Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri held a ceremony in Monfalcone on 10 July to mark three decades of collaboration with Carnival Corporation, coinciding with the first steel cutting for a new vessel to be named Carnival Destiny — the first of three Ace-class ships ordered by Carnival Cruise Line.

The new Carnival Destiny is the first of three vessels in the series, with deliveries scheduled for 2029, 2031 and 2033. The ship will be powered by LNG and, according to Fincantieri, equipped with technologies aimed at improving energy efficiency, waste management and emissions reduction.

The ceremony was attended by Micky Arison, Chairman of Carnival Corporation; Josh Weinstein, Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Corporation; and Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line. On the Fincantieri side, Chairman Biagio Mazzotta, CEO Pierroberto Folgiero, Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of the Merchant Ships Division, and Cristiano Bazzara, Director of the Monfalcone shipyard, were present. Luca Fasan, Mayor of Monfalcone, along with civil and military authorities, also attended.

The Monfalcone yard has a direct historical connection to the Carnival Destiny name. In 1996, the same facility delivered the original Carnival Destiny, which was the world’s first cruise ship to exceed 100,000 gross tons at the time of its delivery.

Since that delivery, Fincantieri says it has delivered 76 ships across the Carnival Corporation portfolio, including 15 vessels for Carnival Cruise Line specifically.