Carnival Cruise Line Unveils Exciting Innovations Itinerary with New Ships, Fleet Upgrades, and Exclusive Destinations

MIAMI ,
 April 8, 2025 /JamNewsWire/ — Carnival Cruise Line outlines its strategic plans for the next five years based on a period of expansive growth and unveils its “Innovations Roadmap” focused on three pillars: sailing the most fun fleet at sea; creating compelling experiences and destinations; and building more Carnival members.

At a press conference aboard Carnival Celebration at PortMiami today,
 Christine Duffy , president of the line, offered details on the new ships, the commissioning, fleet enhancements and exclusive destinations. (To view a video of the event, click 
 here .)

“Since our founding in 1972, we have defined and led the modern cruise industry, and our plans for the next five years and beyond are no different,” said Duffy. “The excitement and energy continue at Carnival! With the recent addition of two ships to the Carnival fleet in Australia , we now have 29 ships, the largest global fleet in our history.

Looking ahead, we have the launch of Celebration Key this July, followed by our expansion at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay in 2026; the delivery of our fourth and fifth Excel ships in 2027 and 2028; and then, beginning in 2029, the introduction of three ships to our newest platform, Project Ace; in addition, we will be enhancing the fleet and making new investments in some of our current destinations. We are poised to maintain our leadership position as the world’s most popular cruise line.”

New ships:

At the event, Duffy revealed that the fourth ship in Carnival’s award-winning Excel class will be named Carnival Festivale , continuing the tradition of naming these ships after the early Carnival vessels that popularized cruise vacations for so many Americans.

Carnival Festivale will depart from Port Canaveral, Florida , in spring 2027. Booking details and the itinerary will be announced this summer. In the meantime, those who wish to be the first to know can be notified by registering here .

Carnival Festivale will continue Carnival’s tradition of bringing innovation and fun with each new ship and will debut three all-new zones; two of which, on Decks 6, 7, and 8, will celebrate music with new music-themed venues and immersive experiences to represent the ways music brings people together. One zone is inspired by the music-making process and uses cutting-edge media, interactive moments, immersive sound, and transformative lighting to activate it throughout the cruise. The other zone, on Deck 8, symbolizes the energetic vibes of open-air musical performances. 

Carnival cruises with more families than any other cruise line, welcoming one million children annually. To better serve those families, Carnival Festivale will feature 1,000 interconnecting rooms, nearly 70% more than the first three Excel ships. The expansion of the interconnecting rooms replaces the Family Harbor staterooms on the current Excel ships. Carnival Festivale will also introduce a dedicated Carnival Turtles program space for children ages six months to two years old, and more experiences for them on the open decks. Carnival’s overall youth program spaces will also be enhanced to support additional programming.

Carnival Festivale will also feature a new outdoor area called Sunsation Point, located on the top three decks. This will be a dynamic and stimulating family fun area that promises endless entertainment and unforgettable memories for guests of all ages. On deck 18, one of Sunsation Point’s main features is Carnival Waterworks Ultra, the most family-friendly water park at sea and the ultimate thrill-ride destination. This new area will replace BOLT, the Ultimate Seacoaster located on the top deck of current Excel ships.

The expansive water park will feature six exciting slides, four of which are new to Carnival, and includes two family raft slides and, in the spirit of pleasing all ages, slides that allow guests to reach a height of just one meter. Two different water play areas offer endless aquatic fun with children’s slides and spray toys, while baby splash areas will allow even the smallest cruisers to join in the fun. The elevated, treehouse-inspired adventure trail and toddler zones offer dry play activities with plenty of shaded seating nearby. This area also includes a multi-sport court, a ropes course, and a jogging track, along with a new miniature golf course, outdoor games, and themed recreational spaces.  In the evening, Sunsation Point erupts with vibrant lighting, and the fun continues into the night with special nightly events that extend water park hours and feature a DJ and other activities. This is the first time Carnival has opened Waterworks at night, activating zones on several decks for guests of all ages to enjoy together at night.

Since this ship will sail from Port Canaveral around Mardi Gras , there will be new dining options. Carnival’s Chief Culinary Officer, Emeril Lagasse, is working closely with the food and beverage team to develop new concepts, including a new restaurant replacing ChiBang! However, guests need not worry, as fan favorites Guy’s Burger Joint, Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse, and Big Chicken are some of the staples that will remain in operation. More details on dining options will be provided in the coming months.

Duffy also announced that the name of the line’s fifth Excel-class ship will be Carnival Tropicale , also one of the original names for Carnival’s earliest ships. The homeport and opening date for sale will be announced well in advance of the ship’s expected delivery in spring 2028. Many of the new features from Carnival Festivale will also be included on Carnival Tropicale, as well as some new concepts and themes.

Looking ahead, Carnival’s new, dedicated ship platform, currently named Project Ace, includes three 230,000-gross-ton ships being built by Fincantieri and scheduled for delivery in 2029, 2031, and 2033, respectively. With more than 3,000 guest staterooms, the new ships will be the largest in Carnival Corporation’s global fleet and will be able to entertain more guests than any other ship in the world when carrying nearly 8,000 guests at full capacity. 

