Carnival Cruise Lines Takes Delivery of Carnival Spirit

Carnival Cruise Lines, a unit of Carnival received its newest fun ship – the $375 million, 88,500-ton Carnival Spirit, during the traditional "hand-over" ceremony at the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland, where the 2,124-passenger vessel was built.

The Carnival Spirit, the 15th vessel in the company’s fleet and the first in a new class of ship for the line, will depart Helsinki Thursday, April 12 on its transatlantic crossing and is expected to arrive Miami on Tuesday, April 24.

Carnival Spirit will begin its inaugural season with a 16-day Panama Canal cruise departing Miami April 29 and arriving in Los Angeles May 15. The ship will then launch a summer program of week-long Glacier Bay and Glacier Route Alaska voyages, followed by two 12-day Hawaii cruises, marking the first time that a Carnival ship has been deployed in those markets. The ship will sail on a 14-day Panama Canal cruise departing Oct. 20 from San Diego to Miami, where it is scheduled to operate a unique eight-day Caribbean program beginning Nov. 3.