Carnival Liberty is a Conquest-class cruise ship, the very first of the Carnival fleet to receive a $900 million renovation as part of the Fun Ship 2.0 initiative. Additionally, Carnival Liberty was the very first Carnival ship to feature Carnival’s Seaside Theater, with its 12-foot-by-22-foot LED screen on the Lido deck.
Inaugurated in 2005 with an initial cost of $500 million, Carnival Liberty has 13 passenger decks and can hold nearly 4,000 guests (though an occupancy around 3,000 is much more common) and just over 1,000 officers and crew. There are nearly 1,500 staterooms, and these include two deluxe Captain’s suites, over 50 other suite types and many more staterooms across the ship.
Carnival Liberty is a great ship for families who are somewhat new to cruising. The ship sails from Port Canaveral, Florida, a very popular cruise launching point for those headed to the Caribbean, and then it goes on to the Bahamas.
You can choose from three- and four-day cruises, so there’s not a large time commitment, and as you might expect, thanks to this, the Carnival Liberty cruises are pretty affordable as well, just around $200 per person.
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A Carnival Liberty cruise offers plenty to do for every traveler. While, yes, budget-friendly families will love this ship, others will find it suited to their tastes just as much, or maybe even more so.
Millennial travelers will enjoy the wealth of fun dining and drinking options, and the endless activities and entertainment. Multigenerational travelers will love that you can always find a good balance of fun for the kids and for the grandparents across the ship. Whatever your travel style, a Carnival Liberty cruise delivers.
If you’re new to cruising, need a cruise that doesn’t break the bank or just want a cruise that won’t use up so many of your vacation days, look no further. Carnival Liberty is likely the ship for you, and here are 15 ways you can experience a Carnival Liberty cruise to the fullest for yourself.
1. Pick the Right Stateroom For You
With so many different stateroom and suite options aboard a Carnival Liberty cruise, you might have a hard time picking the right stateroom for you, so you’ll want to make your choice carefully.
So, what can you expect with each type?
The interior staterooms are comfortable and suitable for a few people. They’re maximized for space, so that you get a lot of functionality out of little square footage.
These general staterooms vary in style, but mostly differ as far as what kind of view you get. Some don’t have a window, others have just a few portholes and some have really nice picture windows with walkway views.
If you want to upgrade a bit, you can get an ocean-view stateroom, and these vary as well, but again, mostly just due to the views.
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Some are obstructed and others are what they call “scenic,” with floor-to-ceiling windows that really can’t be beaten. Many of these are a little more spacious, with a seating area and large bathroom.
2. Go a Step Above, with a Balcony
A step above the ocean-view staterooms are the balcony staterooms. You get a beautiful balcony with seating, so you can enjoy the great outdoors right from your room, any time of day or night.
Some of the balconies are on the smaller side, but others are practically huge. The premium vista balconies are especially lovely, designed to wrap around the aft corners of the ship, for panoramic views of the sky and water.
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3. Invest in an Even More Luxurious Upgrade
The tippy top of luxury on a Carnival Liberty cruise, comes in the form of the suites. There are, as mentioned, two Captain’s suites, and then a range of other suites.
Junior suites are the lowest level of suites bookable, but still ultra-luxurious, with a huge balcony, walk-in closet, VIP check-in and a whirlpool tub. Then there’s the Ocean and Grand suites, both a bit bigger, the Grand suite with a dressing area with vanity, which definitely comes in handy.
Lastly, there’s the Captain’s suites, with two full bathrooms, a separate living room and all the latest in hospitality tech you could need. If it’s a true luxury travel experience aboard a Carnival ship you’re seeking, you’ll want to book one of these two suites.
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4. Chow Down, with Plenty of Options
There are almost endless dining options when you’re on a Carnival Liberty cruise. It’s amazing how there’s something for every taste, whether you prefer casual fare or something a little more fancy.
Pizza Pirate serves up pies every way you like. Lido Restaurant is a family-friendly casual dining experience that’s easy to access, night or day. Ol’ Fashioned BBQ offers all your down-home barbecue favs.
Mongolian Wok is all about the Asian flavors, and the Carnival Deli transports you back to your favorite New York-style deli, kosher dill pickles included. The Seafood Shack is just like your favorite Maine lobster shack…only hundreds of miles from Maine!
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And of course, what would summer vacation be without an ice cream cone? You’ll have a hard time keeping the kids (and yourself, really!) away from Swirls and the eatery’s awesome ice cream options.
The best part? We didn’t even name all of the dining options you can find on a Carnival Liberty cruise. A delicious surprise is waiting for you around every corner.
5. Indulge in Two of Carnival’s Most-Beloved Food and Beverage Brands
There are two food and beverage outlets that have become synonymous with Carnival Cruise Lines and they’re a must-stop on every true Carnival fan’s cruising itinerary — Guy’s Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina.
At Guy’s Burger Joint, you’ll head to Flavor Town and enjoy some of the best burgers at sea, with a menu inspired by celebrity chef Guy Fieri himself.
If you’re not in the mood for a burger, but some tacos might hit the spot, BlueIguana Cantina is not only awesome for tacos and Mexican fare, but Mexican-style drinks as well.
6. Order Some Room Service
Cozied up in your suite? You don’t have to leave in order to enjoy some of Carnival’s best cuisine. The cruise line offers all of its guests, regardless of your room type, 24-hour room service.
