Carnival Cruise Line Kicks Off Construction of its Largest Ship Ever
by Daniel McCarthy
Carnival's newest ship will pay homage to maritime tradition and will celebrate the line’s legacy. Photo: CCL.
Carnival Cruise Line has officially kicked off the journey toward the debut of the largest ship in its fleet.
In a ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, this week, Carnival cut the steel for its new, yet-to-be-named, 180,000-ton ship. The vessel will debut in 2020.
“This new ship promises to be truly special, from its groundbreaking technology and one-of-a-kind features to its distinctive livery and hull design that is both timeless and forward-thinking, while paying tribute to our nearly 50-year history of making wonderful vacation memories for our guests,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
The Carnival team in in Turku, Finland, this week. Photo: CCL.
Not much is known yet about the inside of the ship, other than it is expected to be Carnival’s largest ship and the start of a new ship class for the line. According to Carnival, it will also be the first ship operating in North America to use liquefied natural gas when it begins to operate out of Port Canaveral, Florida, in 2020.
Carnival released more details of the ship’s look this week. The hull will debut with bright red, white, and blue colors in a design that Carnival says will pay homage to maritime tradition and will celebrate the line’s legacy as “America’s Cruise Line.” That design was created by New York-based Bluarch Architecture.
The ship’s name will be revealed next month, and details of its inaugural season will be announced early next year.
