Carnival Cruise Line

Ted Arison founded Carnival in 1972 with a single secondhand ship, the Mardi Gras, which ran aground on its first voyage. The line recovered by selling cruises as affordable fun rather than formal ocean travel, and that idea grew into Carnival Corporation, today the world’s largest cruise company. Carnival Cruise Line remains its biggest and most American brand.

The fleet of roughly 30 ships spans several generations. The Excel class (Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee) is the largest, with themed zones and the BOLT roller coaster. Vista-class ships (Carnival Vista, Horizon and Panorama) added the SkyRide and IMAX theaters, while the Dream class, the Conquest class, the Splendor and the Spirit class make up the workhorse middle of the fleet. Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze sail as “Carnival Fun Italian Style” ships with an Italian design twist, and the smaller Sunshine-class ships and two remaining Fantasy-class ships run shorter, cheaper itineraries. Carnival also bases ships in Australia.

Most sailings are three- to eight-night Caribbean, Bahamas and Mexico cruises, with Alaska, Hawaii, Bermuda, Canada and New England, and the Mexican Riviera rounding out the map.

Carnival is relaxed, loud in the right places and unpretentious. You will see families, friend groups, couples celebrating milestones and lots of first-time cruisers, with a younger average age than most lines, especially on short sailings. Dress code is cruise casual nearly every night; each sailing of a few nights or more has one or two Elegant Nights where some guests dress up, though nice slacks or a sundress are plenty. Ships range from mid-size older vessels to Excel-class giants carrying more than 5,000 guests. Expect a lively pool deck with music, contests and a crowd at the bar, balanced by the adults-only Serenity retreat for a quieter afternoon. Three- and four-night cruises have the most party energy; longer sailings feel calmer.

Carnival’s free casual food is its best-kept secret. Guy’s Burger Joint (from Guy Fieri) and BlueIguana Cantina burritos and tacos are included, and many ships add Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse barbecue on sea days, a deli, pizza around the clock and the Lido Marketplace buffet. The main dining rooms offer set or flexible Your Time Dining with American comfort food. Specialty restaurants cost extra: Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi, JiJi Asian Kitchen and Cucina del Capitano Italian on many ships, plus Rudi’s Seagrill and, on Mardi Gras, Emeril’s Bistro 1396. On the oldest ships the choice is narrower, so check what your ship offers.

Entertainment leans toward laughs and participation. Every ship has the Punchliner Comedy Club with family-friendly early shows and adults-only late sets. Playlist Productions musical revues, Hasbro, The Game Show, Lip Sync Battle, piano bars, live bands and a casino fill the evenings. Waterworks water parks, SportSquare mini-golf and ropes courses, SkyRide on Vista-class ships and the BOLT roller coaster on the Excel class keep the decks busy, and Dive-In Movies play on the giant poolside screen.

Camp Ocean runs free supervised activities for kids aged 2 to 11 in age groups, Circle C is for 12- to 14-year-olds and Club O2 is for teens 15 to 17. Night Owls offers paid late-evening group babysitting. Dr. Seuss at Sea, with a Green Eggs and Ham breakfast and storytime, is a hit with younger kids. Expect lots of children on summer, spring break and holiday cruises.

Carnival cabins are a little larger than average for the price, and its family harbor cabins on several ships include a dedicated lounge with breakfast and snacks. Cloud 9 Spa staterooms come with spa perks, and Havana cabins on Vista-class and some newer ships give access to a private Cuban-themed pool area by day. Suites are modest compared with Royal Caribbean or Norwegian, though suite guests get priority boarding and other perks. Interior cabins are a staple choice for budget travelers.

Drinks cost extra. The CHEERS! beverage package covers alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks with a daily cap on alcoholic servings, and every adult in a cabin must buy it if one does. Bottomless Bubbles covers soda and juice. Water, basic coffee, tea, lemonade and iced tea are free. Carnival lets each adult carry on a single bottle of wine or champagne at embarkation, subject to its current policy.

A daily gratuity per guest is added automatically to your Sail & Sign account, with a higher rate in suites. You can prepay it before sailing or adjust it onboard at Guest Services. A service charge is added to bar purchases, beverage packages and many spa services, so no extra tip is expected there.

Carnival Rewards replaced the long-running VIFP Club in 2026. It is points-based and tied to spending on cruise fares and onboard purchases rather than nights sailed, with tiers of Red, Gold, Platinum and Diamond and a linked Carnival Rewards Mastercard. Earlier VIFP status carried over as a starting point for existing members.