Carnival Cruise Line runs 29 ships today, and five of them joined the fleet in just the last three years from three different cruise lines. If you’re trying to figure out which Carnival ship is newest, which one is pushing 30 years old, or how the recent P&O Australia and Costa transfers fit into the lineup, this guide ranks Carnival cruise ships by age, class, passenger capacity, and crew size.
Carnival Cruise Line boasts one of the most diverse and expansive fleets in the cruise industry. Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or planning your first voyage, the age and amenities of the ship can significantly impact your experience. This guide sorts Carnival cruise ships by age and also offers insights into their unique features, passenger capacities, and the classes each ship belongs to, so you can pick a sailing that actually matches what you want out of it.
This post should help those looking to book the newest ships from Carnival Cruise Line. If there is something you would like to see included, do not hesitate to reach out via Twitter or shoot me an email.
How Many Ships Does Carnival Cruise Line Have?
Carnival counts 29 ships in its fleet as of 2026, ranging from the 1996-built Carnival Sunshine to the 2023-built Carnival Jubilee. Two more Excel Class ships are already under construction, Carnival Festivale for 2027 and Carnival Tropicale for 2028, and Carnival confirmed in July 2026 that an all-new, larger class called Ace Class will start arriving in 2029 with a ship named Carnival Destiny.
Newest Carnival Ships
The newest ships in the fleet are the Excel Class trio: Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee. Each one carries up to 6,630 guests, more than triple the 2,040-guest capacity of the 1998-built Carnival Paradise. Two more Excel Class ships, Festivale and Tropicale, are due in Port Canaveral and Galveston in 2027 and 2028.
Carnival has also grown its fleet in a less conventional way over the past few years, by bringing in ships built for other brands. Costa Venezia and Costa Firenze crossed over from sister line Costa Cruises in 2023 and 2024, becoming Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze. Costa Luminosa joined the same way in 2022, renamed Carnival Luminosa. Then, when Carnival Corporation folded P&O Cruises Australia into the Carnival brand in March 2025, two more ships came along: Carnival Encounter and Carnival Adventure, which started out in 2001 and 2002 as Princess Cruises’ Star Princess and Golden Princess.
Below is the full Carnival fleet sorted from newest to oldest, along with the two Excel Class ships still under construction.
Carnival Cruise Ships By Age, New To Old
- Carnival Jubilee, 2023
- Carnival Celebration, 2022
- Carnival Firenze, 2020 (ex-Costa Firenze, joined Carnival in 2024)
- Mardi Gras, 2020
- Carnival Venezia, 2019 (ex-Costa Venezia, joined Carnival in 2023)
- Carnival Panorama, 2019
- Carnival Horizon, 2018
- Carnival Vista, 2016
- Carnival Breeze, 2012
- Carnival Magic, 2011
- Carnival Luminosa, 2009 (ex-Costa Luminosa, joined Carnival in 2022)
- Carnival Dream, 2009
- Carnival Splendor, 2008
- Carnival Freedom, 2007
- Carnival Liberty, 2005
- Carnival Valor, 2004
- Carnival Miracle, 2004
- Carnival Glory, 2003
- Carnival Conquest, 2002
- Carnival Encounter, 2002 (ex-Star Princess/Pacific Encounter, joined Carnival in 2025)
- Carnival Legend, 2002
- Carnival Pride, 2002
- Carnival Spirit, 2001
- Carnival Adventure, 2001 (ex-Golden Princess/Pacific Adventure, joined Carnival in 2025)
- Carnival Radiance, 2000 (renamed from Carnival Victory in 2021)
- Carnival Sunrise, 1999 (renamed from Carnival Triumph in 2019)
- Carnival Paradise, 1998
- Carnival Elation, 1998
- Carnival Sunshine, 1996 (renamed and rebuilt from Carnival Destiny in 2013)
Under construction:
- Carnival Festivale, due 2027 (Excel Class)
- Carnival Tropicale, due 2028 (Excel Class)
- Carnival Destiny, due 2029 (first Ace Class ship)
Carnival Cruise Ships By Age, Class, And Passengers
To fully appreciate Carnival’s fleet, it helps to compare the classes. The Excel Class ships (Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee) are the largest, each holding up to 6,630 guests with a roller coaster and a suspended ropes course on the top deck. The Vista Class ships, including Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon, sit in the middle at just under 5,000 guests. The Spirit Class ships, such as Carnival Miracle and Carnival Legend, are the smallest of Carnival’s original builds, built for ports the bigger ships can’t reach. The Grand Class pair, Carnival Encounter and Carnival Adventure, and the standalone Carnival Luminosa fill out the fleet with hulls originally designed for Princess and Costa.
