I not too long ago had the chance to sail on Carnival Cruise Line’s latest and largest cruise ship, Carnival Celebration. This seven evening cruise from the Miami visited the Western Caribbean with port stops in Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Mahogany Bay.
I sailed on Carnival Celebration with a gaggle of media as visitors of Carnival. Right here is my overview, ideas, and opinions after crusing on this latest ship from Carnival Cruise Line.
This was my sixth cruise on a Carnival cruise ship, and I had beforehand sailed on her sister ship Mardi Gras. The ship is similar to Mardi Gras with the cruise line making a couple of good adjustments.
Embarkation
Embarkation happened at Carnival Cruise Line’s newly reworked Terminal F at PortMiami. The terminal was enlarged and redone to suit the Excel class ship and I used to be impressed how shortly the lined moved when checking in.
Whereas we arrived early and needed to wait within the ready space to board the ship, the road at check-in moved quick as they’d round 30-40 workers checking in passengers. It was by far the perfect check-in expertise I’ve had whereas boarding a Carnival cruise ship.
First have a look at @CarnivalCruise‘s newly reworked Terminal F at @PortMiami. pic.twitter.com/DEKHwLT1r7
— Cruise Fever (@CruiseFever) November 20, 2022
Cabin
We stayed in an ordinary balcony cabin on deck 10. I assumed it was an amazing cabin with a pleasant toilet. The one factor I didn’t take care of was the chair on the desk that doubled as a storage unit. It was a ache to maneuver out and in and Carnival ought to have simply put an ordinary chair there as an alternative.
The whole lot else in regards to the cabin was nice, there have been USB ports on either side of the mattress and loads of energy shops on the deck. The mattress was superior as standard as Carnival has a number of the most snug beds at sea.
The balcony on our cabin was large, though not all of it was personal. You possibly can watch a brief video tour of our cabin and balcony beneath.
Carnival HUB App
Downloading the Carnival HUB App is a should earlier than stepping foot on board the ship. Carnival now not places a paper record of day by day actions in your cabin, though you may choose one up on the visitor providers desk every day. The whole lot is now completed on the app.
Probably the greatest options on the app is used for eating. Since we had the second seat eating time, we might select which restaurant we needed to eat at beginning at 7:45 every evening. This doesn’t apply to specialty eating places since you may e book anytime with these.
Since Chibang and Cucina del Capitano are grouped with the primary eating room, you may dine at any of the three. One evening we needed Italian, so at 7:45 we opened the app and put in for a desk at Cucina del Capitano. In 5 minutes, it instructed us our desk was prepared and gave us our desk quantity. The app made it really easy when it got here to eating, however extra on meals later on this article.
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With the HUB app, you may see every part occurring across the ship, you may see and purchase your images, verify your account stability, and rather more. It’s a will need to have.
Cruise Ship
Carnival Celebration actually has one thing for everybody. From a curler coaster on the highest deck to a quiet spa for individuals who to get away and chill out, there’s at all times one thing to do on the ship.
Whereas the primary pool deck isn’t that enormous for the dimensions of the ship, there are additionally two aft infinity swimming pools. There’s a waterpark with waterslides for teenagers and a mini-golf course. The adults solely Serenity Deck is a fairly good measurement and likewise has a pool.
There’s quite a lot of outside house not solely on the highest deck of the ship, but in addition on deck 8.
Carnival has a big atrium (Middle Stage) on the facet of the ship that provides three story flooring to ceiling views of the ocean in the course of the day. Within the evenings and for occasions, the wall turns into a large TV display that radically transforms this space.
There are additionally reveals right here however in all honesty, it simply doesn’t work. The issue is that there aren’t many seats which have good sightlines of every part. The reveals appeared nice however until you needed to reach an hour or extra earlier than the present and wait, you had been both going to finish up standing and/or having an obstructed view. I actually do like this space, however it simply doesn’t work for manufacturing reveals. It has a poor format if you need most individuals to have the ability to see every part occurring.
