Cruise Lines

Carnival Cruise Line’s 29 ships fall into about ten Carnival ship classes. Ships in a class share the same basic design, size and layout. The biggest and newest is the Excel class (Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee), followed by the Vista and Venice classes. The Dream, Conquest, Splendor, Sunshine, Spirit, Adventure and Fantasy classes are smaller and older. Knowing a ship’s class tells you a lot before you book: how crowded it may feel, which waterslides and restaurants it has, and roughly what you will pay.

This guide explains each class as of November 2026. That includes the ships that came over from Costa and P&O Australia, and the new Excel and Ace class ships arriving from 2027. If you only want the fleet in date order, see our list of every Carnival ship ranked from newest to oldest.

Carnival Ship Classes at a Glance

Gross tonnage (GT) and guest numbers below are approximate and based on two people per cabin. Fully booked holiday sailings with lots of families can carry more.

Excel Class: Carnival’s Biggest Ships

Mardi Gras (2021), Carnival Celebration (2022) and Carnival Jubilee (2023) are Carnival’s flagships. Each is around 181,000-183,500 GT. They were the first Carnival ships to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG). Instead of one long main deck, they are split into themed zones. Every ship has the BOLT roller coaster on the top deck, plus Emeril’s Bistro, Rudi’s Seagrill, Big Chicken and a large spa. On Celebration and Jubilee, the zones include 18 Miami and the Central Park-style Gathering area. Our guide to Carnival Celebration’s restaurants shows how much dining choice an Excel ship gives you.

Excel ships have the most to do, but they also have the most people on board, typically 5,200 or more. Expect queues at peak times and higher fares than on older ships doing the same route.

New Excel ships: Carnival Festivale and Carnival Tropicale

Two more Excel class ships are being built at Meyer Werft in Germany. Carnival Festivale is due in spring 2027 and will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida. Carnival Tropicale follows in 2028, and published schedules show it sailing from Galveston. Carnival says each will carry about 5,400 guests. The design has been changed for multigenerational groups, with more connecting cabins and better youth areas. A multi-deck water park area called Sunsation Point takes the place of the BOLT coaster. Both names come from older Carnival ships.

Beyond Excel: the Ace class

After that comes a new class, developed under the name Project Ace. Fincantieri cut steel for the first ship, Carnival Destiny, in 2026. It is due in 2029, with sister ships planned for 2031 and 2033. At about 230,000 GT, these will be Carnival’s largest ships by a wide margin. Carnival has promised more balcony cabins than on any of its current ships. Details are still emerging, so check before you plan around them.

Vista and Venice Classes: Big Ships, Slightly Smaller Crowds

The Vista class (Carnival Vista 2016, Carnival Horizon 2018, Carnival Panorama 2019) holds about 4,000 guests. It brought in the SkyRide pedal-powered track, the SkyCourse ropes course, the Havana area with its own pool, and Family Harbor cabins with a private lounge. Vista and Horizon have an IMAX cinema. Panorama, which sails from Long Beach, has the Sky Zone trampoline park instead. Many regular cruisers think Vista class is the sweet spot: plenty of modern features, but with roughly 1,300 fewer guests than an Excel ship.

The Venice class is made up of two ships transferred from Costa Cruises: Carnival Venezia, built in 2019 and in Carnival service from 2023, and Carnival Firenze, built in 2021 and in Carnival service from 2024. They share their basic hull and size with Vista class but keep Italian-inspired décor. Carnival sells them under the “Carnival Fun Italian Style” label. Expect Carnival menus and entertainment in a setting that looks more European. These ships do not have Vista features such as the SkyRide or IMAX.

Dream, Splendor and Conquest Classes: The Mid-Size Workhorses

The Dream class (Carnival Dream 2009, Carnival Magic 2011, Carnival Breeze 2012) is about 130,000 GT. It has an outdoor promenade that wraps around the lower decks, a feature not found elsewhere in the fleet, plus big WaterWorks slide areas. Magic and Breeze have had upgrades such as Guy’s Burger Joint and the RedFrog Rum Bar. These ships cover many short and week-long Caribbean sailings from Texas and Florida.

Carnival Splendor (2008) is a class of one. It was based on a Costa design and is slightly bigger than the Conquest ships. In November 2026 it is one of Carnival’s Australian ships, sailing year-round from Sydney.

The five Conquest class ships (Conquest, Glory, Valor, Liberty and Freedom, 2002-2007) are about 110,000 GT with around 2,980 guests. Their layouts and décor are more old-fashioned. Over the years, though, refits have added many of the Fun Ship 2.0 venues, including Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina and Alchemy Bar. They often have some of the best value fares on short Caribbean and Bahamas cruises. Carnival Freedom was in dry dock in September and October 2026.

