Carnival’s Mardi Gras Returns to Service After Major Dry Dock

Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras is back in action after completing a major dry dock at Chantier Naval de Marseille in France — emerging refreshed, refined, and ready to sail once again.

The first Excel-class ship in the fleet received extensive updates across guest areas, staterooms, and entertainment spaces. The vessel departed Marseille on October 16, 2025, for a 15-day transatlantic cruise to Port Canaveral, Florida, ahead of resuming year-round Caribbean service.

Fresh Upgrades and Modern Enhancements

During the month-long dry dock, 100 staterooms were reconfigured with new connecting doors, giving families and larger groups more flexibility when booking. Carnival also introduced a range of accessibility improvements, redesigned walkways, and upgraded features across public spaces and guest cabins.

The ship’s casino was expanded with new slot machines, while retail spaces were completely refreshed with updated interiors featuring luxury brands such as Tag Heuer, Breitling, Pandora, and Swarovski.

The Carnival Adventures desk received a new layout designed to streamline the shore excursion experience for Mardi Gras’ more than 5,000 guests, ensuring smoother operations and improved guest flow.

A Leader in Innovation and Comfort

“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 highlight the exciting direction we’re taking with future fleet enhancements.”

Sailing Home to the Caribbean

Following her repositioning voyage from Barcelona — with stops in Málaga and Cádiz, Spain; Tenerife, Canary Islands; and Carnival’s private destination Celebration Key — Mardi Gras will resume sailing from Port Canaveral on October 30, 2025.

Her post-drydock schedule includes nine-night Eastern Caribbean cruises to St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, as well as alternating seven-night itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. Both routes feature a full day at Celebration Key.

Looking ahead, Carnival confirmed that in 2027, Mardi Gras will become the first Excel-class ship — and the largest in the fleet — to offer short four- and five-day Caribbean cruises, marking another milestone for the line’s evolving fleet strategy.

The Mardi Gras’ refresh follows recent upgrades to Carnival Liberty, with Carnival Conquest scheduled for dry dock in early 2026.