Carnival Radiance

The 2000-built Carnival Victory cruise ship (renamed "Carnival Radiance" in 2021) is the third and final vessel in Carnival's Destiny-class, alongside sisterships Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Sunrise. Following a major drydock refurbishment in Cadiz, Spain, costing USD 200 million, the ship was renamed Carnival Radiance. Her new homeport and cruise itineraries were announced in November 2018.

The vessel (IMO number 9172648) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 355263000) and registered in Colon.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Carnival Victory–Radiance drydock project was delayed twice (CruiseMinus). As a result, the Inaugural Cruise was first rescheduled for June 24, 2020 (4-day roundtrip from NYC to Kings Wharf, Bermuda), and later for November 5 (6-day Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral, Florida).

The ship was officially renamed "Carnival Radiance" on September 23, 2021, in Cadiz. The christening ceremony was held in Long Beach, California. The Inaugural Cruise was scheduled for December 13, 2021, departing from Los Angeles–Long Beach.

History – Construction and Ownership

Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) is a US-based brand and subsidiary of Carnival Corporation. Founded in 1972 by Ted Arison (1924–1999), co-founder of Norwegian Cruise Line, CCL operates the largest fleet by number of ships and gross tonnage. In 2023, CCL held approximately 9% of global cruise revenue and 19% of cruise passenger market share. In 2024, Carnival Corporation accounted for around 51% of the global USD 64+ billion cruise industry.

Although not a Dream-class vessel, Carnival Radiance incorporates nearly all features found on ships like Breeze and Magic, including short-format entertainment (20-minute comedy shows, 30-minute productions), and diverse dining options (sushi, burgers, burritos). The Fun Ship 2.0 upgrades debuted on Carnival Magic (2011) and Carnival Breeze (2012).

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Victory had 1,379 staterooms (including 50 suites) across 34 categories. Following her conversion, Carnival Radiance has 1,448 staterooms (including 52 suites), with most (568) being Interior cabins sized at 185 ft² / 17 m². Additional accommodations include 310 Oceanview, 533 Balcony, and 86 Suite cabins. There are also 18 Cloud 9 Spa staterooms and 31 wheelchair-accessible cabins. The largest accommodations are the Captain’s Suites (505 ft² / 47 m² with 150 ft² / 14 m² terraces), accommodating up to 5 guests.

The 2018 refit added 260 ft² Scenic OceanView and 320 ft² Scenic Grand OceanView staterooms, as well as 820 ft² Captain’s Suites. The ship has 13 passenger decks, with accommodations on 8 of them.

Shipboard Dining – Food and Drinks

Carnival Radiance offers all Fun Ship 2.0 dining upgrades, including Guy’s Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina. The ship features two main dining rooms: Atlantic (midship) and the two-deck Pacific (aft). The complimentary Punchliner Comedy Brunch (sea days only) includes live teaser shows every hour from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm. The Chef’s Table experience (USD 75 per person) includes a galley tour, meet-and-greet with the head chef, and a multi-course gourmet dinner at a private table.

Dining venues include:

• Atlantic Restaurant (702-seat forward dining room with fixed or “Your Time Dining”; themed Seuss At Sea breakfasts available for a $5 fee)
• Pacific Restaurant (1,114-seat aft dining room)
• Guy’s Burger Joint (complimentary poolside burgers)
• BlueIguana Cantina (complimentary Mexican food including burritos and tacos)
• Mediterranean Lido Buffet (1,252-seat, 2-level self-service venue operating as a bistro in the evenings)
• Sushi Bar (complimentary)

Shipboard Entertainment – Fun and Sports

Carnival Victory offered a diverse range of entertainment and activities including ballroom dancing, classical concerts, art auctions, comedy contests, karaoke, and live music. Guests could enjoy shows in the two main lounges, unwind in the adults-only Serenity Retreat, or test their luck in the South China Sea Casino. Kids had access to the Virtual Sea Arcade and age-specific lounges. The open-air City Sports Park included miniature golf, table tennis, and a jogging track.

