Carnival Venezia leaves Port Canaveral on Sunday 10 January 2027 for 14 nights of Southern Caribbean, and this is not your average Bahamas sprint. You get eight scheduled ports, a 13-hour Aruba day, and Grenada, Barbados and Dominica on one itinerary, aboard a converted Costa ship still wearing its Italian costume, gondola included (yes, a gondola, in the dining room, and no, we are not over it). You are 80 days out, so here is what has to happen between now and the gangway.
Start Here
- Today: check that your passport is valid through at least 24 July 2027, which is six months past the 24 January return. Do it now, before you discover it expired in 2026 and spend your holiday fund on expedited fees.
- Now: confirm the port list in the Cruise Planner or on Carnival.com before booking non-refundable flights, excursions or hotels, because Carnival can change itineraries and does not ask your permission first.
- About 27 December 2026: online check-in should open, 14 days out (an estimate, not a Carnival-published date). Pick your arrival time in the Hub app, and set an alarm like it is a concert ticket drop.
- Before midnight Eastern on 9 January 2027: finish online check-in. Cheers! drink packages are refundable until 9 pm ET that evening.
- Before you book a hotel: make sure its parking deal covers 15 days, because many packages stop at 7 or 8. Fourteen nights is a lot of nights.
The Sailing at a Glance
This is a 14-night, 15-calendar-day loop with eight ports and five sea days. The 15 days break down as 2 Port Canaveral days, 8 port days and 5 sea days, and 2 + 8 + 5 = 15. Yes, the cruise is “14 nights” and also 15 days. Cruise maths is like that, and we promise it adds up.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ship | Carnival Venezia: 135,225 GT, 16 decks, about 4,000 guests. Joined Carnival in 2023 after sailing as Costa Venezia. |
| Departs | Sunday 10 January 2027, Port Canaveral, 4:30 PM |
| Returns | Sunday 24 January 2027, 8:00 AM |
| Sea days | 11, 13, 16, 22 and 23 January |
| Last CDC inspection | 95 out of 100, inspected 18 June 2026 |
| Interior fare snapshot | About $968 to $1,012 per person from booking sites. Fares move daily. |
| Mandatory gratuities | $17 per person per day standard, $19 suites |
| Port parking | $20 per day plus tax, so $300 before tax for 15 days |
What to Do Now and the Deadlines That Bite
The hard deadline is midnight Eastern on 9 January, but the smart moves happen weeks earlier. Here is the sequence, for those of us who treat deadlines as suggestions until they bite.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Today | Check passport expiry (valid through 24 July 2027). Names on the booking must match your photo ID. |
| Now | Confirm ports in the Cruise Planner. Book specialty dining and excursions early: Cruise Hive reported that specialty and Chef’s Table reservations opened early for 2025 sailings because of demand. The booking window for this sailing is in the Cruise Planner. |
| About 27 Dec 2026 | Online check-in should open (estimate from the 14-day pattern). Earlier check-in reportedly earns an earlier arrival slot. |
| 9 Jan, 9 pm ET | Last chance to cancel a Cheers! package for a refund. |
| 9 Jan, midnight ET | Online check-in closes. Skip it and you may be assigned a later slot. |
Carnival Rewards replaced the VIFP Club on 1 June 2026, so you will be under the new program. Tiers run on a rolling two-year period: Red on sign-up, Gold at 10,000 stars, Platinum at 50,000 and Diamond at 100,000. We have not established which priority-boarding perks survived the rebrand, so do not plan your morning around a loyalty tier. Hope is not a boarding strategy.
Embarkation Logistics
Book a parking or hotel deal that covers 15 days, pick an arrival slot in the Hub app, and expect cabins around 1:30 PM. Early arrivals can drop bags, but early cabin access is not guaranteed. So yes, you will be eating lunch in your carry-on outfit.
- Terminal: check the Hub app or your boarding documents. An early port schedule pointed to Terminal 3, but treat that as unconfirmed.
- Arrival times: enforcement reportedly varies, and very early arrivals may be held outside. Carnival’s current check-in cutoff wording is on Carnival.com, so check it rather than trusting a blog (including this one).
- Faster to the Fun: a paid priority-boarding add-on, reported to start around $50 per cabin. Check the Cruise Planner for the current price and whether it is sold for this sailing.
