Carnival adds summer cruise from Jax

Jason · November 26, 2003

Ann Candler King

Carnival Cruise Lines is having so much fun at Jacksonville's port, it wants to continue the party over the summer, its busiest season.

The company announced plans to deploy the 1,486-passenger "Fun Ship" Jubilee on a series of four- and five-day cruises from the Jacksonville Port Authority from May 11 through Aug. 26.

Four-day cruises will depart Thursdays and visit Freeport and Nassau, The Bahamas, and five-day cruises will depart Mondays and Saturdays and visit Key West and Nassau, according to a news release.

Jubilee is Carnival's third ship scheduled to depart form Jacksonville in 2004. From Feb. 27 to April 27, the 2,124-passenger Miracle will operate three-, five- and six-day trips. In the fall, the 1,452-passenger Holiday will kick off Jacksonville's first year-round cruise program with a six-day voyage on Oct. 17, followed by the launch of four- and five-day service on Oct. 23.

The company wants to close the gap between the two programs to maintain a consistent presence in Jacksonville, said Jennifer de la Cruz, spokeswoman. She said Carnival wants to avoid "a situation where people night be interested and they find out it's not available and move on to some other vacation choice."

The 47,262-ton Jubilee features three swimming pools, an Internet cafÃƒÂ©, a casino, a fitness center, and 10 lounges and bars, the release said.

Jacksonville's port also became host to Celebrity Cruise Line's Zenith this year. The first voyage left the city's temporary, $5.5 million, 63,000-square-foot Dames Point facility in October.

Officials from the port and the city's Planning and Development Department are moving ahead on negotiations with engineering firm CH2M Hill to study the feasibility of turning the old Ford assembly building, near Talleyrand Avenue just north of the Matthews Bridge, into a permanent cruise terminal.