By
Laura Hyde |
Carnival Corporation has ordered a fourth Excel-class cruise ship from German shipbuilder Meyer Werft for its Carnival Cruise Line brand. The unnamed ship is expected to enter service in spring 2027.
“We are very pleased that the partnership between the Meyer Group and Carnival Corporation will continue with this new order,” said Bernd Eikens, CEO of Meyer Group.
The new vessel will be the sister ship of Carnival Jubilee, which is spending its maiden season sailing seven-day itineraries from Port of Galveston in Texas to Western Caribbean destinations.
Carnival Jubilee was delivered in December 2023
Two additional Excel-class ships sail under the Carnival Cruise Line flag, Carnival Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration. The new 180,000gt ship will be LNG powered and will carry over 6,400 passengers.
Carnival’s Mardi Gras entered service in April 2021 after being delivered in December 2020
“Our Excel-class ships have been a tremendous addition to the Carnival fleet and proven very popular with our guests,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “This new ship enables us to continue the growth of our incredible fleet as we welcome our loyal guests back to cruise more frequently and attract new-to-cruise guests to experience all that a Carnival cruise has to offer.”
The latest Excel-class vessel marks the first newbuild order placed by Carnival Corporation in five years.
“This order is a clear sign that the cruise market has recovered and that there is great demand for sea voyages,” said Thomas Weigend, chief sales officer of the Meyer Group.
Carnival Celebration was delivered in November 2022
“Building on our strong performance and growing momentum around the world, we are excited to resume our newbuild programme and further enhance our global fleet with yet another state-of-the-art ship that will wow Carnival Cruise Line’s guests,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation.