Carnival Cruise Line has taken possession of a ship previously operated by Costa Cruises. The vessel is undergoing refurbishment and has been rechristened Carnival Venezia. Both cruise lines are operated by Carnival Corporation.
Costa Captain Tihomir Muzic transferred the ship to Carnival Captain Claudio Cupisti on March 22 in Cadiz, Spain, in the presence of additional leadership team members from both lines.
Carnival President Christine Duffy exclaimed, “We are so pleased to welcome Carnival Venezia to the fleet, which, following a dry dock, will debut as our first ‘Fun Italian Style’ ship this May. A big thank you to everyone from our sister line Costa and all those within the Carnival family who will work to add the Carnival touches to this ship over the next two months.”
The Carnival Venezia will embark on a 15-day transatlantic voyage from Barcelona on May 29, 2023, and will begin year-round sailings from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in New York on June 15, 2023. The ship will operate 22 varied itineraries and visit 25 ports in 14 countries. The 2019-built Carnival Venezia can accommodate 5,145 passengers and 1,391 crew members.
The ship’s architectural design is Italian. Its atrium was designed to resemble Venice’s Piazza San Marco, while the Lido deck was inspired by the Italian Riviera and features a retractable roof so that the pool can be used year-round.
La Strada Grill, serving traditional Italian street food, Tomodoro, a Mexican-Italian fusion restaurant, Amari, a bar with a menu similar to Alchemy, and Frizzante, serving prosecco and spritzes, Italian beer, Italian coffees, and biscotti, are just some of the new dining and drinking venues on the ship.
The Gondola Lounge was inspired by the canals of Venice, while the Carnevale Bar & Lounge celebrates Venetian masquerades during Carnival. The Italian Street Party, “where Little Italy meets Lido,” the Captain’s Venetian Toast, and Italian-inspired youth programming are among the new activities.
Carnival Venezia will include Carnival Waterworks, Piano Bar 88, Heroes Tribute Lounge, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi & Teppanyaki, Guy’s Burger Joint, Cloud 9 Salon & Spa, the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat, and Dr. Seuss Bookville, all of which are found on other Carnival ships.
