It’s not the dawning of the age of Aquarius, but Carnival Cruise Line has aligned the stars to send Funship 2.0 poster ship Carnival Sunshine on the road, calling in New York City for  series of 20 voyages in 2016.  It’s part of a strategic move by the world’s most popular cruise line to increase drive-to-cruise embarkation points, enabling more travelers to avoid the often high cost of airfare and sail more.

New York Departures mark the first time a Fun Ship 2.0-endowed ship will offer such a diverse itinerary schedule from the Big Apple,  with options ranging from value-packed two-day cruises to exciting 10-day Caribbean voyages.

• Two-day cruises departing June 18 and Oct. 8, 2016
• Four-day cruises to Saint John departing June 30 and July 28, 2016
• Five-day sailings to Saint John and Halifax departing June 20 and 25 and Oct. 10, 2016
• Seven-day Canada/New England cruises to Boston, Portland, Saint John and Halifax departing Sept. 3, 10, 17 and 24 and Oct. 15, 2016

Still to call Florida’s Port Canaveral home, Carnival Sunshine will also offer a series of sailings Charleston, South Carolina and Norfolk, Virginia in the summer and fall of 2016.

Charleston Departures might indicate a coming to terms of sorts, recalling the tumultuous relationship between the cruise line and Charleston business community (rosy) and Charleston Historical Society (not-so rosy).

• Two-day cruise departing Nov. 11, 2016
• Four-day voyage to Nassau departing May 26, 2016
• Five-day Bahamas cruises to Nassau and Freeport departing May 21 and Nov. 6, 2016
• 10-day Carnival Journeys cruise departing May 30, 2016 and featuring St. Thomas, Antigua, Martinique, St. Kitts and San Juan 

Norfolk returns to the Carnival stable of convenient ports after a 2013 final departure left the city shipless.

• Two-day cruises departing June 10 and Oct. 28
• Five-day voyage to Nassau and Freeport June 12
• Five-day Bermuda cruise overnighting in King’s Wharf Oct. 23
• Six-day Bahamas cruise to Nassau, the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay and Freeport departing Oct. 30

“Carnival Sunshine has an extraordinary array of guest features and facilities and will provide consumers and our valued travel agent partners with a wide range of itinerary choices from these highly attractive East Coast homeports,” – Christine Duffy, Carnival’s president.

Back Home In November 2016
Following these departures from New York, Charleston and Norfolk, Carnival Sunshine will return to its current homeport of Port Canaveral, Fla., to offer a schedule of five- to eight-day Caribbean voyages from the Space Coast beginning in November 2016.

• Five-day cruises to Freeport, Nassau and Half Moon Cay departing Nov. 14, 2016, Jan. 8, Feb. 19 and April 2 and 23, 2017
• Five-day cruises to new cruise port Amber Cove and Grand Turk departing Dec. 26, 2016, Jan. 19 and March 12, 2017
• Seven-day eastern Caribbean sailings to Amber Cove, St. Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk departing Nov. 19 and Dec. 3, 2016
• Seven-day western Caribbean cruise to Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay, Belize and Cozumel departing Nov. 26, 2016
• Interesting Eight-day southern Caribbean cruises visiting Aruba, Curacao and Grand Turk departing Dec. 31, 2016, Jan. 21, March 4 and 25, and April 28, 2017
• Also interesting Eight-day southern Caribbean voyages to Aruba, Bonaire and Grand Turk departing Dec. 10, 2016, Feb. 3 and April 15, 2017
• Eight-day eastern Caribbean cruises to Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Kitts and St. Maarten departing Dec. 18, 2016, Jan. 13, Feb. 11 and 24, March 17 and April 7, 2017
• Bonus interesting Nine-day Carnival Journeys voyage visiting St. Kitts, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Maarten departing April 29, 2016

Business As Usual After Coming Home
Carnival Sunshine will operate three previously announced Carnival Journeys adventures in 2015-16 – an 11-day voyage departing Port Canaveral Nov. 28, 2015, a 10-day cruise departing San Juan Dec. 9, 2015, and a 13-day voyage departing Port Canaveral Feb. 21, 2016.  The six Carnival Journeys cruises operated by Carnival Sunshine are the most of any Carnival ship.

Guests sailing on these voyages can experience all that Carnival Sunshine has to offer, including a stunning three-deck-high Serenity adults-only retreat with its own pool and waterfall.

The ship also features one-of-a-kind dining experiences like JiJi Asian Kitchen, a massive WaterWorks aqua park featuring the longest slide in the fleet, a SportSquare outdoor recreation area with a suspended ropes course, and innovative bar concepts like Havana Bar, all of which were added during a groundbreaking $155 million makeover that transformed Carnival Destiny into pretty much a brand new ship.

Unforgettable Experiences Onboard and Ashore

Each of these destinations offers a variety of exciting landside experiences, including world-class beaches, unique dining, shopping and sightseeing opportunities, interesting landmarks and attractions and a rich history and cultures.

While aboard Carnival Sunshine, guests can enjoy the ship’s luxurious Cloud 9 Spa, savor delicious culinary choices like the Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse, the Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant, and Guy’s Burger Joint developed in tandem with Food Network personality Guy Fieri.  Guest can also enjoy fun entertainment options like the Punchliner Comedy Club presented by George Lopez, audience favorite Hasbro, The Game Show, and high-tech Playlist Productions shows.

In addition to unforgettable experiences both on board and ashore, these sailings depart from three highly convenient homeports, providing consumers with an easy and affordable means for getting to and from their “Fun Ship” cruise.

Three Carnival Sunshine voyages – the nine-day cruise departing Port Canaveral April 29, 2016, the 10-day cruise departing May 30, 2016 from Charleston and the nine-day voyage departing Aug. 25, 2016 from New York – are part of the line’s recently announced Carnival Journeys series that feature exceptional ports and unique on-board experiences showcasing local cuisine, entertainment and cultural opportunities. Enrichment seminars focusing on photography, cooking, arts and crafts, social media and celestial navigation, along with a 1980s-themed “Throwback Sea Day” and question and answer sessions with shipboard personnel, will also be offered.