NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Carnival Cruise Line celebrated 30 years of sailing out of New Orleans on Monday, May 6.
Officials with the cruise line announced the arrival of a new permanent ship, Carnival Liberty, to commemorate the anniversary.
“This is the Carnival Liberty’s first ever voyage, sailing out of the beautiful city of the Port Orleans after cruising out of Cape Canaveral, Florida the past seven years,” said Cruise Director Adam Gilbert.
Carnival Cruise Line has been at the forefront of cruises for New Orleans. Carnival officials hope the new addition will bring in more business.
“We estimate we’re going to sail about 400,000 guests out of New Orleans this year,” said Chief Communications officer for Carnival Cruise Line Chris Chiames. “We expect another record year. We saw that in 2023 and we expect that to continue.”
The economic impact is not just felt by the cruise line, but also by businesses in the Big Easy.
“Every guest that comes in a Carnival Cruise spends money in the city. Whether it be coming in early and spending a few nights in the hotel, eating at restaurants, parking their car, they’re generating revenue and income,” said Chiames.
The ship is filled with family activities and offers unique experiences for those craving adventure.
“We’ve got so many new features, so many new entertainments on board as well, that they’re going to absolutely love,” said Gilbert.
The boat will be going on year-long trips, taking people to and from dreamy destinations.
Carnival Liberty is switching places with the ship Carnival Glory. May 6 is the beginning of a series of cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
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