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Carnival offers upbeat fun cruising with lots of activities, great food and glitzy entertainment providing a good value cruise package. Carnival is one of the world's most successful cruise lines and attracts a younger age profile and lots of children during the holiday periods.
Carnival is the largest cruise line in the world with 27 ships sailing or soon-to-arrive, many of them being 'sisters' of similar design. In addition to regularly launching new ships including the latest Carnival Celebration which joined the fleet in 2022, Carnival is also investing over $500 million into the existing fleet with the 'Fun 2.0' revitalisation and upgrade programme.
Onboard Carnival cruises everyone can enjoy complimentary room service which is available all day and all night. Each Carnival ship caters for children of all ages and that includes Camp Carnival Night Owls, so parents can enjoy an evening together without the kids. A full fitness centre can be found on all ships with state-of-the-art equipment and a range of classes, from yoga and Pilates to heart-pumping cardio. There’s even a jogging track on deck and the SplashZone waterparks offer lots of fun for all.
Other onboard benefits include Serenity, an adult-only area reserved for peaceful relaxation, premium beauty therapies like hot stone massages and aromatherapy, endless entertainment ranging from amazing stage shows, movies on the big screen and laugh-along comedy. The newer ships offer many first-at-sea amenities including BOLT roller-coaster and IMAX theatres.
Destinations include Alaska, Australia, Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Mexico, Pacific Islands and the Panama Canal.
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. Carnival is also one of the most family-oriented lines in the industry, and you're bound to see lots of kids onboard, even during the school year. When school is out, you can expect the number of kids to be well into the hundreds. The line is also popular for family reunions, and bachelor and bachelorette parties. People on Carnival cruise ships hail primarily from the United States, mainly the south and Midwest, but you'll also meet folks from Canada, England and usually a handful of other European countries.
Carnival cruises are casual, with shorts, tee shirts, capris, swimsuits or swim cover-ups de rigueur during the day (no bathing suites in the dining venues, however). Most nights the dress code remains much the same, minus the swimwear, though technically the cruise line asks that people not wear shorts into the main dining room. The policy is inconsistently upheld. On "elegant" nights, you'll see a range of clothing from ball gowns, dresses that leave little to the imagination, tuxes and suits to the same shorts and tees people sport all day long. Most men, however, opt for long trousers and collared shirts, while women don sundresses, or a skirt or trousers with a blouse. Men are not required to wear a suit jacket or tie in any venue.
No. While Carnival is one of the more inclusive cruise lines when it comes to dining, you will still have to pay extra for some specialty dining, all drinks (alcoholic and non, except water, select juice at breakfast, and coffee and tea), shore excursions, visits to the spa and any retail purchases, including photos.
Aside from the main pool, which is the hub of much of the line's fun activities, almost every Carnival cruise ship also has at least one waterslide, with several having multi-slide water parks. Additionally, several have a top-deck SportSquare that features a colourful collection of outdoor amusements, including Ping-Pong, billiards, foosball, mini-golf, Twister and a SkyCourse ropes course. On the line's newest ships (Vista and Horizon), there's also the SkyRide, a recumbent bike attraction suspended 150 feet up in the air, requiring riders to pedal their way around an 800-foot track that wraps around the outer decks. Inside, you'll find activities that range from trivia and Bingo during the day to comedy shows and high-tech song-and-dance revues at night. Carnival ships also have lively bar nightlife, especially on ships with a RedFrog Pub; there's also an always-busy casino.
Budget-conscious, gregarious families, couples and solos looking for an unpretentious vibe that's all about having fun
Anyone who doesn't appreciate off-color humor, lively hairy chest contests, burgers and BBQ, and thumping music