Sunshine, Spirit and Fantasy Classes: Older but Updated

The Sunshine class is the only class created by rebuilding existing ships. Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph and Carnival Victory were rebuilt and returned as Carnival Sunshine (2013), Carnival Sunrise (2019) and Carnival Radiance (2021). The hulls date from the late 1990s, but the public rooms are much newer than the ships’ age suggests.

The Spirit class (Carnival Spirit, Pride, Legend and Miracle) is narrow enough to fit the original Panama Canal locks. With about 2,100 guests on 88,500 GT, these ships feel more spacious per person than many larger ships. Carnival often uses them for Alaska, longer “Carnival Journeys” voyages and departures from less busy ports. Carnival Luminosa, the former Costa Luminosa, joined in 2022. It is a slightly larger version of the same design. It splits its year between Brisbane and the US West Coast, and its last Australian season is due to end in March 2028.

The Fantasy class once had eight ships. Only Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise remain. The other six were retired between 2020 and 2022. At about 71,900 GT these are Carnival’s smallest ships, mostly used for three- to five-day budget sailings. Paradise was given a water park, extra cabins and new poolside venues during a 2018 refit. At the time of writing, Carnival has not announced a retirement date for either ship.

Adventure Class and Carnival in Australia

The newest class name belongs to two older ships. Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter sailed for P&O Australia as Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter, and were originally built as Golden Princess and Star Princess. In 2025, Carnival Corporation folded P&O Australia into Carnival Cruise Line, and the two ships were renamed. Each is about 108,800 GT with roughly 2,600 guests. They kept P&O features such as the Waterfront dining space and a large top-deck pool area. Carnival added its own bars, food and entertainment.

In the 2026-27 season, Carnival has four ships in Australia: Carnival Adventure and Carnival Splendor from Sydney, Carnival Encounter from Brisbane, and Carnival Luminosa for part of the year. Carnival has announced that Adventure and Luminosa will leave Australia after the 2027-28 season. Adventure is set to reposition to North America after its final Sydney cruise in March 2028. Splendor and Encounter will stay year-round.

Which Carnival Ship Class Is Right for You?

1. Families with teens and thrill-seekers: Excel class for BOLT, the most dining and the biggest kids’ areas, or Vista class for SkyRide and the ropes course with fewer people.
2. Families with young children: Vista class (Family Harbor cabins) or the new Festivale and Tropicale once they arrive, which are designed for multigenerational groups.
3. Value seekers: Conquest, Sunshine and Fantasy class ships usually have the lowest fares, especially on short sailings where a mid-size ship is plenty.
4. Couples who dislike crowds: Spirit class ships have the most deck space per guest and the more interesting longer itineraries.
5. First-timers unsure about cruising: a three- or four-night cruise on a Dream or Conquest class ship lets you try the Carnival style without paying flagship prices.
6. Travellers who want something different: Venice class ships have European-style looks with American-style service.

Newer is not always better. Our look at whether a ship’s age really matters explains why a well-refitted older ship on a great itinerary can be the better buy. Itinerary, price and cabin choice usually make more difference to your trip than the class itself.

A useful check before you book

Ships in the same class can still differ. Refits are done at different times, so one Conquest class ship might have a newer bar or restaurant line-up than its sister. Before booking, check the “Ship Features” page for that exact ship on Carnival’s official site. Also check whether a dry dock is scheduled shortly before your sailing. Carnival has published dry docks for 2027 for ships including Carnival Glory, Sunrise, Paradise, Breeze, Celebration and Horizon. These sometimes bring new venues.

Excel-class ships have the widest suite choice in the fleet, as our guide to Carnival Jubilee suites shows.

FAQs

How many Carnival ship classes are there?

As of November 2026, Carnival’s 29 ships are split across about ten classes: Excel, Venice, Vista, Dream, Splendor, Conquest, Sunshine, Spirit, Adventure and Fantasy. Carnival Luminosa is usually grouped with the Spirit class. The new Ace class begins with Carnival Destiny in 2029.

What is the newest Carnival ship class?

Excel is the newest class in service. Carnival Jubilee (2023) is the newest ship built for Carnival, and Carnival Festivale is due in 2027. The Adventure class name dates from 2025, but it is used for two ships built in the early 2000s.

Which Carnival ship class is the best?

There is no single best class. Excel has the most to do, and Vista has many modern features with fewer guests. Conquest and Spirit ships often give the best value or the most interesting itineraries. Pick the class that suits your budget, your group and your route.

What is the difference between Vista class and Excel class?

Excel ships are about 50,000 GT bigger and carry roughly 1,300 more guests. They have themed zones, the BOLT roller coaster and LNG power. Vista ships have a more traditional layout, with SkyRide, the SkyCourse and IMAX cinemas on Vista and Horizon.

