Carnival Mardi Gras to stop in Puerto Rico during its maiden voyage
The maiden voyage of the newest and most modern cruise of the Carnival line, the Carnival Mardi Gras, will include a stop in the Port of San Juan in August, Puerto Rico Tourism Company Executive Director Carlos Mercado confirmed.
The stop is part of the agency’s efforts to expand options for maritime access to the island and continue reactivating Puerto Rico’s tourism industry “firm pace,” he said.
“The arrival of the Carnival Mardi Gras on Aug. 3 reaffirms Puerto Rico’s position as one of the most attractive and important ports in a region as competitive as the Caribbean,” said Mercado.
The ship was named after the cruise line’s first ship, retired in 1993 and it’s a family cruise with a maximum capacity of 6,500 passengers.
Its interior is divided into six thematic zones, including the French Quarter, Summer Landing, and Grand Central.
This will be Carnival’s largest ship, and, unlike the company’s others, its hull will be decorated in classic navy-blue lines with red and white accents. More than 70% of its cabins will have an ocean view or a balcony to enjoy the view during the trip.
The ship is the first to include the Excel category which includes 32 suites and access to the exclusive Loft 19. It is also the first of the company to use liquid natural gas as fuel, reducing its emissions to almost zero.
“We are very excited to finally welcome guests on Mardi Gras,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “With our desire to preserve summer vacations for our Mardi Gras guests, we are going to find a later date to formally christen it so that we can operate these pre-inaugural sailings just as soon as we can.”
Duffy also noted that Carnival intends to expand its initial restart from Florida, Texas and Washington to California, with the return of Carnival Panorama from Long Beach in late August.
Carnival will continue to ramp up more ships and homeports in September and beyond, bringing hundreds of crew on board each week to be vaccinated, complete CDC-mandated quarantine and then begin work to prepare for guests and the return to guest operations, she said.
