CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES will substantially beef up its West Coast presence in 2009 when it homeports its newest and largest ship, the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor, in Los Angeles. Beginning in March 2009, the Splendor will operate year-round, seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach, Calif., following its inaugural schedule of European and Caribbean sailings. The Splendor will further bolster Carnival's position in Southern California, which is currently home to four Carnival ships. With the arrival of the Splendor, the line expects to carry approximately 650,000 guests annually on these cruises, almost twice the amount of any other cruise line, it said. The 113,300-ton Splendor will call in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.