Carnival Cruise Line holds coin ceremony for new ship Carnival Celebration

Carnival Cruise Line has held a coin laying ceremony for its new cruise ship Carnival Celebration, at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland where the ship is being built.

The coin ceremony, a maritime tradition dating back several hundred years, and intended to bring good luck to the vessel, is considered a major construction milestone in modern shipbuilding.

Carnival Celebration’s Captain Vincenzo Alcaras, Chief Engineer Fabien Gervaise, Hotel Director Pierre Camilleri and members of Carnival’s New Build team joined representatives from Meyer Turku to help weld a special box containing the coins to the ship’s navigation mast.

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In the days of sail, the ceremonial coins were affixed to the main mast of ships to ward off any bad luck. The coins were initially placed under Carnival Celebration’s keel when construction first commenced.

Carnival Celebration is the second LNG-powered, 180,000-gross ton Excellence-class cruise ship for Carnival Cruise Line, joining sister ship Mardi Gras.

She is expected to enter service in early November with a 14-day transatlantic voyage from London (Southampton) to her PortMiami homeport in Florida, from which she will sail roundtrip cruises to the Caribbean.

The ship will debut along with Carnival’s redesigned Terminal F at PortMiami, which will be among the first terminals to be shore power ready in 2023.

Like her sister ship Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration will carry more than 5,000 passengers and offer dozens of dining, nightlife, entertainment and relaxation options and experiences across six unique ‘zones’.

Aboard Carnival Celebration there will be four zones comensurate with those aboard Mardi Gras (The Ultimate Playground, Summer Landing, The Lido, and the Central Atrium), but she will also feature two unique areas (a Miami-themed area called 820 Biscayne, and a new area called The Gateway that will celebrate the joy of travel and the excitement of exploring new destinations).

Each of the ship’s zones are individually designed, with amenities and experiences specific to that area, much like the neighbourhoods aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class cruise ships.

The Lido is the ship’s expansive pool deck up top, Summer Landing is an aft pool and relaxation space, with pool bars and casual eateries, The Gateway will feature a range of entertainment and dining options, 820 Biscayne will offer cuisine inspired by the city in which the ship will homeport year-round, and the Central Atrium will be her social and entertainment hub.

The Ultimate Playground, meanwhile, will be home to the ship’s BOLT rollercoaster, which first debuted aboard Mardi Gras as the first roller coaster at sea.