What was the MS Jubilee?

MS Jubilee was the second Holiday Class ship, built by Kockums shipyard in Sweden. She served Carnival from 1986 to 2004.

What happened to Jubilee after Carnival?

Jubilee became Pacific Sun for P&O Australia (2004-2012) and then Henna for HNA Cruises in China (2012-2017). She was the first Holiday Class ship scrapped.

MS Jubilee (1986) — Holiday Class Swedish Sister

Item: MS Jubilee (1986)
Author: Ken Baker

The Swedish Sister

Holiday came from Denmark. Jubilee came from Sweden. The Holiday Class had Nordic heritage. Kockums shipyard in Malmö built Jubilee with Swedish precision—attention to detail, quality materials, engineering rigor. Thirty-one years of service proved that construction quality. Ships face constant stress; Kockums built Jubilee to survive those stresses across three decades and four identities.

Service Timeline

1986: Delivered by Kockums, Malmö, Sweden as second Holiday Class ship

1986-2004: Served Carnival for 18 years delivering Fun Ship celebrations

2004: Sold to P&O Cruises Australia, renamed Pacific Sun

2012: Sold to HNA Cruises, renamed Henna for Chinese markets

2017: First Holiday Class ship scrapped at Alang, India

Specifications

Gross Tonnage: 47,262 GT
Length: 733 feet (223m)
Passenger Capacity: 1,486 passengers
Builder: Kockums, Sweden
Carnival Service: 18 years (1986-2004)
Total Service: 31 years

From the Logbook

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Legacy

Jubilee was neither first nor last—she was the middle sister. Middle matters. Her legacy includes Swedish shipbuilding demonstration, Pacific market expansion through Pacific Sun, and thirty-one years proving Holiday Class durability. She showed that Fun Ship philosophy worked for Americans AND Australians AND Chinese passengers. The middle sister role suited her well across three decades of service.