easier and less pricey. In addition to Norfolk, Carnival bases ships at least part of the year in the New York City-area; Baltimore; Charleston, South Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans; and Galveston, Texas, as well as all the major Florida cruise hubs.
The idea is that a large percentage of the U.S. population can reach a Carnival ship by car, saving the cost of flights.
Unveiled in 2011, Carnival Magic is one of Carnival's bigger ships, but nowhere near as big as the line's soon-to-debut Mardi Gras. At 180,000 tons, Mardi Gras will be more than 35% bigger than Carnival Magic. Mardi Gras also will be significantly bigger than Carnival’s current flagship, the just-unveiled, Los Angeles-based Carnival Panorama.
Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises
Like several of Carnival's newer ships, Carnival Magic is home to an outdoor SportSquare area with a suspended-in-the-sky ropes course; a WaterWorks waterpark with two large waterslides; and an adults-only deck-top retreat. Its interior is full of signature dining venues, bars and showrooms.
The ship's 12 sailings out of Norfolk in 2021 will include five- and six-night cruises to the Bahamas and four- to six-night voyages to Bermuda. The schedule also includes a single seven-night cruise that pairs a stop in Grand Turk with two stops in the Bahamas. A single eight-night Caribbean sailing will feature stops at Grand Turk; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and St. Thomas.
The trips will take place in May, June, September and October of 2021. Fares start at $529 per person for a five-night Bahamas cruise, not including taxes and fees.
Carnival Magic will also spend part of 2021 sailing in the Mediterranean, in addition to operating cruises out of Port Canaveral, Florida; Miami; and New York City.
Planning a cruise for 2020? Our planning guide starts here:
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- Comparing Carnival, Disney and Royal Caribbean for families
- 5 cruise lines to try if you just can’t stand being around kids on vacation
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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.