View source for Carnival Firenze

{{short description|Cruise ship}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
| infobox caption = ''Carnival Firenze''
| display title = ital
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Costa Firenze leaves Kiel 24.jpg
| Ship caption = ''Carnival Firenze'' as ''Costa Firenze'' in [[Kiel]] in 2023
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
| Ship country = [[Panama]]
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Panama|civil}}
| Ship name = {{ubl
|''Costa Firenze'' (2020–2024)
|''Carnival Firenze'' (2024–present)
}}
| Ship namesake = [[Florence, Italy]]
| Ship owner = [[File:Carnival Corporation house flag.svg|border|20px]] [[Carnival Corporation & plc]]
| Ship operator = *[[Costa Cruises]] (2020–2024)
*[[Carnival Cruise Line]] (2024–present)
| Ship registry = *[[Genoa, Italy|Genoa]], {{flag|Italy}}<ref name="costafirenzeRINA">{{csr|register=RINA|shipname=Costa Firenze|id=9801691|accessdate=22 December 2020}}</ref> (2020–2024)
*{{PAN}} (2024–present)
| Ship ordered = 1 April 2016<ref name="costafirenzeRINA" />
| Ship awarded = 
| Ship builder = [[Fincantieri]], [[Marghera]], Italy
| Ship yard number = 6273
| Ship laid down = 22 December 2015<ref name="costafirenzeRINA" />
| Ship launched = 6 November 2019
| Ship sponsor = [[Jonathan Bennett (actor)|Jonathan Bennett]] <small>(''Carnival Firenze'')</small>
| Ship christened = 24 April 2024 <small>(''Carnival Firenze'')</small>
| Ship status = In service
| Ship completed = 22 December 2020<ref name="costafirenzeRINA" />
| Ship acquired = *22 December 2020 <small>(''Costa Firenze'')</small>
*2 February 2024 <small>(''Carnival Firenze'')</small>
| Ship in service = 2021–present
| Ship maiden voyage = *4 July 2021 <small>(''Costa Firenze'')</small>
*25 April 2024 <small>(''Carnival Firenze'')</small>
| Ship out of service = 
| Ship identification = *{{IMO Number|9801691}}
*{{Call sign|3E5193}} <small>(from 2024)</small>
*{{MMSI Number|352003546}} <small>(from 2024)</small>
| Ship notes = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = {{sclass|Vista|cruise ship|||Carnival}}
| Ship tonnage = {{GT|135,156}}<ref name="costafirenzeRINA" />
| Ship displacement = 
| Ship length = {{cvt|323.63|m|ftin}}
| Ship beam = {{cvt|37.2|m|ftin}}<ref name="costafirenzeRINA" />
| Ship height = 
| Ship draught = {{cvt|8.25|m|ftin}}
| Ship depth = {{cvt|11.2|m|ftin}}<ref name="costafirenzeRINA" />
| Ship power = * 2 × [[MAN Energy Solutions|MAN]] 14V48/60 CR kW
* + 3 × MAN 8L48/60 CR kW
* Total Installed Power: {{convert|62,400|kW|hp|lk=on|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion = {{convert|33,000|kW|hp|lk=on|abbr=on}}
| Ship speed = {{convert|18|kn}} (service)
| Ship capacity = *4,208 (double occupancy)
*5,260 (max)
| Ship crew = 1,278 crew
| Ship decks = 18<ref name="costafirenzeRINA" />
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}
'''''Carnival Firenze''''' is a {{sclass|Vista|cruise ship|||Carnival}} operated by [[Carnival Cruise Line]], a subsidiary of [[Carnival Corporation & plc]]. Originally debuting as ''Costa Firenze'' for sister brand [[Costa Cruises]], she was initially commissioned for the Chinese market but was never deployed to Asia following the impact of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] on cruise travel in China. Named after [[Florence]], the 135,156 [[gross tonnage]] (GT)-vessel was constructed by Italian shipbuilder [[Fincantieri]] in [[Marghera]] and delivered in December 2020.

