Carnival Cruise Lines will expand capacity on the West Coast with the introduction of year-round three and four-day cruises on the 2,052-passenger Carnival Imagination from Long Beach, Calif., beginning January 26, 2014. The move will bring the total number of Carnival ships operating from Long Beach to three and further solidify the line’s position as Southern California’s largest cruise operator.

Carnival Imagination will offer three-day cruises to Ensenada, Mexico, departing on Thursdays and four-day voyages to Catalina Island and Ensenada departing on Sundays. The vessel’s sister ship, Carnival Inspiration, will continue to offer a similar program from Long Beach with three-day cruises departing on Fridays and four-day cruises on Mondays. Additionally, the seven-day Mexican Riviera and 15-day Hawaii programs from Long Beach currently operated by the Carnival Splendor through February 3, 2013 will continue on the Carnival Miracle seasonally from October 2013 through April 2014. Together, these ships will carry approximately 550,000 guests annually from Long Beach – more than any other cruise operator.

Carnival Imagination has undergone an extensive renovation and includes an expansive WaterWorks aqua park, a Serenity adults-only retreat, and a tropical-themed resort-style main pool area, renovated spa and children’s facilities, and more.

Carnival Ecstasy, currently sailing from Port Canaveral, Fla., will reposition to Miami to assume Carnival Imagination’s current three- and four-day Bahamas/western Caribbean itinerary. A sister ship to Carnival Imagination, the Carnival Ecstasy features a number of balcony staterooms, which is a ‘first’ for a Carnival ship operating short cruises from Miami. Carnival Ecstasy’s first voyage from Miami will depart January 10, 2014. Three-day cruises departing Fridays visit Nassau and four-day cruises departing Mondays visit Key West and Cozumel.

Prior to the start-up of its new West Coast schedule, Carnival Imagination will offer a 16-day Panama Canal cruise departing Miami January 10, 2014, and arriving Long Beach January 26, 2014.

In addition to a full transit of the Panama Canal, ports of call on this voyage include Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Cartagena, Punta Arenas, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas

Ensenada, PV, Cabo, Mazatlan and Catalina....Once and a while a line will go nuts and offer La Paz...Great.

I am amazed that no line has bothered to go the route of constructing a private island type environment somewhere along the Baja coast, away from the drug and crime problems, somewhere like Isla Santa Margarita.

And while I am thinking about it, great, another Fantasy class ship with only balconies on the suites.

[ 12-27-2012: Message edited by: jetwet1 ]

Other options are summer cruises up the coast from LA but once you pass Santa Barbara (no port facilities), the gorgeous California coast is often chilly even in summer months and there are no ports until you reach San Francisco.

Mexico and Carnival. NO Thanks.

[ 01-02-2013: Message edited by: Atlcruiser ]

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a country famous for its lack of cuisine and manana spirit would be a good idea is beyond me.

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The allure of a Mexican crew? Doubtful as most North Americans equate Mexico with illegal immigrants, spring break and cheap, fast food.

Tim

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[ 01-03-2013: Message edited by: desirod7 ]

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Originally posted by dmwnc1:
I just can't seem to bring myself to do a Mexican Riviera cruise for some reason. I know I've said this before but its 'Mexico' and three ports in Mexico. It seems like it would all be the same, unlike the Caribbean where Cozumel looks nothing like St. Thomas or Aruba (even though they have pretty much the same tourist trap diamond and tanzanite stores). I was very close this past year (2012) to booking the Zaandam out of San Diego, but I was more excited about the 'San Diego' part than I was the 'Mexico' part. So I opted for the Caribbean again. This year and next will also be the Caribbean but cruising more for the ship than the destinations. I don't suppose I'll ever make it back over to the 'left coast' again.

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Actually, the 3 ports are very different, you just need to look past the port area.

In PV we go zip lining, lots of fun for the day.

Mazatlan (when we actually make it there, 3 times out of 9 cruises) is a beach day.

Cabo, I have a friend that has a restaurant, so we go and eat there, unless Sammy Hager is in town, then we have lunch with him and his family...Naming dropping I know , but in the end, it is still the same 3 ports time and again.

[ 01-06-2013: Message edited by: jetwet1 ]

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Originally posted by jetwet1:

Actually, the 3 ports are very different, you just need to look past the port area.

In PV we go zip lining, lots of fun for the day.

Mazatlan (when we actually make it there, 3 times out of 9 cruises) is a beach day.

Cabo, I have a friend that has a restaurant, so we go and eat there, unless Sammy Hager is in town, then we have lunch with him and his family...Naming dropping I know , but in the end, it is still the same 3 ports time and again.

[ 01-06-2013: Message edited by: jetwet1 ]

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I'm not particularly active on vacations and rarely venture past the port area, and depending on the port I won't make it past the end of the pier. This last cruise was the first time I've done a shore excursion in quite some time and only because I wanted to see St. John more than St. Thomas.

We did a 10 day cruise a couple of years ago on the Carnival Spirit, it also hit Acapulco and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo.

Perhaps it's just a little too upscale for Carnival!

The itinerary was perfect w/two sea days and one day in Cabo. I can take or leave Cabo (we had lunch at the One and Only as past guests which was great) and the sea days were gorgeous.

The weather could not have been better while at sea w/warm breezes blowing over the decks during our mid-November trip. The ship was also cruising at a nice rate of speed down (around 24 knots) and a bit faster northbound to avoid a hurricane coming from the southwest.

It never felt like a tacky party cruise and the ship never felt crowded. We had a nice connecting standard veranda (w/a massive veranda aft) for around $400.00 per person which was a deal! We dined in the two specialty restaurants for every dinner which was very reasonably priced and offered excellent food and service. One of our friends had never been on a cruise and thought it was the best short get-away he had ever had.

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Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:
That is a short cruise the various lines should do more often.

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Originally posted by dmwnc1:

Any short cruise from LA or San Diego that doesn't include Catalina Island and Ensenada is a huge plus. I wonder why the cruise lines won't do more of these hops down to
Cabo like a 5-nighter?

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That cruise we did was a perfect short cruise. As I recall, we departed San Diego on Thursday around 5:00pm, had a sea day on Friday and arrived at Cabo on Saturday morning. After a day (a short day which is all you need) in Cabo we departed around 4:00pm and had another sea day on Sunday before arriving in SD at dawn on Monday. Many people only needed to take one-day off of work for this weekend get-away.

[ 01-15-2013: Message edited by: lasuvidaboy ]

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Originally posted by dmwnc1:
For some reason it seems like most people west of the Mississippi want to cruise the Caribbean, but most people east of the Mississippi won't travel to the west coast for a cruise unless its to Alaska or Hawaii. Anything south of San Diego gets forgotten about.

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My take as an East Coaster, there is not much to see on the Mexican Riviera that is not on any Carribean Island.

Alaska and Hawaii are unique places unlike anything East of the Mississippi, and incredibly beautiful once you get away from the port shopping mall.

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Originally posted by dmwnc1:
For some reason it seems like most people west of the Mississippi want to cruise the Caribbean, but most people east of the Mississippi won't travel to the west coast for a cruise unless its to Alaska or Hawaii. Anything south of San Diego gets forgotten about.

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The water in the Caribbean can be incredible. We have some clear water on the west coast but nothing like the Caribbean. As for Mexico, we enjoy it for the culture, colonial architecture and history.

Hawaii is a beautiful destination but the 10-hour flight from the east coast may make some people think twice about booking a cruise there. Now if I could hop on Air Force One to Hawaii, I would not hesitate!

[ 01-18-2013: Message edited by: lasuvidaboy ]