Meyer Turku hands over LNG-fuelled Carnival Celebration

Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku has delivered the LNG-powered Carnival Celebration cruise ship to Carnival Cruise Line.

This is the second ship in Carnival’s Excel class and it was delivered on schedule. The cruise ship will start its maiden voyage already later this week.

The vessel was launched at Meyer Turku in February 2022. Carnival Corporation ordered the ships for its subsidiary Carnival Cruise Line.

Carnival Celebration in numbers:

• Length: 344 m
• Width: 42 m
• Gross tonnage: 182,800
• Passengers: 5,374
• Crew: 1,735
• Flag state: Panama

Tim Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku, said the ship’s handover was special in many ways.

“First of all, the ship is dedicated to the 50 years of Carnival Cruise Line. Second, Carnival Celebration will begin service immediately after the handover, indicating the demand for cruises, and therefore for cruise ships, is truly recovering.”

“We have so many reasons to celebrate now that Carnival Celebration has joined as the 25th ship in our fleet. Now, more guests will experience all that our innovative Excel-class has brought to cruising,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

“She represents the culmination of our 50th Birthday while also shining a light on our bright future with so much more excitement to come!”

Debuting from the redesigned Terminal F at PortMiami, Carnival Celebration will join sister Mardi Gras as the second Carnival ship in the fleet with LNG propulsion system.

Carnival Celebration is scheduled to arrive at her homeport of PortMiami on Nov. 20 after a 14-day transatlantic Journeys Cruise from Southampton, England when a naming ceremony will be held.

The third ship Carnival Jubilee is scheduled to enter the service in 2023. The third Excel-class vessel will be identical to the previous two, completely fueled by LNG. It will be based at the Port of Galveston in Texas and will sail to the western Caribbean.