Carnival’s Record-Breaking Ships: Meet the 230,000-Ton Giants Coming Soon!

Carnival Cruise Line has made a significant announcement, revealing an order for a new class of ships set to join their renowned Fun Ship Fleet. The three vessels, each nearly 230,000 gross tons, are planned for delivery in 2029, 2031, and 2033.

The agreement has been secured with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, expressed pride in the company’s reputation as America’s cruise line, highlighting their commitment to innovative guest experiences that will enhance Carnival’s future offerings.

Each ship will feature over 3,000 staterooms, accommodating more than 6,000 guests at double occupancy, with potential capacity for 8,000 guests.

These new ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and equipped with cutting-edge energy-saving and environmentally-friendly technologies, although specific details are yet to be disclosed.

Pierroberto Folgiero, Fincantieri CEO, emphasized the significance of this collaboration, noting that these will be the largest cruise ships ever built by Fincantieri and the largest ever constructed in Italy.

The order is contingent on securing suitable financing, which is anticipated to be finalized by the end of 2024.

These new ships will be Carnival’s largest, approximately 50,000 gross tons larger than the Excel-class ships like Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee, which are 183,500 gross tons each.

The introduction of this new class promises groundbreaking features and beloved Carnival favorites. Previous innovations on the Excel class include the Bolt rollercoaster, Emeril’s Bistro, and Shaq’s Big Chicken, suggesting exciting possibilities for the new ships.

Carnival Corporation’s CEO, Josh Weinstein, emphasized the company’s strategic growth, confirming that before the new class arrives, Carnival will receive two additional Excel-class ships in 2027 and 2028, along with two ships from P&O Cruises Australia in 2025.

With this expansion, Carnival Corporation & plc will see new ships added to their fleet in 2025, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2031, and 2033, demonstrating a disciplined approach to growth in high-demand areas. Specific homeports, itineraries, and regions for these ships will be announced in due course.