Carnival Cruise

Over the past two years, I've sailed on multiple cruise lines, including Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Margaritaville, Disney, and even Viking Cruises. These experiences have given me a broad view of what the cruise industry offers. However, there was one major cruise brand that I hadn’t tried yet: Carnival Cruise Line.

Within the past six months, I've sailed on two of Royal Caribbean and Carnival's oldest ships: Vision of the Seas and Carnival Elation. Though both ships launched within two months of each other, they couldn't be more different. From the overall atmosphere to the quality of the dining and cabin experience, one clearly came out on top. 

Following last week's decision to change the itineraries on eight ships, Carnival has announced three more ships have had their itineraries adjusted on select sailing in 2025 and 2026.

According to Carnival's cruise contract, they can tweak itineraries, ranging from minor changes to the hours in a specific port to completely changing scheduled calls. 

Carnival has adjusted itineraries on eight ships departing in 2025 and 2026. 

Cruise lines have the right to tweak your itinerary, sometimes years ahead of sailing. Sometimes, they'll swap ports or simply adjust the hours in port. Either way, it can be frustrating, especially since cruise lines don't legally have to provide compensation, as per the cruise contract. 

Carnival Cruise Line is best known for a few things in the cruising industry. First, the cruise line has some of the most fun ships at sea with nonstop activities and parties from the moment you step onboard. You can anticipate a lively crown onboard, creating a very upbeat atmosphere during your Carnival cruise.

Guests onboard Carnival Vista's September 7 were notified that their cruise was canceled due to ongoing propulsion issues, which have affected multiple sailings and led to reduced cruising speeds and itinerary changes.

"Our engineers have been working to address an issue that is limited Carnival Vista's cruising speed," read an email sent by Colleen Oliverio, the VP for Guest Services - Contact Centers.

My mom has always said, “If you can’t have fun on a cruise, there’s something wrong with you!” Even when a vacation isn’t perfect, I can usually find the positives amidst the few hiccups. But after 47 cruises, I found myself counting down the days until disembarkation. 

A cruise ship bathroom is unlikely to be the highlight of your vacation. However, a disappointing stateroom experience can certainly be the lowlight of your cruise.

Regardless of which stateroom category you book, whether a cheap inside cabin or a luxurious suite, you’ll have a full private bathroom in your cabin. Of course, the more expensive cabins and suites will have the nicest and most spacious bathrooms. Some suites even have more than one bathroom!

Carnival joined Holland America and Princess Cruises as the next cruise line to introduce a special solar eclipse cruise for 2026. 

The next total solar eclipse is scheduled to occur on August 12, 2026, and the three mainstream cruise lines have teamed up to offer a great line-up for itineraries for passengers who want to witness this celestial spectacle at sea.