Carnival Festivale Gets Bridge Installed at Meyer Werft

Carnival Cruise Line’s next Excel-class ship, Carnival Festivale, has reached a major outfitting stage at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, with the vessel’s bridge lifted into position on the forward hull. The ship is scheduled to enter service from Port Canaveral on May 19, 2027.

The bridge placement comes as cabin construction also advances, with a full production run of prefabricated crew cabins completed and passenger stateroom modules now moving into serial production.

Bridge set in place as hull assembly continues

Meyer Werft released video showing the ship’s bridge, identified by the yard as Block 68, being hoisted and installed using its 800-tonne crane, Kaiseradler. The shipyard described the operation as completed “with millimetre precision,” with the block aligned across multiple connection points before being secured.

In detailing the scale of the maneuver, the build team noted the bridge block was positioned to within three ten-thousandths of one percent of the ship’s 345.39-meter overall length.

Crew cabins completed, with guest stateroom modules next

Cabin supplier EMS PreCab said it finished production of 949 crew cabins after 25 weeks of work. “After 25 weeks, we at EMS PreCab have successfully completed the production of the 949 crew cabins for the Carnival Festivale,” the company said in its announcement.

EMS PreCab said the finished units are staged in a warehouse before being moved onboard for installation, and added in a separate quality note, “We are very satisfied with the quality level of the Carnival series achieved so far.” Carnival Festivale is expected to carry more than 1,700 crew members from an international workforce once the ship enters service.

With crew modules complete, EMS PreCab said it is moving directly into serial production of 2,636 passenger cabins. Carnival has indicated the ship will include Havana-category rooms and suites with island-inspired designs, along with Cloud 9 Spa cabins tied to wellness-focused amenities. The passenger phase typically involves a broader mix of layouts and finishes than crew areas, including connecting rooms for families and a range of balcony configurations.

Build timeline and major milestones still ahead

The ship’s construction began with steel cutting in April 2025, followed by keel laying in August 2025 as the vessel started taking shape through block assembly.

• Completed so far: Bridge Block 68 has been lifted into position, and prefabricated crew-cabin production has finished ahead of onboard installation.
• Next yard milestones: The project schedule still includes the ship’s first float-out, completion of exterior signature features, and extensive interior outfitting across guest venues, crew areas, and technical spaces.

What Carnival has said about onboard features

Carnival Festivale will be the fourth ship in Carnival’s Excel class, joining Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee. One of the most notable changes from earlier ships in the series is the absence of the Bolt: Roller Coaster at Sea; Carnival has said the ship will instead feature its largest Carnival WaterWorks water park.

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy has also framed the ship around a music-centered identity for onboard spaces and programming. “Music is the universal language that brings families and friends together,” Duffy said, adding that guests will find “immersive music spaces” and expanded lounge areas designed around that concept.

Ship size, capacity, and entry into service from Port Canaveral

Carnival has described the ship as roughly 183,000 gross tons, and published specifications cited in build updates list 183,521 gross tons. The vessel is slated to measure 345.39 meters in length.

Capacity guidance released so far puts the ship at about 5,200 guests at double occupancy (including a figure of 5,228 at double occupancy cited in project details), rising to more than 6,600 passengers when fully booked (including a maximum cited at 6,631).

Carnival Festivale’s inaugural voyage is scheduled for May 19, 2027, as a four-night Bahamas cruise departing Port Canaveral with calls at Celebration Key and Half Moon Cay. After the debut, the ship is planned to remain homeported on Florida’s Space Coast at least through April 2028, with sailings on sale including six- and eight-night Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries, plus Bahamas sailings on select dates.

• Caribbean ports listed across the inaugural season: Amber Cove, San Juan, St. Maarten, Bonaire, Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Thomas.
• Bahamas options: Additional Bahamas sailings are included on select dates alongside the longer Caribbean itineraries.

With the bridge now installed and cabin modules moving from production to staging for onboard fitting, the ship’s build is progressing through structural and interior phases that precede float-out, final outfitting, and delivery ahead of the planned May 2027 debut.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When will Carnival Festivale begin service?

Carnival Festivale is scheduled to welcome its first guests on May 19, 2027, sailing from Port Canaveral on a four-night Bahamas itinerary.

How many cabins are being built for Carnival Festivale?

EMS PreCab said it completed 949 crew cabins and is beginning serial production of 2,636 passenger cabins.

How will Carnival Festivale differ from other Excel-class ships?

Carnival has said the ship will sail without the Bolt: Roller Coaster at Sea found on earlier Excel-class ships. In its place, the company has announced the largest Carnival WaterWorks water park, along with a music-focused concept for onboard spaces and expanded lounge areas.

What itineraries will Carnival Festivale offer from Port Canaveral?

Plans on sale include six- and eight-night Eastern and Southern Caribbean sailings and select Bahamas cruises during the inaugural season, with the ship expected to remain homeported from Port Canaveral at least through April 2028.