Carnival Cruise Line From New York

Carnival Cruise Lines
3655 NW 87th Avenue
Miami, FL 33178
800-327-9501
www.carnival.com | View Ships and Itineraries

Carnival Cruise Lines has grown since 1972 from a "mom and pop" organization with one vintage vessel to become the giant in the cruise industry. The company carries more than 25% of all cruisers, with occupancy levels exceeding 100% (based on two to a cabin). Parent company Carnival Corporation also owns Holland America Cruises, Windstar Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, and, in spring 2003 merged with P&O Princess thereby adding Princess Cruises, AIDA, Ocean Village, P&O Cruises, Swan Hellenic, and P&O Cruises Australia to the company. This makes Carnival Corporation the world's largest cruise company.  Carnival Cruise Lines itself sails in the Caribbean, Mexico, the Panama Canal, the Bahamas, Hawaii, Alaska and Canada/New England, Europe and South America. 

The company carries the youngest cruisers and the largest number of families plus baby boomers and seniors who love the high-energy atmosphere. And, while the "fun ships" were synonymous with lousy food and rancorous hard partying during the 1980's and early 1990's, today the ships are as all-American as your local mall with some of the best food in the cruise industry. This company has probably enticed more first time passengers to put their toe in the cruising waters than any other.  Over the years, Carnival has made huge improvements. Ships built after 1996 have balcony cabins with mini refrigerators, toiletries, hair dryers, elegant alternative restaurants and bathrobes.

Carnival's New York cruises include sailings to Canada/New England, Bermuda and the Caribbean.

NOTE:  While Carnival is one of the few cruise companies to accept direct bookings we strongly encourage you to work through a travel agent.  You're not booking a seat on an airplane, you're making a lifestyle choice.  You'll be better served by using an outside travel agent.

The Carnival Experience
Carnival prides itself on building "Fun Ships" and this is evident from the moment you board. A cross between Las Vegas and Planet Hollywood, the decor ranges is bright, bold and at times outrageous with gilt and bronze atriums and molding in strange shapes. Carnival wants to keep your spirits and your energy up, and certainly succeeds.  On these ships you'll find the best nightlife. But you'll also find day-long announcements for art auctions and special drinks in your cabin and public areas.  Carnival is one of our picks for one of the "biggest bangs for the buck" - in the mid-price range you get the largest cabins afloat, very good food, enormous casinos and a wide diversity in non-stop entertainment and a high energy cruise experience.   The cruise experience seems to please everyone, from young children to seniors, Americans and Europeans.

Dining
In my opinion, Carnival offers the best cuisine in the mid-priced range of ships. You'll find the freshest vegetables and meats, everything enhanced by superb seasoning. Desserts are truly mouth watering and Carnival's pizza gets my vote as the best at sea.  The flexible dining program, Total Choice Dining, took effect fleet wide in 2001. Changes include four seatings for dinner in the main dining rooms, alternative Bistro dining every evening and an increased number of service staff. Passengers will be assigned a table for dinner at one of four seatings; 5:45 p.m. or 6:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.. In addition to the expanded dining room seatings, the poolside lido eateries have been converted into Seaview Bistros between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. each evening, offering buffet dinner with no reservations or advance notice required.

The new flexible system necessitates a new tipping policy of pre-paid gratuities. The amount of $9.75 per person, per day will be levied on credit cards when passengers check in. The amount may be adjusted upward or downward by the end of the cruise at the discretion of the cruiser.  Starting with Carnival Spirit, new ships in the fleet have reservations-only restaurants with a $20 service charge. Spirit boasts a two-level supper club, offering prime beef, seafood and the famous stone crabs from Joe's Stone Crab restaurant in Miami. Additional complimentary dining options aboard the new ships include dedicated specialty areas featuring rotisserie roasted meats, fish and chips and other seafood, and ice cream parlors, lavish daily dessert bars, and "Nation of the Day" specialty cuisine in the Lido alternative dining areas.  Don't miss the buffet, scheduled on the last day of the voyage, of divine chocolate desserts.

