Carnival Miracle

Carnival Miracle docked in Puerto Vallarta in April 2017.
History
NameCarnival Miracle
OwnerCarnival Corporation & plc
OperatorCarnival Cruise Line
Port of registryPanama City,  Panama
Builder
CostUS $375 million
Yard number503
LaunchedJune 5, 2003
Sponsored byJessica Lynch
ChristenedFebruary 27, 2004
Completed2004
Maiden voyageFebruary 27, 2004 (Bahamas)
In service2004–present
HomeportLong Beach, CA
Identification
Statusin active service
Notes[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeSpirit-class cruise ship
Tonnage88,500 GT
Length963 ft (294 m)
Beam105.7 ft (32 m)
Draft25.5 ft (8 m)
Decks12 decks
Installed power
PropulsionTwo ABB Azipods (17.6 MW each)
Speed22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity2,124 passengers
Crew930
Notes[1]

Carnival Miracle is a Spirit-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. Built by Kværner Masa-Yards at its Helsinki New Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland, she was floated out on June 5, 2003, and christened by United States Army soldier Jessica Lynch in Jacksonville, Florida, on February 27, 2004.[2][3][4] Soon after the conclusion of the christening ceremony, she departed on her maiden voyage, a three-day cruise to the Bahamas.[2]

Carnival Miracle has an eleven-story atrium with a ruby-red glass ceiling, which is also part of the "whale tail" funnel.[5] Next to every room is a large picture of a famous fictional character, such as Long John Silver or Sherlock Holmes.[6]

Carnival Miracle at Santa Catalina island in February 2024

Areas of operation

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Carnival Miracle under construction at Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki on June 16, 2003.

Prior to April 2012, Miracle undertook Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale and Tampa Bay, Florida during the winter months and during the summer months from New York City.

From April 2012 to March 2013, Carnival Miracle sailed year-round from New York City, New York to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.[7]

In March 2013, Carnival Miracle sailed through the Panama Canal repositioning to the West Coast sailing alternating cruises from Long Beach, California & Seattle, Washington.

On March 8, 2015 the Miracle entered "Drydock #2" operated by BAE Systems at Pier 70 in San Francisco, California to be refurbished.

In October 2015, Carnival announced that Carnival Miracle, would be repositioned to China in 2018 offering year-round short cruises. This plan was subsequently cancelled in May 2016[8] and in November 2016, Carnival announced that Miracle would relocate to Tampa, Florida in January 2018 to undertake cruises to the western Caribbean.[9]

On January 27, 2018, Carnival Miracle departed on her first sailing from the new homeport. Before reaching Tampa, the ship transited the Panama Canal.[10]

In June 2018, the cruise line announced that Carnival Miracle would reposition to San Diego, California in late 2019. It is intended that she will operate from there until February 2020.

When Carnival Splendor repositioned from Long Beach to Sydney in October 2019, Carnival Miracle was temporarily homeported at the Port of Long Beach. She did 7-day Mexican Riviera cruises, serving as a placeholder for Carnival Panorama until the latter took over the itinerary on December 11, 2019.

She will also do seasonal repositionings to San Francisco during the spring and summer months beginning March 19, 2020.[11]

In March 2023, it was announced that Carnival Miracle would reposition to Galveston in October 2024 and will be the fourth ship based out of that homeport. The ship will offer longer nine to twelve day sailings to the Western and Eastern Caribbean.[12][13]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Ward, Douglas (2005). Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. ISBN 978-9812467393.
  2. ^ a b "Jessica Lynch Christens Carnival Miracle In Jacksonville". Cruise Critic. The Independent Traveler, Inc. February 28, 2004. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  3. ^ Seldon, Lynn (October 2004). "Carnival Miracle: Wherein Farcusian Fiction Becomes Reality". Cruise Travel: 46–49. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  4. ^ Smith 2010, p. 45.
  5. ^ "Carnival Miracle - Destination Oceans". Destination Oceans. Archived from the original on January 6, 2009. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
  6. ^ "Carnival Miracle". HanBanPhotos. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  7. ^ "Carnival Miracle to Offer Year-Round Eight-Day Caribbean/Bahamas Cruises from New York Beginning in April 2012". Carnival-News. June 15, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  8. ^ "Carnival Spirit to Offer Winter Season in Shanghai for Carnival's First China Cruises". Cruise Critic. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  9. ^ "Carnival to offer sailing through new Panama Canal locks". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  10. ^ "Carnival Cruise Line News". carnival-news.com. January 26, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  11. ^ "Carnival Cruise Line Moving Cruise Ship from Florida to California". cruisefever.net. June 28, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  12. ^ "Carnival Miracle Repositioning to Galveston".
  13. ^ "Fourth Carnival Cruise Ship Will Be Based Out of Galveston, Texas". March 2, 2023.

Bibliography

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