An enormous cruise ship that will start sailing out of Long Beach has just docked here for the first time.

The Carnival Firenze is 1,061 feet long. It can carry up to 4,126 guests and 1,425 crewmembers on its trips along Mexico’s Pacific Coast to destinations like Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

The Firenze is slightly larger even than the Carnival Panorama, which arrived in Long Beach in 2019 and measures 1,055 feet with a 4,008 guest capacity.

Originally built for Carnival’s sister cruise line Costa, the Firenze was completed near the end of 2020.

The Carnival Firenze on April 24, 2024, the day it arrived in Long Beach. It will set sail for its first voyage out of the local port on April 25. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

Costa transferred the Firenze to Carnival in February and after refurbishment, the ship is now ready to sail out of Long Beach year-round, according to the cruise line.

The Firenze is decked out in what Carnival calls its “Fun Italian Style” inspired by the city of Florence, a holdover from the ship’s beginnings with Costa Cruises, which is based in Italy.

Firenze will depart Long Beach on Thursday for its first trip out of the city’s port.