Carnival Sunshine Adds First-Ever Africa Calls in 2027 Europe Season

Carnival Cruise Line has scheduled Carnival Sunshine for its first-ever port calls in Africa as part of a 2027 Europe program that also includes a special sailing timed for the total solar eclipse on Aug. 2, 2027.

The 2027 and early 2028 plans outline a major deployment shift for the ship, which is currently based in Norfolk, Virginia, and will later reposition to Europe before moving to Galveston, Texas. Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy said the Europe lineup is designed to deliver “variety, adventure and memorable experiences.”

First North Africa calls and expanded Mediterranean itineraries

Beginning in late May 2027 and running through October 2027, Carnival Sunshine is slated to operate Mediterranean and North African itineraries sailing from Barcelona, Spain, and Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy. Carnival said the season will include week-long cruises as well as longer voyages designed to be combined back-to-back.

The schedule includes the brand’s first calls in Africa, with stops planned at La Goulette (Tunis), Tunisia, and Tangier, Morocco. The deployment also adds new ports for the ship in Europe, including Bari, Italy; Bar, Montenegro; and Ajaccio, Corsica (France).

Across the season, Carnival Sunshine’s itinerary mix also revisits a range of long-absent or returning ports and staples across the region, including Genoa, Salerno, Palermo, and Catania in Italy; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Izmir, Turkey. Other destinations mentioned for the broader Europe program include Malta, the Greek Isles, and calls tied to marquee sites such as Athens, Mykonos, and Katakolon.

Eclipse-themed Carnival Journeys sailings in late July 2027

A key highlight of the Europe season is a dedicated Carnival Journeys itinerary built around the Aug. 2, 2027 total solar eclipse. Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to depart Barcelona on July 25, 2027, and position along the eclipse’s path for viewing, with Carnival also planning themed onboard programming tied to the event.

The 10-day sailing includes calls in Marseille, France; Genoa, Salerno, and Catania, Italy; Valletta, Malta; and La Goulette (Tunis), Tunisia.

Carnival also plans a second eclipse-focused cruise on Carnival Miracle: an 11-day Carnival Journeys sailing departing Dover, England, on July 29, 2027. That itinerary includes a day at sea on Aug. 2 for eclipse viewing and visits Guernsey; Lisbon and Leixões, Portugal; La Coruña, Spain; Le Havre, France; and Zeebrugge, Belgium.

How the ship repositions: Norfolk to Europe, then back across the Atlantic

Carnival Sunshine’s Europe season is set to begin with a transatlantic repositioning cruise departing Norfolk on May 15, 2027, on a 15-day crossing to Dover, England. Carnival then schedules a sailing from Dover to Barcelona beginning May 30, 2027, with calls in Western Europe along the way.

At the end of the European run, the ship is slated to sail from Barcelona to Miami on an extended crossing that includes calls in Alicante and Malaga, Spain, as well as Tangier, Morocco.

• May 15, 2027: Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to depart Norfolk on a 15-day transatlantic sailing to Dover to start the Europe deployment.
• Late May through October 2027: The ship is slated to run Mediterranean and North African itineraries from Barcelona and Civitavecchia (Rome), including the line’s first visits to Tunisia and Morocco.
• Nov. 17, 2027: After returning to the U.S., Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to begin its next homeport phase in Galveston, Texas.

In total, Carnival Sunshine is set to operate 15 European voyages during the season: one sailing departing from Dover, four departures from Civitavecchia (Rome), and 10 from Barcelona.

Galveston homeport begins in November 2027

After returning to the United States, Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to begin operating from Galveston starting Nov. 17, 2027, offering 10-day and 4-day itineraries. Carnival has indicated the ship will remain based in Galveston until at least April 2028.

In Texas, Carnival Sunshine is set to join Carnival Breeze, Carnival Horizon, and Carnival Jubilee as part of Carnival’s lineup from the Gulf Coast homeport.

Norfolk backdrop: 2025 passenger totals and an expanded 2026 calendar

The deployment shift comes as Norfolk’s Half Moone Cruise Center and Nauticus continue to build cruise volume. In 2025, Carnival Sunshine operated nearly weekly departures from Norfolk for much of the year after arriving for the season beginning Feb. 11, 2025. Port details list the 102,853-gross-ton ship sailing with roughly 3,002 passengers on each cruise.

Nauticus recorded 338,959 unique passenger visits in 2025 (about 339,000), beating projections by nearly 40,000. The year included 47 Carnival ship calls and 15 additional port-of-call visits from other cruise lines, with close to 100,000 crew members also passing through the city.

Nauticus Executive Director Stephen Kirkland said the results reflect longer-term planning. “2025 exceeded expectations and firmly established Norfolk as a dynamic cruise destination,” Kirkland said, adding that the next step is “strategic, prudent, growth.”

Norfolk’s schedule is also set to expand in 2026, with sailings continuing through the winter for the first time rather than pausing seasonally. Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to return on Jan. 4, 2026, and the port expects calls nearly every weekend or mid-week through December 2026.

Beyond Carnival’s operations, Norfolk’s 2026 schedule includes a range of planned visits: Oceania Cruises’ Allura (March 25–26); Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Grandeur (April 2); Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam (April 21 and April 24) and Volendam (May 20); TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 1 (Sept. 25); and additional calls in October by AIDAdiva, Ponant’s La Austral, and Viking Octantis, followed by Seabourn Ovation in November.

Kirkland also said weekly Norfolk sailings are expected to shift to Carnival Freedom beginning in late 2027. Separately, Norfolk is scheduled to see additional cruise traffic in 2027, when Norwegian Cruise Line plans 20 call visits projected to bring nearly 50,000 more passengers.

Onboard offerings highlighted as deployments broaden

Carnival has positioned the expanded itinerary mix as a way to broaden what guests can do on Carnival Sunshine across different homeports and regions. The ship’s onboard lineup includes venues and attractions such as Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, WaterWorks, Playlist Productions, and SportSquare.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which African ports will Carnival Sunshine visit in 2027?

Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to call at La Goulette (Tunis), Tunisia, and Tangier, Morocco, marking Carnival Cruise Line’s first visits to Africa.

When will Carnival Sunshine leave Norfolk for its Europe season?

The ship is scheduled to depart Norfolk on May 15, 2027, on a 15-day transatlantic sailing to Dover, England, ahead of its Mediterranean schedule.

What is the Carnival Sunshine solar eclipse cruise and where does it go?

The eclipse-themed Carnival Journeys sailing is scheduled to depart Barcelona on July 25, 2027, timed for viewing the total solar eclipse on Aug. 2, 2027. The itinerary includes Marseille; Genoa, Salerno, and Catania; Valletta; and La Goulette (Tunis).

Where will Carnival Sunshine be based after the Europe itineraries?

After returning to the U.S., Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to begin sailing from Galveston, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2027, with Carnival indicating the ship will remain there until at least April 2028.

With the Europe season centered on late May through October 2027 and the Texas move set for mid-November, the next major milestones for Carnival Sunshine will be its May 2027 transatlantic departure from Norfolk and the late-July eclipse sailing out of Barcelona.