--- title: Carnival Radiance Returns Refreshed to Long Beach description: Carnival returns a refreshed ship to Long Beach as 2028-2029 west coast bookings open for Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico cruises. image: https://blog.swblack.com.au/hubfs/Carnival%20Radiance%20Returns%20Refreshed%20to%20Long%20Beach.png --- [![S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-white-high-res](https://blog.swblack.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-white-high-res.png?width=250&name=S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-white-high-res.png "S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-white-high-res")](https://swblack.com.au/) Search toggle - [Home](https://swblack.com.au/) - [Cruises](https://cruises.swblack.com.au/) Cruises - [Cruise Finder](https://cruises.swblack.com.au/) - [Cruises from Sydney](https://www.swblack.com.au/cruises-from-sydney/) - [Flights](https://www.swblack.com.au/airfares/) - [About Us](https://www.swblack.com.au/about-us/) - [Blog](https://blog.swblack.com.au) [Follow us on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkK3yOX5wHTHwm-FDUMq2TQ) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/swblack_travel/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://m.facebook.com/61555934000311/) [![S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-white-high-res](https://blog.swblack.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-white-high-res.png?width=250&name=S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-white-high-res.png "S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-white-high-res")](https://swblack.com.au/) - [Home](https://swblack.com.au/) - [Cruises](https://cruises.swblack.com.au/) Cruises - [Cruise Finder](https://cruises.swblack.com.au/) - [Cruises from Sydney](https://www.swblack.com.au/cruises-from-sydney/) - [Flights](https://www.swblack.com.au/airfares/) - [About Us](https://www.swblack.com.au/about-us/) - [Blog](https://blog.swblack.com.au) Search toggle [![S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-black-high-res](https://blog.swblack.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-black-high-res.png?width=250&name=S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-black-high-res.png "S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-black-high-res")](https://swblack.com.au/) - [Home](https://swblack.com.au/) - [Cruises](https://cruises.swblack.com.au/) Cruises - [Cruise Finder](https://cruises.swblack.com.au/) - [Cruises from Sydney](https://www.swblack.com.au/cruises-from-sydney/) - [Flights](https://www.swblack.com.au/airfares/) - [About Us](https://www.swblack.com.au/about-us/) - [Blog](https://blog.swblack.com.au) [Follow us on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkK3yOX5wHTHwm-FDUMq2TQ) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/swblack_travel/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://m.facebook.com/61555934000311/) Search toggle What are you looking for? Search # Carnival Radiance Returns Refreshed to Long Beach 6 Oct 2026 ![Picture of S.W. Black Travel](https://blog.swblack.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/S.W.Black%20social%20media%20kit%20template_profile%20picture%2001.jpg?width=40&name=S.W.Black%20social%20media%20kit%20template_profile%20picture%2001.jpg) [S.W. Black Travel](https://blog.swblack.com.au/author/s-w-black-travel) ![Carnival Radiance Long beach](https://blog.swblack.com.au/hubfs/Carnival%20Radiance%20Returns%20Refreshed%20to%20Long%20Beach.png) [**Carnival Radiance**](https://www.carnival.com/cruise-ships/carnival-radiance) is back in service from Long Beach after a 15-day dry dock in British Columbia, returning with refreshed interior guest areas, new open-deck spaces, and Carnival Cruise Line’s “From Sea to Shining Sea” bow crest. The ship has resumed its year-round programme of four- and five-day cruises to Baja California and the Mexican Riviera.  Carnival Radiance Returns Refreshed to Long Beach 8:24 Its return also lands alongside a broader move from [**Carnival on North America’s west coast**](https://www.carnival-news.com/2026/09/30/carnival-cruise-line-opens-202829-west-coast-sailings-featuring-alaska-hawaii-and-mexico-cruises). Bookings are now open for the line’s 2028-2029 programme, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Mexico itineraries from Seattle, San Francisco, and Long Beach. ## A 15-Day Dry Dock Brings Visible Guest Updates The work in British Columbia focused on areas passengers will see and use during their time on board. Guests boarding over the weekend after the dry dock became the first to experience the refreshed ship and its updated exterior identity. ![Carnival Baja Mexico](https://blog.swblack.