Carnival Cruise Line has officially welcomed its latest addition to the fleet, formerly known as Costa Venezia, now named Carnival Venezia. The ship is currently in dry dock in Cadiz, Spain for renovation, including a new paint job and upgrades to many areas around the vessel. The ship was handed over to Carnival Captain Claudio Cupisti by Costa Cruises Captain Tihomir Muzic, with members from both companies in attendance.

"We are delighted to welcome Carnival Venezia to the fleet, which will debut as our first 'Fun Italian Style' ship this May after undergoing dry dock renovations. We thank everyone from our sister company, Costa, and all members within the Carnival family who will be working to add Carnival touches to the ship over the next two months." said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line.

Carnival Venezia will embark on its 15-day transatlantic Carnival Journeys sailing from Barcelona on May 29, 2023, and will begin year-round cruising from New York's Manhattan Cruise Terminal on June 15, 2023. The ship will offer a variety of sailing options, including 10 different cruise durations and 22 unique itineraries featuring visits to 25 ports across 14 countries. The ship, built in 2019, can accommodate up to 5,145 guests and 1,393 Carnival crew members.

The ship's design will feature Italian architectural elements inside and out. The atrium will be modeled after Venice's main public square, the Piazza San Marco, while the Lido deck will draw inspiration from the Italian Riviera, with a retractable roof that allows guests to enjoy the pool year-round.

Carnival Venezia will also offer new food and beverage options, featuring classic Italian street food at La Strada Grill, Mexitalian fusion cuisine at Tomodoro, and bubbly drinks at Frizzante, which will serve prosecco, spritzes, and bellinis, as well as Italian beer.