Carnival Festivale 2027: The “Music Festival at Sea” Ship Your Crew Will Talk About for Years 🎶🛳️✨

Brandi Parker
5 days ago
3 min read

If your perfect vacation soundtrack includes pool splashes, live music, and “just one more slice,” meet Carnival Festivale. Launching in 2027, this next-generation Excel Class ship is being designed as a floating celebration—bigger, louder, and more family-friendly than ever, while still delivering that unmistakable Carnival fun-forward energy.

This is not a quiet cruise.

This is a party with an itinerary.

Carnival Cruise Line Carnival Festivale cruise ship illustrated from a dramatic front bow perspective, sailing through turquoise water with bold graphic waves and promotional text announcing the Spring 2027 debut of this new family-friendly, fun-focused cruise ship.

The quick scoop 🗓️📍

Carnival Festivale is Carnival Cruise Line’s fourth Excel Class ship, sailing year-round from Port Canaveral beginning in 2027. She’ll welcome 6,000+ guests and is built for families, groups, and anyone who loves a vacation that feels alive from morning coffee to late-night sing-alongs.

Inaugural & early sailings

May 2027: Inaugural transatlantic sailing from Europe to Florida
Late May 2027: First Caribbean sailings from Port Canaveral
Ongoing: 6- and 8-night Eastern & Southern Caribbean itineraries
Every sailing includes Celebration Key, Carnival’s newest private destination

The vibe: music, movement, and maximum fun 🎧🌴👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Carnival built Festivale around the idea that music connects everyone. The ship features six themed zones, including two brand-new music-driven areas, plus a massive outdoor family deck designed to keep energy high all day…and night.

You can nap by the pool, hit a waterslide, catch live music, grab late-night snacks, and still feel like the day flowed instead of rushed. That balance? That’s the magic.

The headline zones you’ll want to know

🎚️ Studio 724

This immersive music zone blends light, sound, and atmosphere into one interactive space.

Expect:

Live performances and DJ-style energy
Music-inspired cocktails
A high-energy Alchemy Bar with a stage
Piano Bar 88 for crowd-favorite sing-alongs
A refreshed Limelight Lounge with a concert-style feel

Brandi take: This is where nights start casual and somehow turn legendary. 🎹✨

🎤 The Festival

An open-air, day-to-night promenade with a true music-festival vibe.

Coffee by day, cocktails by night
Pizza, sandwiches, and easy “walk-and-snack” bites
Live bands, rotating performances, and social energy

Perfect for groups, teens, and anyone who loves a vacation that never feels sleepy.

🌞 Sunsation Point: The Ultimate Family Deck

This brand-new three-deck outdoor zone is home to Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, the largest water park Carnival has ever built at sea.

Highlights include:

Six water slides, including family raft rides
Splash pads and toddler-friendly water play
Shaded seating and hangout zones
Nighttime water park hours with DJs on select nights
Adventure extras like a netted Treehouse course and retro arcade vibes

Brandi take: This is the “kids are exhausted, parents are winning” zone. 💙💦

Designed for real families 🛏️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Carnival Festivale adds over 1,000 connecting staterooms, making it one of the most family-friendly big ships Carnival has ever built. There’s also dedicated space for the youngest cruisers, including programs for children under 2.

Translation: fewer logistics, more actual vacation.

Who Carnival Festivale is perfect for ✅

Families who want water fun, food variety, and nonstop entertainment
Multi-generational trips with different interests
Friend groups who love live music and social spaces
First-time cruisers who want a true “wow” ship experience

My planning tip for 2027 🗓️✨

This ship will book fast—especially family-friendly cabins and connecting rooms. If Carnival Festivale is on your radar, planning early gives you better sailing dates, better cabin locations, and way less stress.