Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line was founded in 1972 by Ted Arison and is the flagship brand of Carnival Corporation & plc. It built its name on short, affordable, high-energy cruises, and that is still its core: three- to eight-night trips to the Bahamas, Caribbean and Mexico from a long list of US homeports, so many Americans can drive to their ship. The fleet ranges from older, smaller ships to the Excel class (Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee), with two more Excel-class ships, Carnival Festivale and Carnival Tropicale, due in 2027 and 2028.

Onboard, the mood is relaxed and social. Expect waterslides and WaterWorks splash areas, the BOLT roller coaster on the Excel class, comedy clubs, deck parties and plenty of casual, included food such as Guy's Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina. Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze, both transferred from sister line Costa, sail under a Fun Italian Style theme with Italian-inspired decor and menus.

Carnival suits budget-minded travelers, families, groups celebrating something, and anyone who wants an easygoing vacation without dressing up. It is a strong choice for a first cruise or a long weekend at sea. Travelers who want quiet, gourmet-forward dining or an inclusive fare will find better fits at premium and luxury lines.

The vibe: Laid-back, loud in the best way and unpretentious; flip-flops, burgers by the pool and a comedy show after dinner.

What Carnival does best

Excel-class ships

Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee run on LNG and add the BOLT roller coaster, themed zones and the largest dining lineup in the fleet.

Celebration Key

Carnival's beach destination on the south coast of Grand Bahama is divided into themed areas, including a family lagoon, a party lagoon and the adults-only Pearl Cove Beach Club (extra cost).

Included casual favorites

Guy's Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina and the Lido buffet are included, and they are genuinely good value for families.

Punchliner Comedy Club

Stand-up comedy runs nightly on most ships, with family-friendly early shows and adult late sets.

Homeports across the US

Carnival sails from Florida, Texas, the Gulf Coast, the Mid-Atlantic, New York and the West Coast, which makes drive-to cruising easy for many travelers.

Dining

Included dining covers the main dining room, the Lido buffet, Guy's Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, pizza and room service basics on many ships. Extra-cost specialty venues include Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse, Cucina del Capitano Italian, JiJi Asian Kitchen, Bonsai sushi and teppanyaki, and Guy's Pig and Anchor Smokehouse on select ships. Excel-class ships have the widest choice. The main dining room offers set early and late seatings or flexible Your Time Dining.

Entertainment and activities

Expect song-and-dance production shows in the main theater, nightly stand-up at the Punchliner Comedy Club, live music in the RedFrog Pub and atrium, deck parties, game shows, trivia and a casino. Excel-class ships add the BOLT roller coaster, and newer ships have Loft 19 cabanas and lounge space. Activities like SportSquare minigolf and ropes courses, plus Sky Zone trampoline parks on select ships, fill sea days.

Families and kids

Camp Ocean (roughly ages 2 to 11) is the included kids' club, with Circle C for ages 12 to 14 and Club O2 for 15 to 17. WaterWorks splash parks with slides are on most ships. Nursery services are available for younger children on many ships for a fee. Adults have the Serenity retreat as a kid-free escape.

Dress code

Most evenings are cruise casual: shorts are fine at the buffet and casual spots, with nice shorts, jeans or slacks preferred in the main dining room at night. Most sailings have one or two cruise elegant nights where guests dress up a bit, though a suit or gown is never required.

Gratuities and drinks

Carnival adds recommended gratuities of $17 per person per day for standard cabins and $19 per person per day for suites. Children under 2 are exempt. You can prepay gratuities before sailing or have them charged to your Sail & Sign account. (Published rates as of 2026-10-13; source. Lines change these, so we confirm the current amount in every quote.)

Water, coffee, tea, lemonade and iced tea are included. The Cheers Beverage Program covers beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, sodas, juices, specialty coffees and most bottled water, but every adult in the cabin must buy it if one does, alcoholic drinks are capped at 15 per 24 hours, drinks above a set price are not covered, and it is not valid on the line's private destinations. A Zero-Proof package is available for non-drinkers.

Loyalty program: Carnival Rewards (replaced the VIFP Club). Tell us your number when you request a quote so past-guest offers and status perks are applied.

Private destinations

• Celebration Key
• RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay
• Princess Cays

Specialist tips for booking Carnival

• Download the Carnival HUB app before you sail. It handles check-in and arrival times, and onboard it shows the daily schedule, deck plans and your account over the ship's network without buying a Wi-Fi package.
• Before you buy the Cheers package, count realistically: it must be bought by every adult in the cabin, caps alcoholic drinks at 15 a day, and does not work at Celebration Key or Half Moon Cay.
• Faster to the Fun is Carnival's paid priority package (earlier boarding, priority cabin access and more). It sells out on busy ships, so decide early if it matters to you.
• On Excel-class ships, the BOLT roller coaster costs extra and lines are shortest early in the day or on port days when most guests are ashore.
• Many of the best values are the included venues. Try Guy's Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina before booking specialty dinners for every night.