Built in Helsinki by Kværner Masa-Yards, she was the first Spirit-class cruise ship to join Carnival's fleet after she was delivered in 2001.

[6][7][3] Previously in the northern fall and winter seasons, Carnival Spirit sailed cruises from San Diego and Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera.

During the period from mid-May and ending in September (northern summer), Carnival Spirit sailed the waters alongside the Alaskan Inside Passage on alternating one-week northbound and southbound voyages calling in Vancouver and Seattle.

[8] After Carnival Spirit finished her Alaskan and Hawaii cruises, she embarked on a transpacific crossing, calling in Tahiti and Fiji to reposition to Sydney, arriving on 16 October 2012.

[14] She was also the last Cruise Ship to sail from sydney in 2020, before the Australian Cruising Shutdown In February 2022, Carnival announced she would be redeployed to Jacksonville, Florida and begin operating four-to-five-day itineraries to the Bahamas on 7 March, replacing voyages originally slated for Carnival Ecstasy.