carnival cruise ship virtual tour

Carnival Liberty Cruise Ship

Tripsavvy / Linda Garrison 

I sailed the western Caribbean on the Carnival Liberty not long after the first of the 2.0 changes were made to the ship, and I'm happy to say that the cruise line has some winning ideas. The Carnival Liberty was the first of the Carnival Cruise Lines ships to undergo its  FunShip 2.0  renovation. Carnival announced in 2011 that the company is investing over $500 million to enhance its fleet over the next several years. I had previously sailed on the Carnival Liberty in 2006, so it was interesting to see the changes made to the ship.

First, Carnival has partnered with some big names to bring new entertainment and dining options to the ships. Comedian George Lopez consulted on the hiring of comedic talent, and Food Network television star Guy Fieri introduced a new free outdoor grill on the ships called Guy's Burger Joint. Video game fans will recognize the name EA Sports. Carnival has worked with this company to develop a new sports bar concept, aptly named the ​EA Sports Bar. This bar is next to the casino where the former sports bar, Gloves, was located. This new bar has a whole wall of flat screen monitors for watching sports action, playing trivia games, or competing in video games. Finally, under license from Hasbro, Inc., Carnival will create Hasbro, The Game Show , a new series of entertainment activities based on the popular Family Game Night television show from The Hub.

In addition to the big-name consultants, Carnival added two new outdoor bars to the Carnival Liberty. These fun spots are located next to the Lido deck pool. The RedFrog Rum Bar is a poolside version of the RedFrog Pub on the Carnival Magic . Rum may be a popular Caribbean libation, but tequila is also a favorite. So, Carnival has also added the BlueIguana Tequila bar on the Carnival Liberty on the opposite side of the pool. I love Mexican food, so was delighted to see the new BlueIguana Cantina. This complimentary poolside dining destination offers freshly made burritos and tacos on homemade tortillas, along with a nice salsa bar with a variety of toppings.

Overall, I loved the enhancements made to the Carnival Liberty, and I think my fellow cruisers on our western Caribbean cruise did too. The new bars were packed with patrons, and the new dining venues were terrific. Although some of the entertainment changes will evolve over the next few months and years, the plans are intriguing and the future looks FUN for those who sail with Carnival.

Let's take a tour of the Carnival Liberty.

• Dining and Cuisine
• Interior Common Areas
• Exterior Common Areas
• Onboard Activities and Entertainment

Carnival Liberty - Cabin

We were in Carnival Liberty balcony cabin #8389 and were well pleased with this cabin. The balcony was large enough for two chairs and a small table. The cabin was quiet, and we had plenty of storage space. The cabin was made up with a queen-sized bed, which could be separated into twin beds. The stateroom also had a nice sofa, cocktail table, storage shelves, flat-screen television, and dressing table. The television had several news and movie channels. The closets were large enough for two people, although the hangar configuration was inconvenient since you couldn't take the hangers out of the closet. I guess some people must steal hangars from cruise ships just like they do from hotels or otherwise the cruise line would make the hangars easier to use.

The cabin was quite comfortable and had good lighting. The dressing table only had one plug-in, but I had brought along a power strip to hook up all my electrical equipment (camera, computer, phone, etc.), so we were fine.

The bathroomhad a shower with a curtain. The sink area had shelves for all our toiletries, and a makeup/shaving mirror, which I always like to see in a cruise ship cabin. The bathroom came equipped with all sorts of small packages of sample items, and the shower had a container of shower gel and shampoo. I had to use my own shower cap, so was glad I brought one along.

The Carnival Liberty has 20 different price categories among the seven different types of cabins, ranging from inside cabins to luxurious suites. Over 500 cabins are balconied such as ours was.

Carnival Liberty - Dining and Cuisine

Overall, I thought the Carnival Liberty dining options and food quality were very good on our western Caribbean cruise . Just imagine serving 3,000 hungry people 24 hours per day!

The numerous dining options on the Carnival Liberty are varied and diverse. Here's a list of the mouth-watering places you can dine each day:

• Golden Olympian Dining Room
• Silver Olympian Dining Room
• Emile's Bistro
• Blue Iguana Cantina
• Mongolian Wok
• Fish & Chips
• Guy's Burger Joint
• Harry's Steakhouse
• Origami Sushi Bar
• Jardin Cafe
• Chef's Table
• Room Service

Since we were usually anxious to get ashore and go exploring, we ate breakfast in the buffet-style Emile's Bistro. It had all the standard fare, including an omelet station. Although most of the other passengers also ate in Emile's for breakfast, the buffet lines were manageable; we never had to wait too long.

