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

Carnival Jubilee: ship guide

Excel-class ship with BOLT and the Currents and Shores zones, year-round from Galveston.

Best for: Texas and Southwest families who want BOLT, the biggest WaterWorks in the fleet and Carnival’s newest ship on a 6- or 8-day Western Caribbean or Bahamas cruise from Galveston. Sails from Galveston in 2026 and 2027.

Carnival Jubilee
Carnival Jubilee
183,521gross tons
5,362guests at double occupancy
1,735crew
2023entered service
1,130 ftlong

About Carnival Jubilee

Carnival Jubilee is the third Excel-class ship and the first Carnival ship built at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. Delivered in December 2023 with the Star of Texas on her bow, she measures 183,521 gross tons, carries 5,362 guests at double occupancy with 1,735 crew and runs on liquefied natural gas. She is based year-round in Galveston and was the largest ship ever to homeport in Texas when she arrived.

Two zones are unique to this ship. Currents is inspired by the world beneath the waves, with six LED windows that run a Seaquest light show, the color-changing Dr.Inks, Ph.D. bar and the Golden Mermaid lounge. The Shores recalls beaches, boardwalks and piers with Coastal Slice pizza, Beach Buns sandwiches and the indoor-outdoor Marina Bar. Emeril’s Bistro 717, BOLT, the largest WaterWorks in the fleet and Loft 19 round out the Excel-class lineup.

From September 2026 Carnival Jubilee sails 6- and 8-day cruises round trip from Galveston. Six-day Western Caribbean sailings visit Cozumel and Isla Tropicale at Roatan, and 8-day sailings add Key West, Nassau, RelaxAway Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key in the Bahamas. She suits Texas and Southwest families who want Carnival’s newest hardware with a drive-to home port.

  • BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, with riders controlling the speed
  • Currents, an underwater-themed zone with six LED windows and the Seaquest show
  • The Shores, a beach and boardwalk zone with Coastal Slice, Beach Buns and the Marina Bar
  • Emeril’s Bistro 717 with New Orleans Creole and seafood
  • Dr.Inks, Ph.D., a bar of color-changing cocktails hosted by an octopus scientist, and The Golden Mermaid with live music
  • Carnival WaterWorks with three spiraling slides and twin racers, plus SportSquare
  • Loft 19 retreat with cabanas, included for Carnival Excel Suite guests
  • Star of Texas on the bow and year-round sailings from Galveston

Staterooms and suites

Interior

Standard and Premium Interior rooms, with Havana, Cloud 9 Spa and Family Harbor Interior versions that come with the perks of those programs.

Ocean View

Picture-window rooms, including Family Harbor Ocean View rooms by 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 close to the waterline, plus Cloud 9 Spa balcony and cove versions.

Havana Cabanas

Havana Cabana and Extended Cabana rooms with a private patio and daytime access to the Havana pool and bar for Havana guests only; all guests in Havana rooms must be 12 or older.

Family Harbor

Family Harbor Interior, Ocean View and five-berth Ocean View Suites with a separate bedroom; guests share the Family Harbor Lounge with breakfast, snacks, games and movies, kids eat free in most specialty restaurants and families get 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, Loft 19 access and priority cabana reservations.

Carnival Jubilee 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.
  • Bolt : Ultimate Sea CoasterIts a thrill you’re seeking, this is also the vacation for you. Meet BOLT the fastest and first rollercoaster at sea.

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 Jubilee

Cabana
Cabana
Z Spa
Z Spa
Zumbini
Zumbini
White Hot Night Party
White Hot Night Party
Waterworks
Waterworks
Watches
Watches
Volleyball
Volleyball
Video Arcade
Video Arcade
Twister Waterslide
Twister Waterslide
Turtles
Turtles
Tides Pool
Tides Pool
The Watering Hole
The Watering Hole

Dining on Carnival Jubilee

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, included for your first visit.

Big Chicken, Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina and Street EatsIncluded

Chicken sandwiches, Guy Fieri burgers, tacos and burritos, and street-food windows on Lido.