Carnival Celebration has the largest cruise ship on line casino I’ve ever seen. One good factor is that half of it’s non-smoking and there are doorways to it that helps maintain the smoke from pouring out to different elements of the ship.
The largest change to this ship from Mardi Gras is the brand new Latitudes Bar and the redesigned Emeril’s Bistro subsequent to it. I actually did love this space.
Golden Jubilee
One in all my favourite elements of the cruise ship is the Golden Jubilee. This space proper off of the primary atrium celebrates the 50 years that Carnival Cruise Line has been providing cruises.
The distinctive factor about this space is that Carnival introduced in genuine objects from earlier ships that embody the glass bulkhead from their very first ship Mardi Gras, the Carnivale Telegraph, doorways from Carnivale, tables tops from Carnival Fascination, and different relics.
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There’s a QR code on the wall that you would be able to scan that reveals you every part on this space that has been introduced on from a former Carnival ship. Lots of the objects on this space had been salvaged by ship historian Peter Knego because the vessels had been being dismantled.
View Costs on Cruises on Carnival Celebration
Eating/Meals
There isn’t any scarcity of meals and eating choices on Carnival Celebration. There have been 15 totally different spots open for lunch, with 11 of them being complimentary. Our favorites had been Massive Rooster (Shaq’s restaurant) and naturally, Man’s Burger Joint.
For dinner, we did a mix of specialty and complimentary choices. Listed below are the totally different locations we ate at for dinner and what we considered each.
Fahrenheit 55 – Previously, I used to be actually by no means that impressed with Carnival’s steakhouse. Nevertheless, it was improbable on this cruise. The service was good, steak cooked to perfection, and it was nice meal.
Man’s Pig and Anchor – The good factor about this BBQ joint is that you just don’t want reservations, you may simply stroll up for dinner and it’s complimentary. We went at opening one evening and we liked it. Tip: If you wish to have dinner right here, have a look at the music schedule. When they’re enjoying reside music right here, it makes it actually onerous to have a dialog because the music is fairly loud. The music is nice, we simply most well-liked to be completed with dinner by the point it began.
Bonsai Sushi – This was most likely our favourite place to eat on board the ship. My spouse liked the sushi and the ramen is the perfect. Whereas it does include an additional cost, this can be very affordable particularly contemplating how good the meals was. We had dinner there twice and our invoice proper proper round $20 complete.
Rudi’s Seagrill – The meals was nice, however service was extraordinarily gradual. It might have been as a result of we had been on one of many first cruises and so they had been nonetheless working the kinks out.
Emeril’s Bistro – We ate right here as soon as however want we had gone a minimum of as soon as extra it was so good. Whereas there’s a cost right here, it was by no means actually busy and you might at all times get a desk in the event you needed. It’s effectively price it and the meals was scrumptious.
Cucina del Capitano – We liked the truth that we had a desk outdoors on deck 8, however it wasn’t nearly as good as we had on different Carnival ships. We walked away considering it was okay however had been actually glad to take a seat outdoors whereas at sea.
We by no means made it to the primary eating room on our cruise as a result of there are such a lot of choices to eat across the ship.
For lunch, make sure you hit up Avenue Eats proper off of the primary pool deck. The Hawker Centre sort stalls supply meals from all over the world and it will probably differ from daily.
Sea Day Brunch is obtainable in the primary eating room from 8:30 am till midday.
For those who go hungry on Carnival Celebration, it’s your personal fault.
Ports/Itinerary
Our cruise visited three ports within the Western Caribbean, Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Mahogany Bay. We additionally had three sea days.
In Cozumel, we did the Journey Jeep, Snorkel & Anemona Seashore Membership tour by way of the ship. It was a enjoyable tour however the Jeep had undoubtedly seen higher days. Some Jeeps had been newer and good however ours wasn’t and issues just like the speedometer and air-con didn’t work. The seaside was good and stress-free and people who went snorkeling received to see a big sea turtle. Our tour information was excellent.
