Carnival Cruise Line will debut its third Excel-class ship at the Port of Galveston in Texas, USA, on 23 December 2023. The 5,400-passenger Carnival Jubilee will join Carnival Breeze and Carnival Dream, which are already operating from the port, and all three ships will offer guests week-long Western Caribbean cruises. 

Carnival Jubilee will have two new ocean-themed zones, the first of which is called Currents and encompass decks six and seven. The zone will feature six large LED windows and a wave-shaped LED ceiling, which will help to create various environments for guests to experience while spending time at new venues in the zone. 

One of the new venues is Dr.Inks Ph.D, an octopus-themed bar offering colour-changing cocktails, jellyfish and layered shots, as well as live music. The bar is centred around the character of Dr. Inks, whose favourite books, journals and fountain pens are on display. Another venue is the Golden Mermaid, a lounge that will serve cocktails inspired by gemstones and metals, which will be made with edible glitter. 

Currents will also be home to Emeril’s Bistro 717, a restaurant developed by Carnival’s chief culinary officer Emeril Lagasse that will serve Creole cuisine, seafood and dishes at a raw bar. The venue’s name references the hull number used for Carnival Jubilee at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Turku, Finland. It will serve dishes such as shrimp and grits, poached eggs and sweet beignets for breakfast. Lunch and dinner will include seafood dishes such as Creole boiled shrimp, fresh oysters and lobster, as well as cuisine from the US state of Louisiana. The bistro also features LED windows and a ceiling array, creating an underwater dining experience. 

“When guests step into Currents, they will be transported to mesmerising underwater worlds, both realistic and fantastical, in a beautiful space that changes from day to night and throughout the cruise,” a release reads. 

The second ocean-themed zone onboard Carnival Jubilee is The Shores, which will be located on deck eight. The Shores features a design inspired by the various ways people enjoy the seaside, for example via piers, boardwalks and beaches. A three-deck-high art installation showing a school of fish rises from deck six up to deck eight, linking The Shores with Currents below. The boardwalk will be adorned with Ferris wheel-inspired ceiling features and include both indoor and outdoor casual seating areas.  

The Shores will also have restaurants, Coastal Slice and Beach Buns. The Marina Bar, with its nautical designs and lounge seating, will provide a place for guests to drink coffee and cocktails inside by the boardwalk, or outside by the sea. Returning venues Rudi’s Seagrill and Cucina del Capitano will also be located in the zone. 

Other zones guests can enjoy on Carnival Jubilee include Grand Central, Summer Landing, Lido and The Ultimate Playground. The Grand Central atrium will receive plenty of visits, with guests able to take in the floor-to-ceiling windows, 14-foot LED screens and a ceiling of 1,400 colour-changing lights. The Center Stage hosts a selection of live entertainment, while spots like Grand View Bar, JavaBlue Café, Bonsai Sushi, Piano Bar 88 and The Punchliner Comedy Club provide plenty of dining and drinking options. The highlight of The Ultimate Playground is Bolt, the first rollercoaster at sea. 

Staterooms aboard Carnival Jubilee feature guest-centric design and unique details such as ottoman cushions that can flip over to serve as an extra table and ring-lit vanity mirror lights. The Havana staterooms and suites are located near the Havana Bar & Pool, with the Havana Cabana suites offering guests the chance to take a luxurious rain shower. 

Staterooms and suites have sofas upholstered in fabric from Danish textile company Kvadrat. Like it did for the lines’ first two Excel-class ships Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, Kvadrat has delivered three different high-performing, custom-made Trevira CS upholstery fabrics for the suites, the ocean-view and balcony staterooms, and the luxurious Cloud 9 Spa staterooms and suites.

This article was first published in the 2023 issue of Cruise & Ferry Interiors. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed. Subscribe to Cruise & Ferry Interiors for FREE here to get the next issue delivered directly to your inbox or your door.