Goodbye Roller Coaster, Hello Water Park: Carnival Reveals Details Of New Ship Festivale

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• Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship, Carnival Festivale, will call Port Canaveral home starting in spring 2027.
• The ship will feature new onboard entertainment zones, a family-friendly water park, and more connecting cabins.
• Itineraries for the ship will be announced later this summer.

Carnival Cruise Line is bringing a new Fun Ship to Port Canaveral in spring 2027.

Carnival Festivale, the fourth ship in the line’s Excel Class, will homeport in the Orlando area, the cruise line announced Sunday. The ship shares a name with a previous Carnival vessel that began sailing for the line in the late 1970s.

The ship will feature three new onboard zones, including venues and “immersive experiences” centered around music, according to a news release, and the Carnival Waterworks Ultra water park. Guests will find six water slides – including family raft slides – splash pads and more, located in an outdoor zone called Sunsation Point.

The area will replace the line’s BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster found on other Excel Class ships.

Other nearby activities include a “treehouse-inspired elevated adventure trail,” miniature golf, and arcade games, according to the release. “In the evening, Sunsation Point bursts with vibrant illumination and the fun continues into the night with special evening events that have extended water park hours, in addition to a DJ and other activities,” the cruise line said. “This is a first for Carnival to open Waterworks at night and activate multi deck zones for guests of all ages to enjoy together in the evening.”

Festivale will also have close to 70% more interconnecting cabins than its three sister ships in an effort to “better serve” families. One million children sail with the cruise line annually, per the release.

The Excel Class currently includes Carnival Mardi Gras, Celebration and Jubilee, which can each accommodate more than 5,200 guests at double occupancy.

New dining venues will debut onboard as well, alongside returning favorites like Guy’s Burger Joint and Big Chicken. More details are still to be announced. 

Specifics on the ship’s itineraries will be released this summer, Carnival said, and travelers can sign up for updates through the cruise line’s website.

The vessel is one of several upcoming Carnival ships. Carnival Tropicale, the fifth Excel Class vessel, is set for delivery in spring 2028. That will be followed by three more new ships with more than 3,000 staterooms each, starting in 2029, which will be the biggest in parent company Carnival Corporation’s fleet.

The cruise line also recently began operating Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter, which previously sailed for the P&O Cruises Australia brand before it was folded into Carnival.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.