In response to unprecedented consumer demand for cruise vacations, Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company, has ordered three new ships for its flagship Carnival Cruise Line brand. These new vessels, part of a new class of ship, will each be nearly 230,000 gross registered tonnes. Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri will design, engineer, and construct the liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered ships, with delivery scheduled for the summers of 2029, 2031, and 2033.
Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, expressed excitement about the new ships, stating, "We are proud to be known as America's cruise line with tremendous guest loyalty and an outstanding team that has enabled us to deliver memorable vacations to over 100 million guests. For this next-generation ship, we are focused on creating innovative guest experiences that will take Carnival Cruise Line into the future with new FUN features and excitement that we know our guests will LOVE."
This announcement marks the fifth new ship order for Carnival Cruise Line in 2024. Earlier this year, Carnival Corporation announced its first new build orders in five years, with two Excel-class ships set to join the fleet in 2027 and 2028. The company has also strategically shifted to optimize its global brand portfolio, transferring five vessels from sister brands to the Carnival Cruise Line fleet between 2023 and March 2025.
Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc, highlighted the strategic importance of this expansion. "We are doubling down on the growth of Carnival Cruise Line – our highest-returning brand – to keep up with the incredibly strong demand we continue to see for the world's most popular cruise line," he said. "At this point, our newbuild pipeline is just one delivery in each of 2025, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2031, and 2033. We continue to take a disciplined approach to growth, strategically directing new capacity to the areas of highest demand at a rate of one to two new ships per year."
Weinstein added that this order will ensure the company’s overall measured capacity growth between 2025 and 2033 averages approximately 1.5% per year. This strategic growth allows Carnival Corporation to provide new capacity to high-demand brands like Carnival Cruise Line, enhancing returns while maintaining a responsible capital strategy. The company plans to use strong free cash flow over the next several years to improve its balance sheet, reduce debt significantly, and transfer value from debt holders to shareholders.
The new ships will feature over 3,000 guest staterooms, accommodating nearly 8,000 guests at full capacity, making them the largest in Carnival Corporation’s global fleet. Once delivered in 2033, Carnival Corporation will have a total of 16 LNG-powered ships, including eight for Carnival Cruise Line. These LNG-powered ships will constitute almost 30% of Carnival Corporation's global capacity, contributing to immediate greenhouse gas emission reductions. Additionally, the ships will incorporate advanced energy efficiency, waste management, and emission reduction technologies to further minimize the company’s environmental footprint.
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Fincantieri, expressed pride in the partnership, stating, "We are excited to join forces with Carnival Cruise Line to debut a new class of ship, which will be the largest cruise ship ever constructed by Fincantieri and the largest ship ever built in Italy. We are proud of the role Fincantieri has played in helping Carnival Corporation secure its position as the world's largest cruise company and look forward to continuing this success story together."
Design details and itinerary information for the new Carnival Cruise Line ships will be announced later. The order is contingent upon financing and is expected to be completed later this year.
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