Carnival Festivale
Introducing the Carnival Celebration: The 2027 Carnival Festivale Ship
Carnival Cruise Line is bringing back a classic name with a state-of-the-art twist. Set to debut from Port Canaveral, Florida, the upcoming Carnival Festivale is the fourth Excel-class vessel in the fleet, powered by eco-friendly Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
Unlike its sister ships (Mardi Gras, Celebration, and Jubilee), the new Festivale completely pivots its design language around a single theme: music and festival culture.
Ship Stats & Fast Facts
Gross Tonnage
182,000 GT
Length
1,133 feet (345 meters)
Width (Beam)
137 ft (42 m)
Guest Capacity
6,631 max
Crew
1,735
Maiden Voyage
May 2027
Standout Features Aboard the New Festivale
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Studio 724 & The Festival Zones: Two brand-new, music-inspired neighborhoods featuring multimedia light shows, soundscapes, and reactive visual lounges.
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Massive Family Accommodations: The ship features roughly 1,000 interconnecting cabins—nearly 70% more than previous ships in its class—making it a powerhouse option for multi-generational family reunions.
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The "Turtles" Childcare Space: A fleet-first dedicated nursery space custom-built for infants and toddlers ages 6 months to 2 years old.
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Celebrity Dining Favorites: Returning heavyweights include Guy’s Burger Joint and Shaq’s Big Chicken, alongside brand-new culinary concepts curated by Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse.
The Vintage Icon: The Original 1978 TSS Festivale
To build true topical authority for your website's SEO, you must acknowledge where the name came from. Long before it was an LNG mega-ship, the original TSS Festivale was a cornerstone of Carnival's early success.
Originally built in 1961 as the ocean liner Transvaal Castle, Carnival purchased the ship and sent it to Kobe, Japan, for a massive multi-million-dollar retrofitting. When it debuted in 1978, it was one of the largest cruise ships in the world operating out of Florida.
The historical timeline of this legendary hull highlights its evolution:
Ocean Liner Roots
1961
Launched as the RMS Transvaal Castle for Union-Castle Line, acting as a fast passenger mail ship between Southampton and Durban, South Africa.
The Birth of Festivale
1978
After a complete internal transformation by legendary interior architect Joseph Farcus, the ship debuted for Carnival Cruise Line, boasting vibrant neon, chrome, and a signature red-white-and-blue funnel.
The IslandBreeze Charter
1996
As modern, boxy mega-ships began to dominate the industry, Carnival retired the vessel and chartered it to Dolphin Cruise Lines under the name SS IslandBreeze.
The Big Red Boat III & Final Voyage
2000 - 2003
Rebranded as The Big Red Boat III under Premier Cruises. Following the company's sudden collapse, the historic vessel was retired and eventually sent to Alang, India, where it was scrapped in late 2003.
Carnival Festivale Suites
Deep Dive: What's New on the 2027 Festivale?
f you are writing articles comparing the Festivale to its sister ships (like the Mardi Gras or Jubilee), these are the major differences you need to highlight:
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Sunsation Point Replaces the Roller Coaster: The first three Excel-class ships featured the "BOLT" roller coaster. Carnival removed it for the Festivale, replacing it with Sunsation Point—a massive, top-deck entertainment zone. It features the Carnival WaterWorks Ultra (six waterslides, including two family raft slides) and is illuminated at night for evening deck parties.
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The "Turtles" Program: This ship introduces a dedicated space for children aged 6 months to 2 years, filling a major gap in infant childcare at sea.
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1,000 Interconnecting Rooms: Carnival ditched the "Family Harbor" concept found on earlier ships and replaced it with nearly 70% more interconnecting cabins, making it significantly easier for large, multi-generational families to book side-by-side.
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Studio 724 & Music Theming: The ship leans heavily into a music theme. Studio 724 is a two-deck immersive audio and lighting zone, and even the Grand Central atrium is decorated with cymbal-inspired accents.
