Built by Kværner Masa-Yards at its Helsinki New Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland, she was floated out on December 9, 1988, completed on January 27, 1990[2] and formally named on March 1, 1990, as Fantasy by Tellervo Koivisto,[3] wife of the then President of Finland, Mauno Koivisto.

In the Fall of 2006, Fantasy was the first Carnival ship to move back to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina with New Orleans becoming its home port, undertaking cruises to Mexico.

[citation needed] Carnival Fantasy spent a month in drydock being refitted in the Fall of 2008.

The upgrades included being fitted with diesel engine scrubbers as well the alteration of some of the restaurants and child care areas on the ship.

[12] On March 14, 2020, Carnival announced suspension of service for all of its ships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.