Following the positive reviews of its new ship, Mardi Gras, Carnival Cruise Line has announced that its third Excel-class ship—to be named Carnival Jubilee—will be delivered in 2023 and will be based in Galveston, Texas. The announcement about the Carnival Jubilee was made on the same day that Carnival confirmed its 22 U.S.-based ships will resume passenger service in March 2022.
“Carnival was the first cruise line to offer year-round cruising from Galveston in 2000, and we have continued to increase our presence and support for the expansion of the Port of Galveston, so we are thrilled to bring our brand-new Carnival Jubilee to Texas and the greater Southwest region,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “This beautiful and innovative ship will bring a whole new cruise experience to our guests, and we have some great surprises in store that they’re going to love.”.
Carnival Jubilee will be the third Excel-class ship for Carnival, joining Mardi Gras, which has been sailing from Port Canaveral since earlier this year, and Carnival Celebration, which will be delivered in late 2022 and will be based in Miami. The ships utilize a liquefied natural gas (LNG) technology platform. Carnival Corp. pioneered the introduction of LNG fuel to the passenger cruise industry as part of the company's ongoing commitment to sustainability and regulatory compliance across its global operations. Mardi Gras is the first LNG-powered cruise ship to operate in North America.
However, this new Excel-class ship won't be the first Jubilee to sail from Galveston. As it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022, Carnival has revived some of its older ship names that were popular with guests in the company's early days, such as Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and now, Carnival Jubilee. The Celebration was the first ship to be based in Galveston year-round, in 2000, and was soon joined by the Jubilee in 2002. So now, just over 21 years later, this new Carnival Jubilee—four times larger than its predecessor—will make its port debut, ushering in new ways of fun for the next generation of cruise enthusiasts.
The announcement was made at the annual CruiseWorld travel agent conference in Miami Beach, Florida. Creating an extra special moment during the event, Duffy was joined on stage by a six-foot-six cowboy who had been wandering around the convention for the previous 24 hours, joking that “something big is coming to Texas.” The more than 1,000 travel agents in attendance applauded as the Carnival team revealed the news.
“Galveston is one of our most popular homeports. Bringing a new ship to a market is a big commitment, and it’s one we gladly make for the great community of Galveston and the entire region,” said Duffy.
The Carnival Jubilee will boast 182,800 gross tons and a capacity for more than 5,400 passengers and 1,700 crew members. It will sail seven-day itineraries in the Western Caribbean and will include features from its sister ships, such as the BOLT roller coaster on the top deck, expanded dining options, new suite and stateroom designs, and a stunning three-deck atrium on the starboard side of the ship that overlooks the ocean and transforms into a nighttime entertainment venue. The ship will also feature six entertainment zones, two of which will be entirely new concepts to be revealed later. Details about these exclusive Jubilee features will be shared in the coming months.
