Carnival Firenze

Carnival Firenze was constructed by the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri at its Marghera yard near Venice, where it carried yard number 6273, and originally entered service as Costa Firenze for Costa Cruises. The vessel's keel was laid on 22 December 2015, and after several years of assembly it was floated out of dry dock on 6 November 2019. Fincantieri handed the completed ship over to Costa Cruises on 22 December 2020, capping a project that had been conceived specifically to serve the fast-growing Chinese cruise market. As a near-sister to Costa Venezia, the ship was designed as a floating tribute to a great Italian city, in this case Florence, and was meant to introduce Chinese passengers to Italian style, cuisine, and culture. Shifts in the global travel landscape, however, meant that the ship never settled into the deployment for which it had originally been planned.

In terms of scale and design, Carnival Firenze measures roughly 135,200 gross tons, stretches about 323 meters in length with a beam near 37 meters, and rises across roughly 18 decks. At double occupancy the ship accommodates in the range of 4,100 to 4,200 guests, with a maximum capacity above 5,000 when all berths are filled, served by a crew of well over 1,200. The interior concept drew heavily on Renaissance Florence. Public spaces evoked landmarks such as the Florence Cathedral and the Palazzo Vecchio, and the decor leaned on rich materials like marble, velvet, and gilded detailing to conjure the atmosphere of Tuscan palaces and piazzas. A grand central atrium and Florentine-themed lounges anchored the ship's aesthetic identity.

Mechanically, the ship relies on a diesel-electric propulsion arrangement. Its power plant, built around a suite of MAN medium-speed engines, drives electric propulsion motors that give a comfortable service speed of about 18 knots, with a somewhat higher maximum. Bow and stern thrusters assist with maneuvering in and out of port. This configuration is typical of large modern cruise ships of its generation, balancing fuel efficiency with the electrical demands of a floating resort carrying thousands of passengers and extensive hotel systems.

Costa Firenze entered commercial service in 2021 rather than debuting in Chinese waters as first envisioned. Its inaugural voyage sailed on 4 July 2021, departing from the Italian port of Savona on Mediterranean itineraries that called at a number of Italian and regional destinations. Over the following couple of years the ship operated a variety of routes under the Costa Cruises banner, including Mediterranean sailings and other seasonal deployments. This period with Costa proved relatively brief, however, as the parent company, Carnival Corporation, decided to reassign the vessel to one of its other brands rather than keep it in the European fleet long term.

In early 2024 the ship was formally transferred to Carnival Cruise Line, the corporation's flagship North American brand. The handover took place around 2 February 2024, and the vessel was renamed Carnival Firenze. It joined Carnival Venezia, the former Costa Venezia, as the second ship in a distinctive sub-brand that Carnival marketed as "Carnival Fun Italian Style." Under this concept the line preserved much of the ship's Italian design heritage while layering on Carnival's own signature entertainment, dining, and activity offerings, creating a hybrid experience that combined Old World ambience with the casual, family-oriented energy for which Carnival is known.

The refit and rebranding brought Carnival's familiar top-deck attractions to the ship. Guests can enjoy a WaterWorks aqua park with waterslides, multiple pools and hot tubs, and a sports area featuring elements such as a ropes course, mini-golf, and basketball. Entertainment venues include a main theater staging production shows, the Punchliner Comedy Club, live-music spaces, a casino, and the Cloud 9 Spa. On the culinary side, Carnival Firenze offers a mix of complimentary and specialty options, among them Bonsai Teppanyaki and Bonsai Sushi for Asian dining, an Italian-themed pizzeria and pasta offerings, a seafood venue, the Cucina del Capitano restaurant, and Carnival's signature Guy's Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina, alongside a range of bars and lounges serving Italian-inspired cocktails.

Carnival Firenze was christened at its home port of Long Beach, California, in a ceremony held on 24 April 2024, with the actor Jonathan Bennett serving as the ship's godfather. It began revenue sailings for Carnival shortly thereafter, in late April 2024, taking up a year-round schedule of cruises to the Mexican Riviera. From Long Beach, in the greater Los Angeles area, the ship offers itineraries of varying lengths, commonly ranging from short three- to five-night getaways to longer week-long voyages, calling at popular Mexican ports such as Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta, along with Baja destinations like Ensenada.

As of mid-2026 Carnival Firenze remains in active service as part of Carnival Cruise Line's West Coast operation, continuing to sail Mexican Riviera and Baja itineraries out of Long Beach. It stands as one of the larger ships based on the United States West Coast and, together with Carnival Venezia, represents Carnival's ongoing effort to give repurposed Costa tonnage a second life while offering North American guests a taste of Italian-inspired cruising close to home.