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5th May 2025 | 4 nights | Carnival Cruise Line | Carnival Glory
Carnival Glory is the epitome of what Carnival aims to provide on all its cruise ships: fun for all. But it does so in a smaller ship, without a feeling of being cramped. While there are some areas that attract large crowds, overall, there is ample space throughout the ship to move about and enjoy the ship's amenities. Carnival Glory is outfitted with many of Carnival's newest and most popular attractions with regard to dining, entertainment and activities, so there's plenty to do day and night. It's also exceptionally family-friendly, and you're likely to see many multigenerational families, some in groups of 15 or more members.
Anyone seeking a child-free cruise will likely be disappointed by Glory, but if you're a people person, you'll fit right in among the gregarious groups, all looking to have a good time. Service on Carnival Glory is similarly friendly and is excellent. Whether passing in the hallways, sharing an elevator or walking by on an outside deck, crew members always greet passengers with a smile.
Despite keeping up-to-date in terms of attractions onboard, Carnival Glory is a somewhat older ship and you will likely notice signs of wear and tear onboard, mostly outside (railings, wooden decking), but don't let this distract from your enjoyment of the cruise. Carnival Glory is more about having a good time than anything else.
Daytime: Carnival ships are as casual as they come during the daytime, with people dressed appropriately for the weather.
Evening: For most nights on Carnival Glory, the dress code remains casual. Most passengers wore sundresses, khaki pants, collared shirts or blouses. On elegant nights -- of which there are two in a one-week cruise -- most men and women wore nice dresses, pants suits and suits. There were the occasional passengers in cocktail attire, but not many.
Not Permitted: When eating dinner in the main dining room, the following attire is not permitted: men's sleeveless shirts, cutoff jeans, gym or basketball shorts, bathing suits, baseball hats or flip-flops. On elegant nights, in addition to the aforementioned list, jeans, shorts, T-shirts and sportswear are also not permitted.
Theatre
The Amber Palace on Carnival Glory serves as the site of the ship's major theatrical productions, which are part of Carnival Cruise Line's Playlist Productions. These shows take place several nights during the cruise, with two performances each night. The theatre is also home to such popular shows as the "Love & Marriage Show," "Hasbro, The Game Show" and "Lip Sync Battle." Throughout the sailing, the theatre also hosts shopping shows, bingo, the "Seuss-a-palooza Story Time" and the daily morning show. If sitting up front is important, arrive early to get your preferred seats.
Daily Fun
Carnival Glory maintains a full schedule of activities around the ship, ranging from trivia, cooking demonstrations and free-throw challenges on the Sports Deck to a mixology challenge, health and wellness seminars, and three-minute makeovers at Spa Carnival. Trivia is extremely popular, with passengers sitting in every available spot or standing along walls. Carnival's signature events like "The Hairy Chest Contest" and "Groove for St. Jude" dance party always draw large crowds to the Lido Deck. Daily activities usually start at 9 a.m. on sea days and 7 a.m. on port days.
At Night
When night falls on Carnival Glory, the ship lights up with a range of activities to keep passengers entertained. Think live music, art shows and yet more trivia. Once per cruise the Lido Deck also hosts a "Mega Deck Party" with music and dancing, and the "Rock-n-Glow Party" that brings together music, dance, contests and giveaways. There are also poolside movie showings most nights. The Camel Club Casino is another popular spot at night. You'll find a number of tournaments throughout the cruise here.
The Colors Bar (Deck 3): Located in The Colors Lobby, this bar is a popular gathering place day and night. In addition to soft drinks, bottled water, beer and wine, this bar offers many of Carnival's signature cocktails like "Kiss on the Lips" and "The Cruiser."
Ivory Club Grand Bar (Deck 4): Tucked away behind the Golden Restaurant, this lounge is decorated in burgundy and gold, with ivory tusk accents. In the centre, seating is focused around a dance floor and stage, where a house band performs live music most nights during the cruise. Standard drink selections are offered.
