Photos show Carnival Cruise Line's newest and most impressive ship yet

If Carnival’s newest ship could talk, she would likely say, “Welcome aboard! It’s a Jubilee, y’all!”

Carnival Jubilee is the newest FUN ship to debut for Carnival Cruise Line, which is best known for having the most fun ships at sea. The brand-new and stylish cruise ship sails tall and proud from the Port of Galveston - making her landmark debut in December 2023.

For Carnival Jubilee, Texas is her home now and forever. Carnival Cruise Line has a long history with the state, as it was the first cruise line to sail year-round from Galveston. Now, Carnival Jubilee’s bow is adorned with the Texas star to profess an unending commitment to the state.

She isn’t the first Carnival Jubilee to sail for Carnival Cruise Line, as her predecessor MS Jubilee was built in 1986 as part of the Holiday Class of ships.

More than two decades later, the new Carnival Jubilee is four times larger than her original namesake. In fact, Carnival's revolutionary Excel Class is 40% bigger than anything the cruise line had built before.

As part of the groundbreaking Excel Class of cruise ships, Carnival Jubilee is the third mega-ship to be built alongside Carnival Celebration in 2022 and Mardi Gras in 2021.

The brand-new ship shares many of the same signature features and amenities as her sister ships, including BOLT: Ultimate SeaCoaster.

Measuring 183,500 gross tons, Carnival Jubilee can hold around 6,600 guests at full capacity. In addition, Carnival Jubilee’s engines are LNG-powered, meaning the vessel is more sustainable for the environment by using cleaner LNG fuel.

Aboard Carnival Jubilee, there are six distinct zones that are curated to bring the fun from the moment you step onboard. These are areas specifically designed with restaurants, bars, and onboard attractions to transform your vacation into a unique mixture of experiences.

Regardless of where guests spend their days, there is fun for the whole family on Carnival Jubilee.

To me, one of the most surprising elements about Carnival Jubilee was the ship’s modern, stylish design.

My first few experiences with Carnival were onboard their oldest and smallest ships, such as Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Fantasy. These ships were anywhere from 20- to 30-years-old during my cruises, so I never had a chance to see Carnival’s more progressive vessels.

This all changed when I sailed on Carnival Celebration in 2022. I was totally blown away by Carnival’s newest class of ships.

For years, the cruise line built smaller ships compared to others in the cruise industry. While their ships were not small by any stretch of the imagination, the cruise line had not pushed the envelope in terms of ship size and design for decades.

Now, Carnival Jubilee represents the newest era of ship design for Carnival Cruise Line. The new ship features an open-floor concept that facilitates an easy flow of passengers throughout the six zones.

One of the new zones exclusively found on Carnival Jubilee is Currents, which features an underwater theme. The zone spans across Jubilee’s midship on decks 6, 7, and 8, although you’ll be transported beneath the sea once you step into this zone!

In fact, Currents was designed for guests to quite literally descend down into the zone using glass stairs surrounded by ocean-blue walls and schools of fish. This is a great spot to take photos on Elegant Night!

The transformative space delivers the wow-factor with its LED screens on the ceiling to truly bring you into an underwater world. Theatre-style lighting and sounds makes it feel like you’re in a submarine below the ocean.

Located in Currents is the brand-new bar called Dr. Inks, Ph.D; in case you didn’t connect the dots there, that spells drinks! This bar cannot be found on any other Carnival cruise ship, as it is exclusive to Carnival Jubilee. Similarly, Dr. Inks, Ph.D has its own special drink menu.

At Dr. Inks, you can try never-before-seen cocktails from Carnival Cruise Line. Try perfectly curated cocktails with names like Ocean Bubble, Coral Beauty, Fish Dreams, and Sea Foam. My favorite was the Fish Dreams cocktail!

Speaking of the ocean, Carnival Jubilee’s entire theme is centered around celebrating and embracing the sea. Carnival’s Director of Product Development, Glenn Aprile, said, “A ship focused on the ocean is something that we’ve wanted to do for a while. The ocean is our home.”

