Carnival Mardi Gras is a much anticipated ship.  Not only will she be the largest ships Carnival has ever built, but she'll have some impressive new features and concepts - some new to Carnival, and others new to the cruising world.  Those hoping to enjoy one of her earliest sailings however, will be disappointed to learn that her first eight sailings have been canceled...

Guests lucky enough to enjoy the yet-released Carnival Mardi Gras can look forward to some new food and beverage options, some of them not found on any other Carnival ship.  We've been excitedly watching as more information comes out about this new build, and these announcements have us all the more eager to try out what seems to be a totally new concept from Carnival...

Carnival is a force to be reckoned with in the cruise industry, with many passionate fans.  Like any brand with a loyal following, changes can cause waves - sometimes because people don't like the changes, other times because people fear what else is changing next.  Today, Carnival Cruises' Senior Cruise Director and Brand Ambassador John Heald published a letter about a number of recent changes, explaining the importance the company places on the environment.  The full letter...

Recently we had a chance to tour Carnival Conquest in Port Everglades and were rather surprised to experience a ship that is very different than any other we've been on.  We'll share some of what stood out on Carnival Conquest, along with a number of pictures and video so you can get a feel for the ship's unique look.  At the end we'll offer up our take and even talk about who we think might really appreciate Carnival Conquest...

Carnival Cruise Line has for many years been the most popular cruise line around, carrying millions of passengers and promising a fun experience and celebratory atmosphere - “the fun ship”.  In recent weeks however, the line has revealed a number of details about what will be their largest ship to date, and it shows the line is looking to compete in new ways. Let’s dig into the ship’s details, some photos, discuss what makes it unique, and even talk history before getting Billy’s take...

Updated: On Jan 6, 2019 Carnival announced they are suspending and re-evaluating room service charges.
Today, Carnival Cruise Line's Brand Ambassador, John Heald announced on Facebook that Carnival will now be charging for room service and will also be increasing the price of the Bottomless Bubbles (soda) package.  That is not however what I’m writing to talk about on New Years Eve (it would make for a short article).  Instead, I want to channel my inner John Heald and tell you how I really feel...

Although I’m born and raised in Tampa, Florida, I’ve never taken a cruise out of the port in my hometown. On Saturday November 10, 2018, I got a baby step closer by taking a tour of Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Paradise while she was in port. When I showed up at the Terminal...

It’s not just the newest ships at sea that glimmer and host a great time but keeping the entire fleet fresh is the goal of every cruise line.  Often lines will spruce up entire classes of ships, adding the latest features and venues.  Carnival however has announced a drydock that represents the final phase of a $2 billion eight-year project, and this phase involves a real transformation.  Let’s look at some of the new features and venues still to come, how this all relates to pizza, and then get Billy’s take on how this positions Carnival compared to their competitors...

Many cruise lines are offering sailings with stops in Cuba, and now, Carnival Cruise Lines is expanding their offering to include stops in Havana from Charleston and other East Coast homeports.  This represents a significant increase in options, especially for those looking to sail out of Charleston, where options had previously been somewhat limited.

When you think of cruising most people think about leaving from South Florida, Seattle, or perhaps a large city in Europe.  There are many other ports out of which you can cruise, and recently Carnival announced they’re greatly increasing their capacity at some of them.  We look at why this is important, and what we think it might say about the popularity of cruising as well as the economy...