Fincantieri and Carnival Corporation have celebrated thirty years of strategic collaboration, a partnership that has helped shape the evolution of the global cruise industry.

The anniversary was marked at the Monfalcone shipyard, where the first steel cutting ceremony was held for Carnival Destiny, the first of three new Ace-class ships being built for Carnival Cruise Line. The three vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2029, 2031, and 2033.

The partnership between Fincantieri and Carnival Corporation dates back to 1996, when the first Carnival Destiny was delivered at Monfalcone. At the time, she was the first cruise ship in the world to exceed 100,000 gross tons, setting a milestone that helped redefine standards across the entire industry. Since then, the relationship between the two groups has continued to strengthen. Over the past thirty years, Fincantieri has built 76 ships for the various Carnival Corporation brands, including 15 for Carnival Cruise Line, contributing to the growth of the world’s largest cruise company, which welcomes more than 200,000 guests every day.

The ceremony was attended, alongside civil and military authorities, by Carnival Corporation Chairman Micky Arison, CEO Josh Weinstein, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy, Fincantieri Chairman Biagio Mazzotta, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Pierroberto Folgiero, General Manager of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ships Division Luigi Matarazzo, and Monfalcone Shipyard Director Cristiano Bazzara.

The first steel cutting ceremony for Carnival Destiny also marks the beginning of a new industrial program for Fincantieri. With a gross tonnage of approximately 230,000, the ship will become the largest vessel ever built by the Group and the largest cruise ship ever constructed in Italy, representing a new milestone for the country’s shipbuilding industry.

The new Ace-class vessels will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will accommodate more than 8,000 passengers at full capacity, thanks to over 3,000 staterooms. The design also incorporates the latest technologies focused on energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and optimized waste management, confirming both companies’ commitment to increasingly sustainable cruising.

The construction of the new Ace Class further strengthens the strategic role of the Monfalcone shipyard, Fincantieri’s main production hub and an international benchmark for the development of next-generation cruise ships. More than 45 cruise ships have already been built at the facility, where approximately 6,500 people work every day. In recent years, major investments in infrastructure, technology, and production processes have enabled the shipyard to undertake increasingly complex projects and construct ever-larger vessels, reinforcing Monfalcone’s position as one of the region’s key industrial and employment drivers.

The first steel cutting of Carnival Destiny represents not only the beginning of construction of a new ship, but also the start of a new chapter in the partnership between Fincantieri and Carnival Corporation. After thirty years of shared success, the two companies are looking ahead by focusing on technological innovation, sustainability, and growth in scale, reaffirming the role of Italian shipbuilding as a leading force in the development of the next generation of cruise ships.

Angela Messineo