Live · sailing at 13 kn · Costa Maya
Carnival Cruise Line · CCL EXCEL (XL)
Carnival Jubilee
Guests
5,347 – 6,631
Crew
1,735
Cabins
2,626
Length
345 m
Space ratio
29
Homeport pattern
Galveston
Where she is right now
En route · Costa Maya· 9/16/2026, 1:26:29 AM· Course 342°
Position
16.72°N, 86.85°W
Heading
342° · COG 339°
Speed
13 kn
Destination
Costa Maya
Our take · opinion
Texas XL with BOLT
We put Carnival Jubilee in the XL Fun Ship lane for Texas families who want neighborhoods, WaterWorks, and the BOLT sea coaster—homeported in Galveston for Western Caribbean weeks.
We experience Jubilee as Excellence-class Carnival built for volume and spectacle. Six zones keep the week readable: Grand Central for atrium nights, Currents for LED underwater immersion, The Shores for boardwalk bites, Summer Landing for BBQ and the infinity pool, and The Ultimate Playground when someone wants WaterWorks or a ride on BOLT. Our advice is simple—pick a home-base zone on day one so a ship this size works for you instead of against you.
Cabin strategy follows the XL template. Balconies are the default; we’d book Havana when a patio and exclusive sundeck matter, Family Harbor for Camp Ocean adjacency, and Cloud 9 Spa for wellness amenities. Carnival Excel suites add Loft 19 access and VIP flow, which is useful on a ship this size, so ask us about noise under Lido versus quieter midship banks before you lock a category.
Food-wise, we treat Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana, and Guy’s Pig & Anchor as the free backbone, then spend on Emeril’s Bistro 717, Fahrenheit 555, or Rudi’s Seagrill. Versus Mardi Gras and Celebration, Jubilee is the Galveston-first German-built XL with ocean-themed Currents and The Shores instead of French Quarter / La Piazza. Confirm sailings below and we’ll lock cabin and extras.
She's for
- Texas and drive-to families sailing from Galveston
- Multi-gen groups who want WaterWorks and BOLT on one ship
- First-timers who like clear Fun Ship neighborhoods
- Shoppers comparing XL sisters for the Galveston deployment
She's not for
- Travellers seeking quiet luxury or intimate yacht scale
- Anyone who avoids roller coasters and peak-crowd decks
- Guests who want a boutique, adults-forward product
Honest caveat
At full load, peak hours on BOLT, WaterWorks, and the main pool decks need patience. We’ll steer you toward quieter cabin pockets and off-peak dining so you skip the worst bottlenecks.
The record · ship backgroundCarnival Jubilee, on paper
Show ship backgroundHide ship background
The record · ship background
Carnival Jubilee, on paper
Show ship backgroundHide ship backgroundCarnival Jubilee is the third CCL XL / Excellence-class ship from Meyer Werft Papenburg (hull S717). Steel cutting began March 2022, keel laying followed in July 2022, and she floated in July 2023 before delivery on 4 December 2023 at Bremerhaven. She was the first Carnival ship built in Germany; christening followed on 24 February 2024 in Galveston with godmother Gwen Stefani, and capacity figures live on the fact sheet on this page.
The hull carries Bluarch’s red-white-navy XL livery and a Texas star at the bow. She’s LNG-powered with Silverstream air lubrication and was the fleet’s first ship with 5G cellular service. Neighborhoods debuted Currents and The Shores as Jubilee-specific ocean themes, while BOLT remains the class roller-coaster signature shared with Mardi Gras and Celebration.
Year-round Galveston Western Caribbean weeks (often Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel patterns) define the product after a delayed inaugural season. Confirm the voyage below (schedules shift) and use the sailings table on this page to match dates and cabins.
Build record
- Keel to delivery
- 2022 – 2023
- Inaugural
- Dec 2023 / christened Feb 2024, Galveston
- Fuel
- Dual-fuel LNG
- Sisters
- Carnival (Mardi Gras, Celebration, Festivale, Tropicale)
Commerce
Upcoming sailings
4 itineraries · 69 sail dates on Carnival Jubilee. Fares are live and change daily.
| Sailing | Date | Depart | Nights | $/n | Inside | Balcony | Suite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Day Western CaribbeanGalveston, Tx | Cozumel, Mexico | Isla Tropicale, Roatan | Galveston, Tx · 35 dates | Sep 27, 2026 | Galveston | 6 | $155 | $931 | $1,141 | — |
| 8-Day BahamasGalveston, Tx | Nassau, The Bahamas | Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay | Celebration Key, The Bahamas | Galveston, Tx · 28 dates | Oct 3, 2026 | Galveston | 8 | $157 | $1,255 | $1,685 | — |
| 8-Day BahamasGalveston, Tx | Celebration Key, The Bahamas | Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay | Nassau, The Bahamas | Galveston, Tx · 5 dates | Nov 28, 2026 | Galveston | 8 | $153 | $1,225 | $1,585 | $2,205 |
| 8-Day BahamasGalveston, Tx | Nassau, The Bahamas | Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay | Ship Meetup | Celebration Key, The Bahamas | Galveston, Tx | Mar 6, 2027 | Galveston | 8 | $192 | $1,539 | $1,999 | $3,301 |
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