The world of cruise travel is always changing. Carnival Cruise Line is famous for giving guests a great time, and they continue this tradition with their newest vessel. This new Carnival cruise ship is called Carnival Festivale. It is the fourth ship in the excellent Excel class, which includes the popular Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee.
The Carnival Festivale is more than just a big ship. It is a floating festival built around music, family fun, and new ideas. This article will look closely at this great new ship. We explained what makes it a special cruise ship for everyone, especially for people taking their first cruise. The Carnival Festivale begins sailing in 2027 from Port Canaveral, Florida. Get ready to find your perfect vacation on this incredible ship.
What is the New Carnival Cruise Ship?
The new Carnival cruise ship is the Carnival Festivale. The name is a tribute to one of Carnival's first ships that helped make cruising popular decades ago. This new version combines that classic fun feeling with modern technology and many new features.
The ship is one of the largest in the world. It measures about 1,135 feet long and carries more than 6,600 passengers. It is built to offer a lot of space, many dining choices, and a huge number of activities. It is also built with respect to the environment. The ship runs on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which is one of the cleanest marine fuels today.
The Special Zones on Carnival Festivale
The Carnival Festivale is special because of its unique areas, or "zones," that guests can explore. Carnival has designed the ship with three main themes: music, water fun, and family comfort.
Studio 724: The Music Heart of the Ship
The second music-themed zone is called The Festival, on Deck 8. This space is designed to feel like an energetic, outdoor music festival right on the ship.
- Interactive Fun: Studio 724 uses advanced technology. It has lights and animations that change in real-time to match the music and sounds. Guests can feel like they are part of the creative process of mixing and listening to music.
- The Spark: On Deck 6, you will find The Spark. This bar is a comfortable spot that celebrates songwriting. You can enjoy unique cocktails named after famous songs while listening to live music performances every night.
- Mix Bar: This bar on Deck 7 is themed like a music turntable. You can create your own custom cocktails. The drinks are made by layering different flavor "tracks," just like a DJ mixes music.
- Alchemy Bar: This popular Carnival bar is back but with an expanded area and its own stage for live music.
Studio 724 is where you go to enjoy great music, great drinks, and a fun atmosphere that is always alive with sound.
The Festival: An Outdoor Party Area
Colorful Promenade: The Festival is a brightly colored walkway that connects different food and drink spots. The atmosphere changes from day to night with different lights and music.
Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar: This central spot serves specialty coffee drinks and cocktails inspired by music festival drinks.
Festival-Inspired Food: This area will feature new food places like Pizza Palooza and Rhythm & Rolls Deli. These spots are like the popular food trucks you find at a real music festival, offering delicious, easy-to-grab food.
The Festival is the perfect place to hang out, eat, and feel the excitement of a live concert environment.
Sunsation Point: The Biggest Water Park at Sea
The top decks of the Carnival Festivale hold another major feature: Sunsation Point. This huge area is the ultimate family fun spot, covering three decks. It is home to Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, which is the biggest water park Carnival has ever put on a ship.
Carnival is known for its fun top-deck activities. On its other Excel-class ships, there is a roller coaster called BOLT. The Carnival Festivale replaces the roller coaster with this expanded water park and activity zone.
- Massive Water Park: Carnival WaterWorks Ultra has six waterslides for different ages and levels of adventure. Four of these slides are completely new to Carnival. They include two family raft rides, SunSoaker and Turning Tides, and two dueling slides called Racing Currents. There are also slides for smaller children, even those as short as three feet tall.
- Play Areas: The water park includes two separate splash pads with smaller slides and spray toys. There are even baby-centric splash zones for the smallest cruisers.
- Nighttime Fun: In a first for Carnival, Sunsation Point will be open at night on special evenings. The area will come alive with colorful lighting and a live DJ, making the water park a great place to party after sunset.
- Dry Activities: Sunsation Point also offers fun on dry land. It has an all-new Treehouse adventure trail with netted bridges and a dry slide. You will also find a ropes course, a new mini-golf course, a sports court, and a retro arcade called Vault Retrocade.
Sunsation Point is the place to be for action, thrills, and fun all day long, for all members of the family.
