The 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor – Carnival Cruise Lines’ largest ship – is shown here docked at Astoria, Oregon, one of the ports featured on its modified seven-day Canada/Pacific cruise schedule from Long Beach, Calif., which runs through June 14.  Other destinations on the three-port itinerary include Victoria and Vancouver.

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                Carnival Cruise Lines will resume visits to Mexican ports of call based on the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, which is no longer recommending against non-essential travel to Mexico. Once all voyages with previously modified itineraries are completed, those vessels will revert to their original routes featuring stops in Mexico.  Most itineraries were modified through mid-June with the exception of the Holiday which was modified through late May. A ship-by-ship listing including dates for when each vessel will resume its original itinerary is available at http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/cruise_control/itinerary_updates.aspx.

            “We are very pleased to resume our previous itineraries to Mexico, one of the cruise industry’s most popular destinations, and we thank those guests who were impacted by the modified schedules in recent weeks for their understanding and patience,” said Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines. 

          Cahill added, “The health and well being of our guests and crew is our highest priority and we are returning to Mexico after careful evaluation and consultation with the CDC.  It is important to note that the concentration of H1N1 flu cases in Mexico has been inland rather than in the coastal resort areas where our ships visit.”  

            Cahill also noted that the cruise industry works closely with U.S. public health officials in the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program in developing and complying with extensive policies and procedures that are effective in mitigating illness aboard cruise ships.  Carnival will continue to follow CDC guidelines for cruise ships which include pre-boarding health questionnaires for all guests and crew, along with secondary screening by shipboard medical professionals as necessary.  Additionally, all Carnival ships stock influenza test kits and anti-viral medications for treating type A influenzas.

            “Mexico has so many wonderful sites and attractions and feedback from our customers suggests that the majority support a resumption of port calls in Mexico. We know that they and our port destination partners are very much looking forward to our return,” he added.

            Carnival Cruise Lines, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:  CCL; NYSE:  CUK), is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 16 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Canada, New England, Europe and Bermuda.  The line currently has two new ships scheduled for delivery between now and 2011.  The first of those, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, is set to debut Sept. 21, 2009.

            For additional information or reservations on the “Fun Ship” vacation experience, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

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            The Carnival Pride recently launched the first year-round cruise schedule from Baltimore when the 2,124-passenger vessel set sail on its inaugural cruise from the South Locust Point Cruise Terminal on April 27.  Read the full story

Miami – (April 29, 2009 – 10:30 a.m.)  There are currently no reported cases of swine influenza on Carnival ships or in any of the ports that we normally visit in Mexico. We are consulting closely with public health officials and government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Homeland Security to monitor the situation.

Nonetheless, we have decided to cancel calls at Mexican ports for all current sailings.  Additionally, we will cancel calls in Mexico for all voyages departing Thursday, April 30 through Monday, May 4.  In many cases, we will be able to substitute the cancelled call with an alternative port and are currently working on those itineraries. Full details will be available by 5 p.m. today.  Guests who do not wish to sail on a modified itinerary will be given the option to re-schedule their cruise for a later date.

Updates will be posted on our website at www.carnival.com.

Carnival enforces the highest of standards for cleaning and sanitation on all of our ships to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We have well trained medical staff and expansive reporting capabilities on board. Working with U.S. public health officials in the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, we have extensive practices and procedures that are effective in mitigating illness aboard our ships.

For further information on swine influenza, visit the CDC’s web site at www.cdc.gov.

To mark the launch of Baltimore’s first year-round cruise program aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride, Carnival Cruise Lines held a special invitation-only reception aboard the vessel attended by more than 200 community leaders, travel agents and VIPs.   Carnival Pride will operate 50 voyages annually, carrying 115,000 passengers a year from Baltimore. Read the full story