Carnival Cruise Line’s New Ship Class to Forego Iconic Title: What This Means for the Fleet

Cruise ships have significantly transformed over the last two decades, evolving from mere transportation vessels into major destinations in themselves. Major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line have focused on building larger ships that predominantly dock at exclusive private islands owned by the cruise companies. This shift reflects consumer preferences and the logistics of accommodating these massive ships in various ports.

Historically, the title of the largest cruise ship was held by Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, which had a gross tonnage of 156,271 tons when it launched in 2006. Today, the title belongs to the Icon of the Seas at a staggering 250,800 tons. However, the race for size appears to be waning as cruise lines no longer emphasize the need to claim the title of the world’s largest ship.

Interestingly, Royal Caribbean’s upcoming Star of the Seas, which is part of the same class as the Icon of the Seas, will not compete for the size title as both ships are designed to be the same size. Instead, the industry seems to be moving away from the focus on maximum size, with Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy indicating in a recent media event that there was no intention to prioritize sheer size for their new ship class.

Carnival’s new project, dubbed "Project Ace," is positioned to house nearly 8,000 passengers, surpassing the capacity of Royal Caribbean’s ships. The new ships will be built to a gross tonnage of around 230,000 tons and are scheduled for delivery between 2029 and 2033. Despite their large capacity, they will not claim the title of the world’s largest, indicating a broader industry trend towards enhancing guest experience over simply being the biggest.

More details on Carnival’s future plans include the opening of a new destination, Celebration Key, and the expansion of existing destinations. The company aims to ultimately deliver fun for as many guests as possible without necessarily competing for size superiority.

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