It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on the Lido deck of Carnival Sunshine!
While Carnival’s housekeeping teams are famous for delighting guests with fun towel animals, the crew members on Carnival Sunshine truly outdid themselves with a Christmas display on the Lido deck.
Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald shared a photo of the sizable display on his public Facebook page – which shows Santa steering a life-size reindeer (presumably Rudolph, but with a brown nose), with winter-themed friends like penguins and snowmen at the reindeer’s hooves.
But what makes this festive display especially unique is that the entire thing is made from towels.
“Santa, you do a brilliant job. I mean really fabulous. The joy you bring worldwide. Your leadership is extraordinary and it’s a true pleasure and an absolute privilege to be allowed to accompany you,”Heald quipped, writing from the perspective of Rudolph “the brown-nosed Reindeer.”
All jokes aside, Heald then commended the crew of the Sunshine-class ship with a shoutout.
“And here is Rudolph with Santa on the Carnival Sunshine as made by the outstanding Housekeeping Team,”Heald wrote at the bottom of the post.
It’s unclear if the display was part of a planned event or simply a seasonal surprise – although most Carnival sailings feature at least one morning where guests wake up to a towel animal “zoo” on the Lido deck.
While this display is specific to Carnival Sunshine, it’s possible that more festive towel animals will pop up on other Carnival ships in the coming days – if they haven’t already. In the meantime, the cruise line is making sure its holiday guests have a wonderful Christmas experience fleet-wide in other ways.
By December 8, 2024, every Carnival ship had been decorated for the season – with guests welcomed to add their own personal touch by decorating their cabin doors.
On Christmas Day, Carnival cruisers will also be treated to a special Christmas Gala dinner – whichincludes traditional favoriteslike honey glazed ham with herbed potatoes, as well as year-round favorites (including specialities from the popular Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse for an additional fee).
Last but not least, Carnival’s holiday sailings will feature some extra-special events, including tree lighting ceremonies, ugly sweater contests, and appearances from seasonal celebrities like Santa Claus and the Grinch.
Christmas Towel Display Sparks Joy
Surprisingly, something as simple as towel animals is often a source of controversy on Heald’s Facebook page – so it’s nice to see the Christmas creation met with an outpouring of positivity.
However, it wasn’t the cuteness of the display that was top-of-mind – but rather the talent of the crew members who created it.
“This is so awesome…the crew is so talented. Thank you for making my day happier,”one person wrote in the comments.
“Awesome! I can’t believe the crew can put together something like this,” another person replied.
Christmas Towel Animals on Carnival Cruise (Credit: John Heald)
A few said the display inspired them to book their own holiday cruise – with some musing that a cruise vacation might make a great Christmas gift for this year as something for their families to look forward to next year.
But while this festive display has been met with much fondness, the end of the year is also a good time to look back on the events – or towel animal controversies – of the previous year.
Most recently, rumors spread that the towel animals were going to be discontinuedafter cabin attendants were temporarily unable to create new towel creations during a 7-night sailing to Bermuda that was operated by Carnival Venezia.
However, the missing towel animals could easily be explained by restrictions from an overnight port call to Bermuda.
“Yesterday I answered a few comments about the Carnival Venezia and her current cruise to Bermuda. She had an overnight stay and this meant that the Bermudian authorities insisted we close our laundry operations for environmental reasons,” Heald explained at the time.
“We of course complied but this meant that because of these restrictions the cabin attendants were not able to make the towel animals for a couple of evenings. And there was much disappointment plus some gnashing of teeth,” the brand ambassador continued.
It’s a rumor that Heald has had to squash more than once – but the towel animals have been present on Carnival’s ships since 1972 and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The brand even has a towel animal elephant, named Ellie the Elephant, as a mascot.
There’s a common phrase that says “third time will be the charm.” Unfortunately, this doesn’t hold true for Symphony of the Seas’ next planned visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico – which will have to be skipped for the third time in a row.
Until work is completed and inspected on Pier 3, the San Juan Cruise Port will unfortunately be unable to welcome a ship as large as the Oasis-class vessel – which weighs in at 228,081-gross tons and is 1,184 feet long.
So far, the 6,680-guest ship has already had to remove the port from its November 17 and December 1 sailings – and now the 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing that is embarking from Miami, Florida, on December 22, 2024, will also be affected.
“We’ve recently been advised by the port authority in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that due to technical issues with the pier and the work that must be done and cleared by the USCG for accepting a ship our size, we’ll have to adjust our itinerary for our sailing,”Royal Caribbean wrote to soon-to-be guests.
