Carnival Cruise

Although part of the same cruise line, my experience on a Carnival ship launched in 1998 differed significantly from the week I spent onboard the almost brand-new Carnival Celebration, which debuted in 2022. 

After sailing on some of Carnival's oldest and newest vessels at sea, I've gained some unique insights into the varied experiences offered by the ships within their fleet. 

I recently returned from a 5-night cruise onboard Carnival Elation, Carnival's smallest ship at sea. 

After cruising on three other classes of ships, I wanted to see what made their Fantasy Class ships so appealing, especially considering they're rather tiny in terms of modern-day cruise ships. Plus, I was interested in sailing out of Jacksonville, as it's just a little over five hours from Charlotte, making it an easy port to access. 

Debating on booking a Carnival cruise over spring break? Following the winter holidays, spring break is often the first chance families have to vacation together without pulling children out of school. Since many breaks across the United States line up, this leads to an increased demand for cruises, which is why you'll often pay more for a cruise in March or April than in January, February, or early May. 

They say everything’s bigger in Texas - and that’s certainly the case for the newest cruise ship in town, Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Jubilee!

After sailing on Carnival's Excel, Vista, and Conquest Classes, I decided to book a cruise on their oldest, most seasoned class at sea.