Carnival Paradise Review
Editor's Note: All eight of Carnival's Fantasy-class ships will receive extensive upgrades as part of Carnival's $250 million "Evolutions of Fun" program. Expansive children's water parks, a new design style and features for the pool areas, and the creation of the Serenity adults only deck area will be part of the changes to the open decks of Carnival Cruise Lines' eight Fantasy-class ships.
The expanded outdoor recreation areas will be initially incorporated onto the 2,052-passenger Inspiration and Imagination during month-long dry docks in fall of 2007 and added to other Fantasy-class ships in 2008 and 2009 during scheduled dry-dock periods.
At 2,054 passengers and 70,367-tons, the mid-sized Fantasy-class ships (which include Fantasy, Ecstasy, Inspiration, Imagination, Fascination, Elation, Sensation and Paradise) are the workhorses of Carnival's fleet. These vessels, which lack some of the up-to-the-minute accouterments sported by Carnival's newer ships -- plentiful balcony staterooms, distinctive indoor promenade -- are typically assigned shorter-than-a-week itineraries and, as such, make frequent turnarounds. Paradise is no exception.
Paradise, which at one time was the industry's only all-non-smoking cruise vessel (the company abandoned the philosophy a few years ago) remains a beautiful ship, spiffy-clean, easy to navigate, and filled with the attributes -- tons of activities, great food, Camp Carnival for kids, wonderful pools and sun decks, first-rate entertainment -- that draw guests to Carnival again and again.
Paradise is based at Southern California's Long Beach terminal and sails back and forth to Baja Mexico. Like most of its siblings, it offers short cruises; in this case, three- and four-nighters. As a result, the ship tends to appeal to a "drive to port" traveler, and in that huge metropolitan region, it means that most hail from places like California, Nevada, Arizona and Oregon. This gives the Paradise experience a distinct laid-back, Southern California feel. We were told by our Maitre d' that Californians order finer wines and use the dining room (as opposed to the Lido Deck cafeteria) more than do those on East Coast three- and four-night itineraries. The sushi lines are definitely longer, and while it's no longer a non-smoking ship, there are fewer smokers and fewer places to smoke than on vessels that homeport in other locations.
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