Carnival Fantasy (formerly Fantasy) is the lead ship of the Fantasy-class of cruise ships operated by American/British company Carnival Cruise Line. Built by Kværner Masa-Yards at its Helsinki New Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland, she was floated out on March 1, 1990, and christened as Fantasy by Tellervo Koivisto, wife of the then President of Finland, Mauno Koivisto. During 2007, in common with all of her Fantasy-class sisters, she had the prefix Carnival added to her name. She is currently the oldest vessel in the Carnival fleet.

Fantasy was the third ship to receive Carnival's Evolutions of Fun upgrade. She currently sails out of Mobile, Alabama.

History

Carnival Fantasy entered service in 1990 and is now the oldest cruise ship in the fleet. It was initially based out of the Port of Miami as the first new ship ever placed on three- and four-day cruises to the Bahamas from Miami. In 1993, she was moved to Port Canaveral becoming the first "mega-ship" to be homeported there. In the Fall of 2006, the Carnival Fantasy was the first Carnival ship to come back to Louisiana and make New Orleans its home port after Hurricane Katrina, embarking on four- and five-day cruises to Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico.

Carnival Fantasy spent a month in drydock in the Fall of 2008. It was the third ship to receive the full "Evolutions of Fun" upgrade, which her sister ships Inspiration and Imagination had received in 2007.

On September 17, 2009, Carnival announced that Fantasy would be based out of Mobile, Alabama to replace the Holiday until Elation began operations in Mobile. On September 18, 2009 Carnival announced that Fantasy would be relocated to Charleston, South Carolina.

The "elegant breakfast and dinner" dining room on board the Carnival Sensation is named after the Carnival Fantasy. A model of that ship stands in front of the dining room's entrance. The "dinner-only" second dining room of the Sensation is likewise named after the Carnival Ecstasy. The Carnival Fantasy received its "Fun Ship 2.0" upgrades in February 2016, as follows: Guys Burger Joint, Blue Iguana Cantina, Red Frog Rum Bar, and Blue Iguana Tequila Bar. It received diesel engine scrubbers, and replaced "Camp Carnival" with "Camp Ocean". As a result of her extensive renovation, Carnival Fantasy was named Most Improved Ship in Cruiseline.com Members’ Choice Awards in spring 2018.

Current service

Fantasy sails year-round out of Mobile, Alabama.