Carnival Cruise Line performed the keel-laying ceremony for the Carnival Jubilee at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, on 21JUL. This marks a construction milestone for the vessel, which will begin sailing from Galveston, Texas in 2023 as the cruise line's third cruise ship to be powered by liquified natural gas (LNG).
Wearing cowboy-shaped hard hats, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy was joined by Meyer Werft Managing Director Bernard Meyer and Carnival's Senior Vice President of Newbuilds Ben Clement, among others, to celebrate the construction milestone by placing coins under a 375-ton keel block.
The coins signify good luck for the ship and will remain under its foundation as the structure is built. One of the ship’s lucky coins is an official ship coin, which commemorates part of Carnival history while celebrating its future by showing Carnival Jubilee alongside the original MS Jubilee from 1986. The coins will later be placed in a special compartment near Carnival Jubilee’s mast as permanent fixtures of the ship.
“Our plans for Texas are as big as the state itself, and we’re looking forward to bringing guests aboard our third Excel-class ship that will be just as magnificent as her sister ships Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration. I’m ecstatic to be here for this important moment and witness construction now officially underway,” said Duffy.
Carnival Jubilee will be the first Carnival Cruise Line ship built in Papenburg, Germany. Meyer Werft has already built four other LNG-powered ships for other cruise lines under Carnival Corporation.
As the newest ship in the Excel class, Carnival Jubilee will share many of the same features as on Mardi Gras – including the BOLT, "The Ultimate Sea Coaster." It will also feature unique experiences and signature venues of its own, and Carnival said more details will be shared about those aspects closer now that construction is underway.
Carnival Jubilee will begin sailing from Galveston in NOV 2023 and will offer seven-day Western Caribbean cruise vacations with stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, as well as Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan), Honduras.
For more information on Carnival Cruise Line, visit its web site.
