Carnival to Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday with 10 Special Sailings

The United States’ 250th birthday is coming up in July 2026. 250th birthdays don’t come around often, so you have to celebrate big when they do. To commemorate this special occasion, Carnival Cruise Line has announced a grand celebration for America’s 250th birthday in 2026, with ten special sailings featuring unique patriotic experiences and ship meetups at sea.

A Star-Spangled Celebration at Sea

Carnival, known as “America’s Cruise Line” will offer 10 commemorative cruises with a variety of itineraries ranging from three to eight days. They will depart from all over the US: Miami, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, New York City, Long Beach, and San Francisco.

On July 4, 2026, seven Carnival ships sailing from East Coast homeports will converge near Celebration Key, the cruise line’s private island at Grand Bahama, for a one-of-a-kind celebration at sea. Meanwhile, three ships will unite off the West Coast near Ensenada, Mexico.

During these meetups, each ship will host patriotic-themed deck parties, featuring special entertainment, food, and drinks. They’ll have have a special balloon drop, patriotic arts and crafts classes, Rock & Roll live music, and trivia.

“We’re America’s cruise line, and we’re commemorating this milestone in a big way! Uniting our ships will multiply the fun and make America’s 250th birthday even more memorable for guests who celebrate at sea. The cruises we’re opening for sale today offer great variety, so guests can choose their ideal way to take part in a truly once-in-a-lifetime occasion.” – Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

Diverse Itineraries for Every Cruiser

From the East Coast, guests can choose a shorter or longer cruise. All the East Coast ships will stop at Carnival’s new exclusive destination Celebration Key.

• 3-day sailings on Carnival Conquest and Carnival Glory from Miami and Port Canaveral, respectively.
• 4-day cruises on Carnival Sunrise from Miami and Carnival Elation from Jacksonville.
• 7-day Eastern Caribbean cruise on Carnival Celebration from Miami.
• 8-day Eastern Caribbean sailing on Carnival Vista from Port Canaveral.
• 8-day cruise on Carnival Venezia from New York City.

West Coast cruisers can choose from:

• 3-day Baja Mexico sailing on Carnival Firenze from Long Beach.
• 4-day sailing on Carnival Luminosa from San Francisco.
• 5-day Mexican Riviera voyage on Carnival Radiance from Long Beach.

Bookings Now Open

Bookings for these special sailings are now open. To explore the itineraries and secure your spot for this historic celebration, click here.

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