Carnival ship a cut above

CARNIVAL Cruise Line has announced that the first steel has been cut for its new 180,000-tonne XL ship, which when complete will become the first ship operating in North America to use liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The traditional steel-cutting ceremony was held at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland and marks the official start of the ship’s construction, which is slated for delivery in 2020.

The company also revealed a bold new red, white and blue hull design that celebrates Carnival’s legacy as “America’s cruise line” as well as paying homage to maritime tradition.

“This new ship promises to be truly special, from its groundbreaking technology and one-ofa-kind features to its distinctive livery and hull design that is both timeless and forward-thinking while paying tribute to our nearly 50-year history of making wonderful vacation memories for our guests,” said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line.

Also to be added to the 5,200plus lower berth ship will be a variety of “never before seen innovations” that “aim to take our cruise offerings to the next level”, Duffy added.

The as-yet unnamed ship will operate from Florida’s Port Canaveral, with a name to be revealed in early Dec.

Itinerary details of its inaugural season are planned to be announced in Jan, with further info on culinary & entertainment options to be unveiled in 2019

Pictured admiring an artist’s conception of the XL ship is Meyer Turku CEO Jan Meyer & Carnival’s President Christine Duffy.