In 2023, amid a corporate fleet reshuffling in the wake of the pandemic, Carnival Corporation announced ''Costa Firenze'' would be transferred to Carnival under a new sub-brand named "Costa as Carnival" operating as "Carnival Fun Italian Style". The new concept was designed to integrate ''Costa Firenze'' and sister ship ''[[Carnival Venezia|Costa Venezia]]'' into Carnival in a bid to boost domestic American capacity after the cruise line had sold numerous older vessels, and while Costa contended with operational challenges in its core markets. In February 2024, she was officially renamed ''Carnival Firenze'' during her pre-delivery renovation and debuted for Carnival in April 2024 in the new sub-fleet of ''Venice''-class ships.

== Planning and construction (2015–2020) ==
[[Carnival Corporation]] entered into a strategic agreement with Italian shipbuilder [[Fincantieri]] in March 2015 for five [[cruise ship|cruise ships]] to be delivered between 2019 and 2022.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.fincantieri.com/en/media/press-releases/2015/000619/ |title=Fincantieri: Five Next-Generation Ships for Carnival Corporation |publisher=Fincantieri |date=27 March 2015 |access-date=8 February 2020}}</ref> On 30 December 2015, Carnival Corporation and Fincantieri signed a memorandum of agreement for four cruise ships, with two then-unnamed ships for Costa Asia among the four.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.fincantieri.com/en/media/press-releases/2015/000703/|title=Fincantieri: 4 Cruise Ships for Carnival|date=30 December 2015|publisher=Fincantieri|language=en|access-date=8 February 2020}}</ref> The announcement coincided with Carnival Corporation's unveiling of its plans for the expansion of the Costa Asia fleet, which would consist of two vessels at {{GT|135,500}} each, with a capacity of approximately 4,200 passengers per vessel.<ref name="CostaAsiaExpansion">{{Cite web |last=Leppert |first=Jason |date=4 January 2016 |title=Carnival Corp. Announces Four New Cruise Ships for Three Brands |url=https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/carnival-corp-announces-four-new-cruise-ships-for-three-brands.html |website=TravelPulse}}</ref> The contracts for the two newbuild vessels were finalized in April 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/carnival-corp-celebrates-koningsdam-and-finalizes-new-ship-orders-for-costa-po-and-princess.html|title=Carnival Corp. Celebrates Koningsdam and Finalizes New Ship Orders for Costa, P&O and Princess|last=Leppert|first=Jason|date=4 April 2016|website=TravelPulse}}</ref> The two ships, comprising a new class of vessels in Costa's fleet, were designed to be [[sister ship|sister ships]] and be outfitted with Costa's Italian-inspired decor.<ref name="CostaAsiaExpansion" />

In June 2018, it was revealed that construction on the ship had begun with the steel cutting that was performed earlier that year.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Costa Cruises Celebrates Float-out of Costa Venezia -- Its First Ship Being Built for China Market |date=22 June 2018 |publisher=[[Carnival Corporation & plc]] |url=https://www.carnivalcorporation.com/news-releases/news-release-details/costa-cruises-celebrates-float-out-costa-venezia-its-first-0 |access-date=11 April 2024}}</ref> On 6 May 2019, Costa Cruises announced that the second of the two vessels built specifically for the Chinese market would be named ''Costa Firenze'', after the Italian city of [[Florence]], and have interior features inspired by Florentine history and culture.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 May 2019 |title=Costa Names 2020 Newbuild for China Costa Firenze |url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/20813-costa-names-2020-newbuild-for-china-costa-firenze.html |access-date=9 November 2019 |website=Cruise Industry News |language=en-gb}}</ref> The ship was [[float-out|floated out]] from the building dock at [[Marghera]] on 6 November 2019.<ref name="FloatOut">{{Cite web |date=6 November 2019 |title=Costa Firenze Floats Out at Fincantieri |url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21864-costa-firenze-floats-out-at-fincantieri.html |access-date=9 November 2019 |website=Cruise Industry News |language=en-gb}}</ref>

Delivery for ''Costa Firenze'' was originally scheduled for 30 September 2020<ref name="FloatOut" /> but, amid the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], it was later postponed to 22 December.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 July 2020 |title=Carnival to Delay New Ship Introductions |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2020/07/carnival-to-delay-new-ship-introductions/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Cruise Industry News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dolven |first=Taylor |date=8 July 2020 |title=COVID-19 construction delays push cruise ship deliveries into 2021 |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article244079667.html |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=[[Miami Herald]]}}</ref><ref name="Delivery">{{Cite web |last=Jainchill |first=Johanna |date=22 December 2020 |title=Costa takes delivery of the Firenze |url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Costa-takes-delivery-of-the-Firenze |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Travel Weekly}}</ref>

=== Design ===
''Carnival Firenze'' measures {{GT|135156|disp=long}}, has a length of {{convert|323.63|m|ftin}}, a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|8.25|m|ftin}}, and a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|37.2|m|ftin}}. She is powered by a [[Diesel–electric powertrain|diesel-electric]] system, with two [[MAN Energy Solutions|MAN]] 14V48 engines and three MAN 8L48 [[Diesel generator|gensets]], all of which run on a [[common rail]] system and produce a total output of {{convert|62400|kW|hp|lk=on}}.<ref name="fincantieri">{{cite web |title=Costa Firenze |url=https://www.fincantieri.com/globalassets/prodotti-servizi/navi-da-crociera/costa-asia/scheda_cruise_costa_firenze_venezia.pdf |work=Fincantieri}}</ref><ref name="Baird">{{Cite web |date=7 July 2021 |title=Costa Firenze - Massive 5,200-Guest Ship to Serve Chinese Cruise Market |url=https://www.bairdmaritime.com/work-boat-world/passenger-vessel-world/cruise/vessel-review-costa-firenze-massive-5200-guest-ship-to-serve-chinese-cruise-market/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Baird Maritime}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bond |first=Mary |date=9 November 2016 |title=MAN Diesel & Turbo signs engine deal with Fincantieri for three Carnival newbuilds |url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news-headlines/man-diesel-turbo-signs-engine-deal-fincantieri-three-carnival-newbuilds |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Seatrade Cruise News}}</ref> The propulsion system produces a total of {{convert|33000|kW|hp|lk=on}}.<ref name="fincantieri" /> The combination gives the vessel a service speed of {{convert|18|kn|lk=in}} and a maximum speed of {{convert|22.6|kn}}.<ref name="fincantieri" /> The ship houses 2,136 passenger cabins and 701 crew cabins and has a maximum capacity of 6,538 passengers and crew.<ref name="fincantieri" />

[[File:Restaurant in the Piazza del Duomo, Florence, Italy.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1|alt=People eating at tables and chairs in the right foreground are flanked by patterned and designed walls of a cathedral.|Decor in the dining spaces onboard the ship was inspired by Florentine landmarks, such as the [[Piazza del Duomo, Florence|Piazza del Duomo]].]]
Costa commissioned design firm YSA Design for the vessel's Florentine-inspired interior decor. The firm focused on the history of Florence in the ship's dining spaces, with influences including the [[Piazza del Duomo, Florence|Piazza del Duomo]], [[Florence Cathedral]], [[Palazzo Vecchio]], and [[Palazzo Pitti]], in addition to the use of [[velvet]], [[marble]] flooring, and [[gilding]] work for further emphasis. Lounges were inspired by the [[Tuscany|Tuscan]] countryside setting and styles of [[Italian fashion]].<ref name="Baird"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Payne |first=Holly |date=29 June 2021 |title=YSA Design's vision for Costa Firenze captures Tuscan culture and heritage |url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/refurb-interiors/ysa-designs-vision-costa-firenze-captures-tuscan-culture-and-heritage |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Seatrade Cruise News}}</ref>

== Costa Cruises (2020–2024) ==
''Costa Firenze'' had her debut postponed from 2020 to 2021 after Costa was forced to revise the ship's inaugural plans on numerous occasions as a result of the pandemic-induced delivery delay and operational challenges. Costa first announced on 6 May 2019 that the ship would initially spend her first month sailing in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] and call at ports in Italy, Spain, and France. Her original maiden voyage was scheduled for 1 October 2020, departing from [[Trieste]] and calling at [[Bari]], [[Barcelona]], and [[Marseille]], before arriving in [[Savona]]. Then, she was to depart from Savona on 2 November to begin a 51-day cruise to [[Hong Kong]], arriving on 22 December.<ref name="InitialInaugural">{{Cite press release |title=Costa Cruises Presents Costa Firenze, the New Ship Arriving October 2020 |date=6 May 2019 |publisher=Carnival Corporation & plc |url=https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/costa-cruises-presents-costa-firenze-new-ship-arriving-october |language=en |access-date=9 November 2019}}</ref> But in August 2019, Costa cancelled her maiden voyage and first month of sailings in favor of repositioning the vessel to [[Singapore]] immediately following her delivery, after which she would debut in the Chinese market on 20 October 2020.<ref name="InauguralShuffle">{{Cite web |last=Kalosh |first=Anne |date=27 August 2019 |title=Costa ship shuffle strengthens Mediterranean presence |url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/costa-ship-shuffle-strengthens-mediterranean-preseence/ |access-date=9 November 2019 |website=Seatrade Cruise News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.fincantieri.com/en/media/press-releases/2019/costa-cruises-celebrates-float-out-of-costa-firenze/|title=Costa Cruises Celebrates Float Out of Costa Firenze |date=6 November 2019|publisher=Fincantieri|language=en|access-date=9 November 2019}}</ref> In July 2020, it was reported that Costa had considered reverting her Asia deployment plans to reschedule her for weekly Mediterranean sailings previously arranged for ''[[Costa Toscana]]'' due to the latter's delayed delivery.<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 July 2020 |title=Costa Firenze Set to Stay in Europe 2021 Before Heading to China |url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23225-costa-firenze-set-to-stay-in-europe-2021-before-heading-to-china.html |access-date=13 July 2020 |work=Cruise Industry News}}</ref> In September, Costa announced a new seven-day maiden voyage in the Mediterranean commencing on 27 December.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Susan J. |date=10 September 2020 |title=Costa Cruises Outlines Fall-Winter Schedules, Cancels Some Cruises |url=https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/costa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918212712/https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/costa |archive-date=18 September 2020 |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Travel Agent Central}}</ref> Then, in October, Costa further delayed the ship's debut in the Mediterranean with a new maiden voyage set for 28 February 2021,<ref name="Delivery"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hines |first=Morgan |date=29 October 2020 |title=Carnival's AIDA, Costa cruise lines cancel sailings amid COVID-19 surge in Europe |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/10/29/carnival-corp-german-line-aida-cruises-cancels-november-sailings/6069632002/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=[[USA Today]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Handover of Costa Firenze, the Ship Inspired by the Beauty of the Renaissance |date=22 December 2020 |publisher=[[Fincantieri]] |url=https://www.fincantieri.com/en/media/press-releases/2020/handover-of-costa-firenze-the-ship-inspired-by-the-beauty-of-the-renaissance/ |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref> which was later annulled by cancellations announced in January 2021.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Costa Resumes Its Cruise Program In Italy From March 13 With Costa Smeralda |date=22 January 2021 |publisher=[[Carnival Corporation & plc]] |url=https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/costa-resumes-its-cruise-program-italy-march-13-costa-smeralda |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Costa Restarts Cruises With New Program From March 27 With Costa Smeralda And From May 2 With Costa Luminosa |date=17 February 2021 |publisher=[[Carnival Corporation & plc]] |url=https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/costa-restarts-cruises-new-program-march-27-costa-smeralda-and |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref> 

