Carnival's latest giant cruise ship, the Mardi Gras, is set to begin sailing this April .
The new cruise ship's name is a direct reference to Carnival's former 1972 Mardi Gras cruise ship. But unlike the previous iteration, the new Mardi Gras holds a series of North American cruising firsts, such as the first cruise to have a roller coaster, and the first to be powered by the environmentally friendly liquefied natural gas, according to Carnival.
However, eager cruisegoers will have to wait a bit longer to board the Mardi Gras. As of now, many big cruise lines won't see any US sailings until March. The Mardi Gras specifically - which was constructed in Finland - will have its first seven-day sail from Florida to the Caribbean on April 24.
Like other cruise ships, the Mardi Gras' debut was pushed back due to COVID-19. However, while the cruise industry was initially decimated by the coronavirus pandemic, key players like Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean have managed to stay resilient.
"Notwithstanding the delays related to the pandemic, there is tremendous enthusiasm and pent-up demand for this ship," Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement.
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