Which Carnival ships sail from Australia?

In 2026-27, Carnival Adventure and Carnival Splendor sail from Sydney, Carnival Encounter from Brisbane, and Carnival Luminosa for part of the year. Adventure and Luminosa are due to leave Australia after the 2027-28 season.

Ranked by age, Carnival’s newest ship is Carnival Jubilee (2023) and its oldest is Carnival Sunshine, which first sailed in 1996 as Carnival Destiny. The table below lists all 29 Carnival ships by age, from newest to oldest, with the year each was built, the year it joined Carnival, its class, tonnage and guest capacity. It also covers the new ships due from 2027 and the ships that have moved in or out of the fleet.

Age matters more than many cruisers think. A ship’s build year tells you a lot about cabin layouts, balcony numbers, the water parks and dining on board, and how much space you get per guest. It is not the whole story, though. Carnival spends heavily on dry docks, and a well-refitted 25-year-old ship can feel fresher than you would expect.

Carnival Ships by Age: Full Fleet Table (Newest to Oldest)

Ships are sorted by the year they were built (delivered from the shipyard). Several were built for other Carnival Corporation brands and joined Carnival later, so check the “Joined Carnival” column too. Ages are calculated for 2026. Guest numbers are standard (double-occupancy) capacity from Carnival Corporation’s fleet list, and gross tonnage (GT) is rounded.

A few things stand out. Only three ships (the Excel class) were built in the 2020s specifically for Carnival. Almost half the fleet was built between 1996 and 2004. And five ships came from sister brands: Luminosa, Venezia and Firenze from Costa, and Adventure and Encounter from P&O Cruises Australia (built originally for Princess Cruises).

The Newest Carnival Ships

If you want the latest Carnival hardware, these are the ships to look at first.

Excel class: Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee

The three Excel-class ships are the newest and largest in the fleet, each at around 182,000 to 183,500 GT and carrying more than 5,000 guests at double occupancy. They run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), and Mardi Gras was the first cruise ship in North America to do so. Each has BOLT, the roller coaster on the top deck, plus themed zones that spread restaurants and bars across the ship. Mardi Gras sails from Port Canaveral, Carnival Celebration from Miami, and Carnival Jubilee from Galveston. If you are planning a sailing, our guide to the restaurants on Carnival Celebration shows how much the dining line-up has grown on this class.

Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze: newer to Carnival, not brand new

These two Vista-class ships were built for Costa Cruises in 2019 and 2020 and moved to Carnival in 2023 and 2024. They sail under the “Carnival Fun Italian Style” concept, with Italian design touches that were kept from their Costa days. Both are based in the US (Venezia in New York and Firenze on the West Coast at the time of writing), so they are an easy way to sail a recent ship without paying Excel-class prices.

Vista class: Carnival Vista, Horizon and Panorama

Built between 2016 and 2019, the original three Vista-class ships brought features like the SkyRide pedal track, an IMAX-style theatre on some ships, and Havana cabins with their own pool area. Carnival Panorama (2019) is the last ship Carnival built before the Excel class.

Carnival Ship Classes Explained by Age

Ships in the same class share a layout, so knowing the class often tells you more than the exact year. Here is how the classes line up from oldest to newest.

1. Sunshine class (1996-2000): Carnival Sunshine, Sunrise and Radiance. Originally the Destiny class, these were the first ships over 100,000 GT. All three were rebuilt in major dry docks (Sunshine in 2013, Sunrise in 2019, Radiance in 2020-21) and renamed, so they feel newer than their build dates suggest.
2. Fantasy class (1998): Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise are the last two of eight Fantasy-class ships. The other six have been retired and scrapped. These are the smallest ships in the fleet, mostly on short Bahamas and Mexico trips.
3. Spirit class (2001-2004): Carnival Spirit, Pride, Legend and Miracle. These mid-sized ships fit through the original Panama Canal locks and are often used for Alaska, longer itineraries and repositioning cruises.
4. Conquest class (2002-2007): Carnival Conquest, Glory, Valor, Liberty and Freedom. This is the biggest group of sister ships in the fleet and the backbone of many short Caribbean sailings from US homeports.
5. Adventure class (2001-2002): Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter were built as Golden Princess and Star Princess, sailed for P&O Cruises Australia as Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter, and joined Carnival in 2025.
6. Splendor class (2008): Carnival Splendor, a one-off ship built on a Costa design, based in Sydney.
7. Dream class (2009-2012): Carnival Dream, Magic and Breeze, larger ships with the WaterWorks park and the open-air Lanai promenade.
8. Luminosa (2009): A one-off ex-Costa ship that joined Carnival in 2022.
9. Vista class (2016-2020): Five ships, counting Venezia and Firenze.
10. Excel class (2020-2028): Three ships in service now and two more on the way.