Entertainment venues include:

• Caribbean Theatre (1,500-seat, 3-level main lounge)
• Victory Atrium (9-deck-high central space with Seven Seas Lobby Bar)
• Odyssey Hall (aft atrium), Neptune’s Way Promenade, Internet Café, Indian Library
• Ionian Lounge (cigar bar), Aegean Bar (sports bar), Coral Sea Café, Caspian Wine Bar, Irish Sea Piano Bar, Black and Red Seas Jazz Lounge
• Club Arctic Disco (211-seat nightclub)
• RedFrog Rum Bar (Caribbean rums, ThirstyFrog Red beer), BlueIguana Tequila Bar (Mexican beers and cocktails)
• Adriatic Lounge (425-seat Punchliner Comedy Club)
• Photo Gallery and Studio, Fun Shops, Formalities Shop
• Circle C (tween club), Virtual Sea Arcade, Club O2 (teen lounge)
• South China Sea Club Casino (484-seat, with Trident Bar)
• Seaside Theatre (outdoor LED screen), Serenity adults-only retreat (with bar and whirlpools)
• Pool areas: Triton’s Pool, Sirens Pool (glass dome), Aqua Park with SplashZone and Twister Waterslide
• Camp Carnival (kids club), Spa Carnival (gym, sauna, treatment rooms, salon)
• SportSquare (mini golf, jogging track, basketball/volleyball courts)

New Shipboard Facilities and Amenities

Post-refit in 2020, Carnival Radiance added several new dining and entertainment options, including:

• Guy’s Pig and Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse (by Guy Fieri), Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse
• Bonsai Sushi, Cucina del Capitano (Italian restaurant)
• RedFrog Pub, Piano Bar 88
• Chef’s Table moved from the galley to the forward dining room
• Big Chicken – a Shaquille O’Neal concept restaurant serving fried chicken sandwiches, sliders, biscuits, salads, and kids’ meals. Complimentary and similar to Guy’s Burger Joint

The ship also received a redesigned WaterWorks park (featuring the AquaTunnel waterslide) and a revamped SportSquare with a ropes course. All cabins were fully renovated.

Itineraries

On November 13, 2018, Carnival announced Carnival Radiance’s initial 2020 schedule featuring 9- to 13-day European cruises, Carnival’s first Cuba sailings from NYC and Norfolk, and 4- to 9-day Caribbean and Canada-New England cruises from NYC. The winter program included Cuba and Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral.

• The maiden season was set to begin April 29, 2020, with a 10-day cruise from Barcelona, followed by Mediterranean voyages to Italy, France, Croatia, Greece, Malta, and Spain. The European deployment was to conclude with a 13-day Transatlantic cruise to NYC (June 11–24).
• From New York City (starting May 21, 2020): 4- and 6-day Bermuda, 4-day Canada, 8-day Eastern Caribbean, and 9-day Cuba cruises (with Havana overnight). Itineraries also included Boston, Portland, Saint John, and Halifax. The program was to end with a 12-day "Carnival Journey" (Oct 19–31) to Fort Lauderdale via partial Panama Canal transit.
• From Norfolk, Virginia (October–November 2020): 5- to 7-day cruises, including Cuba (with Havana overnight), and Bahamas itineraries to Nassau, Freeport, and Half Moon Cay.
• From Port Canaveral (starting November 8, 2020): 6- to 8-day roundtrips. Cuba cruises included Havana overnight and two Bahamian ports. Other cruises visited Grand Turk, Amber Cove, Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Kitts.

Due to the pandemic, the entire 2020–2021 program was canceled. The Inaugural Cruise was postponed to December 13, 2021, from Long Beach, California, to Baja Mexico. On October 18, 2021, the ship began a 7-week relocation from Cadiz to Long Beach, including a Transatlantic crossing, a stop in PortMiami, and a full Panama Canal transit.

In 2025–2026, Carnival Radiance offers roundtrips from Long Beach to Baja Mexico, including 3-day cruises (departing Fridays, visiting Ensenada) and 4-day cruises (visiting Catalina Island and Ensenada).

