Table Of Content
- Final Thoughts on Best Carnival Cruises for Families
- How much does a Carnival cruise cost?
- Learn About Credit Cards
- thoughts on “Best & Worst Carnival Cruise Ships (Ranked By Reviews)”
- Carnival Horizon — Overall Score: 9.7/10
- Children's programs
- Carnival Celebration (coming soon!)
- What is the most fun Carnival ship?
But, finding a poolside lounge chair might require some patience during peak times. Also, some guests have mentioned that the main theater shows can sometimes feel repetitive if you’re on a longer cruise. Carnival Spirit sets sail from home ports around the United States to Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and the Panama Canal. The ship offers a wide range of entertainment options, including mini-golf, a jogging track, kids clubs, and adult-centric entertainment. For an extended cruise from Tampa, Florida, or Baltimore, Maryland, look to Carnival Pride.
Final Thoughts on Best Carnival Cruises for Families
The Unicorn Café is where passengers can enjoy a great cup of coffee. Additionally, handmade classics will be found at Guy’s Burger Joint, while the BlueIguana Cantina is known for its taco-burritos. It comes equipped with a huge children’s center with dedicated spaces for tweens and teens.
How much does a Carnival cruise cost?
I sailed on the oldest and smallest Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships. Here's how it went - Cruise Blog
I sailed on the oldest and smallest Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships. Here's how it went.
Posted: Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Launched in December 2019, Carnival Panorama has quickly become a favorite for many cruise enthusiasts. The ship offers a unique SkyZone trampoline park, providing not just a bouncing experience but also games like dodgeball. If relaxation is on your agenda, the Havana area is your go-to spot. Exclusive during the day, it transforms into a tropical haven with its private pool and loungers. For the culinary enthusiasts, Mardi Gras presents a world of flavors.
Learn About Credit Cards
Launching in November 2022, she is the second Excel-Class ship in the Carnival fleet. In 2023, Carnival Venezia was launched, although this ship has been sailing for Costa Cruises since 2019. And while there are many positive reviews of the ship, some loyal Carnival fans just don’t feel like she’s a fit for the cruise line. The clash of styles between Carnival Fun and Italian-style cruising hasn’t quite worked as Carnival hoped it would – though there are still many years for guests to come around. Carnival Venezia is another ship that previously sailed for Carnival’s sister cruise line Costa Cruises, though she is more modern than Luminosa.
Food on board is varied, although reviews do criticize portion sizes across the whole Carnival fleet. The Vista Class ships – Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon and Carnival Panorama – have some of the best casinos in the Carnival fleet and of all cruise ships in the world. Play at over 200 different gaming machines or at one of 22 gaming tables, and take part in massive tournaments on board.
The advice we have would be to buy the package pre-cruise at a 10% discount. Carnival also offers a 15% discount for pre-purchasing Wi-Fi, making that a definite deal if you plan to be online during your cruise. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Carnival ships are all about fun, in a lively, let's-not-take-this-too-seriously sort of way. As you might expect, pricing for ships will generally be lower during offseason periods such as September, October and parts of November.
If you’re cruising with older children who are afraid of water slides, there is a splash park which is also really fun. There isn’t really a ‘best’ Carnival ship for everybody, because they are all different. Some are great for destinations, others are more about the onboard experience. It depends on what you’re looking for as to which is the best one for you. If you find some of the newer Carnival ships to be a little intimidating through the sheer choice of dining venues and attractions they offer, then Carnival Paradise could be ideal. She’s not a boring ship but she’s not packed with tons of innovative features either.
Fitness rooms and physical activities are a part of each vessel. They also come equipped with various learning experiences, arts and crafts projects, and even a library where passengers can enjoy the quiet and read a good book. Art lovers can reflect on paintings hung over two decks or take in an art lecture.
I took my first solo cruise on Carnival Cruise Line. After 7 nights, here are the pros and cons of cruising alone - Cruise Blog
I took my first solo cruise on Carnival Cruise Line. After 7 nights, here are the pros and cons of cruising alone.
Posted: Mon, 06 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Some East Coast ships also head to Bermuda, New England and Canada. On the West Coast, sailings to Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska are the norm. You'll find at least one of its ships sailing out of pretty much every major port city around the country. The arrival of Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration over the past two years has marked a major turning point for the line. At around 180,000 tons, they rank at No. 15 and No. 13, respectively, among the world's largest cruise ships — the only Carnival ships to crack the Top 20.
It offers the line's signature Serenity adults-only sun deck, RedFrog Pub, Alchemy Bar and a slew of lounges, nightclubs and daily activities. When it comes to a family cruise, it’s hard to beat the value you get with Carnival. The endless entertainment, amazing attractions and plentiful food options makes Carnival one of the best cruise lines for families.
Designed to be quick and digestible, they typically last around 30 minutes and have relatively small casts (just eight on some ships). Carnival draws a lively, outgoing crowd looking to be part of the action. 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.
Parents can relax, knowing their children are well taken care of and doing something they enjoy. Most of the sailings are six nights in length and include two days in Bermuda. The line also typically offers a few shorter four- and five-night Bermuda sailings and, occasionally, a longer seven-night Bermuda sailing. Notably, Carnival is the only cruise line to base ships in Long Beach year-round for voyages to Mexico. One of the line's newest vessels, the 4,008-passenger Carnival Panorama, is based year-round in Long Beach for seven-night Mexican Riviera voyages.
But with Carnival Freedom, the ship feels like a bit of a mishmash, and so it can have a strange vibe. The newer parts are done well and make the ship a good choice for families. But other parts still look dated, and you can tell that there are pre-upgrade and post-upgrade features. Clearly from a technical standard, the ship is outstanding, but complaints focus on some of the basics like quality and variety of food, and of service standards slipping a little. Carnival Glory is another ship that has been a stalwart for Carnival for a long time, and as a result, it’s showing its age – reviews do comment on some parts of the ship looking a little worn.
You can’t have a day of fun and relaxation without having some quality food. Guy’s Burger Joint and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar Smokehouse are dining options. The playground area on Mardi Gras has a ropes course, a basketball court, a mini-golf course, and plenty of fun slides to go down. So, pack your bags and discover some of the best Carnival cruise ships you can take a trip on. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear.
Don't miss the Venetian Toast, where the ship’s captain greets guests and crew don Venetian masks. Here, find guidance on every Carnival cruise ship, from the newest to the oldest. With 27 ships and hundreds of itineraries, there’s a Carnival cruise for everyone. The Carnival Celebration is one of the newest additions to the cruise line and one of the best Carnival ships you can spend your vacation on.
Carnival’s loyalty program is called VIFP which means Very Important Fun Person. Members earn benefits like special offers, a free drink on board, priority boarding, cabin upgrades and more. With plenty of routes from the U.S. and international destinations, countless member benefits and a wide selection of cabins to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect cruise for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but Carnival Mardi Gras often tops the list.
