Carnival Festivale to Feature the Most Family-Friendly Water Park at Sea

Reservations are now open for Carnival Festivale, Carnival’s exciting new ship launching in 2027. (Image courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)

Featuring the Most Family-Friendly Water Park at Sea, Carnival’s Next New Ship to Sail Six- and Eight-Day Caribbean Cruises from Port Canaveral in 2027/28

Featuring the Most Family-Friendly Water Park at Sea, Carnival’s Next New Ship to Sail Six- and Eight-Day Caribbean Cruises from Port Canaveral in 2027/28

MIAMI - August 13, 2025 - Carnival Cruise Line today announced that reservations are now open for Carnival Festivale, its exciting new ship launching in 2027, and revealed further details of the ship’s features set to transform the cruise experience into a non-stop celebration of music and family fun. The ship’s newly available sailings can be found here.

Carnival Festivale will make its way home to Port Canaveral with a spectacular 15-day transatlantic voyage from Southampton, England on May 2, 2027. This maiden voyage features calls to some of Europe's most captivating destinations including La Coruña and Vigo, Spain; Funchal on Madeira Island, Portugal, as well as Tenerife in the Canary Islands, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean, visiting Grand Turk and arriving to its Port Canaveral homeport on May 16, 2027.

On May 19, 2027, Carnival Festivale will begin cruising from Port Canaveral with its first sailing – a four-day Bahamas cruise featuring visits to Carnival's exclusive private destinations, Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. The ship’s primary cruise schedule will offer a comprehensive selection of six- and eight-day Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises. Itineraries feature destinations such as Amber Cove; San Juan; St. Thomas; St. Maarten; as well as the award-winning RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. All Carnival Festivale sailings will offer a visit to Celebration Key, Carnival’s newest exclusive destination on Grand Bahama. Southern Caribbean sailings will also include the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. A special seven-day New Year's cruise departing December 27, 2027, is also among the more than 50 voyages opened for sale today aboard the new ship.

Transformative Zones Create Perfect Soundtrack of Family Vacation

Continuing the Excel-class tradition of sharing its name with a classic Carnival ship, the all-new Carnival Festivale will further innovate on the popular Excel platform and represents a new chapter for the award-winning class.

"Music is the universal language that brings families and friends together, and Carnival Festivale will amplify that unique connection. The experiences we’ll deliver will appeal to every generation," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "Everyone – no matter their age or interest – will find their rhythm on this ship.”

Duffy said the ship will deliver truly immersive environments, where the love of music inspires a variety of unique experiences across three transformative zones:

Studio 724: Where Music Comes to Life

Just beyond the ship’s Grand Central atrium, which serves as the main hub, as well as a three-deck-high live entertainment venue, is Studio 724: a first-of-its-kind celebration of the creative music-making process. Through interactive experiences powered by technology, the vibrant zone reacts in real time to sound with synchronized lights and animations to capture the creative energy of mixing, recording, and listening to music, inviting guests to become part of the musical journey rather than simply observe it.

One of the zone’s highlights is The Spark on Deck 6, where guests will enjoy a vibrant setting designed to embody the art of songwriting, as well as cocktails inspired by iconic songs and nightly live music performances. The zone also features Carnival’s signature Alchemy Bar on Deck 6, famous fleetwide for its craft cocktails and molecular mixology. On Carnival Festivale, Alchemy Bar will offer an enhanced experience, with its own dedicated space adjacent to the atrium, and features an expanded lounge with a stage for live music performances. Already a celebration of music fleetwide, Carnival Festivale’s Piano Bar 88 will be right at home on Deck 6 as well.

At Mix Bar on Deck 7, guests can enjoy creatively named cocktails like the Synth and Hi-Fi, or craft their own unique drink by layering flavor “tracks” beneath a turntable-themed bar. Also on Deck 7 is Limelight Lounge, another venue where guests are brought together by music across the fleet. Carnival Festivale’s iteration of the lounge will bring a completely redesigned look and feel to match the music-inspired theme of Studio 724.

The Festival: Outdoor Music Festival Energy at Sea

The Festival on Deck 8 captures the authentic social atmosphere and energy of outdoor music festivals in a cruise ship setting. An inviting, brightly colored promenade connects guests to several food and beverage venues through an atmosphere that transforms from day to night with evolving lights and sounds.

In this zone, guests will find Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar, which anchors the space with specialty coffee creations and festival-inspired cocktails. Dynamic lighting and music shift the venue from an energetic daytime vibe to a mellow nighttime ambiance. Pizza Palooza delivers fresh pizzas, which Carnival guests know and love fleetwide as a quick bite that’s perfect for sharing among friends. Rhythm & Rolls Deli rounds out the casual dining options with gourmet sandwiches. The pizza and deli venue designs are inspired by festival food trucks and complement the energetic atmosphere with specialty cocktails that capture the spirit of summer music festivals.

Sunsation Point: The Ultimate Family Adventure Zone

Spanning three decks 16-18, Sunsation Point represents the crown jewel of family fun and entertainment at sea. This area is anchored by Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, the most family-friendly water park at sea – and biggest in Carnival history.

Deck 16 is the place to relax as well as a hub of family-friendly activities and dining options designed to cater to all ages. At Sunsation Sips, everything from craft cocktails to slushies will be served up to cater to all ages and cravings. The vibrant Vista Pool is also perfect for any age group and features a baby splash pad for the littlest cruisers in swim diapers. Guests can enjoy familiar favorites like Big Chicken and Swirls ice cream, signature offerings across the Excel class.

Decks 17 and 18 take entertainment and adventure to the next level. Deck 17 is a place to rewind with nostalgic elements, including the Vault Retrocade, which combines retro charm with modern arcade games. The Scenic Overlook, a bar with breathtaking aft sunset views, TVs for sports, and outdoor games like pool and giant Jenga complements the adjacent new mini golf course that will be illuminated at night. This deck will also be home to the Treehouse, an all-new concept that features an adventure trail with netted bridges high above the deck filled with fun obstacles and a dry slide. Nearby, a toddler playground provides climbing fun for little ones.

Deck 18 is also home to Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, where families can enjoy thrilling slides, splash pads, and shaded play areas for all ages. This expansive aquatic playground features six thrilling water slides designed for different age groups and adventure levels, including two innovative family raft rides, SunSoaker and Turning Tides. Guests can also enjoy thrills and some friendly competition on the dueling Racing Currents slides. The Mini Racers double-slide and Mini Twister are perfect for kids.

Sunsation Point, as Carnival previously announced, will introduce the first nighttime WaterWorks operations. Activating the multi-deck zone with vibrant illumination and a live DJ, water park hours will be extended on special evenings for guests of all ages to enjoy more fun together.

Carnival Festivale will feature 1,000 interconnecting rooms, nearly 70 percent more than on the first three Excel-class vessels. The ship will also introduce a dedicated space for Carnival’s Turtles program which is for children six months to two years, and more experiences for its youngest cruisers on the open decks, in addition to the enhancement of all youth spaces to support additional programming.

Carnival Festivale will sail year-round from Port Canaveral, where it joins Excel-class sister ship Mardi Gras, adding more variety and more capacity to the popular homeport. Additional deployment plans for the 2027/28 cruise schedule will be announced for Port Canaveral soon.

For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line- Opens in new window and to book a cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit www.carnival.com- Opens in new window, or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site.