Age and size are closely linked at Carnival, as each new class has been bigger than the last. If size is what you care about most, see our full ranking of Carnival ships by size, largest to smallest.

The Oldest Carnival Ships Still Sailing

Carnival Sunshine turns 30 in 2026, making it the oldest ship in the fleet. Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise (both 1998) and Carnival Sunrise (1999) come next. Carnival has not announced retirement dates for any of them at the time of writing.

Should you avoid an older ship? Not always. Older Carnival ships tend to:

• Cost less for the same itinerary, especially on three- to five-night cruises.
• Feel less crowded in some public areas, with fewer guests overall than the Excel class.
• Visit smaller ports and use homeports that cannot take the biggest ships.

The trade-offs are fewer balcony cabins, fewer specialty restaurants, smaller or older water slides, and no roller coaster or large themed zones. Carnival has added many of its newer venues, such as Guy’s Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina, to older ships through refits. So read the ship’s current venue list rather than judging it on age alone.

New Carnival Ships Coming Soon (2027-2033)

Carnival has a clear new-ship pipeline. Dates are planned delivery years and could move.

The names are a nod to Carnival history. The original Tropicale (1982) introduced Carnival’s winged funnel, Festivale was an early Carnival ship, and Carnival Destiny was the original name of today’s Carnival Sunshine. So from 2029 there will be a brand-new Carnival Destiny alongside the 1996 ship that first carried the name.

Recent Fleet Changes: Transfers, Retirements and Ships Leaving

Carnival’s fleet has changed a lot since 2020, which is why many “Carnival ships by age” lists online are out of date.

Ships that joined from other brands

• Carnival Luminosa (ex-Costa Luminosa) joined in 2022.
• Carnival Venezia (ex-Costa Venezia) joined in 2023.
• Carnival Firenze (ex-Costa Firenze) joined in 2024.
• Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter joined in March 2025, when P&O Cruises Australia was folded into Carnival.

Ships that have left

In 2020-2022 Carnival retired most of its older ships: Carnival Fantasy, Inspiration, Fascination, Imagination, Sensation and Ecstasy, all Fantasy-class ships from the late 1980s and 1990s. All six were later scrapped, leaving Elation and Paradise as the last of the class.

Changes in Australia

In October 2026 Carnival announced that Carnival Adventure and Carnival Luminosa will leave its Australian program from March 2028, citing regulatory uncertainty. Carnival has not said where either ship will sail next, so do not assume they are leaving the Carnival fleet. Carnival Splendor (Sydney) and Carnival Encounter (Brisbane) are due to stay for now. If you are booking a 2028 Australian or South Pacific cruise, check the ship and itinerary carefully.

How to Use Ship Age When Choosing a Carnival Cruise

• Match the ship to the trip. For a family week in the Caribbean, an Excel or Vista ship gives you the most to do. For a quick weekend getaway, an older Conquest or Fantasy ship is often better value.
• Check the last dry dock. A ship refitted in the last few years may have updated cabins, bars and dining. Carnival lists the venues on each ship’s page at carnival.com.
• Look at “joined Carnival”, not just “built”. Venezia and Firenze are quite new ships, even though they are newer to Carnival than they are to the sea.
• Compare prices across ages. The same port and length can cost very different amounts on a 2023 ship and a 2002 ship. Our roundup of cruise deals for 2027 is a good place to start comparing.

To see how these ships group together by design, read Carnival ship classes explained.

If you are weighing up an older ship against a brand-new one, our guide to the oldest Carnival ship vs the newest explains what each offers and who each suits.

Bathroom layouts differ between older and newer ships, so see our guide to Carnival cabins with bathtubs if you want a tub.

FAQs

What is the newest Carnival ship?

Carnival Jubilee, which entered service in December 2023, is the newest ship in the fleet. Carnival Festivale is due to join it in spring 2027, then Carnival Tropicale in 2028.

What is the oldest Carnival ship still sailing?

Carnival Sunshine is the oldest. It entered service in 1996 as Carnival Destiny and was rebuilt and renamed in 2013.

How many ships does Carnival have?

Carnival Cruise Line has 29 ships in 2026, its largest fleet ever, after adding Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter from P&O Cruises Australia in 2025.

Is Carnival retiring any ships?

Carnival has not announced any retirements at the time of writing. In October 2026 it said Carnival Adventure and Carnival Luminosa will leave Australia from March 2028, but it has not said where they will go.

Are older Carnival ships worth booking?

Often, yes. They usually cost less and many have been refitted with newer restaurants and bars. You give up some features, like roller coasters and large water parks, and get fewer balcony cabins.