Carnival Cruise Line is preparing for its new flagship to begin revenue sailings on July 31. With so much interest in the much-anticipated new Carnival cruise ship, there will be plenty going on in the lead-up to her departure from Port Canaveral, Florida.
The cruise line is making final preparations for the first cruise. We’ll take a look at the scheduled releases by the Carnival Brand Ambassador and the itinerary for the July 31 pre-inaugural sailing.
Build-Up Schedule for Mardi Gras
Since Mardi Gras arrived at her new homeport in the U.S. for the first time on June 4, the anticipation has continued to grow. The ship is the largest ever for Carnival Cruise Line and brings in tons of new onboard experiences compared to the rest of the fleet.
Carnival Cruise Line Ambassador John Heald has been covering the Mardi Gras non-stop, but now, with just over one week until the ship departs on her first revenue cruise, the interest is huge. With many cruisers wondering what Carnival is doing in the build-up to the departure, Heald has posted a schedule.
Also Read: Carnival Cruise Line Releases August Restart Plan Including Mardi Gras
Heald is heading to Miami to prepare for the new cruise ship, and on Sunday, July 25, the cruise line Ambassador will be on the ship doing a walk around and filming. Carnival Cruise Line shoreside staff at the Miami headquarters will be spending the day onboard while the ship is docked at PortMiami. This will provide those working for Carnival a chance to learn more about the new vessel, which will result in providing better customer service to guests.
On Monday, July 26, Mardi Gras will depart PortMiami in the morning and head just north to Port Canaveral, the ship’s home. Heald will be on board to begin filming all the different cabin types that Mardi Gras offers.
On Tuesday, July 27-30th, The Carnival cruise ship will remain in Port Canaveral, and Heald will continue to post videos showcasing the ship. He plans to provide further details on menus, the entertainment offerings, and some interviews of those involved in designing the ship and executives. On the 30th, there will also be an event on board, giving travel agents the chance to have a first-look around.
July 31st Departure
After several days and almost a year later than originally planned, Mardi Gras will finally depart On July 31. This will undoubtedly be huge, but finally, paying guests will have the chance to experience the largest and most advanced ship in the Carnival fleet.
Heald will be on board during the first voyage and continue to post videos so everyone who follows him can find out what’s going on and see what the new ship is like with guests onboard.
Mardi Gras will sail on a seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise with a departure time of around 4:00 PM. There will be three fun days at sea and three ports of call before returning to Port Canaveral on August 7.
The first call will be to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Mardi Gras will be the first cruise ship to resume visits to the Caribbean cruise port. The second call will be at Carnival’s private resort of Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, and then the final call will take place in Nassau, Bahamas.
This will also be the first time passengers will experience the new LaunchPad Terminal 3 facility at Port Canaveral. The terminal has been waiting for the cruise industry to restart since 2020.
The terminal has been constructed to cater to Carnival Cruise Line’s new Excel-class ships powered by Liquified natural gas (LNG), such as Mardi Gras. The facility can refuel Mardi Gras with environmentally friendly fuel via a new articulated tug and barge nicknamed Q4K.
Mardi Gras will be sailing week-long itineraries alternating between the Eastern and Western Caribbean. The ship is 180,800 gross tons with a guest capacity of 5,282 at double occupancy along with 1,735 crew members.
She features 15 passenger decks and the first roller coaster at sea named BOLT. There are many new venues and experiences onboard across its six-themed zones including Grand Central, French Quarter, Summer Landing, the Ultimate Playground, La Piazza and Lido.
Related: Carnival’s Mardi Gras Cruise Ship – Everything You Need to Know
Keep checking Cruise Hive for all the latest developments as Carnival Cruise Line prepares for the first pre-inaugural voyage departing on July 31, 2021.
