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Carnival Cruise Lines and the Port of Baltimore have launched the city's first year-round cruise schedule this week when the Carnival Pride [pictured] sailed on its inaugural departure from the East Coast port.

The launch of the new cruise schedule, which will comprise of 50 voyages per year, is set to also be a boost to marine fuel sales at Maryland's leading bunker port.

The Carnival Pride arrived on April 27th at the South Locust Point Cruise Terminal, accompanied by the appropriately named The Pride of Baltimore, an authentic reproduction of a 19th century clipper topsail schooner.

In total, the 50 voyages annually aboard the 88,500-ton “Fun Ship,” are expected to carry 115,000 passengers a year from Baltimore. The Port of Baltimore estimates that with the addition of the Carnival Pride, the cruise industry will provide an annual economic impact of $152 million and generate 1,550 jobs within the state.

With the new year-round service from Baltimore, Carnival now sails from 19 North American departure points - the most in cruising - providing consumers with access to a wide variety of embarkation ports throughout the U.S.

“Baltimore is an excellent addition to our North American homeport offerings as it is in close proximity to millions of consumers who now have the opportunity to embark on a ‘Fun Ship’ cruise right from their own backyards,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO.

“The State of Maryland welcomes the Carnival Pride and the beginning of year round cruising to the Port of Baltimore,” said Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.

Carnival Pride will operate a series of six-, seven- and eight-day cruises from Baltimore up until August 29th 2009. These cruises will visit a wide variety of ports, including Nassau, Freeport, Half Moon Cay (a private Bahamian island), Port Canaveral (near Orlando) and Grand Turk in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Carnival Pride will then feature a year-round seven-day schedule starting September 6th 2009, with cruises departing every Sunday. Two different itineraries will be offered including an Exotic Eastern Caribbean itinerary calling at Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, and Freeport; and a weeklong Bahamas/Florida route featuring Port Canaveral (near Orlando’s many attractions), Nassau and Freeport.