Carnival Cruise Line held a steel-cutting ceremony at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard in Italy on July 10, 2026, officially launching construction of Carnival Destiny, the first vessel in its new Ace Class. The ceremony brought together the leadership of both companies, including Carnival Corporation CEO Josh Weinstein, Carnival president Christine Duffy, and Fincantieri's top executives, and featured a 3D hologram preview of the ship's design.
The new Ace Class ships are billed as the most outward-facing megaships Carnival has built. Carnival Destiny will feature more ocean-view balcony cabins than any previous Carnival vessel, a redesigned lanai deck, and more than 4.5 acres of glass including multi-story glass walls intended to keep the ocean in view from more places aboard. The ship is scheduled to arrive in summer 2029 and will sail destinations in Carnival's Paradise Collection of exclusive ports across the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Mexico.
Two additional Ace Class ships are planned for 2031 and 2033, rounding out a build program that also includes two more Excel Class ships in 2027 and 2028. The name Carnival Destiny revives one of the line's most iconic monikers: the original Carnival Destiny debuted in 1996 as the world's largest cruise ship at the time, and its partnership with Fincantieri stretches back more than 30 years.