[[File:D7K 3524 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|upright=1|alt=The port-side and aft of a cruise ship with white paint, many decks of balconies, and a yellow vertical cylindrical funnel with a blue 'C' painted on it, is shown from a distance.|''Costa Firenze'' was deployed in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] during her maiden season in summer 2021 and visited ports including [[Ibiza]].]]
After repeated delays, ''Costa Firenze'' sailed on her inaugural voyage on 4 July 2021 on an all-Italian itinerary that called at [[Savona]], [[Civitavecchia]], [[Palermo]], [[Naples]], [[Messina]], and [[Cagliari]]; she also began calling at ports in Spain and France in September 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Payne |first=Holly |date=22 April 2021 |title=Costa Cruises launches summer 2021 Mediterranean itineraries |url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ports-destinations/costa-cruises-launches-summer-2021-mediterranean-itineraries |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Seatrade Cruise News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Costa Cruises Celebrates Restart Of Cruises In Mediterranean |date=3 May 2021 |publisher=[[Carnival Corporation & plc]] |url=https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/costa-cruises-celebrates-restart-cruises-mediterranean |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Costa Firenze, the Italian Ship Inspired by the Beauty of the Renaissance, Departs For Her First Cruise |date=4 July 2021 |publisher=[[Carnival Corporation & plc]] |url=https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/costa-firenze-italian-ship-inspired-beauty-renaissance-departs |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref> She then followed her summer debut season with her maiden circuit in the [[Persian Gulf]], where she operated week-long voyages from [[Dubai]] between December 2021 and March 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bond |first=Mary |date=28 May 2021 |title=Costa Firenze to sail Arabian Gulf winter 2021/22; Costa sponsors Italy pavilion at Dubai Expo |url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ports-destinations/costa-firenze-sail-arabian-gulf-winter-202122-costa-sponsors-italy-pavilion-dubai |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Seatrade Cruise News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Costa Firenze Debuts in Dubai with Double Event: Inauguration of New Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal and Start of Tours to Discover Italy Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai |date=17 December 2021 |publisher=[[Carnival Corporation & plc]] |url=https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/costa-firenze-debuts-dubai-double-event-inauguration-new-dubai |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref> She returned to the Mediterranean in April 2022, where she operated week-long sailings through to November,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bond |first=Mary |date=14 February 2022 |title=Costa Cruises' entire fleet sailing by summer 2022 |url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ship-operations/costa-cruises-entire-fleet-sailing-summer-2022 |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Seatrade Cruise News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Costa Cruises Restart From Genoa With Costa Firenze |date=7 April 2022 |publisher=[[Carnival Corporation & plc]] |url=https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/costa-cruises-restart-genoa-costa-firenze |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref> which were followed by a repositioning to [[Brazil]] for her maiden [[South America]] season, where she operated until April 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 May 2022 |title=Costa Set For Biggest Brazilian Season in Ten Years |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2022/05/costa-set-for-biggest-brazilian-season-in-ten-years/#:~:text=Set%20to%20start%20in%20November,month%20domestic%20program%20in%20Brazil. |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Cruise Industry News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 December 2022 |title=Costa Firenze Debuts in Brazil |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2022/12/costa-firenze-debuts-in-brazil/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Cruise Industry News}}</ref> ''Costa Firenze'' operated her last summer with Costa through a [[Northern Europe]] deployment between May and September 2023<ref name="FirenzeBrazil22-23">{{Cite web |date=22 April 2023 |title=Costa Firenze Wraps Up First Season in South America |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/04/costa-firenze-wraps-up-first-season-in-south-america/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Cruise Industry News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Costa Easter Cruises 2023: Spring-Summer Season Kicks Off |date=6 April 2023 |publisher=[[Carnival Corporation & plc]] |url=https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/costa-easter-cruises-2023-spring-summer-season-kicks |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref> and sailed her final winter season for the cruise line, calling at ports in the Mediterranean, [[Atlantic Europe]], and [[Macaronesia]] prior to leaving the fleet in February 2024.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Costa Cruises Launches Costa Voyages: A New Way to Experience Long-Term Cruises |date=7 July 2023 |publisher=[[Carnival Corporation & plc]] |url=https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/costa-cruises-launches-costa-voyages-new-way-experience-long |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref><ref name="FirenzeBrazil22-23"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 January 2024 |title=Costa Firenze Sets Sail on Farewell Cruise Ahead of Carnival Transfer |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/01/costa-firenze-sets-sail-on-farewell-cruise-ahead-of-carnival-transfer/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Cruise Industry News}}</ref>

== Carnival Cruise Line (2024–present) ==
On 22 June 2022, Carnival Corporation announced that sister ship [[Carnival Venezia|''Costa Venezia'']] and ''Costa Firenze'' would be transferred to Costa's sister brand, [[Carnival Cruise Line]], in 2023 and 2024, respectively, under a new sub-brand, "Costa by Carnival" operating as "Carnival Fun Italian Style". Both ships would be renamed with the Carnival prefix, painted in a hybrid Costa and Carnival livery, and staffed and operated by Carnival.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jainchill |first=Johanna |date=22 June 2022 |title=Two Costa ships will sail for Carnival from the U.S. |url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Costa-by-Carnival-concept |access-date=3 June 2023 |website=Travel Weekly}}</ref> It was a project aimed at boosting Carnival's capacity in the American market during its recovery following the pandemic and came after Carnival had sold numerous older vessels in its fleet while Costa faced operational challenges in its core markets, including Europe and China.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zelinski |first=Andrea |date=5 July 2022 |title=Costa by Carnival: New ships and a dose of dolce vita in the U.S. |url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Costa-by-Carnival-new-ships-dose-dolce-vita |access-date=3 June 2023 |website=Travel Weekly}}</ref>

