Carnival Firenze vs Carnival Radiance from Long Beach

At least three Carnival ships sail from Long Beach: Firenze, Radiance and Panorama. CruiseMapper’s Long Beach schedule lists Panorama in port through October 2026, on six- to eight-day Mexican Riviera round trips. This guide compares Firenze and Radiance, and says where Panorama fits. The choice comes down to four things: ship size and style, how many nights you want, which ports you want, and how long each ship stays in Southern California.

Carnival Firenze vs Carnival Radiance at a glance

Firenze is the newer and larger ship. Radiance is older, smaller and was refitted in 2021.

The Firenze figures in the table come from Carnival’s Firenze page. The Radiance length and guest figures come from Carnival’s Radiance deck plan. Carnival’s own Radiance sources disagree on tonnage: the deck plan gives 102,232 GT, while Carnival’s Radiance fact sheet gives 101,509 GT. CruiseMapper, Cruise Critic and Wikipedia also give 101,509. Other sources disagree with Carnival’s numbers too. Firenze’s 4,126 also appears as 4,208 and 4,232 elsewhere. Maximum capacity figures disagree as well. Cruise Critic puts Firenze at 5,210 passengers at maximum capacity, while Wikipedia and Deep Arrival give 5,260. For Radiance, CruiseMapper lists 3,475, while Gangwaze lists 3,873. Radiance’s stateroom count also differs by source, at 1,448 versus 1,496.

A longer, bigger ship usually means longer walks between your cabin, the dining room and the theater.

How long Firenze stays in Long Beach

Carnival’s Firenze page says the ship sails from Long Beach and Miami. Seatrade Cruise News reports that Firenze leaves Long Beach on January 4, 2027, on a 15-night cruise to San Antonio, Chile. That suggests the last Long Beach sailings are before about January 4, 2027, but confirm the cutoff with Carnival. The Cruise Web sailing list is internally inconsistent. It shows 3- and 4-night Long Beach cruises running into late January 2027, yet it also places the ship in Chile on January 19 and Buenos Aires on February 2. Treat any Long Beach date it gives after January 4 as unreliable.

That list is a travel agency’s schedule, not Carnival’s own. Confirm the exact dates with Carnival before you plan around Firenze for any Long Beach sailing near the end of its stay.

Cruise Industry News reports that Radiance stays in Long Beach for 2027-28. Caribbean Journal says Carnival has announced Radiance and Panorama Mexico sailings from Long Beach through April 2029.

Itineraries: what each ship sails

Radiance focuses on short trips. Carnival-sourced pages show Radiance on 3- and 4-night sailings for 2027-29. The Cruise Web’s Radiance listing shows the Long Beach cruises below. It is a travel agency’s schedule, not Carnival’s, and the same site has proved stale for Firenze, so treat these dates as unverified and confirm them with Carnival:

• 3-night Ensenada cruises, from December 17, 2026 through April 2029.
• 4-night cruises to Catalina Island and Ensenada, from October 25, 2026 through April 2029.
• 5-night Mexican Riviera cruises calling at Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada.
• 6-night Mexican Riviera cruises, listed only for November 22 and December 20, 2026.
• A 5-night Catalina Island sailing on April 29, 2027.
• 14-night Hawaii voyages, with six sailings from November 8, 2026 to April 11, 2027.

CruiseMapper’s report on the ship’s October 2026 return from dry dock says Radiance operates 4- and 5-day cruises plus selected 14-day Hawaii Journeys.

Panorama is the ship for longer Mexican Riviera trips. CruiseMapper’s Long Beach schedule lists it on six- to eight-day Mexican Riviera round trips through October 2026. Caribbean Journal’s announcement for May 2028 through April 2029 lists 6- and 8-night Panorama trips, with ports such as La Paz, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta. Caribbean Journal, cited above, says Panorama sails from Long Beach through April 2029.

Firenze has no Long Beach sailings from October 12 to November 16, 2026. Carnival told Cruise Critic it cancelled every Firenze sailing in that period, about 11 Long Beach sailings. That includes the 7-, 11- and 14-night Mexican Riviera departures on October 19, November 2 and November 13. The Cruise Web list also shows 3- and 4-night Baja cruises from late November, plus the one-off South America voyage, but it is a travel agency’s schedule, so confirm those dates with Carnival. Its dates after January 4, 2027 cannot be right.

