By
Alex Smith |
Carnival Corporation has ordered a new Excel-class cruise ship from shipbuilder Meyer Werft, with delivery set for 2028.
The newbuild will be the 11th Excel-class cruise ship for the corporation’s fleet across the Carnival Cruise Line, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises and P&O Cruises brands. It will be the fifth to be operated by Carnival Cruise Line.
"Carnival's Excel-class fleet will soon be a quintet of these very popular ships that provide outstanding guest amenities and tremendous operating efficiencies," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "Since the introduction of Mardi Gras in 2021 and the subsequent expansion with Carnival Celebration in 2022 and Carnival Jubilee in 2023, these Excel-class ships are driving excitement, demand, and strong guest satisfaction ratings. With the arrival of Carnival Firenze in April, we are completing the addition of five ships to our fleet in less than 20 months, and then we will pivot to another phase of growth with these two Excel ships."
The fifth Carnival Cruise Line Excel-class ship will be built on the same platform as its predecessors, with the 180,000gt ship powered by LNG fuel and designed to carry over 6,400 guests and 1,800 crew.
“Carnival Cruise Line continues to perform at an outstanding level, and we are focused on adding capacity across the company where it aligns with demand and our position in the marketplace,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation. “This measured capacity growth strategy will result in our adding one to two ships per year beginning in 2027, and we will be identifying additional fleet plans over the coming months for our cruise lines to meet capacity demand and improve execution across all aspects of our operation, with the benefit of yielding higher return on invested capital.”