Why Carnival's giant new cruise ship is a game-changer for the line
It'll be a Carnival Cruise Line ship like no Carnival Cruise Line ship you've ever seen.
Scheduled to sail with paying passengers for the first time on Saturday, Carnival's much-awaited, 15-deck-high Mardi Gras will break new ground for the brand -- and the entire cruise industry -- in more ways than one.
For starters, it'll be by far the biggest ship ever to operate for Carnival, the world's second-biggest cruise line -- and not just by a little bit.
At 181,808 tons, Mardi Gras is nearly 35% bigger than the biggest Carnival ship currently afloat, the 19-month-old Carnival Panorama.
It'll also hold more passengers than almost any other ship at sea -- up to 6,630. That's just a tad below the 6,780 passengers that can fit on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, which currently holds the record for passenger vessel capacity.
Mardi Gras is one of the 10 biggest cruise ships ever built, though not quite as large as Allure of the Seas or Royal Caribbean's three other Oasis Class vessels, which still are the size leaders.
But it's not just Mardi Gras' enormous size that is notable. It's what Carnival is doing with all the extra space on the vessel.
Perhaps most notably, the line has adorned the extra-wide top of Mardi Gras with the first roller coaster at sea -- and no, this is not a joke.
Dubbed BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster, it won't be the longest or fastest roller coaster in the world. Its track is just 800 feet long, and it'll reach speeds of just 40 miles per hour — give or take. But it's the sort of once-unthinkable-for-a-cruise ship attraction that Carnival rivals such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have been adding atop their bigger ships in recent years with much success (cruise fans seem to love over-the-top attractions on ships).
Mardi Gras also will have Carnival's largest waterpark ever -- along with the roller coaster, a nod to the growing number of cruise fans looking for a "megaresort at sea" experience.
Other standout features will include a far broader array of suites than earlier Carnival ships and new dining venues such as the first Emeril Lagasse restaurant at sea.
In addition, Mardi Gras also will be notable as the first ship from a North America-based cruise line designed to operate on liquid natural gas. The fuel is touted as being cleaner than traditional ship fuel.
Related: The four new giants of the cruise world
The development of a ship on the scale of Mardi Gras is a big deal for Carnival. The line until now has resisted the trend among major brands to build ever-bigger vessels that offer a super-sized megaresort-at-sea experience. Carnival's last new vessel, Carnival Panorama, didn't even crack the top 40 list of biggest ships.
But Carnival now isn't just reversing course on a long-held "bigger isn't necessarily better" philosophy when it comes to new ships. It's entering the Big Ship Wars with a splash that says it's ready to play at the very highest level in the megaresort-at-sea space.
In short, it's a whole new Carnival Cruise Line.
The ship's name -- Mardi Gras -- is a signal as to how much Carnival sees the ship as a new chapter in its nearly 50-year history. Mardi Gras is named after Carnival's first ship, which sailed for the line from 1972 to 1993.
Mardi Gras originally was scheduled to debut in August of 2020, but its unveiling date was pushed back several times due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The vessel is scheduled to sail six- to eight-day voyages to the Bahamas and Caribbean out of Port Canaveral, Florida. Fares start at $479 per person, not including taxes and fees.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
- What to pack for your first cruise
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees