Carnival Cruises

28,302 Reviews
Carnival Breeze (Photo: Carnival Cruise Line)

About Carnival Cruises

Carnival specializes in fun, laid-back, family-friendly cruises. With few exceptions, Carnival sails exclusively from North American homeports and offers some of the lowest pricing in the industry, particularly on short three- and four-night Carnival Caribbean cruises.

  • More about Carnival Cruise Line

  • Who goes on Carnival cruise ships?

  • Do I have to dress up on a Carnival cruise?

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Carnival Celebration
Carnival Celebration (Image: Carnival Cruise Line)

7 Night
Exotic Western Caribbean Cruise

80 Reviews
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Carnival Spirit
Carnival Spirit in Alaska (Photo: Aaron Saunders)

15 Night
Carnival Journeys - 15-day Hawaii Cruise

1,075 Reviews
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Carnival Sunshine
Carnival Sunshine

6 Night
Bermuda Cruise

1,418 Reviews
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Carnival Celebration
Carnival Celebration (Image: Carnival Cruise Line)

6 Night
Exotic Eastern Caribbean Cruise

80 Reviews
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10 Night
Carnival Journeys - 10-day Alaska Cruise

1,075 Reviews
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14 Night
Carnival Journeys - 14 Day Transatlantic

1,075 Reviews
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4 Night
Western Caribbean Cruise

1,568 Reviews
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4 Night
Bahamas Cruise

1,418 Reviews
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Cruise Critic Favorite

12 Night
Carnival Journeys - Transatlantic Cruise

1,462 Reviews
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10 Night
Exotic Eastern Caribbean Cruise

85 Reviews
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7 Night
Exotic Western Caribbean Cruise

4 Reviews
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8 Night
Alaska Cruise

1,075 Reviews
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7 Night
Exotic Eastern Caribbean Cruise

184 Reviews
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14 Night
Carnival Journeys - 14 Day Transatlantic

184 Reviews
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5 Night
Bahamas Cruise

1,134 Reviews
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Carnival Cruises Tips, Activities, and Overview

Who goes on Carnival cruise ships?

Carnival Cruise Line sells itself as the "fun" cruise line, and it attracts cruisers who are looking to have a good time with little to no pretensions. Carnival cruisers, who range from young to old, tend to be quite friendly, looking to strike up conversations with other people in the buffet, by the pool and, really, anywhere.

Carnival is also one of the most family-oriented lines in the industry, and you're bound to see lots of kids onboard, even during the school year. When school is out, you can expect the number of kids to be well into the hundreds.

The line is also popular for family reunions, and bachelor and bachelorette parties.

People on Carnival cruise ships hail primarily from the United States, mainly the south and Midwest, but you'll also meet folks from Canada, England and usually a handful of other European countries.

Find more info on the history and vision of Carnival Cruise Line from our industry experts.

Do I have to dress up on a Carnival cruise?

Carnival cruises are casual, with shorts, tee shirts, capris, swimsuits or swim cover-ups de rigueur during the day (no bathing suites in the dining venues, however). Most nights, the dress code on a Carnival Cruises remains much the same, minus the swimwear, though technically the cruise line asks that people not wear shorts into the main dining room. The policy is inconsistently upheld.

On "elegant" nights, you'll see a range of clothing from ball gowns, dresses that leave little to the imagination, tuxes and suits to the same shorts and tees people sport all day long. Most men, however, opt for long pants and collared shirts, while women don sundresses, or a skirt or pants with a blouse. Men are not required to wear a suit jacket or tie in any venue.

Is everything free on Carnival cruises?

No. While Carnival is one of the more inclusive cruise lines when it comes to dining, you will still have to pay extra for some specialty dining, all drinks (alcoholic and non, except water, select juice at breakfast, and coffee and tea), shore excursions, visits to the spa and any retail purchases, including photos.

What are Carnival’s most popular activities?

Aside from the main pool, which is the hub of much of the line's fun activities, almost every Carnival cruise ship also has at least one waterslide, with several having multi-slide water parks. Additionally, several have a top-deck SportSquare that features a colorful collection of outdoor amusements, including Ping-Pong, billiards, foosball, mini-golf, Twister and a SkyCourse ropes course. On the line's newest ships (Vista and Horizon), there's also the Carnival SkyRide, a recumbent bike attraction suspended 150 feet up in the air, requiring riders to pedal their way around an 800-foot track that wraps around the outer decks.

Inside, you'll find activities that range from trivia and Bingo during the day to comedy shows and high-tech song-and-dance revues at night. Carnival ships also have lively bar nightlife, especially on ships with a RedFrog Pub; there's also an always-busy casino.

Why go with Carnival?

  • Cruises are for families and fun-lovers of all ages.
  • "Fun Ships" offer great value for money.
  • The world's largest cruise line -- big ships with panache.

Best for: Budget-conscious, gregarious families, couples and solos looking for an unpretentious vibe that's all about having fun

Not for: Anyone who doesn't appreciate off-color humor, lively hairy chest contests, burgers and BBQ, and thumping music. Find more questions and answers about cruising on Carnival ships.

Carnival Cruise Line Cruiser Reviews

First time cruisers, and likely never again.

From an ethical perspective talking to the employees and how unhappy they were working 8 months with no days off for an u reasonable amount of time is modern day slavery and nothing less considering what you’re paying and their is no justification.Children bought the juice and soda package and never used it once because no one had sodas or juices!Read More
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DrewDD

oneFirst Time Cruiser

Age 37s

Don’t do it

There is absolutely no direction to tell you where to go, everyone is frantically running each other over with luggage, no one knows where to put their luggage, and the workers are anything but helpful.People are running in the hallways, yelling, knocking on random doors with absolutely no adult supervision.Read More
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Sarahhhh

oneFirst Time Cruiser

Age 25s

Expected better from a large company

I have cruised Carnival before and did not have issues but I have never booked excursions or room decor before so maybe this is standard.The theatre is nice, but they were packed a few times, standing room only, and many chairs were stacked up on the upper level with people climbing over them to pack in.Read More
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PeanutGallery76

couple2-5 Cruises

Age 48s

Carnival Knows Its Audience...But It's Not Me

TL/DR: Enjoyable week on Carnival Horizon, with pros being cruise director, Paradise Beach Club, Production shows, and free food; Cons: buffet food, MDR food, and guests can get rowdy/loud/rude, especially as the week goes on.Our highlights of the week were Paradise Beach Club in Cozumel, the atrium parties that Georgia hosted most evenings, the Production shows, the free food options at Pig & Anchor, pasta bar, Guy's Burgers and Blue Iguana, and the Serenity adults only area.Read More
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IowaDutch

many10+ Cruises

Age 51s

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