Carnival Cruise Line celebrates 20 years of impact in Jacksonville

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Carnival Cruise Line is celebrating a significant milestone, marking 20 years of year-round sailing from Jaxport.

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A recent report by Martin Associates found Carnival Cruise Line generated more than 870 jobs and contributes more than $211 million annually to Northeast Florida’s economy.

“Celebrating two decades of fun from Jacksonville. Welcoming over 3 million guests over the 20 years is incredible for us,” Carnival Cruise Line Vice President of Port Operations David Candib.

The Jacksonville Port Authority announced earlier this year it had reached an agreement with Carnival to continue cruise service from Jacksonville into 2026, with options to extend through 2030.

“Today, we are operating extremely well in the current location. There are some challenges with the air draft coming in and out. So, there are some limitations we have as a cruise line to date,” Candib said.

In honor of Veteran’s Day weekend, Carnival partnered with K9s for Warriors to sponsor a service dog named Jackson—named after the city of Jacksonville. The nonprofit organization helps veterans with PTSD by providing them with service dogs.

“We sail more active military and veterans than any other cruise line. This is of critical importance for us. So, we try to find unique ways to partner with local organizations,” Candib said.

“And we are overjoyed that carnival has selected us with sponsorship of a dog. It allows us to save a life,” Chief Executive Officer of K9s for Warriors Daniel Bean said.

The Carnival Cruise Line has no plans to relocate their terminal.

“We are looking forward to another 20 years and 3 million more guests sailing from Jacksonville,” Candib said.

With the addition of a second cruise service set to launch in the fall of 2025, that economic impact is expected to grow by an additional 336 jobs and $76 million.

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