SkyBox Sports Bar (Deck 5): With a wall full of TV screens showing a variety of sports, this bar offers a drink menu of themed drinks like "The All-Star Margarita" and the "Grand Slam," along with snacks (hot soft pretzels and peanuts), for $1.25 each. Kaleidoscope Bar (Deck 5): Whether taking a break from gaming or just relaxing with a drink, this casino bar hosts trivia and games (Yahtzee, Connect 4, Guess Who?, etc.) throughout the day and live music in the evenings. The bar menu includes beer, wine and speciality cocktails.
Alchemy Bar (Deck 5): A popular destination in the evenings, this pharmacy-inspired bar welcomes passengers to create their own personalized cocktails with the help of lab coat-class bartenders. Or choose from themed drinks like "The Remedy," "Alchemist's Sidecar" and "Curative Peach Cosmopolitan."
White Heat Nightclub (Deck 5): Those wanting to dance the night away will find plenty of DJ-spun tunes to keep them on their feet. During the day, this space stays busy with art shows and auctions.
The Cinn-A-Bar (Deck 5): Informally known as the Piano Bar, this red-decorated room is dominated by a piano surrounded by a bar, where passengers enjoy sing-a-longs every evening.
Bar Blue (Deck 5): As the name implies, the decor in this bar features a lot of blue, along with a lot of green and what looks like peacock feather accents. This bar hosts special events like a ladies pamper party, wellness seminars and a Build-A-Bear Workshop during the day and karaoke in the evening.
Ebony Cabaret (Deck 5): This lounge is the home of Carnival's Punchliner Comedy Club. On most nights, it hosts four shows, usually two family-friendly and two for adults only. On certain evenings, it also hosts karaoke. During the day, special events like shopping seminars and the Dr. Seuss parade take place here.
BlueIguana Tequila Bar (Deck 9): Sporting Mexican tile, brightly coloured spindles and plenty of wooden stools, this poolside bar features a menu inspired by Mexico, with lots of tequila-based cocktails and Mexican beer.
RedFrog Rum Bar (Deck 9): Reminiscent of a tropical beach bar, this spot inspires dreams of long, lazy days in the Caribbean. Menu items range from speciality cocktails like Red's Rum Treasure to a full selection of rums and more.
Azure Lido Bar (Deck 9): Located by the adults-only pool, this bar offers all the standards. Serenity Bar (Deck 12): On the adults-only deck, the Serenity Bar offers the same full-service bar service found throughout Carnival Glory.
Pools
The primary pool on Carnival Glory is the Lido pool, and its where all the action takes place: Hairy Chest Contest, music, dive-in movies and so on. There are also two hot tubs nearby. The pool deck is actually terraced as it goes from Deck 9 to Deck 10. There are plenty of lounge chairs around the pool, going up the terraces and surrounding the pool on Deck 10. Lifejackets for kids are available as well. The second pool is at the back of the ship on Deck 9. Known as the Azure Lido Pool, this is the adults-only pool. There are also two hot tubs next to the pool. Lounge chairs surround the pool, with more available on Deck 10. This pool also has a sliding roof that can close during bad weather. In addition, there are two hot tubs on Deck 14 in the adults-only Serenity Club.
Recreation
On Deck 10, Carnival WaterWorks features water sprayers, a dumping bucket and two toddler water slides. It also has two large water slides. Passengers must be 42 inches or taller to ride. Also on Deck 10, passengers can play Ping-Pong or challenge one another on a giant chess board. On Deck 12, volleyball and half-court basketball courts are available, along with cornhole and shuffleboard. Mini-golf is available just above the courts on Deck 14.
Sun Decks
Carnival Glory offers several sun decks where passengers can soak up the sun away from the action at the pool. At the back of Deck 10, there's a lot of room available with lounge chairs. You'll also find plenty of lounge chairs on Deck 12 at the back beyond the cornhole and shuffleboard courts. On Deck 14 above the basketball and volleyball courts, there's a small deck with lounge chairs. While this offers a quiet retreat overlooking the pool on Deck 9, the only access is through the sports courts. On Decks 12 and 14, the Serenity Deck only welcomes adults to relax in the sunshine. Here you'll find clamshell seating, lounge chairs and chairs all outfitted with thick cushions. There are also plenty of chairs in the shade for those who want to avoid the sun's rays.
