CCL-Carnival Cruise Line has officially commenced construction of its first Ace Class vessel with a steel-cutting ceremony at Fincantieri's shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. The new ship, to be named Carnival Destiny, revives the name of the original vessel that entered service in 1996 as the world's first passenger ship to exceed 100,000 gross tons.
At ~230,000 gross tons, the new Carnival Destiny will become the largest ship ever built for Carnival Cruise Line and one of the world's largest passenger vessels. It is the first of three Ace Class ships scheduled for delivery in 2029, 2031 and 2033, marking one of the company's most significant fleet investments.
Carnival stated that the Ace Class has been conceived to strengthen guests' connection with the sea rather than simply increasing the size of its ships. The new design will incorporate a reimagined outdoor lanai, more than 4.5 acres of glass throughout the vessel and the largest number of ocean-view balcony cabins ever offered in the Carnival fleet, providing greater visibility of the surrounding seascape from both public areas and accommodations.
The cruise line also revealed that more than 70% of the ship's dining, beverage and entertainment venues will introduce entirely new concepts. While further details have yet to be announced, additional information on the onboard offerings is expected as construction progresses.
During the ceremony, Carnival reflected on the legacy of the original Carnival Destiny, which entered service three decades ago with innovative design features and a record number of balcony cabins for its time. Following an extensive refurbishment completed in 2013, the vessel continues to operate today as Carnival Sunshine. The original ship accommodated just over 2,600 guests, whereas its successor will nearly double that capacity, illustrating the continued evolution of cruise ship design and scale over the past 30 years.