In Costa Maya, we did a {couples} therapeutic massage within the large hut proper within the port space. It was $90 for 45 minutes and a good way to begin the day. We then took a cab into city (Mahahaul) for $4 per individual. We had an amazing lunch on the seaside having fun with the shade and funky breeze from the ocean. We got here again to port, walked by way of the chook aviary, after which discovered a pair loungers by the pool.
In Mahogany Bay, we took the VIP Premium All Inclusive Seashore Day tour by way of the ship. It’s round a 30 minute bus journey to the seaside the place we spent round 4 hours. There have been tons of loungers to select from and umbrellas that present some shade. It was an amazing tour to simply sit again and chill out.
You will have a waiter who will deliver you any drink you need and also will deliver you your lunch. You may additionally go as much as the bar and get a drink in the event you needed. This was our favourite tour on the cruise.
One beauty of Mahogany Bay is that you just actually don’t even must take an tour if you wish to simply chill out on the seaside. A part of the personal port space is a big seaside that’s round a ten minute stroll away. You may also pay to take a chairlift there that provides good views of the ship and water.
View Costs on Cruises on Carnival Celebration
Odds and Ends
The crew on Carnival Celebration had been just about superb. We had nice service throughout the ship and our room steward did a improbable job. Carnival Cruise Line actually does have a number of the greatest crew members you’ll discover at sea.
I actually appreciated the cruise director Lee. He made simply the correct quantity of bulletins and appeared to essentially join with visitors. I normally don’t pay a lot consideration to cruise administrators since they don’t have any affect on my cruises, however I actually appreciated Lee.
The WiFi on Carnival Celebration ranks up there with the perfect I’ve ever had on a cruise ship. The obtain speeds had been superb and it simply labored very well, each on my telephone and on my laptop computer. I did two pace checks whereas on the ship and each of them recorded over 100 mb obtain speeds.
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The pizza from Miami Slice is fairly first rate, though there was normally a line for it.
I actually like how Carnival moved the visitor providers desk away from the primary atrium to a spot on the ship the place it’s a lot quieter. This makes it simpler to speak with somebody when you have a difficulty.
Sadly, the climate wasn’t that nice the final two sea days so BOLT, the curler coaster, was closed for a pair days. For those who cruise on Carnival Celebration and actually need to journey it, attempt to get on early within the cruise simply in case the climate isn’t cooperating later one. I rode it on Mardi Gras, and it truly is a blast.
I did take a brief video of the curler coaster in motion early within the cruise that may be seen beneath:
@cruisefever I can”t wait to journey this someday this week. #journey #cruise #CarnivalCelebration #rollercoaster #carnivalcruiseline #cruiseship ♬ authentic sound – Ben Souza
Household Feud is held in the primary theater and is extraordinarily common. It was standing room just for our crusing so if you wish to see it, come early and get a seat.
There was a very nice number of comedy reveals held within the comedy membership and within the Limelight Lounge. That is every part from household pleasant to adults solely with a number of reveals.
Within the evenings, you might discover reside music throughout the ship. This consists of in Summer season Touchdown, the Piano Bar, Havana Bar, Limelight Lounge, the Golden Jubilee, and Latitudes Bar.
Close to the primary atrium, there’s a station the place you will get drip espresso and ice water 24/7. It’s actually handy if you end up on this space and wish one thing to drink with out paying additional. There are additionally some seize and go meals objects close to the JavaBlue Cafe as effectively.
For those who like to buy, Carnival Celebration has a very nice selection together with assortment of Carnival merchandise. Many objects discovered within the outlets are unique to Carnival Cruise Line.
General, Carnival Celebration is a good ship and provides a pleasant giant ship expertise for households. I hope you loved this overview of Carnival Celebration and hope you take pleasure in your cruise on the ship when you have one booked. For those who don’t have one booked, it’s undoubtedly price contemplating in the event you’re searching for a finances pleasant choice on a cruise to the Caribbean.
