By the Caribbean Journal staff

The biggest ship Carnival Cruise Line has ever constructed will have an equally robust name.

Carnival revealed the new name for its XL-class ship, slated to debut in 2020: Mardi Gras.

The ship, which will be the first-ever cruise ship in North America powered by liquefied natural gas, will be named after the first Carnival ship that entered service back in 1972.

It will be more than six times the size of that ship.

Mardi Gras is currently under construction at Meyer Turku in Finland.

“Our first ship Mardi Gras was a historic vessel, introducing a brand new style of cruising to the vacationing public. What better way to pay tribute to our company’s nearly 50-year history of creating wonderful vacation memories than by naming this groundbreaking vessel after our original and beloved ‘Fun Ship,'” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “The new Mardi Gras will follow the trailblazing lead of her predecessor, introducing features and technological innovations that have never been seen before on a cruise ship while setting a new standard for seagoing vacations.”

The ship will homeport at Port Canaveral in Florida, featuring a new terminal at the port.

A second ship of the company’s XL class will begin construction in 2020 and debut in 2022 in time for the company’s 50th anniversary.

— CJ