Carnival Cruise Line took delivery Friday of its largest ship ever, the Mardi Gras, during a signing ceremony broadcast virtually from the Meyer Turku Shipyard in Finland.
The company is billing the 5,200-passenger ship as its most innovative and one of the most environmentally friendly scheduled to set sail in North America. The 180,000-gross-ton vessel will be the first in the region to run on liquefied natural gas.
The Excel-class ship also features the first roller coaster at sea, as well as six dining and entertainment zones.
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Among the restaurants are one by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, the line's first Big Chicken by Shaquille O'Neal, two dining venues led by Food Network star Guy Fieri and a new restaurant concept by master chef Rudi Sodamin.
The Mardi Gras features a three-deck atrium.
The ship's centerpiece is a three-deck atrium with floor-to-ceiling windows and movable LED screens that open up to offer ocean views.
"We have been working tirelessly this year to get to this exciting day to take delivery of this beautiful ship, and the team at Meyer Turku has been an outstanding partner throughout this process," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
"I cannot wait for our guests and crew to see and experience Mardi Gras," she said. "Notwithstanding the delays related to the pandemic, there is tremendous enthusiasm and pent-up demand for this ship."
Duffy said the Mardi Gras will depart from Turku later this month. It will operate seven-day Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, Fla. The inaugural voyage is scheduled for April 24.
A sister ship, the Carnival Celebration, is scheduled for delivery in 2022.