“As a result, we’ll skip our visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico and have adjusted the time we’ll depart from Perfect Day at CocoCay. After exploring all options, and to provide you with the best experience, we’ll now enjoy a visit to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas instead,” continued the letter.
The port call on San Juan wassupposed to be on Christmas Day, which perhaps makes the change sting a little more for disappointed guests – but passengers will still be able to get off the ship and explore Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.
Perhaps even more annoying is that the visit to Perfect Day CocoCay (Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas) will be shortened by one hour on December 23, 2024.
Instead of setting sail at 5 p.m. local time, the mega-ship will instead depart at 4 p.m. to accommodate the new itinerary.
What is Wrong With the San Juan Cruise Port?
The San Juan Cruise Port has three different piers, but only Pier 3 is currently able to accommodate Royal Caribbean’s massive Oasis-class ships.
But due to ongoing technical issues with the pier – which seem to be related to an unspecified incident with a mooring dolphin – the pier has been out of service pending repairs and inspections from the US Coast Guard.
“As part of its ongoing commitment to passenger safety and efficient cruise operations, San Juan Cruise Port (SJCP) has been working diligently with regulatory agencies to restore service to Pier 3 West, following a recent incident involving a mooring dolphin,” the port said in an update at the end of November.
“San Juan Port’s Pier-3 West remains closed to cruise-ships until further notice pending requested satisfactory assessment studies followed by a Coast Guard on-site inspection of the facility,” the United States Coast Guard added.
Photo Credit: Puerto Rico Port Authority
It’s unclear how long it will be until the pier will be ready to receive Oasis-class ships once again.
That said, members of the cruising community are becoming frustrated with both the cruise port and Royal Caribbean for the extended closure and repeated itinerary changes.
“The GOVERNMENT of San Juan Cruise Port and the Tourism Office simply DO NOT CARE that we continue to be put to shame by all the islands around us, building new terminals in a short time and Puerto Rico cannot even fix a dock,” one person, who is presumably a San Juan resident, wrote on Facebook.
Meanwhile, others complained that Royal Caribbean wasn’t being “straight” with future guests about the situation – alleging that the cruise line is being unfaithful by marketing a cruise to San Juan that isn’t possible and saying it hurts the brands reputation when it communicates poorly.
“The dock has been out of commission for a while. RCCL is hurting their brand by not being up front with the situation,”one person wrote on Reddit.
That said, it’s unclear how much Royal Caribbean has been kept in the loop regarding the status of the cruise port – and most cruise contracts do give cruise lines the flexibility to change the itinerary as needed.
Hopefully, the matter will be resolved before Symphony of the Seas’ next planned visit to San Juan – which is scheduled for January 1, 2025.
December 10, 2024, turned out to be an extraordinary day for the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia.
The nation witnessed the arrival of five cruise ships at two different ports, collectively bringing over 8,000 passengers to St. Lucia – a record one-day high.
The bustling activity saw Oceania Cruises’ 30,277-gross-ton Insignia, Silversea’s 28,258-gross-ton Silver Shadow, Celebrity Cruises’ 91,000-gross-ton Celebrity Summit, and Royal Caribbean’s 137,308-gross-ton Explorer of the Seas calling at Port Castries, the island’s largest port near the capital city of Castries.
The ships carry 10,461 passengers and crew combined.
Meanwhile, the smaller, adult-only Le Champlain, which is just shy of 10,000 gross tons and carries 184 guests, docked at the Port of Soufriere, located on the west coast of the island near the iconic Pitons.
“We are very excited to welcome five vessels to our shores!”said the Government of Saint Lucia on its social media channels.“Silver Shadow, Celebrity Summit, Explorer of the Seas, Insignia, and Le Champlain – we wish all passengers and crew a day filled with adventure!”
Saint Lucia Cruise Port’s winter season, which runs from October through April, officially kicked off on October 10, 2024, with the arrivals of the 4,485-passenger Celebrity Summit and Royal Caribbean’s 1,756-guest Rhapsody of the Seas.
The island anticipates 459 cruise calls by the season’s end – nearly double its 264 calls during its 2023-24 season, which brought 614,980 passengers.
Projections suggest this season’s numbers could surpass the 2019 record of 789,176, potentially reaching over 823,132 visitors, including those to the island’s third port, Pigeon Island, on the northwest coast near Gros Islet.
Local media reports island workforce, including taxi drivers, tour guides, and hospitality workers, has experienced a surge in employment opportunities due to the increasing number of cruise calls.
“We are looking forward to a busy and exciting cruise season with a positive outlook for our company and community,”said Lancelot Arnold, general manager of Saint Lucia Cruise Port.
