Carnival Victory is the third of the four Destiny-class cruise ships operated by Carnival Cruise Line. Like all members of the Destiny class other than the lead ship, which was refitted and renamed Carnival Sunshine in 2013, she is a modified version of that lead ship and is therefore sometimes referred to as a Triumph-class cruise ship, in an allusion to the second member of the Destiny class, Carnival Triumph.

Construction

The Carnival Victory was built by Fincantieri at its Monfalcone shipyard in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy,

Carnival Victory was launched on 31 December 1998 and later christened by Mary Frank, wife of Howard Frank, the then Vice-Chairman of Carnival Cruise Line. At the time of her launch, she was one of the largest cruise ships of her era.

Design

Machinery

The ship is powered by four GMT Sulzer 16 ZAV and two GMT Sulzer 12 ZAV diesel-electric engines driving two controllable pitch propellers. She is fitted with two rudders (which can be individually controlled) as well as stabilizers.

Layout

Carnival Victory is themed by American designer and architect Joseph Farcus to depict the different oceans and seas of the world.

She is structurally identical to her sister ship, Carnival Sunrise. The Triumph-class ships are closely related to the earlier Destiny-class, but differ from the original Carnival Destiny (now Carnival Sunshine) in the addition of extra balcony cabins on their Lido decks and various changes to placement and architecture of public areas. There are three large pools and a 214-foot-long (65 m) waterslide.

She has a nine-deck atrium with four glass elevators, a three-deck lounge with seating for 1,500, and a total capacity of 3,400 passengers and 1,000 crew members.

On 16 October 2018, Carnival Cruise Line announced that Carnival Victory will enter drydock on 18 March 2020 in Cadiz, Spain. It is planned to leave drydock on 26 April 2020 after receiving a $200 million refurbishment and will be renamed the Carnival Radiance.

Operation

Throughout its service, the Carnival Victory has been based in Miami in the United States sailing year-round on alternating three- and four-night cruises to Caribbean destinations. In November 2020, the Carnival Radiance will cruise out of its new homeport at Port Canaveral.