Carnival Cruise Lines will launch the first year-round cruise program from Baltimore with weekly voyages aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride beginning in fall 2009. The new program kicks off in September 2009 with two different itineraries departing Sundays.

The Eastern Caribbean route will call at Grand Turk, Freeport and the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay. The Bahamas/Florida route will visit Port Canaveral, Nassau and Freeport.

Noting that Baltimore is within a day’s drive for millions of Northeast U.S. residents, Carnival president and CEO Gerry Cahill said the new cruises will provide “a convenient and affordable vacation option.”

The Carnival Pride will carry more than 115,000 passengers annually from Baltimore.