Carnival Opens Bookings for Final Excel-Class Ship From Galveston
On board, Sunsation Point will feature Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, six waterslides and splash areas for younger children, with extended hours for selected evening activities.
Carnival Cruise Line has opened reservations for Carnival Tropicale, the fifth and final ship in its Excel class, ahead of the vessel’s April 15, 2028 debut from Galveston. The newbuild will operate four-, five-, six- and eight-day cruises to the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Mexico.
The 183,900-gross-ton ship is expected to accommodate roughly 5,200 to 5,300 guests at double occupancy, with maximum capacity of about 6,630.
“Carnival Tropicale will bring an exciting new vacation option to Texas when she debuts in 2028,” said Ben Clement, Carnival’s executive vice president of maritime and new builds. Carnival did not disclose starting fares.
Galveston itineraries span four to eight days
The itineraries will visit Carnival’s Paradise Collection destinations, including Celebration Key; RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay; Isla Tropicale; and Puerta Maya. The schedules will also include calls at Progreso and Nassau.
Carnival Tropicale will carry the Star of Texas on its bow in recognition of its Galveston homeport.
What’s coming on board
Sunsation Point, a multi-deck area for families, will include Carnival WaterWorks Ultra and six waterslides. Carnival has named four of the slides, among them SunSoaker, Turning Tides and Racing Currents, and plans separate splash areas for younger children. The waterpark will operate extended hours for selected evening activities.
Other attractions will include a redesigned Fairway 66 miniature golf course drawing on Route 66, sports courts and the Treehouse Adventure Trail, which will feature netted paths and obstacles. The Vault Retrocade will combine older arcade titles with newer games.
Three announced dining concepts will cover Hawaiian, Asian, Greek, Italian and seafood menus. Uku Lei Lei will serve Hawaiian-inspired food with Asian influences, while Fetaccine will combine Greek and Italian dishes. Emeril’s Coastal Seafood, developed with Carnival Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse, will draw its menu from coastal regions of the United States.
Construction continues in Papenburg
Meyer Werft is building the 1,135-foot vessel at its Papenburg, Germany, shipyard. Carnival Tropicale is planned for a crew of about 1,735 and will join Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, Carnival Jubilee and Carnival Festivale in the Excel class.
Carnival and Meyer Werft held a western-themed construction event at the yard as reservations opened, with company and shipyard representatives wearing cowboy-style hard hats. The companies did not identify a formal construction milestone associated with the gathering.
The ship’s entertainment areas will draw on the golden era of show business, although Carnival has not yet named the productions or venues. The line plans to release those details and further information about the onboard program in the coming months.
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