Carnival Cruise Line · All Carnival Cruise Line ships · Excel Class

Carnival Celebration: ship guide

Miami’s Excel-class ship with BOLT, 820 Biscayne and weeklong Caribbean cruises.

Best for: Families and couples who want Carnival’s newest big-ship features on a weeklong Caribbean cruise from Miami, with the Miami and world-travel themes giving her a different feel from Mardi Gras. Sails from Miami in 2026 and 2027.

Carnival Celebration
Carnival Celebration
183,521gross tons
5,362guests at double occupancy
1,735crew
2022entered service
1,130 ftlong

About Carnival Celebration

Carnival Celebration is the second Excel-class ship, delivered by Meyer Turku in November 2022 to mark Carnival’s 50th birthday and named for the 1987 Celebration. At 183,521 gross tons she carries 5,362 guests at double occupancy with 1,735 crew, runs on liquefied natural gas and sails year-round from PortMiami, the line’s hometown. Her six zones are Celebration Central, The Gateway, 820 Biscayne, Summer Landing, Lido and The Ultimate Playground.

What sets her apart from Mardi Gras is the Miami story. 820 Biscayne is an art deco and neon zone with Cuban coffee at Bar 820 and Miami Slice pizza; The Gateway changes its theme and menus nightly as a tribute to world travel, with Emeril’s Bistro 1397 and the virtual-window Latitudes bar; and The Golden Jubilee bar and Aquaria Bar carry pieces of retired Carnival ships. BOLT, the roller coaster, WaterWorks and SportSquare fill The Ultimate Playground.

Through April 2028 Carnival Celebration sails 7-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises round trip from Miami. Eastern itineraries call at ports such as Celebration Key, Amber Cove, Grand Turk, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan, RelaxAway Half Moon Cay and Nassau; Western itineraries visit Celebration Key, Cozumel and Isla Tropicale at Roatan. The ship suits families and couples who want a big new ship with a drive-to or fly-in home port in South Florida.

  • BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, an all-electric ride where you set the speed
  • 820 Biscayne, a Miami-inspired zone with art deco style, Cuban coffee and Miami Slice pizza
  • The Gateway, a zone whose theme nights and restaurants change to a different destination each evening
  • Emeril’s Bistro 1397, Emeril Lagasse’s second restaurant at sea
  • The Golden Jubilee bar built with pieces of the original Carnival Jubilee, and Aquaria Bar with the glass mural from Carnival Victory
  • Carnival WaterWorks with Blue Lightning, Orange Thunder and the Twister slides
  • Space Cruisers, a kids’ space program created with the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
  • Loft 19 retreat and Carnival Excel Suites, plus Havana, Cloud 9 Spa and Family Harbor staterooms

Staterooms and suites

Interior

Standard and Premium Interior rooms, with Havana, Cloud 9 Spa and Family Harbor Interior versions that add the perks of those programs; a good fit for guests who plan to spend the day in the six zones.

Ocean View

Picture-window rooms, including Family Harbor Ocean View rooms beside the Family Harbor Lounge and Cloud 9 Spa Ocean View rooms with thermal suite access.

Balcony

Standard, Extended and Premium-View Extended Balcony rooms, Junior Balcony rooms and Cove Balcony rooms near the waterline, plus Cloud 9 Spa balcony and cove versions with spa access.

Havana Cabanas

Havana Cabana and Extended Cabana rooms with a floor-to-ceiling window and private patio, and daytime access to the Havana pool and bar for Havana guests only; everyone in a Havana room must be 12 or older.

Family Harbor

Family Harbor Interior, Ocean View and Ocean View Suites sleeping up to five with a separate bedroom; guests get the Family Harbor Lounge with breakfast, snacks, games and family movies, free kids’ dining in most specialty restaurants and an evening of Night Owls.

Suites

Ocean Suites, Cloud 9 Spa Suites and Havana Cabana Suites, then the Carnival Excel Suites: Excel Suite, Excel Corner Suite, Excel Aft Suite with a private hot tub and the Excel Presidential Suite with a separate living room, wet bar and wraparound balcony with hot tub; Excel Suites include concierge service and Loft 19 access.

Carnival Celebration deck plans

Deck by deck, straight from our booking engine: the plan, the stateroom categories on that deck and the public rooms. Pick a deck.

Deck 19 plan

Deck 19

Bolt: Ultimate Sea Coaster, Loft 19, Pool.

  • Loft 19Soak up the sun all day from the comfort of a lounge chair or Loft 19’s own infinity pool, or opt for private time in the shade by renting a cabana.
  • Boltit’s a thrill you’re seeking, this is also the vacation for you. Meet BOLT the fastest and first rollercoaster at sea.
  • Ultimate PlaygroundUltimate Playground

Plans are the cruise line’s current drawings as supplied to our booking engine. Layouts change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the exact stateroom when you book.

On board Carnival Celebration

Z Spa
Z Spa
Zumbini
Zumbini
White Hot Night Party
White Hot Night Party
Waterworks
Waterworks
Watches
Watches
Volleyball
Volleyball
Video Arcade
Video Arcade
Ultimate Playground
Ultimate Playground
Twister Waterslide
Twister Waterslide
Tropicale Bar
Tropicale Bar
Tides Pool
Tides Pool
The Watering Hole
The Watering Hole

Dining on Carnival Celebration

Main Dining RoomsIncluded

Two main restaurants with a changing three-course menu nightly and Seaday Brunch.

Lido MarketplaceIncluded

The buffet with international stations for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Cucina del CapitanoIncluded

Family-style Italian dinner in The Gateway, included for your first visit.