The Carnival Liberty had many options for lunch, and we tried them all. One of the main dining rooms was open for lunch on sea days, but most passengers enjoyed a casual lunch either by the pool or in the food court area at Emile's on the Lido Deck. Emile's had a buffet lunch with many diverse options, and the deli, pizza bar, and Mongolian Wok are nearby. The Mongolian Wok is a favorite of many cruisers (like me), but the lines often are long. The wait is worth it, but you might want to try it the first day or on a port day, when not as many people are on the ship. The BlueIguana Cantina has excellent burritos and tacos, with a great self-serve salsa bar. My husband loved the fried oysters and seafood soups at the Fish & Chips bar on deck 10 upstairs from Emile's. My favorite casual lunch spot was Guy's Burger Joint, where you'll find the best burgers at sea. There was certainly something for everyone!

Dinner was our favorite meal. We ate in the Silver Olympian Dining Room, but had dined in the "anytime dining" Golden Olympian Dining Room on a previous cruise of the Mediterranean on the Carnival Liberty. Both are excellent and lovely dining venues. The food was delicious, and the portion sizes just right. Our waiters remembered our names and usual requests (white wine, decaf coffee, etc.) from the first night. They anticipated our needs and were exceptional.

We ate at Harry's Steakhouse ($30 per person cover charge) one night. The presentation and taste of the food was marvelous, and the cover charge hasn't changed since 2006 when I dined there before. One word of caution--the portion sizes are larger than those in the main dining rooms, and you will need to allow at least two hours for dinner. Was it worth the $30 extra? We all agreed it was, but others might not.

The Jardin Cafe and Origami Sushi Bar are along the Promenade aft on deck 5. The Jardin Cafe is a patisserie that serves delicious snacks and specialty coffees for an extra fee. Origami features fresh complimentary sushi rolls most evenings between 5 and 8:15 pm. Since we had dinner at 8:15 each night, Origami was a good place to have a snack before getting cleaned up for the evening.

We did not try the Chef's Table since the reservations are limited, but it sounds like a very special experience. Up to 12 guests enjoy wine and hors d'ouevres in the galley with the ship's chef de cuisine. The group then get a personalized tour of the galley with the chef and get to see the galley in action, something usually missed on regular galley tours. The evening concludes with a memorable dinner with appetizers, entrees, and desserts designed by Carnival's master chefs specifically for the Chef's Table dinner. The Chef's Table is $75 per person and can be booked at the Guest Services Desk. Doesn't the evening sound marvelous?

Room service is available 24 hours per day on the Carnival Liberty at no extra charge. Since breakfast is the most popular room service meal, it's a good idea to use the card provided in the cabin to order the night before. You can't order off the regular dining room menu as you can on small luxury ships, but the room service menu has a nice selection of items that will carry you over until the next meal.

Carnival Liberty - Interior Common Areas

The interiors of the Carnival Liberty are mostly bright, contributing to the overall fun environment. The soaring atrium is filled with flowers (artificial) and a huge chandelier with lights of changing colors. It's very festive and a great atmosphere for cruising the Caribbean !

The Carnival Liberty has many lounges spread throughout the ship. The Venetian Palace is the large show lounge, with good seating spread over three decks. The Venetian theme is carried over to the two jesters on either side of the stage and the cute tables shaped like Carnival masks. This show lounge is used for evening entertainment and popular activities like bingo. The Victoria Lounge is the second largest lounge and is like a cabaret, with comedy shows and live music karaoke. Next to the Victoria Lounge is The Stage, which was used as a venue for live Latin music on our cruise. Downstairs from these two venues is The Cabinet, which has nice seating, a dance floor, and is used for karaoke, magic shows, and various other entertainment. The Hot & Cool nightclub and disco is a busy place in the late evening.

The smaller indoor bars feature all sorts of fun themes. The lively Piano Bar has sing-a-longs around its huge "piano". Those looking for a quiet bar will enjoy the Alchemy Bar with its fascinating assortment of premium drinks. The EA Sports Bar (previously called "Gloves") has sixteen 46-inch flat screens, perfect for watching sports or playing video games. We liked sitting in either the Promenade or Flower Lobby bars in the evening because the people-watching was so much fun!