Parking
Port Canaveral charges $20 per day plus tax, and both arrival and departure days count. For 10 to 24 January that is 15 days, or $300 before tax. That is a hefty chunk of change to park a car you will not see for two weeks. Payment is on arrival, and one report says cash is not accepted and there are no reservations. The rate rose from $17 in October 2025, so confirm the current figure on the port’s site.
Hotels the night before
Most park-and-cruise packages are too short for you. A 14-night cruise laughs at an 8-day parking cap. Reported terms (2026 to 2027 rates unverified):
- Country Inn & Suites: parking up to 8 days for $40 with shuttle, which must be arranged at least 48 hours ahead.
- Homewood Suites Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach: parking up to 7 days.
- Radisson Resort at the Port: Park & Cruise package, shuttle for up to four people.
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Cocoa Beach: shuttles run 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM, and the parking lot is at a separate location.
- Four Points by Sheraton Cocoa Beach: cruise shuttle, but no cruise parking.
Ask any hotel to confirm 15 days in writing, because we could not verify which ones cover it. An email now beats a surprise parking bill later.
Getting from Orlando airport
Orlando International (MCO) is about 45 miles and an hour from the port. These third-party prices are not verified for 2026 to 2027, and Carnival’s own transfer price is on its booking page.
| Option | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise-line transfer | $35 to $45 | Per person, each way |
| Shared shuttle | $25 to $30 | Per person, each way (GoPort $29.99, or $59.98 round trip) |
| Cocoa Beach Shuttle | $45 for one, $65 for two | Direction not stated, so confirm with the company when booking |
| Rideshare | $60 to $90 | Per vehicle, each way, surge pricing |
Here is the maths, because someone has to do it. Solo, a round-trip shared shuttle at $29.99 each way is $59.98, against $120 to $180 for a round-trip rideshare, so the shuttle wins easily. For two people the shuttle totals $119.96, which matches the bottom of the rideshare range and beats the top of it. At three people the shuttle hits $179.94, level with the top of the rideshare range, and from there the car pulls ahead. Rideshare is priced per vehicle and surge can bite, so treat the cheap end as a best case.
The Ship and How to Work It
Venezia is a converted Costa ship, so expect Italian theming, a Piazza San Marco atrium and a gondola in the dining room rather than the newest Carnival gimmicks. It is a bit like a Venice-themed party that has been running since the Costa days, and honestly, we respect the commitment. The Carnival Venezia ship page has the full profile. Reviewers cite crowding and an enclosed pool deck, though those are anecdotal. Reported gaps versus newer ships: no self-serve launderette, less open sun space at the main pool, and Costa’s yellow-and-blue funnel (which is more “quirky souvenir” than “flaw”).
Eating
- Included: the main dining rooms (Marco Polo is Traditional, Canal Grande is Your Time), Lido Marketplace, Pizzeria del Capitano, Swirls, Guy’s Burger Joint and Tomodoro.
- Extra charge: Il Viaggio, Bonsai Teppanyaki, Bonsai Sushi, the steakhouse (Fahrenheit 555) and Seafood Shack.
| Venue | Reported price |
|---|---|
| Il Viaggio | $42 |
| Fahrenheit 555 | $52 per person (2025 fleet price) |
| Bonsai Teppanyaki | $46.02 lunch, $57.82 dinner (2025 fleet price) |
| Bonsai Sushi | About $5 to $7 per roll (2023) |
Those are 2025 or older figures, so check the Cruise Planner before you fall in love with a price. Chef’s Table pricing is disputed between $99 and $119, so we are not quoting one. We would rather be quiet than wrong.
Adults, kids and fun
- Adults-only: Serenity Adult-Only Retreat is included in the fare. Terrazza Carnevale is for Terrazza stateroom guests aged 12 and up. Cloud 9 Spa costs extra, because of course it does.
- Water and sport: the Lido pool has a closable glass magradome, and Burano is a second pool at the back of the ship. WaterWorks is included and reportedly has three slides. SportSquare adds a ropes course, jogging track and mini golf.
- Kids (2023 ages, verify): Camp Ocean is free for ages 2 to 11, split into 2 to 5, 6 to 8 and 9 to 11. Circle “C” is 12 to 14 and Club O2 is 15 to 17.
- Shows: Teatro Rosso hosts the main productions, plus Family Feud Live, Piano Bar 88 and a late-night comedy club.
