Cruise ships bring hundreds of thousands of passengers to Catalina Island
Catalina Island hosts more than a million visitors a year. Attracted by beautiful vistas, crystal clear waters and the small-town charm of Avalon, those visitors come from around the world to relax on Catalina’s beaches, explore the island’s interior and experience the many wonders of Santa Catalina.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of visitors also experience Catalina Island as part of a cruise. Depending on the time of year, two to four ships a week stop in Avalon. Those ships are usually home-ported in Los Angeles or Long Beach and their stop in Avalon is an important one for the local economy.
Carnival Cruise Lines makes the most stops in Avalon, bringing two ships a week. Currently, Imagination and Inspiration stop on Monday and Tuesday respectively, as part of their four-day cruises from Long Beach. Both ships carry more than two thousand passengers. During the fall and spring months, additional ships from different cruise lines visit Avalon on seven-day Pacific Coastal cruises. Through the end of April, one of those ships will be the Celebrity Century, which stops in Avalon on Thursdays. Holland America, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines and even The World, a luxury ownership based cruise ship, have all made stops at Catalina Island, Calif.