Growth and Expansion on the Horizon
St. Lucia’s rapid growth has spurred upcoming enhancements to its port facilities at Port Castries, which includes the two-berth Pointe Seraphine Cruise Port Terminal and the smaller La Place Carenage Cruise Port Terminal.
Initiated by Global Ports Holding (GPH), which took over port operations in early 2024, and in collaboration with the St. Lucia Air and Seaports Authority, the project will revamp both Port Castries and the Soufriere waterfront at the tune of $135 million.
Cruise Ship Docked in St. Lucia (Photo Credit: Lissa Poirot)
Work includes the addition of a new cruise berth as well as the expansion of existing berths to accommodate larger cruise ships at Pointe Seraphine, which will contribute to more record-breaking passenger arrivals.
La Place’s terminal will also add two berths and create a new boardwalk to provide easy access to town, which is 20 minutes away.
Additionally, the Vendor’s Arcade in Castries will receive a facelift as the project transforms the retail experience for guests. A new Fisherman’s Village is also planned for Banannes Bay in Castries to offer new spaces for local vendors and artisans.
In Soufriere, development projects include the construction of a new amphitheater and food and beverage areas.
Although GBH did not release a timeline on the project, it expects the improvements will help the port welcome more than 1 million cruise passengers annually when it is complete.
Visiting the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea is often a dream come true for cruise ship passengers, and it appears those dreams broke records on the island of Mykonos in 2024.
In its 2024 season, Mykonos saw 768 cruise ship arrivals, bringing over 1.29 million passengers to its shores. The milestone marks an increase from 2023, which recorded 749 ship arrivals and 1.19 million passengers.
Athanasios Kousathanas Megas, president of the Mykonos Port Fund, attributed the success to the port’s strategic planning and collaboration.
“These impressive results showcase the continuous development of Mykonos as a top-tier destination and reflect the effective strategy of the Municipality and Port Fund in managing arrivals and improving services,” he said.
Mykonos’ cruising season typically falls between May and September but saw ships making calls earlier in the year and arriving well after its peak.
Its first visit of the year took place on January 2, when Costa Cruise’s Costa Deliziosa arrived with 2,500 guests, kicking off operations for what island officials anticipated early would be its best season to date.
The last ship to call on the island was Princess Cruises’ 2,200-passenger Island Princess, which arrived on November 25, 2024, during a Grand Adventure voyage in the Mediterranean.
The record-breaking season reflects the island’s ongoing investment, which includes the addition of four new tender berths near the Archaeological Museum, upgrades to its port facilities, and efforts to balance ship arrivals to ease pressure on the island’s infrastructure.
“These interventions are not just technical improvements, but strategic choices that combine the upgrading of the passenger experience with the protection of the natural environment, ensuring the sustainability of the destination the long term,” said Megas.
He added, “Mykonos is more than a Greek destination. It is a global destination. Its visitors do not come only for the natural beauties and the cosmopolitan atmosphere, but also to get to know its authentic identity.”
Cruise Growth Spurs New Tax
Mykonos won’t have much time in rest on its record-breaking year. In 2025, the season has officially been extended to run from February through December, with its first arrival slated to take place on February 15.
That first vessel will be Viking Oceans’ 930-passenger Viking Star, which will return in March, along with Celestyal Cruises.
By April, Crystal Cruises, Marella Cruises, Windstar Cruises, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea, Celebrity Cruises, and Explora Journeys all arrive to the island of just under 11,000 residents.
Mykonos cruise (Photo Credit: Olga Gavrilova)
However, the growing number of passenger arrivals is stirring debate. Greece’s prime minister notes islands are “suffering” from excessive tourism and is considering limiting cruise ships.
As visitor numbers continue to climb, Greece recently approved a new cruise passenger tax in an effort to offset the strain on local infrastructure and services.
Beginning in 2025, passengers disembarking in Mykonos and Santorini, another extremely popular island call, will incur a fee of €20, while those visiting other destinations like Rhodes, Corfu, and Crete will be charged €5.
Megas recognizes the island’s growth needs to be sustainable and said, “We continue to support the need for a balanced increase in passenger fees, along with the planning of new interventions that will further improve the experience of our passengers.”
The Mykonos Port Fund will continue to invest in infrastructure projects to help decongest the port, as well as those that help support the island, such as a new water recycling system at the port that will help reduce water consumption.
MSC Cruises wants its passengers to drink responsibly when sailing with the cruise line, which is why it announced limitations on alcoholic drink packages will begin on voyages taking place on April 1, 2025, and beyond.
