22nd Mar 2025 | 7 nights | Carnival Cruise Line | Carnival Jubilee
When it debuts in October 2023, the 5,400-passenger Carnival Jubilee will become Carnival Cruise Line's third Excel-class vessel and sister to ship to Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration. It will homeport in Galveston, becoming the largest Carnival ship based at the Texas port.
Carnival Jubilee is currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Turku, Finland. The ship will share features from its two siblings which include six themed indoor areas, BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, 20 different cabin categories and a three-deck atrium overlooking the ocean that converts to an entertainment venue at night. The ship will also be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) as part of Carnival's commitment to sustainability and emissions reduction. Carnival has said the ship will also feature some "surprises" that will be revealed at a later date.
Carnival Jubilee's Maiden Voyage Is October 2023 Carnival Jubilee sets sail on October 30, 2023 on its inaugural voyage from Southampton, U.K. The 17-night transatlantic voyage will call at the Port of Vigo in Spain, Las Palmas and Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Funchal in Portugal and Grand Turk, before arriving at the Port of Galveston, Texas.
Carnival Jubilee will homeport in Galveston and sail Western Caribbean itineraries beginning November 18, 2023 through August 2023. Carnival Jubilee will sail six-night Western Caribbean itineraries from its homeport of Galveston that will feature three sea days and stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; and Roatan Island, Honduras.
Carnival Jubilee will be 182,800 gross tons and carry 5,400 passengers at double occupancy, with 1,700 crew.
Please note features described and depicted are based on information available in summer 2022. Facilities are subject to change without notice.
Budget-conscious, gregarious families, couples and solos looking for an unpretentious vibe that's all about having fun
Anyone who doesn't appreciate off-color humor, lively hairy chest contests, burgers and BBQ, and thumping music
Carnival Cruise Line sells itself as the "fun" cruise line, and it attracts cruisers who are looking to have a good time with little to no pretensions. Carnival cruisers, who range from young to old, tend to be quite friendly, looking to strike up conversations with other people in the buffet, by the pool and, really, anywhere. Carnival is also one of the most family-oriented lines in the industry, and you're bound to see lots of kids onboard, even during the school year. When school is out, you can expect the number of kids to be well into the hundreds. The line is also popular for family reunions, and bachelor and bachelorette parties. People on Carnival cruise ships hail primarily from the United States, mainly the south and Midwest, but you'll also meet folks from Canada, England and usually a handful of other European countries.
Carnival cruises are casual, with shorts, tee shirts, capris, swimsuits or swim cover-ups de rigueur during the day (no bathing suites in the dining venues, however). Most nights the dress code remains much the same, minus the swimwear, though technically the cruise line asks that people not wear shorts into the main dining room. The policy is inconsistently upheld. On "elegant" nights, you'll see a range of clothing from ball gowns, dresses that leave little to the imagination, tuxes and suits to the same shorts and tees people sport all day long. Most men, however, opt for long trousers and collared shirts, while women don sundresses, or a skirt or trousers with a blouse. Men are not required to wear a suit jacket or tie in any venue.
No. While Carnival is one of the more inclusive cruise lines when it comes to dining, you will still have to pay extra for some specialty dining, all drinks (alcoholic and non, except water, select juice at breakfast, and coffee and tea), shore excursions, visits to the spa and any retail purchases, including photos.
Aside from the main pool, which is the hub of much of the line's fun activities, almost every Carnival cruise ship also has at least one waterslide, with several having multi-slide water parks. Additionally, several have a top-deck SportSquare that features a colourful collection of outdoor amusements, including Ping-Pong, billiards, foosball, mini-golf, Twister and a SkyCourse ropes course. On the line's newest ships (Vista and Horizon), there's also the SkyRide, a recumbent bike attraction suspended 150 feet up in the air, requiring riders to pedal their way around an 800-foot track that wraps around the outer decks. Inside, you'll find activities that range from trivia and Bingo during the day to comedy shows and high-tech song-and-dance revues at night. Carnival ships also have lively bar nightlife, especially on ships with a RedFrog Pub; there's also an always-busy casino.