Carnival Cruise Line just announced a major new development for its latest ship, and for those that follow cruising, it may come as a major surprise.
Carnival is in the middle of a build-out of its biggest Excel-class ships. The first of these ships, Mardi Gras, started sailing in 2021. That was followed by Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee.
Currently under construction is Carnival Festivale, which is slated to arrive in 2027. Then there will be Carnival Tropicale, set for 2028.
These ships represent the biggest in the cruise line’s fleet (until “Project Ace” — a new class of ships slated at 230,000 gross tons arrive closer to 2030) and are the crown jewels in the cruise line’s lineup.
That’s why the announcement that Carnival will homeport its newest ship — Carnival Tropicale — in Galveston comes as a stunner.
Two of the Three Newest Ships Sailing From Galveston
Galveston has grown from a sleepy port to a major cruise hub over the past two decades. Today, it marks the busiest departure port outside of Florida. You can find cruises from nearly every major line.
That’s why it wasn’t too much of a surprise when Carnival announced its latest newbuild — Carnival Jubilee would sail from the port starting in 2024. The cruise line has built a major presence on the island, with four ships currently sailing from there. Adding a new ship seemed like the next progression.
But with the addition of Tropicale, two of the three newest ships in Carnival’s fleet won’t sail from the biggest ports like Miami or Port Canaveral, but Galveston, Texas.
“Carnival Tropicale joining our Galveston lineup is a celebration of both our history and our future in Texas,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “For more than 25 years, Texas has been at the heart of Carnival’s growth, and this new Excel-class ship ensures we continue to deliver unforgettable experiences for our guests in and around the state.”
For comparison, Royal Caribbean — which also has a major presence in Galveston — has yet to homeport a new ship in Galveston despite the construction of a brand-new dedicated terminal several years ago.
(Carnival Festivale, due in 2027, will sail from Port Canaveral.)
What’s Different Between Tropicale and Jubilee?
Carnival Tropicale will likely offer a lot of similarities to its sister ship, Jubilee, but won’t be exactly the same. The 6,000+ passenger ship will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), marking a first for Galveston cruising. It will also offer a new Carnival WaterWorks Ultra waterpark on the ship, which is in lieu of the Bolt! rollercoaster offered on Jubilee.
Given the ship doesn’t arrive for roughly two years, there aren’t many more details shared just yet. While it’s likely that many aspects will be similar given it’s in the same class, Carnival does make small changes through each ship. They have teased that there will be new dining and entertainment options, but we’ll have to wait to see exactly what they are.
At this point in the schedule, Carnival’s website shows Breeze, Horizon, Jubilee, and Sunshine sailing from Galveston in April 2028 (as far out as the schedule goes). It’s not clear if Tropicale will be a fifth ship to sail from Texas or if one of those other ships will move to a different port.
Either way, Texas cruisers are getting a major upgrade to their sailing options.
