Reservations are open for the Carnival Festivale, Carnival Cruise Line's fourth Excel-class ship. It will have an interactive music-making venue and a variety of other new features.
From its homeport of Port Canaveral, the ship will primarily sail six- and eight-day cruises in the eastern and southern Caribbean. The ship will also sail a seven-day New Year's itinerary on Dec. 27, 2027. It will embark on its maiden voyage May 2, 2027, from English port city Southampton to Port Canaveral. Its debut sailing from Port Canaveral will be on May 19, a four-day Bahamas itinerary.
Studio 724 will offer an interactive music-making experience. Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line
The ship will be music themed, and the cruise line revealed new details about experiences and venues tailored to the theme.
Studio 724 will offer an interactive music-making experience near the atrium. Sounds will trigger lights and animations "to capture the creative energy of mixing, recording and listening to music," Carnival said.
A new venue on Deck 6, The Spark, will be songwriting themed, host live music every night and have cocktails named for well-known songs.
Another newcomer, Mix Bar, will be on Deck 7 and enable guests to create their own drinks by layering flavor "tracks." The bar will also offer a menu of cocktails with names like the Synth and Hi-Fi.
The familiar Alchemy Bar will be adjusted and expanded to suit the music theme, gaining a new lounge space and a stage. Limelight Lounge will also be redesigned to fit the music theme.
Mix Bar will offer a menu of cocktails with music-themed names, such as the Synth and Hi-Fi. Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line
Fitting an outdoor music festival theme, Deck 8 eateries will include Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar, Pizza Palooza and Rhythm & Rolls Deli.
Sunsation Point, the family and entertainment area on Decks 16 through 18, will have Carnival's largest waterpark at sea, Carnival WaterWorks Ultra. There, guests will find six slides, including SunSoaker and Turning Tides, which will be family raft slides, and the Racing Currents slides. For youngsters, there will be a Mini Racers double slide and the Mini Twister. The waterpark will be Carnival's first to remain open after dark.
Other activities in Sunsation Point include Vault Retrocade for arcade games on Deck 17 and the Treehouse, an elevated adventure trail with bridges, obstacles and a dry slide. Deck 17 will also have a toddler playground.
Dining venues around Sunsation Point will include Sunsation Sips for cocktails and slushies; Scenic Overlook, a bar with sports broadcasts and outdoor games; and standard Excel-class venues like Big Chicken and Swirls ice cream.
The Alchemy Bar will be larger on the Festivale than on other Carnival ships. Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line