Carnival Cruise Line Unveils Carnival Festivale Sailing from Port Canaveral

Carnival Cruise Line is turning up the volume on family fun with the launch of Carnival Festivale, its newest Excel-class ship, now open for bookings and set to debut in 2027. Designed as a floating celebration of music, entertainment, and togetherness, the vessel will feature the largest and most family-friendly water park at sea, along with a host of new immersive zones inspired by the universal language of music.

The ship’s inaugural 15-day transatlantic voyage will depart Southampton, England on May 2, 2027, visiting La Coruña and Vigo, Spain; Funchal, Madeira; and Tenerife in the Canary Islands, before crossing the Atlantic to Grand Turk and arriving in Port Canaveral on May 16, 2027.

Festivale’s first regular sailing from Port Canaveral – a four-day Bahamas itinerary to Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay – departs May 19, 2027. From there, the ship will settle into a mix of six- and eight-day Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises, with itineraries including Amber Cove, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. Every sailing will visit Carnival’s newest private destination, Celebration Key, and more than 50 voyages are now open for sale, including a special seven-day New Year’s cruise departing Dec. 27, 2027.

Mix Bar onboard Carnival Festivale

Studio 724 onboard Carnival Festivale

Alchemy Bar onboard Carnival Festivale

Three Music-Inspired Zones

Carnival Festivale will take the Excel-class concept to new heights with three distinct “transformative zones” that bring music to life at sea:

• Studio 724 – A celebration of the music-making process with interactive, sound-reactive environments. Highlights include The Spark, a songwriting-inspired venue with live performances and cocktails named after hit songs, an expanded Alchemy Bar with a live music stage, the popular Piano Bar 88, and Mix Bar, where guests can “layer” flavors like tracks on a turntable.

• The Festival – An outdoor promenade on Deck 8 that channels the energy of a summer music festival. The space features Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar, Pizza Palooza, and Rhythm & Rolls Deli, all wrapped in colorful, day-to-night lighting and soundscapes.

• Sunsation Point – A three-deck family adventure hub (Decks 16–18) anchored by Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, the biggest water park in the fleet. It features six slides, including two family raft rides, dueling racing slides, and kid-friendly attractions. Sunsation Point also offers Big Chicken, a splash pad for toddlers, a retro arcade, mini golf, the new Treehouse adventure trail, and the first nighttime water park experience at sea, complete with DJ sets and illuminated rides.

Carnival Waterworks Ultra onboard Carnival Festivale

Racing Currents Waterslides onboard Carnival Festivale

Enhanced Family Offerings

With 1,000 interconnecting rooms – nearly 70% more than earlier Excel-class ships – Festivale is designed with families in mind. The ship will debut a dedicated space for Carnival’s Turtles program for children aged six months to two years, plus expanded youth programs and open-deck play areas.

“Music is the universal language that brings families and friends together, and Carnival Festivale will amplify that unique connection,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Whether you’re here for the thrills, the shows, or simply to relax, this ship will strike the perfect chord for every generation.”

Carnival Festivale will join sister ship Mardi Gras in Port Canaveral, increasing capacity and variety for one of the line’s most popular homeports. Additional deployment details for the 2027/28 season will be announced in the coming months.