by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:23 AM ET, Wed June 23, 2021
Carnival Cruise Line announced plans to add two more ships to its fleet by 2023.
Officials revealed the cruise line would take the delivery of an Excel-class vessel previously assigned to sister line AIDA Cruises, which is scheduled to arrive in late 2023.
Carnival will also take ownership of Costa Magica from another of its European sister lines, with the ship scheduled for a dry dock, renaming and brand conversion before joining the fleet by mid-2022.
"We are excited about these additions to our fleet which reflect the strong position that Carnival has established in the U.S., the pent-up demand we continue to see for cruise vacations, and the overall plans by Carnival Corporation to optimize capacity and growth in key markets," Carnival president Christine Duffy said.
"While our immediate focus is on our restart of guest operations this summer, this is another cause for excitement at Carnival, and we will be announcing more detailed plans about homeports, itineraries and ship names very soon," Duffy continued.
The cruise line's first Excel-class, liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessel, Mardi Gras, will enter service on July 31, while the second Excel-class ship, Carnival Celebration, is scheduled for delivery in late 2022.
With the delivery of the four Excel-class vessels, Carnival's fleet will grow to 27 ships by year-end 2023.
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