CARNIVAL RADIANCE
July 18, 2025 | Long Beach, California
Carnival Radiance (Carnival Cruise Line) was in Long Beach on July 18, 2025, during a turnaround between two short cruises to Mexico. The ship returned that morning from a four-night voyage to Catalina Island and Ensenada before preparing to depart again on a three-night Baja Mexico cruise.
Originally entering service as Carnival Victory in 2000, Carnival Radiance emerged from an extensive rebuilding program in 2021 with new interiors, restaurants, entertainment spaces, and a new name. She now operates primarily from Long Beach, serving the Southern California cruise market with short voyages to Mexico and Catalina Island.
Information List
Name: Carnival Radiance
Former Name: Carnival Victory
Operator: Carnival Cruise Line
Year Entered Service: 2000
Entered Service as Carnival Radiance: 2021
Shipyard: Fincantieri, Monfalcone, Italy
Class: Destiny Class
Length: Approximately 893 feet (272 meters)
Beam: Approximately 116 feet (35 meters)
Tonnage: Approximately 101,500 GT
Guest Capacity: Approximately 2,984
Crew: Approximately 1,100
Passenger Decks: 13
Country of Registry: Bahamas
IMO Number: 9172648
History and Features
Construction and Early Career:
The ship was built by Fincantieri at Monfalcone, Italy, and entered service in 2000 as Carnival Victory.
She was the third ship in Carnival's Destiny Class, following Carnival Destiny and Carnival Triumph.
During more than two decades as Carnival Victory, the ship operated a variety of Caribbean and North American itineraries.
Her original design represented the generation of large Carnival ships introduced around the turn of the century.
Transformation into Carnival Radiance:
Carnival planned an extensive transformation of Carnival Victory as part of a program that also produced Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Sunrise.
After delays associated with the cruise industry's 2020 shutdown, the rebuilding was completed in 2021.
The ship emerged as Carnival Radiance, receiving extensive changes to passenger accommodations, dining, entertainment, and public spaces.
The transformation introduced many venues associated with newer Carnival ships while retaining the basic structure of the original vessel.
Design and Features:
Carnival Radiance includes a broad selection of casual dining, entertainment, and outdoor recreation areas.
The transformation added venues including Big Chicken, Guy's Burger Joint, and Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse.
Updated public spaces and accommodations gave the ship a substantially different onboard identity from her years as Carnival Victory.
Despite the extensive rebuilding, the ship retains the basic hull and engineering heritage of the vessel that entered service in 2000.
Service:
Following her transformation, Carnival Radiance began operating from Long Beach in Southern California.
Her regular program has included three- and four-night cruises to destinations such as Ensenada and Catalina Island, along with longer Mexican Riviera and occasional extended voyages.
Long Beach has become closely associated with the ship, which operates alongside other Carnival vessels serving the West Coast market.
Carnival markets its Long Beach departures as cruises from Los Angeles, while the ships actually use the Long Beach Cruise Terminal.
Long Beach – July 18, 2025:
Carnival Radiance arrived in Long Beach on the morning of July 18 after completing a four-night cruise that departed July 14.
That voyage visited Catalina Island on July 15 and Ensenada on July 16, followed by a day at sea before returning to Long Beach.
July 18 was also the beginning of the ship's next voyage, a three-night Baja Mexico cruise from Long Beach.
The turnaround illustrates the short-cruise schedule that has made Carnival Radiance a regular presence in Long Beach.
Legacy:
Carnival Radiance combines the structure of an early-2000s Carnival ship with the amenities introduced during one of the company's most extensive ship transformation projects.
Her history as Carnival Victory connects two generations of Carnival's fleet development.
Since emerging from the rebuilding program, she has become a familiar part of Carnival Cruise Line's year-round Southern California operation.
