Carnival Venezia Swaps Its Costa Yellow Funnel for Red, White and Blue

One of the most visible traces of Carnival Venezia’s former life with Costa Cruises has been scrubbed away. The 135,225-gross-ton vessel’s funnel received a new paint job on October 9, 2026, following a repositioning from New York to Port Canaveral.

When the ship was first transferred to Carnival in 2023, it initially retained its yellow stack. Cruise Hive reported in 2023 on the ship’s new hull livery, which honored the ship’s Italian theming and history with Costa Cruises. 

The funnel still retains its original straight funnel shape, rather than the whale-tail common on Carnival ships. However, the distinctive Costa yellow has been replaced with a traditional Carnival red, white, and blue color scheme.

Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald shared an up-close look at the new paint job on his Facebook page on October 12. This sparked discussion from cruisers, with many expressing mixed opinions on the change.

Some cruisers disapproved of the change. One person, sharing the news on Reddit, lamented the clear sign that the ship would be staying with Carnival Cruise Line long-term, rather than returning to Costa.

“I wish Carnival had returned them to Costa Cruises instead, but it is what it is,” the Reddit user said.

Others felt more positively about the repaint, with one commenter on Heald’s post saying they “didn’t care for the yellow.” Several guests felt the change did not go far enough, requesting that the ship be outfitted with the traditional Carnival whale-tail funnel.

“Looks better but it still needs a whale tail,” said one commenter.

“When will she get her ‘wings’?!” said another. “Looking better though!”

Many cruisers wondered if the change would also come to Carnival Venezia’s sister ship, Carnival Firenze, which was joined Carnival from Costa Cruises in 2024 and currently retains its yellow funnel. The cruise line has not confirmed whether Carnival Firenze will have its funnel repainted to match.

What Is Happening to “Fun Italian Style”?

Online discussions have fueled speculation that the change may indicate further changes coming to the ship’s identity. Some suggested that the vessel’s signature “Fun Italian Style” branding may be going away. 

“The Carnival Fun Italian Style is no more,” said the Reddit user sharing the update.

While the repaint integrates Carnival Venezia’s identity more closely with the rest of the Carnival fleet, it is not necessarily indicative of any additional changes. Despite the speculation, Carnival Cruise Line has not confirmed any change to the ship’s Italian-themed onboard experience. 

The “Carnival Fun Italian Style” branding is still visible on the ship’s hull, and the Italian-themed interiors and amenities remain. Further, the cruise line continues to advertise the trademarked branding on its website.  

Following the repositioning and subsequent repaint, the 4,090-guest ship kicked off its 2026-27 winter season with an 8-night Southern Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral on October 10, 2026. It is en route to visit Bonaire, Aruba, and Carnival’s Celebration Key before returning to Port Canaveral on October 18.