Effective for package purchases made after December 18, 2024, the changes include a new daily limit of 15 alcoholic beverages per person on all-inclusive packages, making the packages less inclusive and more restrictive.
“There’ll be plenty of time to savor all our delicious cocktails, beers, wines, and spirits, while also promoting a healthy and balanced approach to indulgence, allowing us to maintain high-quality service whilst creating an enjoyable and responsible atmosphere for all our guests,”said the cruise line in an announcement shared by passengers on social media.
Despite the daily restriction, which resets daily at 6 a.m., most guests had a positive response to the news with comments suggesting 15 alcoholic drinks a day is plenty.
Also, MSC Cruises is not cutting passengers off at 15 alcoholic beverages. Guests who exceed the package limit are allowed to purchase additional beverages at full price.
Non-alcoholic beverages on the packages, including Easy, Easy Plus, Premium Extra, Non-Alcoholic, and Minors Drink packages, will remain unlimited, which includes soft drinks and hot beverages.
Guests embarking on Grand Voyages or World Cruises will find different package offerings. While World Cruises include a Dine & Drink Package covering beverages during meals, upgrades to broader packages like Easy Plus or Premium Extra are available.
Drink packages can also be used at the cruise line’s private destinations, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas and Sir Bani Yas Island in the U.A.E.
Guests in MSC Yacht Club’s ship-within-a-ship concept will continue to receive unlimited alcoholic beverages.
Despite the changes, prepaid drink packages remain the most cost-effective option, with discounts of up to 15 percent compared to onboard rates. Additionally, all packages now include gratuities.
Drink Package in Line with Industry Standards
MSC Cruises features three packages that include alcoholic drinks. The most basic package is its Easy Package with selected cocktails, spirits, house wines, draft or bottled Heineken, non-alcoholic cocktails, soft drinks, mineral water, espresso, cappuccino, latte, hot tea, and hot chocolate.
The Easy Plus Package includes a variety of frozen and fruit cocktails, well spirits, a variety of draught and bottled bears, protein shakes, a selection of wines by the glass, and a 10 percent discount on bottles of wine purchased on board.
Selecting the Premium Extra Package includes premium cocktails and spirits, champagne by the glass, and a greater selection of wine and beers. Guests with this package also receive 25 percent off bottled wine and champagne.
The cruise line is not the first to put limitations on its drink packages. Carnival Cruise Line, which just quietly increased its package prices, also stopped alcoholic beverages at 15 drinks per day. However, it does not permit passengers to purchase alcoholic beverages after hitting this limit.
As a company beneath Carnival Corporation, many of its sister cruise lines also have similar limitations, including Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Cunard. Although P&O Cruises has a 15-drink cap in its packages, it allows additional drink purchases after reaching the limit.
Still, other cruise lines do not cap the number of drinks guests can have, including Carnival Corporation’s luxury line, Seabourn, which always offers complimentary premium spirits and fine wines on its ships.
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line also don’t limit drinks. Instead, they cut off guests if they are visibly intoxicated, with Royal Caribbean permitting passengers one drink at a time while Norwegian allows two at a time – one for each hand.
Royal Caribbean has set the opening of its Royal Beach Club Paradise Island for December 2025 and unveiled a bevy of experiences that guests can expect to enjoy at the new landslide destination.
Guests booking itineraries that call at the private Bahamas retreat can begin buying day passes to the venue in the spring of 2025. The cost of the pass has not yet been revealed.
In a December 12, 2024 announcement, the cruise line revealed that Royal Beach Club, located just 10 minutes from the Port of Nassau, will be split into three zones — Chill Beach, Party Cove, and Family Beach.
Pool at Royal Beach Club
Chill Beach will provide a relaxing atmosphere, where guests can de-stress at The Deep End pool or choose a beachfront spot. Artisan huts selling locally made goods will be available as will various eateries.
Party Cove will have a distinct party vibe, with music by a DJ and the world’s largest swim-up bar, called The Floating Flamingo. Guests also can opt for the Party Cove VIP area, with poolside service.
The world’s largest swim-up bar
Family Beach will feature various games for youngsters such as paddle ball and tug-of-war, plus The Shallow End, a zero-entry pool appropriate for little ones. An exclusive, luxury experience, the Ultimate Family Cabana, will be located at Family Beach.
Guests will pay a fee to rent the two-story cabana that accommodates up to 12 people, although the daily rental price has not yet been disclosed. The venue will likely be in great demand, since the development will feature just one Ultimate Family Cabana.
