On June 23, 2021, Carnival Newsroom announced that a 3rd Excel-class ship would be added to the Carnival Cruise Line Fleet in late 2023. While the ship was originally slated for sister brand AIDA, the decision was made to bring this ship into the Carnival Cruise Line fleet.
When you look at the back-end of the Carnival News website, the unnamed ship is listed simply as XL3-Rendering.jpg – with no name printed on her hull. Carnival stated that the new ship would be sister to Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration.
Carnival Jubilee Name Revealed
On November 11, 2021, Carnival Cruise Lines officially announced that the 3rd Excel-class ship to join the CCL fleet would be named Carnival Jubilee and that it would be based out of Galveston, Texas. The announcement goes on to highlight the fact that this wouldn’t be the first Carnival ship under the Jubilee moniker that sailed from Galveston. As part of the 50th birthday celebration of Carnival Cruise Line, names from some of the original ships were being re-used to pay homage to the line’s past. MS Jubilee once sailed from Galveston and now more than 21 years later, Carnival Jubilee will be making her debut!
Early Ship Details
In the announcement, the line provided some basic details about the 3rd Excel-class ship. It was confirmed that the ship would feature LNG fueling, a roller coaster like the one on sisters Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, and new dining and entertainment options “inspired” by Mardi Gras. We would have to wait quite some time before “fun to be revealed” was replaced with actual names of the new zones that would make their debut on Jubilee.
533 days to be exact.
Jubilee Zones Announced
On April 25, 2023, Carnival News revealed that Carnival Jubilee would feature two new zones that celebrate the sea and shores. We provided a quick recap over on our YouTube Channel that highlights the new zones, restaurants, and bars that would make their debut, along with how these spaces compared to sisters Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration.
Currents
Spanning Deck 6 and Deck 7 is Currents. This is the space that currently houses French Quarter and The Gateway on Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, respectively.
New bar: Inks, PHD (currently in the space of Fortune Teller and Latitudes on Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, respectively)
- Inspired by “the cleverest of sea creatures who spends her time philosophizing about life underwater while enjoying a tasty libation” with 8 octopus arms enveloping the bar
- Unique ocean-themed drinks that change colors, feature sea foam, boba pearls, unique garnishes
- Feature jellyfish and layered shorts (finally!)
- Theming will include journals, fountain pens, and other décor that highlights just how philosophical the octopus who resides at Inks, PHD is
- Inks, PHD receives the award for cleverest naming of a new bar as you read it: Dr. Inks. Drinks!
New Bar: The Golden Mermaid (also on Deck 6, in the space of Brass Magnolia and Golden Jubilee – on Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, respectively)
- Carnival describes this space as an “Ultra stylish lounge” that is “home to a mysterious golden mermaid who swims to the depths of the oceans to find long-lost treasures of ancient civilizations and uncovers secret cocktail recipes.
- The drinks on the menu will be inspired by precious gemstones and metals and feature things like edible glitter and elevated garnishes
- Theming will included pretty glassware and elegant finishes
- The Golden Mermaid will be adjacent to a lounge and stage – similar to Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration
Like her sisters, Currents will house Emeril’s Bistro. And, keeping with tradition, the number associated with the bistro has been updated to reflect the hull number of Carnival Jubilee. Emeril’s Bistro, 717 will continue to serve up creole cuisine, including those beignets we’ve come to love.
Rounding out Currents is guest-favorite, Alchemy Bar on Deck 7.
The Shores
The second of the new zones is on Deck 8 where La Piazza and 820 Biscayne are found on Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, respectively.
Carnival Jubilee introduces The Shores: A place where “ocean meets land” that is inspired by the seaside, including piers, boardwalks and beaches. One of the super unique features in this space will be a 3 deck high fish art installation that rises from Deck 6 to Deck 8 that will “bring guests up from the Currents below to the surface.”
Like her sisters, this space will be home to plenty of seating, 2 dining venues, and a new bar.
New Dining Venue: Coastal Slice (replacing Pizzeria Del Capitano and Miami Slice on Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, respectively)
- Carnival doesn’t provide any additional information on this venue as of yet
- We are curious if it’ll include any new pizza varieties like Carnival Celebration did, or if it’ll simply revert back to line favorites found at Pizzeria Del Capitano.
New Dining Venue: Beach Buns (replacing Piazza Panini and Deco Deli on Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, respectively)
- This venue is essentially the deli on the ship.
- Carnival specifically calls out trying a hot dog at the venue – I’m hoping there will be all the fixin’s.
New Bar: Marina Bar (replacing Bar Della Rosa and Bar 820 on Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, respectively)
- When you get thirsty from all that walking on the boardwalk, you’ll be able to swing by Marina Bar.
- There’s not a lot of info yet on this bar, however, Carnival does share that it’ll be nautical themed and will include coffee and cocktails – similar to her sisters
Rounding out The Shores, Rudi’s Sea Grill and Cucina Del Capitano return to the 3rd Excel Class ship.
Additional Zones Unchanged
Carnival shared that other fan-favorite zones will be returning to Carnival Jubilee as well:
- Grand Central: Carnival calls it, “The heart of Carnival Jubilee” – 3 story atrium with floor to ceiling windows and home to line-favorite Java Blue Café
- The Ultimate Playground: this space will be home to the 3rd Bolt: The Ultimate Sea Coaster roller coaster as well as waterslides, mini golf, ropes course and more
- Summer Landing: one of my favorite spots on Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration – aft of the ship on deck 8 (just beyond The Shores) this space will house an infinity pool, hot tubs, and plenty of space for lounging. Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse and Heroes Lounge are also returning in this space.
- Lido: And, of course, no Carnival ship would be complete without the Lido zone! I’m excited to report that Carnival has confirmed that new venues introduced on sister ships will return: Get ready for some Street Eats and Big Chicken! Line staple RedFrog Bar will return in its 2-story Tiki format. And of course, Blue Iguana Cantina and Guy’s Burger Joint make their triumphant return to lido.
Inaugural Sailing
On December 9, 2022, Carnival News shared that due to shipbuilder delays, Carnival Jubilee’s inaugural sailing would be delayed from October to December 23, 2023. While this was disappointing news for many, this change provided us an opportunity of a lifetime: to join the ship for her new inaugural voyage. We announced the news on Twitter a month after Carnival shared the news of the delay.
More to Come!
As we learn more about the ship, we’ll continue to share updates and posts about the Carnival Jubilee here and on YouTube. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts in the comments. What are you most looking forward to with the introduction of Carnival’s newest Excel-class ship?