Carnival Brings Back Another Classic Cruise Ship Name

Carnival Cruise Line has a tradition of bringing back beloved ship names — and the new Carnival Destiny is the latest example.

A Familiar Name Returns for a Massive New Ship

The new Carnival Destiny will be the sixth Carnival newbuild to carry a previously used name. It will also be the first ship in Carnival’s brand-new Ace-class series.

This name-recycling trend started back in 2018. That’s when Carnival announced the new Mardi Gras, the first ship in its Excel-class series.

How the Name-Reuse Tradition Got Started

The original Mardi Gras holds a special place in Carnival history. Built in the 1960s, it was the very first ship to ever join the Carnival fleet. The 30,000-ton ocean liner stayed in service all the way through 1993.

When Carnival brought the Mardi Gras name back, it kicked off a new tradition. The cruise line began reusing names from its older Holiday-class ships for its newer Excel-class vessels.

Excel-Class Ships With Classic Names

The new Carnival Celebration launched in 2022, followed by the new Carnival Jubilee in 2023. Both names came from beloved ships built in the 1980s. The original Celebration sailed until 2008, and the original Jubilee until 2004.

Two more Excel-class ships are currently being built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The Carnival Festivale is set to debut in 2027, and the Carnival Tropicale will follow in 2028.

Festivale and Tropicale: Names With Deep Roots

The Festivale name goes way back. Carnival’s third-ever ship carried that name and sailed from 1977 to 1996.

The Tropicale name is also historic. It was first used by Carnival’s first-ever newbuild, which entered service in 1985 and sailed until 2001.

The Story Behind the Original Carnival Destiny

The original Carnival Destiny was a groundbreaking ship. When it launched in 1996, it was the largest cruise ship in the world. Built by Fincantieri in Italy, the 101,000-ton ship led the way for an entire class of vessels.

That original Destiny is still around today — just under a different name. It was renamed the Carnival Sunshine in 2013, following a major refurbishment that extensively reconfigured its interior areas.

What to Expect From the New Carnival Destiny

The new Carnival Destiny will be a giant leap forward. At 230,000 tons, it will be the biggest ship in Carnival’s entire fleet. It will hold up to 8,000 passengers at maximum capacity.

As the lead ship in the Ace-class series, the Destiny will be the first of four ships built by Fincantieri. Sister ships are expected to enter service in 2029 and 2030. The new Carnival Destiny itself is scheduled for delivery in the summer of 2029.

It’s clear that Carnival isn’t just recycling names for nostalgia. They’re pairing those classic names with some of the most impressive ships ever built.