Mardi Gras is a new XL-class cruise ship being built by Meyer Turku in Finland. It will enter service with Carnival Corporation’s Carnival Cruise Lines brand.
The ship is named after Carnival Cruise Lines’ inaugural ship TSS Mardi Gras, which entered service in 1972. The new vessel will become the first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered cruise ship in North America when operational.
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It will be homeported at Port Canaveral’s new state-of-the-art cruise terminal. The cruise line is expected to receive the second XL-class cruise ship in 2022.
Construction on the Mardi Gras cruise ship was started with the steel cutting ceremony held in November 2018. Scheduled to be delivered in May 2020, the cruise ship will embark on a nine-day maiden voyage from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Southampton, UK, in August 2020.
Mardi Gras design and technical specifications
The innovative cruise ship will have six distinctive zones, which will be themed around Grand Central, French Quarter, La Piazza, Summer Landing, Lido, and The Ultimate Playground.
Mardi Gras will feature distinctive spaces with dining, entertainment, and recreational options. It will also feature large open decks and a decorative atrium, which will serve as the hub and focal point of the ship for welcoming guests on board.
Registered under the Panamanian flag, the cruise ship will have a length of 344.4m, beam of 41.7m, draft of 8.5m, and a gross tonnage of 180,000t. It will be capable of cruising at a speed of 17k.
The vessel will have the capacity to accommodate 5,282 passengers on a double occupancy basis and will be served by 1,745 crew members. The full passenger capacity of the ship will be 6,630.
Mardi Gras accommodation and deck details
Mardi Gras will offer a range of accommodation categories, including Havana, Cloud 9 Spa, Family Harbor, Interior, Ocean View, Balcony, and Suites.
Havana staterooms will feature a unique décor and an extra-large outdoor space called Havana Cabana. Havana Cabana suite will be more spacious and feature a luxury rain shower.
The occupants of Cloud 9 Spa staterooms will have priority spa reservations, unlimited access to the thermal suites, free fitness classes, exclusive discounts, and other select benefits.
Family Harbor staterooms will be situated at the Family Harbor Lounge, which will host breakfast, snacks, board games, family movies, and video games.
Ocean View staterooms will be larger than the interior staterooms and will have lounge areas. The suites on board Mardi Gras will provide passengers with VIP status and offer extra in-room perks.
Mardi Gras cruise ship will have 20 decks in total, which features 11 decks with accommodation facilities, along with entertainment and dining facilities on decks six, seven, eight, 18, and 19.
Dining and entertainment facilities
The cruise ship will offer a range of dining facilities, including Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse / Brewhouse, Guy’s Burger Joint, Bonsai Teppanyaki, Bonsai Sushi, Seafood Shack, Jiji Asian Kitchen, Cucina Del Capitano, and Blueiguana Cantina.
It will also feature two new restaurants La Piazza and Lido, which will introduce new concepts for the guests.
Entertainment facilities on board Mardi Gras will offer an extensive range of popular Carnival guest favourites along with added options such as the new sea coaster BOLT.
Mardi Gras will also feature WaterWorks, which will have three large-scale spiralling slides, a giant dumping bucket, and twin racing slides. Passengers will be able to play soccer, volleyball, pool, mini-golf, foosball, and ping-pong at SportSquare.
Cloud 9 Spa will offer traditional spa services such as massages, facials, and body wraps. Passengers on board will also be able to enjoy a variety of music at Playlist Productions.
Punchliner Comedy Club on the ship will host comedy shows and will also have the provision to host family friendly performances.
Sea coaster on board Mardi Gras
The most innovative feature of the Mardi Gras cruise ship will be the BOLT sea coaster. The all-electric roller coaster will be built by Maurer Rides. It will be the first-ever roller coaster at sea to provide a unique experience to passengers.
The roller coaster will have a track length of 220m and will be placed 57m above sea level. The ride will be able to reach speeds up to 64km/h with a range of twists, turns, and drops.
BOLT will allow two riders to race with a vehicle similar to a motorcycle. It will have the capacity to handle 190 people an hour.
Mardi Gras itineraries
Mardi Gras will offer six to 15-day sailings across Europe and the Caribbean, beginning from mid-2020.
The ship will sail on a 14-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Southampton, UK, to New York, US, after its maiden voyage.
The vessel will embark on a six-day round-trip in the US from New York to Portland, Maine and Saint John, New Brunswick, in September 2020. It will then sail on a 15-day voyage from New York to Port Canaveral.
