This past weekend in Miami, Carnival Cruise Line unveiled more details about the two new Excel-class ships—Carnival Festivale and Carnival Tropicale—the final two vessels in the class. With names that are a nod to the line’s history, these ships are going to be somewhat different than their current sisters, the Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee. Here’s everything you need to know about these upcoming additions to the fleet.
Carnival Festivale: A Second Excel Ship for Canaveral
Set to debut in spring 2027, Carnival Festivale will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida, where it will join the Mardi Gras. Named after one of the original Carnival ships, Festivale will be the first to showcase what will set these new ships apart from their fleet-mates including three brand-new zones, two of which—spanning Decks 6, 7, and 8—are dedicated to celebrating music.
- The Creative Zone: Located across multiple decks, this area draws inspiration from the process of making music. Expect cutting-edge media, interactive installations, immersive audio and lighting that evolves throughout the cruise. This area will more than likely be what is currently known as the Center Stage on the other three ships and is a well known pain point for cruisers as the space offers poor seating options and bad sight lines for performances. Carnival surveyed guests about this area and this change is probably based on feedback they received.
- The Outdoor Vibe Zone (Deck 8): This space will feature live outdoor performances for guests to enjoy music under the open sky.
No More Family Harbor Staterooms
Carnival Festivale will have a whopping 1,000 interconnecting rooms—nearly 70% more than the first three Excel-class ships. These rooms replace the Family Harbor staterooms found on earlier ships, offering greater flexibility for groups traveling together.
The ship will also debut a dedicated space for Carnival’s Turtles program, catering to kids aged six months to two years, along with enhanced open-deck experiences for toddlers. Across the board, youth program spaces will see upgrades to support expanded programming, ensuring kids of all ages have a blast.
Bye Bye Bolt, Hello Sunsation Point
Spanning the top three decks, Sunsation Point is Carnival Festivale’s multi-level family fun zone. Replacing BOLT: Ultimate Seacoaster (a staple on earlier Excel ships), this area introduces Carnival Waterworks Ultra, billed as the most family-friendly water park at sea and will feature:
- Six Slides: Four are brand-new to Carnival, including two family raft slides and options for guests as short as three feet tall, ensuring everyone can join the fun.
- Dual Splash Pads: Featuring kids’ slides, spray toys, and dedicated baby splash areas for the littlest cruisers.
- Dry Play Options: A treehouse-inspired adventure trail, toddler play areas, a sports court, ropes course, jogging track, miniature golf, outdoor games, and arcade.
- Nighttime Magic: In a Carnival first, Sunsation Point will offer extended Waterworks hours, a DJ, and special evening events.
Updated Food & Beverage Offerings
With Festivale sailing alongside Mardi Gras from Port Canaveral, Carnival is switching up dining options so the two ships will have unique venues. Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse is working with the line’s Food and Beverage team to create new concepts, including a replacement for ChiBang!. Fan favorites like Guy’s Burger Joint, Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse, and Big Chicken will remain, with more dining details to be revealed in the coming months.
When Carnival Festivale begins sailing from Port Canaveral in 2027, Mardi Gras will shift from longer itineraries to offering short cruises from the same port.
Carnival Tropicale: The Fifth and Final Excel-Class Ship
The fifth ship in the Excel-class series, Carnival Tropicale, also pays homage to an original Carnival vessel. Set for delivery in spring 2028, its homeport and booking details haven’t yet been announced. While Tropicale will share many of Festivale’s updated features—like the interconnecting rooms, enhanced youth spaces, and Sunsation Point—it will also introduce unique concepts and theming to set it apart.
Stay tuned are more information on these two ships are released as time goes on.