'America's Cruise Line'
The dramatic new red, white and blue hull look is intended to emphasize Carnival as 'America’s Cruise Line.' Developed by New York-based Bluarch Architecture, the design builds on Carnival's longstanding color scheme and is highlighted by a stately navy blue hull with vibrant red and white accents running the entire length of the 1,130-foot-long ship.
Carnival XL's actual name will be revealed in early December, and the ship is due for delivery in 2020. As earlier announced, it will be based at Port Canaveral. Inaugural season details are to be announced in January.
'This new ship promises to be truly special, from its groundbreaking technology and one-of-a-kind features to its distinctive livery and hull design that is both timeless and forward-thinking while paying tribute to our nearly 50-year history of making wonderful vacation memories for our guests,' Carnival president Christine Duffy said.
More than 5,200 lower berths
'XL' is a fitting description. Not only is this the largest Fun Ship by gross tonnage, it also has more than 5,200 lower berths. Considering that Carnival routinely carries third and fourth passengers in a stateroom, the total passenger capacity would be much higher than this.
'We are extremely pleased to work together with Carnival on this large and highly innovative ship. With the first steel-cutting, our efforts in designing the hull, features and interior of the ship start to take shape,' Meyer Turku CEO Jan Meyer said. 'We are also very proud to build the first-ever LNG powered cruise ship for North American market, making this state-of-the-art green technology a reality.'
Sister ship in 2022
Construction of a second XL vessel is to start in 2020 for delivery in 2022, on the 50th anniversary of Carnival’s founding.
