Largest Cruise Ship to Sail from Norfolk Arrives Sunday

Carnival resumes operations with 4,000-passenger vessel

Photo Credit: GLF Investments

Norfolk, Va. (May 12, 2022) — Mid-Atlantic cruisers will have their first chance to sail from Norfolk since 2019 as the 4,000-passenger Carnival Magic arrives at Nauticus on Sunday, May 15, 2022. This marks the first embarkation from the mermaid city since the COVID-19 pandemic began; the Carnival Magic is the largest cruise ship ever to sail from Virginia.   

“We’re ready to welcome back our partners at Carnival and roll out the red carpet for these passengers,” said Nauticus’ executive director, Stephen E. Kirkland. “This particular ship is just massive, and the downtown skyline will look dramatically different when it arrives.” 

Carnival Cruise Line officials will join the Nauticus team to welcome the first Bahamas-bound passengers into the terminal on Sunday morning. In total, 11 Carnival voyages will depart from Nauticus in 2022, visiting destinations in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Carnival Magic is scheduled to depart for the Bahamas at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday and the community is encouraged to come watch the 1,000-foot-long ship sail away. Tag #nauticuscruise in your cruise pictures for a chance to win a Nauticus “Drones” Prize Pack! Terms: One entry per person. The entry closes on Wednesday, April 18, at 5 p.m. One selected winner will be contacted on Thursday, April 19. No purchase is necessary. Prize cannot be exchanged or traded for cash value.

About Nauticus
Located on the Nauticus campus, the Peter G. Decker, Jr. Half Moone Center is Virginia’s only cruise terminal. Nauticus Foundation is the nonprofit, 501©3 that supports the mission and activities of Nauticus. Nauticus’ mission is to benefit the community through education, impactful experiences, and sharing access to maritime resources. For more information, visit www.nauticus.org