In December 2022, Carnival revealed that ''Carnival Venezia'' and ''Carnival Firenze'' would be slotted into its fleet as a sub-class of its existing ''Vista''-class, known as the ''Venice''-class. It also revealed that the two ships would combine many of the staples found on existing Carnival ships with new features and amenities inspired by Italian design and tastes, including new menu items across their bars and restaurants.<ref>{{cite news |title=Carnival Reveals Details Ahead of Venezia Debut |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2022/12/carnival-reveals-details-ahead-of-venezia-debut/ |access-date=6 March 2023 |work=Cruise Industry News |date=12 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102172139/https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2022/12/carnival-reveals-details-ahead-of-venezia-debut/ |archive-date=2 January 2023}}</ref>

In January 2024, the ship began her 42-day refit and rebranding at the [[Navantia]] shipyard in [[Cádiz]], where she was officially transferred into the Carnival fleet on 2 February and renamed ''Carnival Firenze''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Benitez |first=Joaquin |date=31 January 2024 |title=El ‘Costa Firenze’ adelantó su entrada en el astillero de Cádiz |url=https://www.diariodecadiz.es/cadiz/Costa-Firenze-adelanto-astillero-Cadiz_0_1871215032.html |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=[[Diario de Cádiz]] |language=es}}</ref><ref name="FirenzeHandover">{{Cite web |last=Kalosh |first=Anne |date=2 February 2024 |title=Costa Firenze handed over for more 'Carnival Fun Italian Style' |url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/refurb-interiors/costa-firenze-handed-over-more-carnival-fun-italian-style |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Seatrade Cruise News}}</ref> The ship left the shipyard on 22 March and sailed to her new homeport of [[Long Beach, California]], after which she was christened by her godfather, American actor [[Jonathan Bennett (actor)|Jonathan Bennett]], on 24 April.<ref name="FirenzeNavantia24">{{Cite news |last=Benitez |first=Joaquin |date=21 March 2024 |title=El crucero ‘Carnival Firenze’ se irá de Cádiz con nuevo nombre y nueva bandera |url=https://www.diariodecadiz.es/cadiz/crucero-Carnival-Firenze-Cadiz_0_1885613441.html |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=[[Diario de Cádiz]] |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zelinski |first=Andrea |date=5 April 2024 |title=So Fetch! 'Mean Girls' actor Jonathan Bennett named godfather of Carnival Firenze |url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Actor-Jonathan-Bennett-named-godfather-of-Carnival-Firenze |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Travel Weekly}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kalosh |first=Anne |date=24 April 2024 |title='Honorary Italian' Jonathan Bennett names Carnival Firenze in Long Beach |url=https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/people-opinions/honorary-italian-jonathan-bennett-names-carnival-firenze-long-beach |access-date=24 April 2024 |website=Seatrade Cruise News}}</ref> Originally scheduled to sail her inaugural voyage on 2 May 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Limone |first=Jerry |date=23 March 2023 |title=Carnival Cruise Line opens reservations for the Firenze |url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Carnival-opens-reservations-Firenze |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Travel Weekly}}</ref> ''Carnival Firenze'' commenced operations one week earlier, on 25 April, to the [[Mexican Riviera]], a region to which she is deployed on a year-round basis.<ref name="FirenzeHandover"/><ref name="FirenzeNavantia24"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Murray |first=Jo |date=25 April 2024 |title=On the Water: Newport to Ensenada race begins this weekend |url=https://www.presstelegram.com/2024/04/25/on-the-water-newport-to-ensenada-race-begins-this-weekend/ |access-date=2 May 2024 |work=[[Press-Telegram]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{List of ships built by Fincantieri}}
{{Carnival Cruise Line}}
{{Costa Cruises}}

[[Category:Ships of Costa Cruises|Firenze]]
[[Category:Ships built by Fincantieri]]
[[Category:2019 ships]]