Carnival Cruise Line said another one of its Destiny-class
vessels will get a $200 million makeover as a 9-year installation of Funship
2.0 features on its 26-ship fleet nears completion.
In a 38-day drydock planned for 2020, the Carnival Victory
will be reborn as the Carnival Radiance.
Along the way, the ship will get 115 additional cabins plus
a bevy of new bars, restaurants, kids clubs, stores and other Funship 2.0
attractions.
"We've been investing for a number of years. By 2020 a
set of spaces that guests know and enjoy and in that many ways defines the
Carnival vacation will be fleetwide," said Gus Antorcha, Carnival Cruise
Line's chief operating officer.
"Our goal is every ship, every port, every itinerary
has this core set of features," Antorcha said.
For example, the new Radiance will have the Guy's Burger
Joint and Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Bar-B-Que, a BlueIguana Cantina
& Tequila Bar, a RedFrog Rum Bar and an Alchemy Bar.
For those with a sweet tooth, there will be a Cherry on Top
candy store.
Entertainment will include Punchliner Comedy Club, Playlist
Productions shows, Rock Band 2.0, live entertainment, deck parties, onboard
programming and piano bars.
Kids can frolic at game arcades, and dedicated Camp Ocean,
Circle "C" and Club O2 facilities are being installed for supervised
children's programming for kids ages 2-17.
Carnival's budget for the overhaul is $200 million, about
the same as what it tabbed for a similar makeover in 2019 that will convert the
Carnival Triumph into the Carnival Sunrise.
Coming out of the drydock, the capacity of the Carnival
Radiance will increase to 2,988 passengers.
Both will join the Carnival Sunshine as part of the Sunshine
class. The Sunshine, previously the Carnival Destiny, was the first ship in the
Destiny class.
Carnival launched its fleet-enhancement program in 2011.
Since then it has refurbished 20 ships and launched three new ones.