Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled an ambitious five-year strategic vision under the banner of “Innovation Itinerary,” focused on enhancing its fleet, experiences, and guest loyalty. At a recent media briefing held aboard Carnival Celebration at PortMiami, President Christine Duffy outlined the company’s expansion plans, including new ship launches, destination enhancements, and upgrades to its guest experience and loyalty program.
At the event, Duffy announced that the fourth ship in Carnival’s award-winning Excel class will be named Carnival Festivale, paying tribute to the early Carnival ships that helped popularize cruising in the U.S. Debuting in spring 2027, Carnival Festivale will homeport in Port Canaveral, Florida, with reservations opening this summer.
Carnival Festivale will introduce three new themed zones, two of which will celebrate music through immersive, sound-rich environments spanning Decks 6 to 8. “Carnival Festivale will keep in the Carnival tradition of bringing innovation and fun with each new ship,” said Duffy. The ship will also feature a new outdoor space called Sunsation Point, a family-focused area with the most expansive Carnival Waterworks Ultra park yet, replacing the BOLT rollercoaster from previous Excel ships.
Designed for families, Festivale will feature 1,000 interconnecting rooms—nearly 70% more than on its predecessors, and introduce a dedicated area for the Turtles program (ages six months to two years). Youth programming spaces will also be expanded.
Carnival’s Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse is collaborating with the food and beverage team to introduce a new dining outlet that will replace ChiBang! while retaining popular favorites like Guy’s Burger Joint and Big Chicken.
Duffy also revealed that the fifth Excel-class ship will be named Carnival Tropicale, continuing the legacy theme. Scheduled for delivery in spring 2028, Tropicale will share many of Festivale’s new features while adding fresh concepts and theming.
Looking further ahead, Carnival is preparing to launch a new ship class called Project Ace, with three 230,000-GT ships under construction by Fincantieri. Set for delivery in 2029, 2031, and 2033, each will carry nearly 8,000 guests, making them the largest in Carnival Corporation’s global fleet.
“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,” said Duffy. “Since our inception in 1972, we have defined and led the modern cruise industry and our plans for the next five years and beyond are no different. The excitement and energy continue at Carnival!”
Carnival currently operates 29 ships globally, its largest fleet to date. This summer will also see the opening of Celebration Key, its first purpose-built exclusive destination, followed by the expansion of RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay in 2026. Carnival will also reintroduce year-round service from Mobile, Alabama in 2027 and is exploring deploying a larger ship to Baltimore.
Deployment plans for 2027 include moving Mardi Gras to short cruise itineraries from Port Canaveral once Carnival Festivale joins the fleet. “With short cruises on Mardi Gras, our guests who may not have the time to take a weeklong vacation can experience all the amazing features of our Excel class,” explained Duffy.
Carnival also continues to upgrade its existing fleet, enhancing décor, dining, and entertainment across ships to reflect features introduced on newer vessels.
In destination development, Carnival will rebrand and expand several exclusive ports under the new Paradise Collection:
- Celebration Key, launching in July 2025, will be visited by 20 Carnival ships from 10 U.S. homeports on over 1,400 sailings.
- RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay will feature a new pier and expanded facilities, completed by late 2026.
- Mahogany Bay in Roatan will be rebranded Isla Tropicale and expanded to include new entertainment and beach areas by 2026.
Duffy concluded with an announcement that Carnival will revamp its Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) loyalty program in 2026, with details to be shared this summer. “Carnival has an incredibly loyal and passionate fan base who are advocates for our brand, our crew and the amazing vacations we deliver,” she said. “As we continue to grow, we are modifying the program to unlock greater value and engagement for our loyal guests.”
