Saturday, April 13, 2024

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

www.carnival cruise line

Platinums also get complimentary wash-and-fold laundry service (with a limit of two to five bags, depending on the length of the cruise). On most ships, smoking (including electronic cigarettes) is only allowed in designated outdoor areas and in casinos and nightclubs. On Carnival ships in Australia, smoking is only allowed in designated outdoor areas. Carnival adds an automatic service gratuity of $16 to $18 per person, per day to final bills, depending on the cabin category (children under the age of 2 are exempt). If you are unhappy with the service you receive, you can adjust this amount at the Guest Services desk before disembarking. Also, an 18% gratuity is added to bar bills and the cover charge of the Chef's Table.

Carnival Mardi Gras

Carnival Cruise Line sells itself as the "fun" cruise line, and it attracts cruisers who are looking to have a good time with little to no pretensions. Carnival cruisers, who range from young to old, tend to be quite friendly, looking to strike up conversations with other people in the buffet, by the pool and, really, anywhere. 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.

: First new build ships

If the idea of crew members dancing during your meal in dining rooms or rowdy karaoke parties makes you cringe, this isn't the line for you. However, if you're ready to let loose and be a little goofy, it may be a perfect choice. If you're sure you know what sort of cabin you want, on which ship, on which itinerary — and about a dozen other things — you can head over to Carnival.com to book directly. Note that, in contrast to airline frequent flyer programs, cruise line loyalty programs do not require you to requalify for status every year. However, it's not as difficult as it might at first seem to hit the more rewarding higher-level tiers in just a few years if you're cruising a lot. As is typical with cruise line loyalty programs, lower tiers don't bring all that much in terms of truly valuable benefits.

Company structure

Think nightly dance parties in White Heat Dance Club, movies under the stars on the pool deck, and tacos from BlueIguana Cantina. The ship sails around the Bahamas, Caribbean, and more on two to 10-day itineraries. Around the ship, you’ll find spaces like Phantom Lounge and Dr. Frankenstein’s Lab, where you can see shows or dance the night away. When you’re ready to soak up the sun, find a lounge chair at the adults-only pool deck or splash down on one of the slides at WaterWorks. Before committing to a cruise, I break down the price per person per night, particularly if I need multiple cabins because I'm traveling with a group. I recommend you take advantage of Carnival's convenient 24-hour reservation hold, which displays the total cost, itinerary, and a countdown timer so you know when to purchase to secure the locked-in price.

Crew Connections

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If it's a sea day in a warm-weather destination, and you're bound for the top deck, that means looking like you're going to the beach — T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits (with a cover-up to go inside) are just fine. Note that three of the line's newest ships — Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Venezia — do not have launderettes. Carnival fans are quite peeved about this, and you should be, too. Older kids (aged 15-17) are grouped into what's known as Club O2 and have their own lounge for meeting up, listening to music, dancing, singing karaoke and other activities. Passengers can learn to cook everything from Carnival's classic warm chocolate melting cake to its popular saffron risotto during one- to two-hour classes that cost $30 to $59 per person. 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.

Ships

The heart of the program, called Camp Ocean, brings free, supervised activities daily for children aged 2 to 11. The line splits children here into three age groups — Penguins (aged 2-5 years), Stingrays (aged 6-8 years) and Sharks (aged 9-11 years). Near the ship's tween and teen clubrooms, it has two padded trampoline areas where you can jump around and take part in games like jousting on a balance beam or shooting baskets while bouncing. There's even trampoline dodgeball and, at one end of the room, a climbing wall augmented with interactive game elements.

What is Rudi's Seagrill on Carnival cruise ships?

While the free programming ends at 10 p.m., you can pay extra to leave your kids at Camp Ocean until 1 a.m. During those hours, Camp Ocean transforms into a supervised slumber party-type environment with games, movies, crafts and snacks, along with late-night parties called Night Owls. Each group has its own age-appropriate activities ranging from face painting to pirate adventures. On many ships there are extensive dedicated spaces for the different groups. 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.

Related Cruises

In recent years, Carnival also has deployed two of its vessels to Australia to operate voyages from Sydney and Brisbane. In a departure from Carnival's American-focused business model, the Australia sailings are aimed mostly at the local Australian market, though they are open to American travelers. The self-described "fun ship" line is the king of short, affordable, fun-focused cruises from U.S. ports to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico and other nearby destinations.

www.carnival cruise line

Cabins and suites

You want someone who understands all the little quirks that are unique to Carnival's cabin categories and, preferably, has done ship inspections to see the cabins firsthand. A good travel agent will quiz you about your particular interests, travel style and preferences, and steer you to the perfect cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. They can also help you if something goes wrong just before, during or after your voyage.

Carnival ships are all about fun, in a lively, let's-not-take-this-too-seriously sort of way. In fact, the lower tiers of the Carnival program are among the most stingy in the entire cruise universe. You'll receive things like a single complimentary bottle of water (at the Red tier) and a single free drink that only can be ordered on the last night of a cruise (at the Gold tier). During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually.

When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. Carnival Elation is currently the fleet's oldest ship, debuting in March 1998, and the only cruise ship from any cruise line that sails from Jacksonville, Florida. Even though the ship is small, with a total guest capacity of 2,606, it’s ideal for a quick weekend away if you want a mix of relaxation and high-energy activities. I've sailed the most on Carnival Elation since the ship sails from my hometown of Jacksonville.

Our ships sail to stunning destinations — see just where on the map we go. Each of our ships is a unique experience — check the features and find out which ship is right for you. Alcoholic beverages are charged a la carte unless you have a drink package that covers the price. Carnival Legend, themed around legends and lore around the world, has two pools and plenty of places to grab a bite, including the Golden Fleece Steakhouse for a stunning multi-course dinner.

Here, I'll go over what you need to know — from menu items and pricing to the ships on which you'll find Rudi's Seagrill — so you can decide if dinner at this upscale seafood restaurant is right for you. With two to nine-day cruises from Tampa to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, Carnival Paradise literally takes cruisers to paradise islands. The ship brims with fun amenities like the WaterWorks splash zone and the relaxing Cloud 9 Spa. Head to the main theater for enchanting live performances and shows every night, enjoy tacos and burgers on the pool decks, or find a lounge chair around the pool and soak up the sun.

The ship offers a wide range of entertainment options, including mini-golf, a jogging track, kids clubs, and adult-centric entertainment. Carnival Valor is almost 20 years old and still showing cruisers a good time. The ship's home ports are New Orleans, Louisiana, and Barcelona, Spain, and it offers two to over 10-night sailings. Don’t miss the epic Seaday Brunch, where you'll find all kinds of treats like huevos rancheros, french toast, loaded burgers, and chicken and waffles. The ship debuted the restaurant Cucina del Capitano, which is now onboard multiple ships in the fleet. Carnival Panorama is smaller than today's mega-ships, but it packs a ton of fun into its 15 decks.

Carnival is the undisputed leader among North America-based cruise brands when it comes to affordability, which makes it popular with vacationers on a budget. Occasionally, Carnival will deploy a ship to Europe for a few weeks or months. This often takes place when a vessel needs to go to a European shipyard for an overhaul. Lowest pricing is based on our 3rd party pricing supplier and valid as of April 22nd, 2024. Your private stateroom is more than just a place to rest and recharge — see the comfy options available. The fun continues when you reach your port — there’s a huge variety of shore excursions to choose from.

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