Carnival Cruise Line is a large contemporary cruise operator known for informal, activity-led holidays and a broad choice of short and week-long itineraries. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, the line is the flagship cruise brand of Carnival Corporation Ltd. and operates from homeports across North America, Australia and, seasonally, Europe.
History of Carnival Cruise Line
Entrepreneur Ted Arison founded Carnival Cruise Line in 1972. Its first vessel was a converted transatlantic liner renamed Mardi Gras. After initially expanding through the acquisition of existing ships, Carnival introduced the purpose-built Tropicale in 1982 and went on to become one of the largest cruise brands in the world.
In 1993, the wider parent business changed its name to Carnival Corporation to distinguish the corporate group from its flagship Carnival Cruise Line brand. On 7 May 2026, Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc unified their former dual-listed structure under the legal name Carnival Corporation Ltd.
Carnival Cruise Line fleet
Carnival Cruise Line currently operates 29 ships. The fleet spans several generations and sizes, from established vessels serving shorter regional itineraries to the Excel-class ships Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee. Those larger ships introduced features including themed zones, expanded dining and entertainment choices, and the BOLT roller coaster at sea.
The fleet also includes Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze, which combine Carnival's onboard product with Italian-inspired design, alongside Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter in the South Pacific. Further growth is planned: Carnival Festivale is due to enter service from Port Canaveral in 2027 and Carnival Tropicale is scheduled to follow in 2028. Carnival Corporation has said five new Carnival ships are planned through 2033.
Where Carnival sails
Carnival is best known for Caribbean and Bahamas cruises, with additional programmes to Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, the South Pacific, New Zealand and Asia. The line has homeports on every coast of the United States, operates from two Australian homeports and offers seasonal European sailings. Itineraries range from weekend cruises to voyages lasting one or two weeks.
Onboard experience
The Carnival experience is designed around accessible, casual cruising. Depending on the ship, guests may find waterslides and water parks, family and children's facilities, comedy clubs, live music, theatre productions, deck parties, casinos, speciality restaurants and a mixture of casual and formal dining. Facilities differ across the fleet, so travellers should check the individual ship before booking.
Leadership
Christine Duffy has served as president of Carnival Cruise Line since 2015. Carnival Corporation says she leads a fleet carrying nearly six million guests annually and a workforce of more than 52,000 people from 120 nations.