Carnival Cruise Line To Launch the Festivale in 2027. Here Are the Details

Carnival Cruise Line is adding another ship to its fleet, and it will hit the seas in 2027. The steel-cutting ceremony occurred earlier this week for the Festivale. Let’s look at what we know about this newest addition to the Carnival family.

Carnival Cruise Line Steel-Cutting Ceremony Took Place in Germany

According to a press release from the company, the first steel piece was cut earlier this week at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, marking the official start of work on Carnival Cruise Line’s next new ship, the Carnival Festivale.

The shipyard held a customary ceremony to kick off the shipbuilding process, which included the steel-cutting ceremony, the first milestone of the ship’s construction. Carnival Festivale will be the company’s fourth Excel class vessel with liquefied natural gas propulsion. With a gross weight of 180,000 tons, the ship can hold up to 6,400 passengers.

Two music-themed zones on Decks 6, 7, and 8 of the ship will honor the ways that music unites people. One zone on Deck 8 will symbolize the vibrancy of outdoor music performances, while the other will be inspired by the creative process with state-of-the-art media and interactive experiences. Sunsation Point, a brand-new outdoor area that will cover the top three decks, will provide lively family entertainment. The most family-friendly water park at sea, Carnival Waterworks Ultra, is its main attraction. It has six slides, four of which are brand-new, two family raft rides, two splash pads, and special baby splash sections.

“The steel being cut for our next new ship is music to my ears, which is in tune with many of the themed experiences Carnival Festivale will bring to our guests. From the music-themed zones to expansive new water park we’ve planned for this ship, she will continue the tradition of infusing innovative new features into our fleet,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, in a statement accompanying the press release. “Each of her three sister ships is a great success and we are excited to once again partner with Meyer Werft as we continue to build upon the revolutionary Excel platform.”

‘Funternship’ Program for Students

When Carnival Cruise Line isn’t curating one-of-a-kind experiences for its guests, it’s offering unique employment opportunities for would-be employees. The company recently announced that it would bring the “Funternship” program to five American cities this summer.

The program will provide six weeks of paid, practical experience with Carnival Cruise terminal operations to high school students at least 17 years old. Carnival’s port services team members, who oversee the cruise terminals where guests embark on Carnival Cruise Line ships, will collaborate with the students.

In addition to receiving training and mentoring from Carnival Cruise Line team members, interns will learn about the company’s homeport operations. In addition to their hourly pay, interns will receive special opportunities to help them grow in their jobs, like lunch and learning sessions and a cruise ship excursion.

“This will be more than just a unique, fun summer job. It will be an opportunity for young people to develop professional skills, build confidence and leadership abilities and gain experience in a part of the travel industry that directly impacts their community’s economy,” said David Candib, vice president of Port Operations for Carnival Cruise Line, in a statement accompanying the press release. “We believe this is another great way to invest in the communities we call home, as well as the future of our dynamic and growing cruise industry.”

This year, the Funternship is available in Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York; Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida; and Norfolk, Virginia. As of this writing, the applications are still open.