Baltimore to Get Carnival Luminosa in 2028
Baltimore cruisers will have another new ship to try in 2028. No, it’s not the Carnival Freedom with its newly shortened funnel. Instead, Carnival Luminosa will be heading to Maryland for a series of Bahamas and Caribbean cruises starting in November 2028.
The ship is an interesting choice for Baltimore. While it’s similar to the Spirit-class ships that have traditionally sailed from the port, it has some significant differences that Carnival cruisers might notice.
More Options for Baltimore Cruisers
Baltimore has long been a popular cruise port for residents of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, allowing guests to visit the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Caribbean without the hassle and expense of airfare.
For years, Carnival Pride faithfully served the port, becoming a fan favorite among local cruisers. The ship began sailing year-round from Baltimore in 2009, giving guests a convenient way to cruise without having to travel to Florida.
But Baltimore has always had some limitations. Ships sailing from the port must pass under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which has a clearance of approximately 186 feet. That has limited Carnival to its smaller Spirit-class ships, which can safely fit under the bridge.
Recently, Carnival has been looking to offer more variety.
In February 2026, the cruise line announced that it would bring a second ship to Baltimore for the first time. Starting in November 2027, Carnival Miracle will join Carnival Pride, offering additional options for cruisers looking to sail from Maryland.
Now it looks like Carnival is continuing that strategy. Starting November 18, 2028, Carnival Luminosa is scheduled to offer seasonal sailings from Baltimore, giving local cruisers another ship to try.
The ship will join the Miracle which will also sail from the port from Sept 2028 – April 2029 visiting different destinations like San Juan, St Maarten, and Bermuda.
Another Spirit-Class Ship, But With Some Differences
Carnival Luminosa wasn’t originally built for Carnival Cruise Line. The ship debuted in 2009 as Costa Luminosa for sister cruise line Costa Cruises. While it’s technically a different design, it shares much of its DNA with Carnival’s popular Spirit-class ships, including Carnival Pride, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Legend, and Carnival Spirit.
In 2022, Carnival transferred the ship from Costa Cruises and gave it a quick makeover to bring it more in line with the Carnival brand.
That included adding several familiar Carnival venues, such as Alchemy Bar, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, RedFrog Rum Bar, Pizzeria del Capitano, and the adults-only Serenity area.
But Carnival didn’t go all the way with the conversion.
The ship is still missing several signature Carnival features, including Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, mini-golf, and waterslides. It also doesn’t have Carnival’s signature whale-tail funnel, instead retaining its original Costa funnel, painted red.
There are some positives, though. The ship has a covered main pool, which could be especially helpful on cruises leaving Baltimore during the colder winter months.
More Enhancements Coming for Carnival Luminosa
Before it makes its debut in Baltimore, the ship will undergo a dry dock in 2028. According to Carnival, it’ll see “refreshed spaces and enhancements throughout the ship.” But beyond that, Carnival isn’t saying what changes are coming.
It would be great to see Carnival finally add Guy’s Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina, two popular venues found on almost every other ship in the fleet. And it’s still one of the few Carnival ships without waterslides or mini-golf.
Carnival Luminosa’s 2028 and 2029 Baltimore Itineraries
Carnival Luminosa is scheduled to begin sailing from Baltimore on November 18, 2028, with a mix of 7, 8, 9, and 12-day cruises.
The itineraries offer a good variety of destinations, ranging from the cruise line’s popular Bahamas destinations to longer voyages visiting the Southern Caribbean.
7-Day Bahamas Cruises
The shortest itineraries will be 7-day cruises to the Bahamas. These sailings visit three destinations:
- RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Carnival’s private island destination
- Celebration Key, Carnival’s exclusive destination on Grand Bahama
- Nassau, Bahamas
The itineraries include three sea days, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the ship.
Departure dates: December 26, 2028, and January 28, February 4, February 11, February 25, March 4, March 11, and March 25, 2029.
8-Day Bahamas Cruise
If you’re looking for a slightly longer trip, Carnival is offering an 8-day Bahamas sailing departing December 18, 2028.
This cruise visits the same three destinations as the 7-day voyages but adds an extra sea day.
Departure date: December 18, 2028.
9-Day Eastern Caribbean Cruises
The 9-day Eastern Caribbean itineraries offer a little more variety, with stops at four destinations:
- Celebration Key, Grand Bahama
- Nassau, Bahamas
- RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay
- Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos
These cruises include four sea days, with two at the beginning and two at the end.
Departure dates: November 18 and December 9, 2028.
12-Day Southern Caribbean Cruises
For cruisers who want to explore more of the Caribbean without flying to Florida, Carnival is offering two different 12-day Southern Caribbean itineraries.
The first, departing November 27, 2028, visits:
- St. Maarten
- Martinique
- Barbados
- St. Lucia
- St. Kitts
The second, departing January 2, 2029, offers a different collection of islands:
- St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Antigua
- Martinique
- St. Maarten
- St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Both cruises feature five ports of call and six sea days, with three consecutive sea days in each direction.
Baltimore Can Thank Australia for Its New Ship
So why is Carnival moving Carnival Luminosa to Baltimore?
For the past few years, the ship has split its time between Alaska during the summer and Australia during the winter. But earlier this month, Carnival announced a major change to its Australian operations.
Starting in March 2028, Carnival will permanently pull both Carnival Luminosa and Carnival Adventure from Australia, cutting its fleet in the country from four ships to two.
As we explored in our previous article on Carnival’s Australian fleet reductions, the decision could also be an attempt to pressure the Australian government as it works on new cruise-industry regulations. While it’s hard to know for sure, it does mean that Australia’s loss is Carnival’s gain.
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