The cabana will have a private whirlpool, a water slide, a private bathroom, a frozen drink machine, and a dedicated attendant.
Ultimate Family Cabana
All told, there will be 40 private cabanas that guests can rent, but just one Ultimate Family Cabana. Like the day passes, guests can begin reserving cabanas in spring 2025.
The 17-acre Royal Beach Club will offer multiple pools and swim-up bars, beach bars, and eateries. The day pass will cover short water taxi ride to the destination from the cruise pier at Nassau, and all amenities at the retreat, except for cabana rentals.
The development is the result of a partnership between Royal Caribbean Group and the Bahamian government. Construction began in April 2024.
“The Royal Beach Club Collection is designed for every type of family and vacationer to get everything they want out of their ideal beach day – no matter the vibe they’re looking for,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.
“With the first-of-its-kind Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, we continue to super-serve our guests with a tailored experience at one of our most highly visited destinations, building on nearly five decades of collaboration with the community and government of The Bahamas,” Bayley added.
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island Fast Facts
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is the first of three new destinations Royal Caribbean Group has in the works. Royal Beach Club Cozumel will open in 2026 and Perfect Day Mexico in 2027. Royal Caribbean already offers Perfect Day at CocoCay, in the Bahamas, and Labadee, in Haiti.
Royal Caribbean ships sailing from several homeports will include calls at the Paradise Island destination, including PortMiami, Port Everglades, and Port Canaveral, in Florida, plus Galveston, New York, and Baltimore.
Royal Beach Club
Project to Meet Top Environmental Standards
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island will be operated as a partnership between Royal Caribbean and the Bahamian government, and will have a heavy Bahamian influence in terms of architecture, culture, and cuisine choices.
The club is being developed as an eco-friendly retreat, with the Bahamian environmental firm SEV Consulting Group overseeing its ecologically sensitive elements. During construction and future operation, the SEV collaboration will ensure that the destination conforms to key environmental standards.
It is, for example, making sure that turtle nesting sites are protected and that invasive species are being removed. The site will have an advanced wastewater treatment facility, and a zero waste-to-landfill policy.
According to witnesses onboard the 6,780-guest ship, the unidentified yacht lost power and drifted into the ship’s stern – thankfully at a low speed.
“This boat apparently lost power, or something, and drifted into the back of our ship,” one current passenger shared.
Thankfully, it appears that the impact did not cause any significant damage to the mega-ship, with some onboard not even aware it happened.
“Didn’t feel a thing,”one passenger wrote on Facebook in response to a video of the incident.
“We didn’t either and my son was standing up surfing,” another current guest chimed in.
That said, the yacht wasn’t so lucky – with videos of the incident showing damage to its top portion.
“A yacht just slammed into the Allure of the Seas while in port at Nassau. Don’t know if the Allure was damaged. The yacht’s mast was broken,” a current passenger shared on X.
You can watch a video of the accident here:
The full extent of the damage to the yacht is unclear – and it’s not known if there were any injuries to the people operating the smaller craft. So far, their identities have been kept confidential.
That said, it would be pretty surprising if the yacht and its passengers made it out completely unscathed considering the massive size of Allure of the Seas.
The Royal Caribbean cruise shipweighs in at a heavy 225,282-gross tons and is 1,180 feet long. Meanwhile, the average yacht is anywhere from 20 to 45 feet long.
So far, Royal Caribbean has not issued an official statement about the allision – which is the official term for when one ship is hit by another vessel while moored.
Yacht Hits Allure of the Seas (Credit: Dayanni Devi Bhagwandin)
Will the Crash Impact the Current Sailing?
Luckily, Wednesday’s allision shouldn’t have any significant impact to Allure of the Seas’ current sailing – which is a 4-night Bahamas sailing that embarked from Miami, Florida, on December 9, 2024.
The ship had already called on Perfect Day at CocoCay, which is the cruise line’s original private island destination in the Bahamas – with Nassau as its second and final stop of the sailing.
According to current guests, the only related change is the scheduled departure – which was supposed to be at 5 p.m. – was delayed by just under an hour.
“Our departure was delayed almost an hour due to this incident,”one passenger wrote on Reddit.
Presumably, that time would have been spent assessing any potential damage and communicating with the owners of the yacht about what happened and the next steps.
Regardless, a short delay like this would be easy to make up for a modern cruise ship – and shouldn’t impact the scheduled disembarkation in Miami on December 13, 2024. Cruise tracking data also shows that the ship is already back at sea, sailing at speeds of 16 knots per hour.
While these types of collisions (or allisions) are rare, they do happen from time to time as a risk of operating in busy cruise ports.