Currents is also home to Emeril’s Bistro 717, which is one of Jubilee’s specialty restaurants. Guests can order breakfast, lunch, and dinner here with creole-style cuisine from Emeril Lagasse. Most items are reasonably priced under $10 - and, hot tip, you can also purchase specialty coffee here.

We dined at Emeril's one morning for breakfast, as its one of our favorite restaurants on Carnival’s Excel Class ships. The croissant breakfast sandwich, banana’s foster crepes, and beignets should not be missed!

At the entrance of Currents, you can also find another unique bar venue on Carnival Jubilee called The Golden Mermaid.

This bar is breathtakingly beautiful with a massive golden chandelier in the center of the bar. Similar to Dr. Inks, Golden Mermaid has its own craft cocktails, many of which are served with a special touch like edible glitter, a disappearing balloon, or color-changing liquor. 

Above Currents, or above the sea, is where you’ll find another zone called The Shores. Perhaps one of the busiest areas onboard, The Shores is designed to feel like you’re walking along a beach boardwalk with carnival games, rides, and ocean views.

Popular restaurants here include Beach Buns for freshly made sandwiches and Coastal Slice for Carnival’s famous pizza. The Italian restaurant of Cucina del Capitano is also located in The Shores, which is a specialty-style restaurant included in your cruise fare.

Carnival's Excel Class ships have many special touches, but I appreciate how much the cruise line pays homage to its history. There are many instances where you can browse old photos of Carnival's ships onboard, including an entire wall of throwback pictures in Cucina del Capitano.

Along with Cucina del Capitano, ChiBang is another specialty-style restaurant included in your cruise fare on Carnival Jubilee.

With two separate menus for Asian and Mexican dishes, you can indulge in both cuisines. I’ve always tried the Asian dishes at ChiBang - and never been disappointed.

For a more traditional dining experience, Carnival Jubilee has two main dining rooms. Following along with the ocean theme, guests can dine at Pacific Restaurant or Atlantic Restaurant depending on their dining time preference.

Pacific Restaurant is the larger of the two main dining rooms and spans across decks 6 and 7. Blue chairs are accented by massive icing lights in the center of the dining room. Multi-course dinners are served alongside cheeky shows each night, which mostly encompasses a little singing and dancing.

During our cruise, we choose to have dinner here twice and enjoyed both of our meals - including the decedent, perfectly cooked Carnival chocolate melting cake. This is a staple for Carnival Cruise Line and they have nailed this dessert!

Dinner isn’t the only thing served in the Pacific Restaurant, as guests can also indulge in SeaDay brunch on sea days. With a full menu serving up signature brunch favorites until early afternoon, SeaDay brunch should not be missed either. Be prepared for longer wait times if you go later in the morning, however. 

Our personal favorite entrees include the 12-hour French toast - which is thick, greasy, and served with caramelized peaches. Another favorite is the skillet pancake, which is a fluffy pancake with marshmallow and whipped ricotta.

Don’t feel as though you’re limited to the dining room in the evenings though. There are plenty of places to dine onboard Carnival Jubilee with 21 restaurants onboard. Even better, almost everything is included with your cruise fare!

For example, located near The Shores on deck 8 is Summer’s Landing. This zone is designed to be the ultimate family picnic in the summer.

Here, you can dine at Guy Fieri’s Pig and Anchor Smokehouse with a-la-carte style BBQ and Flavortown Bar for freshly-brewed beer.

The Heroes Tribute Bar and Lounge pays homage to military service members. With multiple large screen TVs, picnic tables, and comfy couches, this is the perfect spot to watch whatever sporting event is happening live.

Guy Fieri is a popular name on Carnival’s cruise ships, as he also partnered with the cruise line to bring Guy’s Burger Joint. This beloved eatery on deck 17 of Carnival Jubilee has juicy burgers, freshly prepared before your eyes.

Along with Guy’s Burger Joint, another favorite onboard is Shaq’s Big Chicken. Serving up crispy chicken tenders and sandwiches, Big Chicken is - hands down - my favorite place to eat onboard Carnival Jubilee.

Pictured above is the Big Aristotle, which has a big chicken patty topped with munster cheese, tangy BBQ, bacon, and crispy onions. Don’t forget to try all the homemade sauces!

