New Carnival Cruise Line ship Carnival Celebration has been floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

The ship has now moved to the outfitting pier and into the next phase of construction.

Carnival Cruise Line senior vice-president of new builds, refurbishment and product innovation Ben Clement said: “This is the exciting part, after the float out, that’s when everything that everyone will love about the ship goes from blueprint to reality.

“When there’s a new ship coming, it’s always tough to pick your favorite part, but Carnival Celebration is going to make that choice tougher than ever when she makes her way to Miami.”

Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer added: “We are very proud to build this beautiful ship for Carnival Cruise Line.

“By the end of the summer, Carnival Celebration will be ready for her sea trial and then for delivery later in the autumn.”

Carnival Cruise Line’s LNG commitment

Carnival Celebration will sail a transatlantic voyage from Southampton to her PortMiami homeport in November 2022.

Its first sailing from Miami to the Caribbean will take place on 21 November.

The ship will feature six distinct zones, three of which have been specifically designed for Carnival Celebration. Details about these zones will be revealed soon.

Carnival Celebration is the second of three Excel-class ships in the Carnival fleet.

It follows Mardi Gras, which is currently sailing from Port Canaveral, and will be joined by Carnival Jubilee, set to sail from Galveston in 2023.

The Excel-class ships use a liquefied natural gas (LNG) technology platform, as part of the “company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and emissions reduction”, the cruise line said.