Carnival Festivale Bookings Open for 2027 Debut

Published on Aug 13, 2025, 12:04 pm CDT

5 min read

Carnival Cruise Line has opened reservations for Carnival Festivale, the line's next Excel class ship arriving in 2027. The maiden voyage departs Southampton on May 2, 2027, for a 15 day transatlantic to Port Canaveral, with calls in La Coruña and Vigo, Funchal, Tenerife, and Grand Turk. From Florida, the ship will operate four, six, and eight day Caribbean itineraries, all including Celebration Key and many including RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. A seven day New Year's cruise departs December 27, 2027.

Key Points

Why it matters: Bookings open for Carnival's newest Excel class ship with family focused upgrades.
Travel impact: Year round Port Canaveral deployment adds capacity and private island access.
What's next: Additional 2027 to 2028 Port Canaveral schedules to be announced.
Nighttime WaterWorks debuts with lights and a live DJ on select evenings.
1,000 interconnecting rooms, about 70 percent more than earlier Excel ships.

Snapshot

Carnival Festivale introduces three music driven zones, new family features, and a larger WaterWorks. The May 2, 2027, transatlantic from Southampton arrives in Port Canaveral on May 16 after stops in Spain, Madeira, the Canary Islands, and Grand Turk. The first Port Canaveral cruise, a four day Bahamas run on May 19, visits Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. Ongoing six and eight day itineraries add Amber Cove, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Southern Caribbean favorites Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. Festivale will sail year round from Port Canaveral, joining sister ship Mardi Gras. For context on Carnival's short Bahamas strategy, see Carnival Mardi Gras Adds Short Bahamas Cruises in 2027.

Background

Excel class ships anchor Carnival's post pandemic growth with LNG power, large top deck attractions, and private destination access. Festivale continues the brand's tradition of reviving legacy ship names while iterating the platform for families and multigenerational groups. Celebration Key on Grand Bahama opened in July 2025 to expand private beach capacity for the fleet. Half Moon Cay is being refreshed and reintroduced as RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay to handle larger ships and add new amenities. These destinations, paired with Port Canaveral's strong drive market, support short and weeklong itineraries with high demand. Broader industry moves also favor Caribbean deployment and private island days, as covered in Cruise Giants Pivot Toward Caribbean Cruises.

Latest Developments

Bookings, routes, and marquee dates

Reservations are now open across more than 50 sailings. The maiden voyage sails May 2, 2027, from Southampton to Port Canaveral, arriving May 16. The first Port Canaveral cruise on May 19 runs four days to Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. The core program features six and eight day Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries with calls in Amber Cove, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and the ABC islands. Every Festivale cruise includes Celebration Key, aligning with Carnival's strategy to guarantee at least one private destination day. A special seven day New Year's departure on December 27, 2027, offers a holiday at sea with private island time and popular ports.

Music-themed zones and venue lineup on Carnival Festivale

Festivale centers on three distinct zones focused on music. Studio 724, located just off the Grand Central atrium, reacts to sound with synchronized lights and animations, and introduces The Spark on Deck 6 for songwriting inspired cocktails and nightly live sets. An expanded Alchemy Bar gains its own lounge and stage, while Piano Bar 88 returns nearby. Mix Bar on Deck 7 lets guests "layer tracks" to create custom drinks, and a redesigned Limelight Lounge ties the zone together. The Festival on Deck 8 channels outdoor music festival energy with Festival Grounds Coffee and Bar, Pizza Palooza, and Rhythm and Rolls Deli, shifting its vibe from day to night with evolving lighting and music.

Family upgrades, Sunsation Point, and WaterWorks Ultra

Sunsation Point spans Decks 16 to 18 and anchors Festivale's family proposition. Highlights include the Vista Pool with a baby splash pad, Sunsation Sips for craft cocktails to slushies, and favorites like Big Chicken and Swirls. The Vault Retrocade brings modern arcade games with retro charm, and the Scenic Overlook adds sports TVs, outdoor games, and a mini golf course that lights up after dark. The Treehouse debuts with an elevated net bridge trail and a dry slide, plus an adjacent toddler playground. WaterWorks Ultra becomes Carnival's largest water park with six slides, including family raft rides SunSoaker and Turning Tides, dueling Racing Currents, Mini Racers, and Mini Twister. Nighttime WaterWorks operations premiere on select evenings with lighting effects and a live DJ.

Analysis

Carnival is leaning into proven demand patterns at Port Canaveral, where strong drive market access supports both short breaks and weeklong vacations. Festivale's guarantee of Celebration Key, paired with RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay on many sailings, maximizes private beach capacity and reduces weather and crowding risk at third party ports. The ship's 1,000 interconnecting rooms, roughly a 70 percent jump over earlier Excel ships, will broaden options for families that prefer side by side cabins over suites. Studio 724 and The Festival add branded, photogenic spaces that create a clear identity without sacrificing familiar venues like Alchemy Bar and Piano Bar 88. Nighttime WaterWorks is a notable innovation, extending top deck usage beyond daylight and giving sea days more capacity. Combined, these features position Festivale as a high utilization, family first flagship for 2027 to 2028, while Mardi Gras covers shorter Bahamas rotations at the same homeport.

Final Thoughts

With bookings open and a fresh take on music themed spaces, Festivale strengthens Carnival's Port Canaveral portfolio and private island access. Families should watch for interconnecting room availability and school break dates, as those cabins will move quickly. The combination of Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay aligns with traveler preferences for easy, beach forward itineraries. If you want a new ship experience with flexible lengths and strong port variety, Carnival Festivale is now in play.