Mardi Gras cruise ship: who it suits, its itinerary and which cabin to book
The Mardi Gras cruise ship is Carnival's first Excel-class ship and the one with the first roller coaster at sea, sailing from Port Canaveral near Orlando. It runs 7-day Caribbean cruises until mid-May 2027, then switches to 4- and 5-day Bahamas trips, which makes it one of the biggest ships you can book for a short cruise.
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Book it if
- You want a big, fun ship with casual food and bars rather than formal dining.
- You can get to Port Canaveral and want a Caribbean week, or from late May 2027 a 4- or 5-day Bahamas trip.
- Your kids or teens would ride BOLT twice a day if you let them.
Skip it if
- Crowds bother you. Sea days and pool decks are busy on a ship this size.
- You want the best restaurants included. Steakhouse, sushi and teppanyaki all cost extra.
- You want long, port-intensive trips. These are mainstream Caribbean and Bahamas routes.
Mardi Gras at a glance
- Line
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Class
- Excel
- Entered service
- 2021
- Gross tonnage
- 181,808
- Guests
- About 5,282 (double occupancy)
- Crew
- About 2,000
- Decks
- 18
Part of the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. Sister ships: Carnival Celebration, Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Festivale, Carnival Tropicale. Home ports: Port Canaveral.
Mardi Gras was built by Meyer Turku in Finland and, after pandemic delays, started sailing from Port Canaveral in July 2021. It was the first cruise ship based in North America to run on liquefied natural gas, and Port Canaveral built its Cruise Terminal 3 for it. With every bed filled it can carry about 6,500 guests, so school-holiday sailings are much fuller than the double-occupancy figure suggests.
Who it suits
Families with kids and teens. BOLT, the WaterWorks slides and the SportSquare with mini-golf and a ropes course keep children busy. Our family cruise guide compares it with other big family ships.
Groups and friends who want casual food, bars and shows more than formal dining. The ship is split into six zones, so there’s always somewhere new to try.
Short-break cruisers from late May 2027. Mardi Gras becomes Carnival’s first Excel-class ship on 4- and 5-day trips, a way to try the newest Carnival style without a full week’s fare. See our short cruise guide.
Who should look elsewhere: couples who want quiet or a premium feel. Our adults-only picks are a better start.
Standout features
- BOLT: Carnival bills it as the first roller coaster at sea. Riders control their speed on an 800-foot track at up to 40 mph. It costs extra.
- Six zones: Grand Central, the French Quarter, Summer Landing, La Piazza, the Lido and the Ultimate Playground, each with its own restaurants and bars.
- Carnival WaterWorks: a water park with three slides, Blue Lightning, Orange Thunder and Twister.
- SportSquare: mini-golf, basketball and a ropes course.
- Shows and bars: Family Feud Live, Playlist Productions shows, The Brass Magnolia, the Fortune Teller bar and the RedFrog Tiki Bar.
- Loft 19: a retreat with lounges, infinity whirlpools and rentable cabanas.
Cabins to pick, cabins to avoid
Mardi Gras has interior, ocean view and balcony staterooms, plus several themed groups: Havana staterooms and suites, Cloud 9 Spa staterooms and suites, Family Harbor staterooms and suites, and Carnival Excel Suites.
Pick:
- Family Harbor cabins if you have young children: they sit near a lounge for Family Harbor guests with breakfast, daytime snacks, board games, family movies and video games. Carnival also says kids eat free in most specialty restaurants and get one free evening of Night Owls babysitting.
- Havana cabins if you want a quieter pool area: they sit near the Havana Bar & Pool, which is reserved for Havana guests. Everyone staying in a Havana cabin must be 12 or older.
- Carnival Excel Suites if the budget allows: they include concierge service, access to Loft 19 and priority cabana reservations.
- Midship balconies for the least motion and the shortest walks.
Avoid or think twice:
- Cabins below the Lido deck, BOLT track or SportSquare if you sleep late.
- Cabins next to bars, lounges and show venues if you go to bed early.
