By
Alex Smith|
The first steel has been cut for Carnival Cruise Line's fourth Excel-class ship, Carnival Festivale, at Meyer Werft's shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
The shipyard hosted a traditional ceremony to launch the beginning of the shipbuilding process. At 180,000gt, the ship will accommodate up to 6,400 guests and will be powered by LNG.
“The steel being cut for our next new ship is music to my ears, which is in tune with many of the themed experiences Carnival Festivale will bring to our guests,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “From the music-themed zones to expansive new water park we’ve planned for this ship, she will continue the tradition of infusing innovative new features into our fleet. Each of her three sister ships is a great success and we are excited to once again partner with Meyer Werft as we continue to build upon the revolutionary Excel platform.”
Carnival previously revealed that the ship will feature two music-themed zones on decks six, seven and eight which will celebrate how music connects people. One will be inspired by the creative process with media and interactive experiences, and another on deck eight will symbolise the energy of outdoor music performances.
A new outdoor zone, Sunsation Point, will span the top three decks and will feature the Carnival Waterworks Ultra water park including six slides, four of which are new. Additional features include a treehouse-inspired elevated adventure trail, sports court, ropes course, re-imagined miniature golf course and themed arcade spaces. Sunsation Point will also host evening events with extended water park hours, DJs and activities, marking the first time Carnival opens Waterworks at night.
Sailing from Port Canaveral alongside sister ship Mardi Gras, Carnival Festivale will also offer new dining concepts, along with returning venues such as Guy’s Burger Joint, Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse, and Shaq’s Big Chicken.