Designed for Families and Groups
Carnival understands that many people cruise with their families or a large group of friends. The new Carnival cruise ship has made major improvements for all generations of travelers.
- More Connecting Rooms: The Carnival Festivale will have nearly 1,000 interconnecting rooms. This is 70% more connecting cabins than on the previous Excel-class ships. Interconnecting rooms are two separate cabins that have a door between them, giving families more space and privacy while still staying connected.
- Turtles Program for Babies: Carnival is also introducing a dedicated space for its Turtles program. This program is for the youngest guests, babies from six months to two years old. This shows Carnival is focusing on making the cruise fun for every age group, even the tiniest travelers.
- Enhanced Youth Spaces: All the spaces for children's activities will be improved and expanded to offer even more fun and programming for kids of all ages.
Dining and Other Favorites
A Carnival cruise is famous for its delicious and plentiful food. The Carnival Festivale will bring back many popular favorites and introduce some new options.
- Guy Fieri's Favorites: You can enjoy the delicious, free burgers at Guy’s Burger Joint and the BBQ from Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse/Brewhouse.
- Big Chicken: Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken restaurant will be on board, serving up tasty fried chicken sandwiches and sides.
- International Eats: You can still find other guest favorites like BlueIguana Cantina for Mexican food, Seafood Shack for fresh seafood, and Swirls for soft-serve ice cream.
- Specialty Dining: For a more elegant meal, you can visit the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse or the Bonsai Teppanyaki and Sushi restaurants.
- Lido Deck Options: The Lido deck, the main pool area, will offer new spots like Street Eats, which features a variety of quick, international fast-food cuisine like kebabs and bao buns.
With so many choices, you can eat something different every day on your cruise.
Sustainability on the High Seas
The Carnival Festivale is also important for its technology. As an Excel-class vessel, it uses Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) for power. This is the clearest fuel source available for large ships today. By using LNG, Carnival reduces its environmental impact. This means you can enjoy your amazing cruise vacation knowing the ship is using the best available technology to protect the oceans.
Why Carnival Festivale is the Perfect Cruise Ship for a First Cruise
If you have never been on a cruise before, the Carnival Festivale is an excellent choice for a first cruise. Carnival Cruise Line is famous for giving guests a fun, relaxed, and great-value vacation.
- Something for Everyone: The ship is huge and has so many activities that everyone in your group will find something they love. From the massive water park at Sunsation Point to the musical fun in Studio 724, there are always things to do. If you want to relax, there is the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat with pools and hot tubs just for grown-ups.
- Easy to Understand: The ship is divided into clear zones, making it easy to find your way around, even on your first cruise.
- Great Value: Carnival cruises are often very budget friendly. This allows a first-time cruiser to enjoy a luxury vacation without spending too much money. Many food options and activities are included in the price of your ticket.
- Family-Focused: If you are traveling with children, the expanded youth programs, the new baby space, and the huge water park make this ship a top choice. The extra interconnecting rooms make family travel simple and comfortable.
The atmosphere at the Carnival Festivale is built around having a good time. It is a vacation that is stress-free, fun, and designed for making great memories.
Booking Your Trip on the New Carnival Festivale
The Carnival Festivale is set to start sailing in 2027. It will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida. Its first trips will include itineraries to the Caribbean and The Bahamas. These trips will visit places like Celebration Key, Carnival's new exclusive destination, and the beautiful Half Moon Cay.
Booking a trip on a new Carnival cruise ship can be exciting. Keep an eye on the official Carnival website and travel agents. You can be one of the first people to experience all the new features of the Carnival Festivale.
Final Thoughts on the Carnival Festivale
The Carnival Festivale is truly a special cruise ship. It combines the biggest water park in the Carnival fleet with brand new music-themed zones like Studio 724 and The Festival. It offers more comfortable accommodation for families than ever before. This new Carnival cruise ship keeps the spirit of fun that Carnival is known for, while adding modern amenities and a focus on music. It is an amazing choice for both experienced cruisers and people taking their first-ever cruise vacation. The Carnival Festivale is ready to show the world the future of fun at sea.
