🍝Extra
Cucina del Capitano
Sit-down Italian restaurant of the captain's family recipes: pasta, and hearty classics.
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Fun & valueMardi Gras
Excel class · Carnival
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Verified from official sources· checked Jul 19, 2026 specs verified from official cruise-line sources
The right ship depends on your dates, party and budget. Call and we'll match you.
☎Find the right ship, call nowMardi Gras is part of Carnival's fleet, built to the Excel class. Below are the verified basics; sailings, itineraries, cabins and the current rate change constantly, one call to a specialist confirms exactly what's open for your dates and the best rate our partners can offer.
Illustrative
The basics, verified
Ship classExcel
Entered service2021
Guests5,270
Gross tonnage180,800
Every figure here traces to a published source and is re-checked on our normal schedule. Anything we haven't confirmed shows as a gap rather than a guess.
Want Mardi Gras for your dates? A specialist checks live availability and holds the best cabin for you, call now.
Call now · +1-833-684-4250The ship at a glance
First-in-class Excel ship (2021) and Carnival's first LNG-powered vessel, organized into six themed zones and home to BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea.
Who it's for
Big multigenerational families and thrill-seekers who want the newest, largest and most feature-packed Carnival ship.
Where & when it sails
Port Canaveral, FL, year-round Caribbean
Not sailing your dates or from your port? Call, we'll find the ship that is.
Call now · +1-833-684-4250Food & dining
16 places to eat, 8 included in your fare, 8 specialty.
🥢Extra
Chibang!
Fusion restaurant that blends Chinese and Mexican dishes on one menu.
🍽️Included
Street Eats
Trio of open-air street-food stations (Steam Dream, Mad Sizzle, Time Fries).
🍗Included
Big Chicken
Shaquille O'Neal's fried-chicken spot for chicken sandwiches, strips and baskets.
🍔Included
Guy's Burger Joint
Guy Fieri's poolside burger joint: cooked-to-order burgers, hand-cut fries and a loaded toppings bar.
🦐Included
Seafood Shack
New England-style casual seafood counter for lobster rolls, fish & chips and chowder.
🌮Included
BlueIguana Cantina
Mexican taqueria serving build-your-own tacos and burritos with fresh-made tortillas and a salsa bar.
☕Included
JavaBlue Cafe
Specialty coffee bar serving espresso drinks, pastries and grab-and-go bites (cover charge).
🍕Included
Pizzeria del Capitano
Around-the-clock counter for hand-stretched Italian-style pizza made to order.
🥞Included
Piazza Panini
Counter for pressed Italian panini sandwiches.
🥐Extra
Emeril's Bistro 1396
Emeril Lagasse's New Orleans-style bistro serving Creole and Cajun seafood favorites.
🥩Extra
Rudi's Seagrill
Master chef Rudi Sodamin's elegant specialty restaurant built around refined seafood dishes.
🥩Extra
Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse
Carnival's upscale steakhouse serving premium steaks, seafood and chops in a fine-dining setting (cover charge).
🍣Extra
Bonsai Sushi
Sit-down Japanese restaurant for sushi, sashimi, ramen and Asian-inspired seafood.
🍤Extra
Bonsai Teppanyaki
Interactive Japanese teppanyaki where a chef cooks your meal tableside on a hot grill (cover charge).
🍸Extra
Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse
Guy Fieri's hickory-smoked Southern BBQ, paired on newer ships with house Parched Pig craft brews.
Want a specialty table booked before you sail? Our team sets it up when you call.
Call now · +1-833-684-4250Things to do
✨
BOLT sea roller coaster
The first roller coaster at sea, an all-electric, two-seat motorcycle ride that laps the top-deck track (extra charge).
🛝
Carnival WaterWorks (Blue Lightning, Orange Thunder, Twister slides)
Top-deck aqua park with racing and spiraling waterslides and splash-zone fun for all ages.
⛳
SportSquare mini-golf
Open-air sports zone with a suspended ropes course, mini-golf, basketball court and games.
⛳
full-court basketball
Open-air sports zone with a suspended ropes course, mini-golf, basketball court and games.
🧗
ropes course
Open-air sports zone with a suspended ropes course, mini-golf, basketball court and games.
🏊
Havana Bar & Pool
Cuban-themed pool and bar, reserved for Havana-stateroom guests during the day.
🛥️
Serenity Adult-Only Retreat
Adults-only retreat with loungers, hammocks, hot tubs and a bar for a quiet escape.
