All Carnival Cruise Ships by Age: Newest to Oldest

As of June 2018, Carnival Cruise Line has a fleet of 97 ships. This article will show the age range for each individual ship in this fleet.

If you are on a Carnival Cruise and want to know how many ships the company has, look no further. In this blog post I will be able to show you all of the Carnival Cruises that have been in service since their debut back in 1970 up until today.

The “Carnival Cruise Ships by Size” is a list of the newest to oldest Carnival cruise ships. The list includes all of the ships that Carnival has had since it was founded in 1852. Read more in detail here: carnival cruise ships by size.

It’s easy to lose track of a cruise line’s fleet when there are about 24 ships in the fleet, with others on order or under construction. Carnival Cruise Line is the world’s biggest cruise line, with numerous distinct ship classes that were constructed and joined the fleet at various periods. We’ll keep track of the Carnival ships according on their age so you don’t have to.

Carnival Cruise Ships, from Newest to Oldest

The Mardi Gras was the first Carnival cruise ship; she wasn’t constructed for the cruise line, but for the newly created Ted Arison Carnival Cruise Line at the time. The ship first sailed for Carnival in 1972, and the “Fun Ships” have continued to arrive ever since! The Mardi Grad had a gross tonnage of nearly 27,200, which is a significant difference from the modern Excel-class boats.

We’ve previously compiled a list of the smallest to biggest Carnival cruise ships, which you can find here.

Carnival Jubilee is scheduled for 2023.

Carnival Jubilee will be Carnival Cruise Line’s third Excel-class cruise ship, fueled entirely by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The ship will be 182,800 gross tonnage, with about 5,400 passengers and 1,700 staff members.

Carnival Jubilee Cruise ShipCarnival Cruise Line provided the rendering.

The ship, which will be named after the original Holiday-class Jubilee, will sail seven-day Western Caribbean itineraries from Galveston, Texas.

Carnival Observance – 2022

Carnival Celebration is the sister ship of Mardi Gras and the second Excel-class ship. The ship will be LNG-powered as well and will go into service in November 2022. The Carnival Celebration will arrive during the 50th anniversary celebrations of Carnival Cruise Line.

Carnival Celebration Cruise ShipCarnival Cruise Line provided the rendering.

The ship will have 180,800 gross tonnage, with a double occupancy capacity of 5,372 passengers and 1,735 crew members. Carnival Celebration will be headquartered in Miami, Florida, and will bear the name of a former Carnival cruise ship from the Holiday-class, Celebration.

Carnival Radiance is scheduled to take place in 2021.

Carnival Radiance was formerly known as Carnival Victory, but it was renamed Carnival Radiance in 2021 after undergoing a massive refurbishment in Cadiz, Spain. The new-look ship is part of the Sunshine-class and will begin operating from the Long Beach Cruise Terminal in California on December 13, 2021.

Carnival Radiance Cruise ShipCarnival Cruise Line provided this image.

Dr. Lucille O’Neal, mother of Carnival Cruise Line’s Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal, is the ship’s godmother. Carnival spent $200 million on the massive transformations, and the ship is now 101,509 gross tonnage, with a passenger capacity of 2,984 at double occupancy and 1,108 crew members.

2021 – Mardi Gras

Carnival Cruise Line has entered a new age of traveling with the launch of the Mardi Gras, a new Excel-class cruise ship fueled entirely by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Mardi Gras set sail from Port Canaveral, Florida, on July 31, 2021, after a worldwide epidemic and many delays.

Carnival Mardi GrasCarnival Cruise Line provided this image.

The Carnival cruise ship has a gross tonnage of 180,800 tons and a double occupancy capacity of 5,282 passengers. She has the first roller coaster at sea, called BOLT, as well as novel destinations not seen on other ships. Dominican Republic Miss The ship’s godmother is Kimberly Jimenez.

Panorama of Carnival – 2019

The last Vista-class cruise ship, the Carnival Panorama, was constructed by Italian constructor Fincantieri. She began service in 2019, with her first journey taking place in December of that year. The Carnival Panorama is the only ship in the fleet with a Trampoline Park and Sky Zone.

Carnival Panorama Cruise ShipCarnival Cruise Line is seen.

The Carnival cruise ship has a gross tonnage of 133,500 tons and a passenger capacity of 4,008 at double occupancy, which is somewhat higher than her sister ships Carnival Vista and Horizon. The yacht can also accommodate 1,450 crew members.

