Florida is home to six fantastic cruise homeports, and one of the most scenic is Port Tampa Bay on the state’s west coast.
Carnival Cruise Line is celebrating three decades of sailing fun from the homeport with a commemorative VIP celebration and a special donation to keep Tampa Bay a stunning destination for everyone to enjoy.
The special ceremony, which included VIPs and cake (what’s a party without cake?), took place aboard the Fantasy-class Carnival Paradise, which sails year-round from Port Tampa Bay with 4-, 5-, and 6-night Western Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries. In 1994, Carnival Cruise Line was the very first cruise line to begin year-round sailings from Tampa.
“Thirty years ago, Carnival saw the potential for year-round sailing in Tampa – and we were right!” said Chris Chiames, the cruise line’s Chief Communications Officer.
“We appreciate the tremendous partnerships we’ve built together over the years and as we celebrate this milestone, we’re not just looking back on three decades of great memories. We’re looking forward to building on our contributions to the Tampa Bay economic story and more fun for many years to come for our many, many loyal guests who love sailing from Tampa.”
To date, more than 10 million cruise passengers have departed Tampa aboard Carnival cruise ships.
In addition to the 71,925-gross-ton Carnival Paradise, the larger, 85,942-gross-ton Carnival Legend will begin sailing from Port Tampa Bay on October 26, 2024. The Spirit-class ship will offer 6-, 7-, and 8-night Western Caribbean and Panama Canal sailings through April 2025.
“Carnival Cruise Line is a special part of our port’s history and has welcomed millions of guests to our beautiful region. Carnival contributes greatly to the region’s tourism and economy and we look forward to many years of partnership ahead,” said Paul Anderson, president and CEO of Port Tampa Bay.
Honoring International Coastal Cleanup Day
In addition to celebrating such a significant anniversary for cruising, the event also highlighted International Coastal Cleanup Day, which is celebrated annually on September 21 since it first began in 1986 in Texas.
Now, cleanup events are held around the world to remove trash from beaches and waterways, preserving critical habitats and protecting marine and beach wildlife.
To facilitate that work in Tampa Bay, Carnival Cruise Line donated a hybrid pick-up truck to Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, a local non-profit dedicated to environmental stewardship of the region.
Read Also: Tampa Cruise Port – Terminals, Transportation, What’s Nearby
“This donation is not just the gift of a vehicle; it is the gift of opportunity, growth, and a brighter future for our community. This truck will be a driving force – literally and figuratively – and it will help us complete more cleanups, plant more trees, and host more educational events than ever before,” said Debbie Evenson, executive director of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.
Furthermore, crew members from Carnival Paradise participated in cleanup efforts along the East Bay near Licata Bridge, just across a short peninsula from the Port Tampa Bay cruise terminals.
Carnival Cruise Line team members regularly participate in volunteer work at the various port communities the cruise line visits, such as helping renovate hospitals, doing other cleanup work, visiting schools, and more.
To further mark the occasion and the strong partnership with Port Tampa Bay, the cruise line unveiled a new sculpture by Ryan Moralevitz, a 16-year-old Tampa artist who creates pieces from discarded trash he collects during cleanup efforts.
The sculpture revealed in conjunction with Carnival Cruise Line is a whale formed from various metallic elements and other debris.
“I was trying to find what symbolized Carnival, and I thought a whale would work perfectly, because of the logo,” Moralevitz explained. “Not a lot of people know what you can find out there. It’s not just straws and stuff people throw, it’s all kinds of stuff. If I can even inspire one person, one person can make a difference, so that would be a big win for me.”
Carnival Cruise Line also partnered with Moralevitz in 2022 when they unveiled five of the artist’s marine life sculptures at Port Tampa Bay, also in recognition of International Coastal Cleanup Day.