Carnival Victory’s Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was completed in 2015. Built by Fincantieri Monfalcone, the vessel was part of Carnival’s Triumph-Class, along with sisterships Triumph (renamed Sunrise in 2019), Costa Fortuna, and Costa Magica. The original Destiny-class vessel, Carnival Destiny, was renamed Carnival Sunshine after an extensive refit in 2013. Carnival Victory was christened by godmother Mary Frank, wife of Howard Frank (Carnival Corporation’s Vice Chairman). Her inaugural cruise departed on October 15, 2000, from New York City. The first drydock refurbishment was completed in 2007 under the “Fun Ship 1.0” program.

Nearly 60% of Carnival Victory’s staterooms were Oceanview cabins, with 60% of those featuring private balconies. Highlights of the ship included a two-deck Lido Buffet, a nine-deck atrium with four glass elevators, the three-deck Caribbean Lounge, and a large Spa complex. The vessel’s interior theme was “seas and oceans of the world,” with the atrium dominated by green tones. During the 2007 drydock, a “Seaside Theater” (outdoor LED screen by the main pool) was added.

Until early 2013, the ship operated 7-day Southern Caribbean cruises from its homeport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 2013, Carnival Valor replaced Destiny (then Sunshine) in PortMiami.

In May 2013, Carnival Valor hosted a special music-themed "New Kids on the Block" cruise with over 3,000 fans. The voyage featured a full live concert and nightly deck parties.

Carnival Radiance shares her name with two other cruise ships: Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas (2001-built) and Emerald Waterways’ riverboat Emerald Radiance (2017-built).

Carnival Radiance’s new senior officers include Captain Stefano Bonica (served during drydock, from Sicily, with Carnival since 2000, Master since 2017), Captain Arik Mazzi (post-drydock, from Italy, with Carnival since 2000), Chief Engineer Mauro Fabbrini (from Italy, with Carnival since 1994), and Hotel Director Caroline Bourke (from Ireland, with Carnival since 2004).

On November 16, 2021, Carnival announced Lucille O’Neal (born 1960), author and philanthropist, as the ship’s godmother. She is the mother of Shaquille O’Neal (“Shaq,” born 1972), Carnival’s “Chief Fun Officer” since 2018. The christening ceremony took place on December 12, 2021, at Long Beach, California, ahead of the ship’s December 13 maiden voyage. During the event, Lucille and Shaq officially opened the “Big Chicken” restaurant, Carnival’s second shipboard location of the brand. Carnival President Christine Duffy also attended the ceremony.

Carnival Victory–Radiance Refurbishment 2020–2021 Review

Carnival Radiance was last drydocked in September 2024 at Victoria Shipyards Co. Ltd. (Victoria, BC, Canada) for routine maintenance, safety and classification inspections, machinery overhaul, hull cleaning and repainting, interior updates (new carpeting, tiling, decking), and upgrades to pool areas and outdoor decks.

The major refit from March 21 to October 17, 2020–2021 (at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain) cost USD 200 million. Carnival Victory was renamed “Carnival Radiance.” Post-refit, the ship’s capacities were upgraded: passenger capacity (double occupancy) from 2,774 to 2,984, max capacity from 3,329 to 3,475, crew from 1,040 to 1,108, and cabins from 1,387 to 1,448.

Comparison of Victory vs Radiance cabin numbers by type:

• Interior: 530 → 565
• Oceanview: 327 → 310
• Balcony: 472 → 503
• Suites: 50 → 52
• Spa Cabins: 18 → 93
• Aft-Facing Vista Balcony: 20 → 30

New dining, beverage, and entertainment venues added during the refurbishment:

• Guy's Pig and Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse (by Guy Fieri), Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse
• Bonsai Sushi
• Cucina del Capitano (Italian restaurant)
• RedFrog Pub
• Piano Bar 88
• Chef’s Table (VIP dining experience) relocated from the Galley to the forward dining room
• “Big Chicken” (fleet first) – a complimentary fried chicken venue created by Shaquille O’Neal, offering sandwiches named after his nicknames, along with fries, sliders, salads, strips, biscuits, breakfast items, and kids’ meals (similar in concept to Guy’s Burger Joint)

The ship also features a redesigned WaterWorks park (with the AquaTunnel waterslide) and a new SportSquare (outdoor complex with a suspended ropes course). All staterooms were fully renovated.

