Carnival’s Upcoming Ships to be Among the World’s Largest

According to the latest Global Cruise Ship Index curated by Cruise News, Carnival Cruise Line’s newly announced ships will rank among the largest in the world. Scheduled to debut between 2029 and 2033, these vessels will be constructed at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy as part of a new ship class.

Weighing in at 230,000 tons, these LNG-powered ships will be comparable in size to Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis-class. The Oasis series, currently second in ship size, includes six ships with tonnage ranging between 220,000 and 231,000 tons. Introduced in 2009, these ships were built by STX Turku in Finland and Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France. A seventh vessel, similar in design, is expected to be delivered by the French shipbuilder in 2028.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is currently the world’s largest ship. Part of the company’s new Icon-class, this 250,800-ton ship entered service in January 2024 and will be followed by two sister ships through 2026. The series, including the Star of the Seas set for 2025, is being built by the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

Carnival’s upcoming vessels will surpass the size of MSC Cruises’ World class at 205,700 tons and Disney Cruise Line’s 208,000-ton Disney Adventure, scheduled for delivery in 2025. Norwegian Cruise Line’s next series, ordered earlier this year, will also be smaller at 200,000 tons.

In terms of capacity, Carnival’s new ships will be among the largest globally. Each vessel will have 3,000 staterooms, accommodating approximately 8,000 guests. To minimize their environmental impact, the ships will incorporate advanced energy efficiency, waste management, and emission reduction technologies, according to Carnival Corporation.