Carnival Corporation May Order a Second Ship for 2028

Carnival Corporation, under the leadership of President and CEO Josh Weinstein, is sticking to its usual plan of adding one or two new cruise ships annually to its fleet.
The company has recently confirmed the order of two new vessels from Meyer Werft Shipyard in Germany, with the first expected to be delivered in 2027 and the second to join the fleet in 2028.
During Carnival’s first quarter 2024 earnings call on Wednesday, Weinstein clarified the company’s future ordering plans. He noted that for 2027, the company does not anticipate adding a second new ship, although the possibility of ordering an additional ship for 2028 remains open, but not guaranteed.
“As far as 2028 goes, could there be another one? It’s not closed, but I wouldn’t necessarily bank on it either,” Weinstein elaborated.
The two ships on order are designated as Excel Class vessels and will be part of the Carnival Cruise Line’s growing fleet.
Weinstein further added that they are focusing their efforts on initiatives that benefit their most profitable brands. He assured that more details will be shared when they become available.
Carnival Corporation announced a record-breaking first quarter revenue of $5.4 billion, a testament to the company’s successful strategies to boost demand and broaden its customer reach. These strategies include significant investments in its most lucrative brands, such as new ship constructions for Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Cunard, along with a fleet modernization program for AIDA Cruises and the creation of a new private island in the Bahamas.
The new island, named Celebration Key, located off Grand Bahama Island, will be featured on the itineraries of 18 ships sailing from 10 different homeports, exclusively serving the Carnival Cruise Line brand.