Saturday, April 13, 2024

The best Carnival Cruise Line itineraries: 5 great places its ships go

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Carnival sails all around the Caribbean, Bahamas, as well as trips to Mexico and Alaska, among others. The cruise line’s famous motto is “The Fun Ships.” In other words, if you’re expecting a stuffy, luxury-focused liner with caviar and champagne, this isn’t it. For more specific details on Carnival and what it’s like to sail, keep reading. Still, you might be wondering if Carnival is the right cruise line for you.

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One nice perk is that some are open for lunch for free, while charging for dinner. Head over during lunch and you can get a free meal instead of having to pay. Specialty Restaurants (Extra Cost)In addition to the free dining, there are also a number of specialty restaurants where you’ll pay extra to eat. Main Dining RoomMany of your meals in the evening will likely be in the main dining room. The menu changes each night, but keeps classic dishes in rotation no matter when you visit.

Bring your own beverages

When you’re spending an entire week on a cruise ship, it takes a lot of options to keep things entertaining. Already we’re seeing Carnival do exactly this with the recent launch of the world’s first roller coaster at sea on its Excel-class ships. Still, more things to do — both big and small — would be ideal across the fleet.

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How much does a Carnival cruise cost?

Once per cruise, often on the last sea day, Carnival's room stewards really work their magic by "taking over" the pool deck with their towel animal creations. Carnival cruise ships provide the bare minimum of toiletries — bar soap to wash your hands, dispensers of generic shampoo and body wash in the shower. If you want to make the most of your time on board, choose an early arrival time by checking into your cruise as soon as possible. That way, you can be one of the first people on board and have extra time to make reservations, eat lunch before the crowds come and enjoy top-deck attractions before everyone else discovers them. Like many cruise lines these days, Carnival attempts to make the boarding process less chaotic and crowded by assigning cruisers boarding time slots – usually half-hour windows.

Earn more on your purchase when you pay with a rewards card

During the summers you’ll see more families sailing while longer cruises during the school year tend to draw older passengers. It's a fun-at-sea focus that has gone to new levels over the past two years with the debut of Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, each of which has — get this — a roller coaster on the top deck. At 800 feet in length, these aren't the biggest roller coasters ever. You'll find at least one of its ships sailing out of pretty much every major port city around the country. Carnival is one of the world's biggest cruise lines by passenger capacity, with 25 ships that together offer nearly 80,000 berths.

Most Carnival ships have self-serve launderettes on cabin decks with washing machines, dryers, irons and ironing boards. The launderettes also have vending machines that dispense small boxes of detergent and water softener at $1.50 per box. On most ships, smoking (including electronic cigarettes) is only allowed in designated outdoor areas and in casinos and nightclubs. On Carnival ships in Australia, smoking is only allowed in designated outdoor areas. Note that it is important that the name on your reservation be exactly as it is stated on your passport or other official proof of nationality. All this said, we recommend checking Carnival's website before sailing for the very latest on requirements.

SportSquareThe Carnival SportsSquare is an outdoor area offering a number of activities that are all game related. From mini-golf to yard games (bean-bag toss, soccer billiards, ping pong) to a ropes course and the SkyRide, there is lots to do. Waterslides/WaterparkShips will often have waterslides or even waterparks. No one would confuse these spots with massive land-based parks, but they are plenty for kids on a cruise. One thing to note is that for pools and waterparks your kids need to be potty-trained before they are allowed to use the area. Popular ports of call here include Cozumel, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman.

Once per cruise, Carnival transforms a section of one of its main dining rooms into a Dr. Seuss-themed wonderland and invites families to dine on whimsical morning fare. However, if you left your phone in the cabin or your eyes can't take the small print, ask for a traditional paper menu. Purchase a Wi-Fi plan, and you can text, browse the internet and post to social media. However, you must remember to put your phone on airplane mode as soon as the ship sets sail.

Take advantage of drive-to cruise ports

Carnival ships are all about fun in a very laid-back, unpretentious, nothing-too-fancy sort of way. Half Moon Cay, Carnival's private island in the Bahamas, is a great stop for a beach day. Its shores are full of soft, white sand, but there's not much shade to be found for those of us who burn easily. Carnival puts special emphasis on live music, and you can often find a solo artist or small ensemble performing in the atrium, casino, bar areas or by the pool.

It's essentially a loan that you can pay back over up to 18 months. In general, booking cruises early is a good idea to lock in the best rates, as well as the best cabin availability. Here are 43 Carnival Cruise Line tips, tricks and hacks that you can use to get maximum enjoyment out of your first Carnival cruise or next vacation at sea. The typical Carnival cruise along the coast of Australia includes stops at Airlie Beach, Cairns and Willis Island.

A beverage package can be a great way to save on your bar bill if you typically order a lot of extra-fee sodas, beers and cocktails when you travel. Carnival Cruise Line has one of the most affordable beverage packages in the industry. Add it to your reservation before you cruise, and you can save 10% on the package price.

However, Carnival does allow each guest to bring 12 cans or cartons of nonalcoholic drinks (like soda, juice or seltzer), as well as one bottle of wine. You will be charged a $15 corkage fee if you wish to drink your own wine in an onboard restaurant or bar. Lanyards are ideal, especially for little kids, to keep your cruise card close when your clothes don't have pockets. Pack towel clips to keep your pool towel from blowing off your lounge chair.

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BlueIguana is a Chipotle-style restaurant, with yummy made-to-order burritos and tacos. Created in partnership with Food Network's Guy Fieri, Guy's Burger Joint offers burgers that beat anything you'll find around the pool on other mass-market ships and even most luxury vessels. Every vessel has two main dining rooms and a casual buffet eatery where meals are included in the fare.

If you like pop songs by piano, the piano bar always attracts an enthusiastic crowd. Country, classical and covers — you can make your way through the musical gamut as you bar hop at night. While some perks may be delivered to your cabin (such as souvenir gifts and special event invites), others you may need to seek out. Read up on which perks you're eligible for and be sure to take advantage of the money-saving offers.

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