- Forward and aft cabins if you’re prone to seasickness. Midship on a deck with cabins above and below is the calmest choice.
Dining and activities
Carnival lists Big Chicken, Street Eats, Chibang! and Cucina del Capitano as included, alongside the main dining rooms and the Lido buffet. For Chibang! and Cucina del Capitano, the first meal is included and later visits carry a small charge.
Extra-cost venues include Emeril’s Bistro 1396, Rudi’s Seagrill, Bonsai Sushi, Bonsai Teppanyaki and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse. Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse has a free menu at lunchtime.
Drinks packages, Wi-Fi and gratuities are extra, as they are across Carnival Cruise Line. Our all-inclusive cruise guide shows how the add-ons compare with lines that include more.
Mardi Gras cruise ship itinerary for 2026–2027
- Through mid-May 2027, 7-day Caribbean from Port Canaveral: Eastern Caribbean trips calling at ports such as Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, Nassau, RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key, Carnival’s destination on Grand Bahama, plus Western Caribbean trips (a 7-day Western Caribbean sailing in October 2026 was on sale when we checked).
- From late May 2027, 5-day Bahamas: Celebration Key, RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay and Nassau.
- From Memorial Day weekend 2027, 4-day Bahamas: Celebration Key and RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay.
The switch comes as Carnival Festivale, the next Excel-class ship, arrives in spring 2027. Port Canaveral is about an hour’s drive from Orlando International Airport.
| Departs | Line and ship | Nights | Itinerary | From | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2026 | Carnival Cruise Line, Mardi Gras | 7 | 7 Day Western Caribbean (from Port Canaveral, Florida) | $509 | Check price |
| May 22, 2027 | Carnival Cruise Line, Mardi Gras | 5 | 5 Day Bahamas (from Port Canaveral, Florida) | $559 | Check price |
| May 27, 2027 | Carnival Cruise Line, Mardi Gras | 4 | 4 Day Bahamas (from Port Canaveral, Florida) | $539 | Check price |
Sister ships
Mardi Gras is the first of Carnival’s Excel class. Carnival Celebration (2022) sails from Miami and is the biggest in the fleet, and Carnival Jubilee (2023) started its career in Galveston. Carnival Festivale is due in spring 2027 and Carnival Tropicale in 2028. The ships share the same zone layout and BOLT, so a sister is close to the same trip if its dates or port suit you better.
Mardi Gras FAQ
How big is the Mardi Gras cruise ship?
181,808 gross tons, with room for 5,282 guests at double occupancy and about 6,500 with every bed filled, plus around 2,000 crew over 18 decks.
Where does Mardi Gras sail from?
Port Canaveral, Florida, where it has been based since 2021. It sails 7-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises until mid-May 2027, then 4- and 5-day Bahamas trips.
Does the Mardi Gras have a roller coaster?
Yes. BOLT was the first roller coaster at sea, with an 800-foot track and speeds up to 40 mph. Rides cost extra.
Which is better, Mardi Gras or Carnival Celebration?
They’re the same class and very similar. Celebration is slightly larger and newer and sails from Miami; Mardi Gras sails from Port Canaveral. Choose on departure port, dates and trip length.
What are the six zones on Mardi Gras?
Grand Central, the French Quarter, Summer Landing, La Piazza, the Lido and the Ultimate Playground.
Sources
- Carnival Cruise Line: Mardi Gras ship page (zones, dining, activities, staterooms)
- Carnival Cruise Line: 7-day Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral on Mardi Gras
- Carnival newsroom: first short itineraries aboard Mardi Gras in 2027/28 (August 2025)
- CruiseBound: Mardi Gras sailings (listings checked September 2026)
- Wikipedia: Mardi Gras (builder, tonnage, capacity, crew, decks, BOLT)
- Wikipedia: Excellence-class cruise ship (Excel-class sisters)
- Wikipedia: Carnival Celebration (sister ship specs)
- Wikipedia: Carnival Jubilee (sister ship specs)