Carnival Cruise Line’s new Carnival Festivale has floated for the first time at Meyer Werft in Germany, ahead of its scheduled entry into service in May 2027.

The Excel-class ship touched water in late September after the shipbuilder flooded its enclosed building dock in Papenburg, marking another stage in the vessel’s construction.

Meyer Werft confirmed the milestone in a social media update on 4 October 2026, explaining that the operation allowed Carnival Festivale to be repositioned within the building hall.

The move also created additional space for work on another vessel, with the shipyard’s enclosed dock designed to accommodate the construction of two large ships simultaneously.

The 5,200-passenger Carnival Festivale is scheduled for delivery in 2027 and will begin its inaugural season from Port Canaveral in May.

The ship will join its sister vessel Mardi Gras at the Florida homeport, operating six- to eight-night Caribbean cruises.

Its itineraries will include calls at Celebration Key, Carnival’s private destination on Grand Bahama, alongside other ports across the region.

Carnival Festivale will be one of two remaining vessels in Carnival Cruise Line’s Excel-class programme, which began with the introduction of Mardi Gras in 2021.

The series will conclude with Carnival Tropicale, which is scheduled to enter service in April 2028.

Construction of Carnival Tropicale officially began at Meyer Werft in early September 2026, when the shipyard and Carnival marked the first steel cutting with a Texas-themed ceremony.

The vessel will be based in Galveston, Texas, where it will operate weeklong Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries.

Both new ships will feature updated versions of the Excel-class design, with a greater emphasis on family entertainment and outdoor recreational facilities.

Among the additions will be Sunsation Point, a family-focused adventure area incorporating Carnival’s largest waterpark.

The new Carnival Waterworks Ultra complex will feature six waterslides designed for different age groups and levels of activity, together with splash pads and shaded play areas.

The two ships will also introduce different themed entertainment spaces.

Aboard Carnival Festivale, the design will incorporate music-inspired venues and public areas, while Carnival Tropicale will feature lounges drawing inspiration from the golden age of show business.

Both vessels will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), continuing the propulsion arrangement used across the Excel-class series.

The float-out represents an important construction milestone for Carnival Festivale, although the vessel remains inside Meyer Werft’s building hall rather than having departed the shipyard.

Further construction, outfitting, and testing will be required before the ship is delivered to Carnival Cruise Line.

Once in service, Carnival Festivale will expand the line’s Excel-class presence at Port Canaveral, operating alongside Mardi Gras.

Its arrival will be followed less than a year later by Carnival Tropicale, completing Carnival’s current Excel-class newbuild programme.