“These ships clearly represent the next generation of Fun ships. They will be experiences in themselves, and combined with itineraries that will stop in part at our signature destinations, they will provide guests with incredible cruise vacations,” said Duffy. “This class will introduce new dining, entertainment, and redesigned amenities on the outer deck. Our Newbuild team is deep in the design process for these ships, so stay tuned for more as we get closer to the delivery dates.”

Launch Updates: 

When Carnival Festivale is delivered in spring 2027 and begins sailing from Port Canaveral, Mardi Gras will transition to offering shorter cruises from the same home port.

“As new ships are introduced, we’ll be able to enhance capacity and equipment in key markets, with a particular focus on short-haul cruises,” Duffy explained. “With Mardi Gras short-haul cruises , guests who might not have time for a week-long vacation can experience all the amazing features of our Excel class.”

Carnival has always been a leader in offering short-haul cruises that appeal to first-time cruisers and families with more limited vacation time. Carnival offers short-haul cruises from all of its home ports in the U.S. and Australia , except Baltimore and Seattle .

Duffy also reiterated Carnival’s commitment to serving the line’s secondary markets, which are an important part of its portfolio as America’s Cruise Line, by remaining accessible vacations for the 50 percent of the U.S. population who are within a five-hour drive of a Carnival cruise. 

As part of this commitment, Carnival will return to year-round operations in Mobile, Alabama , beginning in spring 2027. Carnival previously sailed year-round from Mobile and currently sails seasonally. Additionally, Carnival is exploring the possibility of moving a larger Conquest-class ship to Baltimore in 2027, capable of accommodating nearly 1,000 more guests than Carnival Pride, the Spirit-class ship currently sailing from Baltimore.    

Guest Experience:

Since first introducing Fun Ship 2.0 in 2011, Carnival has continued to enhance the guest experience on its ships. To continue innovating, Carnival will modify the guest experience on its current ships through strategic enhancements. Changes will include modernized décor and new dining, beverage, and entertainment experiences based on features and concepts introduced on its new ships. More details will be revealed as drydocking and enhancement plans are finalized.

Destinations: 

It’s not just about the ships that are part of the Innovations Itinerary, but also about exclusive destinations. Carnival Corporation already has the largest collection of cruise destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico, used by many of its corporate brands. Carnival Cruise Line, as the largest year-round operator in these regions, is the line that most frequently visits these destinations. Therefore, the destinations are being enhanced and will be marketed as the new Paradise Collection by Carnival and will include:

• Celebration Key , the first exclusive destination designed for Carnival guests, will open in July and will be revolutionary. It offers guests “a day in paradise.” Tickets are now on sale for twenty Carnival ships from 10 U.S. ports and with more than 1,400 sailings, which will visit Celebration Key through 2027, with more to come.
• The line recently announced the expansion of RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay , consistently ranked as one of the best destinations in the Caribbean. The addition of a pier capable of handling Excel-class and Project Ace ships will allow Carnival to bring its largest ships to this beautiful destination. The expansion focuses on revealing more of the beach paradise that Carnival guests love and ensuring we preserve the pristine beach and lush natural beauty of this island paradise. Destination enhancements will begin completion in summer 2026 and will continue through the end of the year.
• Beginning in 2026, Mahogany Bay , Carnival’s destination in Roatán, Honduras , will be renamed Isla Tropicale and will expand to include a pool with a bar and cabanas. Future enhancements will also include an expanded beach and beach club.

Fidelity:

At the end of the event, Duffy confirmed that Carnival will enhance its current loyalty program, with details expected to be announced this summer and the improvements taking effect in 2026. 

“Carnival has an incredibly loyal and passionate fan base who champion our brand, our crew, and the amazing vacations we offer. We’ve been implementing our VIFP loyalty recognition program since 2012, and as our fleet and business have grown, so has the VIFP program,” he said. “As we continue to grow, we’re modifying the program to provide greater value and engagement to our loyal guests.”

Duffy said the updates will be announced this summer, giving guests and travel advisors plenty of time to learn about the changes.

For more information about Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit http://carnival.com , or contact your travel advisor or preferred online travel site. 

ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Carnival Cruise Line, parte de Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: Carnival (UK ), is the first cruise line to carry more than 100 million guests and is proud to be known as America’s Cruise Line, carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other company. Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has revolutionized the cruise industry and popularized the cruise vacation as an affordable and fun travel option. Carnival operates from 13 U.S. and two Australian homeports , as well as seasonally from Europe, and employs more than 50,000 people of 120 nationalities.

Carnival’s 29-ship fleet reflects an exciting period of growth that continues with the addition of five new ships through 2033: a fourth and fifth Excel-class ship planned for 2027 and 2028, respectively; followed by three additional new ships in an innovative new class currently under development. Carnival’s next new guest offering will be the exclusive new destination, Celebration Key, debuting in Grand Bahama this summer.

SOURCE Carnival Cruise Line