Debut postponed for Carnival Cruise Line’s largest ship

Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed that its largest ever vessel, the LNG-powered 5,200-passenger Mardi Gras, will begin revenue sailings two months later than originally scheduled after delays were encountered at the shipyard where it is being built.

Carnival said in a statement that it will now take delivery of the ship in late October 2020 and its first revenue sailing will depart from Port Canaveral on November 14. Consequently, the first eight sailings that were scheduled starting August 31 have been cancelled, including European, transatlantic, and New York-based itineraries and four Port Canaveral itineraries.

The company said that the change in delivery date was necessary to make sure all of the ship’s systems, features, and technology will be fully operational.

Mardi Gras is currently under construction at the facilities of Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku.