If you woke up early enough today to catch Carnival Cruise Line’s live early-morning broadcast straight from Italy, you were treated to a massive, deeply emotional slice of maritime history.
Since the order was first announced in 2024, the travel industry has been whispering about Project Ace—the highly classified code name for Carnival’s upcoming class of absolute mega-ships. But during a live-streamed event at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, Carnival President Christine Duffy officially stepped up to push the button on the plasma cutter, initiating construction on the grandest build in the line's history.
And she started by dropping a total blockbuster of a name reveal.
The first of these groundbreaking, 230,000-gross-ton ships arriving in 2029 will officially be named Carnival Destiny.
Related: Carnival Finally Reveals Details About Its Mysterious Next Ship Project
A Full-Circle Moment for a Cruise Legend
View this post on InstagramTo understand why this launch is such a massive deal, you have to look back to the ship that originally changed the entire layout of modern cruising.
When the original Carnival Destiny launched out of this exact Italian shipyard three decades ago, it broke the Guinness World Record as the largest passenger ship in the world. It didn't just break records for its size; it fundamentally altered how travelers interacted with the water, introducing the industry’s first two-deck main dining room, a multi-tiered Lido deck, and a staggering 480 balcony cabins that multiplied Carnival's previous fleet offerings nearly tenfold.
"In 1996, Fincantieri built Carnival Destiny, which as you heard, was the first cruise ship to exceed 100,000 tons," Duffy shared from the stage. "And to put that in perspective, that was 30 percent larger than any cruise ship that the world had ever seen... So she revolutionized entertainment spaces on cruise ships. And of course, features like balcony cabins became far more available."
The decades since have proven just how deep those roots run. Duffy noted that 65 of the original 1996 crew members are still working for Carnival today—including beloved brand ambassador John Heald, who served as the original Carnival Destiny cruise director—with many having risen from entry-level galley positions to become fleet captains and chief engineers. She emphasized that this partnership with Fincantieri has always been about complete reinvention, pointing to the massive 2013 dry dock that successfully transformed that original vessel into Carnival Sunshine.
"That project also demonstrated and reinforced the partnership and what we can do together with Fincantieri. Not just building new ships, but transforming—reimagining the existing ships to create something completely new," she said. "So now, on to our new baby."
Related: Carnival Announces a Massive Overhaul to Onboard Dining—Here's What's Changing
Introducing the Ace Class: "More Sea to See"
With a quick smile, Duffy officially transitioned into the future, announcing the official name for the 230,000-gross-ton mega-ships that will soon dominate the global cruise landscape.
"Today does mark another important step forward because with this steel cutting, we begin construction on a new class of ships for Carnival Cruise Line, which we are officially calling Ace class," Duffy declared. "The three Ace-class ships coming in 2029, '31, and '33 are designed to change how guests will experience the sea while on their cruise. We like to say that they will have more sea to see."
And to the absolute delight of longtime brand loyalists tracking the live stream online, Duffy revealed that the flagship vessel of this new era will be reviving that historic moniker.
"And the name of the first ship in this new class will carry a name that I think will bring meaning for all of us, because we are building on our history while we move forward with the new Carnival Destiny," Duffy announced.
While specific interior deck plans are being kept under lock and key until a secondary reveal event scheduled for this fall, Duffy dropped the physical specifications that will make this 2029 "jumbo" vessel a total game-changer.
"She is a big step forward. Not only for Carnival, but we believe for the industry. She will be the most outward-facing ship in our fleet. With more ocean views across more spaces," Duffy revealed. "She will feature reimagined lanai decks, more than four and a half acres of glass, the most balcony cabins with ocean views at sea, and more than 70 of our dining, entertainment, and signature guest experiences will be delivered brand new."
As the plasma cutter officially roared to life to slice the very first piece of hull plating, Duffy closed out the historic morning by looking ahead to the long road of innovation still to come.
"We are focused together on innovating for the future. Building upon what we know our guests already love in the same way that the original Carnival Destiny did that 30 years ago," Duffy concluded. "So today, as we cut the steel on our next generation ship, it is fitting that we are here together again with Fincantieri to begin the next chapter... Now, let's go build that ship."
Related: Carnival's Next Ship is Getting a First-of-Its-Kind Coffee Hub That Completely Transforms at 3 P.M.
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