MIAMI — Carnival’s 5,200-plus lower berth ship, now officially under construction following its steel cutting ceremony earlier today, more than lives up to its ‘XL’ moniker.

The first vessel in Carnival’s newest class of ship, and the largest Carnival cruise ship ever constructed, will weigh in at 180,000 tonnes when it’s delivered in 2020.

The new XL vessel will also be the first-ever ship operating in North America to use liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The as-yet-unnamed ship will operate from Port Canaveral beginning in 2020.  The ship’s name is scheduled to be revealed in early December.

Details on the ship’s inaugural season are planned to be announced in January, with information on the vessel’s vast array of exciting culinary, beverage and entertainment options to be revealed later in 2019.

A second XL ship will start construction in 2020 and will be delivered in 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Carnival Cruise Line’s founding.

The traditional steel-cutting ceremony took place at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. At the ceremony, the company also revealed its dramatic new red, white and blue hull design that Carnival says “celebrates its legacy as America’s Cruise Line”, and pays homage to maritime tradition.

Carnival says the design builds upon the company’s iconic colour scheme that has made the cruise line “one of the most recognizable brands in travel”. The navy blue hull has vibrant red and white accents running the entire length of the 1,130-foot-long ship.

“This new ship promises to be truly special, from its groundbreaking technology and one-of-a-kind features to its distinctive livery and hull design that is both timeless and forward-thinking while paying tribute to our nearly 50-year history of making wonderful vacation memories for our guests,” says Christine Duffy, President, Carnival Cruise Line.

Following the steel-cutting ceremony, construction began on the 5,200-plus lower berth ship which Carnival promises will offer a variety of never-before-seen innovations.

“The start of construction of this amazing ship is a historic day for our company as we are laying the foundation for an unparalleled seagoing vacation experience that will be like no other and take our cruise offerings to the next level,” Duffy said.