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Carnival%20%20Baja%20Mexico.jpg?width=798&height=214&name=Carnival%20%20Baja%20Mexico.jpg) [Image courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line](https://www.carnival.com/itinerary/3-day-baja-mexico-cruise/long-beach-los-angeles/radiance/3-days/lx5?itinportcode=LAX&sailDate=12172026&numGuests=2&military=N&senior=N&pastGuest=N&evsel=&hideSailingEvents=true&locality=1¤cy=USD&roomType=IS) ### Interior Guest Areas Receive a Refresh Carnival used the **15-day dry dock** to refresh guest areas inside the ship. The supplied details do not identify individual venues, so the update is best viewed as a broader renewal of public-facing interior spaces rather than a redesign of specific restaurants, bars, or entertainment venues. This keeps expectations tied closely to what Carnival has confirmed. For repeat passengers, the refresh gives the familiar Long Beach ship a renewed onboard setting. It also arrives before Radiance settles back into its year-round pattern of short cruises from Southern California. ### New Open-Deck Areas Join the Changes The work also introduced **new open-deck areas**, extending the refresh beyond the ship’s interior. Carnival has not detailed the individual outdoor features in the supplied announcement, so the confirmed change is the addition of refreshed or new spaces on the open decks. Guests on the first post-dry-dock sailing were the first to see these updates in service. This part of the project is relevant for a ship operating frequent four- and five-day voyages. Passengers have a refreshed mix of indoor and outdoor areas while travelling between Long Beach and the ports included in the ship’s regional programme. ### A New Bow Crest Changes the Ship’s Exterior Look Radiance has returned with Carnival’s **“From Sea to Shining Sea” bow crest**. The crest gives the ship a visible exterior change alongside the guest-area work completed during the same 15-day period. It also provides a clear visual marker of the ship’s post-dry-dock return. The change does not alter the itinerary itself, but passengers arriving at Long Beach will see a different bow treatment before boarding. It is one of the most immediately recognisable elements of the completed work. ## Long Beach Keeps Its Year-Round Short-Cruise Role Radiance now resumes its year-round schedule from Long Beach with four- and five-day sailings. The programme keeps Baja California, the Mexican Riviera, and Catalina Island within its short-cruise destination mix. ![Carnival Baja Mexico from Los Angeles](https://blog.swblack.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Carnival%20%20Baja%20Mexico%20from%20Los%20Angeles.jpg?width=798&height=214&name=Carnival%20%20Baja%20Mexico%20from%20Los%20Angeles.jpg) [Image courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line](https://www.carnival.com/itinerary/3-day-baja-mexico-cruise/long-beach-los-angeles/radiance/3-days/lx5?itinportcode=LAX&sailDate=12172026&numGuests=2&military=N&senior=N&pastGuest=N&evsel=&hideSailingEvents=true&locality=1¤cy=USD&roomType=IS) ### Four- and Five-Day Cruises Lead the Programme The ship will continue offering **four- and five-day cruises** from Long Beach throughout the year. Those durations give travellers a compact alternative to the longer sailings. Carnival has also opened for 2028-2029. They also create a clear distinction between Radiance’s regular programme and the extended Carnival Journeys voyages appearing elsewhere in the west coast schedule. For travellers comparing cruise lengths, the decision starts with available time. A short Long Beach departure focuses the trip on a smaller regional route, while the newly announced future programme stretches into Alaska and Hawaii. ### Ensenada Remains Part of the Destination Mix Ensenada is among the destinations highlighted for the resumed Long Beach programme. Its location in Baja California places it within Carnival’s shorter regional sailings from Southern California. The port gives guests an international call within an itinerary lasting only four or five days. The exact combination of ports will depend on the selected sailing. Travellers should therefore compare individual itineraries rather than treating every short Long Beach departure as identical. ### Catalina Island Adds a Nearby Alternative Catalina Island is also included among the destinations in the year-round programme. Its inclusion gives Carnival another west coast call alongside the ship’s Baja California and Mexican Riviera offering. For passengers, this broadens the choice of short itineraries without changing the Long Beach departure point. The distinction matters when comparing dates and routes. Travellers have another destination variable to consider alongside voyage length when selecting a short sailing. ## Carnival Opens More West Coast Cruises for 2028-2029 The refreshed ship is only one part of Carnival’s west coast story. The line has also opened bookings for its **2028-2029 west coast sailings**, with Carnival Adventure, Carnival Legend, and Carnival Spirit set to operate a wider range of Alaska, Hawaii, and Mexico itineraries. ### Three Ships Expand the Future Schedule Carnival Adventure, Carnival Legend, and Carnival Spirit are named in the newly opened programme. Their itineraries will depart from Seattle, San Francisco, and Long Beach, giving travellers three west coast home ports to consider. The programme adds more variety in cruise length and destination than the regular four- and five-day Radiance schedule. This wider deployment creates a useful planning split. Long Beach remains relevant for short regional cruises, while Carnival’s broader 2028-2029 programme introduces longer journeys from multiple departure cities. ![Ccarnival Mexico](https://blog.swblack.