Sunday, March 31, 2024

Upcoming Carnival Cruises: 2024 Prices, Itineraries + Activities on Cruise Critic

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When school is out, you can expect the number of kids to be well into the hundreds. Carnival, like the rest of the industry, has struggled with crewing issues since the end of the global pandemic. Qualified staff are in short supply, and it’s no secret that some of the crew on all ships throughout the industry are very green indeed.

10 of 22,174 Carnival Caribbean Cruise Reviews

I imagine on full sailings, a lot of passengers would not be able to attend the shows. It’s everywhere midship on decks 4-5 and even inside the comedy club, and all decks of the atrium. We saw someone hit a $10k jackpot on a slot machine, and he seemed happy and surprised, which made everyone feel good.

Fellow passengers

E.g., if you want lunch, but don’t want salad, you have to wait in the long line that starts with salad, and walk past the salad before you get the chance to take anything else. You could walk directly to the hot food, but you’d better be ready for some dirty looks. Other ships use a station approach, which works much better (there are many stations, and you walk up to the station that has the food you want).

How much does it cost to go on Carnival Horizon?

Carnival Horizon sailings of two to five nights have one cruise elegant evening; sailings of six nights or longer have two. Carnival Horizon is a bold, beautiful ship jam-packed with activities, dining options, and bars and lounges galore. The cruise ship is sophisticated and modern, though with Carnival's take on those concepts, which includes bold colors, bright spaces and a heavy dose of fun. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. In addition, average cruise prices are updated nightly.

10 of 27,677 Carnival Cruise Reviews

Our most recent prior cruise was on Emerald Princess in November 2023, so I will make a lot of comparisons to Princess. Carnival Mardi Gras rooms are more thoughtful in terms of design and storage than other Carnival ships. Unsurprisingly, balcony rooms and Ocean Suites are popular for their views of the sea. If you're an ocean lover, look to the Cove balcony cabins on Deck 5 - we’ve heard of people spotting marine life like dolphins from their cabin. The first one on everyone's list is the Carnival Mardi Gras roller coaster Bolt, the first roller coaster at sea -- a genuine thrill ride you need to try at least once. And then there's the Atrium, located on the side of the ship instead of the center, a placement that allows the space to have three-story sea views during the day and become a top-notch entertainment space at night.

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I had read many complaints about the Lido deck, but I think decks 10 and 11 were an interesting and different design (though ship pools are not a major draw for me). Not all passengers participate in formal night; passengers who wish to skip it can dine at the Lido Restaurant wearing casual clothing instead. Still, you're likely to see a few passengers wearing more casual clothing in the main dining room on formal nights.

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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. When it comes to for-fee specialty restaurants aboard Carnival Celebration, Carnival pulled out all the stops.

I wish there was a casino kiosk in the smoke-free area. Activities, too, are designed for a wide range of interests – and there are lots of things to do on Carnival Magic. Dance lessons, casino tournaments, spa specials, a robust kids’ club program -- Carnival Magic throws it all at the wall -- and passengers respond with enthusiasm. Carnival specializes in fun, laid-back, family-friendly cruises. With few exceptions, Carnival sails exclusively from North American homeports and offers some of the lowest pricing in the industry, particularly on short three- and four-night Carnival Caribbean cruises.

For a nominal charge ($15 per person on our Eastern Caribbean sailing), you can have the thrills of riding the only roller coaster at sea. If I know when the steward is coming, I can throw the wet towels on the floor, but if I'm unsure, I end up keeping wet towels overnight. There is no air movement in the bathroom to dry them out. I suppose it's a race to the bottom, though, and other cruise brands will soon follow in this service reduction while also raising gratuities. We are looking forward to trying Venezia, as NY is our homeport.

Carnival Radiance Cruise Ship Review First-hand Expert Review - Cruise Critic

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While it may lack the roller coaster and impressive waterslides of its newer sister cruise Mardi Gras, Carnival Horizon doesn’t fall short on entertainment either – plus it’s in great shape for its age (it was built in 2018). Among the most fun things to do on Carnival Horizon are the SkyRide capsule ride, Dr. Seuss’ WaterWorks waterpark, the IMAX movies, and SportSquare, with mini-golf and other family-friendly sports options. Those looking for some peace and quiet will prefer the adult-only Serenity Deck, complete with whirlpools and a bar. 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 colorful collection of outdoor amusements, including Ping-Pong, billiards, foosball, mini-golf, Twister and a SkyCourse ropes course.

The same drink was $13.50 or $14 at Fizzanti or $15 at Amari (plus tip and sometimes tax). At least they were good size drinks; definitely bigger than a martini on Princess. I was surprised that there were very few drink waiters (or none) working the tables.

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