Carnival is sending a Conquest-class ship to Baltimore in 2027, allowing about 1,000 more cruise passengers per sailing compared to the current Spirit-class ship in the Maryland port, Carnival Pride.
According to a recent press release, Carnival is “exploring moving a larger Conquest class ship to Baltimore in 2027,” showing the cruise line’s commitment to the port even as another cruise line is saying goodbye.
But one logistical issue stands out: how will a ship of that size navigate the bridges in Baltimore’s harbor?
Height Difference with Conquest and Spirit Classes
The Conquest-class ships—like Carnival Conquest, Carnival Freedom, or Carnival Liberty—are noticeably larger than the Spirit-class vessels currently sailing from Baltimore.
While the numbers in terms of height are still negligible between the two classes, you don’t want the margins to be too tight, especially in choppy seas.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge has a clearance of just 186 feet. The new Francis Scott Key Bridge, set to replace the collapsed structure by 2027, will offer a more generous 230 feet of clearance.
But it’s the Bay Bridge that matters most, and here’s where the numbers get tight.
A Spirit-class ship stands around 205 feet tall, with a 26-foot draft, leaving about 179 feet above the waterline. A Conquest-class ship, by contrast, reaches roughly 208 feet with its full funnel and a 27-foot draft, putting it at about 181 feet above the waterline.
That’s a slim five-foot margin under the Bay Bridge—sure, it’s doable, but only with perfect conditions and, likely, some clever adjustments.
And that’s where some speculation is coming into play. Will Carnival need to adjust the funnel of one of its Conquest ships for it to fit under the bridges?
How Can the Ship Fit?
So, how might Carnival make this work? One possibility lies in the ship’s funnel, the distinctive whale-tail smokestack that is iconic to Carnival ships.
The company has a history of trimming funnels to fit under low bridges—think of ships operating in places like Sydney with modified stacks.
Carnival Freedom, in particular, seems like a good possibility. It’s already had its funnel replaced twice—once after a fire, then again after a lightning strike—leaving it with a shorter, straighter design.
With a dry dock scheduled from September 1, 2026, to October 8, 2026, Carnival could use that window to further tweak Freedom’s funnel, shaving off enough height to slip under the Bay Bridge’s 186 feet. Other Conquest-class ships, like Carnival Conquest (dry dock: August 22, 2025 – September 30, 2025), could also be candidates, though Freedom’s timing aligns better with the 2027 rollout.
The Carnival fleet offers more clues. Several Carnival ships, including Carnival Luminosa, already have straight funnels instead of the traditional whale tail—a design that could drop a Conquest-class ship’s height by a few feet, which would really make all the difference.
With at least five ships under the Carnival umbrella that lack the whale tail, this isn’t too much of a stretch. Still, even with a modified funnel, the ability to safely navigate bridge clearance requires more than just a minor adjustment.
Tide changes, ship speed, and the vessel’s tilt could shrink that five-foot margin, so precision engineering a must.
The new Key Bridge’s 230-foot clearance clears the way for taller ships, but the Bay Bridge remains the bottleneck at 186 feet.
Perhaps Carnival is banking on a specific Conquest-class ship—like Freedom—or they’re planning on some other kinds of tweaks I have not even addressed. Either way, the move shows the cruise line is staying in Baltimore and even expanding its offerings.
Cruise Fever has reached out to Carnival for more information on which ship will be used and if modifications will be required. No word yet, but we will update this article if we hear anything.
Carnival Sailing in as Royal Caribbean is Sailing Out
Carnival’s expansion in Baltimore comes at a unique moment. Royal Caribbean is set to depart the port in late 2026, moving its Baltimore-based ship, Vision of the Seas, to Port Everglades.
With Royal Caribbean focusing on bigger ships that can’t fit under the port’s bridges, Carnival is stepping up to meet the demand from mid-Atlantic cruisers who value the convenience of a drivable port. And with almost 3 million people living in the Baltimore metropolitan area alone, a lot of cruisers are happy with the decision.