By
Laura Hyde |
Construction is underway on Carnival Cruise Line’s newest and final addition to its Excel class, Carnival Tropicale. The first steel was cut at Meyer Werft’s shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, on 10 September 2026, ahead of the ship’s scheduled debut in April 2028.
The two firms marked the construction milestone with a western-themed steel-cutting ceremony, attended by several executives, including Ben Clement, executive vice president maritime and new builds at Carnival Cruise Line; Sarah Meins, senior project manager of hotel refurbishments and new builds at Carnival Cruise Line; Andre Walter, CEO of Meyer Werft; and Georg Schauen, project manager at Meyer Werft.
“I am delighted to celebrate this milestone for the first time as the new CEO of Meyer Werft,” said Walter, who became chairman of the management board of Meyer Werft on 1 July 2026. “The Carnival Tropicale is already the fifth Excel-class ship for Carnival Cruise Line. This successful and highly popular class of vessel reflects our long-standing partnership with Carnival Cruise Line.”
(From left) André Walter, CEO of Meyer Werft; Ben Clement, executive vice president maritime and new builds at Carnival Cruise Line; Simon Pattison, Carnival project manager; Georg Schauen, project manager at Meyer Werft (Photo: Meyer Werft)
“Today is a special day for Carnival Tropicale as we celebrate her progress from concept to reality,” said Clement. “We greatly value our partnership with Meyer Werft and are proud to be building Carnival Tropicale together. This represents another important milestone in our collaboration.”
The steel was cut using a plasma cutter capable of reaching temperatures of more than 20,000 degrees (Photo: Meyer Werft)
Measuring 344 metres in length and 180,000gt, Carnival Tropicale will accommodate more than 6,000 guests and will be powered by LNG. As the fifth and final ship in the Excel class the ship will offer guests the class’s newest features, including Sunsation Point, a multi-deck family fun zone; Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, a family-friendly water park featuring six waterslides; and a redesigned Fairway 66 Mini Golf course inspired by Route 66, as well as the Treehouse Adventure Trial and new arcade spaces.
A rendering of Turning Tides raft slide on Carnival Tropicale (Photo: Carnival Cruise Line)
Carnival Tropicale will offer guests dining experiences and flavours from around the world in numerous dining venues, including Uku Lei Lei – Hawaiian-inspired cuisine with Asian influences; Fetaccine – a blend of Greek and Italian flavours; and Emeril’s Coastal Seafood – seafood dishes inspired by America’s coastlines, created in partnership with Carnival’s chief culinary officer chef Emeril Lagasse.
The ship’s Grand Central Atrium will showcase tropical scenery by day (Photo: Carnival Cruise Line)
The ship is scheduled to sail its maiden voyage from its homeport of Galveston, Texas, on 15 April 2028, with the ship’s bow featuring the ‘Star of Texas’, symbolising its connection with its homeport. Carnival Tropicale will offer four-, five-, six- and eight-day itineraries to the cruise line’s exclusive Paradise Collection destinations, including Celebration Key, RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Isla Tropicale and Puerta Maya, as well as numerous Caribbean ports.
“From innovative attractions and dining to unforgettable destinations throughout the Caribbean, The Bahamas and Mexico, Carnival Tropicale will bring an exciting new vacation option to Texas when she debuts in 2028,” said Clement.