Carnival Cruise Line’s largest ship, the 5,282-passenger
Mardi Gras, was floated out in a ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in
Finland.
After being put in the water for the first time, the vessel
was repositioned to a new location at the yard to finalize its interior and
exterior outfitting.
The Bolt, the first roller coaster at sea, will be installed
in the coming weeks as part of the Ultimate Playground outdoor recreation area.
The vessel will debut a new atrium concept with three-deck
floor-to-ceiling windows and moveable LED screens. New restaurants will include
Emeril’s Bistro 1396, created by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse.
The Mardi Gras will be the first cruise ship in North
America powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The 2,600-cabin ship is scheduled to debut Nov. 14. It will
sail year-round, seven-day cruises to the Caribbean and Bahamas from Port
Canaveral, Fla.
“We can’t wait for our guests to experience Mardi Gras, a
one-of-a-kind ship that is true game-changer and continues the evolution of the
Carnival vacation experience,” said Ben Clement, Carnival’s senior vice president
of newbuilds.