The maritime tradition of the first steel cutting for a new ship took place at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland for the Carnival Celebration, Carnival Cruise Line's next Excel-class ship, which will debut next year. The Carnival Celebration, a sister ship to the Mardi Gras, is scheduled to begin sailing from PortMiami in November 2022, as part of Carnival Cruise Line's 50th anniversary celebration.
Following the ceremony, attended by Carnival's Senior Vice President of New Builds, Ben Clement, and Meyer Turku's Managing Director, Tim Meyer, construction officially began on the Carnival Celebration, which will feature similar characteristics to the Mardi Gras, contributing to its status as one of the most anticipated ships in the industry. Like the Mardi Gras, the Carnival Celebration will also include BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, along with unique design features and new venues created specifically for this ship.
“The steel-cutting ceremony marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Carnival Cruise Line. Carnival Celebration will not only feature signature Mardi Gras services, but will also usher in a new era for Carnival Cruise Line with some special innovations created specifically for this ship, which we are confident our guests will enjoy,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We are thrilled to have Carnival Celebration join us in celebrating our 50th anniversary, and our fans will be able to mark this exciting milestone in our company’s history.”.
The Carnival Celebration is scheduled to debut in November 2022 and will offer year-round service from PortMiami's new Terminal F, which is being built specifically for Carnival Cruise Line. The addition of this ship to Miami will maintain PortMiami's position as Carnival Cruise Line's primary embarkation port.
Carnival's 50th anniversary festivities begin in March 2022 – the company's birthday month – with a series of commemorative sailings featuring special entertainment and itineraries, continuing throughout the year and culminating with the arrival of Carnival Celebration in November.