Big Chicken, Guy’s Burger Joint and Street EatsIncluded

Shaquille O’Neal’s chicken, Guy Fieri burgers and three street-food windows on Lido.

Miami Slice and Deco DeliIncluded

Pizza by the slice and classic sandwiches in 820 Biscayne.

Emeril’s Bistro 1397Specialty

Emeril Lagasse’s second restaurant at sea, in The Gateway, with a menu that travels beyond New Orleans.

Rudi’s SeagrillSpecialty

Chef Rudi Sodamin’s seafood restaurant with multi-course dinners.

Fahrenheit 555 SteakhouseSpecialty

Carnival’s signature steakhouse with aged cuts.

Bonsai Sushi and Bonsai TeppanyakiSpecialty

Sushi and sashimi made to order, and tableside teppanyaki.

Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | BrewhouseSpecialty

Smoked meats and house-brewed beers in Summer Landing.

Entertainment and activities

  • Playlist Productions shows including The Most Magnificent Circus, We Are One and Color My World, plus Celestial Strings and Amor Cubano
  • Center Stage in Celebration Central with a rotating lineup of live performances
  • BOLT roller coaster above The Ultimate Playground
  • Carnival WaterWorks with Blue Lightning, Orange Thunder and the Twister, and SportSquare with mini-golf, basketball and a ropes course
  • The Punchliner Comedy Club, Piano Bar 88 and Family Feud Live
  • Bars with a story: The Golden Jubilee, Aquaria Bar, Latitudes, Tropicale Bar, Bar 820, Alchemy Bar and the RedFrog Tiki Bar
  • Serenity adults-only retreat, the Havana pool and Loft 19
  • Cloud 9 Spa with thermal suites and a fitness center

Families and who it suits

Camp Ocean covers ages 2 to 11 (Penguins 2 to 5, Stingrays 6 to 8, Sharks 9 to 11) and on this ship includes Space Cruisers, a space-themed program created with the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex; Circle C serves ages 12 to 14 and Club O2 ages 15 to 17. Family Harbor rooms add a private family lounge, and The Ultimate Playground pairs WaterWorks with BOLT.

Best for: Families and couples who want Carnival’s newest big-ship features on a weeklong Caribbean cruise from Miami, with the Miami and world-travel themes giving her a different feel from Mardi Gras.

Sails from: Miami · Regions: Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean

Days ashore

Shore excursions in Carnival Celebration’s upcoming ports

The ports on Carnival Celebration’s next sailings. Pick one to see the tours Shore Excursions Group runs there, book before you sail and skip the line at the pier.

Ports from sailings departing Oct 25, 2026 onward; itineraries vary by date and your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the ports for your sailing. Tours are sold and operated by Shore Excursions Group, an independent tour company; SmartCruiser earns a commission on bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.

Carnival Celebration questions we answer every day

How big is Carnival Celebration?
Carnival Celebration measures 183,521 gross tons and is about 1,130 feet long. Carnival lists 5,362 guests at double occupancy and 1,735 crew. She is the second ship in the Excel Class after Mardi Gras, built by Meyer Turku in Finland, powered by liquefied natural gas and delivered in November 2022 for Carnival’s 50th anniversary.
How is Carnival Celebration different from Mardi Gras?
The layout and the big attractions are the same, including BOLT, WaterWorks, SportSquare and Loft 19, but three zones are new. 820 Biscayne replaces the French Quarter with a Miami theme, The Gateway replaces La Piazza with changing destination nights, and Celebration Central is the atrium. The Golden Jubilee and Aquaria bars celebrate retired Carnival ships.
Which staterooms are best on Carnival Celebration?
Family Harbor rooms and the five-berth Family Harbor Ocean View Suite suit families, with a private lounge and free kids’ dining in most specialty restaurants. Couples often pick Havana Cabanas for the patio and Havana pool or a Cloud 9 Spa balcony. The Carnival Excel Suites, up to the Presidential Suite, add concierge service and Loft 19.
What is included in the fare?
The fare covers the main dining rooms, Lido Marketplace, Big Chicken, Guy’s Burger Joint, Street Eats, Miami Slice, Deco Deli, Swirls and a first visit to Cucina del Capitano, plus Playlist Productions shows, the comedy club, WaterWorks, SportSquare, Serenity and the kids clubs. Emeril’s, Rudi’s, the steakhouse, Bonsai, BOLT, the spa, drinks and Wi-Fi are extra.
Where does Carnival Celebration sail in 2026 and 2027?
She sails 7-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises round trip from Miami through April 2028. Eastern Caribbean sailings visit ports such as Celebration Key, Amber Cove, Grand Turk, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan, RelaxAway Half Moon Cay and Nassau. Western Caribbean sailings call at Celebration Key, Cozumel and Isla Tropicale in Roatan.
What is Space Cruisers?
Space Cruisers is a Camp Ocean program for ages 2 to 11 found on Carnival Celebration, developed with the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Kids work through space-themed activities and experiments during the cruise as part of the included youth program, so it is a good pick for families with school-age children.

Facts checked against Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Celebration, Carnival newsroom: Carnival Celebration fact sheet, Carnival Cruise Line: Camp Ocean, Cruise Industry News: Carnival’s Excel Class to sail wider range of itineraries in 2027-28 on October 13, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.

Live from the cruise line

Every Carnival Celebration sailing, priced all-in

Every Carnival Celebration departure the cruise line is selling, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. SmartCruiser picks at the top are sailings where booking with us gets you something extra. Stack the filters, then sort by lowest price, best value per night or sail date.

Every Carnival Celebration sailing

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