Carnival Cruise Line honours history with name reveal for 4th and 5th Excel class ships

Carnival Cruise Line has revealed the names of its fourth and fifth Excel class cruise ships as Carnival Festivale and Carnival Tropicale, under construction with the German shipyard Meyer Werft and due for delivery in 2027 and 2028.

The name reveal was led by Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line, during a event aboard Carnival Celebration at PortMiami, during which details were provided on the brand’s wider strategic plans for its new ships, itineraries, destinations, and fleet enhancements.

The naming of the new ships continues Carnival Cruise Line’s tradition of giving the Excel ships the names of the first Carnival ships that popularised cruise vacations for so many Americans in the 1970s.

The class leader Mardi Gras was named after the cruise line’s very first ship, which it bought second-hand and introduced in 1972, while Festivale and Tropicale followed in 1977 and 1982.

Carnival Festivale will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida from 2027, with reservation and itinerary details to be released this summer. 

The ship will debut three brand new zones; two of which across Decks 6, 7, and 8 will feature new music-themed venues and immersive experiences. One zone is inspired by the process of creating music, using cutting-edge media, interactive moments, immersive sound, and transformative lighting, while the other will focus on outdoor music performances. 

Carnival Festivale will not feature the Family Harbor staterooms that debuted on the existing Excel ships but will instead offer 1,000 interconnecting cabins, nearly 70% more than on the first three Excel ships.  

The vessel will also introduce a dedicated space for Carnival’s Turtles program for children six months to two years, and will offer more experiences for them on the open decks. Spaces for Carnival’s youth programmes will also be enhanced throughout the ship to support additional programming.

A new outdoor zone on the top three decks, Sunsation Point, will offer Carnival Waterworks Ultra, the most family-friendly water park at sea, replacing BOLT, the Ultimate Seacoaster which is the top deck feature on the existing Excel ships.

The expansive water park will feature six slides, four of which are new to Carnival, including two family raft slides and, in the spirit of catering to all ages, slides that allow guests as little as three feet tall. 

Two different splash pads will feature kids’ slides and spray toys, while dedicated baby splash areas will also be available. Elevated treehouse-inspired adventure trails and toddler areas will provide dry play activities with plenty of shaded seating nearby.  

A sports court, ropes course, and jogging track, along with a new miniature golf course, outdoor games and themed arcade spaces, are also included in this zone.  

In the evening, Sunsation Point will feature a DJ and other activities, becoming the first Waterworks park in the fleet to remain open at night.

There will also be new dining experiences available for guests, with Carnival’s Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse working closely with the Food and Beverage team to develop new concepts, including a new dining outlet that will replace ChiBang!  

Fan favourites such as Guy’s Burger Joint, Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse, and Big Chicken are a few of the staples that will be reprised aboard Carnival Festivale.  More details on dining options will be available in the coming months, according to the cruise line.

Carnival Cruise Line’s fifth Excel class ship, Carnival Tropicale will feature many of these new amenities, along with new concepts and theming that will be announced in the coming months.