Additional 150k ton newbuilds to be ordered for Carnival.

[DanJ]

These new ship threads are funny with all the various insiders trying to out-insider each other lol.

[Theosprey247]

Nailed it!

[tidecat]

13 hours ago, dolphinsfan246 said:

I have seen the preliminary renderings, they are a very new and quirky design that only the AIDA ships can pull off, the P&O variants are a much more subdued version.  

ssship_cruisenews on Instagram reports the design is based on the Sphere class - would you agree with that?

[dolphinsfan246]

1 minute ago, tidecat said:

ssship_cruisenews on Instagram reports the design is based on the Sphere class - would you agree with that?

Yes, built on the same block and hull structure as the Sphere class, just smaller.
 

The XXL ships for CCL are also a much larger variant of the Sphere class design, with a new bow. 
 

This is currently Carnival’s “go to” design which can be stretched to fit just about any size and brand they want. Known formally as Fincantieri’s “Project Mille”. Other ships designed like this are the Virgin trio, MSC Seaside class, and Norwegian Prima. The bow of the new Carnival ships will look very similar to Norwegian Prima. 

[jasong38501]

Whatever ships end up going where, Carnival needs to up its short cruise game. By the end of next summer Royal will have it's two newest Oasis class ships competing head to head with Conquest and Glory. I mean that's not even a fair fight!

[dolphinsfan246]

14 minutes ago, jasong38501 said:

Whatever ships end up going where, Carnival needs to up its short cruise game. By the end of next summer Royal will have it's two newest Oasis class ships competing head to head with Conquest and Glory. I mean that's not even a fair fight!

An Excel class going to short cruises seems inevitable at this point, especially running it through Celebration Key twice a week. The only question is when can they do that? Seems their hands are tied on that until 2027. 

[tidecat]

1 minute ago, dolphinsfan246 said:

An Excel class going to short cruises seems inevitable at this point, especially running it through Celebration Key twice a week. The only question is when can they do that? Seems their hands are tied on that until 2027. 

Given that most of the fleet is open for booking through April 2026, Carnival could redeploy Mardi Gras and/or Celebration on shorter itineraries starting in May 2026.

[DutchCruiseFan]

12 minutes ago, tidecat said:

Given that most of the fleet is open for booking through April 2026, Carnival could redeploy Mardi Gras and/or Celebration on shorter itineraries starting in May 2026.

Which wouldn’t make sense yet. They’ll surely wait for the newbuilds in 2027.

[DutchCruiseFan]

2 hours ago, dolphinsfan246 said:

Yes, built on the same block and hull structure as the Sphere class, just smaller.
 

The XXL ships for CCL are also a much larger variant of the Sphere class design, with a new bow. 
 

This is currently Carnival’s “go to” design which can be stretched to fit just about any size and brand they want. Known formally as Fincantieri’s “Project Mille”. Other ships designed like this are the Virgin trio, MSC Seaside class, and Norwegian Prima. The bow of the new Carnival ships will look very similar to Norwegian Prima. 

Do you know what is, I don’t have any reason to believe you are right, but I also don’t have a reason to think you’re wrong.

If you’re informed correctly it will be very interesting to see, the German cruise market is surely a market to watch and both Aida and TUI are very interesting companies to watch. 
Carnivals 230k newbuilds following the Sphere class is a surprise to me. It feels like, in order to achieve 230k, you’d need split superstructures. 
Time will tell everything but I’m very excited. 
One question for your inside info ;). Can we expect an official announcement soon?

[tidecat]

26 minutes ago, DutchCruiseFan said:

Carnivals 230k newbuilds following the Sphere class is a surprise to me. It feels like, in order to achieve 230k, you’d need split superstructures.

Gross tonnage is a measure of enclosed space. Split superstructures don't actually increase gross tonnage, they just increase the number of cabins with natural light and balconies that command higher fares.

 

As long as the total volume of all enclosed spaces on a ship is 1,596,518.4375 cubic meters, it is 230,000 gross tons, regardless of the shape of the ship.

[toad455]

just a thought, but since Carnival is getting the two P&O ships by 2025(Adventure & Encounter), they could just replace the Elation & Paradise down the road since they're both 108,000 ton and should fit for Tampa & Jacksonville.

[dolphinsfan246]

19 minutes ago, DutchCruiseFan said:

Do you know what is, I don’t have any reason to believe you are right, but I also don’t have a reason to think you’re wrong.

If you’re informed correctly it will be very interesting to see, the German cruise market is surely a market to watch and both Aida and TUI are very interesting companies to watch. 
Carnivals 230k newbuilds following the Sphere class is a surprise to me. It feels like, in order to achieve 230k, you’d need split superstructures. 
Time will tell everything but I’m very excited. 
One question for your inside info ;). Can we expect an official announcement soon?

There won’t be an official announcement on any details for at least another year or more on the CCL ships. The AIDA/P&O order should be coming very soon. 
 

The CCL ships will not have a split superstructure. They will achieve their extra tonnage by being wider than the Sphere class by about 10 meters. A lot of cool new features are in the works and being discussed. 

[CruiseAdict218]

33 minutes ago, toad455 said:

just a thought, but since Carnival is getting the two P&O ships by 2025(Adventure & Encounter), they could just replace the Elation & Paradise down the road since they're both 108,000 ton and should fit for Tampa & Jacksonville.

