Carnival Cruise Lines operates 24 ships featuring voyages lasting three to fourteen days. Destinations include the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Europe, Alaska, Canada, New England, Hawaii, Bermuda, and Australia. All cruises are family-friendly with lots of activities for children and teenagers to enjoy. Two formal nights are standard on cruises lasting seven nights. Normal attire for men includes dark suits or sport coats and ties. For shorter trips, one night is usually required. All other nights are casual and allow jeans or dress shorts to be worn in the dining areas. The cruise ships request that cutoffs and short-shorts not be worn after 6 p.m.
Carnival ships contain high-energy entertainment options, from Las Vegas styled revues to glitzy casinos, live bands and comedy shows. You can work out in the fitness center or take a run along a jogging track that encircles the outer portion of the ship. Families can watch movies on a giant outdoor screen or head to the waterpark. Tons of activities are available for children of all ages. Shopping includes themed stores for kids including a candy store.
The Carnival Cruise's website offers features to help you plan your vacation and find the lowest prices and discounts on upcoming cruises. Senior discounts, military discounts and other incentives are available as well. If you find a better Carnival advertised deal somewhere else within two days of booking a cruise, Carnival will give you 110 percent of the difference in onboard credit.
Carnival tries to protect their guests when making a reservation through their cruise lines. They understand that some may need to utilize travel insurance. Carnival's Cruise Vacation Protection protects you with a 100 percent cash reimbursement of applicable penalties for cancellations due to specified reasons, such as:
Carnival Cruise Lines feature six dining options on their ships which include seafood, burgers, steakhouse, Italian cuisine, Mexican cuisine, and a themed restaurant for kids called Dr. Seuss Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast. A jogging track encircles the outer part of the ship. Spa services, hair salon, and fitness center services are also available. Standard amenities on each Carnival ship also include:
Carnival Cruise ships travel to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Europe, Alaska, Canada, New England, Hawaii, Bermuda, and Australia. Dates and times for when these cruise ships depart depend on a number of contributing factors. Pricing information for some of these destinations are broken down as follows:
Transportation to and from the cruise ship (back to the airport) is also included. Transportation from the airports in New York, Los Angeles, Orlando, and others are available. Cruises are available all year long and can extend anywhere from three to fourteen days.
For those who are looking for a quiet and relaxing getaway, Carnival Cruises may not be the ideal choice. Large crowds and boisterous entertainment options are ongoing throughout the length of the cruise. There are areas of the ship that are private retreats to get away from the bustle, but most options available on the ship are geared toward kids and teenagers and create loud noises that may be disturbing for those wanting to relax.
Offshore excursions cost extra and can be a bit pricey for families seeking an affordable vacation experience. Some of the activities onboard cost extra as well. It is too easy to rack up a large vacation bill with the extra costs involved. Most children's activities are free, but late-night party program fees and video game charges can add up quickly. On top of regular rates, other costs may include:
Because of the large number of people on board the cruise ships, individual attention may lack on occasion and it may be hard to get the attention of attendants should you need anything. Babysitting is available, but it costs extra. The rate for babysitting is $6 per hour, and $4 for each additional child. For those with infants, you will be required to provide staff with diapers and wipes for children under two years old.
Carnival cruises are designed for families seeking a high-octane and affordable vacation. Carnival Cruises is perfect for those seeking colorful and boisterous entertainment options in a laid-back party-style atmosphere. If you are looking for luxury options or personalized attention Carnival Cruises may not be the best choice for you.
All in all we recommend Carnival Cruise Lines for having a great get-a-way experience.
Star Rating
711 Reviews
Review Breakdown
Sentiment Criteria
linda siegel
they work within your budget and help you get the best for your money
Jani Crawley
Las Vegas on a boat. If you want a drunken party this the the cruise for you. If you have a family, don't be swayed by the cheap prices, you get what you pay for...
Tom
We took a family vacation with Carnival this past year and it was a once in a lifetime experience. Great Food and entertainment. Loved it!
Sadie Scoville
I’ve only sailed with carnival off the West Coast, and the crew ships are pretty old and the entertainment seems a bit dated – like 80s Las Vegas. Still a fun cruise though!
CAROLE SCOVILLE
Great service - but didn't really love the vibe on our cruise out of Long Beach - felt like I'd been transported back to 1985
Kristin
Best cruise line to take the family there is something for everyone.
L. Fowler
We traveled with this company to Mexico and it was a very small cruise. Everything worked out well without any problem. I wish we would have been a little bit more informed about tipping because we didn't know our waiter was expecting a tip at the end of our cruise and he was upset and we didn't really know why. It was our first cruise and we were unaware.
Bella Houtz
Carnival Cruise is an amazing experience for the family and has quality service and food.
Ashley
My family and I have done this cruise line two times now, and every time we went it never disappoints because of all the fun activities for all ages.
P Crawley
The boat itself was great, the food was great but the entertainment is terrible. Not good for families at all.
Joanna Hester
I wouldn't recommend their 2 day cruise....food isn't great and it is a lot of drinkers, but their 7-8 day cruises have great entertainment, food, and activities.
katiec
I took a cruise to Mexico with my family and had so much fun! Such a fun atmosphere and great food. Especially loved the soft serve ice cream machines around the boat!