The Carnival Liberty has a nice Internet lounge tucked away behind The Cabinet on deck 4. The ship has WiFi available shipwide (for a fee), and many people either used their own laptops or tablets to access the Internet.

Like most large ships, the Carnival Liberty has a large casino and shopping arcade, both on the popular Promenade Deck. The ship also has conference rooms, a lovely small library that seems to only be open an hour or so a day, and a card room.

The Carnival Liberty spa, salon, and gym are forward on deck 11. The gym features good views of the sea and a nice selection of all the latest workout equipment. Classes are

Kids sailing on the Carnival Liberty have their own age-appropriate areas. The Club O2 age group (ages 15-17) have the exclusive use of a lounge on the deck 5 Promenade. It features bar stools shaped like Duracell batteries. This lounge is conveniently located next to the video arcade. The Circle C age group (12-14) also have their own lounge on deck 4. I'm sure the older teens are glad these two lounges aren't TOO close! The younger kids' Camp Carnival is indoors forward on deck 12 near the adults-only Serenity outdoor deck area.

It's really fun to just take a deck plan of the Carnival Liberty (obtained at embarkation or at the guest services desk) and just explore the interiors of the ship.

Carnival Liberty - Outdoor Areas

The Carnival Liberty cruises the sunny Caribbean year-round, so its outdoor areas can get very busy when the weather is good. The ship has two large swimming pools on the Lido Deck--one midship pool and the other Versailles Pool next to the pizza bar aft of Emile's Bistro buffet. The Carnival Liberty also has a large water slide , kiddie pool, and several hot tubs.

The busiest bars on our western Caribbean cruise were the BlueIguana Tequila Bar and the RedFrog Rum Bar . These two outdoor drinking venues flank either side of the Lido deck pool and were added during the 2011 renovation. What a great idea to have two such fun places outdoors, and the friendly competition between the "blue" iguana and "red" frog carryover to several activities during the cruise. Those looking for a drink certainly don't have to go far. The large outdoor Seaside theater screen is also next to the Lido deck pool.

Serenity is the adults-only area forward on deck 12. There is no extra charge to use this facility, and it has padded lounge chairs, double clamshell lounges , hammocks, and two large hot tubs . It's a great place to escape the hubbub on the Lido deck.

Guests who get tired of lounging around, drinking, or enjoying the pool and hot tubs might want to escape to the sports deck aft on deck 11. There, they can jog , play miniature golf, basketball, or volleyball.

Carnival Liberty - Onboard Activities and Entertainment

The Carnival Liberty has all sorts of non-stop activities on our western Caribbean cruise , most of which you would expect on a large mega-ship. The swimming pool and deck areas were terrific, and the Carnival Liberty features one of the large, on-deck movie screens over the midship pool . It was much like being at a drive-in theater (without the cars and making out). Videos, in-house talk shows, and news were shown in the daytime, with a movie featured each evening.

Those looking for a quiet place on deck sought out the Versailles Pool or the forward adults-only Serenity deck area.

The Carnival Liberty gym and spa were forward on deck 11. The spa had all the usual massages and treatments, including a cruise-long "spa seminar" that featured classes on everything from weight loss to detoxification to teeth whitening. The gym had all the latest equipment (including spinning for a fee). Pilates and yoga classes also had a fee, but the rest of the classes and machines were included in the cruise fare. The gym also featured a great view.

Days at sea could be filled with bingo, art auctions, funny contests by the pool, dance classes, or gambling in the casino.

What we didn't see on the Liberty (and didn't expect) were educational classes or enrichment lecturers. Although the television and daily FunTimes newspaper included information on each port of call, the focus was mostly on Carnival's shore excursions or shopping recommendations. Those preferring to learn about the ports or tour on their own will need to do independent research.

The Venetian Palace is the Carnival Liberty's show lounge. The seats are comfortable, with good sight lines, and the room has a beautiful stage curtain and spectacular Murano glass chandelier. The shows by the onboard troupe in the palace are Vegas-style, with lots of singing and dancing. We enjoyed all of them. On the evenings when the show troupe was not performing, the Venetian Palace had a variety of entertainment such as magicians, singers, or comedians. One night we had a "Carnival Legends" show featuring some talented passengers in an "Idol"-style show (but with no one voted off).

