Although Carnival is one of the most well-known cruise lines at sea, it wasn't until I was in my mid-20s that I finally decided to sail on a "FUN" ship to see how the experience compared to the familiar, activity-packed, and entertainment-driven atmosphere I had come to love aboard Royal Caribbean.
Before my cruise on the Carnival Celebration ship, I based my knowledge of the line on preconceived notions, expecting party-centric vibes, fewer high-quality production shows, and mediocre food.
After hearing stellar reviews about Carnival's Excel Class ships, I caved in and booked a sailing for myself, curious to see whether Carnival would match or exceed my expectations.
Overall, while there were things that I liked and disliked, I was shocked by just how much I enjoyed my first-ever Carnival cruise onboard Carnival Celebration.
I was blown away by the fast-casual dining options
Generally speaking, Carnival cruise food does not have the best reputation. However, Carnival's fast-casual dining options were impressive.
One of my major complaints about Royal Caribbean is that they don't offer many complimentary fast-casual dining options, especially on older ships. Newer vessels have restaurants like El Loco Fresh, Park Cafe, and the Dog House, but they aren't really anything to write home about.
Comparatively, at BlueIguana Cantina, the salsa bar has different fresh salsas ranging in heat, rather than just bottles that can be purchased at the grocery store.
The habanero salsa definitely had heat, and I appreciated that the labeling was not misleading. The only thing that could have made BlueIguana Cantina better would be if they had chips like El Loco Fresh does!
Additionally, Guy's Burger Joint easily has some of the best burgers at sea. The juicy patties, delicious sauce, and plentiful toppings bar surpassed anything I'd seen on a Royal Caribbean ship.
The long lines were off-putting
As much as I liked the fast-casual dining, I quickly learned when — and when not — to hop in line.
Typically, cruise ship buffets are chaotic on embarkation day. So, when I stumbled across Guy's Burger Joint while exploring the Carnival Celebration, I decided that I couldn't resist the smell of fresh, juicy patties on the grill.
The line was pretty long, but I figured it would move quickly! Unfortunately, what I thought would be a short fifteen-minute wait turned into an hour-long ordeal — all for a cheeseburger!
Throughout the week, I also noticed that the bars could get pretty hectic. Popular spots like the RedFrog Rum Bar drew crowds almost constantly, especially during events like sailaway or the late-night deck party.
Although crowds are common, it didn't seem like there were enough crew members working to meet the demand, thus leading to longer-than-usual wait times for simple cocktails.
Read more: I took my first Carnival cruise on one of its newest ships. Here are my brutally honest thoughts
The midnight buffet was awesome
Every night at 11:30 p.m., there was a midnight buffet open at Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse. It only stayed open until 1:00 a.m., but I loved how much late-night variety there was!
In addition to Chicago-style pizza, there was buffalo cauliflower, hot dogs, sandwiches, coleslaw, chips & salsa, potato salad, black forest cake, and cookies.
While not as over-the-top as the old-school midnight buffets, it was a nice nod to this nostalgic cruising tradition, and it is something I wish Royal Caribbean would bring back, even if just for one night during a weeklong cruise and on a smaller scale.
Printing my boarding pass felt archaic
Carnival requires all embarking passengers to print their boarding passes. Royal Caribbean, however, simply lets you download the Set Sail pass to your mobile device.
Since I don't have a printer, I paid $5 to use the one at my apartment complex the morning I flew from North Carolina to Miami. And although I kept the pass secure in an envelope in my backpack, I was worried that something would accidentally happen to it and subsequently delay my embarkation process.
Thankfully, that didn't happen, but I much prefer Royal Caribbean's mobile Set Sail pass to Carnival's printed boarding pass requirement.
My cabin was tiny but felt modern and bright
One of the biggest changes Carnival made in its new Excel Class design was completely overhauling the standard cruise room layout.
Rather than dark woods, cramped showers with clingy curtains, and basic décor, the cabins on Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee are bright, airy, and designed to maximize every inch of available space.
For example, I loved the bathroom, which featured a large shower with a plexiglass door, ample storage, and good lighting.
Better cabin designs on newer ships aren't exclusive to Carnival, though. However, I noticed that they offered a solid lineup of TV channels, from HGTV to The Food Network, and more.
I have never been a fan of the channels on Royal Caribbean ships and always make sure that I have a few episodes of my current fixation downloaded on my phone to play at night or when I am getting dressed in the morning. Comparatively, it was nice to be able to actually utilize my television while on my Carnival cruise!
Amber Cove was overrated
Amber Cove isn't a true private island like Carnival's Half Moon Cay or Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay. However, I was expecting it to somewhat resemble one since it is a private destination built by Carnival Corporation.
Upon arrival, I learned that the only complimentary amenity was the large pool and splash zone for children. There was no free beach to relax on. Additionally, food was not included. I was not interested in paying $18 for a chicken cobb salad or $13 for a hot dog — Guy's Burger Joint was "free," after all!
As such, I regret not venturing into the Puerto Plata area to experience the local culture instead of hanging out by, essentially, a cruise ship pool on land.
I couldn't get enough of Carnival's Punchliner Comedy Club
Overall, the entertainment aboard Carnival Celebration was all right. The shows weren't the high-quality productions that I was used to seeing aboard Disney and Royal Caribbean ships.
That said, what those cruise lines lack is a solid comedy lineup, which is something Carnival excels at. The Punchliner Comedy Club brings some of the funniest comedians to the high seas.
I appreciated that there were 18+ shows every night, keeping the humor adult-focused and pretty raunchy, while daily PG shows were available for families with younger kids.
I was laughing out loud until my stomach hurt at each performance! Some comedians even rivaled those I've seen at comedy clubs in New York City.
The adults-only deck was disappointing
The adults-only deck was a letdown. While the upgraded plush seating at the Serenity Retreat was better than the lounge chairs on the Lido Deck, the pool itself was small and cramped, almost like it was an afterthought.
Another difference I noticed compared to Royal Caribbean ships is that the adult-only sun deck felt far away from the action. For example, on Carnival Celebration, the Serenity area is located on Deck 18 Forward, with the pools two decks below on Deck 16. In many cases, Royal Caribbean's Solarium is located directly off the main pool area, separated by sliding glass doors.
I ended up feeling a bit isolated and preferred sitting on Deck 17, where I could overlook the Lido Deck activities while still having a quiet place to relax.
BOLT was a lot of fun
If you had asked younger Elizabeth if she ever saw herself riding a roller coaster at sea, she would have definitely said no! Although BOLT is not included in Carnival's base fare, it's worth the $15 charge.
I chose to ride the ultimate sea coaster on the last day, and the views of the ocean from the ride were breathtaking! However, learn from my mistake and don't save this must-do activity until the last minute.
The ride was scheduled to open at 9:00 a.m., but ride operators deemed it unsafe due to the high winds. Thankfully, it ended up opening around 2:00 p.m. Those who tried to book afternoon time slots couldn't because Carnival closed bookings to allow those who missed their morning times a chance to ride.
And yes — the melting cake is worth the hype
Carnival's warm chocolate melting cake is served in the Main Dining Room every evening. The decadent dessert features a rich, ooey-gooey chocolate center with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The dessert receives rave reviews from first-time cruisers and seasoned veterans alike, developing a cult-like following over time — and it is definitely as good as it looks. It's something you can't have just one of while on board!
You can even elevate this nearly-perfect dessert with some peanut butter, fresh strawberries, or your preferred ice cream flavor. All you have to do is request your desired topping from your server.
Read more: The complimentary Carnival dessert that’s worth ordering every time, according to loyal cruisers
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