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Ccarnival%20Mexico.jpg?width=798&height=214&name=Ccarnival%20Mexico.jpg) [Image courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line](https://www.carnival.com/itinerary/3-day-baja-mexico-cruise/long-beach-los-angeles/radiance/3-days/lx5?itinportcode=LAX&sailDate=12172026&numGuests=2&military=N&senior=N&pastGuest=N&evsel=&hideSailingEvents=true&locality=1¤cy=USD&roomType=IS) ### Carnival Journeys Adds Longer Voyage Choices The schedule includes new **Carnival Journeys** sailings, extending the range beyond short regional breaks. These longer voyages sit alongside Carnival’s Mexico programme and its future Alaska and Hawaii options. For travellers with more time available, the expanded schedule creates a different planning category from the year-round short-cruise product. Departure port becomes especially important across this mix. Seattle, San Francisco, and Long Beach each sit within the announced West Coast programme, so travellers will need to compare both itinerary length and starting point. ### September 2028 Links Alaska and Hawaii Carnival Adventure is scheduled for a nine-day Alaska cruise from Seattle in September 2028. The ship will then offer a 16-day Hawaii voyage, also during September 2028. Together, the two sailings show the range Carnival is building into its longer west coast programme. The contrast is substantial, with one itinerary focused on Alaska over nine days and the next extending to Hawaii over 16 days. Bookings for these newly announced cruises are open now, giving travellers planning for 2028-2029 a chance to compare them with Carnival’s other west coast options. --- A refreshed Long Beach ship and a wider 2028-2029 schedule create several different ways to cruise from North America’s west coast. Use our[**Cruise Finder**](https://cruisefinder.swblack.com.au/) to compare departure ports, voyage lengths, and available itineraries in one place. You might prefer a four- or five-day Baja California sailing, or you might be planning further ahead for Alaska, Hawaii, or Mexico. Cruise Finder helps narrow the options around the trip length and route, fitting your plans. ## Start Planning Your West Coast Carnival Cruise Carnival’s current west coast programme now combines a refreshed year-round ship in Long Beach with newly opened 2028-2029 sailings from Seattle, San Francisco, and Long Beach. The range stretches from short Baja California and Mexican Riviera cruises to longer Alaska and Hawaii voyages. If you want help comparing these itineraries and deciding which sailing fits your plans,[**speak with the S.W. Black Travel team**](https://www.swblack.com.au/contact-us/) for practical cruise guidance before you book. [![Search 1000's of cruise itineraries from all major cruise lines Use our easy and convenient cruise planner to compare 1000's of cruises from all major cruise lines to find the perfect cruise for you.  ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/44927380/interactive-158315946249.png)](https://blog.swblack.com.au/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLLKK5lnqK4n3kAOrZynkFBrZyHCwERBrPiEFpz3dy51QQ25jU77%2B1zAYACG2mZyjVQRsVcnVzVoEYeSeMaWORiGO%2FEtXSq70PyNXNyMKPatnQZvRytGOVJz6XeMFubFRVLzeY%2BAn68u0vc7zfJ4QQTLtlYqZ19X8hCrCsV5w%2BTrkx%2BSY2fE0eofFP9%2FL89amC%2BqhHqOklqNXImP&webInteractiveContentId=158315946249&portalId=44927380&hsLang=en-au) ### Share: [Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.swblack.com.au/carnival-radiance-returns-refreshed-to-long-beach&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) [Share on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.swblack.com.au/carnival-radiance-returns-refreshed-to-long-beach&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [Share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.swblack.com.au/carnival-radiance-returns-refreshed-to-long-beach&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://blog.swblack.com.au/carnival-radiance-returns-refreshed-to-long-beach&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Carnival%20Radiance%20Returns%20Refreshed%20to%20Long%20Beach) [Cruise](https://blog.swblack.com.au/tag/cruise), [News](https://blog.swblack.com.au/tag/news), [Carnival Cruise Line](https://blog.swblack.com.au/tag/carnival-cruise-line) ## S.W. Black Travel ## Comments ## Related posts Search [AmaWaterways Reveals New 120-Guest Mekong River Ship](https://blog.swblack.com.au/amawaterways-reveals-new-120-guest-mekong-river-ship?hsLang=en-au) ![S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-foil-gold](https://blog.swblack.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-foil-gold.png?width=250&name=S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-foil-gold.png "S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-foil-gold") Your Cruise Package Specialist - [Contact Us](https://www.swblack.com.au/contact-us/) - [Terms & Conditions](https://swblack.com.au/terms--conditions) - [Privacy Policy](https://swblack.com.au/privacy-policy) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/people/SW-Black-Travel/61555934000311/) [Follow us on X](https://www.instagram.com/swblack_travel/) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.youtube.com/@SWBlack_Travel) [Follow us on Facebook](https://cruisefinder.swblack.com.au/) ©2025 S.W. Black Travel ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "S.W. Black Travel", "url" : "https://blog.swblack.com.au/author/s-w-black-travel" }, "dateModified" : "2026-10-07T06:54:58.489Z", "datePublished" : "2026-10-06T02:30:00.000Z", "headline" : "Carnival Radiance Returns Refreshed to Long Beach", "image" : [ "https://blog.swblack.com.au/hubfs/Carnival%20Radiance%20Returns%20Refreshed%20to%20Long%20Beach.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.swblack.com.au/carnival-radiance-returns-refreshed-to-long-beach", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.swblack.com.au/hubfs/S-W-Black-signature-logo-undertag-black-high-res.png" }, "name" : "S.W. Black Travel" } } ```