Carnival Corporation, the world’s leading cruise company, has announced its first newbuild order since the onset of the COVID crisis.
The company, on Tuesday, revealed that it has finalized a contract with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft for the construction of a 4th Excel-class cruise ship destined for its CCL-Carnival Cruise Line brand.
Scheduled to be delivered in Spring 2027, the new 180,000-ton vessel (TBN 2027) will be the 10th Excel-class ship deployed across 4 of the corporation’s brands.
Adding to Carnival Cruise Line’s existing Excel-class fleet, which includes Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee, the new ship will have the capacity to host 6400+ guests and will be LNG-powered/by liquefied natural gas.
Carnival Corporation & plc, recognized as the world’s premier leisure travel company, oversees a fleet of more than 90 ships spanning 9 brands, with an additional 8 new ships set to join the group's fleet by 2025. Among these, Carnival Cruise Line stands as the company’s largest brand, boasting a fleet of 27 ships.
This new vessel signifies Carnival Corporation's first newbuild order in 5 years.
The announcement comes after Carnival's recent report of a robust start to the peak booking season, surpassing expectations. Since November, booking volumes have soared to unprecedented levels, and the company anticipates achieving record bookings for 2024, with both pricing and occupancy significantly exceeding those of 2023. In fact, bookings for the first half of 2024 are nearly at full capacity.