Horizon Carnival – 2018

Carnival Horizion is the fleet’s second Vista-class ship, and it was the second Carnival ship to resume service in 2021 after the industry-wide halt caused by the pandemic. The ship follows in the footsteps of her sister ship, Carnival Vista, but adds a Seuss at Sea water park to the mix.

Carnival Horizon Sea TrialsCarnival Cruise Line provided the photo.

The ship has a gross tonnage of 133,500 tons and a passenger capacity of 3,960 passengers at double occupancy, which is somewhat fewer than sister ship Carnival Panorama. A total of 1,450 multinational crew members are on board.

Age Groups of Carnival Cruise Ships

  • Carnival Jubilee in 2023 (Excel-class)
  • Carnival Celebrations in 2022 (Excel-class)
  • Mardi Gras in 2021 (Excel-class)
  • Panorama of the Carnival in 2019 (Vista-class)
  • Carnival Horizon in 2018 (Vista-class)
  • Carnival Vista in 2016 (Vista-class)
  • Carnival Breeze 2012 (Dream-class)
  • Carnival Magic in 2011 (Dream-class)
  • Carnival Dream – 2009 (Dream-class)
  • Carnival Splendor 2008 (Splendor-class)
  • Carnival Freedom, 2007 (Conquest-class)
  • Carnival Liberty, 2005 (Conquest-class)
  • Carnival Valor, 2004 (Conquest-class)
  • Carnival Miracle in 2004 (Spirit-class)
  • Carnival Glory in 2003 (Conquest-class)
  • Carnival Conquest, 2002 (Conquest-class)
  • Carnival Legend, 2002 (Spirit-class)
  • Carnival Pride in 2002 (Spirit-class)
  • Carnival Spirit (2001) (Spirit-class)
  • Carnival Victory in the Year 2000 (To Be Transformed Into Carnival Radiance in 2021)
  • Carnival Triumph, 1999 (Transformed to Carnival Sunrise in 2019)
  • Carnival Paradise, 1998 (Fantasy-class)
  • Carnival Elation, 1998 (Fantasy-class)
  • Carnival Sunshine (1996) (Transformed from Carnival Destiny in 2013)
  • Carnival Sensation was released in 1993. (Fantasy-class)
  • Ecstasy during the Carnival, 1991 (Fantasy-class)

Carnival Ships from the Past

Carnival Cruise Line has a long history of ships that predate the Fantasy-class, including the Holiday-class and others. The first was Mardi Gras, which we described before, and the second was Carnivale, which is the oldest ship ever constructed. It wasn’t until 1975 that she began cruising for Carnival Cruise Line.

Also see: Where Are the Former Carnival Cruise Ships Now?

Festivale was launched in 1962 but did not join the fleet until 1977. Tropical was Carnival Cruise Line’s first new cruise ship, launched in 1982. With the arrival of Holiday in 1985, Jubilee in 1986, and Celebration in 1987, the cruise line’s three Holiday-class vessels helped to expand the Fun ship fleet.

The following is a list of previous ships that have been sold to other operators or scrapped:

  • Carnival Inspiration, 1996 (Fantasy-class)
  • Carnival Imagination was released in 1994. (Fantasy-class)
  • 1994 – Carnival Enthusiasm (Fantasy-class)
  • Carnival Fantasy was released in 1990. (Fantasy-class)
  • 1987 is a year of celebration (Holiday-class)
  • Jubilee Year 1986 (Holiday-class)
  • 1985 – Vacation (Holiday-class)
  • Tropicale, 1982
  • Festivale de 1977
  • Carnivale, 1975
  • Mardi Gras, 1972

With the new age of LNG-powered ships entering service, we are excited to see what the future holds for Carnival cruise ships. Carnival will expand even further with these next generation ships, introducing new amenities and innovation to the cruise holiday experience.

First time Carnival cruise tips to help you know each ship by age. Good to know before choosing a cruise vacation.

Watch This Video-

The “carnival ships by age and size” is a list of the newest to oldest Carnival Cruise Ships. The list includes the size of each ship as well as its year of construction.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the ages of Carnival ships?

A: The age of a Carnival ship is typically classified as the years that it has been in service. For example, if you were to ask me what are the ages of Carnival ships I would say The age range for all Carnival vessels is from 2-100.

What Carnival ship is the newest?

A: The newest carnival ship is the Liberty. It was added on January 23rd, 2020

What is the oldest Carnival cruise ship still in service?

A: The ship that is the oldest one still in service is the Carnival Horizon, which was built in 1976.

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