The Carnival Firenze recently completed five years of service after being delivered by Fincantieri Marghera Shipyard on December 22, 2020.
Originally built for Costa Cruises, the 135,500-ton vessel was handed over to the Italian company in a digital ceremony due to the pandemic.
As a sister to the 2019-built Costa Venezia, the ship was initially designed to serve the Chinese market, with interiors inspired by the Florentine Renaissance.
While the plans for service in China were later scrapped, the Firenze entered service for Costa in the Western Mediterranean on July 4, 2021.
The vessel’s inaugural cruise sailed exclusively to destinations in Italy, departing from Savona for visits to Civitavecchia, Naples, Catania, Palermo and Cagliari.
As pandemic restrictions eased, the ship later added visits to destinations in Malta, France and Spain, such as Valletta, Marseille and Ibiza.
In addition to the Mediterranean, the vessel also offered seasons in the Middle East, South America and the Canary Islands before being transferred to Carnival Cruise Line.
As part of the company’s new “Fun Italian Style” product, the Firenze underwent a refurbishment in Europe before debuting on the West Coast in 2024.
Renamed the Carnival Firenze, the ship was christened at the port of Long Beach before welcoming its first U.S. guests on April 25, 2024.
Actor Jonathan Bennett served as the vessel’s godfather during the event, which included a performance of Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” by Carnival’s Playlist Productions cast and an Italian blessing by Father Charbel Grbavac of the Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in San Pedro.
The ship then kicked off a series of four- to six-night cruises to Baja California and the Mexican Riviera sailing from Carnival’s private cruise terminal near Los Angeles.
As part of a fleet redeployment initiative, the Firenze is set to offer repositioning cruises to South America before debuting in Miami in early 2027.
The ship will then offer a series of cruises to the Caribbean ahead of arriving in Miami for a summer season.
