Steel cut for CARNIVAL DESTINY, first of Carnival's Ace class

CruiseCarnival Cruise Line has revealed the name of its next newbuilding as CARNIVAL DESTINY, the first of three next-generation Ace class ships, at a steel-cutting ceremony held on 10 July at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard. The event revealed the ship's name and included a 3D hologram giving a first look at the design, with delivery scheduled for summer 2029.

At approximately 230,000 GT, CARNIVAL DESTINY will be the largest ship ever built by Fincantieri and the largest ever constructed in Italy, marking the group's entry into the segment above 220,000 GT. The LNG-powered Ace class will offer more than 3,000 cabins and accommodate over 8,000 passengers at full capacity, fitted with technologies aimed at improving energy efficiency, waste management and emissions reduction.

Carnival is positioning the ship around its exterior. CARNIVAL DESTINY is billed as the most outward-facing megaship at sea, with an unprecedented number of ocean-view balcony cabins, a reimagined lanai deck and more than 18,000 sq m of glass, including multi-storey glass walls, opening up sightlines across the vessel. More than 70 per cent of its venues and attractions will be entirely new concepts for Carnival, spanning dining, bars and lounges, entertainment and outdoor spaces.

" CARNIVAL DESTINY builds on a legacy that changed cruising once before, reimagining what guests can experience at sea," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

The name is a deliberate callback. The Carnival–Fincantieri relationship began at Monfalcone with the original CARNIVAL DESTINY, delivered in 1996 as the world's first cruise ship to exceed 100,000 GT. The ceremony doubled as the 30th anniversary of the partnership. Fincantieri has since delivered 76 ships across the Carnival Corporation portfolio, 15 of them for Carnival Cruise Line.

The ship will sail to destinations in the Paradise Collection by Carnival, with further details on features and experiences due later this year. The two further Ace class vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2031 and 2033.

Attendees included Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation; Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation; Christine Duffy; Biagio Mazzotta, chairman of Fincantieri; Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and managing director of Fincantieri; Luigi Matarazzo, general manager of Fincantieri's Merchant Ships Division; and Cristiano Bazzara, director of the Monfalcone shipyard.

jul 12 2026