Carnival Cruise Line marks steel cutting for next Excel class Carnival Festivale

Carnival Cruie Line has officially commenced construction of its next Excellence class cruise ship Carnival Festivale at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, with the first steel cut for the massive vessel.

The steel cutting ceremony is the first milestone in the ship’s construction, marking the beginning of the shipbuilding journey, and was celebrated with a time-honoured tradition in which officials from Carnival and the shipyard jointly pressed the button to begin the laser cutting process.

The Carnival Festivale will be Carnival’s fourth Excel class ship, powered by Liquefied Natural Gas, and like her sister ships Mardi Gras and Carnival Jubilee and Celebration, she will accommodate up to 6,400 guests.

“The steel being cut for our next new ship is music to my ears, which is in tune with many of the themed experiences the Carnival Festivale will bring to our guests,” said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line.

“From the music-themed zones to the expansive new water park we’ve planned for this ship, she will continue the tradition of infusing innovative new features into our fleet,” she added. 

“Each of her three sister ships is a great success, and we are excited to once again partner with Meyer Werft as we continue to build upon the revolutionary Excel platform,” Duffy added.

The steel cutting for Carnival Festivale comes just a day after the ship’s name and debut features were revealed by the cruise line.

The vessel will offer two music-themed zones on Decks 6, 7, and 8, as well as a new outdoor zone, Sunsation Point, spanning the top three decks. 

This zone will contain the Carnival Waterworks Ultra water park, boasting six slides, four of which are new, as well as two family raft rides, two splash pads, and dedicated baby splash areas.

Additional features include a treehouse-inspired elevated adventure trail, sports court, ropes course, re-imagined miniature golf and themed arcade spaces.

Sunsation Point will also host evening events with extended water park hours, DJs and activities, marking the first time Carnival opens Waterworks at night, the company said.

Sailing from Port Canaveral alongside Mardi Gras, Carnival Festivale will offer new dining concepts and favourites like Guy’s Burger Joint, Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse, and Shaq’s Big Chicken.

The ship is due for delivery in 2027, while the fifth ship in the class, Carnival Tropicale, is due in 2028. Both vessels, like the rest of the Excel class in the Carnival fleet, are named after the first ships that ever sailed for the line more than 50 years ago.