All you have to do is pick up the phone and call and, before you know it, you’ll be relaxing with a scrumptious dinner, desserts and drinks, all from the comfort of your own stateroom or suite.
7. Dine in Class
While all of the above are fantastic dining opportunities, sometimes you want a little bit of a date night, or just to treat yourself to some first-class dining.
The Dining Room offers you a bit more fancy of an experience, with traditional cruise line-style dining, in an upscale setting. There are premium food options over three courses.
The premium-priced Chef’s Table gives you a backstage look at the ship’s culinary orchestra, with a private tour included.
Another upscale dining offering is the Steakhouse, for all the surf and turf you can eat. There is an additional cost, but cruisers say it’s well worth it for this high-end dining experience at sea.
8. Be Entertained
The entertainment aboard a Carnival Liberty cruise is really top notch. You’ll find no trouble discovering a show you like every night of the week, whether you want something interactive and family-friendly, or you want to get lost in a great musical production.
Some of your options include Hasbro, The Game Show, where your favorite board games come to life in a larger-than-life, family-friendly, audience-participation-required show.
Playlist Productions offers an impressive lineup of musicals and theatrical productions, but this is no small town (er, small ship) play. Expect spectacular talent and high production levels when it comes to the stage tech, scenery and costumes.
At The Punchliner Comedy Club, you’ll laugh yourself silly, and you can choose to attend a more PG-rated show, or something a little more risqué after dark.
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9. Enjoy a Little “Me” Time: Kids
We all love a good family vacation, but let’s face it. Sometimes it’s nice to get away from the fam for a bit and enjoy some adults-only or kids-only fun.
For the kids, there are options for every age group. One of the most beloved family-friendly features on a Carnival Liberty cruise, though, is Seuss at Sea, a lineup of programming which includes breakfast with your favorite Dr. Seuss characters, a Seuss-inspired parade and more.
At Camp Ocean, kids from ages 2 to 11 enjoy activities both educational and just for fun, all led by trained instructors. For preteens, Circle C is a hot spot that offers activities catered just to them. Then, for the teens, Club O2 is the trendiest, coolest spot on the ship.
10. Enjoy a Little “Me” Time: Parents
For the adults, they can head to Serenity, an adults-only retreat that’s filled with sunny day beds, its own pool and a bar, so you never have to leave in order to have a great cruising experience.
Hey, parents! Want to head to one of the bars or nighttime activities that aren’t as suitable for the kids, maybe get in a nice date night? Carnival provides the Night Owls program to watch your kids in fun and safety until the very wee hours of the morning.
11. Quench Your Thirst
Speaking of bars, there’s one thing that a Carnival Liberty cruise really delivers on and that’s the libations!
RedFrog Rum Bar is a Carnival classic brand, with tropical drinks a-flowing all cruise long. The similar BlueIguana Tequila Bar has all your favorite tequila-based drinks, plus some Mexican beers for variety.
For some majorly impressive mixology, try Alchemy Bar, an upscale venue perfect for real relaxation. The Piano Bar encourages you to sing along, of course, and SkyBox Sports Bar is the perfect spot to watch the big game — there’s no need to fear missing out on cheering on your team just because you’re at sea!
Want to get a little more hands-on with your drinking experience? Carnival offers several different types of programming just for this, including wine tastings, martini tastings and mixology competitions.
12. Get Creative
For all the artsy cruisers out there, both young and old, a Carnival Liberty cruise has just the thing.
Kids have plenty of arts and crafts options at any of the dedicated kids clubs, but there’s also the Make it With Michaels program, including everyone’s favorite arts and crafts store, and the Build-a-Bear Workshop at Sea.
For artsy adults, you can find art seminars, art auctions, art games (where you pit your art knowledge against that of your fellow cruisers), art exhibitions and more.
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13. Refresh and Rejuvenate
Of course, you can’t go home from vacation looking like all you’ve done during your Carnival Liberty cruise is party (although, we won’t blame you if that’s what you indeed do).
Make sure you make a stop at the spa and take advantage of all the great treatment options, so that you come back from vacation looking refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to take on the world. There are beauty and wellness therapies, massages, facials, hair treatments, medi-treatments and men’s services.
14. Stay Fit
With so many tempting dining and drinking options always at the ready, it could easily be possible to put on a few pounds while you’re at sea. If you’re watching your waistline and want to stay in shape during your short getaway, visit the ship’s fitness center.
The 15,000-square-foot space includes all the equipment you need, including weight machines, free weights, stationary bikes, treadmills and more. They all give you great views of the water form the floor-to-ceiling windows.
There’s also an outdoor jogging track on the top deck, so you can run to your heart’s content. The track is 1/11 of a mile long, so you’ll get to go around a few times to get your daily mileage quota in.
15. Go for a Swim
Obviously, you don’t want to go for a cruise without taking a dip in the pool, and Carnival Liberty has more than enough options for everyone. There are two saltwater pools, a pool at the water slide, more than half a dozen hot tubs and even a pool with a retractable roof, so that if you have a stormy day at sea, it doesn’t mess with your pool time.
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Ready to Go?
A Carnival Liberty cruise offers the best of all worlds. Those looking for a fun, entertaining time will find it easily, as will those who are in search of an upscale experience with high-end dining and spa and arts events. If you’re looking for a mixture of both, you’re even in more luck.
So, what are you waiting for? Book your next Carnival Liberty cruise today.