Coastal Slice and Beach BunsIncluded

Pizza and seaside sandwiches in The Shores zone.

Emeril’s Bistro 717Specialty

Emeril Lagasse’s New Orleans-style Creole and seafood restaurant, the third Emeril’s at sea.

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

Made-to-order sushi and tableside teppanyaki shows.

Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse and Seafood ShackSpecialty

Smoked barbecue with house-brewed beer in Summer Landing, and New England-style seafood baskets on Lido.

Entertainment and activities

  • Playlist Productions shows including Soulbound, Visual Symphony, Dear Future Husband, Celestial Strings and We Are One
  • Center Stage in Grand Central with a rotating lineup of live performances
  • BOLT roller coaster above The Ultimate Playground
  • Carnival WaterWorks and SportSquare with mini-golf, basketball and a ropes course
  • Seaquest light show in Currents, with Dr.Inks, Ph.D. and The Golden Mermaid bars
  • The Punchliner Comedy Club, Piano Bar 88 and Family Feud Live
  • 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 runs supervised programs for ages 2 to 11 (Penguins 2 to 5, Stingrays 6 to 8, Sharks 9 to 11), Circle C is for ages 12 to 14 and Club O2 for 15 to 17, with Night Owls late-night care for a fee. Family Harbor staterooms share a private lounge, and The Ultimate Playground combines WaterWorks, SportSquare and BOLT.

Best for: Texas and Southwest families who want BOLT, the biggest WaterWorks in the fleet and Carnival’s newest ship on a 6- or 8-day Western Caribbean or Bahamas cruise from Galveston.

Sails from: Galveston · Regions: Western Caribbean, Bahamas

Days ashore

Shore excursions in Carnival Jubilee’s upcoming ports

The ports on Carnival Jubilee’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 Jubilee questions we answer every day

How big is Carnival Jubilee?
Carnival Jubilee 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 third Excel-class ship, built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, powered by liquefied natural gas and delivered in December 2023 ahead of her first sailing from Galveston on December 23, 2023.
What makes Carnival Jubilee different from Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration?
The big attractions are shared, including BOLT, WaterWorks, SportSquare, Emeril’s Bistro and Loft 19, but Jubilee has two zones of her own. Currents is an underwater world with LED windows, the Seaquest show and the Dr.Inks, Ph.D. and Golden Mermaid bars, and The Shores is a beach-boardwalk zone with Coastal Slice, Beach Buns and the Marina Bar.
Which staterooms are best on Carnival Jubilee?
Families do well in Family Harbor rooms and the five-berth Family Harbor Ocean View Suite with the private lounge. Couples often choose Havana Cabanas for the patio and Havana pool, or a Cloud 9 Spa balcony for thermal suite access. The Carnival Excel Suites, up to the Presidential Suite with its wraparound balcony and hot tub, 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, BlueIguana Cantina, Street Eats, Coastal Slice, Beach Buns, Swirls and a first visit to Cucina del Capitano, plus the Playlist Productions shows, comedy, 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 Jubilee sail in 2026 and 2027?
She sails year-round from Galveston. Through summer 2026 she runs 7-day Western Caribbean cruises to Cozumel, Mahogany Bay and Costa Maya. From September 2026 the schedule changes to 6-day Western Caribbean cruises to Cozumel and Isla Tropicale at Roatan and 8-day cruises to Key West, Nassau, RelaxAway Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key.
Is Carnival Jubilee good for a first big-ship cruise from Texas?
Yes. Galveston is a drive-to port for much of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, and Jubilee was the largest ship ever based there when she arrived. Six zones spread the crowds, the kids clubs cover ages 2 to 17 and the 6-day itineraries fit a school-break week. Carnival Tropicale, the fifth Excel ship, joins her in Galveston in 2028.

Facts checked against Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Jubilee, Carnival newsroom: Carnival Jubilee fact sheet, Carnival Cruise Line: Camp Ocean, Travelweek: Carnival Cruise Line debuts new itineraries for 2026-27 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 Jubilee sailing, priced all-in

Every Carnival Jubilee 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 Jubilee sailing

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