I’ve never been on a cruise, but Carnival Cruise Line has my ears perked up with its newest journey to Japan. 

Carnival Panorama will begin its expedition from Long Beach, California on August 22, 2024, heading to an array of Alaskan ports including Ketchikan, Endicott Arm Fjord, Sitka, and Icy Strait Point. It will then venture on to northern Japanese ports like Kushiro and Aomori. The trip will feature 11 sea days and a scenic Endicott Arm Fjord cruising day. 

The upcoming voyage is part of the cruise line’s goal to move Carnival Panorama to Asia for a complete reconstruction. No cruises are planned for the ship in September 2024 but once the reconstruction is complete, Panorama will embark on a 25-day transpacific voyage from Singapore to Long Beach starting on October 12, 2024. This trip will include stops in Ho Chi Minh City, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, Manila, Philippines, Guam, Oahu, and Maui as it sails eastward across the Pacific to California.

The Carnival Panorama was introduced in 2019 as the final addition to the Vista Class series of ships. With a capacity of over 4,000 passengers, the ship boasts several features such as the SkyRide, a two-track bike course suspended in mid-air, and the Havana Staterooms with private pool deck and lounge access and lanai balconies. Other notable features include the Sky Zone trampoline park and the Carnival Kitchen program, where passengers can join hands-on culinary experiences led by the line’s chefs.