Carnival Cruise Line has officially commenced construction on its newest vessel, the Carnival Festivale, with the first steel cutting ceremony taking place at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
The Carnival Festivale will be the cruise line’s fourth Excel-class ship, featuring an impressive capacity of up to 6,400 guests and measuring 180,000 gross tons. The vessel will be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas, continuing Carnival’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, expressed enthusiasm about the project, highlighting the ship’s innovative features and its continuation of the Excel platform’s success.
The new vessel will introduce several groundbreaking amenities, including two music-themed zones spanning Decks 6, 7, and 8. One zone will focus on the creative process with cutting-edge media and interactive experiences, while another on Deck 8 will capture the energy of outdoor music performances.
A standout feature will be Sunsation Point, an outdoor zone extending across three decks. This area will house Carnival Waterworks Ultra, which the cruise line is promoting as the most family-friendly water park at sea. The park will feature six slides, including four new additions, two family raft rides, multiple splash pads, and dedicated areas for younger children.
Additional recreational features will include a treehouse-inspired elevated adventure trail, sports court, ropes course, reimagined miniature golf, and themed arcade spaces. Notably, Sunsation Point will introduce extended nighttime hours for the water park, a first for Carnival, complete with DJ entertainment and special activities.
The Carnival Festivale will be based at Port Canaveral, operating alongside its sister ship Mardi Gras. Passengers can look forward to both new dining concepts and popular Carnival favorites such as Guy’s Burger Joint, Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse, and Shaq’s Big Chicken.
