Key Aspects:
- One guest has complained about supposedly suggestive artwork aboard Carnival Pride.
- Yes, Renaissance artwork is displayed onboard in stateroom corridors, but is it not family-friendly?
- This is not the first nudity-related controversy for the Spirit-class cruise ship.
It’s not uncommon for different activities onboard a cruise ship to be deemed adults-only, such as casino tournaments, late-night comedy, or racier production shows. But what about the hallways themselves?
One Carnival guest has found that the stateroom hallways on Carnival Pride might not meet their personal family-friendly standards.
The guest reached out to the Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, to verify the rumors they heard and to express their opinion on the family-friendly nature of the situation.
“I’m reading reviews from passengers on the Pride who are saying that there is nude artwork all over the ship. How has this happened?” the guest asked.
“[Another guest] wrote that she has been putting sticky notes to cover up anything she thought was not family friendly. I support her in this. I am bringing my three children there for a Christmas cruise. This is not family friendly as Carnival says they are Mr. Heald!”
The Spirit-class Carnival Pride debuted in 2002 during the “Fun Ship” era with bold colors and fun designs. I have sailed on Carnival Pride myself, and yes, there is indeed some eyebrow-raising artwork onboard.
Nevertheless, it isn’t nearly as dramatic as the guest might be imagining, as Heald explains.
“I had not heard about a guest putting Post-It notes over any hummmm………things,” he noted. “The ship is of course beautiful and yes, there are some pieces of corridor art that are slightly suggestive but done in a tasteful and fun way which was always at the heart of the ship’s architect Joe Farcus-designed ships.”
Some of the artwork can be a bit racy, but not anything that ought to be concerning. It is representations of Renaissance artwork with more matronly figures sans-fig-leaf, as it were.
“Some of the original artwork on board does remain and while I understand it is not for everyone I am sure it will not spoil your experience, upset your children and your Fun on board, not in the slightest,” Heald said.
The guest is not receiving support from other cruise fans, who note that the ship’s artwork is not likely to be the most provocative imagery seen onboard.
“She is better off not cruising on any ship then. The [sights] she and her kids will see, of the people, on the ships will leave nothing to the imagination,” one guest noted.
Other commenters also noted that this type of artwork is frequently on public display in museums and public spaces, particularly in Europe. Not to mention Art History and Art Appreciation classes, students of any age may take!
Carnival Pride is homeported year-round from Baltimore, Maryland, offering 7-night Bahamas itineraries and occasional sailings to Bermuda, the Caribbean, Greenland, and Panama.
In Baltimore, guests might enjoy the Baltimore Museum of Art or the Walters Art Museum. Both facilities offer extensive collections that include Renaissance paintings and sculptures similar in style to the illustrations onboard Carnival Pride.
Not Carnival Pride‘s First Nudity Controversy
Interestingly, this is not the first time nudity and artwork have caused controversy aboard Carnival Pride.
When the ship debuted in 2002, a replica statue of Michelangelo’s David was the centerpiece in the ship’s steakhouse restaurant, appropriately named David’s.
Over the years, that anatomically-correct artwork was the subject of criticism more than once, and eventually a fig leaf was added to conceal his more controversial bits.
In May 2023, Carnival Pride was revitalized and at that time, David’s was rebranded to the cruise line’s signature steakhouse. The statue was removed as it no longer fit the restaurant’s theme.
Later that year, it was announced that the iconic statue would reappear aboard Carnival Firenze when the Italian-style ship debuted in April 2024.
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As the former Costa Cruises ship is even named for Florence, Italy where the original David resides in the Galleria dell’Accademia, the installation is very appropriate and welcomed for the ship’s Renaissance vibes.