K Robison
Had an amazing cruise with carnival. Food was delicious and service was great. I want to use them for my upcoming cruises
Dallin Smith
I went on a carnival cruise to Mexico last year and it Was great! Their was always something to do and the food was amazing. Their prices are very affordable and the crew was super freindly and personable.
Jeffrey Foutz
The cruise was fantastic. The rooms were always clean. the staff was always friendly and super helpful. The prices were incredible.
Chase H
Carnival offers really great prices! It is great that you can get a trip including room, food, and fun for such a cheap price.
Carolee AhPing
You get what you pay for. Younger crowd who parties. Wouldn't go on a carnival cruise again.
Michael
My wife went in the cruis with them and she liked it
Landon Robison
I have been on two different cruises with Carnival and they have both been great. The food was amazing and they had an excellent buffet open 24/7. There was always plenty to do and the staff was really fun and nice.
Kaylee
Carnival is a good cruise line if you have kids. They have kids camps so your kids can be entertained the whole time. The ships themselves are a little tacky looking and aren't always as clean as some of the other cruise lines that I have been on. The food is good but not all that amazing unless you pay to go to the steakhouse.
Megan Rigby
Had a fun and enjoyable time on a Carnival Cruise! First time being on the ocean in a very large ship! had a blast visiting the ports and experiencing different culture etc. most definitely go on another!
Cassidy Gundersen
My family calls Carnival cruises “Vegas on water”. The cruise lines feel cheap, trashy, and unless you like smoking, drinking, and gambling (which we do not) this is not the cruise line for you. They are cheaper than most other cruises, but you get what you pay for! I’d suggest nearly any other line.
Pete
I went on a cruise with my family and had a ton of fun. We got a really good price, the rooms were nice, and the entertainment was great. The only thing I didn't like was when it was time to leave it took us forever to get off, we waited for about an hour to leave. Other than that it was great.
Denise H.
I have been on a few cruises with Carnival over the last several years. The food is great and overall I have really enjoyed my experiences. My only complaint would be that they seem to have raunchy entertainment...definitely not family friendly!
Hannah Elliott
The activities were way fun and there was a ton to do. However, the food could have been better. I wasn't that impressed with the meals, however, I got my money's worth in soft serve ice cream alone.
Freyda Stephens
You made a drastic mistake with Dan and Stephens Stephens' cruise- canceled it on them when they were checking in on Sunday and did not do or offer any thing to help offset all the extra costs they incurred by need to change their cruise to 4 days later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or even say you were sorry- my last cruise i booked spent $10,000- that will never happen again and i will do everything i can to share my disastrous story with anyone who will listen- so they do not get treated this way
Ann
Passenger on Sunshine 2-21-16 to 3-4-16. Very old ship. Poor elevator function and poor layout. Outbreak of Norovirus with passengers leaving ship via ambulance to local hospitals. Even after outbreak, in dining room each table shared cream pitcher, salt and pepper, butter dish and basket of rolls. Why not use single packs for safety? also at beverage centers all cream and milk was in large pitchers for multiple use. All of these modes of transmission of the virus. Severe respiratory illness also spread rapidly through. Of our group of 6, 4 had to spend days in bed due to malaise, cough and sneezing. Food quality only fair. Disappointed in attention to infection control and ship enviornment.
larry
March 4 2016 I have been on 4 cruises with carnival .The last one was a little disappointing. I talked a couple into going with us, telling them about how the food was.The buffet was not like I remember. The hot food was cool at breakfast and lunch, and selection was poor. The rest of Dream cruise was fun.
Elsie
I have been on 10 Carnival Cruises and have enjoyed them all. The last cruise was alittle disappointing. They have changed some of the small but important things. There was not an ice bucket or ice in our room. We did not get the chocolates in our room, and any extra condiments in the restrooms like we had in the past. When I asked about them, they said they were stopping that as a means to become more Americanish so that people would like that better. I had to ask for a spoon at the dinners so I could stir the tea. They said they were setting the tables now the way the Americans are use to. We use spoons in Texas to stir our tea!! I made a reservation for my 11th cruise but it will be on Royal Caribbean this time.
lois
it was my frist cruise and i love it all the nice people i meet was great and the crew was to
Joe Granito
Just got back from our 4th cruise and the second cruise on the dream out od NOL. This was the best one yet. I had more fun and met some of the best people on this cruise. The only thing lacking was the dinning help was a little slow on checking on us once we were served. The casino employees were the best and most friendly we have ever experienced and played a big part in the enjoyment since it rained one full day at sea. House keeping was an a plus also. Friendly and very concerned that we everything in our room was to our satisfaction. Thanks Carnival, the crew of the Dream will be hard to beat.
Scott & Daisy Lindblad
this was my wife and my first cruise and we took it to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. From the first minute we arrived at the cruise terminal to the end of the cruise the service and friendliness of the entire staff was remarkable. We enjoyed our shore excursion of the jeep tour of Freeport and it was my first experience of driving on the wrong side of the road and not getting a ticket. We enjoyed this cruise so much we have already placed a deposit on an 8 day cruise next year and it also will be with Carnival Cruise Line. Thank you Carnival for the wonderful memories we will always cherish.
