Three New Mega Ships Coming Soon to Carnival Cruise Line

In recent years, we’ve gotten used to seeing plenty of new ships arriving from Royal Caribbean, but its main competitor wasn’t about to just sit back and watch.

Carnival Cruise Line is planning to kick off the next decade in a big way, with three mega ships capable of carrying around 8,000 people each.

It’s a titanic undertaking that will further expand Carnival’s already massive fleet. So let’s dive into the details of these ships, from their design to their expected launch dates.

Two New Ships Coming in 2027 and 2028

During a recent event on Carnival Celebration, Carnival Cruise Line revealed interesting new details about the company’s future.

First, the names of the new Carnival’s Excel class ships were revealed.

The fourth ship will be named Carnival Festivale, continuing the tradition of bringing back the names of Carnival’s earliest ships, which had long since left the fleet.

It will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida, from spring 2027 and the details on the itinerary will be revealed later this summer.

The fifth ship will be called Carnival Tropicale and will enter service in 2028. Details about the home port and itineraries will be revealed at a later date.

The 3 New Mega Ship

But another very interesting thing is the confirmation that Carnival has ordered 3 new mega ships in a project that has been called Project Ace.

The ships will be built by the historic Italian company Fincantieri and will be able to carry more passengers than any other ship in the world (when sailing at full capacity). 

According to Christine Duffy, Carnival Cruise Line president:

“These ships clearly represent the next generation of Fun ships. They will be experiences unto themselves, and, partnered with itineraries that call in part on our exclusive destinations, will provide amazing cruise vacations for guests. 

“This class will introduce new dining outlets, entertainment, and re-imagined outer deck amenities. Our new build team is in the midst of designing these vessels.”

Cruise fans are definitely excited to experience these new ships, but they’ll have to wait a little longer.

According to the current timeline, the launches are scheduled for 2029, 2031, and 2033.

Christine Duffy also said that thanks to fleet expansion, Carnival will offer more short cruises.

When Carnival Festivale starts sailing from Port Canaveral, its sister ship, Mardi Gras, will offer short cruises for the same port.

“Guests who may not have the time to take a weeklong vacation can experience all the amazing features of our Excel class” said Duffy.

What more can be said? Carnival is truly a cruise line in full expansion mode. You can find out all the other updates in the article about the 7 Big Changes Coming to Carnival in 2025.