Carnival Cruise Line’s Excel class will continue with Carnival Festivale in April 2027 and Carnival Tropicale in 2028. Festivale will deploy from Port Canaveral, Florida, and Tropicale’s homeport will be Galveston, Texas. Sister ships include Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee.
Editor’s Note: This story was last updated on Apr. 27, 2026.
New Zones
Festivale will feature three new zones. Two zones across Decks 6, 7 and 8 will “celebrate music with new music-themed venues and immersive experiences, representing the ways in which music brings people together,” according to the line. The first will take its cues from the music creation process with interactive media, lighting and sound, and the second will showcase the energy of outdoor music performances.
Specifically, Studio 724 will encompass The Spark on Deck 6 — just off of the line’s signature Alchemy Bar, enhanced with a dedicated atrium-side space and its own live music stage — hosting live musical performances. And on Deck 7, Mix Bar will be a turntable-themed watering hole where patrons will be able to create custom cocktails or order staple libations such as the Synth or Hi-Fi. This level will also reprise Limelight Lounge, now taking its cues from the music scene.
The Festival on Deck 8, meanwhile, is described by Carnival as a "brightly colored promenade [connecting] guests to several food and beverage venues through an atmosphere that transforms from day to night with evolving lights and sounds.” Among them will be Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar for specialty java and other festive beverages. Dining offerings will further extend to Pizza Palooza and Rhythm & Rolls Deli “food trucks” to grab quick bites.
And the third new zone across Decks 16, 17 and 18, Sunsation Point, is a new outdoor area for family fun and all-ages entertainment. By replacing BOLT, the Ultimate Seacoaster from previous sister ships, an expanded Carnival WaterWorks Ultra water park will reside here — representing the largest water park from the line ever.
The zone will showcase half a dozen waterslides, two separate splash pads with their own slides and spray elements and a baby-centric aquatic area. Among the six new main slides will be four that are entirely new to the brand including two family raft varieties (SunSoaker and Turning Tides) and two dueling Racing Currents, as well as a Mini Racers double-slide and Mini Twister for guests as short as 3 feet.
There will also be a dry Treehouse adventure trail, complete with its own dry slide and netted bridges, and more toddler areas (including the age-appropriate splash pad off the all-ages Vista Pool) for shaded activities. Other offerings include a ropes course, a night-illuminated miniature golf course, a sports court, televised sports, a jogging track, arcade spaces (such as the nostalgic Vault Retrocade) and additional outdoor games (think: pool and giant Jenga).
Sunsation Point will even be open into the evening with extended water park hours, DJ events and other special activities.
Food and drink options here will also showcase Sensation Sips for slushies and more, Big Chicken, Swirls ice cream parlor and Scenic Overlook, a bar ideal for sunset vistas.
Accommodations
Replacing Family Harbor staterooms are 1,000 interconnecting rooms, almost 70% more than on the first Excel-series ships, located here to cater to multigenerational guests.
Kids’ Facilities
As the cruise line that sails the most families — totaling 1 million children annually — Festivale will have a dedicated area and open-deck experiences for Carnival’s Turtles program geared to kids ages six months to two years old. Plus, the line’s overall onboard youth programs will be expanded.
Carnival Festivale’s Sunsation Point will feature six waterslides, splash pads, a treehouse-inspired adventure trail and extended evening entertainment.
Credit: 2025 Carnival Cruise LineDining
To vary its dining options since Mardi Gras — which will also be sailing from Port Canaveral — Emeril Lagasse, chief culinary officer for Carnival, and the line’s food and beverage team are working on new options, one of which will swap out ChiBang. Joining the ship are guest favorites such as Guy’s Burger Joint, Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse and Big Chicken.
Carnival Tropicale
Carnival Tropicale will carry over many features from Festivale, while also introducing some of its own concepts and themes. Like Jubilee, which also sails from the state, Tropicale will sport the Star of Texas on its bow.
“Carnival Tropicale joining our Galveston lineup is a celebration of both our history and our future in Texas,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “For more than 25 years, Texas has been at the heart of Carnival’s growth, and this new Excel-class ship ensures we continue to deliver unforgettable experiences for our guests in and around the state.”
