Currently under construction at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard, Carnival China’s first newbuild is already 66.8 percent complete.
The update was revealed during the 15th China Cruise Shipping Conference (CCS15), which was held earlier this month in Guangzhou.
According to a presentation by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), which runs the shipyard where the 135,000-tonne vessel is being built, the project is making significant progress.
Currently known as H1508, the ship was launched in December 2021 before starting its main engines for the first time in July 2022.
The 5,000-passenger ship is now undergoing interior fittings before embarking on its first set of sea trials in May 2023.
According to the presentation, the delivery of the ship is currently scheduled for July 2023.
A second cruise ship is also under construction for Carnival China at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard.
The ship’s overall construction progress, the facility said, is currently at 7.12 percent.
Under the provisional name H1509, the vessel will be launched in September 2024 before being delivered a year later.
The ship is said to be larger than the original series, with an increase of 17 meters in length.
Both ships will be operated by a joint venture between Carnival Corporation and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).
Set to serve the Chinese domestic market, the brand commissioned the newbuildings in 2016. At the time, the construction contract also included an option for four additional vessels.
With a design based on Carnival Cruise Line’s Vista Class, the ships will be tailored for the domestic market by featuring both Chinese and Western styling features.
In 2018, the joint venture also revealed plans to buy two used cruise ships from Costa Cruises.
Currently based in Cyprus, Costa Atlantica and Costa Mediterranea were handed over to the new brand in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
