Carnival’s Newest Ship Delayed – But She’ll Be Worth It

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Late last year, Carnival Cruise Line announced that her newest ship, Mardi Gras, would be delayed entering service from August 31 to November 14 of 2020 – causing them to cancel her first 8 voyages. The 40,000+ guests affected by this received a full refund and a 25% future cruise credit, as well as assistance with nonrefundable airline and hotel reservations they had already booked.

The Finnish shipyard where Mardi Gras is being built, Meyer Turku, blames the delays on design complexity, troubles with coordinating subcontractors, and the size of the ship. Also delayed are two similarly designed “Excellence”-class ships for Carnival’s sister lines Costa and Aida.

The biggest delay seems to be coming from one of the ship’s most impactful and industry-changing features. Mardi Gras will be the first ship to employ Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) engines in the North American market, a massive technological leap that promises not only environmental gains, but cheaper operating expenses. Due to an increased engine room footprint and elevated safety protocols, swapping LNG for diesel in cruise ship propulsion is a challenging feat. Carnival officials have said that integrating three steel LNG tanks, four Caterpillar engines, piping, and bunkering is the biggest challenge in designing LNG ships.

Two other cutting-edge features may be causing delays, as well. “Bolt,” an all electric roller coaster that loops around the funnel and most of the upper deck, will require extensive testing for issues of vibration, noise and safety. In addition – in what is usually an area framed in structural steel, the ship’s atrium employs a three-story wall of glass that allows passengers to have unparalleled sea views. 

Alas, do not fret ye excited cruisers! Just today, the 5,282-passenger Mardi Gras was floated for the first time, as she was repositioned to a new location at the shipyard to finalize her interior and exterior outfitting. We are booking now for sailings from November 14 forward, so if you’re ready to set sail on this amazing new ship, contact us today and we’ll make that dream a reality!