<p>When the 2,642-passenger Carnival Destiny begins a new schedule of four- and five-day cruises from Miami on Saturday, Sept. 27, it will not only provide consumers with an exciting new &ldquo;Fun Ship&rdquo; vacation option but will also be the largest ship to be deployed year-round on short cruise itineraries.</p><p>Additionally, the Carnival Destiny offers nearly 500 balcony staterooms and suites &ndash; the most of any ship operating a year-round short-cruise program &ndash; providing consumers with unprecedented variety in their accommodation choices.</p><p>Carnival Destiny&rsquo;s deployment to Miami will also further solidify Carnival&rsquo;s position as the short-cruise leader, with 29 such options from 12 U.S. homeports &ndash; the most in cruising. In total, Carnival&rsquo;s ships will operate nearly 850 departures of five days or less in length with roughly half of its 22-vessel fleet offering short cruise itineraries.</p><p>On its new Miami-based schedule, Carnival Destiny departs Thursdays on four-day cruises to Key West, Fla., and Cozumel, Mexico; Mondays on five-day cruises to Grand Turk, Turks &amp; Caicos Islands; and Half Moon Cay, a private Bahamian island; and Saturdays on five-day voyages to George Town, Grand Cayman; and Ocho Rios, Jamaica.. </p><p>In addition to providing a convenient and affordable vacation option, Carnival Destiny offers a host of on-board amenities, including some new features that were installed during a recent two-week dry dock. These include Carnival&rsquo;s Seaside Theatre, a massive 270-square-foot outdoor LED screen on Lido Deck displaying movies, concerts, sporting events and other programming, along with an expansive new &ldquo;Circle C&rdquo; facility catering to the 12- to 14-year-old age group.</p><p>Located on Sun Deck 12, &ldquo;Circle C&rdquo; features a high-tech sound and lighting system, plasma-screen TVs displaying movies and music videos, a touch-screen jukebox, and gaming pods with the latest video games and consoles. A variety of cosmetic enhancements such as new carpeting, wall coverings and tile work, were also completed.</p><p>Continued Expansion of Short Cruise Market</p><p>The deployment of the Carnival Destiny to Miami is one of several enhancements to the line&rsquo;s short cruise programs. </p><p>This past weekend, the 2,052-passenger Carnival Fascination began year-round four- and five-day cruises from Jacksonville, Fla., becoming the newest and largest ship to sail from that port on a year-round basis. The 2,052-passenger Carnival Imagination, which offers such features as a water park and adults-only area &ndash; all part of the &ldquo;Evolutions of Fun&rdquo; product enhancement initiative &ndash; began a new three- and four-day schedule from Miami last week, as well.</p><p>Next year, Carnival will dramatically expand capacity on its short cruise programs from Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans, when the 2,052-passenger Carnival Fantasy and the 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph, respectively, launch new programs from those ports in November 2009.</p><p>A Spectacular &lsquo;Fun Ship&rsquo;</p><p>Carnival Destiny &mdash; the world&rsquo;s first 100,000-plus-ton cruise ship &mdash; offers a host of resort-style facilities and features: 18 lounges and bars, including a 1,400-seat theater featuring lavish production revues, a 14,500-square-foot health and wellness center, a jogging track, an Internet caf&eacute;, ship-wide Wi-Fi access and cell phone service.</p><p>Dining options include two two-level main dining rooms with extensive menus and wine lists, a 1,200-seat poolside eatery with a 24-hour pizzeria, a patisserie serving specialty coffees and sweets, and complimentary 24-hour room service.</p><p>In addition to the new &ldquo;Circle C&rdquo; facility for 12- to 14-year-olds, Carnival Destiny offers numerous other family friendly features, including a children&rsquo;s program, &ldquo;Camp Carnival,&rdquo; catering to kids ages two to 11, and &ldquo;Club O2,&rdquo; the line&rsquo;s award-winning teen program for 15- to 17-year olds.</p><p>Carnival Destiny also offers a variety of accommodation categories, including a wide range of balcony staterooms and suites. All staterooms feature the Carnival Comfort Bed sleep system with plush mattresses, luxurious duvets and high quality linens and pillows.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>