On Carnival Glory, the majority of services are found near the atrium on Decks 3, 4 and 5. On Deck 3, you'll find Guest Services, the Shore Excursions Desk and the Silver Art Gallery. Deck 4 is home to the Pixels Gallery and Dreams Studio, where you can purchase souvenir photos, picture frames, scrapbooking supplies, camera equipment and other photo-related items. It also has the Black & White Library, a small room with a large selection of games (checkers, Scrabble, Jenga, chess, etc.) and a variety of books, all available to passengers. Up on Deck 5, the Fun Shops offer a selection of Carnival clothing, collectables, toiletries, jewellery, perfume, liquor and tobacco. At Cherry on Top, you'll find enough candy and sweet treats to satisfy any sweet tooth. At Ultraviolet's Arcade, passengers can play a number of carnival-style and racing games. On sea days, the arcade can get very crowded, contributing to long wait times and difficulty moving through the space.
Deck 5 also contains the Internet Cafe, which is a small section of tables with computers. Carnival Glory offers three Wi-Fi packages to help passengers stay connected, ranging from a social media plan only to a streaming and more option. (Netflix, Hulu and Vimeo are not supported by any plan.) Passengers who download the Carnival HUB app can activate onboard chat for $5 per device per cruise. This chat function only works with devices using the HUB app.
Spa
Spa Carnival contains 15 treatment rooms along with men and women's locker rooms with showers, sauna and steam room. The spa menu includes a selection of facials, massages, aesthetic services and body therapies, with prices averaging in the $200s. For instance, a 100-minute seaweed massage is $259, while a 50-minute couples hot stone massage is $299. The spa also offers two men's services: a shave treatment and a facial. During the cruise, the spa hosts a teens/tweens pamper party (\$49), with each participant receiving a DIY mini-facial, sunglow makeover, conditioning hair treatment, access to the steam room and sauna, and a swag bag. The spa is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Appointments fill quickly for sea days, so book online before sailing to ensure preferred treatments, days and times.
Fitness
Accessed through Spa Carnival, the fitness centre is well-equipped with free weight machines, ellipticals, exercise bikes, treadmills, exercise benches, dumbbells, exercise balls and mats. Towel service is provided. Throughout the cruise, the fitness centre hosts a number of free and fee-based classes. Free classes include sunrise stretch, killer abs and evening stretch. Fee-based classes range from spin classes and body sculpt boot camp to yoga and Pilates. Prices range from $12 to $20 per class; an unlimited class pass is available for $79. Personal training is also available for a fee. Fitness centre hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Children younger than 16 are not permitted in the fitness centre, and those ages 16 to 18 must be accompanied by an adult. On Deck 11, there is a jogging track around the Sports Deck. Nine laps equal a little more than 1 mile.
Carnival Glory offers a number of dining options, including speciality eateries, all offering freshly cooked, tasty cuisine. While the Lido Marketplace (buffet) and main dining room remain popular with passengers, Guy's Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, Carnival Deli and Pizza Pirate stay quite busy as well, particularly at lunchtime. With so many options onboard, passengers can choose from multiple locations for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For instance, breakfast is available at the buffet, in the main dining room and at BlueIguana Cantina. Likewise, lunch can be found at Guy's Burger Joint, the buffet or Pizza Pirate.
Carnival Glory strives to accommodate passengers with special dietary needs, offering menu items that are vegetarian, low-cholesterol, low-fat, low-carb, low-sugar and gluten-free. When eating in the main dining room, passengers should speak with their head waiter as soon as possible to discuss their dietary needs and any food allergies. When dining at other onboard restaurants, address any concerns to the senior staff.
Platinum Restaurant (Decks 3 and 4)
Meals: Breakfast (B), Brunch (BR), Dinner (D): The main dining room, the Platinum Restaurant is open for breakfast and assigned dining times (6 p.m. for early, 8:15 p.m. for late) for dinner. On sea days, the restaurant offers a sea-day brunch menu with a mix of breakfast items (French toast, eggs, breakfast meats) and lunch items (steak and eggs, mac 'n' cheese). On port days, the restaurant offers open seating with a standard breakfast menu (pancakes, eggs, cereal, breakfast meats). Dinner menus change daily, although there are some items that are available each night. Menus are crafted around two themes: American Table and American Feast. Both incorporate "modern American cuisine," with a range of standard and ethnic favourites.
