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Why Go?
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 Part of Carnival's Destiny class
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Outdoor area with a kiddie pool and playhouse
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Club Arctic for late-night partying
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Entertainment ranging from karaoke to production shows
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Tasty 24-hour pizza; try goat cheese and mushroom
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Itineraries and Ports of Call: Caribbean - Southern
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Carnival Victory Review
It's no great mystery why my Carnival Victory complaint card was left blank: There's the tremendously laid-back feel, the service that's outstanding without being irritating, and the antiseptic clean of the whole vessel (without the pungent, nose-tingling, antiseptic odor). Launched back in 2000 (and even with a recent refurbishment), the ship has a comfortable worn-in feel. And the overall operation -- much like Captain Casula's smooth daily weather and navigation briefings -- comes off as effortless. In harmony with the gentle rocking of the ship, it's easy to fall into a sleepy rhythm.
As such, Carnival Victory serves as an excellent intro to Carnival Cruise Lines for the uninitiated -- and a welcoming escape for the line's aficionados.
A member of the Destiny-class of vessels, Carnival Victory has all the traditional Carnival accouterments -- a decent variety of dining options (from the Pacific dining room to an expansive, two-deck Lido buffet), a bright, centrally located casino, an impressive spa, a comprehensive Camp Carnival program for kids, a daily schedule of jocular activities, and more than enough places to drink and socialize.
At the same time, some of the more contemporary touches found on later ships -- such as a sushi bar, supper club and drive-in style poolside movie screen -- are not to be found.
Still, what was most appealing on our recent seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise was that on Carnival Victory there's no haughty pretense. It's admirable that no one tries too hard to please -- from the tabletop dancing dining room waiters, to the dryly sarcastic blackjack dealers, to the amiable bartenders who call you "chief" or "boss." Most of the nearly 2,800 passengers give the impression of being quite content with this, and why wouldn't we? There's no pressure placed on the ship to be anything that it's not, and the guests feed off this, basking almost immediately in a serene sense of welcome.
On my particular Victory sailing, no one seemed to mind when the ship simply stopped moving in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on our way to San Juan. The violent shudder, alarming outpouring of dense black smoke from the funnel, and subsequent straining halt was taken completely in stride. There was no panic; instead passengers just thought of it as a brief reprieve from the drone of the engine (not that anybody really seemed to mind the drone in the first place). And an hour and a half later, we were on our way again, running a little late, but no worse off.
Guests were irked when we were wrenched out of bed at 6:15 a.m. to complete immigration before arriving at St. Maarten (several hours before the scheduled processing, but of course that was the U.S. government's call, not Carnival's). But a few hours later, it seemed a distant memory. And even when cruise director Jorge Solano rekindled the aggravation of the morning by bringing it up prior to an evening show, the crowd (and the laugh track) responded favorably to his bit (rendered more comical by his genial Latino accent). Solano noted that he'd ask the immigration officials politely, "do I have to wake them up?" Assuming the affirmative, he then demonstrated how to wake vacationers pre-sunrise by whispering "ladies and gentlemen ..." The high-pitched laughing woman planted in the front row responded with piercing shrieks of approval, and it was clear that the audience had forgiven Jorge for the original offense.
For this Carnival first-timer, it's also relevant to note that while Carnival has, in the past, been pigeonholed as the slack-jawed, party line (perhaps the line itself is guilty of emphasizing this rep with its own "Fun Ship" distinction), in reality it offers a more impressive range of options than it's given credit for.
But ultimately, you get a week of evenhanded leisure at a great price. It's like a comfortable dream, of which you remember little more than a general feeling of well being.
Read Complete Carnival Victory Review
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Carnival Ships: Carnival Conquest • Carnival Destiny • Carnival Dream • Carnival Ecstasy • Carnival Elation • Carnival Fantasy • Carnival Fascination • Carnival Freedom • Carnival Glory • Carnival Imagination • Carnival Inspiration • Carnival Legend • Carnival Liberty • Carnival Magic • Carnival Miracle • Carnival Paradise • Carnival Pride • Carnival Sensation • Carnival Spirit • Carnival Splendor • Carnival Triumph • Carnival Valor • Carnival Victory • Holiday
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