Carnival Cruise Line

Moderately priced, jumbo-size resort ships bathed in neon and glitz. If you like Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Time's Square, Carnival's brand of flamboyant fun is very evident.

Nobody does it better in the party department than Carnival. It's the Coca-Cola of cruising, the line with the most recognized name in the biz, offering a very casual, down-to-earth, middle-American vacation enjoyed by millions. The line is incredibly innovative, continually updating its onboard programs, offering, for instance, sushi on the Elation, Paradise, Imagination, Inspiration, Jubilee, and Celebration, 24-hour pizza and Caesar salad fleet-wide, and an entirely smoke-free ship, the Paradise. The line's decor, like its clientele to some degree, has mellowed a bit since its riotous, partying beginnings, but each ship is still an exciting collage of textures, shapes, and images. Where else but on these floating playlands would you find life-size mannequins of Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart, a San Francisco trolley car, or real oyster-shell wallpaper? The outrageousness of the decor is part of the fun, and the point--Carnival ships provide a fantasyland you can't get at home. Call it whatever you want, but don't call it dull.

Fun theme-park ambiance and fanciful decor are unmatched. 

Large standard cabins. At 185 square feet, Carnival's standard inside and outside cabins are the roomiest in the mainstream category.

All ages. The clientele cuts a broad path across many age groups, from 20-something singles and honeymooners to families with young kids to even grandparents.
Exciting entertainment. Ranges from some of the best head-turning Broadway-style musical reviews at sea to the classic dose of adult comedy and raging discos.


Limited port info. The information you'll get from port lectures and handouts revolves around shopping; there's next to nothing on history and culture.

Drab spas. Except for new Spirit-class ships, Carnival's spas are high-school locker-room style places with zero ambiance.