TURKU,
Finland - Carnival Cruise Line’s largest ship, the 5,282-passenger Mardi Gras,
was floated out in a ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
After being put in the water for the
first time, the vessel was repositioned to a new location at the yard to
finalise its interior and exterior outfitting.
The Bolt, the first roller coaster at
sea, will be installed in the coming weeks as part of the Ultimate Playground
outdoor recreation area.
The vessel will debut a new atrium
concept with three-deck floor-to-ceiling windows and moveable LED screens. New
restaurants will include Emeril’s Bistro 1396, created by celebrity chef Emeril
Lagasse.
The Mardi Gras will be the first cruise
ship in North America powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The 2,600-cabin ship is scheduled to
debut Nov. 14. It will sail year-round, seven-day cruises to the Caribbean and
Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Florida.
“We can’t wait for our guests to
experience Mardi Gras, a one-of-a-kind ship that is true game-changer and
continues the evolution of the Carnival vacation experience,” said Ben Clement,
Carnival’s senior vice president of newbuilds.