Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise company, has announced an exciting expansion of its Carnival Cruise Line fleet with the order of three new ships. This landmark agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri will introduce a new class of liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessels, set for delivery in the summers of 2029, 2031, and 2033.
Expanding the Fleet
With these new ships, Carnival Corporation continues to meet the historic demand for cruise vacations, offering innovative and fun experiences for its guests. Each of the nearly 230,000 gross registered tonnes ships will feature over 3,000 guest staterooms and accommodate almost 8,000 guests at full capacity, making them the largest in the Carnival global fleet.
Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, highlighted the company’s commitment to guest satisfaction: "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."
Sustainable and Efficient Design
The new ships will contribute to Carnival Corporation's sustainability efforts, bringing the total number of LNG-powered ships in its fleet to 16. These vessels will include advanced energy efficiency, waste management, and emission reduction technologies, ensuring a reduced environmental footprint.
Strategic Growth
This order is part of Carnival Corporation's broader strategy to optimize its global brand portfolio and increase guest capacity for Carnival Cruise Line. Earlier this year, the company announced two new Excel-class ships joining the fleet in 2027 and 2028, along with the transfer of five vessels from sister brands by March 2025.
Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc, emphasized the strategic importance of this expansion: "We continue to take a disciplined approach to growth, strategically directing new capacity to the areas of highest demand at a rate of one to two new ships per year."
Partnership with Fincantieri
Fincantieri, a renowned Italian shipbuilder, will design, engineer, and construct these groundbreaking ships. Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Fincantieri, expressed pride in this collaboration: "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."
Future Announcements
Design details and itineraries for the new ships will be revealed in the future. This order is contingent upon financing, which is expected to be completed later this year.
Carnival Corporation continues to lead the cruise industry with innovative and sustainable growth, providing unparalleled vacation experiences for millions of guests worldwide.