The Carnival Liberty has plenty of other evening entertainment options in its lounges, and most have live music ranging from classical to jazz to disco to karaoke. The teens even have their own lounge. Just wandering from lounge to lounge in the evening and taking in a few minutes at each was great fun. A large ship like the Carnival Liberty can really stand out in its diversity of entertainment options.

I thought that the variety of entertainment on this ship was one of its strongest points, although the casino seemed to be the most popular evening entertainment onboard.

Conclusion The Carnival 2.0 enhancements have added new bars, dining options, and entertainment to the Carnival Liberty. Before the changes, the ship was already an excellent choice for multi-generational groups or couples who want a good mix of both quiet time and party time. These changes have made the ship even better!

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary cruise accommodation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our Ethics Policy.

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Carnival Splendor Virtual Tour

Three weeks ago I had the opportunity to board the Carnival Splendor in Port Everglades (Ft Lauderdale).

While I was touring the vessel I took the opportunity to photograph the ship for CruiseInd. This review will cover the public areas and staterooms.

All Carnival ships have a theme and some are more subtle than others. The Splendor’s theme is s plendid things. It’s also predominantly pink all over.

The ship is quite unique to Carnival’s fleet but not to Costa. Costa has 4 similar ships in their Concordia-class of vessels. (Yes- THAT Concordia !). She’s essentially an evolution of the Conquest-class ship with some minor changes. The Splendor was originally ordered as part of a 6 ship Concordia-class order with Fincantieri. However Carnival Corp. transferred the last ship to Carnival Cruise Lines to bridge the gap between the Carnival Liberty and the Carnival Breeze. As a result there is only one ship like her out there. However she will be transferred to P&O Australia in 2019.

Let’s start the tour with our noted obligatory photos.

Obligatory elevator lobby photo

Obligatory stairway landing photo

The bottom-most deck normally accessed by the public contains only cabins. There’s both inside and outside cabins with windows and portholes on this deck.

Deck 02 also contains only cabins.

Deck 03 is where the public areas start. It’s also where you enter the ship when first boarding. There’s a promenade on either side of the deck, but it’s not connected in the bow or stern. It’s usually pretty quiet out here during sea days.  At the very front of the deck is the ship’s main theater, the Spectacular Spectacular main lounge.

Just past the entrance to the lounge are the guest services areas. On the port side is the shore excursion desk and on the starboard is the pursers desk. 

Immediately aft of those is the bottom floor of the Splendor lobby. Direct above that is the Splendor atrium. 

This is also where you enter the ship when you first board.  Walking through the lobby there is a small corridor with the art gallery on the starboard side.  At the end of that hallway is one of the two main dining rooms, The Black Pearl.

At the very aft end of deck 03 is the second dining room. Deck 03 is one of those split decks that Carnival ships have. That means you can’t walk all the way from the front to back, as the galley sits in between the two dining rooms. If you click on the deck plan you’ll understand what I mean. Before entering the dining room, the Conquest-class of ships have this neat mini-atrium. On the Splendor it’s called the Golden Atrium.

At the end of the atrium is the second dining room called The Gold Pearl.

Deck 04 is slightly narrower as this is where the lifeboats are. On this class of ship, they are recessed inboard and adjacent to it is the boarding area. During normal ops, this area is only used during the muster drill. At the very front of Deck 04 is the start of the second level of the main theater.

Exiting the theater, you walk down stairs, and past the forward elevators, you enter the second deck of the main atrium.

At the far end of the atrium is the ship library.

Adjacent to the library is the photo gallery. Next to it  is the Circle C club for 12-14 year olds.

Hidden between the library and the photo gallery is the second entrance to the top level of the Black Pearl dining room.

On the far side of the dining room you can enter a stairwell. Through that is a narrow corridor that takes you to the conference rooms.

Through that is the Robusto bar and lounge.

Through there is the second level of the Golden atrium.  Walking through there you reach the second level of the Gold Pearl dining room. The windows on the far side over look the ship’s wake.

At the very front of deck 05 is the top level of the main theater. You mainly access the top level though the stairs on Deck 04. However there are also stairs that go to deck 05 as well.

Just past this is the start of the Fun Shops. These are the duty free boutiques onboard.

Aft of the shops is the top floor of the main atrium. Although it continues to the very top of the vessel, this is the highest floor where you can walk around it.

Surrounding the atrium on the port side is the EA Sports Bar.

On the starboard side, towards the back of the atrium, is the candy store Formalities.