The American Table menu also features a "rare find" dish that usually is something you may have wanted to try but never dared. Think spicy alligator fritters, escargot and braised rabbit. Another feature of the menu is the "Port of Call" selections inspired by the ports passengers are visiting. For example, the Cozumel "Port of Call" selections are tortilla soup with braised chicken and steak tacos.
On elegant nights, the "American Feast" menu is highlighted and features the very popular broiled Maine lobster tail and filet mignon, among others. Each dinner menu also includes "Steakhouse Selections," which are items available for a surcharge of $20 per entree. These items range from grilled lamb chops and broiled filet mignon to New York strip loin steak and broiled Maine lobster tail. Dinner menus always include a vegetarian option and an Indian-style vegetable dish with lentils, basmati rice, papadam and raita. The dessert menu also changes daily, although the ever-popular Carnival Melting Chocolate Cake is available every day. On sea days, this restaurant also hosts tea time from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., when passengers can enjoy hot black or green tea, finger sandwiches (cucumber, salmon, etc.) and sweet treats like brownies, cake and macarons. There is a $2 charge for speciality teas like Earl Grey and chamomile.
Golden Restaurant (Decks 3 and 4)
Meals: Dinner (D): A smaller version of the main dining restaurant, the Golden Restaurant hosts dinner passengers with both assigned dining and the flexible Your Time Dining (5:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.). All menus are the same.
Red Sail Restaurant (Deck 9)
Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D): Also called the Lido Marketplace, this is the ship's buffet restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner at a variety of food stations. During breakfast hours, which start at 6:30 a.m. on port days (7 a.m. on sea days) and go through noon, the restaurant features such food stations as continental breakfast (think fruit, cereal, yoghurt and pastries), breakfast grill (breakfast meats, pancakes, boiled eggs, oatmeal, etc.) and Omelettes Your Way. At lunch and dinner, those stations take on new themes, like Comfort Kitchen, The Carvery, Chef's Choice and The Sweet Spot, all of which offer a different variety of items each day.
A salad station features everything from salad greens and toppings to prepared salads. Beverage stations provide coffee, hot tea and hot chocolate along with iced tea and lemonade (lunch and dinner). At breakfast, instead of iced tea and lemonade, passengers can choose from apple juice, orange cocktail, orange-passion fruit-guava cocktail and iced tea. Although not all stations are open at all times, one or more stations are open from breakfast through lunch. The buffet stations close in the late afternoon, reopening for dinner at 6 p.m. It is not open for late-night dining.
Ol' Fashioned BBQ (Deck 10)
Meals: L: Located within the Red Sail Restaurant on Deck 10 (access is via Red Sail on Deck 9), this lunch spot offers a menu of pork butt, grilled chicken, sliced smoked beef and popular barbecue sides and sauces.
Pizza Pirate (Deck 9)
Meals: Open 24/7: Pizza Pirate offers five different hand-tossed pizzas: Margherita, Funghi (mushroom), Pepperoni, Quattro Formaggi (four cheeses) and Proscuitto. Passengers can also choose Caesar salad, which is served upon request. From 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., Pizza Pirate also serves a "Pizza Plus" menu, which includes the aforementioned items, plus lasagna and a meatball hoagie sandwich.
Carnival Deli (Deck 9)
Meal: L, D: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. inside the Red Sail Restaurant, this sandwich spot offers a large selection of hot and cold sandwiches, deli-style sides and a salted chocolate chip cookie. Hot dogs and wraps (turkey, southwest chicken and falafel) also are available.
Guy's Burger Joint (Deck 9)
Meal: L: Open daily from noon to 6 p.m., this popular restaurant is the brainchild of Carnival Cruise Line and Food Network star Guy Fieri. The menu is crafted of freshly cooked burgers created by Fieri. Start with the "Plain Jane" (burger with or without cheese) and work up to the Chilius Maximus (burger with onion ring, cheese, donkey sauce and chilli). Or choose from three other burger choices. All are served with hand-cut fries. There's also a large toppings bar.
