Mardi Gras has been subject to numerous delays in her construction, delivery, and debut amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent impact on tourism.

After her debut was postponed on numerous occasions, Mardi Gras began operating weekly sailings on 31 July 2021.

[4][5] Mardi Gras is divided into six zones incorporating themed elements and spaces that host activities and events and also house various dining and shopping outlets.

[6] On her top decks is the "Ultimate Playground" zone, where the world's first shipboard roller coaster, named "Bolt", is located.

[10] Carnival explained that the company's pivot towards LNG was due in part to the demands voiced by environmental groups and the European Union to reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions.

[10] The new style marked a departure from the fleet's mostly white hulls and was commissioned by Carnival in an effort to market the brand as "America's Cruise Line.

[23] The following day, Carnival announced Mardi Gras would begin operating under the Bahamian flag after it was previously registered to Panama.

[11] Mardi Gras was initially scheduled to debut on 31 August 2020 on a nine-day Northern Europe sailing between Copenhagen and Southampton before operating a transatlantic crossing to New York for a short fall season of cruises to the Maritimes.

[4] However, on 20 December 2019, citing construction delays, Carnival announced that Mardi Gras would be delivered in October 2020 and the ship's maiden voyage would be postponed to 14 November 2020 from Port Canaveral, which forced the cancellation of her European and New York itineraries.