Carnival Victory Refurbishment 2018 Review

The 2018 drydock (January 5–20 in Freeport, Bahamas) included:

• Addition of new food and beverage venues: Guy’s Burger Joint, RedFrog Rum Bar, BlueIguana Cantina, BlueIguana Tequila Bar, Bonsai Sushi Express, Cherry on Top
• Buffet Deli redesign
• Two new Captain’s Suites (820 ft²) with extended balconies, two full bathrooms, and separate bedroom/living areas
• New Oceanview categories: Scenic Oceanview (260 ft²), Scenic Grand Oceanview (320 ft²)
• Lido Deck 9 – new forward cabins: 6J Scenic Oceanview (#9196–9199), 6K Scenic Grand Oceanview (#9200–9201), and CS Captain’s Suites (#9202–9203)
• Guy’s Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina added to Lido Deck 9 (both complimentary)
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar added to Lido Deck 9
• Cherry on Top candy shop added to Promenade Deck 5
• Camp Carnival transformed into Camp Ocean (Deck 12)
• Technical upgrades, including shoreside power capabilities

Carnival Radiance Inaugural Cruise 2021 Itineraries

In August 2020, Carnival announced the extended out-of-service period for Carnival Victory, postponing the refit completion until early May 2022. Initially, the inaugural cruise was scheduled for June 24, 2020 (4-day roundtrip from NYC to Kings Wharf, Bermuda), later moved to November 5 (6-day Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral), and eventually to December 13 (4-day Baja Mexico from Los Angeles–Long Beach).

A total of 76 Carnival Radiance cruises scheduled between November 8, 2020, and April 29, 2022, were canceled. The canceled deployment included homeporting from Port Canaveral (Nov 2020 – Apr 2021) and Galveston, Texas (May 2021 – Apr 2022).

The canceled Port Canaveral program featured roundtrips to:

• Western Caribbean (7-day: Belize City, Roatan, Costa Maya)
• Eastern Caribbean (6-day: Nassau, Amber Cove, Grand Turk)
• Eastern Caribbean (8-day: St Maarten, St Kitts, San Juan, Grand Turk)
• Southern Caribbean (8-day: Aruba, Bonaire, Grand Turk)
• 12-day repositioning cruise to Galveston: Aruba, Curacao, Cartagena, Panama Canal, Puerto Limon, Cozumel

The canceled Galveston program included roundtrips to:

• Western Caribbean (5-day: Progreso and Cozumel)
• Eastern Caribbean (9-day: Key West, Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, Nassau)
• Western Caribbean (9-day: Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize City, Costa Maya, Cozumel)
• Panama Canal (9-day: Cozumel and Puerto Limon)
• Eastern Caribbean (14-day: Key West, Amber Cove, San Juan, St Thomas, St Kitts, St Maarten, Tortola, Montego Bay)

Carnival Radiance Inaugural Voyages 2021 (Canceled)

On July 7, 2020, Carnival announced they were evaluating shipyards capable of completing the Carnival Victory–Radiance conversion. The project was expected to be completed in Q1 2021. The maiden voyage was rescheduled from November 8, 2020, to May 2, 2021. A total of 25 cruises (November 8, 2020, through April 24, 2021) were canceled.

The following table shows one of the canceled inaugural voyages:

12-day repositioning cruise from Port Canaveral to Galveston – starting at USD 780 pp (Inside Cabin, double occupancy)

9-day inaugural "Panama Canal" - from USD 810 pp

5-day inaugural "Western Caribbean" - from USD 480 pp

9-day inaugural "Eastern Caribbean" - from USD 960 pp

Following the USD 200 million drydock reconstruction and refurbishment (planned for March 19 - April 29, 2020, in Cadiz Spain) the new Victory-Radiance ship was planned to offer 5x Mediterranean roundtrips from Barcelona. However, these itineraries were all canceled.

The ship's deployment was changed (from the Caribbean to Baja Mexico) and the MAIDEN VOYAGE was rescheduled first for November 5, then for December 13, 2021.

(Maiden Voyage) 4-day Baja Mexico itinerary (from $160 pp)

Inaugural 3-day baja Mexico itinerary (from $175 pp)

Godspeed!