Commencing the official start of construction for the largest cruise ship ever built by Carnival Cruise Line, a keel-laying ceremony was held today at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, for Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras.
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The ceremony, which dates back hundreds of years, was highlighted by the placement of coins placed on top of a 750-ton keel block called 3C signifying good luck for the ship and the official start of construction.
Mardi Gras will be a stunning expression of the Carnival vacation experience offering a variety of groundbreaking innovations, including BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea; the first seagoing restaurant by legendary chef Emeril Lagasse; and six themed zones with a wide range of culinary, beverage and activity choices. Mardi Gras will also be the first cruise ship in North America to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), part of Carnival Corporation’s “green cruising” platform.
Jan Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku said:
“We have been very excited to design and now finally to start assembling Carnival Mardi Gras. All these different features onboard require a lot of engineering and design expertise which we have been happy to provide to our customer,”
Mardi Gras, which is scheduled to enter service in August 2020, will debut in Europe on August 31, 2020, then reposition to New York City for a series of cruises to Canada New England and the Caribbean before arriving at her new home of Port Canaveral. From Port Canaveral, Mardi Gras will sail year-round to the Eastern & Western Caribbean.
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