Carnival Cruise Line Announces Name of Next Mega Ship

With the help of celebrity partners both past and present, Carnival Cruise Line announced today the name of their next Excel-class ship to coincide with their 50th birthday celebration — Carnival Celebration!

Partners including Kathie Lee Gifford, Guy Fieri, and Shaquille O’Neal unwrapped boxes that revealed the letters of the ship’s name, which is both a throwback to one of Carnival’s first ships and a recognition of the line’s 50th birthday celebration that will take place in 2022 when the ship joins the fleet. 

Here’s the line’s video announcement:

Carnival Celebration will debut from PortMiami in November 2022, and be a sister ship to Mardi Gras which is scheduled to enter service in February 2021. The vessel will include many of the same features that Mardi Gras has, including BOLT — the first roller coaster at sea. It will also have some new features created specifically for this ship. 

“The name Carnival Celebration couldn’t be more perfect for a ship that will be a key component of our 50th Birthday festivities,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.  “Many thanks to our celebrity partners who helped us officially ‘unbox the fun’ and reveal the name of a ship that promises to be a spectacular addition to our fleet. Carnival Celebration is our 50th Birthday present to our guests!”

Carnival’s 50th birthday celebration will kick off in March 2022 — the company’s birthday month — with a series of commemorative sailings that will feature special entertainment and itineraries that continue all year long, culminating with the arrival of Carnival Celebration to Miami in November 2022. 

The new ship’s itineraries will be announced over the coming weeks, and will open for booking in October. Guests can register to be the “first to know” about the ship’s itineraries and special promotions at carnival.com/ship2022.