Not far from Big Chicken is Lido Marketplace, which is Jubilee’s onboard buffet. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can find a variety of dishes served buffet-style. 

We loved the freshly made gelato, which has rotating daily flavors, during our cruise. The dessert section is the best part of the Lido Marketplace, in my opinion.

Continuing on the top deck, Carnival Jubilee’s main pool deck is at the heart and center of decks 16 and 17. Surrounded by sun loungers, the pool is always busy whether it’s a quiet day in port or a deck party in the evening.

RedFrog TikiBar is another Carnival staple and can be found on the pool deck of Carnival Jubilee. The multi-level tiki bar was also very busy during our cruise and I didn’t get a chance to try a cocktail here for that reason.

If you’re wanting a little something to eat on the pool deck, you have two convenient options: BlueIguana Cantina and Street Eats. The cantina serves burritos and tacos in the morning and throughout the afternoon for lunch while Street Eats has food-truck style dishes.

At the aft of Carnival Jubilee is the Ultimate Playground, which is a paradise for the kids onboard. Adventurous adults can also appreciate the onboard thrills of Carnival Jubilee with fun for the whole family.

The biggest jaw-dropping attraction is BOLT: The Ultimate SeaCoaster. This is the only rollercoaster at sea, which can be found on other Excel Class ships, Carnival Celebration and Mardi Gras. For $15 per guest, you can soar across the top deck in an unparalleled thrilling experience.

Everything else in the Ultimate Playground is included in the cost of your cruise, including miniature golf, the waterpark called WaterWorks, the ropes course, sport court, and walking path. 

There are some daybeds for lounging that line the side of the deck along the walking path, although this area is quite busy with families.

Opposite of the Ultimate Playground is Serenity, which is the adult’s only area onboard. You’ll find relaxing loungers across the space, along with an adults-only pool. The Serenity Bar is available for drinks while Fresh Creations is open for poolside create-your-own salads.

The final zone onboard Carnival Jubilee is Grand Central. This is the heartbeat of the cruise ship and serves as a central hub for everything happening onboard. Grand Central spans across decks 6, 7, and 8 with its open floor plan and sprawling atrium.

You can enjoy a cup of coffee - extra for specialty or complimentary for drip coffee - at JavaBlue Cafe. 

My favorite breakfast sandwich can be found here with the crispy bacon, egg, and cheese on an english muffin. In fact, the cafe has many options for quick grab-and-go sandwiches throughout the day. 

Grand Central has massive, outward-facing windows that spans across the entire atrium. 

During the day, these provide beautiful natural light into the center of the ship. The surrounding decks include shops, specialty restaurants, bars, and lounges.

The evening is when Grand Central really comes to life at Center Stage with moveable LED screens. The transformative stage is home to over-the-top performances with talented singers, dancers, and aerialists.

Seating here has been problematic, in my experience. The stadium-style seating is limited and blocked by temporary technological equipment. Plan to get to any show here at least 30 minutes early if you don’t want to fight for a seat.

Other entertainment is nearby to keep guests busy late into the evening. Carnival Jubilee’s Punchliner Comedy Club is a popular venue onboard with daily comedy shows for both adults and families.

Finally, Carnival Jubilee has many different stateroom categories available for guests to book. For this sailing, we booked a cove balcony stateroom on deck 5. 

Cove balconies have cove-like enclosures around the balcony so the space is more private and closer to the ocean. We loved having our own private verandah to enjoy the sunset views - or to watch the pier-runners in Cozumel run back to the ship!

Along with the balcony, our stateroom bathroom was well designed and very functional. We were especially impressed with the expansive walk-in shower. Normally, cruise ship showers can be very cramped in staterooms, but this was far from it.

Overall, Carnival Jubilee is an incredible new cruise ship with so much to offer. Everything from dining to entertainment and onboard attractions cultivate an energetic, fun, and exciting atmosphere. Carnival's Excel Class is a true game-changer for the cruise line with its innovation, amenities, and modern design. 

I loved my time onboard and highly recommend Carnival Jubilee to anyone looking for an affordable vacation for excellent value.