On Friday, July 10, 2026, Carnival Cruise Line announced its next generation of ships–the Ace Class. The cruise line held a steel-cutting ceremony in Monfalcone, Italy, at the Fincantieri shipyard, as well as a 3D hologram first look at the new ship, which will debut in Summer 2029.
Executives of both companies were on hand for the announcement, including Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line; Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Fincantieri; Josh Weinstein, Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Corporation; and Luca Fasan, Mayor of Monfalcone.
The new ship will be named Carnival Destiny, which honors the original Carnival Destiny (now Carnival Sunshine), also built by Fincantieri in 1996, and debuted as the largest cruise ship at the time at 100,000 gross tons. When the new Carnival Destiny debuts, she will be the largest in Carnival’s fleet at 230,000 gross tons and a passenger capacity of nearly 8,000 at full capacity.
“With this steel-cutting, we begin construction on a new class of ships for Carnival Cruise Line, which we are officially calling Ace Class,” said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line. “The three Ace-Class ships coming in 2029, 2031, and 2033 are designed to change how guests will experience the sea while on their cruise. We like to say that they’ll have more sea to see. And the name of the first ship in this new class will carry a name that I think will bring meaning for all of us because we are building on our history while we move forward with the new Carnival Destiny. Like her original, she is a big step forward, not only for Carnival, but we believe for the industry.”
Carnival Destiny will be the most outward-facing megaship at sea, featuring an unprecedented number of ocean-view balcony cabins. She will feature more than four and a half acres of glass, including multi-story glass walls, giving guests breathtaking views of the ocean from more places on board. The ship will also have a reimagined lanai deck, the lower outdoor wraparound deck. Additionally, more than 70% of Carnival Destiny’s venues and attractions will be brand new to the cruise line.
“Carnival Destiny builds on a legacy that changed cruising once before, reimagining what guests can experience at sea,” said Duffy. “With this ship, we’re elevating the guest experience again, creating a ship that feels more expansive, while helping guests feel more connected and ultimately have more fun.”
The cruise line did not reveal specific itineraries, but said Carnival Destiny will sail to destinations in the Paradise Collection by Carnival, which refers to its private destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and the Bahamas.
This is not the first time Carnival has reused the name of a former ship in honor of the cruise line’s legacy. All three ships in the Excel Class–Mardi Gras, Celebration, and Jubilee–are reused ship names. Mardi Gras was the cruise line’s first ship that debuted in 1972, and Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee were named after the second and third ships in the Holiday Class, which debuted in 1987 and 1986, respectively. Two more Excel Class ships–Carnival Festivale and Carnival Tropicale–which will debut in 2027 and 2028, are also named in honor of former ships. The original Festivale was the cruise line’s second ship, which debuted in 1977, and Tropicale was the cruise line’s first newbuild and debuted in 1981.
Carnival Destiny will be the first of three vessels in the new Ace Class. The two additional ships are scheduled to debut in 2031 and 2033.