Sunday, March 31, 2024

Carnival Cruise Line guide: Everything to know about ships, itineraries and more

carniva cruise ship

The Carnival ship became the first in the new Sunshine class after completing a major bow-to-stern transformation in November 2013. The vessel has become completely new after previously being named Carnival Destiny, which originally entered service in 1996. You could call the Carnival Venezia half new, as she was transferred from sister brand Costa Cruises in 2023 and sailed her inaugural voyage as part of the Carnival Cruise Line fleet on May 29, 2023. The ship underwent a huge multi-million-dollar transformation in Cadiz, Spain, but still kept with her Italian traditional decor. In 2001, the new Panamax size Spirit class debuted with the Carnival Spirit, the first of the four-ship class within the Carnival fleet.

Ocean View (Obstructed View)

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Mardi Gras' new sister ship, Carnival Celebration, is also a fantastic option in this category, offering a nearly identical experience (with just a few changes in the names and themes of specific venues). See how your selections stack up, or go back for some new ships to compare. Carnival Horizon, Carnival Panorama and Carnival Venezia also have teppanyaki restaurants, and all four ships have dedicated chef's tables located within their galleys. Carnival Magic debuted in 2011 and has the same dimensions and passenger capacity as Carnival Breeze. Carnival Cruise Line officialy took control of the ship from Costa at the shipyard in Cadiz, Spain in February 2024. She’s the second “Carnival Fun Italian Style” ship, following int he footsteps of sister Carnival Venzia.

Carnival Jubilee

Carnival claims to draw more children than any other cruise line. So perhaps it makes sense that it has one of the most extensive children's programs at sea. The line has formal children's programming and activities for children as young as 2 years old through the age of 17. Carnival Panorama also houses Carnival's first cooking classroom. On one of Carnival's newest ships, Carnival Panorama, there's no RedFrog Pub, but the Smokehouse Brewhouse has a stage that's home to live music nightly and some of the ship's karaoke sessions.

Ocean Suite

First there's Playlist Productions™, where pros sing and dance their hearts out, performing high-energy themed revues of tunes you know, backed by amazing visual effects. Then there's Punchliner™ Comedy Club where you'll find some real pros who know how to wedge a little laughter into anyone’s evening. Kids have three unique youth spaces where they can hang out with others their age and enjoy supervised activities, games and more. This is one ship that’s ready to put its fun where your vacation is, with plenty of ways to enjoy your time away. Carnival has quite a few different classes of ships, but the differences between many of them aren't as big as the differences between classes at other lines. Carnival spent $200 million alone in 2019 overhauling Carnival Sunrise.

Havana Premium Vista Balcony

Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. We make sure cruisers are fully prepared for their cruise vacation with tips on ships and ports.Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world.

Carnival Dream – 2009

You'll also find a solid array of eateries on each of the ships including a Guy's Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina burrito outlets and steakhouses. Two of the three ships — Carnival Breeze and Carnival Dream — also have sushi eateries, while Carnival Breeze and Carnival Magic have Carnival's Caribbean-inspired watering hole, RedFrog Pub. The Carnival Glory is the second ship built in the hugely popular Conquest-class. She was constructed by Fincantieri in Italy and cost $500 million. Carnival Mircale is the latest ship in the Spirit-class from Carnival Cruise Line. The vessel was constructed in Helsinki, Finland and was completed in 2004.

Night Mexican Riviera Cruise

All Carnival cruises go to great spots — what sets each ship apart is how it gets you there. Every one of our ships features its own unique twist on Carnival-style fun. Carnival Glory returned to service today in Barcelona following a 21-day dry dock. The ship is setting sail on a 14-day Carnival Journeys transatlantic cruise to the ship’s new homeport of Port Canaveral, Fla.

carniva cruise ship

All Havana Cabana cruisers get access to an exclusive lanai and pool deck. With a suite booking, you'll also receive priority embarkation and disembarkation. Choosing a Carnival cruise ship is no simple task, especially if you're new to cruising. As one of the largest cruise brands in the world, Carnival Cruise Line has more than two dozen vessels in its fleet, offering everything from megaship adventures to smaller-ship experiences. Many variables — price, embarkation dates, travel companions, ship size and amenities, and destination — can shape the way you make your choice. That said, the two remaining Fantasy-class ships have undergone renovations over the years to add more balcony cabins.

On the vast majority of Carnival ships, there's not just a single waterslide but a whole water park area. Dubbed WaterWorks, these areas vary in size and features from vessel to vessel. They typically have one or two big waterslides (sometimes three!), a play zone with interactive water features and a large, continuously filling dump bucket that periodically soaks everybody within range.

BlueIguana is a Chipotle-style restaurant, with yummy made-to-order burritos and tacos. Created in partnership with Food Network's Guy Fieri, Guy's Burger Joint offers burgers that beat anything you'll find around the pool on other mass-market ships and even most luxury vessels. Design-wise, Carnival's cabins and suites are fairly basic and comfortable, if not super stylish. Cabins on recently unveiled or overhauled vessels have a soothing palette of creams and blues. Cabinetry in these rooms is a crisp and clean faux wood, and cabin bathrooms are neutral.

More ships leaving from a specific port means more competition, which can drive prices lower. If a traditional suite is more your style, consider a Grand Suite, which includes priority embarkation, disembarkation and dining times, as well as access to the Havana pool area. Note, however, that Grand Suites run only 345 square feet with 85-square-foot balconies — disappointing when you consider some of Royal Caribbean's largest rooms are nearly five times that size. For digs that include pampering, try a Cloud 9 Spa cabin to receive extras like complimentary thermal suite access and two free yoga or Pilates classes. As you step into a Junior Suite aboard Carnival Liberty, you can't help but feel that you're stepping into full-size luxury, just in a smaller package. In a Carnival Liberty Junior Suite you'll find everything there is to love about a suite, including VIP check-in, a walk-in closet, a full-size balcony...

The makeovers of the ships, which began in 2013, were so thorough that Carnival has given each of the vessels a new name. Carnival Sunshine is what old-time Carnival fans will remember as Carnival Destiny. Carnival Radiance is the ship that began life as Carnival Victory. These are also the ships that Carnival uses for winter sailings to the Caribbean from Baltimore, which can involve a day or two of cold and stormy sailing in the Atlantic. Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon and Carnival Panorama also feature Italian eatery Cucina Del Capitano, as well as JiJi Asian Kitchen, while Carnival Venezia has an Italian restaurant called Il Viaggio.

Terrazza staterooms access a private sun deck with whirlpools and a bar. Carnival’s fan-favorite dining options and amenities, like Guy’s Burger Joint and WaterWorks, will be on board. A Dreams Photography Studio was also added and upgrades were made to the ship’s spa. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site.

Note that the Carnival fleet is scheduled to grow over the next year with two more new vessels. As noted above, the line has ordered another sister vessel to Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration that will be ready to sail in late 2023. Where you won't find Carnival ships, notably, is in Asia, South America or, for the most part, Europe. Unlike other big cruise brands such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises, Carnival doesn't spread its vessels around the world to draw a fly-in crowd. Aimed squarely at Americans, its trips are all about cruising close to home at a reasonable price.

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