Carnival Venezia has a new look. The ship, which spent its first years in the fleet wearing the blue hull and funnel colours inherited from its previous life with Costa Cruises, has now been repainted in classic Carnival livery. Brand Ambassador John Heald broke the news on social media, showing off the fresh funnel just as the ship settles into its winter programme from Port Canaveral.
Venezia and its sister Carnival Firenze were the only two ships in the fleet with the modified paint job, part of Carnival's "Fun Italian Style" product launched in 2023. Both were built for Costa, and the unusual livery was meant as a nod to their Italian origins while setting them apart from the rest of the Carnival fleet. With Venezia now repainted, no word yet on whether Firenze will follow, and Carnival hasn't said the Italian-themed concept itself is going anywhere.
That concept is worth understanding if you're booking: the ships keep Carnival's signature venues and service but layer on Italian-inspired touches. Think a Venetian masked-carnival party, city-inspired design, and an expanded menu at Guy's Burger Joint. It's a quirky middle ground between a mainstream American cruise and a European one.
For the 2019-built Venezia, the repaint coincides with a big winter schedule. After another summer running Bermuda cruises, the ship is now offering Caribbean and Bahamas sailings from Port Canaveral, with seven- to 14-night itineraries through the season. Highlights include Southern Caribbean calls at Aruba and Bonaire — a solid lineup for anyone after reliable sunshine and dive-friendly water.
The ship stays at Port Canaveral through mid-May 2027, then moves to Miami for year-round sailing. Firenze, meanwhile, currently runs from Long Beach and will try something new: its first South America itineraries before repositioning to Miami and New York. Carnival says the Fun Italian Style concept will reach more destinations in 2027, so if you like the idea but the homeports don't suit yet, more options are coming.
Why it matters for travellers: the funnel colour change is cosmetic, but the ship movements are the real news. Southern Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral are an easy flight-and-sail combo for US east coast travellers, and the shift of both Italian-style ships to Miami and New York in 2027 opens the product up to a much bigger audience. If you want the Bermudian summer version, that window is limited before the repositioning.
