Carnival Cruise Line Resumes Sailings to Freeport, Bahamas Post-Hurricane

(12:15 p.m. EDT) -- Carnival Cruise Line will resume calls to Grand Bahama Island on Friday, when Baltimore-based Carnival Pride calls on Freeport. Carnival Elation will follow with a stop in Freeport on Sunday, October 13, and Carnival Freedom on Tuesday, October 15.

These calls mark Carnival's first return to Grand Bahama since Hurricane Dorian devastated parts of the Bahamas in August. (Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line was the first cruise line to return, on September 27.)

"Carnival Cruise Line is proud to be such a big year-round supporter for cruise tourism to Freeport so we are very excited to provide our guests the opportunity to again visit this popular destination," said Terry Thornton, Carnival's senior vice president of nautical and port operations, in a statement. "Cruise ship visits are important to the local economy and our shore excursion team has been working closely with local tour operators and has confirmed a variety of attractive onshore excursions for our guests."

A lineup of 15 different shore excursions will be offered for passengers arriving in Freeport, including the All-Inclusive Beach Club; A Select Retreat with Beach and Water Toys; and the VIP Luxury Sail.

Between now and the end of the year, Carnival Cruise Line will offer 39 calls on Freeport, bringing more than 100,000 visitors to Grand Bahama and providing economic benefits to the local economy. For the year, over 400,000 people will have visited Freeport aboard 10 different Carnival ships sailing from nine U.S. homeports.

"The rebuilding of Grand Bahama has begun," said Senator James Kwasi Malik Thompson, minister of state for Grand Bahama, in the statement. "We welcome the return of Carnival Cruise Line back to Grand Bahama after Hurricane Dorian. Carnival is an incredible partner for the Bahamas and Grand Bahama."

On Monday, Carnival Ecstasy became the first cruise ship to utilize the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport since Hurricane Dorian. Carnival Ecstasy will be in drydock for 12 days to conduct routine maintenance and refurbishment.

Carnival Cruise Line also recently announced it's building a new terminal on Grand Bahama, with an investment of $100 million, slated for construction to begin mid-2020.