Carnival Cruise Line officially welcomed the Carnival Jubilee to its fleet today, the company announced in a press release.
The third ship in Carnival’s Excel-Class, the LNG-powered vessel was delivery by the Meyer Werft ship builder during an event in Bremerhaven, Germany.
Now the 26th Fun Ship in the Carnival fleet, the Jubilee will soon begin its journey to Galveston, where it will bring added capacity and offer a mix of new entertainment and dining to one of the cruise line’s most popular homeports.
Carnival President Christine Duffy, alongside Ben Clement, Carnival’s SVP of New Builds, Refurbishments & Product Innovation, and the ship’s senior officers, joined Meyer Werft Managing Director Jan Meyer, to welcome Carnival Jubilee, the first Carnival ship to be built in Papenburg, Germany.
Once in Texas, the Carnival Jubilee and her team will welcome guests for the first time on Dec. 23. The ship will sail from Galveston year-round on week-long Western Caribbean voyages.
“Carnival Jubilee is the fifth additional ship we’ve welcomed into our fleet since 2021 and an integral part of our growth strategy. This ship will bring our most dynamic offering of fun to one of our most popular homeports and will be a great addition to our plans to remain the number one cruise line in Galveston,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
“From the thrill of the roller coaster, BOLT, to a piece of paradise at the Serenity retreat, and so much more, we’re delivering a new level of fun for our guests sailing from Galveston that will complement our current and upcoming operations there.”
In addition to Carnival Jubilee, additions to the Carnival fleet since 2021 include the Mardi Gras (2021), the Carnival Luminosa (2022), the Carnival Celebration (2022), and the Carnival Venezia (2023).
Currently sailing for sister brand Costa Cruises, the Carnival Firenze is scheduled to join the fleet in April 2024.
The Carnival Jubilee ushers in a significant expansion of capacity from Galveston, which is one of Carnival’s top homeports, the company said.
In 2001, Carnival became the first cruise line to sail year-round from the homeport, and the new ship with a Texas star on its bow is a Texas-sized symbol of the cruise line’s loyal and intense following by guests and travel advisors in the region, the company added.
The Carnival Jubilee will join the Carnival Breeze and the Carnival Dream at the port as part of a four-ship deployment plan that will be complete when the Carnival Miracle repositions to Galveston in October 2024.
Over the past month, Carnival Jubilee’s captain and senior officers have led the final trials to test the ship’s seaworthiness, completing many technical and nautical operations ahead of its transatlantic voyage and arrival to Galveston on Dec. 20.
The 183,000 gross-ton ship can accommodate approximately 6,400 guests at full capacity, plus 1,750 crew.
The ship is Carnival’s third to be powered by a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) propulsion system, the first cruise ship to run on LNG from Galveston and will operate out of Terminal 25 at the Port of Galveston which underwent a recent $53 million investment to accommodate the ship and provide an enhanced guest experience.