Judy
One of my best cruises - so much fun. The greatest Crew members that make you feel so special. Can't wait till my next one in 2016. I love Carnival Cruising. A devoted Carnival Cruise Fan. Just wish I could afford to go on more ;-). Maybe after retirement.
deb
Have taken many cruises.I am platinum.In Oct.My husband ,a rider for 55+ years ,refused to ride what we were given,stating it was unsafe.I thought safety was 1st concern. We were refunded only 30%/$60.00.I have contacted several people no one returns emails etc..thank you .we took the Harley in Paradise excursion
gary
we have been on 1 royal Caribbean cruise, 3 Norwegian cruises , 6 carnival cruises, we have 3 carnival cruises booked in 2016. carnival is the best.
Frank Pereira
for my first cruise I had very good time will do it again when money be available.
Kenneth May
ive been on a few cruises with carnival and 1 with rci and we are hooked on carnival the best part of going on rci is we had most our kids and 2 of our grand kids with us but now for a real cruise line keep doing what your doing CCL you have us for life great food very well thought out entertainment each night halarious comidy shows if you dont have fun with CCL your most likely a stick in the mud and noting is going to be right for you anyway! Anyway I have a blast each cruise and am booked for another cruise in april now for the only down side we alwas liked to book a balcony for our cruises so we could enjoy the nights under the stars with a glass of wine and a smoke befor bed this cruise i have booked now will be a inside cabin since you are no longer allowed to smoke on the balconys just a thought yes we shouldnt subject others with our smoking any more than nessary but you would think a company that would do so much work to make shure your entertained would have thought out this rule better like give one side of the ships balconys to the none smoker and let us smoke on the other side of the ship im shure everyone would agree its a far better solution carnival already tryed making a ship a smoke free ship and couldnt keep it booked out and ended up loosing a lot of money on that ship that year so being a old country boy that would tell me that there are a lot of people that still smoke and wouldnt even try a ship that is smoke free
Pat - nj
Just back from a cruise on the Carnival Pride out of Baltimore. Loved every minute of it and can't wait to go again. Went to Nassau, Half Moon Cay & Grand Turks.
E L Ward
Carnival Pride three trips. Each of the trips got progressively worse, used Carnival because of Baltimore Port. Last trip balcony stateroom and hallway had smell of raw sewage for entire cruise, complaints got no relief. Food is marginal at best.
Cheryle Hubenak
Love, Love, Love cruising on Carnival. Always something fun going on and good food to enjoy. Happy people, making people happy!
Joe
Port selections have plenty of excursions, food items are broad enough to never be displeased, staff is always willing to help out, prices are competitive, plenty to do on board. Main shows could be a little more exciting. Vessels are always on time, you sense that safety is important. Casino does have many winners.
Robert Wood
I have been on 10 cruises all with Carnival. From my very first cruise on the Destiny from San Juan to my 11th cruise on the Sunshine from Canaveral, every cruise has been great. The staff on board always pleasant and very attentive. Rooms were always perfect. Anything we ask for within reason was always immediately taken care of. I am completely satisfied and look forward to more cruises in the future. Thank you Carnival again!
margo
I have been on over 20 Carnival cruises and I am close to the big 70 in age. My husband and I have enjoyed each and every cruise, and love all the attention we get aboard ship. The employees are amazing, food delicious, and entertainment beyond compare. If you travel during winter months, you avoid all the small children and teenagers. We look forward to the two cruises with Carnival we have booked for 2016.
Kate
My husband and I joined our son and family along with friends on Carnival for a week, we had a wonderful time.
robert morey
Excellent ships, service, food. Recommend them to everyone! The people that are always complaining are just that way whether at sea or on shore.
Tara Lynn Gibson
this was our first cruise and family vacation and we loved it we will be booking another one and every year after that also carnival is the most affordable cruise line I did my research on all the cruise lines before we booked!
Colleen
Went on the Pride out of Baltimore. Loved it. Not crowded, very clean, good food. Rooms were a little dated, but totally acceptable. Being on the boat was better than the ports. Alchemy bar was great with Andre and the girls!!!! Best bartenders ever. Can't wait to go back.
Sue Brown
Been on two cruises and going on my third in two weeks! Never once has it been a bad experience! Always had an awesome time! So much fun things to do on the ship, have some drinks, yummy food and relax by the pool. Looking forward to going on another cruise after our third! :)
Billie Grogan
Had an awesome time every time we were on a Carnival cruice...
Donnie Adams
Our trip was a typical Carnival Cruise, loud and crowded. Food was good and our shore excursions made up for the loud conditions on the ship. The ship was really clean and our room was really nice. Food was excellent and it was a good mixture of different kinds of food. New Orleans is a great place to board your ship. Easy parking and boarding not difficult at all Would it be impossible to have a cruise with no one under 18 or possibly 21 allowed LOL. We certainly will travel again with Carnival.