28th Jul 2025 | 4 nights | Carnival Cruise Line | Carnival Radiance
Carnival Victory will undergo a massive, nearly $200 million makeover in 2020, after which it will be renamed Carnival Radiance.
The refurb, which will see much of the ship completely revamped, will take place from March 18 to April 2020 in Cadiz, Spain. When it emerges, it will have a host of new entertainment features and dining options, along with all the popular venues it already has. The ship will also receive additional suites, to be added above the bridge, bringing the capacity of the ship to 2,984 from 2,764.
Carnival Radiance will feature complimentary main dining rooms, as well as the Lido Marketplace buffet. However, the buffet will be expanded to include stand-alone speciality counters such as Seafood Shack, offering lobster rolls and other New England-inspired seafood fare at a la carte prices, and Pizzeria del Capitano serving up several varieties of pies free of charge 24/7.
Cucina del Capitano (lunch): New on Carnival Radiance, pasta lovers will adore this pick-your-own-ingredients option at lunchtime.
Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse: New on Carnival Radiance, this casual open-air eatery features barbecue favourites, from Food Network star Guy Fieri.
Guy's Burger Joint: The line's super popular, poolside hamburger spot, with a selection of diet-busting selections created specifically for Carnival by Guy Fieri.
BlueIguana Cantina: Carnival's Mexican food counter is open for breakfast and lunch, and boasts a massive toppings buffet.
For Fee Dining
Bonsai Sushi: New to Carnival Radiance, this full-service Asian restaurant offers an array of a la carte sushi, sashimi and rolls, as well as a small hot food menu.
Cucina del Capitano: New to Carnival Radiance, popular Italian favourites are on the menu at dinner for $15 per person.
Fahrenheit 555: New to Carnival Radiance, Carnival's popular American-style steakhouse is perfect for celebrating special occasions. Costs $35 per person.
Chef's Table: The line's exclusive multicourse meal will take place in a dedicated glass-enclosed space in the forward dining room. The cost of the Chef’s Table experience varies by ship.
Carnival Radiance will sport several new outdoor attractions, including a WaterWorks water park, featuring a 203-foot-long AquaTunnel slide and 212-foot-long Twister slide. There will also be a 75-gallon PowerDrencher tipping bucket, and a kiddie splash area.
Carnival Radiance will be the eighth ship in the fleet to get a SkyCourse ropes course, located in the SportSquare complex. You'll also find a nine-hole mini-golf course, basketball court, Ping-Pong, foosball and pool tables in SportSquare.
Carnival Radiance will also get the soothing Serenity Adult Only Retreat. This exclusive deck, which is not on Carnival Victory, adds the adults-only oasis with plush chaise lounges and dedicated whirlpools.
RedFrog Pub: New to Carnival Radiance, this Caribbean-style pub features a variety of rums and beers, as well as Carnival's own ThirstyFrog Red beer.
Piano Bar 88: New to Carnival Radiance will be Carnival's popular piano bar, but this time with a twist that amps up the fun with themed nights and new decor.
Limelight Lounge: Carnival Victory's Adriatic Lounge will turn into the Limelight Lounge on Carnival Radiance. It will serve as the home of the Punchliner Comedy Club.
JaveBlue Cafe: Also new to Carnival Radiance will be an expanded version of the line's coffee bar that offers lattes, cappuccinos, "spiked" coffees made with liqueurs and tempting pastries.
Cherry on Top: Carnival's popular sweets shop will also be new on Carnival Radiance; here you can load up on candy by the scoopful, as well fanciful gifts and branded apparel.
RedFrog Rum Bar: Poolside bar with all the rum-based cocktails you could ask for, as well as buckets of beer.
BlueIguana Tequila Bar: Another poolside bar, this time with all the tequila-based cocktails your heart desires.
In keeping with its newest ships, Carnival Radiance will feature the multi-purpose Liquid Lounge as its main show room. The space will have upgraded sound and lighting in order to host high-tech Playlist Productions shows.
The ship will also feature a Cloud 9 Spa with more space for a thermal suite, more treatment rooms and a wide selection of cardio and weight-training equipment.
Switch on fun with Carnival Radiance! This renovated and renamed ship features popular favourites from across the Carnival fleet. Carnival's parties are legendary, and you'll find plenty of excuses to join in the fun, from the departure day Sailaway Party, to the huge Mega Deck Parties up on the Lido Deck. The fun continues indoors, with a wide selection of bars offering live music attractions, and the always-hilarious Punchliner Comedy Club. If just listening to the music isn't enough, how about taking to the stage yourself with onboard Karaoke.
Carnival Radiance brings you the best of dining options from across the Carnival fleet. Carnival Radiance is the first ship in the Carnival fleet to feature Big Chicken, a new restaurant pioneered by Carnival's Chief Fun Officer, Shaquille O'Neal. The menu features a mouth-watering variety of fried chicken sandwiches and fries, along with Shaq's new take on traditional slides. For early risers, the restaurant also serves breakfast every day of the week.
Recurring Carnival favourites also return onboard Carnival Radiance: Guy's Burger Joint and Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ are staples of the Carnival fleet, and offer casual dining inspired by celebrity chef Guy Fieri. Other options include the Seafood Shack, BlueIguana Cantina, or for lighter options how about Good Eats or the Salad Bar?
Carnival Radiance features fully renovated staterooms with a tropical colour palette reminiscent of the ship's Carribean itineraries. Your stateroom onboard will be a haven of calm away from the excitement and bustle of onboard life, but even here Carnival's dedication to fun will occasionally peek in - the ship's cleaners are known to leave creative towel animals in the cabins for you to find!
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.