- Suites: Ocean Suite perks include priority check-in, priority dining times and complimentary laundry. Free laundry on a 14-night cruise is a genuinely smug perk.
The Ports
Posted hours are arrival and departure times, not all-aboard. All-aboard is earlier and printed in the daily Fun Times planner, so do not sprint back at 4:59 PM expecting a gangway fairy. The ports and hours below come from third-party schedule listings such as Cruise Timetables and iCruise, not from Carnival itself, so confirm them on Carnival.com or in the Cruise Planner before you book anything non-refundable. The Carnival Venezia itineraries page shows other routings, and the 21 February 2027 sailing runs a different route, so do not mix them up.
| Date | Stop | Posted hours (per schedule listings) |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 10 Jan | Port Canaveral | Departs 4:30 PM |
| Mon 11 Jan | Sea day | |
| Tue 12 Jan | Grand Turk | 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Wed 13 Jan | Sea day | |
| Thu 14 Jan | Oranjestad, Aruba | 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM |
| Fri 15 Jan | Willemstad, Curaçao | 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Sat 16 Jan | Sea day | |
| Sun 17 Jan | St. George’s, Grenada | 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Mon 18 Jan | Bridgetown, Barbados | 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Tue 19 Jan | Roseau, Dominica | 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Wed 20 Jan | Philipsburg, St. Maarten | 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Thu 21 Jan | Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas | 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Fri 22 and Sat 23 Jan | Two sea days | |
| Sun 24 Jan | Port Canaveral | Arrive 8:00 AM |
We have not confirmed which ports are docked versus tendered, so check the daily planner.
Port by port
The port-by-port notes below assume the third-party port list above holds. If Carnival changes a stop, the notes for that stop go out the window with it.
- Grand Turk (8 hours, the shortest day): the Grand Turk Cruise Center is the island’s cruise facility, with a pool, beach and shops. Whether Venezia docks or tenders here is not confirmed, so check the daily planner for how long it takes to get ashore. A taxi to Governor’s Beach runs about $4 per person each way, cash USD. Be back 1 to 1.5 hours before all-aboard.
- Aruba (13 hours, the longest day): downtown is about a 5-minute walk. Buses L10 and L10A serve Malmok and Arashi hourly, reported at $2.30 round trip, so bring exact change. Taxis are unmetered, so agree the fare first. The late departure means you can stay for dinner, which is the closest a cruise port gets to a night out.
- Curaçao: berths vary between Mega Pier, the older terminal and Mathey Wharf, so check the daily notice. From Mega Pier you can walk through Otrobanda to the Queen Emma floating bridge and on to Punda. Hato Caves, Shete Boka and the beaches need a taxi at a negotiated rate.
- Grenada: Carnival’s Fort George, Fort Frederick and Grand Anse tour runs 3.5 hours from $64.99 for adults (price unverified for 2027). Annandale Falls is about 20 minutes by taxi and Grand Etang about 30. Confirm whether taxi rates are per person or per vehicle, because that question can double a bill.
- Barbados: the terminal is about a 15-minute walk from the Careenage and city centre. The official 2023 taxi table lists Harrison’s Cave at US$32.50 (BDS$65). Clarify USD versus BDS before you ride, since the same number means very different things.
- Dominica: this is the nature day. Trafalgar Falls is about 20 minutes by car, and Emerald Pool, Titou Gorge and Champagne Reef are the headliners. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water shoes, and agree taxi prices before you set off.
- St. Maarten: it is about a 20-minute walk to downtown, with a water taxi from the pier. Reported government-set fares are $10 port to Philipsburg and $25 port to Maho, but the fare table has typos, so confirm with the dispatcher.
- St. Thomas (7:00 AM to 4:00 PM): St. Thomas has two cruise piers. Havensight is the larger one, with downtown about a 15-minute walk and most cabs under $5. Crown Bay is farther out and quieter, with fewer taxis, so allow extra time to get back. Which pier Venezia will use is not confirmed, so check Carnival.com or your Fun Times planner before you plan your transport. Magens Bay entry for non-residents over 12 was $7 as of October 2023. Carnival’s Magens Bay excursion includes entry. With a 4:00 PM departure, book the ship excursion if the clock stresses you out.