As you exit the atrium towards the starboard side, you immediately enter the Oceanview Promenade. This is the ship’s main promenade. At the main entrance to it, the casino sort of spills out into it.

Heading aft on the promenade you pass a small desk that had the sign up area for Carnival’s credit card and future cruises.

Adjacent to that is the onboard internet cafe.

Right next to that is Cafe Fans. The specialty coffee bar onboard.

Right next to that is the entrance to Club O2. The ship’s club room for teens.

Hidden staircase down to the hallway in front of the conference room.

Walking past that is the taste bar.

Just past that is the ship’s arcade. Unlike the Conquest-class, the teen area and the arcade do not connect. I learnt this the hard way.

Exiting the arcade, you’re back on the Oceanview Promenade. Located towards the end is the red-carpet entrance to the ship’s nightclub Red Carpet Dance Club.

We’re now reaching the end of the promenade. This is where the El Mojito wine bar is located.

Exiting the promenade you enter the top level of the Golden Atrium.  On the starboard side is the Grand piano bar.

The Splendor’s  Blues bar, the Cool Lounge, is located on the starboard side off the Golden Atrium.

At the very end of the Golden and continuing all the way to the end of the deck is the El Morocco aft lounge. This serves as the alternate lounge onboard the ship.

Deck 6 contains cabins. It’s the first level where the outside cabins have balconies.

Deck 7 also contains cabins. The midship ones are all suites. Deck 06 and 07 also feature a fairly quiet open deck at the front. You have a fantastic view over the bow looking straight ahead.

Deck 8 is also all cabins. At the front is the bridge and officer cabins.

The 7 best cruise ships for kids

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Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Kids can make or break your family cruise. If they’re bored and hate the food options, they will loudly and repeatedly express their displeasure. Pick the wrong cruise ship, and parents will feel as trapped as if they were stranded on a deserted island … with biting crabs underfoot.

The best cruises for kids take advantage of ships with endless fun for the under-18 crowd, plentiful dining that appeals to both young palates and bottomless teen tummies, accommodations and ship services that keep families in mind, and opportunities to meet and hang out with peers. No matter your family size or price range, you can find some incredible vacations at sea that will have kids exclaiming, “Best cruise ever!” by the end of the week.

For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s  cruise newsletter .

Find the top ship for your next trip with our list of the seven best cruise ships for kids (and their parents).

Disney Wish

No one is surprised that kids are highly entertained on a Disney cruise — but what might be surprising is how much there is for adults to do and enjoy , too. That’s especially true on the new Disney Wish , which debuted in the summer of 2022.

Disney Wish has four kids clubs divided by age, but the main Oceaneer Club for 3- to 12-year-olds has an all-new and exciting grand entrance. Kids get to enter the club by slide — and once inside, can explore the club’s spaces themed to “Star Wars,” fairy tales, Marvel and Disney Imagineers.

Along with the kids club on Disney Wish, junior cruisers will find two movie theaters with first-run Disney movies, Broadway-caliber shows featuring Aladdin and the Little Mermaid and dining experiences themed around Arendelle from “Frozen” and the Worlds of Marvel .

In addition to a “Star Wars-” themed bar and adults-only fine dining restaurants, adults will appreciate the little touches on Wish that make family cruising easier — split bathrooms in most cabins, a drop-off nursery, a splash area for toddlers and restaurant staff members who will offer high chairs and puree baby food.

Disney Wish sails short three- and four-night trips from Port Canaveral , Florida (near Orlando) that include a stop at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island , with its family beach, supervised child care, splash pad and strollers to borrow.

Related: How to save money on the cost of a Disney cruise  

A nearly identical sister ship, Disney Treasure , will debut in 2024.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas

It hasn’t even launched yet, and we’re already confident that Royal Caribbean ‘s new Icon of the Seas , soon to be the largest ship afloat, will be one of the top cruise ships for kids. Kids will never be bored on a ship with a six-slide water park, wild ropes course, surf simulator, rock-climbing wall, sports court and Surfside — a half deck of play spaces and restaurants devoted to little kids and their families.

Kids (and parents) who like a good show can gasp as ice skaters land jumps on a rocking ship, and acrobatic divers flip and splash in the AquaTheater, now up high on the ship under a glass dome. Don’t miss pizza and parades on the Royal Promenade, Icon’s indoor shopping strip.

