Construction on Carnival Cruise Line’s second Excel-class ship, Carnival Celebration, is well underway.
Over the weekend, Carnival’s brand ambassador John Heald posted photos on Facebook of the vessel’s “whale tail” funnel being lowered onto the ship’s top deck. “Carnival Celebration getting her whale tail. Big fun coming next year,” he wrote.
Carnival Celebration is the sister-ship to Carnival Cruise Line’s largest ship to date — Mardi Gras. After a number of delays, Mardi Gras set sail on her first passenger cruise in July 2021.
Carnival Celebration is set to debut in November 2022 in Miami. Her first cruise will be from the UK to Miami in early November 2022.
Carnival Celebration will feature most of the same amenities and activities that can be found on Mardi Gras, such as the top-deck BOLT roller coaster, the Serenity adults-only retreat, WaterWorks aqua park, the two-story RedFrog Tiki Bar, and the Cloud 9 Spa with a thermal suite.
Dining onboard will include Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse, Seafood Shack, Bonsai Teppanyaki, Chibang!, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, BlueIguana Cantina, and Guy’s Burger Joint.
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The vessels in Carnival’s new Excel-class have all been named after previous Carnival ships.
Mardi Gras’ namesake was Carnival’s very first ship, which entered into service with Carnival in 1972. She was built in 1961, and sailed for Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd. as the Empress of Canada until she was bought by Carnival and renamed Mardi Gras.
Carnival Celebration is named after Carnival’s 1987-built Celebration, which was the final vessel in the line’s Holiday-class. Carnival sold Celebration in 2008, and the ship continued to sail until the global pandemic shut down cruising in March 2020. She has since been scrapped.
A third Excel-class vessel set to debut in 2023, Carnival Jubilee, has been named after the 1986-built Jubilee, which sailed with Carnival until 2004.
For more Carnival Celebration construction photos from the shipyard, check out Photos: Progress Being Made on Carnival’s Next Mega Cruise Ship.
