Carnival Reveals Tropicale Features as Bookings Open

Posted on 11 September, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Reveals Tropicale Features as Bookings Open

Carnival Cruise Line has opened bookings for the Carnival Tropicale, its newest ship and the fifth and final addition to its Excel class.

Announcing the opening of bookings, the cruise line highlighted new entertainment options onboard, including:

Sunsation Point, a multi-deck family fun zone
Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, featuring six waterslides, including SunSoaker, Turning Tides, Racing Currents and splash areas
A redesigned Fairway 66 Mini Golf course
sports courts
the Treehouse Adventure Trail
new arcade spaces, such as The Vault Retrocade.

Some of the dining venues onboard will include Uku Lei Lei, offering Hawaiian-inspired cuisine with Asian influences; Fetaccine, blending Greek and Italian flavours; and Emeril’s Coastal Seafood, showcasing seafood dishes inspired by America’s coastlines and created in partnership with Carnival’s Chief Culinary Officer Chef Emeril Lagasse.

New entertainment experiences and exclusive spaces inspired by the golden era of show business will also be available, with additional details to be revealed in the months ahead.

The LNG-powered ship, which will be displaying the Star of Texas on her bow, is set to homeport in Galveston after its delivery in 2028.

Its inaugural sailing is scheduled for April 15, 2028.

“Today marks an exciting day for Carnival Tropicale as guests can now begin planning their vacations aboard this incredible new ship,” said Ben Clement, EVP of maritime and newbuilds at Carnival Cruise Line.

“From innovative attractions and dining to unforgettable destinations throughout the Caribbean, The Bahamas and Mexico, Carnival Tropicale will bring an exciting new vacation option to Texas when she debuts in 2028.”

Accommodating 6,000 guests, the Tropicale will offer four-, five-, six- and eight-day cruises calling at Carnival’s exclusive Paradise Collection destinations, including Celebration Key, RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Isla Tropicale and Puerta Maya, as well as Caribbean ports like Progreso and Nassau.

As teased yesterday, a western-themed celebration of the ship’s progression from concept to reality was also hosted at Meyer Werft’s Papenburg shipyard to honour the ship’s future home and Carnival’s connection to Texas.

Carnival and Meyer Werft celebrate Tropicale

Heads of the two companies wore custom cowboy hard hats and western attire amid Texas-inspired décor while the shipyard team enjoyed Texas-style barbecue.

André Walter, Meyer Werft CEO, added that he is delighted to experience his first construction celebration as the new CEO of Meyer Werft.

Daniela Gargiulo Becomes First Female Staff Captain in Carnival’s History

Posted on 7 August, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Daniela Gargiulo Becomes First Female Staff Captain in Carnival’s History

Carnival Cruise Line marked a milestone in Sydney on August 5 with the appointment of Daniela Gargiulo as the global fleet’s first female Staff Captain.

A special ceremony was held onboard the Carnival Adventure as Captain Francesco Bencivenga officially welcomed Gargiulo to be his second-in-command, while the ship was returning to Sydney from the South Pacific.

Captain Bencivenga said he was delighted to work alongside Gargiulo.

“As Staff Captain, Daniela is my second in charge, overseeing marine operations, safety and crew leadership among many other roles. I am incredibly proud to witness this vital step forward for gender diversification in the maritime industry, opening doors for future generations of female leaders,” he said.

After enrolling in a nautical school in Italy when she was 14, Gargiulo started at Carnival Cruise Line as a Deck Cadet in 2013.

Having steadily progressed through the ranks, she joined the Carnival Adventure last year.

“This promotion is an incredible honor and I’m extremely proud to be the first woman in Carnival Cruise Line history to be a Staff Captain. Carnival’s career pathways allow men and women wonderful opportunities for a life at sea,” said Gargiulo.

“I love working with people from all over the world, from different cultures, and I’m especially excited to be starting this new chapter in my career onboard Carnival Adventure in Australia.”

Duffy: 65 Original Destiny Crew Members Still with Carnival

Posted on 21 July, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Duffy: 65 Original Destiny Crew Members Still with Carnival

Thirty years after the ship’s debut, 65 crew members from the delivery team of the original Carnival Destiny, which entered service in 1996, are still working with Carnival Cruise Line.

“I think that says a lot about the Carnival family, the culture and our leaders,” the company’s President Christine Duffy said.

Speaking at the steel-cutting ceremony of the new Carnival Destiny, Duffy said that many crew members who started their careers on the 101,000-ton ship now hold leadership positions.

“Many started in entry-level positions and have grown their careers across the fleet and in our headquarters offices,” she continued.

Three Deck Officers who were part of the Destiny’s first bridge team are now Captains in Carnival’s fleet, while two Technical Officers are now Chief Engineers.

Duffy noted that John Heald, who currently serves as Carnival’s Brand Ambassador, was also onboard as the ship’s Cruise Director.

Introducing a new design to the company’s fleet, the new Carnival Destiny is scheduled to enter service in 2029.

As the first vessel in the new Ace-class series, the 230,000-ton ship will be built at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard in Northern Italy.

With capacity for over 8,000 passengers at maximum occupancy, the new Destiny will become the largest ship in Carnival’s fleet.

While additional details of the vessel will be revealed at a later date, the company said that the ship will feature the most outward-facing areas in the company’s fleet.

The new Destiny will also feature a dining, beverage and entertainment lineup that is more than 70 percent new.

Two additional Ace-class ships are set to be built by Fincantieri, with deliveries scheduled for 2030 and 2031.

Carnival is also building two additional Excel-class ships, the Carnival Festivale and the Carnival Tropicale, at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The 183,900-ton sister ships are scheduled to enter service in 2027 and 2028, respectively.