Carnival Cruise Line has opened reservations for Carnival Festivale, a new Excel-class ship set to debut in May 2027 with year-round Caribbean sailings from Port Canaveral. The ship will be the fourth in the Excel class and will introduce several first-time features for Carnival, including 1,000 interconnected rooms — nearly 70 percent more than previous ships in the series — and the largest water park in the fleet.

The design combines entertainment-focused spaces with family-oriented amenities and a schedule that incorporates both short Bahamas getaways and longer Caribbean voyages.

Festivale will also revive a name from Carnival’s past — the original Carnivale, launched in 1977 — continuing the line’s tradition of honoring former ships while introducing an entirely new build.

Maiden Voyage and Caribbean Deployment

The ship will launch on May 2, 2027, with a 15-day transatlantic cruise from Southampton, England. The itinerary includes calls in La Coruña and Vigo, Spain; Madeira; Tenerife; and Grand Turk before arriving in Port Canaveral on May 16. The maiden voyage offers an uncommon combination of European and Caribbean ports, giving travelers the chance to experience two distinct cruise regions in a single trip.

From Port Canaveral, the ship’s inaugural sailing will be a four-day Bahamas cruise visiting both Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. Its primary deployment will consist of six- and eight-day itineraries to Eastern and Southern Caribbean destinations, including Amber Cove, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. A special seven-day New Year’s cruise departing December 27, 2027, is among the more than 50 voyages now on sale.

Studio 724 — Interactive Music Spaces

One of Festivale’s most distinctive features will be Studio 724, a multi-venue zone devoted to music. Located just off the ship’s Grand Central atrium, the area is designed to simulate the energy of music creation, with sound-reactive lighting and visuals that respond in real time to live performances and recorded tracks.

The Spark lounge will anchor the space, offering cocktails inspired by well-known songs, a live music stage, and a setting that nods to the craft of songwriting. Carnival’s signature Alchemy Bar will be positioned nearby in a larger, dedicated footprint than on previous Excel-class ships, allowing for expanded seating and performance space. On Deck 7, the Mix Bar will let guests layer drink “tracks” to create custom cocktails, while the redesigned Limelight Lounge will host late-night shows in a music-themed environment.

The Festival — Open-Air Dining and Evolving Atmosphere

Deck 8’s Festival zone will recreate the atmosphere of an outdoor music festival, combining food, drinks, and open-air entertainment in a space that shifts in tone from day to night. Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar will serve specialty coffees by day and cocktails after sunset, supported by lighting and music changes that alter the ambiance throughout the day.

Casual dining will include Pizza Palooza, serving fresh pizzas with extended hours, and Rhythm & Rolls Deli, offering sandwiches in a setting inspired by festival food trucks. Both venues will operate with open counters to the promenade, encouraging a flow of foot traffic between dining, music, and seating areas. The zone is positioned to be a social hub, particularly in the evenings when live performances and evening lighting design turn the space into an alfresco gathering place.

Sunsation Point — Multi-Deck Family Recreation

Spanning Decks 16 through 18, Sunsation Point will be the largest family-focused recreation area Carnival has ever built. At its center will be Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, a water park with six slides designed for varying thrill levels, from multi-person raft rides such as SunSoaker and Turning Tides to competitive racing slides and smaller options for children.

The Vista Pool on Deck 16 will provide ocean views along with a splash pad for toddlers. Adjacent dining and beverage options will include Big Chicken, Swirls ice cream, and Sunsation Sips, a bar offering both cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. Deck 17 will add the Vault Retrocade, a mix of classic and modern arcade games, and the Scenic Overlook, a bar with aft views and outdoor games like giant Jenga. A treetop-style adventure trail with net bridges and a dry slide will also be new to the class, alongside a dedicated toddler play area.

For the first time on a Carnival ship, the water park will be open during certain evening hours, accompanied by lighting effects and a live DJ. The nighttime operation is designed to extend the use of the space beyond daytime hours, creating an additional after-dinner activity for families.

Designed for Multiple Generations

The story here is family travel. With its expanded count of 1,000 interconnected rooms, Festivale is clearly aimed at accommodating multi-generational travel and larger groups. The ship will also feature enhanced youth spaces, including a dedicated area for Carnival’s Turtles program for guests between six months and two years old.

Festivale will homeport in Port Canaveral year-round alongside Excel-class sister ship Mardi Gras. Carnival has not yet announced the full 2027–2028 deployment, but the line has confirmed the ship will maintain a mix of Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries throughout its first year. That will include Carnival’s new Celebration Key destination in Grand Bahama.