Carnival Cruise Line Commences Construction of Fourth Excel-Class Vessel

Carnival Cruise Line, a prominent member of the Carnival Corporation family, has joined forces with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft to kick off the construction of its fourth Excel-class cruise ship. This new vessel, named Carnival Festivale, is designed to be environmentally friendly, running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) to significantly reduce harmful emissions.

The Carnival Festivale will measure 344 meters in length, with a gross tonnage of 180,000 and the capacity to accommodate over 6,400 guests. Scheduled for delivery in 2027, the ship will depart from Port Canaveral, Florida, alongside its sister ship, Mardi Gras, which was the first LNG-fueled ship in the Americas.

In 2020, Mardi Gras made its debut, followed by sister ships Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee in subsequent years. The latest addition to the fleet, Carnival Festivale, marks another milestone in the partnership between Carnival Cruise Line and Meyer Werft.

Speaking on this collaboration, Bernd Eikens, CEO and Managing Director of Meyer Werft, described the construction of Carnival Festivale as “the next logical step” following the successful delivery of Carnival Jubilee.

Notably, Carnival Cruise Line recently placed an order for a fifth Excel-class vessel at Meyer Werft, solidifying their commitment to environmentally friendly cruise ships. This order brings the total number of LNG-propelled cruise ships built by Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku for Carnival Corporation to nine, all sharing a common technical platform.