💆
Cloud 9 Spa thermal suites
Full-service spa with thermal suites, saunas, treatment rooms and salon (treatments extra).
♨️
Loft 19 infinity whirlpool
Exclusive suite-guest sundeck retreat with private cabanas and an infinity whirlpool (cabanas extra).
A specialist knows which Mardi Gras experiences book up fast, and locks them in for you.
Call now · +1-833-684-4250Entertainment & nightlife
🎭
Playlist Productions
Carnival's high-energy song-and-dance Playlist Productions staged in the main theater.
🎵
Family Feud Live
Live version of the Family Feud game show played on an authentic set with guest teams.
🎤
The Punchliner Comedy Club
Punchliner Comedy Club with family-friendly early shows and adult late-night sets.
🎵
Piano Bar 88
Sing-along Piano Bar 88 where an entertainer takes requests late into the night.
🎵
The Brass Magnolia jazz bar
Southern-estate jazz bar with live music and New Orleans cocktails (drinks extra).
🍸
Fortune Teller bar
Mystical French-Quarter-themed cocktail bar (drinks extra).
🍸
RedFrog Tiki Bar
Two-deck South Pacific-themed tiki bar for frozen and tropical drinks.
Kids, teens & families
Camp Ocean for ages 2-11 (Penguins 2-5, Sharks 6-8, Stingrays 9-11), Circle “C” for tweens 12-14, and Club O2 for teens 15-17, plus Night Owls late-night care.
🐠
Camp Ocean
Ocean-themed clubs split by age, Penguins (2-5), Sharks (6-8) and Stingrays (9-11), with games, crafts and marine-science play.
🎮
Circle “C”
A tweens-only space with its own games, music and social events.
🎧
Club O2
A teens-only hangout for older kids to meet up away from the younger crowd.
🌙
Night Owls
Late-night supervised care so parents can enjoy the evening.
Carnival's kids clubs run fleet-wide; exact venues and hours for your ship and dates are confirmed on the call.
Districts & zones
📍
Grand Central
Multi-deck glass-walled atrium, the ship's social heart that becomes an entertainment venue at night.
📍
French Quarter
New Orleans-themed zone with Creole dining, jazz and specialty cocktails.
📍
Summer Landing
Backyard-BBQ poolside zone built for relaxed, laid-back days.
📍
La Piazza
Italian-themed zone celebrating seafaring traditions with family-style dining.
📍
Lido
The classic poolside hub with the main pool, casual dining and bars.
🎠
The Ultimate Playground
Top-deck family zone home to BOLT, WaterWorks and SportSquare.
📍
Havana
Cuban-themed pool, bar and stateroom neighborhood (pool exclusive to Havana guests by day).
🧗
Family Harbor
Nautical family stateroom neighborhood with an exclusive lounge for meals, games and movies.
💆
Cloud 9 Spa
The ship's spa neighborhood with thermal suites, treatment rooms and spa staterooms.
📍
Loft 19
Exclusive suite-guest sundeck with private cabanas and an infinity whirlpool.
Bridge cam
No bridge cam published for this ship.
Other Excel ships
Helpful guides
Free, factual reading to help you decide, then one call books it.
First-time cruisersWhat nobody tells you before your first sailing, from boarding to disembark.Read guide →
Choosing a cabinInterior to suite, what you get, what to watch for, and the cabins to avoid.Read guide →
What's includedThe gap between the fare and your final bill, explained plainly.Read guide →
Cruise gratuities explainedThe daily service charge, how it works, who it goes to, and how to plan for it.Read guide →
Are drink packages worth it?How to tell, plus the whole-cabin rule that catches people out.Read guide →
Cruise Wi-Fi explainedPackages, tiers and what to realistically expect at sea.Read guide →
Hidden cruise costsThe extras first-timers forget to budget for, in one checklist.Read guide →
What to pack for a cruiseThe smart carry-on and cabin checklist, plus what not to bring.Read guide →
Cruise embarkation dayWhat to expect on day one, step by step, from terminal to sailaway.Read guide →
Big ship vs small shipFloating resort or intimate vessel? How to pick the size that fits.Read guide →
Solo cruisingThe single supplement, solo cabins, and how to travel alone well.Read guide →
Groups & familiesConnecting cabins, kids' clubs, group dining and split payments, sorted.Read guide →
Accessible cruisingAccessible cabins, tendering, and what to confirm before you book.Read guide →Sail on Mardi Gras?
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