Cabins
Carnival's cabins are among the most spacious afloat, including staterooms holding three and four passengers. Ships built after 1996 have balcony cabins and amenities such as mini refrigerators, toiletries, hair dryers and bathrobes.

Fellow Passengers
Carnival carries a wide gamut of middle class Americans: high living twenty-something singles, parents with kids, baby boomers and the retired. During summer months and holiday sailings, Caribbean, Mexico and Bahamas cruises carry up to 700 children per sailing.

Shore Excursions
Carnival's shore tours are sometimes pricey and geared toward the active vacationer who loves water sports, party boats, and general sightseeing. Read the descriptions and book online at www.carnival.com. You can always arrange your own excursions checking out offerings on port web sites.

Taking The Kids
The superbly run "Camp Carnival" is available on all ships year-round, for Toddlers (2-5) Juniors (6-8) Intermediate (9-12) and Teens (13-15). Activities for specific age groups are supervised by youth counselors. Facilities are open from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Group babysitting is available in the playroom between 10pm and 3 am and, 8 am to 12 noon on port days for a fee. There is no in-cabin babysitting. Cribs are available upon request, but bring your own strollers.  New programming is continually in development. Recent additions include "ExerSeas," a recreational fitness program designed to encourage kids to "get out and play" through intense physical activity; "A-B-Seas", a new reading and writing program and H2Ocean, a science program which features a wide variety of fun, hands-on science projects. The line's popular EduCruise program has also been expanded to include even more interactive projects focusing on the cultures, landmarks, history and geography of the destinations to which Carnival sails. Also in the works is a new art program.

Past Passenger Program
Carnival "Currents" magazine; discount coupons; "Festivale Party" for repeaters on 5-day or longer cruises. For more information call 1-888-CCL-GUEST.

Special Programs
The Wedding Program gives couples an affordable and convenient alternative to land-based ceremonies. All-inclusive wedding packages are available fleetwide. They feature a ceremony either aboard the ship or in a romantic locale ashore. For more on the wedding program call 1-800-933-4968.

Golf Program
Managed by Sunrise, Fla.-based Elite Golf Cruises LLC, the program includes professional instruction both aboard ship and during golf excursions ashore. Shipboard lessons, which are available in 30- and 60-minute increments, are conducted by a golf professional who utilizes state-of-the-art V1 teaching computers featuring side-by-side comparisons with top tour players and sophisticated video analysis. Golfers can continue their lessons at home with a take-home video recap, which is available for purchase onboard. Lessons take place in a covered and lighted "practice range" which protects golfers from the elements and allows for both daytime and evening instruction.  The "practice range" also serves as the venue for putting contests and various group clinics taking place throughout the voyage.  All-inclusive golf excursions include professional golf escort, priority tee times, round-trip transportation between ship and course, and cart and green fees. Equipment rental, including top-of-the-line Callaway clubs and Adidas golf shoes, is also available. A variety of golfing accessories such as golf balls, gloves and apparel are available for purchase, as well. Course information is available by visiting www.CarnivalGolf.com, calling 1-800-324-1106 or faxing a request to 1-954-382-5398.

Tipping
Carnival has introduced automatic gratuities whereby $10.00 per person per day is added to your Sail & Sign card. (No charge for children under two years of age). This includes $3.60 for the stateroom steward; $5.50 for the Dining Room team and $.90 for service in the alternative dining rooms. The amount can be raised or lowered by visiting the purser's desk during the cruise.  A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to all beverage tabs. Gratuities for the maitre d', room service, spa, casino and other staff are at the passenger's discretion.

Departure Dates: June 7, 11, 20,  July 9, 23, Aug 6, 20, 2009

5-day Canada New England Cruises from Manhattan: Ports of Call: Saint John, New Brunswick, and Halifax

Departure Dates: June 15, 20, 29 July 4, 13, 18, 27,  Aug 1, 10, 15, 24, 29, 2009

Copyright 2008, Anne Campbell