The ship will also have innovative new family cabins and suites, some with separate kids’ rooms, to better accommodate guests of all ages. The Ultimate Family Townhouse will be a massive three-floor living space with a screening room, karaoke machine, in-suite slide and a backyard that leads out to the Surfside family neighborhood.

Related: 5 best Royal Caribbean ships for kids

Icon of the Seas will sail weeklong Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Miami beginning in January 2024.

Norwegian Encore

Norwegian Encore has a more grown-up vibe than many of the family-focused ships on our list, but its onboard attractions make it a huge hit with teens. Its top decks lure older kids with one of the biggest go-kart tracks in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet and an open-air laser tag arena ideal for shooting matches under the stars. A huge virtual reality playground features rides and games that blow the standard cruise ship arcade out of the water.

Note to parents: Cruiselong passes for the go-kart race track , virtual reality games and laser tag do not come cheap. Be prepared to pull out your wallet to keep the teens happy.

At night, teens can feed their growing bodies with tacos, hibachi and barbecue, plus 24/7 burgers and comfort food at The Local. Afterward, they’ll agree to be seen in public with their parents at a show as cool as “Choir of Man.” It’s an easy concession, as they know they can always escape to the teen club, Entourage, to hang out with the cool kids late at night.

Related: 5 best cruise lines for families

Norwegian Encore spends its summers in Alaska and winters in the Caribbean, with a handful of Panama Canal and Pacific Coast sailings in between.

Carnival Celebration

Passengers and crew members on Carnival Cruise Line ships come ready to meet new friends or share a laugh, a story and a drink with their shipmates. Social kids will fit right in and love the line’s huge, new ship Carnival Celebration . They can make friends at the Family Harbor Lounge, Camp Ocean and Dr. Seuss Bookville; older kids will enjoy the teen and tween clubs conveniently located near Guy Fieri’s burger stand and the video arcade.

Carnival Celebration and its near-identical twin fleet mate, Mardi Gras , are the only cruise ships boasting a top-deck roller coaster called Bolt. (That is until a third sister, Carnival Jubilee, debuts in late 2023.) A ride here is Instagram gold and the ultimate bragging rights for kids on vacation. The coaster dominates the Ultimate Playground area of the ship, where young cruisers can challenge their new friends to miniature golf, waterslide races, basketball and ropes course domination.

Kids who love a good food court can meet up with friends or family at several no-fee, casual eateries, including Shaq’s Big Chicken restaurant and a trio of Street Eats venues featuring dumplings, meat on a stick and loaded French fries. All-hours pizza and ice cream will keep the whole family fueled up for the interactive “Family Feud Live” show.

Related: The ultimate guide to Carnival Cruise Line ships and itineraries

Carnival Celebration sails weeklong Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Miami. Its sister Mardi Gras sails similar Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, Florida (near Orlando). Carnival Jubilee will be based out of Galveston, Texas, and offer seven-night Western Caribbean cruises only.

Sun Princess

It may seem odd that two of our top ships for kids haven’t debuted yet. However, like Icon of the Seas, Princess Cruises ‘ new 4,300-passenger Sun Princess will be heads and shoulders above the rest of the fleet in terms of family entertainment. If you’re booking a multigenerational family cruise for 2024 or beyond, you will definitely want to keep this ship in mind.

Sun Princess will be the first Princess cruise ship to feature an expansive upper-deck activity zone that kids will love. Named Park19, it will feature nine fun-in-the-sun activities spanning three decks. The attractions include the Sea Breeze Rollglider (imagine a safer version of hang-gliding from an elevated track), a climbing structure with obstacles and a slide, a ropes course, a splash zone and a sports court.

Inside the ship, Firefly Park will have drop-off kid programming and family play spaces for kids 6 months to 7 years old. Tweens and teens will each have their own hangouts, Neon Grove and The Underground, with cozy lounge furniture and plenty of video and other games.

Related: Which cruise ship cabin category should your family book?

Sun Princess will split its time between Mediterranean cruises out of Civitavecchia (the port for Rome), Piraeus (the port for Athens) and Barcelona as well as Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale.

MSC Seascape

MSC Cruises ‘ MSC Seascape is a floating megaresort with something for every type of kid. The ship stands out from its sisters because of its Robotron amusement park-style ride . Three riders at a time buckle into seating attached to a robotic arm, which then twists and turns to fly the riders over the ship and sea.