About two years ago, another Royal Caribbean ship – Mariner of the Seas – was also hit by a cargo ship while docked in Freeport, Bahamas.
In this case, the smaller vessel lodged itself into the cruise ship – but the Voyager-class vessel only sustained minimal damage and no injuries were reported.
So you’re in the process of booking your first cruise with Carnival Cruise Line. You have an idea of what ship and itinerary you’d like to sail on, but what cabin or suite is right for you and your family? Here’s a complete guide to all of Carnival’s cabins and suites, so you can choose the best room for your needs.
Small Interior Cruise Cabin (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
Interior cabins are featured on all of Carnival’s ships and are exactly what they sound like: cabins in the ship’s interior, without an exterior wall.
Interior cabins are typically on the small side, with less than 200 square feet of space. While some interior cabins can technically fit up to five cruisers, they’re really most comfortable with just two cruisers (and possibly a child). There’s not a lot of floor or storage space and the bathrooms are small, too, with just a shower, no tub.
If the thought of an interior cabin makes you a bit claustrophobic, there are some special interior cabins that do have windows and that you might prefer. The windows just don’t look out over the ocean. Instead, they look out at a walkway. These cabins are sometimes classified as an “interior cabin with picture window.”
Other interior cabin options include upper/lower interior staterooms that feature a twin bed and upper pullman. There are also porthole interior cabins that provide very small windows, for technically an ocean view but without the ocean view cabin price.
All Carnival staterooms, including interior staterooms, come with amenities including an in-room safe, television, individual climate control, a dedicated room steward and bathrobes upon request.
Ocean View Cabins
Carnival Cruise Line Cabin (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
Ocean view cabins are, on average, larger than interior cabins, with more floor space and storage space, as well as usually some sort of sitting area. Expect most ocean view cabins to be under 250 square feet.
Sometimes, ocean view cabins are split into categories like deluxe and standard ocean view cabins. You get more floor space with a deluxe cabin, as well as, in some instances, an extra half-bathroom. There are also scenic ocean view rooms, which offer the best views via floor-to-ceiling windows.
Like interior cabins, ocean view cabins can hold up to five people.
Before getting into suites, balcony cabins are your largest options on a Carnival Cruise Line ship. Like an ocean view cabin, balcony cabins have a seating area and greater floor space than an interior cabin, but there’s also a furnished balcony, usually with seating for two people.
Balcony cabins can sleep up to five guests, but do note that while you get overall more space with a balcony cabin, that doesn’t mean the interior of the room is larger.
Your balcony cabin’s interior could be the same size as that of an ocean view cabin, but you get the added space from the balcony, which is usually around 35 square feet.
Balcony cabins come in a few different variants, including aft balcony staterooms at the ship’s rear, premium vista balcony cabins with better views and wrap-around balconies, extended balcony staterooms on higher decks and cove balcony staterooms on select ships and that offer more privacy.
Suites
Carnival Ocean Suite
Carnival offers a range of suites on its ships, starting with very basic suites that merely offer more living space but no separation of spaces, up to huge suites with multiple bedrooms and separate dining and living areas.
Whatever type of suite you book, though, your stay will come with extra suite-guest-only amenities like VIP check-in, priority main dining room time assignments, bathrobes, a better mattress than what you’d get in a non-suite stateroom and priority boarding and debarkation.
Junior and grand suites are the most basic of Carnival’s suite options, with under 350 square feet of space and overall more living space, but no separation between the bedroom and living area, like what you’d expect from a typical hotel suite.
Captain’s suites sit above the bridge for unique views.
Presidential suites offer the most space of all, with some, like those on the newest Carnival ships, exceeding a thousand square feet of space.
Other Types of Carnival Cruise Line Cabins and Suites
Some cabins and suites fall into other categories beyond just interior, balcony, suite, etc.
Family Harbor Cabins and Suites
Carnival Family Harbor
You can find Family Harbor cabins in variants, starting from interior cabins and going up to suites.
Whatever the size or sleeping arrangements, though, you can expect family-friendly amenities and spaces designed for traveling with kiddos.
Exclusive perks available to Family Harbor guests include access to the Family Harbor Lounge, with its free breakfast and snacks, as well as free dining for kids at specialty restaurants, and one free evening of babysitting services during your cruise.
Family Harbor cabins and suites aren’t available on every Carnival ship, however. You’ll find them on Carnival Celebration, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Jubilee, Mardi Gras, Carnival Panoramaand Carnival Vista.
