Carnival Tropicale begins sailing in 2028
Grand Central Atrium showcases tropical scenery by day
Carnival Tropicale’s Fairway 66 Mini Golf
The Vault Retrocade offers new and retro games
Turning Tides Raft Slide on Carnival Tropicale
(Pictured L to R): Ben Clement, EVP of maritime and new builds at Carnival Cruise Line; Sarah Meins, senior project manager of hotel refurbishments and new builds at Carnival Cruise Line; Andre Walter, CEO of MEYER WERFT; Georg Schauen, project manager at MEYER WERFT.
Ben Clement, EVP of maritime and new builds at Carnival Cruise Line sharing his remarks.
Everything is always better in Texas. Starting April 15, 2028, Carnival Tropicale will bring a new level of cruising fun to Galveston. As the newest ship to sail from Texas, Carnival Tropicale will proudly display the “Star of Texas” on its bow, paying homage to its deep connection to the Lone Star State. The ship will offer four-, five-, six- and eight-day cruises, taking guests to Carnival’s exclusive Paradise Collection Destinations include Celebration Key, RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Isla Tropicale and Puerta Maya, as well as popular Caribbean ports such as Port Progreso and Port Nassau.
“Today is an exciting day for Carnival Tropicale, and guests can start planning their vacations now aboard this extraordinary new ship,” said Ben Clement, Carnival Cruise Line’s executive vice president of maritime and new shipbuilding. “From innovative entertainment and dining experiences to unforgettable destinations throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas and Mexico, Carnival Tropicale will bring exciting new vacation options to Texas when it debuts in 2028.”
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As Carnival Tropicale opens for bookings, Carnival Cruise Line and MEYER WERFT are hosting a Western-themed celebration to pay tribute to the ship’s future homeport and Carnival’s deep ties to Texas. In an on-site setting full of Texas style, the leaders of Carnival and MEYER WERFT wore customized cowboy-style helmets and western clothes, while the shipyard team enjoyed Texas-style barbecue together.
“As the new CEO of MEYER WERFT, I am delighted to be part of my first shipbuilding celebration,” said André Walter, CEO of MEYER WERFT GmbH since July 1, 2026. “Carnival Tropicale is already Carnival Cruise Line’s fifth Excel-class cruise ship. This successful and popular ship line fully confirms our long-term partnership with Carnival.”
A new take on home entertainment
Carnival Tropicale is the fifth and final ship in the Excel class and will provide guests with the latest facilities in the series, allowing them to experience Carnival’s signature fun atmosphere at sea. A highlight of the ship is Sunsation Point, a vibrant multi-deck family entertainment area designed to provide guests with endless fun from morning to night. The core of the area is Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, the most family-friendly water park on the sea, with six water slides (including SunSoaker, Turning Tides, and Racing Currents), as well as a water play area specially designed for younger visitors.
Guests can also enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, including the redesigned Fairway 66 mini-golf course inspired by Route 66, sports courts, the Treehouse Adventure Trail with mesh paths and obstacles, and new arcade gaming areas such as The Vault Retrocade, which blends classic retro games with modern gaming experiences. The excitement continues after sunset, with special nighttime events on board and extended water park hours.
The fun will continue at the table, as Carnival Tropicale will launch “The Next Course” series of new dining concepts, bringing together delicacies from all over the world. Guests can taste creative cuisine fused with Asian flavors at the Hawaiian specialty restaurant Uku Lei Lei; appreciate the ingenious blend of Greek and Italian flavors at Fetaccine; and enjoy a seafood feast inspired by the American coastline at Emeril’s Coastal Seafood, created in collaboration with Carnival Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse.
inspirationfromentertainmentIndustrygolden age
Carnival Tropicale will also introduce new entertainment experiences and exclusive spaces inspired by the golden age of entertainment. More details about the ship’s entertainment facilities and other experiences will be revealed in the coming months, giving guests even more to look forward to.
Carnival Tropicale’s latest open sailing information can be found athereCheck. To learn more about Carnival Cruise Line For information and to book your cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, or visit www.carnival.comor contact your trusted travel advisor and online travel website.
About Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line Belong to Carnival Corporation(NYSE: CCL). Carnival Corporation is the world’s largest cruise company, with cruise brands operating in more than 800 ports and destinations around the world. Carnival Cruise Line is proudly known as “America’s Cruise Line,” leading the industry in the number of American travelers it carries and the number of U.S. homeports it serves. Carnival Cruise Lines welcomes more than 6 million guests every year and will become the first cruise line to receive more than 100 million guests in 2023. The company welcomes more than 95,000 guests on board every day year-round, operates from 13 U.S. homeports, 2 Australian homeports and sails from Europe during select seasons, and has more than 50,000 team members representing 120 countries.
Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has revolutionized the cruise industry and successfully established cruise vacations as an affordable, fun-filled travel option for the masses. Carnival currently has 29 cruise ships and is in an exciting period of growth, with plans to add five more new ships by 2033: Among them, the fourth and fifth Excel-class ships are scheduled to be delivered in 2027 and 2028 respectively; they will also be followed by the delivery of three new innovative ship classes currently under development. Carnival’s latest guest experience is Celebration Key, its new exclusive destination in Grand Bahama, which is scheduled to open in 2025 and officially joins the company’s Paradise Collection of Caribbean jewels.
Carnival Cruise Line