VESSEL REFIT | Carnival Radiance – Carnival Cruise Line’s third Destiny-class ship rejoins fleet following bow-to-stern upgrades

US-based Carnival Cruise Line has resumed operational sailings of one of its older vessels following an extensive US$200 million refit program to extend its service life and upgrade its existing onboard facilities.

The Panamanian-flagged, 13-deck Carnival Radiance was originally completed in 2000 as Carnival Victory and was initially deployed on Caribbean itineraries from its home port in Miami. The ship is the final one of three in the Destiny-class, which is now known as the Sunshine-class following the lead ship's own similar refit program a few years prior.

The Destiny-class ships were built for Carnival by Italian yard Fincantieri in the late 1990s. At the time of their introduction into service, the three sisters were among the largest passenger ships in the world as well as the first class of passenger vessels whose gross tonnage exceeded 100,000.

Carnival Victory's bow-to-stern refit took place in Cadiz, Spain, commencing in March 2020 and finally being completed in October 2021. As with its two ex-Destiny/Sunshine-class sisters, a change in name also became appropriate, as the array of upgrades was so extensive that the ship is considered to have been almost completely rebuilt.

The refurbished Carnival Radiance has a length of 893 feet (272.19 metres), a beam of 116 feet (35.36 metres), a draught of 27 feet (8.23 metres), and capacity for 2,984 guests and 1,108 crewmembers. Diesel-electric propulsion drives two 17.6MW controllable-pitch propellers to deliver a speed of 21 knots.

The 1,492 guest staterooms include interior cabins, ocean view cabins, balcony cabins, and suites. Each stateroom comes with a climate control panel, a safe, a television, and dedicated steward service. Some of the outside cabins even feature floor-to-ceiling windows.

The selection of new amenities on the ship now include spas, fitness centres, restaurants, lounges, bars, activity areas for small children and teenage guests, swimming pools, water parks, retail shops, a casino, venues for live entertainment, a video arcade, an outdoor cinema, a jogging track, and even a miniature golf course.

Shortly after the completion of its drydocking, Carnival Radiance sailed for its new home port of Long Beach, California. Following a formal naming ceremony on December 13, 2021, it began serving week-long itineraries along the Mexican Riviera and four- and five-day sailings to and from other nearby destinations in Mexico alongside Carnival Panorama and Carnival Miracle.

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