Water babies will make a break for the Pirates Cove Aquapark, with slides, a splash zone and a rope bridge. Other kids might spend their parents’ money on more virtual fun, indulging in F1 race car simulators, VR motorcycle racing, a 4D movie theater and a video arcade. Family groups can split into teams for sports court competitions or participate in organized games that rely on the latest technology to challenge guests of all ages.

The ship’s Lego-themed Doremi Land kids club has dedicated spaces for babies, kids and teens. The 7,567-square-foot space includes two Lego rooms (one for little kids to play with Duplos, the other with regular Lego bricks for older kids); the area also includes three spaces for teens — a gaming area (with VR options), a hangout with ping pong and foosball and a dance club.

Related: 7 cruise lines where kids sail free

And let’s not forget the line’s amazing pizza (including dessert versions slathered in Nutella) that families are sure to love.

MSC Seascape sails seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Miami.

AmaWaterways’ AmaLea

The typical river cruise draws a lot of retirees — except when Adventures by Disney partners with AmaWaterways. The two travel companies have created a river cruise vacation that is fun for grown-ups and kids.

AmaLea is one of the ships AmaWaterways custom-built for these family cruises. Certain twin balcony cabins sleep three, and suites sleep four to accommodate kids, with connecting cabin options for families who need more space. Unlike many river ships, AmaLea has a pool, as well as a surprise kid hit — giant outdoor chess.

While other ships sail the Seine and Rhine rivers, AmaLea travels the Danube through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. Adventures by Disney makes the most of your time with shore excursions planned to entertain kids and adults, with options for supervised kid activities while parents head out on more grown-up tours. Your family might meet farm animals in Hungary, play hide-and-seek in a palace’s labyrinth maze in Austria and hang around in a treetop playground in Germany.

Related: Best river cruises in Europe

On board, kids’ menus are available, and the occasional pajama party whisks kids away for pizza and a movie while adults linger over dinner.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

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These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

7 - Day Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral (Orlando), FL

Cruise itinerary.

Carnival Fun Italian Style

Day 1: Port Canaveral (Orlando)

Day 2 & 3: Fun Day at Sea

Day 4: st. thomas, day 5: san juan, day 6: amber cove.

Day 7: Fun Day at Sea

Day 8: port canaveral (orlando).

Get to Know Carnival Venezia

It's a long way from Venice to NYC, but Carnival Venezia thinks the two could be next-door neighbors. This ship is now sailing from its Big Apple homeport... and already has big Port Canaveral plans for the winter/spring 2025 season! What can you expect to find in this ship? Well, there’s more than a little Italy in this one — that’s why we’re calling this new type of cruising Fun Italian Style ™ . It starts with the Venice-inspired atrium Piazza San Marco , the onboard flavor and flair continues at the three-course Marco Polo and Canal Grande Restaurants , La Strada Grill ™ and its Italian street food, plus fusion spots Tomodoro ™ (Mexican-Italian, yum!) and Guy’s Burger Joint (new burgers with Italian flavors — also yum!). And in authentic ristorante style, the elevated Italian of Il Viaggio . Sip well at bars that each specialize in their own thing: complex and sophisticated cocktails at Amari ™ , bubbly stuff (plus snacks and coffee) at Frizzante ™ , frozen everything at Rococó ™ and fine Italian wines at Carnevale Bar & Lounge ™ . There’s great entertainment at the red-velvety Teatro Rosso and its Playlist Productions ™ shows, plus Gondola Lounge was inspired by the famous canals of Venice. Terrazza staterooms are a whole new way to stay in style and comfort, all in a great location close to amenities like the exclusive Terrazza Carnevale , a private terrace deck made for lounging, sipping and fun, day or night! There’s also a lot of the classic Carnival fun that repeat cruisers ( hey there!) know and love. Deliciously familiar flavors come from spots like Bonsai Teppanyaki ™ and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse ™ , while celebration spots include Piano Bar 88 and Serenity Bar , and relaxation happens at Cloud 9 Spa ™ and Serenity Adult-Only Retreat ™ . For the kids, there’s spaces just right for their age like Camp Ocean ™ , Circle “C” ® and Club O2 ® . And outdoors, get ready for a very splashy WaterWorks ™ and SportSquare ™ featuring a ropes course, jogging track, mini golf and outdoor fitness center. So as we were saying… hey, we’re cruising here! Carnival Venezia and all this Fun Italian Style sailing now from NYC. Andiamo!

Onboard Activities

Onboard Dining

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