Carnival Celebration

The Excel-class design divides the ship into themed zones that operate as distinct spaces rather than a continuous generic deck layout. Celebration carries six zones including The Gateway (international themes, global street food), Summer Landing (outdoor games and casual food), La Piazza (Italian architecture and dining), Celebration Central (the central atrium where major entertainment happens), and Big Easy (New Orleans-inspired food and jazz lounge). Each zone has a coherent identity that makes the ship feel like multiple destinations rather than one large vessel.

BOLT — the shipboard roller coaster — is aboard Celebration as it is on Mardi Gras. The electric individual-vehicle coaster runs on the upper deck, giving riders control over speed within a safety range. The attraction draws a crowd on sea days; arriving early or booking through the app reduces wait time. Beyond BOLT, the Excel class sports complex includes a basketball court, mini golf, and the WaterWorks park with Tidal Wave and Kaleid-o-Slide.

Miami homeport is the most connected in the Carnival fleet for international guests and East Coast fly-ins. The port's proximity to Miami International Airport makes same-day embarkation straightforward. Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, and Southern Caribbean itineraries all appear in the Celebration schedule, giving the ship one of the broadest itinerary ranges in the Carnival portfolio.

Carnival Celebration and Carnival Mardi Gras are essentially sister ships with minor differences. Mardi Gras has Emeril Lagasse's Emeril's Bistro; Celebration carries Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken restaurant — a fried chicken concept from the NBA legend that leans into Carnival's celebrity partnership model. For Miami-based guests or those willing to fly in, Celebration offers the full Excel-class experience from the Carnival's most prominent homeport.