Like the idea of keeping the family all together (or as close as possible), but don’t want to spring for a Family Harbor cabin, or maybe don’t think you’ll use all the amenities? Consider booking a more affordable stateroom or suite option, but connecting rooms that share a common door.
Cloud 9 Spa Cabins and Suites
Stateroom on Carnival Cruise Ship (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
Similarly, you can find cabins of all sizes and layouts that fit within the Cloud 9 category. What sets these staterooms and suites apart are the extra amenities.
In your stateroom, you’ll enjoy upgraded toiletries, robes and slippers. You’ll also enjoy priority spa reservations, free fitness classes, unlimited access to the thermal suites and hydrotherapy pools and exclusive discounts on treatments during port days.
Cloud 9 Spa cabins and suites are available on Carnival Breeze, Carnival Celebration, Carnival Dream, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Luminosa, Carnival Magic, Mardi Gras, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Radiance, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Vista.
Havana Cabins and Suites
Many cruise lines have now begun adding specialty areas to their ships wherein a small number of guests enjoy extra amenities and private spots away from all the other cruisers, such as private restaurants and pools. Carnival’s take on this concept is the Havana area.
Havana guests enjoy exclusive access to the Havana pool and bar, and if you book a suite, you’ll enjoy extra features like a huge outdoor deck and rain showers. Havana guests must all be 12 years old or older.
The Havana space and its staterooms and suites are only available on Carnival Celebration, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Jubilee, Mardi Gras, Carnival Panorama and Carnival Vista.
Terrazza Cabins and Suites
The Terrazza space is very similar to the Havana space, but it’s only on two Carnival ships: Carnival Firenze and Carnival Venezia (the cruise line’s two ships that have a distinctly more European feel, due to the ships’ past lives sailing under another cruise line).
Terrazza staterooms offer larger outdoor spaces and access to a private deck with lounging, drinks and a whirlpool. Guests in these staterooms must all be age 12 or older.
Excel Suites
Carnival Excel-Class Suite
There are several different types of Excel suites that you can book, but whichever you choose, you can expect an excel-lant experience. A new addition to the cruise line, Excel suites are featured on some of Carnival’s newest ships, like Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration.
Perks of staying in these suites include access to Loft 19, an Excel suite guest-only area with its own pool, bar and cabanas; guaranteed specialty dining times; upgraded toiletries; complimentary room service; a complimentary drinks package; and more.
Accessible Cabins
Additionally, Carnival Cruise Line does outfit each ship with a handful of “accessible” cabins intended for cruisers with mobility restrictions and wheelchair users. These cabins are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so if you think you need one, book it as soon as you can.
Accessible cabins come in two types: modified and fully accessible. The modified cabins have wider doors, so 29-inch doorways at the cabin entrance and then 22-inch or larger doorways for the bathroom.
Fully accessible cabins have 32-inch doorways at both the cabin entrance and the cabin bathrooms. The bathrooms feature roll-in showers with fold-down seats and there’s no bathroom lip to get up and over. There’s also greater floor space for easier maneuverability in the cabin with a wheelchair or scooter.
So out of all of these options, how do you pick the best cabin or suite for you, when cruising with Carnival Cruise Line? Here are a few things to consider.
The Ship’s Age
Ship age really plays into your cruising experience. While there are plenty of older ships within the Carnival fleet that will provide you with an excellent vacation, do note that the cabins can be a little lackluster. Cabins may feel dated and furnishings could be on the older side.
As such, you may find that you want to upgrade your stay on an older ship, and book a cabin that’s in a higher tier than what you might normally book. In general, the suites on Carnival’s older ships are in better condition than the interior cabins on those same ships.
However, the reverse also applies. If you’re sailing on one of Carnival’s brand-new ships, you may find that the interior and ocean view cabins are in such great shape, and feel so luxurious, that you can downgrade from the type of cabin you might normally book, and still love your stay.
Location on the Ship
Carnival Cruise Line Balconies (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
Suites are generally higher up on the ship, while other cabin types are scattered throughout the ship. Where your cabin is located, though, can impact your cruise.
For example, if you have a tendency to get seasick, you’ll want a cabin toward the middle of the ship (where the ship’s movement is less noticeable) and ideally with a window or balcony, for views of the horizon (which some report helps alleviate symptoms of seasickness).
Cabins on the lower decks are often more affordable, with lots of lower deck interior cabin options. Upper deck cabins are close to all of the action (though do note that action often comes with noise).
Who You’re Cruising With
Don’t just take into consideration the number of cruisers in your party whenchoosing a cruise ship cabin. Also, think about everyone’s habits and needs.
