Carnival Cruise Line has held the keel-laying ceremony for its new ship Mardi Gras, which launches in August 2020.

The event took place at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. Carnival’s senior vice-president of newbuilds Ben Clement and Mardi Gras captain Giuseppe Giusa, chief engineer Ferdinando Ruocco and hotel director Pierre Camilleri joined Meyer Turku CEO Jan Meyer at the festivities.

Mardi Gras will debut in Europe on 31 August 2020 then reposition to New York for a series of voyages before shifting to Port Canaveral for year-round Caribbean departures.

Clement said: “This is a historic day for Carnival – the official start of construction of the spectacular Mardi Gras, which will usher in an exciting new chapter for our company and introduce so many guest-pleasing innovations.”

Mardi Gras will be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which is part of Carnival’s green cruising platform. It will also feature BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, and six themed zones with a wide range of culinary, beverage and activity choices.

Guests will be able to experience Street Eats, RedFrog Tiki Bar and The Watering Hole, among many other outlets, as well as a Big Chicken restaurant by Carnival’s chief fun officer Shaquille O’Neal.

Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy explained: “Great food and beverage experiences are at the core of any holiday, especially at Carnival. We always strive to provide our guests with the most diverse options possible, but the sheer variety of food and beverage venues on board Mardi Gras is unlike anything we’ve ever offered before.

“Our culinary and beverage teams continue to innovate, ensuring that we have an array of new and exciting options in addition to long-time Carnival favourites our guests love.”

Further details regarding on-board activities and themes will be announced over the coming months.