Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board and Carnival Cruise Line announced the return of Carnival Miracle.

This is their grand spirit-class cruise ship that has been on a seven-year hiatus from Puerto Vallarta. So, starting December 1st, 2019, this 963-foot cruise ship will offer ten voyages from the Port of San Diego to Puerto Vallarta.

Rafael Castellanos, chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners in Puerto Vallarta, said in reference to the return of Carnival Miracle that “The partnership between the Port and Carnival offers cruisers more travel options while providing even more economic benefit to the region.”

International port enhancements

Puerto Vallarta’s International Port committed $22 million for extensive renovation and construction of the existing port’s infrastructure. To explain, the funds are meant to accommodate Carnival Miracle and the expected future growth in cruise-ship tourism. Right now, three ships can dock at the Marina Vallarta Maritime and Cruise Terminal, which is about three miles north of downtown. Currently, additional ships must set anchor and wait for access to the terminal.

In 2015, Puerto Vallarta’s International Port ranked in Carnival Cruise Line’s Top 5 ports in the world. And, soon it will be even bigger and better. It’s new terminal, which opens in the summer of 2019, features a large welcome hall called La Hacienda, several artisan shops, and Latin America’s largest aquarium. So, the future for Carnival Miracle and Puerto Vallarta’s International Port looks very bright.

Seven-year hiatus from Puerto Vallarta

Back in April of 2012, Carnival Miracle sailed to the east coast for year-round cruises from New York City to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Then, in March of 2013, the ship sailed through the Panama Canal from the Caribbean to the west coast. There, it provided cruises for the ports in Long Beach and Seattle. Then, Carnival Miracle entered dry-dock in March of 2015 to be refurbished.

Newly remodeled Carnival Miracle

The Carnival Miracle cruise-ship renovations began before the ship was dry-docked. To explain, Carnival has been adding new venues and shows to its ships through a program called Fun Ship 2.0. To name a few additions, RedFrog Pub and the pharmacy-themed Alchemy Bar were added. Then, Carnival added a new sports bar and a candy store called Cherry on Top. Next, they outfitted the ship with four new production shows. They have also added a Dr. Seuss-themed program called Seuss at Sea, for kids of all ages. Finally, an audience-participation act called Hasbro, The Game Show, is now also part of the program.

Carnival Miracle Features

By design, Carnival Miracle is one of Carnival Cruise Line’s most comfortable ships. It blends a friendly, well-trained crew with an optimized layout that minimizes crowding. And speaking of crew, there are over 900 crew members to cater to the ship’s 2,124-passenger capacity. All public areas are designed specifically to allow for good traffic flow. And, the well-organized Lido Deck effectively thins-out the crowds. Finally, you’ll find two promenade desks to choose from that provide even more space.

Cruisers will also be pleasantly surprised to find additional features like 12 decks, several new lounges, various restaurants, fun water-slides and many other wonderful amenities. One of the multiple pools even has a retractable roof, which means the area can be used in rainy or cold-weather conditions. Then, there are the cabin balconies. To be specific, 64 percent of the cabins boast a balcony. This is quite an increase compared to the rest of the Carnival fleet, which only provides less than 50 percent of the cabins with balconies.

Puerto Vallarta real estate

Many Americans, Canadians, and people from other countries choose to make Puerto Vallarta their home or vacation home, versus just a one day stop on their cruise (not nearly enough time to discover all that the area has to offer.) So, learn how to purchase your dream home in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, by inquiring with the top Real Estate broker in the Puerto Vallarta region: David Pullen.