Carnival Cruise Line’s second Excel-class cruise ship, Carnival Celebration, reached a construction milestone on Tuesday. Pictures from the Meyer Turku shipyard show the ship receiving its signature wing-shaped funnel.
Carnival Celebration Receives Iconic Funnel
In a statement released January 25, 2022, the cruise line shared that its second LNG-powered vessel, Carnival Celebration, has received Carnival’s iconic “whale tail” funnel.
According to the statement, “on Tuesday, cranes lowered the funnel onto the ship where she’s being built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.”
A time-lapse shared by the cruise line captures the milestone.
The funnel on a cruise ship serves as a smokestack to lift gas emissions clear of the deck and away from passengers and crew. Many cruise lines, such as Carnival, create unique designs that help identify the ship’s operator.
Carnival’s iconic “whale tail” funnel first debuted in 1972 aboard the Tropicale. The funnel’s unique design has a split-wing shape with the company’s signature red, white, and blue colors.
Ever since its introduction on Tropicale, the funnel has been a staple feature on each of Carnival’s cruise ships.
Construction Continues
While the piece is just one step in the process of building Carnival’s newest ship, it is a big moment. Carnival’s funnel is perhaps the most identifiable feature on their cruise ships. The addition of her funnel means Carnival Celebration is one step closer to completion.
Carnival Celebration will feature all the amenities and activities of her sister ship, Mardi Gras, including the BOLT roller coaster, RedFrog Tiki Bar, Cloud 9 Spa, Big Chicken restaurant, Punchliner Comedy Club, Guy’s Burger Joint, WaterWorks water park, Excel suites, the exclusive Loft 19, and much more.
The cruise ship will be the second vessel in Carnival’s fleet powered by liquified natural gas (LNG). LNG technology provides a reduction of up to 20% emissions compared to traditional diesel engines.
When complete, Carnival Celebration will measure 1,130 feet long with a gross tonnage of 182,800. The vessel will have a maximum capacity of 6,631 passengers with a crew of 1,735.
The ship carries the name of Celebration, a former Carnival Cruise Line Holiday-class vessel. The ship debuted in 1987 and was retired from the fleet over 20 years later, in 2008.
Passengers will have to wait a bit longer before getting to sail on the new cruise ship. Carnival Celebration’s maiden voyage is scheduled for November 6, 2022, where she will take passengers on a 14-day transatlantic voyage from England to Miami.
From her home port of Miami, Celebration will sail 7-night Caribbean itineraries.