For example, you could just be cruising with two other people, but if those people tend to spend a lot of time getting ready every day, it might be worth getting a cabin with two bathrooms, so as to avoid time-consuming turn-taking in front of the vanity.
Similarly, if you have young kids, you might value having a tub in your stateroom instead of just the normal, small, stand-up shower that you’d get in an interior stateroom.
Other Things to Look Out for as You’re Booking Your Carnival Cruise Line Cabin
Cruise Cabin on Carnival Cruise Ship (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
Have a good idea of which cabin you’d like to book for your cruise? Before you book, make sure you’re checking for a few things.
Is the View Obstructed?
If you’re paying good money for an ocean view or balcony stateroom, you don’t want an obstructed view. Typically, obstructed views come from parts of the ship or things like life rafts being positioned right in front of a window or balcony.
While these cabins can come with a lower price point, they also come with less of a view. If this will bother you, check all the cabin’s details before booking.
Where is the cabin in relation to elevators and stairwells?
These spots are notoriously noisy on cruise ships. There’s a lot of foot traffic and activity. While you might think that being next to the elevator will make your cruise experience more convenient, keep the noise factor in mind.
Is Carnival Cruise Line the best cruise line for your cabin needs?
Lastly, if you’re not finding exactly the cabin or suite you think you need for your cruise, it might just be that Carnival isn’t the best option for you.
For example, if you want a singles stateroom, for one traveler without paying a single’s supplement, you won’t find it on Carnival — but you will find singles staterooms on cruise lines like Norwegian Cruise Line.
Want an even bigger suite than what you’ll get with Carnival’s Excel presidential suite (the current largest suite in the Carnival fleet)? Look to Royal Caribbean, where the suites are even bigger.
There is always a risk of gastrointestinal illness spreading among guests on a cruise ship and it has happened again, this time onboard Ruby Princess, currently in the middle of a Hawaiian Islands voyage.
The 3,080-guest ship operated by Princess Cruises is sailing a 16-day Hawaii cruise roundtrip from San Francisco. The vessel departed on December 2, 2024 and is due back to her homeport on December 18, 2024.
In an alert to passengers on December 10, 2024, the ship’s captain indicated that an illness had developed and would impact a planned onboard party.
“During this cruise, you have already been informed that few of our guests have reported to the Medical Center with symptoms of gastrointestinal illness. I appreciate your understanding and co-operation with our proactive actions and would like to take opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience this may cause,” Captain Peter Lesic wrote in a message to guests.
“Due to these circumstances unfortunately, we will not be able to host the Captain Circle Party at this time. I understand that this might be disappointing however, the health and safety of you, our guests, and our crew are my top priorities,” added Captain Lesic.
A social media post, also on December 10, 2024, from a guest onboard Ruby Princess reported that a deep cleaning of the ship was under way, and that there was no longer a self-service option in the ship’s buffet.
“Apparently a bunch of people sick, but unknown how many. Lots of non hand washers and coughers all over the place. Bring your hand sanitizer,” the guest posted.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), common symptoms of norovirus include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Other symptoms are fever, headache, and body aches.
The illness is spread by having contact with someone with norovirus, eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus, and touching contaminated objects and then putting unwashed fingers in your mouth, the CDC states.
The Crown-class Ruby Princess had called at Kailua Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii, on December 10, 2024 and was sailing to her final port call of Ensenada, Mexico. The ship had already visited Oahu, Kauai, and Hilo, Hawaii.
Outbreaks Impacted Earlier Princess Itineraries
While gastrointestinal illnesses can and do affect virtually all cruise lines, Princess Cruises’ ships have been impacted multiple times in recent months.
The most recent case was reported in mid-November 2024 aboard Coral Princess, as the ship sailed a 31-night transpacific cruise from Singapore to Long Beach, California.
Ruby Princess in San Francisco (Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks)
Seventy cases of norovirus were reported to the CDC, which requires notification when 3% or more of guests and crew members experience symptoms. In those cases, the CDC publishes details of the outbreak on its website.
In April 2024, an outbreak happened onboard Sapphire Princess as she sailed a 32-day cruise to the South Pacific from Los Angeles. The CDC was informed that 94 guests and 20 crew members were taken ill.
While the captain of Ruby Princess indicated that the illness was gastrointestinal, the CDC has not yet announced the outbreak or provided details on its website.
Other cruise lines also have been dealing with the fall-out of onboard illnesses. P&O Cruises, a UK brand, is currently being sued by former passengers who became ill while sailing aboard Ventura earlier in 2024.
That same ship in early December experienced yet another outbreak during a 12-night Canary Islands cruise roundtrip from Southampton.
