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Carnival Cruise

I took my first Carnival cruise on its newest ship. Here are my honest thoughts

As someone who grew up sailing with Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line, I was hesitant to book a cruise with Carnival Cruise Line. The party atmosphere of the cruise line never appealed to me, even throughout my early 20s. 

Recently, however, I decided to sail onboard Carnival Celebration, the newest ship in their fleet, to finally see what the most fun ships at sea were truly like. 

How much does a Carnival cruise ship cost to build?

If you want to sail on today's newest cruise ships, you will have to be willing to accept the larger price tag. That's because these ships are larger and more technologically advanced than ever, meaning that they cost the cruise line a lot more to build. They really are like floating cities at sea!

I stayed in a windowless cabin onboard Carnival Celebration that cost $1,900 — here's what my inside stateroom looked like

I recently sailed on my first-ever Carnival cruise onboard their newest ship at sea, Carnival Celebration, and stayed in an interior room that cost $1,900 for 7-nights.

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I sailed on the oldest and smallest Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships. Here's how it went

Modern cruise ships are built to be bigger and better than ever before. By today’s standards, cruise ships are essentially floating resorts, holding upwards of 10,000 people onboard, including crew.

In fact, the top decks of the newest cruise ships look like amusement parks with water slides, roller coasters, and go-karts! It’s easy to forget that you’re sailing on a cruise ship onboard these mega-ships because there are so many attractions and onboard thrills.

Carnival Cruise Line Guide & Review

Carnival Cruise Line is one of the biggest cruise lines in the world by passenger capacity with its fleet of 27 ships. Although its ‘fun ships’ predominately attract Americans, the cruise line sails around the world in regions like Alaska, Caribbean, Mexico and Australia.

The cruise line is known for having some of the most casual, laid-back ships at sea and brings many families onboard thanks to its fantastic kids' programming and childcare options.

Carnival suite perks: Are they worth the cost?

With standard cruise ship cabins being much smaller than land-based hotel rooms, you might be wondering if splurging on a Carnival suite is worth the cost. 

With a suite often costing over double the price of an interior stateroom, it is important that you understand all the perks that accompany booking a Carnival suite to help you decide if it's worth the extra money. 

15 Best Carnival Drink Package Tips (2024)

A Carnival drink package allows you to indulge in a fixed number of alcoholic beverages per day of your cruise for a set price, so you do not have to worry about purchasing each drink á la carte. 

They are one of the most popular cruise add-ons for a reason! Of course, if you are not a big drinker, you may not get your money's worth. Maybe you would rather splurge on some once-in-a-lifetime shore excursions or a nicer stateroom. 

Carnival Cruise Ships by Size (2024)

Carnival Cruise Line is one of the most popular mainstream cruise lines at sea. Known for their affordability and most "fun ships" at sea, a cruise onboard a Carnival ship is sure to leave you with great memories and perhaps a countdown for your next cruise!

Top 5 things I like better about Carnival Cruise Line than Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line are the two biggest mainstream cruise lines in the industry with millions of passengers setting sail onboard these competing lines each year.

Each cruise line adds their own special flair to the cruising experience. This is how they differentiate from one another in the competitive travel market. Royal Caribbean is known for building mega-ships with onboard thrills and dazzling entertainment, while Carnival places a heavy focus on fun, casual dining, and creating a lively atmosphere onboard.

I packed for a 7-day cruise with just a carry-on. This item was a total waste of space.

Packing for a cruise can be stressful for some. Maybe you've combed through every packing list you can find but are still worried about packing the wrong attire of forgetting something important. This can be especially true for first-time cruisers, or even if you are trying a new-to-you cruise line.

To keep things simple, I almost exclusively travel with just a carry-on, even for 7-night cruises. I find that this simplifies my travel immensely.

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