Carnival Cruise Line’s Fourth Excel Ship to Sail from Port Canaveral Beginning in 2027

Carnival  Festivale will join her sister ship, Mardi Gras, which first sailed from Port Canaveral in July 2021

Artist’s rendering of new Carnival Festivale, expected to sail from Port Canaveral in 2027
(Photo: Carnival Cruise Line)

PORT CANAVERAL, FL – April 6, 2025: Port Canaveral will be homeport to Carnival Cruise Line’s fourth Excel-class ship, the LNG-powered Carnival Festivale, which will launch week-long cruises from the Space Coast in 2027. 

The 180,000-ton Carnival Festivale will join its sister ship, Mardi Gras, the first Excel-class ship, which arrived at Port Canaveral in July 2021. 

“We’re thrilled that Carnival Cruise Line has selected Port Canaveral as the homeport for their latest Excel-class ship,” said Capt. John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO. “We are very proud of our 35-year relationship with Carnival Cruise Line and this deployment is a reflection of our partner’s confidence in our Port to consistently deliver a high-quality experience for its guests.”

A water park is the main feature of Sunsation Point that will be on board the Carnival Festivale,
a planned fourth ship in its Excel class slated to debut in 2027 out of Port Canaveral.
(Photo: Carnival Cruise Line)

Port Canaveral serves as the homeport of Carnival’s first Excel-class ship, Mardi Gras, which entered service in 2021 as the first cruise ship in North America powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Deploying the LNG-powered Carnival Festivale to Central Florida reaffirms Port Canaveral’s pioneering role in this innovative clean fuel solution which is delivered by a special fuel barge. With the addition of Carnival Festivale, Port Canaveral will be home to six LNG-powered ships.

As the latest incarnation of the Excel-class, Carnival Festivale will offer a wide range of popular amenities and new features such as a sprawling water park on the uppermost decks and a host of other innovations.