Carnival Jubilee is fixing to start sailing from Galveston, Texas, next year and Carnival Cruise Line’s third cruise ship to be powered by liquified natural gas (LNG) got its first taste of Texas today with the keel laying ceremony at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany.

Wearing cowboy-shaped hard hats, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy was joined by Meyer Werft Managing Director Bernard Meyer and Carnival’s Senior Vice President of Newbuilds Ben Clement, among others, to celebrate the construction milestone by placing coins under a 375-ton keel block.

The coins signify good luck for the ship and will remain under its foundation as the structure is built. One of the ship’s lucky coins is an official ship coin, which commemorates an important part of Carnival history while celebrating its future by showing Carnival Jubilee alongside the original MS Jubilee from 1986. The coins will later be placed in a special compartment near Carnival Jubilee’s mast as permanent fixtures of the ship.

“Our plans for Texas are as big as the state itself, and we’re looking forward to bringing guests aboard our third Excel-class ship that will be just as magnificent as her sister ships Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration. I’m ecstatic to be here for this important moment and witness construction now officially underway. Carnival Jubilee will significantly enhance our offerings from Galveston as the industry leader in the Texas cruise market and an important contributor to the Galveston tourism economy,” said Duffy.

Carnival Jubilee will be the first Carnival Cruise Line ship built in Papenburg, Germany. Meyer Werft has already built four other LNG-powered ships for other cruise lines under Carnival Corporation. Carnival Jubilee will be Carnival’s third ship to run on a liquified natural gas (LNG) technology platform. Carnival Corporation pioneered the introduction of LNG fuel in the passenger cruise sector as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and emissions reduction. Meyer Turku in Finland delivered sister ship Mardi Gras last year and will deliver Carnival Celebration later this year.

“We are pleased to take another symbolic step in the construction of Carnival Jubilee with the keel laying. The Meyer team will once again produce an advanced and innovative cruise ship that will provide a great vacation for millions of passengers,” said Meyer.

As the newest ship in the Excel class, Carnival Jubilee will share many of the same features guests love on Mardi Gras – including the award-winning BOLT, The Ultimate Sea Coaster. She will also feature unique experiences and signature venues of her own, with more details to be shared about those aspects closer now that construction is underway.

Carnival Jubilee will begin sailing from Galveston in November of 2023 and will offer seven-day Western Caribbean cruise vacations with stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, as well as Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan), Honduras.