MIAMI — Further bolstering its position as Central Florida’s largest cruise operator, Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Liberty departed on its inaugural voyage from Port Canaveral last weekend, becoming the line’s third year-round ship sailing from the Space Coast.

With the arrival of Carnival Liberty, Carnival will increase its annual passenger count from Port Canaveral to 600,000 – more than any other cruise operator.

On Carnival Liberty’s new schedule from Port Canaveral, vacationers can select from a variety of five-, seven- and eight-day Caribbean itineraries departing from the Central Florida port while enjoying a wide range of dining, bar and entertainment innovations that were added as part of the line’s Fun Ship 2.0 product enhancement program.

Carnival Liberty joins the totally transformed Carnival Sunshine, which launched year-round five- to eight-day Caribbean departures from Port Canaveral last month, and Carnival Sensation, offering year-round three- and four-day Bahamas cruises from the Space Coast.

In addition to three different year-round ships, vacationers have their choice of an unprecedented 200 cruises a year departing from Port Canaveral visiting 18 tropical islands throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida – the widest array of cruise lengths, durations and destinations from Central Florida.

“Port Canaveral is one of our fastest-growing homeports and deploying a third year-round ship from the Space Coast is a clear indication of the confidence we have in this important market,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO.