Carnival Cruise Lines, the world's largest cruise operator, plans to launch the first year-round cruise program from the Port of Baltimore with seven-day cruises aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride beginning in fall 2009.

"Today's consumers are more value-conscious than ever and considering that Baltimore is within a day's drive for millions of Northeastern US residents, these new seven-day voyages provide a convenient and affordable vacation option," said Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO.

The new program includes two different weeklong itineraries departing Sundays from the historic Maryland port.

Baltimore's first year-round cruise program will feature a variety of ports on two distinctly different seven-day itineraries. Exotic Eastern Caribbean departures will call at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay; and Freeport, The Bahamas; while Bahamas/Florida departures visit Port Canaveral, Fla.; and Nassau and Freeport, The Bahamas.

It is expected that the Carnival Pride will carry more than 115,000 guests annually from the port. Including its new Baltimore-based program, Carnival Cruise Lines will operate from 17 North American departure points, including 11 year-round homeports  --  the most of any cruise operator.

"Year-round cruising will allow the 40 million people that live within a six-hour drive of Baltimore to look beyond the traditional cruising seasons and sail throughout the year,” said Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.