Carnival Cruise Line took delivery of its highly anticipated new ship, Mardi Gras, in a live virtual signing ceremony held at the Meyer Turku Shipyard in Turku, Finland on Friday.
The 5,200-passenger vessel is scheduled to begin guest operations in April 2021.
Mardi Gras will be the first ship in the Americas to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will feature the first-ever roller coaster at sea in BOLT. The innovative ship will also boast a slew of exciting dining options onboard, including a new restaurant by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, Carnival's first-ever Big Chicken by Shaquille O'Neal, a pair of dining venues led by Food Network star Guy Fieri and a brand new restaurant concept by master chef Rudi Sodamin.
"We have been working tirelessly this year to get to this exciting day to take delivery of this beautiful ship, and the team at Meyer Turku has been an outstanding partner throughout this process," Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy said in a statement. "I cannot wait for our guests and crew to see and experience Mardi Gras. Notwithstanding the delays related to the pandemic, there is tremendous enthusiasm and pent-up demand for this ship."
"Next we will work on the development of her sister ship, Carnival Celebration, which arrives in 2022 and has sold very well since inventory opened in October."
Mardi Gras is scheduled to depart from Turku for North America later this month, eventually operating seven-day Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, Florida. The ship's inaugural voyage is currently slated for April 24, 2021.
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