Safety advisories
Two ports sit at Level 2, so do not wander aimlessly there. Levels come from US State Department advisories and are worth rechecking close to sailing.
| Port | Level | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Grenada | 2 | Raised from 1 on 5 January 2026 for violent crime. Use a ship excursion or a vetted driver. |
| Turks and Caicos | 2 | Text revised 7 July 2026. Crime concern is mostly Providenciales, not Grand Turk. |
| Aruba | 1 | Issued 20 August 2026 |
| Curaçao | 1 | Dated 9 September 2026 |
| Barbados | 1 | Issued 10 April 2026 |
| Dominica | 1 | Issued 20 May 2026 |
| Sint Maarten | 1 | Issued 24 August 2026 |
St. Thomas is a US territory, so these State Department advisories do not cover it.
Conditions and Packing for January
January is not hurricane season, but it is jacket weather in Florida and swimsuit weather everywhere else. The Atlantic season runs 1 June to 30 November, so your only real weather drama is a chilly parking lot.
| Where | Typical January conditions |
|---|---|
| Port Canaveral | High about 70°F, low in the low 50s (50 to 53°F) |
| Open Caribbean | Air 77 to 79°F, sea 79 to 81°F |
| Aruba | About 82°F, steady northeasterly wind |
The winter weather risk is cold fronts near the departure area, and this route does not enter the Gulf. Caribbean winds are mostly easterly to northeasterly at 11 to 21 knots. Waves of 8 feet or more occur 10 to 20% of the time in the eastern Caribbean and 20 to 45% in the central Caribbean, highest southwest of Colombia.
The ship is large at 135,225 GT, which generally helps, but seasickness risk is a judgment call, so pack remedies if you are prone. Two sea days sit back to back at the end, on 22 and 23 January, which is a long, leisurely slog home. Plan your books, your naps and your emotional goodbye to the Caribbean accordingly.
- Embarkation and return: a light jacket or layers for the 4:30 PM departure and the 8:00 AM arrival.
- Islands: swimwear, a hat that stays on in Aruba’s wind, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
- Dominica: a packable rain jacket, water shoes and swimwear under your clothes for Titou Gorge.
Money
The fare is the cheap part: gratuities alone add about $238 per person, and a 14-night drinks package can top $1,175. Everything below is per person unless stated, and yes, the numbers get dramatic.
| Item | Rate | 14-night figure |
|---|---|---|
| Interior fare snapshot | $968 to $1,012 (roughly $69 to $72 per night) | Before gratuities |
| Gratuities, standard cabin | $17 per day | $238 |
| Gratuities, suite | $19 per day | $266 |
| Cheers!, pre-purchase | $83.94 per day | $1,175.16 |
| Cheers!, onboard | $89.94 per day | $1,259.16 |
| Bottomless Bubbles | Adult $11.99, child $6.95 per day, plus 20% service charge | Per day only |
| Wi-Fi Social, pre-purchase | $20.40 per day, per device | $285.60 |
An interior fare plus gratuities lands at $1,206 to $1,250 per person, before any extras, and the extras are where the plot thickens. Gratuities assume 14 nights, so confirm in Cruise Manager how Carnival bills. Our tipping guide covers who gets what. Guests who prepaid before 2 April 2026 kept the old $16 and $18 rates, which is no help to a new booker.
Cheers! is a big commitment, so compare it with your actual drinking, not your vacation-brain drinking. It includes the 20% service charge, allows 15 alcoholic drinks per day, and gives 25% off drinks priced above $20. It is priced per person, so a couple pays double, which is $2,350.32 at the pre-purchase rate. A cruise-news headline from October 2026 warns of a coming drink-package increase, so recheck before buying. Onboard Wi-Fi runs roughly $24 (Social) to $30 (Premium) per day, and you must buy for the whole cruise.
The cheaper play on wine: one sealed 750 ml bottle per guest aged 21 or over, brought on embarkation day. Drink it in your cabin and there is no fee, while serving it in a dining venue costs $15 corkage. Our bring-alcohol guide has the rest. Soft drinks must be cans or cartons of 12 oz or less, up to 12 per person, with no glass or plastic bottles. Verify on Carnival.com before you pack.
Documents
Bring a passport book valid through 24 July 2027. Carnival strongly recommends it, and this route touches seven non-US ports. This is the section where being a bit boring saves your whole holiday.