| Ship | Class | Year | Passengers | Crew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival Jubilee | Excel Class | 2023 | 6,630 | 1,735 |
| Carnival Celebration | Excel Class | 2022 | 6,630 | 1,745 |
| Carnival Firenze | Vista Class | 2020 | 4,232 | 1,278 |
| Mardi Gras | Excel Class | 2020 | 6,630 | 1,745 |
| Carnival Venezia | Vista Class | 2019 | 5,260 | 1,278 |
| Carnival Panorama | Vista Class | 2019 | 5,146 | 1,450 |
| Carnival Horizon | Vista Class | 2018 | 4,977 | 1,450 |
| Carnival Vista | Vista Class | 2016 | 4,977 | 1,450 |
| Carnival Breeze | Dream Class | 2012 | 4,724 | 1,386 |
| Carnival Magic | Dream Class | 2011 | 4,724 | 1,386 |
| Carnival Luminosa | Luminosa Class | 2009 | 2,826 | 1,050 |
| Carnival Dream | Dream Class | 2009 | 4,631 | 1,367 |
| Carnival Splendor | Splendor Class | 2008 | 3,734 | 1,150 |
| Carnival Freedom | Conquest Class | 2007 | 3,754 | 1,150 |
| Carnival Liberty | Conquest Class | 2005 | 3,756 | 1,160 |
| Carnival Valor | Conquest Class | 2004 | 3,756 | 1,180 |
| Carnival Miracle | Spirit Class | 2004 | 2,680 | 910 |
| Carnival Glory | Conquest Class | 2003 | 3,756 | 1,150 |
| Carnival Conquest | Conquest Class | 2002 | 3,756 | 1,150 |
| Carnival Encounter | Grand Class | 2002 | 2,600 | 1,100 |
| Carnival Legend | Spirit Class | 2002 | 2,610 | 930 |
| Carnival Pride | Spirit Class | 2002 | 2,680 | 910 |
| Carnival Spirit | Spirit Class | 2001 | 2,610 | 930 |
| Carnival Adventure | Grand Class | 2001 | 2,600 | 1,100 |
| Carnival Radiance | Sunshine Class | 2000 | 3,873 | 1,108 |
| Carnival Sunrise | Sunshine Class | 1999 | 3,873 | 1,108 |
| Carnival Paradise | Fantasy Class | 1998 | 2,606 | 920 |
| Carnival Elation | Fantasy Class | 1998 | 2,606 | 920 |
| Carnival Sunshine | Sunshine Class | 1996 | 3,002 | 1,150 |
Six ships in that table did not start life as Carnival ships. Venezia and Firenze sailed for Costa before switching brands in 2023 and 2024, and Luminosa made the same move in 2022. Carnival Encounter and Carnival Adventure spent two decades as Princess Cruises’ Star Princess and Golden Princess, then a few years as P&O Australia’s Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure, before Carnival absorbed the P&O Australia brand in March 2025. Even the fleet’s oldest ship has a hidden history: Carnival Sunshine started sailing in 1996 as Carnival Destiny, before a 2013 refit added a full deck and a new name.
What’s Next for Carnival’s Fleet
With five ships added from other brands in the last four years and three more Excel and Ace Class ships confirmed through 2029, Carnival’s fleet looks different than it did even two years ago. Check back before you book your next sailing, since a fleet moving this fast is worth rechecking every time you’re picking a ship.
Other Cruise Line Ships by Age:
- Celebrity Cruises Ships By Age, Newest to Oldest
- Norwegian Cruises Ships By Age, Newest to Oldest
- Princess Cruises Ships By Age, Newest to Oldest
- Royal Caribbean Ships By Age, Newest to Oldest
- Viking Ocean Cruises ships By Age, Newest to Oldest
Questions People Ask About Carnival’s Fleet
How many ships does Carnival Cruise Line have in 2026?
Carnival operates 29 ships as of 2026, spanning the 1996-built Carnival Sunshine to the 2023-built Carnival Jubilee. Two more Excel Class ships, Carnival Festivale and Carnival Tropicale, are confirmed for 2027 and 2028, with the first Ace Class ship, Carnival Destiny, set to follow in 2029.
What is Carnival’s newest ship?
Carnival Jubilee, delivered in December 2023, is the newest ship actively sailing. It is an Excel Class ship based in Galveston, Texas, and carries up to 6,630 guests across 20 decks with a roller coaster and a suspended ropes course on top.
What is Carnival’s oldest ship?
Carnival Sunshine is the oldest ship still sailing under the Carnival name. Its hull was built in 1996 as Carnival Destiny, then rebuilt and renamed Carnival Sunshine after a 2013 refit that added a full deck and updated most of its public spaces.
Which Carnival ships used to sail for other cruise lines?
Five current Carnival ships came from other brands: Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze (ex-Costa, 2023 and 2024), Carnival Luminosa (ex-Costa, 2022), and Carnival Encounter and Carnival Adventure (ex-Princess and P&O Australia, 2025).
What is Carnival’s Ace Class?
Ace Class is Carnival’s next generation of ships after Excel Class, starting with Carnival Destiny in 2029. Carnival describes it as its most outward-facing design yet, with over 4.5 acres of glass and expanded ocean-view balcony cabins. Two more Ace Class ships are planned for 2031 and 2033.
