New Carnival Festivale aims to make a splash with families

USA Today

3 days ago

You haven't seen a water park like this, at least not at sea.
Carnival is building what it's calling "the most family-friendly water park at sea – and biggest in Carnival history" aboard its new Festivale ship, debuting in 2027.
The cruise line previously said the ship would feature six water slides and Carnival's first nighttime WaterWorks experiences.
Now Carnival is sharing more details on its family-friendly offerings.
Here's what families should know about the new Carnival Festivale, which just opened bookings.
Fun for the whole family
Carnival Festivale is focusing heavily on families with 1,000 interconnecting rooms. That's almost 70% more than the Excel class ships before it, according to the cruise line.
A crown jewel of the ship will be Sunsation Point, a three-deck outdoor entertainment area which Carnival calls "the ultimate family adventure zone."
Deck 16 will offer the all-ages Vista Pool, a splash pad for babies and family-friendly eats like Big Chicken and Swirls ice cream.
Deck 17 will include a retro-inspired arcade, the Scenic Overlook Bar with outdoor games, a new mini golf course that will be lit at night, a toddler playground and a new Treehouse adventure trail with obstacles, netted bridges and a slide.
Deck 18 will house the new Carnival WaterWorks Ultra water park, which will offer evening hours on select nights, as well as live DJs. Two of the water slides will be family rafts. The other four include racing slides for big kids and little ones. There will also be splash pads and shaded play spaces.
Elsewhere on the ship, there will be a new space just for the Carnival Turtles program for kids ages six months to two years old. Carnival says all of the Festivale's youth spaces will be enhanced.
Musical inspiration
Music is another recurring theme for the Festivale.
Near the ship's atrium, guests will find Studio 724, a multi-level high live entertainment zone with music-themed bars, lounges and live music.
"Through interactive experiences powered by technology, the vibrant zone reacts in real time to sound with synchronized lights and animations to capture the creative energy of mixing, recording, and listening to music, inviting guests to become part of the musical journey rather than simply observe it," Carnival said in a news release.
On Deck 6, guests will find The Spark, which Carnival describes as "a vibrant setting designed to embody the art of songwriting, as well as cocktails inspired by iconic songs and nightly live music." This deck will also be home to the cruise line's Piano Bar 88 and Alchemy Bar, which will have an enhanced, dedicated space near the atrium.
On Deck 7, Carnival says guests can "craft their own unique drink by layering flavor 'tracks' beneath a turntable-themed bar" at Mix Bar or visit the Limelight Louge, which will have a redesigned look in line with Festivale's music theme.
Up on Deck 8, guests will find another zone called the Festival, with outdoor music festival vibes, a colorful promenade and multiple eateries including Festival Grounds Coffee & Bar, Pizza Palooza and Rhythm & Rolls Deli.
Carnival Festivale sailings
The Carnival Festival will homeport in Port Canaveral, Florida and focus on Caribbean itineraries.
However, its maiden voyage will be a transatlantic sailing leaving Southhampton, England on May 2, 2027. The ship will stop at ports in Spain, Portugal and Turks and Caicos before arriving at Port Canaveral.
Its first Florida-based sailing will be a four-day Bahamas voyage, departing on May 19, 2027 with stops at Carnival's private island destinations, Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay.
After that, the Festivale will mainly offer six or or eight-day cruises through the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, all visiting Celebration Key.
More than 50 sailings are open for booking.
How many decks are on Carnival Festivale?
There will be 19 decks on the Fesitvale, according to its ship plan.
Up to 6,400 guests will be able to sail on the 180,000 gross-ton ship.