Carnival just unveiled its newest ship — Carnival Celebration — but many fans are already looking ahead for the next ship from the cruise line — Carnival Jubilee.
Now, Carnival has notified guests that the first sailings of Jubilee will be delayed. Instead of joining the fleet with its first passenger cruise in late October, the first cruise now won’t be until December 23, 2023.
“Carnival Jubilee is under construction at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. Meyer has notified Carnival that due to supply chain logistics and related matters, the October 2023 delivery date has been re-set for early December 2023. Carnival Jubilee will then transit directly to Galveston to operate the first guest cruise for the Christmas holiday, departing on Dec. 23, 2023,” a Carnival Corporation press release shared.
In total, the cruise line says that Jubilee’s first six cruises are canceled due to the delay.
The Third Excel Class Ship (And First for Galveston)
With the eventual arrival of Jubilee next year, the ship will mark the third in Carnival’s Excel class that offers an experience bigger than anything else in the Carnival fleet.
This class of ships comes in at roughly 180,000 gross tons — about 35% larger than the previous Vista class. And aboard these ships there are not only more guests, but much more to see, experience, and do.
Amenities and activities like BOLT roller coaster might get the headlines, but new venues are throughout the ship from spots like Rudi’s Seagrill, Big Chicken and Street Eats to the Center Stage performance venue located at the center of the ship, new bars, and more. You can read our experience sailing aboard Jubilee’s sister ship, the new Carnival Celebration, here.
It will also mark an important milestone for the Port of Galveston. Carnival Jubilee is slated to homeport from the Texas city, which will make it the first time that Carnival’s newest ship in the fleet has cruised from Galveston. (Mardi Gras sails from Port Canaveral while Celebration sails from Miami.)
Unfortunately, it seems that the port and passengers will have to wait just a little longer to welcome Jubilee.
“This is disappointing news, but with the notification from the shipyard, we are advising our guests as quickly as we can,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We appreciate their understanding as we work to deliver another spectacular ship that will provide a vacation experience our guests deserve and will absolutely love.”
