Welcome to Cruise Blog's Weekly Roundup for the week of May 22, 2026!
This is a helpful post covering everything you may have missed this week, including how much a four-day Disney cruise costs and what we loved and hated aboard Carnival's Mardi Gras ship.
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I tried Carnival again after a bad cruise on its smallest ship. Here's what I loved and hated
After having a negative experience on an older Carnival ship, Sarah decided to go back to try out one of their newer ships to see if her opinion on the cruise line would change.
During her first Carnival cruise aboard Carnival Elation, she was disappointed with the room, the cleanliness of the ship, the food, the entertainment, and more. In comparison, the Mardi Gras ship had much better food, entertainment, and a better overall vibe.
Although there were a lot of aspects that made this trip much better, she is still not 100% sold on taking another Carnival cruise.
Read more: I tried Carnival again after a bad cruise on its smallest ship. Here's what I loved and hated
I spent almost $5,600 on a 4-day Disney cruise. Here's what everything cost, from $290 worth of souvenirs to the $478 thermal suite
Cruising has become more expensive than ever, as strong demand across the industry has sent cruise fares skyrocketing.
Disney Cruise Line is especially known for its higher pricing compared to many competitors, largely because of its brand appeal, thoughtfully designed staterooms, attentive service, and high-quality entertainment offerings.
Still, after more than 30 cruises across a variety of different cruise lines, Disney remains one of Elizabeth's favorites — even if her recent cruise cost over $5,600.
The underrated Carnival cruise dessert that's always worth the trip
Carnival Cruise Line isn't known for having Michelin-star food. Instead, it is praised for its fast-casual dining options, ranging from juicy cheeseburgers to made-to-order tacos and crispy chicken sandwiches.
Although the main dining room food isn't necessarily anything to write home about either, there's a dessert that is a constant crowd-pleaser and arguably one of the most popular at sea: the Carnival chocolate melting cake.
However, hidden on the Carnival kids' menu is perhaps the most classic throwback dessert available on the entire ship — the banana split.
Read more: The underrated Carnival cruise dessert that's always worth the trip
Is the Carnival cruise roller coaster worth $15?
Today's cruise ships are a far cry from the bare-bones vessels that launched in the 70s and 80s, featuring everything from ice skating rinks to zip lines, go-kart tracks, skydiving simulators, and more. Cruise lines continue to push the boundaries of what's possible at sea, too.
In 2021, for example, Carnival Cruise Line launched the first-ever ship with a roller coaster. BOLT: The Ultimate Sea Coaster is a unique onboard thrill that's available exclusively on Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee.
This attraction is an adrenaline-junkie's dream that takes you twisting, turning, and flying around the top deck of Carnival's jaw-dropping Excel Class ships.
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.
