Carnival Cruise Line Opens Mardi Gras for Sale

Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, the largest ever Carnival ship and the first ship to feature a roller coaster at sea, is officially on sale.

The ship, which is named to pay homage to the first-ever Carnival ship that entered service in 1972, is set to sail a schedule of six- to 15-day itineraries through Europe and the Caribbean starting in summer 2020.

Those sailing include its nine-day maiden voyage from Copenhagen to Southampton that kicks off on Aug. 31; a 14-day trans-Atlantic sailing from Southampton to New York Sept. 9; and a 15-day Carnival Journeys itinerary from New York to Port Canaveral on Sept. 30.

When it arrives in Port Canaveral, Mardi Gras will sail one special eight-day cruise on Oct. 16 and will then alternate Eastern and Western Caribbean seven-night sailings. The Eastern option will visit San Juan, Amber Cove, and Grand Turk, while the Western sailing will include calls at Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Mahogany Bay.

Staterooms, including suites such as Carnival’s Family Harbor, Havana Cabana, Cloud 9 Spa options, balcony, ocean view, and interior rooms, are all on sale starting this week. In total, Mardi Gras will offer 20 different stateroom categories.

The roller coaster on Mardi Gras will span decks 18 through 20 in The Ultimate Playground.

The ship’s electric roller coaster, dubbed BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster and developed by Munich-based Maurer Rides, will feature nearly 800 feet of twists, turns and drops with riders reaching speeds of nearly 40 miles per hour.

The thrill ride, which is set on decks 18 through 20 in an area Carnival is calling The Ultimate Playground, will allow for two riders in a motorcycle-like vehicle to race along a track 187 feet above sea level, while guests take in 360-degree views.

Elsewhere onboard, Mardi Gras will feature six distinct “zones”—Grand Central (decks six through eight) that is Carnival’s take on a traditional atrium and includes Bonsai Sushi and Bonsai Teppanyanki along with the Punchliner Comedy Club; the French Quarter (deck six aft), a New Orleans inspired area with new bars, music venues, and eateries; La Piazza (deck eight), an Italy-inspired area with Cucina del Capitano and Pizzeria del Capitano, a new Mediterranean restaurant; Lido (decks 16 and 17) with Guy’s Burger Joint, the Seafood Shack, and more.