Carnival Cruise Line’s Enhanced Mardi Gras Returns To Service After First Drydock

Carnival Cruise Line’s Excel-class ship, Mardi Gras, returns to action today with a variety of fresh enhancements following a comprehensive dry dock in Marseilles, France.

The ship sets sail from Barcelona on a 15-day transatlantic journey back to her homeport of Port Canaveral, Fla., to resume the fun with a year-round schedule of cruises to stunning destinations in the Caribbean.

Image: Carnival Cruise Line

Among the new additions are new connecting doors across 100 staterooms offering more flexibility for multi-generational families and larger groups to enjoy their vacation together. Carnival Adventures was revamped with a new layout, providing guests with a seamless excursion booking experience. The ship’s casino has been expanded with new slot machines for guests to enjoy, and several retail venues were refreshed, including Tag Heuer, Breitling, Pandora and Swarovski. The ship also underwent a series of changes aimed at improving accessibility, including redesigned walkways and upgraded features in both public areas and guest cabins.

“Mardi Gras was a game-changer when she debuted as our first Excel-class ship, and now she’s setting the pace again as the first in her class to complete a dry dock,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “These updates not only enhance the onboard experience for families and groups but also signal the exciting direction we’re heading in with future fleet enhancements.”

Guests aboard Mardi Gras will enjoy a 15-day transatlantic sailing from Barcelona to Port Canaveral, featuring stops in Málaga and Cádiz (Seville), Spain; Tenerife, Canary Islands; and Carnival’s exclusive destination, Celebration Key. The 6,400-passenger ship will homeport in Port Canaveral year-round, where she will continue to offer seven- to nine- day itineraries visiting popular Caribbean destinations.

​In 2027, Mardi Gras will be the first Excel-class, and the biggest in the fleet, to offer short four- and five-day itineraries to the Caribbean.