Carnival to Launch Freedom with Inaugural Mediterranean Sailing

Carnival Cruise Lines’ 110,000-ton Carnival Freedom will operate a nine-day inaugural cruise in March 2007 featuring visits to five ports in Italy, Greece, Croatia and Turkey.

The cruise starts with a March 5 overnight call in Venice and includes daylong stops in a number of destinations in Croatia, Greece, Turkey and Italy.

The 2,974-passenger vessel will kick off its regular schedule March 14 and offer 12-day Mediterranean and Mediterranean/Greek Isles cruises Italy through October 16, 2007.

A 14-day transatlantic crossing will depart Italy on October 28, bringing the vessel to Miami November 11, where the ship will then begin year-round service from Miami with seven-day cruises alternating weekly to the eastern and western Caribbean on November 17.

Prior to the startup of this program, the Carnival Freedom will operate a one-time, four-day western Caribbean cruise from Miami November 12. The Carnival Freedom is currently under construction in an Italian shipyard.