Carnival Cruise Line: the back story

About Carnival Cruise Line: the back story

By the ULTIMATE the world’s cruise lines Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Carnival made its name with short, sociable cruises from ports close to home, branding its fleet the ‘Fun Ships’. Today it sails the LNG-powered Excel class, has the first rollercoaster at sea and, since July 2025, its own destination on Grand Bahama.

The Fun Ships

Carnival’s idea was always to make a cruise as easy as a weekend away: short sailings from ports you can drive to, a ship full of music, pools and comedy, and fares that put the sea within reach of almost everyone. Its ships sail from Port Canaveral, where it has been based since 1990, to Galveston, where Carnival Tropicale will be based from 2028.

The Excel class

Mardi Gras, the first Excel-class ship, was built to run on liquefied natural gas and has her own terminal at Port Canaveral. She and her sisters, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee, are divided into zones such as Grand Central, the French Quarter, La Piazza and Summer Landing, and carry BOLT, which the line calls the first rollercoaster at sea, a track you ride high above the top deck. Carnival Festivale joins the class in 2027 from Port Canaveral and Carnival Tropicale in 2028 from Galveston.

A cruise you can drive to.

Food with famous names

Carnival’s food has a showman’s streak: Guy’s Burger Joint and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse from the television chef Guy Fieri, Emeril’s Bistro 1396 from Emeril Lagasse on Mardi Gras, and specialty restaurants such as Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi and Cucina del Capitano. The main dining room and Lido are included; the specialty restaurants cost extra.

Celebration Key

On 19 July 2025 Carnival opened Celebration Key on the south side of Grand Bahama. It is built around ‘portals’: Paradise Plaza to welcome you, Starfish Lagoon for families, Calypso Lagoon for grown-ups with the world’s largest swim-up bar, Lokono Cove for Bahamian crafts, and Pearl Cove Beach Club, an adults-only club with an infinity pool. The two lagoons are each 275,000 sq ft of fresh water.

Who it is for

Carnival is for families, groups and anyone who wants a lively, good-value holiday. Camp Ocean looks after children from two, the Fun Ships keep the music going late, and the extras, from drinks packages to Wi-Fi, can be bundled in a FunPack.

Our advice: start with a three- or four-night cruise to see if you like it; choose an Excel-class ship for the most to do; book drinks and Wi-Fi before 1 December 2026, when prices start to vary by sailing; and pick an itinerary with Celebration Key.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Carnival Cruise Line: the back story before you go.