Carnival Corporation has selected the Silverstream System air lubrication technology for all three of Carnival Cruise Line's next-generation Ace-class ships.
The approximately 230,000gt vessels are being built by Fincantieri at its Monfalcone shipyard in Italy. The first, Carnival Destiny, is scheduled to enter service in summer 2029, with two sister ships planned for delivery in 2031 and 2033.
Silverstream's equipment is designed to reduce the friction between a ship's hull and the surrounding water. Air release units installed in the flat bottom of the vessel create a uniform layer of microbubbles beneath the hull, allowing the ship to move through the water with less resistance.
Reducing that resistance lowers the amount of propulsion power required, which can reduce both fuel consumption and the emissions associated with operating the ship.
Efficiency technology for Carnival's largest ships
The three Ace-class vessels will be the largest ships built for Carnival Cruise Line and the largest passenger ships constructed in Italy. Fincantieri says each will have more than 3,000 cabins and capacity for over 8,000 passengers when fully occupied.
The ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas and will incorporate technologies intended to improve energy efficiency, waste management and emissions performance. Air lubrication will form part of that wider package rather than acting as a replacement for the ships' propulsion system.
Silverstream says its technology can produce net fuel and emissions savings of between 5% and 10%, depending on the vessel type and operating profile. A precise projected saving for the Ace class has not been disclosed.
There is, however, an established Carnival example. Silverstream and Carnival have previously reported an approximate 5% net fuel and emissions saving from the system installed aboard Princess Cruises' Diamond Princess.
Partnership dates back to 2016
Carnival Corporation and Silverstream have worked together since 2016, when the technology entered service within the group's fleet aboard AIDAprima. Carnival subsequently expanded air lubrication installations across new and existing ships operated by several of its cruise brands.
In January 2025, Silverstream announced orders covering two additional 180,000gt Excel-class newbuilds under construction at Meyer Werft in Germany. Those agreements were expected to take the number of Carnival Corporation vessels fitted with the system to 16.
The decision to specify the technology for all three Ace-class vessels extends the partnership into Carnival Cruise Line's biggest newbuilding programme to date.
Carnival Destiny construction under way
Construction of the first Ace-class ship formally began with a steel-cutting ceremony at Monfalcone on 10 July 2026. Carnival revived the Carnival Destiny name to mark 30 years since Fincantieri delivered the original ship in 1996.
The earlier Carnival Destiny was the first passenger ship to exceed 100,000 gross tons. Its new namesake will be more than twice that size and is intended to place a greater emphasis on views of the sea.
Carnival says the new ship will feature more than 4.5 acres of glass, a reworked lanai deck and an unprecedented number of ocean-view balcony cabins. More than 70% of its venues and attractions are expected to be new concepts for the cruise line.
The first ship is due to sail Caribbean itineraries from summer 2029. Carnival has said it will release further information about the class's accommodation, dining, entertainment and other onboard features later in 2026.
What is an air lubrication system?
A ship must overcome resistance as its hull moves through the sea. On vessels with broad, flat-bottomed sections, part of that resistance can be reduced by feeding compressed air through purpose-built openings beneath the ship.
The resulting carpet of bubbles separates part of the wetted hull surface from the water. The system itself requires energy to operate its compressors, so quoted performance figures are normally expressed as a net saving after that power demand has been taken into account.
Actual savings vary with the hull design, speed, loading, sea conditions and operating pattern. For that reason, the 5–10% range published by Silverstream should not be treated as a confirmed result for the Ace-class ships before design modelling, trials and operational data are available.
Sources and further information: Silverstream Technologies: how the Silverstream System works; Silverstream Technologies: Carnival partnership and Diamond Princess results; Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Destiny and the Ace class; Fincantieri: Ace-class construction and specifications; and Carnival Corporation: expansion of air lubrication systems.