Although more than a year away, the Carnival Cruise Line is announcing plans to sail a second cruise ship in Tampa Bay waters starting in January 2018.
The cruise ship Carnival Miracle will operate seven-day Caribbean cruises from Port Tampa Bay. It will join the Carnival Paradise, which operates year-round four- and five-day Caribbean cruises from Tampa.
"We are excited for the 2018 cruise season and welcoming the Carnival Miracle to Tampa Bay's cruise picture," said Paul Anderson, port president and CEO. "With this addition the port and the Tampa Bay community will host over a million cruise passengers for the first time ever and bolster its position as a top ten cruise port.
"Carnival Cruise Line, our longstanding cruise partner, has continued to show their confidence and commitment in the Tampa Bay market and Port Tampa Bay. We look forward to continuing this relationship for years to come."
The 2,124 passenger Carnival Miracle will launch its schedule of seven-day Caribbean cruises from Tampa on Jan. 27, 2018.
The week-long voyages will depart from Port Tampa Bay on the weekend and feature four, popular Caribbean ports of calls, including George Town, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; Mahogany, Isla Roatan; and Belize City, Belize. Each locale is known for world class beaches, water sports and a variety of onshore excursions.