BlueIguana Cantina (Deck 9)
Meals: B, L: Open for breakfast and lunch, this Mexican-inspired eatery features made-to-order tacos, burritos and salads. Breakfast items include huevos rancheros, arepas (a white corn cake) and breakfast burritos. Top your lunch tacos and burritos off at the oversized toppings bar.
Swirls (Deck 9)
Meals: Snacks: Those looking to get their fill of ice cream and frozen yoghurt can do so at these 24-hour stations. There are three in total: one by Guy's Burger Joint, one by BlueIguana Cantina and one at the back of Deck 9 across from Seafood Shack. Grab a cup or a cone, and fill it with chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.
Room Service
Meals: Available 24/7: Carnival offers 24-hour room service, with Daytime Dining and Late-Night Dining. From 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., passengers can order a range of free times, from a garden salad to a sandwich, and even dessert. Complimentary beverages include juice (orange, apple, tomato and grapefruit), coffee, hot tea, iced tea, hot chocolate and milk. Carnival also offers a complimentary continental breakfast room service from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., which is ordered via a door hanger menu in the stateroom. Menu choices are fruits and cereals, breads (bagel, toast, muffin, Danish), yoghurt and beverages (juices, milk, coffee and hot tea). It is customary to tip for all room service orders.
*Pricing was accurate at time of review but may have changed since.*
The Chef's Table (Deck 3); $75
Meals: D: This VIP dinner, which can only accommodate up to 14 people, includes a private tour of the galley, meeting with Carnival Glory's master executive chef, cocktails and a multicourse, set-menu dinner. Reservations are required and go fast, so book early to save your spot.
Dr. Seuss Green Eggs & Ham Breakfast (Deck 3); $6
Meals: B: Held in the Golden Restaurant, this themed breakfast features Dr. Seuss characters Sam I Am, Things 1 & 2, and The Cat in the Hat. It also has a fun menu inspired by Dr. Seuss with items like Truffula Tree Pancakes, Fox in Socks Steak and Eggs, and the iconic Green Eggs and Ham. All passengers have photo ops with the characters, and kids can take home a collectible color sheet with character autographs.
Creams Cafe (Deck 5); a la carte
Meals: Snacks Open all day on sea days and mornings, late afternoons and evenings on port days, this coffee hot spot serves up crafted drinks like cappuccino, mocha frappe and Irish coffee. In addition, choose from hot tea, hot chocolate, milkshakes, Perrier, Rockstar Energy Drink, juices and bottled water. To accompany your drink, choose a cupcake, bundt cake, doughnut, cookie or dipped strawberries, all at a la carte prices.
Coffee Bar (Deck 9); a la carte *
*Meals: Coffee only: Located inside the Red Sail buffet restaurant, the Coffee Bar offers the same menu as Creams Cafe, without the food items. It is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Seafood Shack (Deck 9); a la carte
Meals: L, D: Located outside at the back of the ship, Seafood Shack serves up a variety of fried seafood, steamed seafood and sandwiches. Think fried clam strips, lobster roll, fish and chips, New England clam chowder in a bread bowl, steamed peel-and-eat shrimp and raw oysters.
Sushi at Sea (Deck 9); a la carte, $1.50 to $7.50
Meals: L, D: Located inside the Red Sail buffet, Sushi at Sea is an offshoot of Carnival's full-service restaurant, Bonsai Sushi. At this eatery, really just a counter, choose from sushi and sashimi, all featuring shrimp, salmon, yellowfin tuna and amberjack. Four rolls are available as well: California roll, spicy tuna, Bang Bang Bonsai roll and tempura roll.
Emerald Room Steakhouse (Deck 10); $38 for adults, $12 for children age 11 and younger
Meals: D: The Emerald Room Steakhouse is a quiet, low-key restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the outside deck and ocean. All meals include an appetizer, salad, entree, side and dessert, all of which are typical steakhouse-style selections (raw oysters, lobster bisque, filet mignon, lamb chops, etc.). Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are available at regular bar prices. If you've got room for dessert, check out the Art at Your Table, a truly intriguing presentation of sweets for the entire table.
Pizza (Delivery); $5 per pie
Meals: Available 24/7: Through its Carnival HUB phone app, passengers can order pizza for delivery to their stateroom or anywhere on the ship. Orders can be placed through the "Pizza Anywhere" feature on the app, and menu options include the five pizzas available at the Pizza Pirate. Passengers also have the option of ordering beverages with their pizza.
