With cruise vacation demand at unprecedented levels, Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company, has announced an order for three new ships for its Carnival Cruise Line brand. These vessels, nearly 230,000 gross registered tonnes each, will be constructed by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and are scheduled for delivery in the summers of 2029, 2031, and 2033.
“We are proud to be known as America’s cruise line with tremendous guest loyalty and an outstanding team that has enabled us to deliver memorable vacations to over 100 million guests,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “For this next generation ship, we are focused on creating innovative guest experiences that will take Carnival Cruise Line into the future with new FUN features and excitement that we know our guests will LOVE.”
READ MORE: Replay Destinations Announces Luxury Hotel Development at Mill District in Healdsburg, CA
These new ships will be LNG-powered, aligning with Carnival Corporation’s commitment to environmental sustainability. With over 3,000 guest staterooms and the capacity to carry nearly 8,000 guests, they will be the largest in Carnival Corporation’s fleet. These ships will also incorporate advanced energy efficiency, waste management, and emission reduction technologies, contributing to Carnival’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint.
Carnival Corporation has announced five new ship orders for Carnival Cruise Line in 2024. Earlier this year, the company placed orders for two more Excel-class ships set to join the fleet in 2027 and 2028. Additionally, Carnival will transfer five vessels from sister brands to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet between 2023 and March 2025, further increasing guest capacity.
“We are doubling down on the growth of Carnival Cruise Line – our highest-returning brand – to keep up with the incredibly strong demand we continue to see for the world’s most popular cruise line,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc. He highlighted that the newbuild pipeline includes deliveries from 2025 through 2033, aiming for a disciplined growth strategy with one to two new ships per year.
Weinstein noted that this order would contribute to an average annual capacity growth of approximately 1.5% between 2025 and 2033. This strategic expansion allows Carnival to provide new capacity to its most profitable brands while improving its balance sheet and reducing debt through strong free cash flow.
Fincantieri’s CEO, Pierroberto Folgiero, expressed excitement about collaborating with Carnival Cruise Line on this groundbreaking project. “We are excited to join forces with Carnival Cruise Line to debut a new class of ship, which will be the largest cruise ship ever constructed by Fincantieri and the largest ship ever built in Italy. We are proud of the role Fincantieri has played in helping Carnival Corporation secure its position as the world’s largest cruise company and look forward to continuing this success story together,” he said.
Design details and itinerary information for the new ships will be announced in the future. This order is contingent upon financing, expected to be completed later this year.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest global cruise company and among the largest leisure travel companies. Its portfolio includes AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), Princess Cruises, and Seabourn.
Source: Carnival Cruise Line Expands Fleet: Three New Ships to Offer Unmatched Fun at Sea
