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Carnival Festivale Reaches Major Milestone as Ship Floats Out

Carnival Festivale has officially floated out at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, marking a major milestone in the construction of Carnival Cruise Line's next new ship. In May 2027, the ship will debut with a 15-day transatlantic voyage from Southampton before beginning year-round cruises from Port Canaveral.

The 182,015-gross-ton vessel is Carnival's fourth Excel-class ship following Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee. Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship has officially hit the water for the first time, marking one of the most significant milestones in the construction of Carnival Festivale. The cruise line shared a video of the milestone on Facebook, showing the vessel floating out at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.

"Another exciting milestone for Carnival Festivale! She's officially in the water and one step closer to her maiden voyage," Carnival wrote. The float-out marks a turning point in the Excel-class ship's construction that began on April 8, 2025, with a steel-cutting ceremony.

This was followed by the ship's keel-laying four months later in August 2025. In March 2026, the ship's construction reached another major milestone when its engines were officially installed. Cruise Hive most recently reported on the vessel's construction progress in August 2026, when…

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Worth It? Complete Guide to Royal Caribbean’s Drink Package

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Cruise Europe ports learn from each other, on site and in practice

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Norwegian Aura Will Now Debut 19 Days Earlier Than Planned

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Holland America Line Opens Bookings for Newly Added Oosterdam Evolution Voyages

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Passengers who paid thousands for river cruises ended up on coach trips

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Holland America Line Reveals Pan Am-Inspired Experiences for Legendary Voyage

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Speeding Toward Zero Emissions

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Disney Treasure Sailing Will Trial Wristbands in Place of Key to the World Cards

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Expecting Early Delivery, Norwegian Moves Up Aura’s Debut With 2 Sailings

Norwegian Cruise Line has opened for sale two new Mediterranean sailings aboard the Norwegian Aura, preceding the previously announced maiden voyage on May 21, 2027. The cruise line said in a press release that the addition of the two sailings in early May was made possible by the anticipated early delivery of the upcoming vessel, which was floated out at Fincantieri in April. The first is a … [Read More...]