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Lunch » Tags » Travel » Reviews » Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival Cruise Lines

27 Ratings: 4.0

One of the major cruise lines with destinations in the Americas and Europe

Carnival Cruise Lines is a cruise line operating a large number of cruise ships. Originally an independent company founded in 1972 by Ted Arison, it is now a branded division within Carnival Corporation & plc, a publicly traded company which owns … see full wiki

Tags: Travel, Cruises, Cruise Ships, Vacation, Ship

1 review about Carnival Cruise Lines

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Great cruise, gaudy design, above average fun!

Mar 2, 2009

by EcoMama

Rating:

Back in the days of singlehood I had the opportunity to cruise aboard Carnival, both times I did not pay a penny. The first cruise was a gift to my family from my sisters well-off boyfriend, the second was a cruise for two that my sister won when we were playing Bingo on that first cruise. She decided to take me! I have a really great sister, my one and only.

The two ships I traveled on were the Carnival Inspiration and Destiny, both cruises were in 2003 I believe. The first itinerary started at Tampa, FL and included stops at Grand Cayman, Cozumel (Mexico), and New Orleans (it was really nice pre-Katrina). The second itinerary started at San Juan (Puerto Rico) and stopped at St.Thomas, Martinique, Barbados, and Aruba (the itinerary changed since then). Here is my take on the cruise line:

The cruise ship design on the interior is a bit gaudy, flashy, very reminiscent of Vegas - maybe a little overboard. But in some aspects it was whimsical, an homage to Dali at times.
The cleanliness was exceptional, sparkling and spotless.
The service at Carnival is also exceptional, from the towel animals in your suite to the cocktails served on the deck. We became friends with a lot of the staff who are from all over the world.
The food was also diverse and delicious, I think I gained a pound or two - and that is rare for me. The cuisine ranged from pizza to gourmet entrees, you could choose a casual place for dinner or the formal dining room. You got to meet the chef and always sat at the same table, so we knew our servers by name and vice versa.
The room service was included, we always got breakfast in our room because we are late birds.
The suites are quite spacious, we had the one with a view but no balcony. Everything is thought of, from the TV to the hair dryer.
Every morning we received a flier under our door for the next day with descriptions of land tours and cruise events, this made it easy to plan what we want to do and not forget any fun things we don't want to miss.
The choice of land-tours was great and the prices were not bad (not included in the cruise price).
The check in process was long and strenuous, but I think that would apply to any large cruise line.
Alcoholic beverages are not included in the price (I guess that is a positive point).
Lots of sun and fresh air, what more could you want?

Cruising on Carnival is a great way to get the most bang for your vacation buck. I am sure other cruise lines are great as well, but I haven't had a chance to try others (probably not any time soon either). If you think you will be seasick on a cruise, it actually is highly unlikely. The cruise ships are so big, they are like floating islands, so the rocking is minimal and very gradual. This is also a great option for family vacations, though kids do not generally cruise free - sometimes you can get a discounted rate. All in all, cruising is so worthwhile and a great way to see many destinations in one trip! Not to mention the sunrises and the sunsets, stunning!

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kfontenot February 28, 2012

A friend of mine recently went on a Carnival Cruise and he had nothing but praise for them. I've never been on a cruise and never really had the desire to go on one, but my wife and daughter really, really want to experience one. Since other vacation plans have fallen through for us, I'm very tempted to give a cruise a go. Thanks for a really great review!

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Friedpez March 03, 2009

I've only been on one cruise and I wasn't impressed at all so I vowed I'd never waste my money on one when I got older. But I was always curious about Carnival (we'd taken Renaissance) and from what you've written, I can tell they're definitely better than what we put up with. Thanks for sharing your perspective!

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