Carnival Venezia Gets Red, White and Blue Funnel Repaint
The original straight funnel shape remains rather than the whale-tail design common on Carnival ships, and Carnival has not announced a matching change for Carnival Firenze.
Carnival Venezia’s funnel was repainted in Carnival Cruise Line’s red, white and blue on October 9, 2026, replacing the Costa Cruises yellow after the ship repositioned from New York to Port Canaveral. Carnival has not confirmed any further changes to the vessel or its “Fun Italian Style” onboard experience.
The ship was built in 2019 as Costa Venezia, and its yellow funnel had remained in place since it transferred to Carnival in 2023, when it received a new hull livery incorporating its Italian identity. The repaint changes only the colors. The original straight funnel shape remains; the vessel has not been fitted with the whale-tail design common on Carnival ships.
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald shared close-up images of the repaint on Facebook on October 12. Responses were mixed: some commenters welcomed the removal of the yellow, while others objected to the change or requested a whale-tail funnel. Discussion on Reddit also included speculation that the repaint signaled a permanent place for the ship within Carnival’s fleet.
Other online posts have questioned whether the new funnel colors foreshadow the removal of the Italian-themed concept. For now, the “Carnival Fun Italian Style” wording remains on the hull, the Italian-themed interiors and amenities are still in place, and Carnival continues to advertise the experience on its website. That theme extends to specific onboard venues, including Piazza San Marco, the Marco Polo and Canal Grande restaurants, and Il Viaggio Italian dining.
The repaint has also raised questions about sister ship Carnival Firenze, which transferred from Costa Cruises to Carnival in 2024 and still carries a yellow funnel. Both vessels offer the Italian-inspired experience, but Carnival has not confirmed whether Firenze will receive matching funnel colors.
Venezia began its 2026-27 winter season from Port Canaveral on October 10 with an eight-night Southern Caribbean sailing. The itinerary includes Bonaire, Aruba and Carnival’s Celebration Key, with the ship scheduled to return to Port Canaveral on October 18.
See current Carnival Venezia fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.
