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Balcony cabins are what everyone wants these days, and Carnival is building its newest ships with far more of them than in the past. As noted above, about 44% of the cabins Carnival Panorama are balcony cabins. But that percentage jumped to 56% on the newer Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration.
Onboard Activities
Carnival's newest ships have such attractions as SkyRide, a recumbent bike you ride in the air, ropes courses, an IMAX theater, 4D Thrill Theater and more, and the cabins tend to sell at a premium rate. You can save by picking a port near you and driving to catch your ship -- whether you are embarking from a port in Florida, Long Beach, Galveston, New Orleans, New York, Mobile or elsewhere. For cruises that last 15 days or less, neither pre-cruise COVID testing nor vaccinations are required for children or adults cruising with Carnival. While it won’t earn you VIFP points, the Carnival World Mastercard is a way to earn FunPoints, which you can use like cash toward your next cruise booking. Carnival has an impressive fleet of vessels and adds more every year. There are currently 24 ships with more maiden voyages scheduled later this year.
Learn About Credit Cards
While the free programming ends at 10 p.m., you can pay extra to leave your kids at Camp Ocean until 1 a.m. During those hours, Camp Ocean transforms into a supervised slumber party-type environment with games, movies, crafts and snacks, along with late-night parties called Night Owls. On the vast majority of Carnival ships, there's not just a single waterslide but a whole water park area. Dubbed WaterWorks, these areas vary in size and features from vessel to vessel. They typically have one or two big waterslides (sometimes three!), a play zone with interactive water features and a large, continuously filling dump bucket that periodically soaks everybody within range. Passengers can learn to cook everything from Carnival's classic warm chocolate melting cake to its popular saffron risotto during one- to two-hour classes that cost $30 to $59 per person.
Earn more on your purchase when you pay with a rewards card
As noted above, Carnival ships generally don't offer a lot of suites. For the most part, the suites they have are relatively modest in size and amenities compared to the suites at some of the line's rivals. Carnival's comedy shows and musical numbers in the Celebrations Central venues on its newest ships often have more demand than seats available. If you want to guarantee a spot at a specific show, or get a preferred seat without blocked sightlines, you'll need to line up early.
Cruise bookings are so hot that some lines are running out of inventory - The Points Guy
Cruise bookings are so hot that some lines are running out of inventory.
Posted: Mon, 02 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
This could be the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which offers 3 Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining (excluding the annual $300 travel credit). There's also the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, which brings 2 Ultimate Rewards points on travel and 3 Ultimate Rewards points on dining. On newer Carnival ships, a significant portion of cabins are balcony cabins — the rooms everyone wants these days.
Take advantage of drive-to cruise ports
In fact, when it comes to waterslides on ships, Carnival is the cruise world's king. There's now at least one waterslide on all but one ship in the Carnival fleet (Carnival Luminosa) — something no other line can say. Also, there are always several music venues where you'll find live performers in the afternoons and evenings, including — on some ships — the Atrium Bar and a secondary hub area called Ocean Plaza. There's almost always a piano bar that's home to lively singalongs.
Book specialty dining before you sail or as soon as you board
Carnival cabin walls are magnetic, so bring magnetic clips and hooks to keep baseball hats, lightweight jackets and shore excursion tickets off the desk and couch and neatly hung on the walls. In a pinch, you can usually purchase these items on board, but they'll be overpriced and restricted to only a few products. A cruise can be an affordable vacation or a hefty investment, so make sure you make the most of your purchase. If you love your Carnival experience, an easy way to save on your next cruise is with the Future Cruise Vacation Program. You can also get a special meal without the specialty restaurant fee by attending the complimentary Sea Day Brunch, where a lavish spread shows off the skills of the culinary team. Other free food finds include pizza, pasta, deli, burritos and tacos.
What is the best Carnival ship?
One of your best bets for a cheap Carnival cruise is to check out the line’s drink packages. If you intend on drinking quite a bit of alcohol on your cruise or just do not want the hassle of worrying about how much you are spending on drinks, pre-purchase the Cheers drinks package for a per-day fee. Carnival's free credit card, called the Carnival World Mastercard, lets cardholders earn points for every dollar spent, which can be redeemed for a variety of perks, including merchandise and onboard amenities. Carnival Cruise Line is proof that cruising can be both affordable and enjoyable. The line's ships are hubs of activities, entertainment and excitement including a vibrant nightlife and the best live comedy scene on the high seas -- all included in your cruise fare. All Carnival ships include food and beverages, though there are speciality dining and beverage options and packages on most ships that cost extra.
Day Cruises
To dissuade any fears cruisers might have about overpaying for shore excursions, Carnival has a Best Price Guarantee. Cabins on special sale, called guarantee cabins, are priced below the regular cruise rate. When you choose a guarantee cabin, essentially you are making a bet without entering the casino.
The last seven-day Western Caribbean cruise travels to Mahogany Bay, Belize and Cozumel on July 14-21, August and August 25 to September 1. The Carnival Liberty will set sail from New Orleans this summer and make multiple stops at beach vacation destinations. Once on board, managing your excursions effectively ensures a smooth experience. Attend briefings, follow meeting instructions, and communicate with excursion staff to stay organized and keep track of time. Respecting local customs and regulations adds to the positive impact you can have in each destination you visit. Your room will have four walls and no windows offering a glimpse of the outside world.
Some benefits are linked to your Sail & Sign account and credits or perks will be applied when the benefits are redeemed. Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page.
One exception is the new Carnival Venezia, which has a darker (faux) wood finish to furniture in cabins that ties into the ship's Italy theme. 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. 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. Instead of cluttering up your suitcase with souvenir cups bound for the dusty back corners of your cabinets, ask for the same drink in a regular glass.
