Carnival Cruise Line is charting a new course for its future. At a media event aboard Carnival Celebration in PortMiami, President Christine Duffy(pictured) announced the company’s “Innovation Itinerary” — a sweeping five-year plan built around three pillars: sailing the most fun fleet at sea, creating new experiences and destinations, and growing its loyal community of cruisers.
The updates include new ships, expanded private destinations, a refresh of onboard experiences, and enhancements to the loyalty program that recognize the changing ways people cruise today.
New Ships: A Nod to Carnival’s Past and Future
Carnival will expand its Excel-class lineup with two new ships: Carnival Festivale and Carnival Tropicale. Both names pay homage to early ships that helped define the brand’s reputation for fun vacations at sea.
Debuting in spring 2027, Carnival Festivale will homeport in Port Canaveral, Florida. Among its highlights:
- New Music-Themed Zones: Spread across Decks 6, 7, and 8, two immersive areas will celebrate music as a universal language — one focusing on the creative process through interactive technology and sound experiences, the other capturing the energy of outdoor concerts.
- More Family-Friendly Design: Nearly 1,000 interconnecting rooms — about 70% more than previous Excel ships — will cater to the growing number of multigenerational families cruising together. Festivale will also introduce a dedicated space for its Turtles program, serving children as young as six months.
- Sunsation Point: Replacing the BOLT rollercoaster found on previous Excel ships, this sprawling, three-deck outdoor zone will feature Carnival Waterworks Ultra, the cruise line’s largest water park to date. Highlights include six water slides (four brand new designs), splash pads for toddlers, treehouse-inspired adventure trails, and nighttime water park parties with DJs and extended hours.
Meanwhile, Carnival Tropicale will launch in 2028 with many of Festivale’s features and some unique elements of its own. More details about Tropicale’s design and homeport are expected later.
Further out, Carnival is working on Project Ace, a brand-new class of ships being built by Fincantieri. These ships, arriving in 2029, 2031, and 2033, will each be 230,000 gross tons with over 3,000 cabins — the largest ships ever for Carnival Corporation. Designed to carry up to 8,000 passengers at full capacity, Project Ace will debut new dining venues, entertainment concepts, and outer deck designs, signaling a major evolution for the brand.
Deployment Updates: Bringing Big Ships to Short Cruises
When Carnival Festivale enters service, Mardi Gras will switch to offering shorter cruises from Port Canaveral. The move is part of Carnival’s larger plan to make short cruises (three to five days) more accessible to travelers who can’t commit to a full week at sea.
Carnival’s short cruise options, already popular among families and first-time cruisers, will expand from almost every U.S. homeport except Baltimore and Seattle.
The company also confirmed a return to year-round service in Mobile, Alabama by spring 2027 and is exploring moving a larger Conquest-class ship to Baltimore to replace Carnival Pride — increasing capacity for that important drive market.
Duffy emphasized that about 50% of Americans live within a five-hour drive of a Carnival homeport, making accessibility a key part of their strategy.
Revamped Private Destinations: Introducing the Paradise Collection
Carnival isn’t just expanding at sea. Their private island destinations are getting significant upgrades under a new branding initiative called the Paradise Collection, which will group Carnival’s exclusive and enhanced ports together.
Key developments include:
- Celebration Key (Grand Bahama Island): Opening July 2025, this first-ever destination designed specifically for Carnival guests will feature beaches, a massive freshwater lagoon, swim-up bars, and family-friendly areas. Over 20 ships from 10 U.S. homeports will visit Celebration Key on over 1,400 sailings.
- Half Moon Cay (Bahamas): Consistently rated as one of the best private destinations, Half Moon Cay will expand by summer 2026 with a new pier for larger ships, more beach access, and new guest experiences — all while maintaining the island’s lush, untouched beauty.
- Mahogany Bay (Roatan, Honduras): Rebranded as Isla Tropicale, the port will add a new pool with a swim-up bar, cabanas, and an expanded beach area. Carnival plans to further enhance it into a full-day resort experience by 2026.
Upgrading the Guest Experience on Existing Ships
Carnival is also turning its attention inward. Existing ships will see phased enhancements modeled on the newer Excel-class designs. These updates will include:
- Modernized décor.
- New dining concepts developed with Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse.
- Updated entertainment offerings inspired by the experiences coming to Festivale and Tropicale.
Exact plans for ship drydocks and renovations will be announced as schedules are finalized.
Loyalty Program Refresh: More Rewards for Frequent Cruisers
Lastly, Carnival’s Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) loyalty program — in place since 2012 — will be getting a major refresh. New benefits designed to add more value for repeat guests will be announced this summer, with changes going into effect in 2026.
Duffy acknowledged the importance of Carnival’s passionate fan base and promised the new program would reflect the company’s growth and the evolving expectations of today’s cruisers.
From bigger ships and enhanced private islands to redesigned family spaces and new loyalty perks, the next five years promise to be some of the most transformative in the company’s history.