- Same-homeport rule: because the cruise returns to Port Canaveral, Carnival also accepts options such as a birth certificate plus government photo ID. A passport book is still the safer choice if you miss the ship and need to fly home, though that is our reasoning, not a stated Carnival rule.
- ID: guests 16 and over need an unexpired government photo ID. Mobile IDs are not accepted, and a REAL ID does not replace WHTI-compliant documents.
- Names: the booking name must match your ID, with supporting papers after a name change.
- Children: US and Canadian citizens under 16 need only proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate. If one parent is not sailing, Carnival strongly recommends a signed letter from that parent.
- Age rules (bookings from 1 February 2025): you must be 21 to sail independently, and under-21s need a companion aged 25 or older. One report says rules tighten for bookings from 1 October 2026, so check.
- Non-US citizens: you need a passport valid six months past travel, plus whatever visas each country requires. Check each embassy, because Carnival does not advise on immigration rules.
- Entry forms: the Aruba ED card is aimed at air arrivals, and Curaçao’s Digital Immigration Card is described as air-focused. Confirm on the official sites that neither applies to cruise guests.
- Medication: bring enough for the whole cruise, since the medical centers cannot refill prescriptions. Hand-carry prescribed narcotics in the original container.
Boarding without proper documents means being denied boarding with no fare refund, which is the plot twist nobody wants at the terminal. Also leave behind irons, coffee makers, candles, speakers and cannabis or CBD products. Smoking in staterooms or on balconies carries a $500 charge.
FAQ: Carnival Venezia 10 January 2027
Where does the Carnival Venezia 10 January 2027 cruise go?
The sailing is scheduled to call at Grand Turk, Aruba, Curaçao, Grenada, Barbados, Dominica, St. Maarten and St. Thomas, with five sea days, returning to Port Canaveral on 24 January at 8:00 AM. Schedule listings agree on that order. Carnival can change itineraries, so confirm in the Cruise Planner before booking flights or excursions.
Do I need a passport for a 14-night Carnival cruise from Port Canaveral?
Carnival strongly recommends a passport book, valid at least six months beyond the end of travel, so through 24 July 2027 here. On a same-homeport cruise it also accepts alternatives like a birth certificate plus government photo ID. With seven non-US ports, the passport book is the safer choice.
How much is parking at Port Canaveral for a 14-night cruise?
The port’s published rate is $20 per day plus tax, and arrival and departure days both count. For 10 to 24 January that is 15 days, or $300 before tax. Payment is on arrival, and one report says cash is not accepted. The rate last rose in October 2025, so check the port’s site for the current figure.
When does Carnival online check-in open for a 10 January 2027 sailing?
Secondary sources say it opens about 14 days before sailing, which would be roughly 27 December 2026. That is an estimate rather than a Carnival-published date. It closes at midnight Eastern the night before, so 9 January. Use it to pick your arrival time in the Hub app, because skipping it may mean a later assigned slot.
Can I bring wine on a Carnival cruise?
Guests aged 21 and over may bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne each, on embarkation day only. Open it in your stateroom and there is no fee, while serving it in a dining venue costs $15 corkage. Fortified wines over 15% ABV are not allowed, and beer and liquor get confiscated.
How much are Carnival gratuities for 14 nights?
For sailings from 2 April 2026, the rate is $17 per person per day in standard staterooms and $19 in suites. Over 14 nights that comes to $238 or $266 per person. A child rate is not established here, and gratuities can be adjusted onboard. Check in Cruise Manager how many days Carnival bills.
Is January hurricane season in the Caribbean?
No. The Atlantic season runs 1 June to 30 November, so a January sailing falls outside it. The main winter risk is a cold front near Florida, and this route does not enter the Gulf. Expect cool mornings at Port Canaveral and warm, breezy days in the islands, with a rain jacket handy for Dominica.
The Bottom Line
This is a port-heavy 14-night sailing, and it rewards you if you handle the logistics early and budget for the extras. Check your passport this week, confirm the ports in the Cruise Planner, and book parking or a hotel that covers 15 days. Finish online check-in before midnight Eastern on 9 January. Then pack a light jacket for Florida, water shoes for Dominica, and a hat with a chin strap for Aruba, because Aruba’s wind will absolutely steal your hat and sell it back to you as a lesson.
Ships in This Story
- Carnival Venezia Carnival · Latest CDC score 95
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