Fincantieri has started construction of the largest ship ever built in Italy, cutting first steel for Carnival Cruise Line’s 230,000-GT Carnival Destiny at its Monfalcone yard on 10 July, according to Fincantieri.
The LNG-powered newbuilding is scheduled for delivery in summer 2029 and will be the first of three Ace-class ships ordered for Carnival Cruise Line. Two sister ships are due in 2031 and 2033.
Carnival Destiny will have more than 3,000 cabins and capacity for over 8,000 passengers at full occupancy. It will also be Fincantieri’s first newbuilding above 220,000 GT. The vessel will feature more than 4.5 acres of glass, including multi-storey glass walls, additional ocean-view balcony cabins and a redesigned lanai deck. More than 70% of its venues and attractions will be new to Carnival, spanning restaurants, bars, lounges, entertainment and outdoor areas.
“Carnival Destiny builds on a legacy that changed cruising once before,” Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy said.
The ship is planned to operate across Carnival’s Paradise Collection destinations in the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Mexico. Detailed itineraries have not been released.
The project, identified as hull 6371, starts a new industrial programme at Monfalcone. Fincantieri has invested in two 800-tonne cranes, doubling the lifting capacity provided by its two existing 400-tonne units, alongside robotic welding, artificial intelligence and production technology.
Fincantieri has delivered 76 ships to Carnival Corporation brands, including 15 for Carnival Cruise Line.
Fincantieri is an Italian shipbuilding group headquartered in Trieste. It has built more than 130 cruise ships since 1990 for 25 brands, while more than 45 cruise vessels have been constructed at Monfalcone, where about 6,500 people work each day.
Carnival Cruise Line is a cruise operator within Carnival Corporation & plc. Carnival Corporation & plc is its parent cruise group, operating more than 90 ships serving over 800 ports and destinations worldwide.