Five Years in the Making, Carnival’s Mardi Gras Arrives at Port Canaveral

Carnival Cruise Line on Friday welcomed its newest ship, and one of the most anticipated ships in the line’s history, to Port Canaveral.

Mardi Gras, the new flagship for Carnival, officially arrived at Terminal 3 at Port Canaveral, a terminal that was built specifically for the ship, on Friday morning.

More than 1,500 people were on hand to welcome the ship, including Carnival president Christine Duffy, Carnival Corp. chairman Micky Arison, Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald, 300 travel advisors, and more.

The ship, the first in the Americas powered by LNG and the first to sport a roller coaster on its top deck, marks a new era for Carnival Cruise Line. The ship’s debut will have ripple effects in the Carnival fleet, which will be transformed with the ship’s look over the next few months.

Mardi Gras pays homage to the brand’s original and beloved “Fun Ship” from 1972, with a bright red-white-and-blue color scheme on its hull, but with features that are much more present than past, including the first roller coaster at sea, a cruise-ship version of Family Feud, the Ultimate Playground, and a brand-new restaurant from Emeril Lagasse. 

Aside from those highlights, Carnival is debuting some new concepts on Mardi Gras that it expects to make waves in the industry.

One is the Loft 19 area for Carnival Excel suite guests.  The “resort-style enclave on the very top of the ship includes a full bar, pool, and cabanas,” Carnival’s Duffy said when the line announced the plans in 2019. The area will be in addition to Serenity, which is Carnival’s ship-within-a-ship concert on its Vista-class ships. While Loft 19 will offer a private retreat for suite guests, it will also be open for reservations to all guests onboard.

Mardi Gras will sail year-round from Port Canaveral, offering seven-day itineraries to the eastern and western Caribbean.