Carnival Cruise Line has been traditionally known for offering short sailings to warm-weather locales The line shook things up a bit in 2015 when it launched Carnival Journeys, a series of longer sailings that focus on more than just a surface-level destination experience.
Carnival Journeys cruises, which range from 10 to 14 nights, feature destinations that are less traveled by the line -- including Hawaii and the Panama Canal -- as well as extended versions of the line's traditional Caribbean and Alaska routes.
The longer number of vacation days allows cruisers to explore and experience places that are further away with the right mix of relaxing sea days.
Ports that rarely receive Carnival ships -- like Tobago, Grenada and Glacier Bay National Park -- are found on these itineraries, but Journeys trips also have a greater number of sea days.
There are even Transatlantic cruises that travel to Europe from East Coast ports and take the whole family to bustling metropolitan cities like Barcelona and Valencia.
These voyages incorporate the “Academy of Fun,” which is a unique blend of cultural immersion and might feature native performances or authentic regional cuisine prepared by local guest chefs in the main dining room.
There's a greater variety of entertainment scheduled, along with guest speakers and Q&A sessions with crew members. Travelers can sate their curiosity with educational courses that teach them more about celestial navigation and how mariners navigated the seas before GPS and radar.
Passengers will also find enrichment lectures on topics, like social media and photography, and a Throwback Sea Day designed to recall the early days of cruising with old-school pool contests and '80s-themed trivia contests. Naturally, a midnight buffet closes out this sea day.
Journeys can be offered on almost any Carnival ship and originate out of most of Carnival’s year-round home ports, with 20 or more Journeys cruises scheduled each year.
For markets like Charleston, South Carolina, and Mobile, Alabama, which typically offer only one itinerary, week-in and week-out, Journeys are a way for Carnival to introduce longer cruises to less-oft-traveled destinations.
They also draw a healthy contingent of longtime Carnival loyalists (lots of Diamond and Platinum guests), and the age range is older than typical Carnival cruises with fewer kids.
Prices vary substantially from sailing to sailing, but Carnival Journeys generally command a higher rate (on a per-day basis) than shorter cruises departing out of the same ports.
When booking your Journeys cruise, keep in mind that there will be other expenses like drink packages, souvenirs, gratuities and more that will be added on top of your total cruise fare.
Carnival Cruise Line is well-known for being one of the most affordable operators. If you want to book your family’s dream Carnival Journeys cruise vacation here are some top tips on how to save money.
The list of ships offering Carnival Journeys sailings changes from year to year. You may find Carnival Journeys cruises available on ships like Carnival Freedom, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Magic, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Radiance, Carnival Spirit and Carnival Venezia.