Carnival Cruise Line · All Carnival Cruise Line ships · Excel Class
Carnival Tropicale: ship guide
The fifth and final Excel-class ship, sailing from Galveston from April 2028.
Best for: Texas families planning ahead for a brand-new ship with Carnival’s biggest waterpark on 4- to 8-day Caribbean, Bahamas and Mexico cruises from Galveston starting April 2028. Sails from Galveston in 2026 and 2027.
About Carnival Tropicale
Carnival Tropicale is the fifth and final ship in Carnival’s Excel Class, under construction at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany for delivery in 2028. Carnival announced in April 2026 that she will homeport in Galveston, where she joins Carnival Jubilee and will carry the Star of Texas on her bow. She is named for the 1982 MS Tropicale, the first ship Carnival designed from scratch and the one that introduced the winged funnel, and Carnival says she will carry more than 6,000 guests and run on liquefied natural gas.
She follows the family-first design of Carnival Festivale. Sunsation Point is a multi-deck family zone anchored by Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, with six slides including the SunSoaker and Turning Tides raft rides and the Racing Currents duelling slides, two splash pads including one for babies, Fairway 66 mini golf inspired by Route 66, the Treehouse adventure trail, the Vault Retrocade and sports courts, with extended evening hours. Grand Central, Summer Landing and Lido return with a tropical look, and Carnival says further entertainment inspired by the golden era of show business will be revealed.
Reservations opened in September 2026 for sailings from April 15, 2028. From Galveston she sails 4-, 5-, 6- and 8-day cruises to the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Mexico, visiting Carnival’s Paradise Collection destinations Celebration Key, RelaxAway Half Moon Cay, Isla Tropicale at Roatan and Puerta Maya at Cozumel, along with Progreso and Nassau. Dining includes Emeril’s Coastal Seafood, Fetaccine and Uku Lei Lei from Carnival’s The Next Course program.
- Fifth and final Excel-class ship, homeported in Galveston from April 15, 2028 with the Star of Texas on her bow
- Carnival WaterWorks Ultra with six slides, two family raft rides, racing slides and two splash pads
- Sunsation Point family zone with Fairway 66 mini golf, the Treehouse adventure trail, Vault Retrocade and sports courts
- Emeril’s Coastal Seafood, Fetaccine and Uku Lei Lei from The Next Course dining program
- Grand Central atrium with 14-foot LED screens and about 1,400 color-changing lights, with Center Stage shows
- Alchemy Bar, Piano Bar 88, The Punchliner Comedy Club and Family Feud Live
- Named for the 1982 MS Tropicale, Carnival’s first purpose-built ship
- Short 4- and 5-day cruises alongside 6- and 8-day Caribbean itineraries from Texas
Staterooms and suites
Interior
Standard Interior rooms with Havana and Cloud 9 Spa Interior versions; Carnival has not yet published stateroom counts or sizes.
Ocean View
Picture-window rooms, including Cloud 9 Spa Ocean View rooms with thermal suite access.
Balcony
Balcony rooms in the Excel-class range, with Cloud 9 Spa balcony versions by the spa.
Havana
Havana staterooms and suites near the Havana Bar & Pool, with daytime pool access for Havana guests only; all guests in Havana rooms must be 12 or older.
Suites
Cloud 9 Spa Suites and Carnival Excel Suites, which include concierge service and access to the Loft 19 retreat and its cabanas.
Carnival Tropicale 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
Spa, Loft 19 Cabanas & Pool.
- Loft 19You can have it both ways — take a break from the onboard excitement at Loft 19, an indulgent for relaxation featuring premium amenities, dedicated service, and elevated poolside lounging.
Cost: Additional Fee
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 Tropicale
Dining on Carnival Tropicale
Main Dining RoomsIncluded
Main restaurants with a changing three-course menu nightly.
Lido MarketplaceIncluded
The buffet with international stations and a family menu.
FetaccineIncluded
Greek seaside flavors meet Italian tradition, included in the fare.
Uku Lei LeiIncluded
Hawaiian-inspired dishes with bold Asian flavor, included in the fare.
Big Chicken, Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina and Street EatsIncluded
Chicken sandwiches, Guy Fieri burgers, tacos and street-food windows on Lido, with Swirls soft serve in two locations.
Emeril’s Coastal SeafoodSpecialty
Emeril Lagasse’s seafood restaurant with flavors from the Gulf to New England.
Fahrenheit 555 SteakhouseSpecialty
Carnival’s signature steakhouse with aged cuts.
Bonsai Sushi and Bonsai TeppanyakiSpecialty
Made-to-order sushi and tableside teppanyaki.
Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse and Seafood ShackSpecialty
Smokehouse barbecue with house-brewed beer in Summer Landing, and seafood baskets on Lido.
JavaBlue Café and Sunsation SipsSpecialty
Specialty coffees, and slushies and cocktails in Sunsation Point, all a la carte.
Entertainment and activities
- Playlist Productions and a rotating lineup on Center Stage in Grand Central
- Carnival WaterWorks Ultra with six slides and extended evening hours
- Fairway 66 mini golf, ropes course, Treehouse adventure trail and sports courts for basketball and pickleball
- The Vault Retrocade arcade
- The Punchliner Comedy Club, Piano Bar 88 and Family Feud Live
- Alchemy Bar, a vintage cocktail pharmacy with live music, plus RedFrog Tiki Bar, Grand View Bar and Heroes Tribute Lounge
- Serenity adults-only retreat, the Havana pool and Loft 19
- Cloud 9 Spa with thermal suites
Families and who it suits
Sunsation Point and WaterWorks Ultra with its baby splash pad are built for families, alongside Camp Ocean for ages 2 to 11, Circle C for 12 to 14 and Club O2 for 15 to 17; Carnival will confirm the full youth program closer to launch.
Best for: Texas families planning ahead for a brand-new ship with Carnival’s biggest waterpark on 4- to 8-day Caribbean, Bahamas and Mexico cruises from Galveston starting April 2028.
Sails from: Galveston · Regions: Western Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico
Shore excursions in Carnival Tropicale’s upcoming ports
The ports on Carnival Tropicale’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 Apr 15, 2028 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 Tropicale questions we answer every day
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Facts checked against Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Tropicale, Carnival newsroom: Carnival Tropicale reservations now open, setting sail from Galveston in 2028, Cruise Industry News: Carnival names Galveston home for new ship Tropicale, arriving 2028 on October 13, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.
Every Carnival Tropicale sailing, priced all-in
Every Carnival Tropicale 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.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery Carnival Tropicale sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. Onboard credit shown on a sailing is per stateroom and applies to the lowest category offered unless stated otherwise.