Carnival Cruise Line has welcomed Carnival Jubilee, the third ship in its Excel-class, during a delivery event with ship builder Meyer Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany.
As the 26th Fun Ship in the Carnival fleet, Carnival Jubilee now begins its journey to Galveston, Texas, where it will bring added capacity and offer a mix of new entertainment, dining and fun to one of the cruise line’s most popular homeports.
Carnival President Christine Duffy, alongside Ben Clement, Carnival’s SVP of New Builds, Refurbishments & Product Innovation, and the ship’s senior officers, joined Meyer Werft Managing Director Jan Meyer, to welcome Carnival Jubilee, the first Carnival ship to be built in Papenburg, Germany.
Once in Texas, Carnival Jubilee and her team will welcome guests for the first time on December 23. The ship will sail year-round from Galveston on week-long Western Caribbean voyages.
Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy named national chair of U.S. Travel Association. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Travel Association)
“Carnival Jubilee is the fifth additional ship we’ve welcomed into our fleet since 2021 and an integral part of our growth strategy,” said Duffy.
“This ship will bring our most dynamic offering of fun to one of our most popular homeports and will be a great addition to our plans to remain the number one cruise line in Galveston,” Duffy added.
The staircase connecting the two ocean-themed zones on Carnival Jubilee — Currents and Shores. (Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line)
“From the thrill of the roller coaster, BOLT, to a piece of paradise at the Serenity retreat, and so much more, we’re delivering a new level of fun for our guests sailing from Galveston that will complement our current and upcoming operations there.”
In addition to Carnival Jubilee, additions to the Carnival fleet since 2021 include Mardi Gras (2021), Carnival Luminosa (2022), Carnival Celebration (2022), and Carnival Venezia (2023). Carnival Firenze will join the fleet in April 2024.
Carnival was the first cruise line to sail year-round from Galveston in 2001, and the new ship with a Texas star on its bow is a Texas-sized symbol of the cruise line’s loyal and intense following by guests and travel advisors in the region.
This rendering shows Emeril’s Bistro 717 on Carnival Jubilee. (Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line)
Carnival Jubilee will join Carnival Breeze and Carnival Dream at the port as part of a four-ship deployment plan that will be complete when Carnival Miracle repositions to Galveston in October 2024.
The 183,000 gross-ton Jubilee can accommodate approximately 6,400 guests at full capacity, plus 1,750 crew. The ship is Carnival’s third to be powered by a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) propulsion system, the first cruise ship to run on LNG from Galveston and will operate out of Terminal 25 at the Port of Galveston which recently underwent a $53 million investment to accommodate the ship and provide an enhanced guest experience.