The right length depends on you. A 3-night Ensenada trip is a first-timer’s sampler. Port times vary by sailing, so check the times for yours with Carnival before you book a ship excursion. Some 4-night trips add Catalina Island, as Radiance’s listed 4-night cruises do. Longer Riviera sailings suit travelers who want several Mexican ports and more sea days. Those include Panorama’s 6- and 8-night trips. The Cruise Web list also shows two 6-night Radiance Riviera sailings in 2026, but those dates are unconfirmed.

On board: Italian style or classic Carnival

Firenze’s theme runs through the whole ship. Carnival’s page names Piazza Duomo, the Medici and Michelangelo dining rooms, Il Viaggio for Italian dishes, the Rococó frozen-drink bar, and Moda Bar and Lounge with live music. It also keeps familiar Carnival venues such as Bonsai Teppanyaki, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Guy’s Burger Joint, WaterWorks and the adults-only Serenity Retreat.

Firenze’s Terrazza staterooms are the upgrade to know about. They come with access to a private deck called Terrazza Moda, morning access to Moda Lounge for a breakfast menu, and a sailaway event. Carnival describes the Terrazza space as a place for all-day lounging with drinks, entertainment, live music and whirlpools. All Terrazza guests must be 12 or older, according to Carnival. Ocean Suites on Firenze add priority boarding and priority debarkation.

According to Cruise Critic’s review, which has not been independently confirmed here, Firenze’s pool areas are smaller and the Lido courtyard is more intimate, and some venues feel crowded. The review also notes fewer hot tubs than on similar ships.

Radiance is less themed and more traditional. Its refit is reported to have added a redesigned WaterWorks park with the AquaTunnel waterslide and an upgraded SportSquare with a suspended ropes course; confirm the current features on Carnival’s Radiance page. CruiseWise lists complimentary favorites including Shaq’s Big Chicken, Guy’s Burger Joint and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que. The ship also has the Punchliner Comedy Club and the Serenity adults-only area. CruiseMapper reports that a 15-day dry dock at Victoria, BC ended with guests boarding on October 3, 2026. The work covered a renewed jewelry boutique and refreshed interior and open-deck spaces.

What the fare covers

Carnival labels Firenze venues as included or additional:

• Included: the Dining Room, Lido Marketplace, Pizzeria del Capitano, Swirls, WaterWorks, SportSquare, Camp Ocean, Playlist Productions shows and the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat.
• Additional cost: Il Viaggio, Bonsai Teppanyaki, the steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi, Seafood Shack, Cloud 9 Spa, Rococó, Amari, Frizzante and table games.

Older Cruise Critic pages list Fahrenheit 555 and Bonsai Sushi on Radiance as extra-cost. That has not been confirmed against current Carnival information, so check which Radiance venues cost extra on Carnival’s Radiance page for your sailing. Confirm current prices with Carnival before booking, and compare the same dates and cabin type on every ship you are considering.

Terminal, flights and documents

Both ships use the same terminal, so arrival logistics are identical. Our Long Beach terminal parking, drop-off and arrival guide covers the day itself. If you are flying in, the comparison of LGB, LAX and SNA shows which airport suits you.

For documents, Carnival’s passport page says US citizens on cruises that begin and end in the same US port can re-enter with proof of citizenship other than a passport, such as a state-issued birth certificate, plus a government photo ID. Carnival strongly recommends a valid passport anyway. That page does not show a date, so check Carnival’s current travel documents page. The exemption covers round trips only. Firenze’s 15-night South America sailing ends elsewhere, so plan on a passport for it. Check Carnival’s requirements before you book the Hawaii voyages on Radiance.

Which ship to choose

Pick Firenze if you want a larger ship with an Italian theme, a Terrazza stateroom with a private deck or Italian specialty dining, and your sailing departs before about January 4, 2027 (per Seatrade Cruise News; confirm with Carnival). Firenze has no Long Beach sailings from October 12 to November 16, 2026. Pick Radiance if you want a smaller, recently refreshed ship, a Catalina Island stop, or a short Long Beach trip after Firenze leaves; Carnival-sourced pages show Radiance on 3- and 4-night sailings for 2027-29. The Cruise Web list also shows 6-night Riviera sailings on November 22 and December 20, 2026 and 14-night Hawaii voyages, but that agency list may be stale, so treat those as unconfirmed and check with Carnival. Pick Panorama if you want a 6- to 8-night Mexican Riviera round trip; Caribbean Journal’s announcement for May 2028 through April 2029 lists 6- and 8-night trips to ports such as La Paz, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta. Caribbean Journal also reports that Carnival has announced Radiance and Panorama sailings from Long Beach through April 2029.

Whichever ship you choose, check the sailing date, cabin type, fare and document rules against Carnival’s own pages before you commit.

Top photo: susannp4 on Pixabay.