Depends, Adventure is modified specifically to sail under the bridge that’s in Sydney, not sure of the particular height required off the top of my head but does that pose an issue for any Carnival ships, assuming most? But eventually they’ll be rotated out, they aren’t that young anymore. 

[toad455]

6 minutes ago, CruiseAdict218 said:

Depends, Adventure is modified specifically to sail under the bridge that’s in Sydney, not sure of the particular height required off the top of my head but does that pose an issue for any Carnival ships, assuming most? But eventually they’ll be rotated out, they aren’t that young anymore. 

 

Elation & Paradise turn 30 in 2028 with a dry dock scheduled for 2029. Never know by then, but the Adventure & Encounter are only 3 & 4 years younger, respectively.

[DanJ]

51 minutes ago, toad455 said:

just a thought, but since Carnival is getting the two P&O ships by 2025(Adventure & Encounter), they could just replace the Elation & Paradise down the road since they're both 108,000 ton and should fit for Tampa & Jacksonville.

I don't know if Princess ever brought a Grand-class ship into those ports, but they are essentially the same as a Conquest class, would those ships fit in Tampa or Jax?

[BlerkOne]

22 hours ago, CruiseAdict218 said:

I would think make them full time Carnival ships, China is struggling to fill ships in that area. Not sure how the rest of the Asia market is, one could replace Serena which serves that area. 
 

 

Disney hasa new build coming for China and is supposed to announce a new class of ships for..???

[tidecat]

36 minutes ago, DanJ said:

I don't know if Princess ever brought a Grand-class ship into those ports, but they are essentially the same as a Conquest class, would those ships fit in Tampa or Jax?

Grand-class has an air draft of 188 feet. Pacific Adventure was modified to clear the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which has a clearance of only 161 feet. It might make sense to do it with one of the younger ships in the class like Ruby or Emerald.

[CruiseAdict218]

16 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Disney hasa new build coming for China and is supposed to announce a new class of ships for..???

Disney has a new build for Japan in 2028 and Disney Adventure (Former Global Dream) is Singapore bound, the new class will probably be spread out among the US and could maybe replace Magic/Wonder? 

[BlerkOne]

1 minute ago, CruiseAdict218 said:

Disney has a new build for Japan in 2028 and Disney Adventure (Former Global Dream) is Singapore bound, the new class will probably be spread out among the US and could maybe replace Magic/Wonder? 

ah yes. Tokyo Disney. and Disney has a Destiny new year. Time for Carnival to have a new Destiny.

[dolphinsfan246]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

ah yes. Tokyo Disney. and Disney has a Destiny new year. Time for Carnival to have a new Destiny.

Stay tuned 😉

[DanJ]

58 minutes ago, tidecat said:

Grand-class has an air draft of 188 feet. Pacific Adventure was modified to clear the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which has a clearance of only 161 feet. It might make sense to do it with one of the younger ships in the class like Ruby or Emerald.

Wow, what did they do to remove ~30 feet off of it? I remember when they removed the shopping cart handle Skywalkers from the Grand Princess but never followed along with what was done to Golden. Not sure it would be as easy with one of the Caribbean class ships since they have an extra passenger deck. Although the Caribbean had the shopping cart handle and the 3 follow-ons had the funnel mounted Skywalkers like was done with the Diamond/Sapphire. Which come to think of it, the Diamond and Sapphire have the one less deck like the Grand does, not sure their air draft, but maybe whatever was modified on the Golden could be done to one of them for Sydney. They are only a few years newer though.

[CruiseAdict218]

24 minutes ago, DanJ said:

Wow, what did they do to remove ~30 feet off of it? I remember when they removed the shopping cart handle Skywalkers from the Grand Princess but never followed along with what was done to Golden. Not sure it would be as easy with one of the Caribbean class ships since they have an extra passenger deck. Although the Caribbean had the shopping cart handle and the 3 follow-ons had the funnel mounted Skywalkers like was done with the Diamond/Sapphire. Which come to think of it, the Diamond and Sapphire have the one less deck like the Grand does, not sure their air draft, but maybe whatever was modified on the Golden could be done to one of them for Sydney. They are only a few years newer though.

The piping was cut down more or less, if you compare photos. But Golden/Star were never going to have their handles removed, theirs were made lighter than Grand’s with different materials used. 
 

Crown is the one currently based year round in the region and is even doing her first world cruise, so I do wonder if that extra deck makes a big difference. Not sure if they’d based one of the Gems their, they like to use Diamond for Japan and Sapphire seems to get bounced around. 

[jimbo5544]

4 hours ago, DutchCruiseFan said:

Which wouldn’t make sense yet. They’ll surely wait for the newbuilds in 2027.

They will almost def be diving into the smaller cruise market.  While I would agree that the new Excel class would be the easiest way to go about it, I am pretty sure that we will be seeing some ship repositions, and with the addition of the newly assigned hardware, it may happen earlier, if the revenue driver is big enough.  They are overdue for some ship flip flops.

[DutchCruiseFan]

34 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

They will almost def be diving into the smaller cruise market.  While I would agree that the new Excel class would be the easiest way to go about it, I am pretty sure that we will be seeing some ship repositions, and with the addition of the newly assigned hardware, it may happen earlier, if the revenue driver is big enough.  They are overdue for some ship flip flops.

Totally agreed, but I doubt we will see an XL take on that role before the first newbuild arrives.

[jimbo5544]

21 hours ago, DutchCruiseFan said:

Totally agreed, but I doubt we will see an XL take on that role before the first newbuild arrives.

It certainly would be easier.