By
Laura Hyde |
Carnival Cruise Line and Meyer Werft have held a keel laying ceremony at the shipbuilder’s yard in Papenburg, Germany, for the cruise line’s fourth Excel-class ship, Carnival Festivale, which is set to be delivered in spring 2027.
At the ceremony, Brett Vitols, associate vice president of new builds for Carnival Cruise Line, and Georg Schauen, project manager for Carnival Festivale at Meyer Werft, placed commemorative coins inscribed with musical notes under the ship’s 598-ton keel block to bestow good luck on the vessel.
The Carnival Cruise Line and Meyer Werft teams at the keel laying ceremony in Papenburg, Germany
The ceremony was also attended by Petu Kummala, associate vice president of interior design and architecture at Carnival Cruise Line, along with members of Carnival’s new build team and members of the Meyer Werft team.
Carnival Festivale will be the fourth Carnival Cruise Line vessel powered by LNG and will include “immersive, music-inspired zones” each celebrating the creative process of making music in Studio 724 and Deck 6’s The Spark which has been designed to embody the art of songwriting. The ship will also celebrate the energy of enjoying live music at The Festival on Deck 8. The zones will include interactive technology, dynamic lighting and design elements, as well as curated food, beverage and experiences, according to the cruise line.
Carnival Festivale will sail its inaugural season from Port Canaveral in Florida
“Carnival Festivale isn’t just joining our fleet, she’ll be setting the tone for how to have fun at sea by blending vibrant designs and guest experiences that you can’t find anywhere else,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Music is a universal language that connects people from around the world, and this ship will bring that to life in true Carnival fashion. We’re grateful to work with the skilled team once again at Meyer Werft to bring Carnival Festivale into our fleet.”
Once complete, Carnival Festivale will sail a 15-day transatlantic voyage from Southampton, UK, on 2 May 2027, to its US homeport, Port Canaveral in Florida. It will then spend its inaugural season sailing six and eight-day Caribbean itineraries.
Watch a video of the keel laying ceremony on the Carnival Cruise Line website.