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It was a fantastic reminder of the strength and endurance of cruise ships. The crew's flexibility and impressive level of service really stood out on this sailing. For example, we went through a storm during our cruise, and rough seas altered the Welcome Aboard production on the first night. Instead of a musical and dance show, the two onboard comedians performed a short bit of their routine.
Fellow Passengers
Thankfully, that demeanor changes once you hit Carnival’s for-fee dining options; our meals in Bonsai Sushi and Bonsai Teppanyaki were above reproach in terms of service. Bars, lounges and cabin stewards all seemed personable and friendly, for the most part. But Carnival’s complimentary dining options came with an unwanted side-order of visible hostility. One of Carnival’s secret weapons has always been to offer up some unexpected free eats.
Carnival Radiance
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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. There’s a dedicated zone for families aboard Carnival Celebration – the Family Harbor Zone – that boasts its own lounge and larger staterooms on Deck 4 designed just for those travelling with the little ones. The popular Havana Club staterooms return to Carnival Celebration, complete with unique décor and private open deck spaces on Deck 8 that are accessible only for guests staying in the Havana Club-grade staterooms.
The festive atmosphere
The laundrettes also have vending machines stocked with small boxes of detergent and fabric softener at $1.50 per box. While cigarette smoking is allowed in the casino, according to Carnival's website, you must be seated and playing to smoke in the casino. Smoking is permitted in designated areas on Deck 3 (port side, forward) and Deck 10 (starboard side, midship). Carnival adds an automatic service gratuity of $14.50 to $16.50 per person, per day to final bills, depending on the cabin category. I've cruised with Carnival several times, and I'm always impressed with the caliber of talent.
This major facelift also included new carpets throughout the entire ship, revamped kids clubs and improvements to 300 cabins. One of the defining characteristics of Carnival is its focus on fun and entertainment. The cruise line offers a wide range of onboard activities and amenities, including water parks, sports facilities, casinos, live entertainment, and comedy shows. Carnival's ships are known for their vibrant and colorful designs, which feature themes such as "Fun Ships" and "Carnivalization". The interiors of the ships are filled with bright colors, playful designs, and eye-catching art pieces, giving the vessels a lively and energetic atmosphere. But, depending on the Carnival ship you sail on, you might find that it has a somewhat outdated vibe - especially if you're been on other cruise lines that have been refreshed more recently.
She’s one of the best Carnival ships if you want to relax on board. But because it’s a smaller ship, you get all of that Carnival fun experience without some of the busy crowds and noisy atmosphere of some of her contemporaries. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. All these enhancements work to ramp up the fun on a ship that has certainly struck a chord with Aussie cruisers. Carnival’s fleet boasts 25 ships, ranging from the oldest (Carnival Sunshine) to the newest (Carnival Celebration and Carnival Venezia). To determine the best and worst, reviews from Cruiseline.com, Cruise Critic, and TripAdvisor were averaged for each ship.
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. She’s good if you want a fun experience where crowds aren’t too bad, but she is starting to show her age again – a lot of reviews mention her needing a bit of TLC if she’s going to keep sailing for the fleet. But despite the size, the cabins seem a little cramped, and the speciality dining venues haven’t wowed guests as they have on other ships. It’s helped by the popular Lanai Promenade that wraps around the ship on the lower deck, which offers a bit of respite from all the fun of the rest of the ship.
It's hard not to have a good time when your enthusiastic cruise director stands on top of the bar and encourages everyone to join in. The 102,853-ton Carnival Sunshine is 12 decks high and carries 3,002 passengers at double occupancy in 1,501 cabins. 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. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Overview of Carnival Sunshine
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). Carnival Venezia is another ship that previously sailed for Carnival’s sister cruise line Costa Cruises, though she is more modern than Luminosa. She only debuted in 2020 and then moved to the Carnival fleet three years later, in 2023. Carnival Luminosa is considered to be a hybrid of the Spirit Class and the Vista Class. Originally sailing for Costa Cruises since 2009, the ship was transferred to the main Carnival fleet in 2022 and given a refurbishment alongside her rechristening. There’s a huge spa, and a load of great activities, especially for the kids, but the cabins are a little worn.
Over the course of our weeklong Eastern Caribbean cruise, waiting – for elevators, for food, for bar service, for deck chairs, and nearly everything in between – became a hallmark of the Carnival Celebration experience. Sadly, Carnival Celebration stumbles when it comes to handling the 5,374 passengers it can carry – a number that balloons up to 6,631 when all third and fourth berths are filled. The ship feels consistently busy, often overwhelmingly so, with public venues that strain under the pressure of a full ship.
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This is good, because her downsides tend to be West Coast US itineraries that are a little less exciting than those in other destinations. Choose Carnival Miracle if you want a bit of fun, a bit of relaxation, and some decent food. Carnival Pride is one of the older ships in the Carnival fleet now, but it has been well looked after. The age does show a little in the decor choice – bold renaissance artworks give the ship a little more of an antiquated, dated vibe. Whether that’s in the things you can do on-board, the variety of food options, the live performances and the interesting itineraries around the Mexican Riviera, Carnival Panorama is loved by many.
Five years since Carnival relocated its first ever vessel out of the United States, Carnival Spirit has grown into one of Australians' favourite cruise ships. Like a true Aussie, it's laid-back, fun and friendly -- and that describes the crew, your fellow passengers and the atmosphere onboard. Other added venues included a couple that are already onboard sister ship Carnival Legend -- Bonsai Sushi and RedFrog Pub. Also new is the Cherry on Top lolly shop, a big outdoor movie screen situated on the Lido Deck and the Alchemy Bar, which is a popular meeting place, where drinkers devise their own cocktails on prescription pads.
People love the service too – Carnival’s service is generally good but reviews rave about Panorama’s crew. The downside to the ship is that, with so much going on, it can be a little noisy at times on deck. 2022’s favourite Carnival ship, Carnival Panorama is a ship for ‘everyone’. The reason she’s scored so well on reviews is that she does a great job of pleasing cruisers of all ages. The best ship in the Carnival fleet according to reviews is the Carnival Breeze.
To celebrate Holland America Line's 151st anniversary, the cruise line has lowered cruise deposits to just $1 per person for today only. The cruise line's move has angered some passengers and prompted social-media accusations that the effort was profit-motivated. Until then, Carnival Celebration will continue to struggle to provide the kind of personable, upbeat and cheery service present on the rest of the line’s fleet. Most staff we encountered were seemingly overworked, unduly burdened and unhappy, with Carnival Celebration’s food service staff appearing unusually affected.
In an average year, over fifteen million people say "all aboard" and set sail on an amazing vacation. In industry-speak, how easily passengers move about a ship is called “flow”. With Carnival Celebration, Carnival has started to bring more interesting décor in public spaces back, in a more modern (and perhaps accessible) way.
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