Reviewed: Carnival Cruise Wi-Fi Service Speed, Reliability, Cost, and More

is carnival cruise good

When we decided to give the Alchemy Bar a try on the first night, we were still technically in Alabama waters so we had to follow the local liquor regulations. Therefore, the menu was limited and we couldn’t see what else was even available. I also went to BlueIguana on the last morning of our cruise to have a breakfast burrito because I had heard multiple people talking about how good they were. I filled mine with ham, egg, cheese, skillet hash browns, onions and sour cream in a warm tortilla. I especially appreciated how quickly my burrito was served, as the buffet nearby had a huge line.

is carnival cruise good

Convenient Port Canaveral “Park & Cruise” Hotels

Although not technically part of Carnival’s signature food options, our 4-night sailing featured Afternoon Tea in the dining room during both sea days. Online forums reveal it might be hit or miss whether each Carnival ship offers Afternoon Tea on certain itineraries with the cruise line citing staffing issues as the reason why. I was excited to see this on the sea day itinerary and knew we needed to give it a try.

Live entertainment

However, I do like the Carnival HUB app for reserving dining onboard. You can easily select how many people you are dining with and where you want to eat, and then the app tells you when your table is ready. The app will even tell you how long the wait is until you are seated. In the next year, Carnival Splendor will embark on a Carnival Journey with unique itineraries around the world; this is more exotic than what the cruise line typically offers. For example, looking at Carnival Panorama, built in 2019, I would’ve guessed it was built in 2000 based on the looks of it. Many Carnival ships lack innovative and modern design (again, excluding the Excel Class).

Celebrity Cruises

After 6 Royal Caribbean cruises this year, I tried Carnival for the first time — here's what I liked and didn't like - Cruise Blog

After 6 Royal Caribbean cruises this year, I tried Carnival for the first time — here's what I liked and didn't like.

Posted: Tue, 05 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

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. And because the ship is so small, it's easy to navigate, and I always end up making friends with the delightful crew onboard. In addition to a comedy club and an onboard spa, the ship also offers an adults-only sun deck, several bars and lounges, and plenty of dining options and daily activities to stave off boredom on longer voyages.

Carnival offers plenty of fun things to do as well, but it’s typically more of the classic things to do on a cruise ship, like mini-golf, movies, pools, and jogging tracks (which Royal Caribbean also has). Of course, with larger ships you can pack a lot more onto the vessel. While both cruise lines take advantage of all the space on their ship, you’ll see below that there are major differences in activities and entertainment between the two cruise lines due partly to the ship size. Today, Icon of the Seas takes over as the largest cruise ship in the world and comes in at more than 250,000 gross tons.

When I sailed on Carnival Ecstasy back in 2022, I didn't like how dark and cramped the ship felt. The layout was extremely confusing and I would find myself getting lost onboard multiple times! The Excel Class ships are much more intuitive and thoughtfully designed. Don’t get me wrong, vacations are meant to be fun; it’s wonderful to see people have fun and relax when they are on a cruise. There are a few instances, though, where it can get old and a little out of hand.

Best Carnival cruise ships: Here's which ship you should sail - The Points Guy

Best Carnival cruise ships: Here's which ship you should sail.

Posted: Mon, 07 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

is carnival cruise good

For free eats, Carnival’s Lido Marketplace buffet on Deck 16 and its two main dining rooms – Festivale on Deck 6 and 7 aft, and Carnivale on Deck 6 midship – offer all the classic foods cruisers have come to expect. While the buffet is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, dining rooms tend to be dinner-only affairs, save for sea days when Carnival’s popular Sea Day Brunch (reservations required) is offered. Speaking of amenities, make sure you understand what you'll get as part of your fare and which extras will come with an additional cost. For example, most cruises offer drink packages for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, but a few have drink stations where you can get complimentary lemonade, coffee and tea. Other amenities that might be important to you are Wi-Fi, spa services, babysitting, fitness classes, and upgraded dining experiences. You can usually get a decent discount if you sign up for an amenities package before you sail, so keep an eye out for promotions in the months leading up to your sailing.

We sampled scones with cream, chocolate layered cake, lemon sponge cake, peach crumble and macarons. My burger tasted freshly made and of high-quality, something I’d find at a restaurant. It was definitely higher quality than anything you'd find at a fast food restaurant. The fries were nicely seasoned too, although not as hot as I’d like them.

Who sails Carnival Cruise Line

Also, there are always several music venues where you'll find live performers in the afternoons and evenings, including — on some ships — the Atrium Bar and a secondary hub area called Ocean Plaza. There's almost always a piano bar that's home to lively singalongs. Every vessel has two main dining rooms and a casual buffet eatery where meals are included in the fare.

Because Carnival cruises are cheaper than the competition, this attracts all kinds of cruisers, like spring breakers, family reunions, and bachelor(ette) parties. The low prices are especially enticing for those who have never cruised before. MSC Cruises is also known for offering cheap sailings, but in general, you are likely to find a hot deal on a Carnival cruise. Retired travelers have all the time in the world to take longer cruises, which generally allow them to visit more far-flung locales. Those trips can come with a substantial price tag, which is why, as a budget option, Carnival is such a great choice. Unfortunately, Carnival has been slow to adopt solo cabins, meaning that no ships in its fleet offer accommodations for one.

In fact, they are the two lines that we’ve personally sailed the most, so we have a lot of direct experience in how they compare. The Carnival Jubilee deck plan centers around the top decks for outdoor activities. The lido deck (Deck 16) is where the bulk of those activities take place. Here, you’ll find the ship’s main swimming pool, flanked by casual grab-and-go food options, bars, lounge chairs and seating nooks. The pool sits below a giant movie screen, and films are shown occasionally throughout the cruise.

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. With 27 ships and hundreds of itineraries, there’s a Carnival cruise for everyone. Angie Vognild has a love for cruising, with her first cruise at just one year old. Since then, she has traveled to nearly 40 countries and been on over 30 cruises. Her favorite cruises were to the Holy Land on Odyssey of the Seas in 2022 and Japan on Spectrum of the Seas in 2019.

The typical Carnival cruise along the coast of Australia includes stops at Airlie Beach, Cairns and Willis Island. Some longer Australia voyages add in stops at Port Douglas or Moreton Island. At least a couple of Carnival ships typically sail to Bermuda every year between May and October. Carnival is one of the leaders in cruises to the Mexican Riviera — the string of resort towns running down the west coast of Mexico.

For some, it may very well be their first introduction to the world of cruise travel. Carnival also offers a list of non-stop, dawn-to-dusk activities are designed for cruisers of all ages. Maybe wacky pool games are your thing, or trivia sessions on such wide-ranging topics as Star Wars, Company Slogans, or Weird Laws.

With the Carnival HUB app, it only shows you a countdown to your next cruise. If you want to take any next steps, it automatically redirects you to the website. It’s a first-world problem, but I wish I could do cruise planning within the app instead of on the website. Needless to say, there are way more Carnival ships and itineraries in North America.

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