Room Service; a la carte, $2 to $6
Meals: Available 24/7: During the day, you can get a variety of hot items for a small fee -- wings, chicken tenders, chicken quesadilla, Philly cheesesteak and pan pizza are all $5, while firecracker shrimp is available for \$6, fries for $2 and sweet potato fries for $2.50. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., items on the menu range from $2 to $6 per item and include such options as wings, chicken tenders, turkey wrap and omelettes.
While not overly large, staterooms on Carnival Glory feel spacious even when accommodating the maximum number of passengers. Storage is available not only in the closets and drawers but also under the sofa, the beds and in the nightstands.
All staterooms share many basic features, including closets, hair dryers, in-room safes, mini-refrigerators and flat-screen TVs. All cabins have private bathrooms outfitted with a single vanity that includes a good amount of counter space. On each side of the mirror, there are three small shelves that provide additional storage space. Toiletries included in each bathroom include bar soap on the vanity, and shower gel and shampoo in the shower. A clothesline is also installed in the shower.
Many staterooms accommodate up to four passengers, with connecting cabins available for larger groups travelling together. A select number of fully accessible and ambulatory accessible staterooms are also available.
Cabin Categories:
Interior: On Carnival Glory, there are 577 interior staterooms, all with 185 square feet. The layout varies a bit depending on the type of stateroom. For instance, the Interior Upper/Lower staterooms have one twin bed and either an upper pull-down or a sofa bed, and accommodates up to two passengers. A standard interior stateroom, though, can hold up to four passengers with two twin beds (which can be combined into a king), an upper pull-down bed and a sofa bed. All have private bathrooms with showers. Despite the name, some interior rooms do feature either porthole windows or a regular picture window, with partially obstructed views of an observation deck.
Oceanview: There are 340 ocean-view staterooms measuring 220 square feet, all with picture windows. Standard ocean-view rooms have two twin beds (which can be combined into a king bed), an upper pull-down bed and a sofa bed, and accommodates up to four passengers. Ocean-view staterooms with obstructed views just have the two twin beds (or king combined) and hold up to two passengers. There also are six scenic ocean-view staterooms with two twin beds (or king), an upper pull-down bed and a sofa bed; however, instead of a standard picture window, these staterooms have floor-to-ceiling windows.
Balcony: Carnival Glory has 521 staterooms with balconies. However, the layout can be quite varied based on the type of balcony stateroom it is. Standard balcony staterooms, accommodating up to four people in 185 square feet, come with two twin beds (combinable into a king), an upper pull-down bed and a sofa bed. The 35-square-foot balcony has two chairs and a small table. In an aft-view extended balcony, there are two twin beds (or king) and a sofa bed in a 185-square-foot cabin, which accommodates up to three passengers. With two chairs and a small table, this larger balcony covers 60 square feet. The 185-square-foot Premium Vista Balcony staterooms include two twin beds (or king) and holds up to two passengers. However, the balcony wraps around the aft corner of Carnival Glory, providing passengers with 75 square feet of outdoor space.
Suite: There are four categories of suites on Carnival Glory, and passengers staying in these cabins will enjoy VIP check-in, walk-in closets and whirlpool tubs in the bathroom.
Junior Suites: Accommodating up to two passengers, Junior Suites are 275 square feet with a 35-square-foot balcony.
Ocean Suites: Fitting up to four people, the 275-square-foot Ocean Suites are outfitted with two twin beds (or king combined), a pull-down bed and a sofa bed, plus a 65-square-foot balcony.
Grand Suites: Measuring 345 square feet, Grand Suites accommodate up to four passengers in two twin beds (or one king), a pull-down bed and a sofa bed. There's also an 85-square-foot balcony and dressing area with vanity.
Captain's Suite: Carnival Glory's largest suite, the Captain's Suite is a true suite with a living area outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, a double sofa bed and a pull-down bed. There's also a separate bedroom (two twin or one king), accommodating up to five passengers, and two bathrooms. In total, the living area encompasses 548 square feet. Outside, the expansive balcony covers 258 square feet and features three lounge chairs, two patio chairs and a table.
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
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.
