Carnival's first Ace Class ship, named Celebrity Destiny, had its steel-cutting ceremony at Fincantieri's shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, on July 10, 2026.
A steel-cutting ceremony celebrates the official milestone of starting construction on a new cruise ship, commemorating the moment the first piece of steel is cut.
Executives from Carnival Corporation & plc. were in attendance, including the CEO of Carnival Corporation, Josh Weinstein; President of Carnival Cruise Line, Christine Duffy; and Chairman of the Carnival Corporation Board of Directors, Micky Arison.
Celebrity Destiny will be the first Ace Class cruise ship to join Carnival's fleet. Not only that, but she will be the largest cruise ship the line has ever built, coming in at approximately 230,000 gross tons.
This puts her around the same size as Oasis Class ships, which have set new standards for scale, amenities, and onboard experiences since 2009.
Utopia of the Seas, for instance, measures 236,473 gross tons, according to Royal Caribbean. Additionally, Oasis of the Seas comes in at 226,838 gross tons.
"With this steel-cutting, we begin construction on a new class of ships for Carnival Cruise Line, which we are officially calling Ace Class," said Duffy.
"And the name of the first ship in this new class will carry a name that I think will bring meaning for all of us because we are building on our history while we move forward with the new Carnival Destiny. Like her original, she is a big step forward, not only for Carnival, but we believe for the industry.”
Carnival Project Ace: What We Know So Far
Although Carnival has officially released the name of the first Ace Class ship, many details about the new class of vessels remain under wraps.
That said, we do know a couple of key features that will distinguish Carnival Destiny from other vessels in the fleet — and world.
For starters, the 8,000-passenger ship will have over 3,000 cabins, including the largest number of ocean-facing balcony staterooms at sea.
On a similar note, Ace Class ships will be the most outward-facing ships, with over 4.5 acres of glass to help foster a strong connection between guests and the ocean.
Moreover, over half of Carnival Destiny's venues and attractions, 70% to be exact, will be completely new to the cruise line, introducing a range of new dining concepts, entertainment options, and onboard experiences.
Finally, Carnival Destiny will sail to destinations in the Paradise Collection by Carnival, which comprises the largest portfolio of exclusive destinations in the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Mexico, and is expected to enter service during the summer of 2029.
Carnival Destiny will be joined by two additional Ace Class ships in 2031 and 2033, respectively.
"Carnival Destiny builds on a legacy that changed cruising once before, reimagining what guests can experience at sea," Duffy added.
"With this ship, we're elevating the guest experience again creating a ship that feels more expansive, while helping guests feel more connected and ultimately have more fun."
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
